The light of dawn shone softly on the village, bringing with it a flurry of early-morning activity. The men were already up and ready to start their day's work while the woman and children would continue to sleep for a bit longer.
My ears twitched at the faint sound of chirping birds. It was time for me to start my day too and so as I rubbed my bleary eyes, I stretched my body out and sat up. Yet, my eyes began to feel heavy and I was about to laze around or maybe even drift off into sleep again... Then suddenly my eyes went wide open and alert at the sound of rustling from somewhere nearby.
I was now wide awake but it was something I was thankful for as I had started to recollect my memories from yesterday and remember what my goal was for today. I'll be going out hunting today with Scarlet's father.
I got up and left Scarlet's room and sure enough, I found the source of the noise. Cynebal was sitting at the table waiting for me and Scarlet's mother was preparing breakfast, presumably for me and her husband. As I sat down, Cynebal started to talk to me about our plans for today.
"Huff... here you go, you two. Make sure to eat slowly and enjoy your meal~"
Although Scarlet's mother layed out food for us energetically and talked to us for a while, I noticed her tiredness as she rubbed her eyes and tried to hide her yawn a few times during our conversation. Soon enough, she decided to leave us to ourselves.
"Well then, I'll be off to bed again."
After saying our thanks, Cynebal and I once again continued to discuss about my involvement whilst hunting. He carefully made sure to mention everything that was necessary for me to know by going over a few things with me.
The most important points that came up were the dangers that came with hunting in the woods, how to move quietly- yet quickly and effectively in order to catch or kill prey, and also... how to mentally deal with the act of 'killing' an animal.
Once I calmly repeated each and every detail which Cynebal mentioned to me, he then got up and rummaged around in his room before bringing back what seemed to be hunting attire for me. It composed of brown trousers and a grey shirt mixed in with a protective layer of dark brown on top and a belt with a side pouch.
Cynebal began to look back at his past as he placed the hunting outfit on the table.
"This... used to be mine when I was younger. When I got married, I kept it in the hopes that some day if I ever got a son, he would wear it- but well... Yeah, nevermind."
"Okay..."
"At least, you can use it. Yeah... Haha! You're pretty much like a son-in-law to me anyway which is well... close enough I guess."
"I- well..."
I'll just pretend I didn't hear that.
"Don't worry! It should just about fit you, I had my wife shorten the length of the trousers and the sleeves of the shirt. Even back then, I was quite tall but my body was still skinny and well... I guess that hasn't changed too much so it should be comfortable enough for you to wear and move around in."
"Well, although you may look slender at first glance... at least you have some more muscle now I guess. However, it is less noticeable because of how tall you are and how long your legs and arms are."
"Haah... yeah. Can't do anything about it if that's just how I was born. Well, you go now and put that on and I'll wait outside with everything we need."
"Alright, I'll get ready as fast as possible."
Now that I think about it, I felt a bit different when I wore that outfit. It was a new feeling, a feeling that I didn't know that I'd soon have to grow accustomed to.
I felt a bit heavier than usual once I had everything on and as I walked towards the door, I realised that I was about to become a new person today. I would try something new, something I wouldn't have ever done before in the past. Today, I would do my utmost best to gain as much experience as I could.
Time was ticking and I kept thinking. In order to change the future, I must first change myself. And in order to change myself, I must try something different. I must walk on a path that has not been treaded on before.
This path was the only choice I had. To me, that was clearly obvious.
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In the morning, the white clouds float above in the pale blue sky. The gentle breeze carries the leaves in the wind and lowers them back down again besides the clear dirt path. The birds leap back and forth, from tree to tree, from house to house.
"It sure is a nice day today."
"Yes, it seems as though this morning in particular is filled with the promise of a new beginning."
"That's right, Sebastian. It sure is a beautiful morning."
"Is this something that you experience everyday?"
"Not everyday... but there have been many times in the past where the morning has filled me with hope once again."
"Ah, I see. Does it not get boring to witness the same scenery everyday?"
"Haha! It sure does, I'll tell ya that!! But there are days where things are different, where something new happens."
"I see and I guess there are also days where your boredom spontaneously disappears."
"Yes... as you begin to appreciate the simplicity of each morning you soon understand that at the same time, there is complexity that is hidden in plain sight."
"That is interesting but that's not what I meant by spontaneous. What I mean is that there are some days where you just go...
