Zehron's breath hitched. His body tensed as the two beasts locked eyes with him.
But… something was off.
Their gazes weren't hostile.
Instead, they looked at him with something deeper—as if they recognized something in him that he himself did not understand.
Then, without a sound, they turned away.
Zehron watched in stunned silence as the two creatures vanished into the thick mist of the forest, their battle seemingly forgotten. His heart hammered in his chest, confusion clouding his thoughts.
Why? Why did they just leave?
He slowly pushed himself up, wincing at the sting of his wounds. But just as he straightened—
ZING!
A sharp, electric pulse shot through his brain.
His vision blurred. His ears rang.
A splitting pain erupted in his skull, forcing him to clutch his head as his legs gave out beneath him.
Zehron's eyes fluttered open. The sky was painted in deep shades of orange and purple—it was evening.
His chest tightened. It would be night by the time he reached home.
Without wasting another second, he jumped to his feet and sprinted. His mother was going to be furious.
Then—a sudden stillness.
He halted. Something felt off.
A shiver ran down his spine. The air was heavy. The trees stood eerily quiet. Even the wind had stopped.
A sharp zing coursed through his skull. His vision blurred—his body swayed—and everything turned black.
---
When he opened his eyes again, he knew this wasn't home.
The trees here were massive, their leaves glowing faintly under the dim light. And infront of him, was a majestic colossal tree seemingly old and ancient, the roots, thick and hard and spreaded across the forest as if it was the source for all the life in the forest. A strange energy pulsed through the air. This place… felt different.
Then—a deep growl.
Zehron turned his head slowly.
Before him stood a colossal beast, its thick fur rippling with each breath. It was majestic yet terrifying, its sheer presence enough to command the entire forest. Its piercing golden eyes locked onto him, filled with an intelligence beyond words.
Zehron took an instinctive step back. The beast narrowed its eyes.
Then—a powerful roar.
The trees trembled. Small winged creatures—ones Zehron had never seen before—darted into the sky.
Yet… he wasn't afraid.
His heartbeat steadied.
Slowly, he reached out, his fingers brushing against the beast's thick fur.
A deep purr rumbled from its chest.
Their eyes met—something passed between them, something Zehron couldn't quite understand.
---
Night had fallen.
Zehron ran through the village, his breath ragged. As soon as he reached home, his mother rushed toward him, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Her hands trembled against his back. Her heart pounded against his chest.
"Where were you?! Why did you take so long?" Her voice was sharp, yet the fear in it was unmistakable.
Zehron stood still, silent.
His mother sighed. She wasn't surprised—he had always been quiet.
Finally, he spoke. "I was.... ." He hesitated. " I had to help an elderly woman carry her things to her home. I'm sorry, Mother."
" It's fine, my love...I'm not mad at you! I love you!" " But where's father"
" He is probably searching for you but don't worry he'll come back soon enough, go take some rest"
Zehron lies on his bed, his right hand resting on his read and ponders deep about the things that happened in the forest and gives out a relaxed sigh and murmurs "if it weren't for that beast I would not have been able to come out of the forest, but how did I reach there in the first place?" he switchs his position and thinks as to why he is facing such situations.
Several weeks passed.
At first, Zehron expected more strange encounters—more visions, more unexplainable events. But nothing happened.
Life carried on as usual. He helped with the carpentry, listened to his parents' complaints about life, and occasionally stole moments to wander in the forest.
Everything felt… ordinary.
Maybe it really was just a dream. Maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him.
And so, he let it go. He stopped thinking about it.
But he still wanted to talk about it.
.
One fine day...
Zehron sat at the small wooden table, hands resting on his lap, his mind heavy with hesitation. His father worked silently in the corner, smoothing the edges of a half-carved beam, while his mother stirred a pot over the fire.
The weight in his chest was unbearable. He had to say it.
"Mother… I went to the forest."
