On a desolate battlefield, the sky above is dark and ominous. He was surrounded by chaos and destruction. Before him stood a shadow of a man, alone and defiant. Behind the man loomed a once-magnificent castle, now a ruin engulfed in flames. Its towers were crumbling, and countless battles scarred the walls, yet the castle's flag still fluttered stubbornly in the smoky sky, though the darkness obscured its emblem.

The castle was surrounded by fallen walls, riddled with gaps and breaches. The remnants of the walls stood like broken teeth, jagged and menacing. The ground was littered with the shadows of the fallen, indistinct forms lying still and lifeless. The air was thick with an oppressive darkness, making it impossible to discern details. Instead of blood, everything was shrouded in an eerie, unnatural gloom that seemed to swallow light and sound alike.

The shadow of man bore no weapons, only a pair of scarred hands that told tales of countless battles. In the distance, an army of 100 knights, spearmen, and cavalry thundered towards him. The ground shook beneath their relentless advance, the clatter of hooves and armor resonating through the air. The man stood his ground, his fists clenched tightly, a glow beginning to emanate from his hands.

As the army closed in, and was just 500 meters away, the man raised his glowing fist. while tearing the air, he slammed it into the ground. A loud thunderclap followed, tearing the earth apart, and sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The ground itself seemed to shatter, engulfing everything in its path. Fire and destruction radiated outward, consuming the soldiers and the terrain alike.

Arin awoke with a start, the thunderclap still ringing in his ears. He had fallen from his perch high in a tree, landing with a thud on the forest floor. Rubbing his eyes, he muttered, "The same dream again..." The echo of the thunder reverberated through the forest,

'Am I still dreaming ? ' but this time, it was not from his dream.

Thunder again clapped waking Arin from his thoughts

The weather had turned stormy, the sky filled with dark, swirling clouds. The wind howled, bending the trees and sending leaves flying. Arin, now a seven-year-old boy, had grown taller and stronger, his physique more developed despite his young age. His hair, once a uniform color, was now half black and half golden, a stark contrast that drew the eye. His eyes were a light red, intense hue, and despite living in the forest, his skin barely had a scratch no scars were visible. He reached up and touched his back, feeling the tear in his clothes.

"Another one ruined," he sighed. "I don't want to go to those leprechauns for my clothes again. It's the third one this week." He glanced up at the sky as another roll of thunder echoed. "Looks like a storm is coming. I should get back to the cave Mother will be waiting for me."

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

As Arin began to make his way back through the forest, the weather started behaving strangely. The thunderclap emerged from the sky continuously and the speed of the wind increased Arin himself was struggling to even walk, soon looking into the sky he said "Why is the wind blowing so fast? As he continued looking into the sky he felt something behind him pulling the suddenly as he turned only a word came from his mouth his face became pale and with his small body he started running without looking back " Run Arin " said to himself

Behind Arin, a wind tornado was engulfing anything in its surrounding trees were getting uprooted destroying everything that remained in its path it was coming toward Arin's direction dust, The tornado only grew more fierce as time passed not only it was engulfing everything but it throwing the out trees stone and everything which were earlier flew into it.

Despite everything happening Arin never stopped running while dodging everything in its path. He continued running while he was running Suddenly, a gnawing sensation blossomed in his stomach. A low growl escaped his lips, a sound swallowed by the wind's fury. 'Hungry,' he thought, his mind momentarily flickering Beast meat but he didn't have time for thoughts. He kept running, his hunger a fleeting distraction in the face of the approaching maelstrom.

Behind him, the tornado roared, a monstrous beast tearing through the forest. Trees, uprooted and twisted, were flung like toys into the swirling vortex. He dodged a flying boulder, barely managing to sidestep a tree that slammed into the ground beside him.

He was running for his life, every muscle screaming in protest. But the tornado, a relentless hunter, was gaining ground.

Arin's lungs burned, his legs ached, and dust filled his eyes. Behind him, the tornado roared, a monstrous beast tearing through the forest. He was running for his life, every muscle screaming in protest. But the tornado, a relentless hunter, was gaining ground.

He stumbled over roots and rocks, the forest floor a treacherous maze beneath his frantic steps. The wind howled around him, a cacophony of nature's fury that drowned out his ragged breaths. His thoughts were a whirlwind of fear and desperation, each step a struggle against the pull of exhaustion.

Spotting a narrow cave entrance partially hidden by a fallen tree, he darted towards it, hoping for shelter. But as he reached the entrance, the ground shook violently, and debris from the tornado sealed the cave shut. He had no choice but to keep running.

Arin pushed forward, adrenaline and sheer willpower driving him through the chaos. He arrived at a distance from his usual refuge, his vision blurred by tears and dust. Suddenly, through the swirling maelstrom, he saw his mother's eyes—wide with fear and determination.

"Mom!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring wind.

Gracillia's heart leaped at the sight of her son. She started towards him, her mind a torrent of panic and resolve. She had to reach him, had to protect him. But before she could take more than a few steps, a massive tree, uprooted by the storm, crashed down. A branch impaled Arin's leg, and with a horrifying force, he was lifted into the air, spiraling helplessly into the tornado's grasp.

"Arin!" Gracillia screamed, her voice breaking with desperation. She watched in horror as her son was pulled into the swirling vortex. Her heart shattered a thousand fears and prayers racing through her mind. She wanted to run to him, to pull him back, but the tornado's violent winds kept her at bay.

Arin felt a searing pain shoot through his leg as the tree branch pierced his flesh. His mind was a blur of agony and terror as he was flung into the heart of the storm. The world spun around him, a dizzying mix of darkness and chaos. Thoughts of his mother, the forest, and the strange man from his dreams flashed through his mind.

'Why is this happening? he thought, struggling to remain conscious. I need to survive... for Mom. I can't leave her alone. ' with these thoughts with the last struggle he lost consciousness because of accumulated fatigue and continuous bleeding.

Gracillia, tears streaming down her face, forced herself to stay calm. She knew panicking would do no good. She had to think, to find a way to save Arin. The Goddess of the forest... she has to help us.