'Hey, today is pretty interesting!', Or something like that."
"Oh... yeah, definitely."
"Right then... how long do we have to walk exactly?
"Oh sorry, I should've mentioned this to you but we'll obviously be walking for a long time since we'll be going deeper into the forest. Are you going to be okay?"
"Oh yeah, no need to worry. I've done enough walking and running in my spare time that I've practically built up my leg muscles to be as thick as a brick."
"Hahaha!! Well I guess you can thank Scarlet for part of that!"
"Yeah..."
I don't think I will.
After a very uneventful walk filled with nothing but chatter between the two, Sebastian and Cynebal arrived at the entrance of the forest. Cynebal calmly went over the details of the hunt, making sure Sebastian had remembered everything. Once he was done, he gave a quick reminder to Sebastian.
"Now, I've already mentioned to you what you need to do, what you will be doing, and what you mustn't do. I'll say this again but always prioritise your safety and stick close with me. There are many dangers in the forest, some which you can't even see even if they're in plain sight."
"Got it, I understand."
"That's right, if it's you... I have no doubts that you'll listen and follow my instructions."
"Mhm."
"Now let's head on in!"
I think its a bit too late to tell Cynebal but I don't feel good at all. I feel almost fidgety and I want to do something but I'm not sure what. Maybe the stress is getting to me or maybe I'm just nervous. Whatever, I'll just ignore this feeling as best as I can. I need to focus and think rationally.
Well then... here we go I guess. Into the Maulden Forest.
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Towering emergent trees stood proudly over the damp, earthy forest floor. Cool, fresh streams snaked past below the trees and over the smooth rocks. Moss grew like a soft green coat over huge boulders which lay silently as water streamed by.
Long, extensive vines hung down loosely and reached out wide, making bridges between the trees. The air was a soothing cold yet overflowed with life as the sounds of countless colourful birds and miniature insects travelled throughout the forest.
The forest is full of life. Whether it be the intelligent animals or the numerous, highly active insects, the rushing leaves on the trees, or the flowing water streams- there are many things to observe within a forest.
Similar to what Cynebal had said earlier, there is simplicity within what you can see right now in the sunlight. You may look at things as simply being green plants, annoying insects, and flowing water. You may not pay much attention to these things and simply ignore them.
Yet some days, when merely observing them, you begin to understand once again that at the same time- there is complexity that is hidden within plain sight. Which is why I like nature, because I like being the observer of life or maybe it's just that I'm more suited to being one.
Yes... if I were to describe myself then I think that word would suit me the best.
[An observer.]
A person who becomes aware of things or events through the use of his senses. I could probably spend a long time simply watching the lives of people or the nature and life within a forest- without caring too much about my own. Of course, such a life would be quite uneventful... for me at least.
Right now, I don't think I'd be able to do such a thing anyway. I've forced myself to speak more, to learn, to grow stronger- all so that I could change. I could either continue to be an observer and watch as my mother dies again or become someone that takes action.
But in order to take action, I need the confidence and experience to back it. That's why I'm here now, deep within the Maulden forest- ready to bloody my own hands at any chance I get.
"So... we've been walking for a while now and by a while, I mean for ages... and there's still nothing here."
"No, that's not quite right. Although the animals in this forest have been scarce lately, there still should be more around here..."
"Mhm..."
"Hunting obviously decreases the animal population but it's not done to the extent that we'd be wiping them out from the forest. We do have a rules set in place within the village to help with that."
Well, at least the people living in the village aren't that bloodthirsty and greedy- I could see how that could change in the future though...
Not everyone can be controlled, not everyone will obey rules. Even now I'm sure there's some who don't abide by them. No matter what reason, when people are desperate- they'll do anything.
"With time, the animal population should be increasing if anything, so it doesn't make sense why we wouldn't be able to find any..." Cynebal said as he frowned and contemplated for a bit.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"We could be missing them I guess, and depending on their size they may just be hard to find. There's less larger animals and plenty more smaller ones."
That's simple logic. Smaller animals have several advantages over larger ones, although the same could be said the other way too. Smaller animals need less food and less space. They also probably tend to breed much faster and produce more offspring.
I'm sure there's tons of mice and rats, birds like pigeons and sparrows- all swarming over this planet. We don't get much rats and mice here though, but I could only start to imagine how it's like for people living in castle towns and cities...