The wooden spoon in her hand stopped mid-stir. She turned, her brows knitting together.
"What did you say?" she asked, voice calm but carrying an edge that made his stomach tighten.
"I went to the forest," Zehron repeated, forcing himself to hold her gaze.
A sharp thud.
The spoon slipped from her fingers, clattering against the floor.
His father stopped working, eyes flickering between them, sensing the tension thickening the air.
"Zehron…" his mother whispered, stepping forward. Then her face twisted, her voice rising. "How many times have I told you never to set foot there?!
She wasn't just angry—she was terrified.
"Mother, I—"
"No! Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you know how many people have entered that cursed place and never returned?! Do you want to disappear too?!"
Her voice cracked, her hands trembling. Her breathing turned uneven, and Zehron had never seen her like this before. She wasn't just scolding him—she was pleading.
But his heart pounded with a different truth.
"They never returned because they entered with ill intentions," he said, his voice firm but quiet.
Her eyes widened in shock. "What?"
"The forest… doesn't take just anyone. Only those who mean harm disappear."
A pause. Then, suddenly—
"How would you know that?"
The room felt suffocating. Zehron's throat tightened, his pulse hammering against his ribs.
His mother stepped closer, her face pale. "How. Would. You. Know. That?"
For a moment, he wanted to lie. To brush it off, to make up something logical.
But something deep inside refused to stay silent.
His lips parted. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"The forest told me so… Mother."
Silence.
Pure, ringing silence.
His mother stumbled back slightly as if the words had physically struck her. Her hands clenched into fists, and her breath came in short gasps.
Her eyes widened, stunned by the weight of his words. For a moment, her mind refused to believe them. Was he making this up? she wondered, her heart racing. Or… was he telling the truth?
She tried to brush it off, to reason with herself, to calm the storm rising inside—but then, a memory from long ago crept back into her mind. Something she had pushed aside, ignored, buried. And now, it was knocking on the door of her thoughts, louder than ever.
Could it be?
Was that old fear, the one she hoped would never take shape finally becoming real?
She took a step toward him, her instincts telling her to console him, to speak softly, to help clear whatever confusion he might be drowning in. That would be the right thing to do… wouldn't it?
But her heart, her heart screamed something else. Something louder. More desperate.
She couldn't lose him.
Not her only son.
She wouldn't.
So she did the only thing she could think of. She would hide him. Again. Keep him safe.
Even if it meant locking him further away from the world.
But deep inside, she knew the truth. He wasn't a little boy anymore. He was growing up, asking questions, seeing things she had tried to keep from him. And because of her strict rules, he had no friends. No one to talk to. No one to trust. She had pushed everyone away from him out of fear, afraid they might hurt him, mislead him, or worse.
She wanted to believe it was all for his good. But the guilt now clung to her chest like a chain.
He was naive… because of her.
He had no real experience of the world. No chance to learn from it. And now, she wasn't sure how much longer she could protect him. Or hide the truth. Or silence the fear.
Her hands trembled. Her breath caught in her throat.
She didn't know what to do anymore.
And for the first time in years, the doubt was louder than the fear.
"Zehron…" she whispered, but it wasn't a reprimand. It was a name laced with fear.
She sank onto the wooden bench, shoulders trembling. Zehron stood frozen, watching as her entire body seemed to shrink—like a storm had finally broken inside her.
Then, to his utter shock, tears welled in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, barely audible. "I… I didn't mean to yell. I just—" Her voice cracked. "I'm scared, Zehron. I don't want to lose you."
Zehron's chest ached. He had never seen his mother like this. She was always strong, always composed, never broken.
Without thinking, he kneeled beside her, gently taking her trembling hands in his.
"I'm not going anywhere, Mother."
A single tear escaped, trailing down her cheek. She looked at him, searching his face—searching for the boy she thought she knew, the boy who suddenly spoke of things no ordinary person should know.
And in that moment, she realized—
Her son was no ordinary person.