In the depths of Eleo’s mind, his current reality faded as memories from a time long past began to flood his thoughts. He was only four years old, hopping through the fields of World 0, his tiny feet bouncing with energy as he hummed a tune. The sun bathed the landscape in a warm glow, and in his small hands, he clutched a bundle of wildflowers, grinning ear to ear.

“Mr. Kuma is going to love this,” Eleo whispered to himself as he dashed toward Kuma’s house. Within forty seconds, the young boy was at the door, swinging it open with excitement.

“Mr. Kuma! I got you flowers!” he exclaimed, holding the bouquet up proudly.

Kuma, the massive bear dressed in his white kung fu robes, turned toward Eleo, a gentle smile on his face. “Thank you bery much, Eleo,” he said, his deep voice resonating through the room. Kuma took the flowers and placed them in a basket beside his training area. He patted Eleo on the head affectionately before returning to his martial arts routine.

Eleo watched Kuma intently for a few moments, admiring the bear’s graceful movements. Then, he spoke softly. “Mr. Kuma?”

Kuma stopped mid-motion, turning to face the boy again. “Yes, Eleo?”

The young boy’s face grew more serious as he shuffled his feet, looking down at the floor. “Where is my mom and dad?”

Kuma’s expression faltered for a moment. He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with the question. “Uh… your mom, she’s… gone. And your dad, well… we don’t talk about that man.”

Eleo rocked back and forth on his feet, the innocence of his question lingering in the air. “Why not?”

Kuma scratched his head, trying to come up with a reason, knowing the truth was far too painful for the boy to understand. “Because… well… I don’t know who he is, ya know? Yeah, that’s it.”

His lie was clumsy, and he felt a pang of guilt for hiding the truth. Kneeling down to meet Eleo at eye level, Kuma placed a reassuring paw on his shoulder. “Look, Eleo. One day, you might meet them. Really.”

Eleo’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Kuma forced a smile, nodding. “Yes. I promise.”

Eleo’s mood brightened again. “Oh! And can I go into town?”

Kuma sighed, standing up. “We talked about this, Eleo. No.”

“But why? I can find my way back. You go into town sometimes.”

Kuma crossed his arms, a more serious tone creeping into his voice. “I wear a cloak when I do, Eleo. It’s different for me. And I said no.”

The next day, Kuma prepared breakfast for them, the smell of sizzling food filling the house. “Eleo, come eat!” Kuma called out, his voice echoing through the halls. When there was no response, Kuma frowned, his voice growing louder. “Eleo! Come eat!”

Still nothing. Kuma’s heart sank with dread as he rushed to Eleo’s room, pushing the door open only to find the bed empty.

“Oh no,” Kuma muttered, his eyes widening in alarm.

---

Eleo wandered through the town, his eyes wide with curiosity as he hummed to himself, completely unaware of the danger lurking nearby. A group of townsfolk spotted him from a distance, their eyes narrowing in recognition.

“Oi, that boy… he’s got the ‘R’ on his neck,” one man said, pointing at Eleo.

“What? Oh, no. Not again,” another muttered, the fear in his voice palpable.

“Call the others. We can’t let this happen again. We’re gonna deal with him before it’s too late.”

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As Eleo continued to hop through the streets, unaware of the sinister plans forming around him, a group of men suddenly appeared, surrounding him.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Eleo asked, confused and scared.

One of the men sneered, stepping closer. “You’re a beast, kid. You’ve got the ‘R’ on your neck. We’re not gonna let you monsters roam free anymore.”

Panic filled Eleo’s chest. “I-I didn’t do anything!” he cried out.

The men didn’t care. They grabbed him, yanking him to the ground. “Dirty animal. Filthy beast,” they muttered as they began to beat him mercilessly, fists slamming into his small body. They spit on him, burned his arms, slapped, and kicked him, all while hanging him by his wrists, making it nearly impossible for him to defend himself.

Tears streamed down Eleo’s face as he whimpered in pain, blood pouring from his mouth, nose, and the countless cuts and bruises covering his body. “Why… why are you doing this?” he sobbed, his voice weak.

“Because you’re an animal,” one of the men spat. “You don’t belong here. You’re a freak. A monster.”

More tears fell from Eleo’s eyes, his body trembling with fear and pain. The men debated his fate, some suggesting hanging him while others favored something even more cruel.

“No, let’s throw him into the animal dungeon,” one man finally said, his voice filled with malice.

Eleo’s heart sank as he was dragged away, his body battered and broken. He felt hopeless, the world spinning around him. But just as he thought all was lost, a familiar voice rang out.

“Eleo!” Kuma roared, bursting onto the scene with a fury like none the villagers had ever seen.

The men sneered, drawing their weapons. “Another beast,” one of them growled.

Before they could strike, Kuma moved with lightning speed, knocking their weapons aside. Swords slashed at him, stabbing him multiple times, but the bear’s rage was unstoppable. With powerful swipes of his paws, Kuma tore through the attackers, sending them flying with devastating force. The sound of bones breaking echoed through the streets as Kuma’s bites crushed limbs with the force of a sledgehammer, blood splattering the ground.

Within moments, the men lay dead, their bodies mangled beyond recognition.

