Ashe had never seen the village before. His expectations were met, as he thought it would be a small settlement of wooden houses full of farms.

Bone's village was like that, too. There was one unkempt road leading to it. On both sides were one-story wooden houses with fences around the yards, where you could see various animals.

Their sounds, smells, and the whole environment created a different situation from what the boy was used to. But it didn't create a negative mood, as it was a peaceful place. Far from all responsibilities and problems. Besides, the magnificent view and nature helped clear his mind.

He found a river. Ashe happily jumped in and bathed. He soon realised the importance of clean clothes and soap because he couldn't eliminate the odour. He felt filthy again.

Ashe didn't see many people either. The villagers finished all their work and were in a hurry to return home. Then he found an old woman, explained the reason for his visit, and asked her for some food so that he could lure Sunveil.

The old woman also saw the sword hanging from his hip. She looked up at the boy once and immediately granted his request. She must have taken into account his unkempt and tired appearance because she brought him more than he needed.

Seeing such kindness, Ashe felt a strong desire to act like a hero. He thanked the old woman and, after questioning the villagers, visited the places where the monster last appeared.

The boy placed the food in the designated place and hid himself. He also kept some for himself and ate it while watching silently. Grandma's baked apple pies were a foreign delicacy to him, and he would gladly eat more.

Sunveil did not appear, and there was a reason for that. 'He's a coward. Maybe he doesn't come to the same place twice,' The boy concluded and changed location.

He left the remaining apples and the pies in a basket in the middle of the road. Then he took cover in a tree 10-15 meters away and kept his eyes on the target. He didn't know how much this would help him in the face of the invisible monster, but he couldn't use anything else.

A few minutes passed, and nothing unusual happened. Suddenly, the boy saw fragments floating in the air.

Pale, almost completely blurred, hidden from view. He couldn't determine the size and shape of their owner, nor could he say exactly where it was, but seeing the fragments made everything easier.

'It will be simpler than I thought.' The Covenant of the prophecy was proving its importance this time, too.

At the same time, the boy listened. He paid attention to the sounds that the breeze carried. Fortunately, his hearing was still picking up certain sounds, and he could guess the approximate location of Sunveil.

Ashe did not react immediately. He was curious about how events would develop and waited for the monster's actions. He turned his eyes to the fragments and listened to the noises.

A wooden basket floated in the air. The lid was carefully removed, and the contents slowly disappeared. The pies and apples disappeared without a trace, and he could not find anything to hold onto and wanted to look for more.

The fragments changed direction. They were heading back the way they came from. Ashe followed them, lowered the noise he made, and chased Sunveil. He held his sword in hand, ready to defend himself if he lost control of the situation.

The monster was fast. Faster than he thought. 'Where is it going?' The boy wondered, and he didn't stop to find the answer.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The sun was setting, which would make a monster visible. If the space increased, the monster couldn't be perceived properly, and there was a risk of losing it. Ashe kept a relatively close distance. It was heading toward the edge of the forest, entering the trees, and virtually disappearing.

'The hell, did I just lose it?' The boy wondered, but he couldn't find any trace. 'Isn't it a trap?' He scanned the surroundings and couldn't find any hints of the fragments. He saw a small flash, headed in its direction, and heard voices.

Returning to the forest again was not a joyful experience, but the nature of the Bone Forest was much more beautiful. The meadow was like a garden, clearly cared for, and here and there a flower was also encountered.

The trail led to a pile of fragments. It was the first experience for Ashe. A unique unity was created. It was as if a crack had been formed in the dimension. A glimmer that seemed permanent.

'Scar.' He whispered loudly in his heart and was shocked. 'Why is it here?' He immediately wanted to escape. Its presence involved a greater risk than he could face. It was a danger that neither his strength nor his miserable knowledge could handle.

He was about to turn to escape when two factors stopped him. He was about to leave the place, but he had to stop for a little more than a second.

A fragment from Scar flew to him.

It was the smallest part.

They joined the boy and turned into some kind of information. It was not a prophecy as it was too weak for that. But it still carried a certain concept, which Ashe intended to study.

Then he saw fragments flying in the air around Scar. 'This pattern.' Then he recognised their arrangement. It belonged to Sunveil, which he had followed to get here. He was not alone; there were many similar patterns around Scar.

'They came from the Scar.' He didn't have any trouble understanding it as he ran. Nothing else was holding him back. He learned more than he expected. The mission itself wasn't difficult. He could attack Sunveil several times, but he refrained.

That was why he found himself in the situation he was in. He ran through the forest at full speed, not caring about the silence or whether anyone would see him.

His speed was faster than the monsters, and they were cowards. Even if they saw him, they wouldn't bother with him.

Ashe had to get out of the forest and get back to the village when he fell to the ground. He didn't even get his feet tangled together or hit any rocks.

The sword fell two meters away from him, but he didn't have time to worry about that.

The cause of his fall was another creature. He tried to stand up, but something was holding him tightly. Darkness came, and he noticed the culprit.

It was Sunveil, which Ashe couldn't see or hear while running. The monster had hidden its vital functions better than it should have.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. 'It's different,' the boy understood immediately, his heart racing. 'It's bigger, smarter, and fearless.' The monster evolved. It became a Sinarch, a monster rank after the Exarcs.

In the darkness, its silhouetted form was visible. Sunveil not only increased in size but also changed in form.

It looked like a transparent liquid that could move.

It had tightly gripped Ashe's ankle, preventing him from moving.

His body twitched. The boy rolled onto his back, bent his leg at the knee, and used the momentum he created to kick the monster with his heel. Probably in the head, because that was where he intended.

Sunveil didn't let go. He relaxed a little, but the force of the blow wasn't enough. Ashe wasn't going to give up that easily.

He had to free himself before the monster could do anything.

He repeated kicking his foot, again and again. Not only that, but he kept choosing the same spot to inflict more pain, but he couldn't see any results on the already difficult-to-see monster.

Then he felt the grip on his leg loosen.

He got his chance, and he used it. Ashe pulled the trapped leg away and planted the other one exactly in the hand.

Sunveil released his grip. The boy immediately rolled over to the sword and grabbed it. The monster fought the pain from the blows. Or maybe it was desperate, too.

Grabbing a sword and then swinging it was another matter. Ashe immediately stood up; the monster leapt from the side and this time selected the belly. The boy managed to swing his sword once, which did not find its target.

Fortunately, he saw the fragment approaching and jumped back. Sunveil had neither claws nor sharp teeth.

It looked humanoid, except for the fact that it was semi-transparent and massive.

After dodging, Ashe had time to grip the sword properly. He got into position. This posture was both defensive and offensive at the same time.

A stance that suited his opponent and adopted the style that would bring the best results in battle.

This time, it was offensive. Ashe could barely see Sunveil's muscles or body at all. Predicting its actions by observation alone was much more difficult than he was used to.

So he took the lead and attacked the monster before it could act first.

Not to kill; it was just a means of survival.