The curious children craned their necks to catch a glimpse of what Jack held. It resembled the relic finder they had left behind in the forest. Jack regained his composure and returned to his seat. With hesitation, he began to explain, placing the relic-finder-like object on the table. It looked identical, except for a black arrow replacing the red line.

"This device here... is a relic finder," he announced.

Confusion filled the air, and Jessica spoke up. "I don't get it. Do you have a second one?"

"Our relic finder didn't have an arrow," Kyle observed keenly.

Silas, already suspecting the truth, asked, "Then what were we using all that time?"

"I believe I gave you a sensor. As the name suggests, it detects the presence of creatures and alerts you by spinning when one is nearby," Jack revealed.

A solemn silence fell over the room.

"Wait a moment," Kyle broke the silence. "We were essentially led to that thing?"

"No," Jack refuted. "It actually guides you deeper into the forest, not directly toward a creature. It only senses one if it's in the vicinity."

Jes, unable to contain her frustration, rose from her seat and slammed her hands on the table. "In the end, it's your fault again! We... we died in there," her voice faltered, brimming with emotion. "It all feels so distant, like a dream, but I can't forget it. I don't think any of us ever will."

"This is truly my fault, and I have no excuse, but please hear me out, Jes," Jack pleaded.

Relaxing her clenched fists and sitting back down, Jessica tried to calm herself. Silas and Kyle shared her anger, finding Jack's behavior unacceptable.

"You have all learned the basics, the rules, and the laws of this world... Perhaps I neglected your education, Silas, in the past two years, but we will catch up soon," Jack admitted, feeling remorse for Silas, who deserved a better teacher. However, circumstances had tied his hands, and he had a secret to impart to the children first.

"Now, listen closely. These words were written by someone long forgotten. They reveal the secret to our revival. In ancient times, humans were only able to die once and then came the descent of the Goddess or God or the devil or whatever, and you know the rest of the story... But in this world, nothing comes without a price," Jack explained, recalling the words his own instructor had taught him decades ago, words that had been passed down through the centuries.

"The first death, a gift, a door to the unknown,

Where secrets are whispered, and shadows are sown.

It beckons you forth, to the other side,

A glimpse of the truth, where veils coincide.

Yet beware the second, where the mind pays its due,

For knowledge unfound comes with a cost so true.

The third death arrives, and the soul feels the weight,

As darkness consumes, sealing its fate.

But mark the fourth death, where the body succumbs,

To the grip of decay, where all life becomes numb.

And in the final death, all fades away,

No whispers remain, no shadows to sway."

Jack paused, allowing the rhyme to sink in. The trio attempted to comprehend its meaning, and he knew they would understand it soon. It was not a riddle, and he didn't know why someone had gone to such lengths to create a rhyme, but it had been passed down in this form, and he would not be the one to change it.

"The first one is a gift, and the rest are a punishment," Silas interpreted.

"It's not always a gift, sometimes it is a burden that you have to turn it into a gift. And no, not a punishment, but a price. Each revival after the first one needs to be compensated by the mind, soul, and body," Jack corrected.

"This rhyme serves as a warning. Let's strive to avoid death from now on," he advised.

"I'm sure we won't have a problem with that if you won't send us to our deaths again," Jes remarked. "So, what gift did we receive?"

Jack was grateful for the change in topic; otherwise, he wouldn't have known how to respond.

"Is this why Silas became so strong?!" Kyle suddenly exclaimed.

"Perhaps," Jack neither confirmed nor denied, as Silas was a special case. Normally, the gift would not be as extraordinary. It would typically amplify one's emotions, strengthen one's connection to the elements, or remove the fear of death. It couldn't magically build muscles for you. If that were the case, Jack would look completely different today.

"I still won't forgive you," Jes expressed.

"I understand."

Silence ensued.

-Sigh

It wasn't easy for Silas to simply forget what had happened. He still felt there were many things left unsaid, numerous unanswered questions. So, he continued from where he had left off.

"It was a strange being, its body seemed to be forged out of shadows. It had red eyes and was incredibly fast and strong," Silas described.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Did it have wings?" Jack inquired.

"Wings? No, I don't think so," Silas replied, glancing at his friends, who also shook their heads in agreement. They didn't recall seeing any wings either.

Oddly enough, Jack vividly remembered reading about a new creature with wings that had appeared and attacked the children.

"It killed us one after the other, Kyle, Jes, and..." Silas suddenly stopped speaking. Something caught his attention—he couldn't remember how he died. The last thing he recalled was Jes's death.

When he attempted to recollect the rest, he felt an unsettling sensation, as if something within him yearned to break free. It was a peculiar feeling, deeply buried within him, something insidious slumbered. Goosebumps formed on his skin, prompting him to stop dwelling on it.

"Um, I actually don't remember what happened after it killed Jes," he confessed to them, choosing not to share these strange emotions.

"Don't worry, this can happen," Jack assured. He didn't pay it much attention, as memory loss after revival was not uncommon. The mind would try to protect itself and forget such harrowing scenes.

"What exactly was it?" Kyle asked.

"No one knows for certain. They first appeared a few hundred years ago, or rather, we encountered them a few hundred years ago. But they may have existed long before us. As explorations increased, so did the frequency of our encounters," Jack began to share his knowledge.

"They are known as 'creatures of the dark.' Like you mentioned, Silas, they seem to be made of darkness. Almost impossible to kill, possessing great strength. They reside in the forest, never leaving danger zone red."

The fact that they could kill with a single blow was something Jack decided to save for another time. It would be better for their mental well-being and his own safety.

"Did you send us into the forest just for training?" Silas asked.

Here it was, the question Jack had been anticipating—the true purpose behind sending them into the forest. There were different reasons.