Kuma rushed to Eleo’s side, untying the ropes that held him captive. Eleo could barely stand, his body trembling as he sobbed uncontrollably. He collapsed into Kuma’s arms, clinging to him tightly.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry,” Eleo whispered through his tears.

Kuma held him close, his own heart breaking as he whispered back, “It’s okay, Eleo. I’m here. I’m here now.” few hours later, Eleo lay in bed, wrapped in bandages resting, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of a lantern. His small face was a portrait of sadness, his eyelids drooping heavily as if the weight of the world pressed down on them. His mouth sagged in a frown, lips quivering as he sniffled, tears mixing with the snot running down his nose. His whole posture seemed to cave in on itself, his body hunched and slouched, barely able to hold the burden of the emotions swirling inside him.

His eyes, once so bright and full of life, were now dull, gazing down at the paws as if they held all the grief in the world. His hands, which used to be animated with joyful gestures, now rested limply at his sides, barely moving. His lips trembled as if he was on the verge of crying, but no tears fell, only the aching silence of suppressed pain.

Kuma entered the room quietly, his large frame casting a shadow on the wall. He moved with a grace that belied his size, sitting down beside Eleo with a gentle sigh. For a moment, the bear said nothing, simply watching the boy. The silence between them was heavy, filled with the unspoken sorrow they both carried. Kuma could see it in Eleo’s expression, the way his mouth was drawn downward, the slight raising of his inner eyebrows forming an inverted ‘V’, a telltale sign of deep emotional pain.

“Eleo…” Kuma's voice was soft, almost a whisper, as he reached out a paw to gently place it on Eleo’s shoulder.

Eleo’s lips parted, and he spoke, his voice trembling and broken, as if he were on the verge of tears but holding them back. “I was… too weak, Mr. Kuma. I couldn’t help you. I… I couldn’t stop them…” His voice faltered, trailing off as he struggled to form the words, his lips trembling more with each word. He looked down, his eyes avoiding Kuma’s gaze, as if ashamed of his weakness.

Kuma sighed, a deep, sorrowful sound. He patted Eleo’s shoulder, his large paw warm and comforting. “You did nothing wrong, Eleo. What happened… wasn’t your fault.”

Eleo sniffled again, his voice barely a whisper, filled with irregular pauses as if he were fighting to hold himself together. “But… they hurt me… they hurt you. If I was stronger… if I was like you, I could’ve stopped them.”

Kuma’s eyes softened, and for a moment, a deep sadness flickered in them. He shifted slightly, lowering his head so that he could speak to Eleo at eye level. His voice grew quieter, more somber. “Eleo, strength isn’t just about fighting. It’s not just about stopping others from hurting us. It’s about protecting what’s important to us. And you did that. You survived. You fought in your own way.”

Eleo’s lip quivered again, and his eyes filled with tears that still wouldn’t fall. He looked down, his body trembling as he clutched his right paw tightly, his small hands shaking. “But… I was scared. I’m still scared. What if it happens again?”

Kuma’s heart ached at the boy’s words. He had seen that same fear before, many years ago. Slowly, he leaned in, his voice low, filled with a heaviness that came from years of carrying his own burdens.

“I had a son once…” Kuma said softly, his voice breaking just a little. “He was strong, like you. But… he passed away. And I had a girl… who loved me. She… she died, too.”

Eleo looked up at Kuma, his eyes wide with shock. The words had hit him harder than he could have imagined. Kuma had always been so strong, so unbreakable. To hear him speak of such loss, to see the pain behind his words, made Eleo’s chest tighten.

Kuma continued, his voice growing steadier but still thick with emotion. “I couldn’t protect them. Not in the way I wanted to. And for the longest time, I thought that made me weak. But I learned that sometimes… we can’t save everyone. We can’t always stop the hurt. But what matters is that we keep going, that we keep trying to protect the people we love. That’s what makes us strong.”

Eleo’s tears finally fell, sliding down his cheeks as he sobbed quietly. Kuma pulled him closer, wrapping one large arm around the boy, holding him as gently as he could. Eleo buried his face into Kuma’s fur, his small body shaking as he cried.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Kuma… I’m so sorry…”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Eleo,” Kuma whispered, his voice filled with a quiet, deep love. “You’re strong, stronger than you know. And I’ll be here with you, always. You’re not alone.”

For a while, they sat like that, the room silent except for Eleo’s quiet sobs. Eventually, the boy’s breathing slowed, and he calmed, still curled up against Kuma’s side. The weight of the sadness that had filled the room seemed to lift, if only just a little, as they sat together in the quiet com. Eleo slowly blinked his eyes open, his head throbbing from the trauma. “Ugh... where are we?” he groaned, his voice weak and hoarse.

From the other side of the dimly lit cell, Olorun leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Well,” Olorun sighed, his tone slightly amused despite the grim situation, “we're in jail. And it seems like it’s just me and you in this cell.”

Eleo sat up slowly, rubbing his head as he tried to remember what had happened. The cold, heavy atmosphere of the prison settled around them like a thick fog.

Olorun glanced at Eleo, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Seems we’ve got some planning to do if we want to get out of here.”

The cell fell silent, save for the distant clanking of chains and muffled voices of guards.