"That's right, Sebastian. But the fact that there's more smaller animals means that it's harder to find any in general. The larger animals may have already been targeted and hunted so that could be a reason why we haven't spotted one yet."
"...Could it also have something to do with witches?"
"What? Sebastian... you do know that you shouldn't be speaking about witches, right?" Cynebal said whilst anxiously checking his surroundings.
"Right, I do know... but can you answer that question? I won't ask anything else. I'm just curious."
"Hmm... okay. Well, it could be true that witches have a part to play in all this. After all, the witch's river is nearby..."
"Witch's river? Hmm... I've never heard of such a thing."
...
"Right now, we're nearing the dead centre of the forest and to the west of it, there's an abandoned river which everyone avoids."
"Ah, I see. So the reason it's abandoned must be related to witches. Where do witches live anyway? If the witch's river is close to our village then doesn't that mean that witches live close to us?"
"No- Sebastian... I won't answer that question."
"But-"
"You said you wouldn't ask anything else related to them."
"That's... true. Alright, fine."
So I guess witches don't live nearby then... though that's just from assuming that Cynebal meant 'no' if he answered my question by accident and not something else.
"Good, now let's focus on the task at hand."
"Hmm, all we're trying to do is find a bunny but that's proving to be difficult."
I was a bit hesitant on hunting for a simple bunny. I wanted something much larger, something more difficult. But of course... I'm just a beginner. I'll probably have difficulty catching and killing anything as small as a bunny anyway, so going for a larger animal is unrealistic.
That said, Cynebal did say that if we found anything else then we would try to go for it anyway. If it was a larger animal then Cynebal would be the one to try and capture it while I would stay back. He did tell me that in this scenario, he would also instruct me on how to kill it.
The best way to kill an animal is one that causes a rapid loss of blood so that death is brought about as quickly as possible. According to Cynebal, this is also the most humane way to kill them. Usually this is used on domesticated animals though, more cruel methods are probably used on other animals. Either way, I'm sure a lot of people don't even care about how animals feel when killing them.
"Haha, it's usually like this but not this bad... Its been about two hours now."
I was just listening to Cynebal as he was talking but then I noticed something north west from us.
"Cynebal..."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Look, quickly. That... over there."
A grey animal with hints of yellow on its fur, upright perky ears and a tail which hangs straight down, appeared in our sights. It's attention darted towards us at the sound of a twig breaking, and when it witnessed the dagger that Cynebal was holding apprehensively- it's ears shoved forwards and its tail was held high.
Slowly, it moved closer and closer towards us but with caution in its movements. The animal then stopped in its tracks and waited. It continued to stalk us down with its eyes and we stood frozen in place. It was watching us but it was odd, almost as if it was waiting for 'something' patiently.
"Damn it... we've gotten ourselves in a tight situation, huh.
"Mhm."
"Don't worry, Sebastian- a simple wolf shouldn't be too much of a problem if it comes at us. I'll be able to deal with it myself but for now... Let's just walk backwards slowly, okay?"
"Ah- Yes, that would be the ideal thing to do- but about that... look behind you."
My attention was focused on elsewhere and I had already realised before Cynebal that we truly were in a much more difficult situation than what it had seemed at first.
"Ah... Shit. They're surrounding us." Cynebal said as he turned around to see that we were facing an even bigger problem.
There were more than four paws that stood firmly to the short blades of grass below us. That's right, it would've been fine if it was just a wolf. Cynebal would've been able to handle the situation with ease and I would've been able to stay back safely or maybe even help him, but in fact, it wasn't just 'a wolf' but...
"Wolves."
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"This situation isn't- Nevermind. I guess it comes down to this... Sebastian, I'll create an opening for you..."
I look at Cynebal with a bewildered look on my face. Surely he isn't planning to fight of against wolves by himself? I know I might not be much of help but-
"You run back to the village. If you find any other hunters along the way then ask for their help."
"But..."
I couldn't just 'leave' Cynebal here with all these wolves... He would get hurt very badly after being overpowered by their numbers. In my head, I was already imagining how the scene would play out... Many outcomes were possible. Either he would come out with blood all over his clothes and weapon, and many wounds on his body- or he would come back... dead.
"You know more than anything else that I won't be able to fight properly if I'm focused on protecting you. I need you to leave here. Now."
