"Come on, human," the creature sneered. "Just lend me a hand, and I'll spare you and your son."

The father chuckled nervously, masking his fear. "If by 'a hand,' you mean help, I'd gladly oblige. But if you literally mean it, so that you can devour it, I’d rather trade it for your life."

The creature’s eyes glinted with amusement. "So, you're eager to die today, are you?"

With a quick, reassuring whisper to his son, he said, "Breeze, take this chance and run. I'll be right behind you once I deal with this 'Unknown Wild'." Then, louder, he challenged, "I know your kind. You wouldn’t start a fight unless you were certain of victory. But trying tricks? You’re still too young to outsmart me."

Without waiting for the creature to attack, he lunged forward, drawing his knife and striking first to buy Breeze time. "Now, go!" he shouted.

Breeze ran, tearing through the woods as fast as his legs could carry him, his heart pounding in his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks. He ran until his legs felt like lead and his lungs burned.

Da-dub. Da-dub. Da-dub.

Pant! Pant! Pant!

I… can’t go any further, he thought, legs shaking uncontrollably. His pace slowed as he staggered forward, desperate for a place to hide. Spotting a hollowed-out tree with a narrow opening, Breeze quickly cut some nearby bushes to cover the entrance and slipped inside, folding himself as small as he could.

After an hour passed in tense silence, a faint, familiar voice called from the distance, "Breeze! Where are you?"

It was his father. Breeze crawled out and ran toward the voice, finally spotting his father, bloodied and clutching the creature’s heart in his hands. Once assured Breeze was safe, his father collapsed.

Quickly, Breeze knelt beside him, cleaning his father’s wounds, binding them, and applying herbs to mask the scent of blood. He carefully wrapped the creature’s heart, covering it with leaves and Quellwort, an odor-neutralizing herb, to avoid detection by any nearby beasts. Finally, he hid his father in the bushes and sat nearby, waiting for him to wake.

After what felt like ages, his father stirred, opening his eyes weakly. He motioned for Breeze to bring the heart.

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“Breeze,” his father asked, looking at him intently, “do you want to get stronger?”

Breeze nodded without hesitation. “I do, Father.”

His father gave him a serious look. “You know what this means, and you know it’s risky. Are you certain you’re ready?”

“With you by my side, I’m sure I can handle it.”

A smile cracked his father’s weary face. “Then your father will do his best.” They gathered some wood, started a small fire, and cooked the heart. As Breeze accepted the offering, his hands shook with excitement and a little fear.

“Be prepared, son,” his father cautioned. “In a few days, you’ll start feeling its effects.”

The next morning, his father looked unwell. His skin had a faint bluish tint, and he was sweating profusely. Breeze watched in alarm as his father assured him he was fine, urging him not to worry. But just a few hours later, he collapsed.

“Father!” Breeze shouted, panic gripping him.

To Breeze’s shock, a knight happened to be passing through the area. Desperate, he waved the man over. Though he knew it was dangerous to trust strangers, he had no other choice.

The knight knelt beside his father, checking his pulse. “My condolences, son,” he said softly. “Your father has finished his journey.”

Breeze’s heart dropped, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What?” he asked, voice trembling. “No… he’s just… tired. He’ll wake up soon… right?”

The knight’s face softened as he handed Breeze a small bag. “There’s bread and water inside. It’ll be enough to get you to the nearest bastion, a two or three-day walk from here.”

Breeze’s eyes filled with tears, denial thick in his voice. “He’s not gone! He’s just resting!”

The knight sighed. “Listen, kid. It’s hard to accept, but you have to keep moving, or you’ll end up like him. If you want, I can fulfill that wish for you.”

Breeze’s cries echoed through the forest, his grief pouring out as he realized the truth. The knight stayed, silently waiting for Breeze to gather himself.

When Breeze finally calmed, he looked up at the knight, voice steady but broken. “Please… help me bury him. I don’t want monsters to get to his body.”

The knight nodded, helping Breeze lay his father to rest with respect. Once the task was done, the boy turned, offering the knight a grateful look.

“I wish I could help more,” the knight said. “But I have a mission. You’re on your own from here.”

“Thank you, sir,” Breeze replied, voice hollow. “You’ve helped more than you know.”

The knight paused, regarding the boy for a long moment. “I won’t ask why you’re here or what happened to lead you here. Life will be hard, but I hope you make it through. Good luck, kid.”

Breeze nodded, steeling himself as he turned toward the bastion, each step heavier than the last with the weight of his loss.

He woke up with teary eyes and looked around. It was still night. Samar was lying on a sleeping mat nearby. She turned to face him and asked, "Are you okay? Was it a nightmare? Do you need anything?"

"It's fine, thanks. I can't say it was a nightmare because I was able to see my father. Even though it was painful, I’m still thankful. Anyway, let's go back to sleep. You have to work tomorrow, and I don’t want to be more of a burden."

"You’re not a burden. If you need anything, just tell me. I’m not a heavy sleeper. Goodnight."

"Thank you. Goodnight!"