"Partly. Yes, one of the reasons was for you to gain some experience. As I mentioned before, the funds for the orphanage are shrinking each day, so we should try to find some source of income," Jack explained.

"That can't be all, right?" Kyle chimed in with his sharp-minded thinking. It irked Jack a little, as Kyle was much more endearing when he played the fool. Perhaps that was his gift—the ability to shed his trauma. Jack speculated, as the gift of the first death was not something tangible.

"The other reason is something I will tell you another time. The effects period of the pill is almost over. You should go now and take a rest. Starting tomorrow, you won't be able to rest as I will train you rigorously," Jack revealed.

"Don't give us more excuses. For goodness' sake, just tell us already," Jes expressed her dissatisfaction, still feeling that there were many things left unspoken.

"Jes."

"Yes?"

"I've told you before, an angry face will give you wrinkles prematurely. Stop before you turn into an old hag. We all understand how much you care about your 'skin'," Jack said.

"Youuu!" Jes fumed.

Kyle and Silas found themselves seated next to a blazing human furnace. Jes had the ability to make the air around her ignite with her fiery temper.

"I truly can't go on. I know how unreasonable this may sound," Jack admitted and whispered something.

A cold gust of wind emanated from Jack's direction, cooling down the heated atmosphere and Jes. She was taken aback by this serious side of Jack, sensing that he genuinely cared for them. Jes couldn't bring herself to forgive him just yet, but for now, she decided to back down.

The trio was on the verge of leaving the room when Jack spoke up.

"Silas, I forgot to tell you something. Stay behind for just a minute," Jack requested.

Silas glanced at Kyle and Jes. Both nodded and went to their rooms, leaving Silas alone with Jack. They planned to interrogate Silas later to uncover any additional information.

Silas returned to his seat, curious about Jack's next words.

"I lied just now. I still have a few minutes, enough time to ask you something. Did you experience any strange flashes of memories, unusual feelings, or anything else that confused you while you were in the forest?"

King Urtemis had found Silas on the outskirts of the forest, with his soul crystal still embedded in his chest. Since Silas had been brought to his orphanage, neither of them had been able to uncover more about his origin. For Silas' sake, Jack didn't want to discuss such sensitive matters when Jes and Kyle were present.

Silas pondered. He still harbored that dark emotion that emerged when he tried to remember how he died. Initially, he didn't want to share it, but upon further reflection, he saw an opportunity to engage Jack in conversation and possibly find some answers.

"I..." he began to explain to Jack when he sensed something fishy about the situation. "Why are you only asking me?" he inquired.

"Before I answer, please respond to my question. What do you know about soul crystals?" Jack asked.

Were the effects of the pill truly wearing off for Jack to ask such a random question?

Silas looked at his teacher; his eyes remained focused, suggesting that his inquiry was likely related to this matter. Silas thought for a moment and responded.

"Soul crystals were God's solution for humans to evade death. A grain of each person's soul is contained within their soul crystal, which forms in the middle of their chest, resembling a thumb-sized pendant. A few days after a human's birth, the crystal falls out of the chest, and the corresponding district where the family lives takes care of it. It is also the place where one revives.

...Wait, are our soul crystals actually here?"

"Excellent, you grasp the fundamentals, and yes, they are here. Silas, it's important to remember that there are always exceptions. Don't believe everything you hear without question. Do you think the most influential figures of the three kingdoms would let just anyone take care of their crystals?" Jack cautioned.

"But I heard it from you," Silas countered.

"Even more reason to be skeptical," Jack replied.

"..."

"Returning to the topic, what if you encountered someone who still had their crystal embedded in their chest? Let's say this person is around twelve years old," Jack proposed.

"I don't know. I thought the crystal always breaks off," Silas admitted, unable to find a plausible answer.

"You don't know?"

"No. Do you?"

"No."

"This feels like a waste of time," Silas expressed his frustration.

"Okay. Now, what if I told you that the hypothetical child was found unconscious inside the forest?" Jack ignored Silas and posed another question.

"I've heard of mimicry monsters. Could they assume the appearance of a child with their soul crystal?" Silas made an educated guess.

"Good guess! That's why anyone entering the forest must wear special armbands made of materials the mimics can't replicate. It's how humans distinguish themselves from these creatures," Jack explained.

"But we didn't have any armbands when we entered," Silas noted.

"That's because I forgot to give them to you!" Jack realized, beginning to search for the special armbands. "They should be here in one of my drawers."

"...," Silas's despair grew. How fortunate they all were that the orphanage was still standing with Jack as its manager.

"But it wasn't a mimicry, Silas. It wasn't just another monster either," Jack revealed.

He had found the armbands and placed three of them on the table, colored in dark blue.

"An unconscious child with a soul crystal in their chest..." Silas pondered. However hard he thought, there seemed to be no logical explanation.

"What if that child... was born from the forest?" Jack stated something utterly absurd.

"Isn't that exactly what a monster is?" Silas was confused. The forest was considered the origin of the creatures that inhabited its grounds.

"Yes and no," Jack responded. "Just because we have only encountered monsters within the forest doesn't mean there isn't something beyond our expectations. Silas, you need to be open-minded and flexible in your thinking." Jack offered advice to his disciple.

"Our understanding of the forest and its workings is merely our perspective. Its true nature remains known only to itself. We can only speculate."

"This is becoming more and more confusing. So, what exactly is that child?" Silas's face displayed his confusion. He couldn't comprehend the situation.

"It's you, Silas. You are that enigmatic child," Jack revealed.

As Silas looked into Jack's eyes, his eyes widened, and his expression transformed from confusion to shock and then disbelief.