...
"Got it."
"Just follow my signal exactly like I've told you how to before."
Sebastian nodded his head and then moved behind and followed Cynebal as he would guide him forwards. Cynebal's attention was constantly shifting but focused on the enviroment around them. He was looking for any other potential routes for Sebastian to take and at the same time, he was being very wary and heedful to all the movements of the wolves as they continued to slowly circle the two.
In the tiny drops of rain, the predators and prey kept their eyes on each other. The wolves were waiting for an opportunity to strike but were watchful of the weapon in Cynebal's hands. They were being cautious but seemed to be moving without fear.
Cynebal's face had no hints of fear and didn't seem to be too scared, yet Sebastian thought he was more worried about him and whether he would get back safely rather than himself.
The two inched closer and closer towards the left and the wolves adjusted to their slight movements. Sebastian thought that it was very odd that wolves hadn't already made a move, he was considering many reasons for why they were behaving weirdly but the reason that stuck out to him the most was a mixture of two.
[Are they being hesitant because of me or is there another reason?]
Sebastian had heard before that some wolves attack mainly children and some wolves don't hurt them at all so that may have been a valid reason for their behaviour. Yet, Sebastian couldn't get 'them' out of his mind.
[Maybe... it's the doing of witches.]
He didn't know what they were really capable of but in his mind, he thought that the wolves could have also been influenced and controlled by witches in some way. It certainly wasn't the least plausible reason, after all... Sebastian and Cynebal were near 'The Witches River'.
It was possible that witches would be able to wander around the forest undetected or maybe even be able to control animals from a far distance using dark magic. Sebastian was taught many things about witches in the past but he never really found out whether what people said about them was true or not.
Sebastian was thinking about them all the time, almost like as if he was obsessed with them. He needed to know more and more about them, as soon as possible. They were the reason for his mother's death. 'Witches'.
Whatever the reason was for the uncanny behaviour displayed by the wolves, it didn't matter to Sebastian right now. As practiced, Cynebal let out his left hand behind his back and then Sebastian hit it down with his right hand.
"NOW!!" Cynebal shouted as the wolves stood tall on their legs in alert. For a split second, the eyes of the wolves gleamed purple but then turned back to an intimidating yellow.
Cynebal hastily rushed towards the wolf on the left and swiftly swung his sword down on it. The wolf evaded the blow and dodged to the left nearer to Sebastian yet luckily, it seemed to be fatally wounded. A brilliant chance had layed itself in front of Sebastian.
Yes... Sebastian could feel the urge surge right up to his face. Whilst Cynebal was busy fending off the other wolves, Sebastian was grinning with a smile so wide and full of joy at that moment that even the wolf in front of him looked at him 'kinda funny'.
Today, Sebastian was feeling 'off' for some reason. He felt very impatient and was almost constantly on the move. He couldn't get witches off his mind, he couldn't stop thinking.
It must've been something to do with what has happened to him in the past few days and the accumulation of his frustrations, worries, and anger... because today, he was in quite the mood of wanting to let it all out. Especially right now, he really wanted to 'kick' something.
"Haaaah!!"
I kicked the wolf back with all my might as it 'flew' across the grass and whimpered in pain. Okay... maybe it didn't go 'that' far back but my kick did its job and I now feel very happy. I broke out into a sprint and ran rapidly away like a leopard.
"Hee-Hee-Hee~" Sebastian laughed evily as he fled away like a little gremlin.
His speed was suprising to Cynebal who looked back to check how the boy was doing. Cynebal let a sigh, both of relief and fatigue. He then brought his attention down towards the wolves, they weren't planning on ending things quickly. If anything, they were planning on prolonging the battle. It was a battle of not just strength and speed but also stamina- something that Cynebal has struggled to maintain and therefore has become a weakness.
Sebastian, who was running off somewhat happily after releasing his frustrations on a poor wolf, was steadying his pace as he continued to lengthen the distance between him and Cynebal.
Sebastian was running along a small dirt path with nothing but trees and bushes in sight. His demeanor then changed so suddenly that his happy, thrill seeking expression seemed to go 'Poof' as if it was completed erased from existence. It was almost as if Sebastian couldn't quite control his emotions properly, he stopped in his place and definitely could tell that he didn't feel 'all right' at all.
