1 The Boy and the Forest

"Huff. Huff. Huff."

Panting heavily, I stumbled through the forest, dodging ancient trees as their roots towered over me like giants, a maze I couldn't escape.

My bare feet pounded against the loamy soil, soft and squishy like mud. It was scratched and cut, blood seeping from the wounds. It hurts, but I couldn't let that stop me.

The smell of moss and rot filled my nose, making breathing hard. My lungs burned, and my chest burst. I could hear the monsters' strides behind me, getting closer and closer. I knew I was in trouble, but I wouldn't give up. Not yet, not while there was still a chance.

I couldn't look back, couldn't slow down. I didn't know where I was, but knew I had to keep going. If I stopped, I'd die. I'd seen too much death in my life, too much sorrow. I wasn't going to let it take me too.

…

As the boy continued to run, his heart pounded with fear and desperation. He knew he was the only one who could save himself. He had never run so fast and far in his life, not until his legs gave up or until he collapsed.

Many thoughts popped up in his head. He thought about his young masters who had abandoned him to die. They were so blinded by their arrogance and conceit that they couldn't see the danger they had put themselves in.

Ahead of him, he saw a massive fallen tree that might have been brought down by a passing storm months ago.

Summoning all his remaining strength, he began to climb the partially rotten bark, his fingers slipping and bleeding as he fought to pull himself up. It was many times taller than him, but it was his only chance.

As he almost reached the top, he caught a glimpse of the other side. Hope filled his heart. He stretched his short arm to its fullest extent and grabbed the nearest branch.

The boy thought, 'One more push and I would live!'. But just as he was about to make it, his feet slipped, and the small branch gave way.

He fell hard to the ground, and with a thud, the long chase was over. He failed.

The creatures were even more terrifying than he had imagined. Leading the pack was a massive wolf with scars all over its face, and it stared him down with red, mad eyes.

The stench of death wafted from its drooling mouth, its sharp yellow teeth ready to sink into his flesh. To the wolf, he was nothing more than a nibble to satisfy its hunger.

…

'I guess this is it. I have always thought I could travel the world and fulfill my promise to Mom.' The boy's heart ached at the thought of his mother.

The thought of her brought a tear to his blue eyes, but from that tear, a spark of courage ignited within him.

"No, I can't give up until I fulfill my promise to her!"

He mustered every ounce of his remaining energy to stand, clutching the broken branch in his shaky hand. His determined eyes locked onto the approaching monster.

"Skrew you!"

With a defiant shout, the boy charged at the monsters. Still, as anticipated, a single swipe sent him hurtling backward, crashing into the ground.

"Argh!"

A colossal claw mark marred his body, blood seeping from the deep wounds it had gouged. The sheer ferocity of the strike shattered bones within him, leaving him sprawled on the ground before the towering wolf.

There was no more fight and no more hope.

'Perhaps death is not so bad after all.' Time flowed slowly as he imagined his mother's face. Relief and acceptance washed over him as he met his fate. Life was slipping inside him. 'At least I can finally see Mom's smile again.'

Then, all of a sudden, a sound of rapid and continuous sounds of flintlock-like burst into the scene.

A man armed with a colossal handgun leaped alongside the boy. Unlike the typical firearms found in town, his weapon fired continuously; each burst akin to a miniature cannon blast.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bullets burst into the wolves' bodies, turning them into honeycombs. Some died instantly, while others ran away bleeding, but one remains. The pack leader did not retreat. Although it was bleeding, its wounds appeared shallower than the others.

GRRRRR!

With a menacing growl, a purple mist gradually envelops the wolf's body, causing its veins to bulge and its muscles to ripple with energy. The wolf's claws and fangs grow longer and sharper as its mane turns blood-red.

The man looked unfazed, instead appearing amused.

"A mutt that wants to become a demon beast? That's rare even in these parts. Well, lucky for me, even a small demon core is worth money!"

He rapidly refilled his gun with enormous bullets, each as large as a child's arm, which he had stored around his belt. Then, he prepared his weapons once more, ensuring they were fully loaded.

"Eyes, throat, and forehead. Those are its critical points."

Howl!

"Ready when you are, mutt!"

The gigantic wolf launches at the man, but four shots ring out before it can even take a single bite.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Instantly, blood spurts from gaping holes on the demon wolf as he struck both eyes, forehead, and throat. The wolf collapses to the ground, its feet nailed to the spot. It didn't even stand a chance.

The man looked quite pleased with himself as he place his gun on a large holster on his back. He briefly grinned at the dead wolf before focusing on the boy, whose life was slipping away.

Kneeling, he carefully examined the boy's condition. The youth appeared frail, his tattered clothes hanging loosely on his slender frame. Sunken cheeks and thin limbs suggested a state of severe malnourishment.

And above all else, the giant claw marks carved on his chest. He couldn't imagine what the boy had endured to end up in such a dire state.

He retrieved a small vial from a pocket in his cloak. Inside was a clear liquid that appeared normal but gave off an iridescent light and a magical aura. He poured the vial's contents into the boy's mouth with a small sigh.

"That's the last of my elixir—a hundred thousand gold gone, just like that. I've been saving this one for years, just in case," he said to himself. "But it would leave a bad taste if I let you die before me. I guess it's also your lucky day, kid."

A wave of refreshing energy washes over the boy's body. His wounds began to heal. His broken ribs and sternum snapped back into place without any discomfort. His injuries were gone, and the bruises on his feet were gone as if it was never there in the first place.

A few moments passed, and the boy's eyes slowly opened. He felt no more pain as he inspected his body. He raised his head, looking at the smiling man he knew saved him,.

Overwhelmed by a surge of emotions, he couldn't hold back his tears. They streamed down his face as he sobbed uncontrollably, his gratitude for being alive pouring forth in torrents of emotion.

"I...I'm alive. Thank you! Thank you!" the boy managed to say in between sobs, still unable to believe it.

The tears flowed down his eyes like a waterfall, and he cried for quite some time before finally passing out again. Although his wounds were healed, his mind was exhausted from the traumatic experience he had just endured.