The main reason Sebastian thought of was that it may have been because of his soul. Now that he had become aware of his other self- his soul's existence, many things were possible. It may be that he was in a state of imbalance with his emotions and at times, they would be constantly changing to fit with what was necessary. In this case, it would be maintaining a calm and collected mind in a very intense scenario where making any mistakes would be unforgiving.
If Sebastian were to get off track and not focus on his task at hand then he may end up making more mistakes or even start stepping into situations were he wouldn't be able to change the outcome due to his irrational behaviour.
That was the reason that was brought to Sebastian's mind instantly. It was almost as if his other self was 'feeding' the information to Sebastian in his thought process and warning him.
Could it be? No... if such a thing was possible then- I wouldn't know what to think anymore.
[What if... my very soul could control how I not only thought but also... feel.]
...
Ahhhh~ Whatever. Anyways, I gotta see how Cynebal is doing.
Sebastian looked back behind himself with an expressionless face. He could still see Cynebal fending off the wolves in the distance, he looked like he was in trouble but Sebastian's worries were soon to be deemed unnecessary.
In the far distance, Sebastian could see help approaching behind Cynebal's back. It was two large, muscular men that he recognised and remembered clearly. They were from the group who appeared at the training grounds a day before.
They must've heard Cynebal shout and thought that he was in danger is what Sebastian had thought. Cynebal had told him that it wasn't exactly a good idea to shout while hunting in the middle of the forest as doing so may alert the animals... but in case of an emergency, then it was perfectly fine.
"Well, that's good. Now I'll just run back to-"
As Sebastian starting to move again, he turned his head around to focus on where he was going and could hear something approaching fast. Instead of a path- what he saw was the moving figure of a dark grey wolf and its vicious teeth flying right at him.
Sebastian was moving his body to the left to avoid the oncoming brutal bite, yet in his mind he knew that he wouldn't be quick enough. He knew that his face would be jabbed into by the sharp, fierce teeth and he would be left on the floor after meeting a grim end by the ruthlessness of the wolf.
[The only outcome he could forsee was death.]
But at that very moment... time had slowed down ever so slightly- for death was approaching Sebastian.
Sebastian's senses hightened to an unthinkable level. He opened his 'eyes' to all that was around him and began to perceive the world from not just what he could see but also... from everything outside of his body.
In that single moment, he could hear the birds flying above him and the distinct sound of lively insects, the rustling of the green bushes and the towering trees. He could feel the wind brush the top of his hair and sense the adrenaline within him hightening to an indescribable, inconceivable level. He noticed the tension of his tightened leg muscles as he swiftly avoided the wolf's bite.
"...Eughhh!"
Sebastian instantly shifted his body to avoid the danger flying at him. He successfully evaded without any injuries which surprised even himself. He didn't seem to notice the 'slowing down of time' either. It all happened rather quickly for him to realise that anything was unusual and rather than confusion, his mind was focused... But his body was struggling to keep up.
Sebastian could feel his heart beat rising and thumping rapidly. His hands were shaking and his knees were slightly wobbly with fear. Sweat dripped down from his forehead and dread gnawed at his insides.
"Shit..."
That was too close... too close that it was scary. Now that I've got a wolf on my tail, just how...
[Just how am I gonna get myself out of this situation?]
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[Change... we all wish for change yet at the same time we detest it. Sometimes change can be good for a person but other times, it can be bad.]
I have changed as a person. This is something that I think has had a positive impact on my life. But the things around me have changed, and not in a good way. I have lost my dear friend, someone I could confide in and someone I could reveal my true self to. My friend was also a husband and a father just like me. I have betrayed him, I have betrayed his family.
It was my fault.
If only I kept searching for him, then I'm sure things would be different. I'm sure that Sebastian and his mother could be happy. But I took away the chance of that happiness happening, and now life has become difficult for them.
Now, I'm trying to help Sebastian and his mother anyway I can. I'm helping Sebastian become stronger. He needs to be stronger and he knows it himself. He is an unusually mature and intelligent boy for his age but that's just part of his strengths. Sebastian is doing everything for the sake of his mother, yet he still remains a kind and selfless person. But what I didn't know was that I would once again come to regret my decisions.
Everything that would happen in the future was my fault, I should've been careful and I should've noticed... but I didn't. And there was only one person to blame...
[Once again, everything was my fault.]
- Cynebal, the guilt-ridden man.