Thanks to the seal his grandfather left behind, Xin knew he had been walking through the Dark Zone for over two days now. The seal bore the shape of a black eye – strange, almost alive. It opened when the light returned and closed when darkness fell, marking the cycle of day and night in this sunless land.
Xin had brought enough rations to last six days. Each time the seal opened, signaling the start of a new day, he would stop to eat and rest.
Now, he stood beside a narrow stream, scanning the area for shelter. Nearby, he spotted a small cave – dry, discreet, and just wide enough for one person to hide inside. It would do. He built a small fire for warmth, then rolled a heavy stone across the entrance to block it off. Curling up inside, he let himself drift into sleep, hoping to recover his strength for the road ahead.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed when it happened.
A sudden eruption of panicked screams jolted him awake. Xin pushed the stone aside just enough to peek out.
A group of people were fleeing in terror – stumbling, sprinting, desperate to escape. Towering shadows surged after them, swift and relentless.
One man tripped and fell.
Before he could rise, a grotesque creature lunged forward. Its eyes, black as void, flashed with a glint of cold light – like a scythe raised by death itself, ready to strike.
Xin held his breath.
The creatures resembled hawks – if hawks had two heads, each one scanning opposite directions with ruthless precision. Their massive bodies were covered in jagged, pitch-black feathers that looked more like spikes than plumage. Their razor-sharp beaks opened and closed constantly, releasing guttural snarls that sounded like echoes from hell itself.
Screams of terror rang out again and again.
A few desperate souls tried to fight back with bows, but their arrows were far too weak to pierce the creatures' dense hide. With just a single flap of their enormous wings, the beasts summoned gales strong enough to hurl people off their feet.
One by one, the victims fell.
The creatures dove in, their hooked beaks stabbing down with lethal precision – sripping through flesh, turning their prey into a bloody feast within seconds.
It all happened so fast. So fast, Xin's mind couldn't even register how many lives had just ended.
His body froze in terror.
And yet, something hot surged inside him – something primal. His blood boiled. His instincts screamed.
Almost without thinking, his hand gripped the rusted sword at his side.
Then,
A corpse landed with a sickening thud just outside the cave's mouth. Blood trickled in, seeping between the cracks in the stone.
Before Xin could even look away, one of the monstrous creatures swooped down –
its pitch-black eyes locking straight onto him.
The creature let out a piercing screech – a sound that made Xin's blood run cold – then suddenly drove its claws into the top of the cave. Stone and dirt crumbled, falling all around him in a gritty shower.
Instinct took over. Xin stumbled backward, heart racing.
A single horrifying thought flashed through his mind:
Is this where I die?Will I be torn apart under that thing's claws?
His chest tightened.
His limbs trembled.
And then, a memory surged to the surface, sharp and vivid.
A gleaming sword slicing through the air.
The severed tongue of a beast hitting the ground.
And the knight who stood tall in front of him, saving his life.
Gritting his teeth, Xin tightened his grip on the sword's hilt.
He knew he couldn't die here – not like this.
Summoning every ounce of courage he had, he let out a defiant roar.
"Damn it! If I die today, I'm taking you with me, you bloodthirsty beast!"
The moment the boulder blocking the cave entrance shattered, Xin burst forward. His small, agile frame slipped right between the creature's massive talons. In the blink of an eye, he was out in the open.
Without hesitation, he swung his sword upward.
Slash! – The rusted blade dug deep into the creature's leg, drawing a howl of pain.
Enraged, the monster beat its colossal wings against the ground, kicking up a violent gust that sent dust and debris flying like shrapnel. Caught in the center of that storm, a human body would be pulverized like an insect.
Xin dove to the side, using the creature's own wing as cover. He rolled in close and struck again – several quick slashes aimed at the beast's armpit. The cuts weren't deep, but they were enough to drain its strength.
Don't face it head-on. Strike the weak points.
He remembered that line clearly – words from a knight long ago. A lesson on how to defeat enemies far stronger than yourself.
Xin had always considered himself the fastest in Gedion, and that wasn't just empty boasting.
Whoosh!
With a single, clean leap, he landed on the creature's back.
The rusted blade flashed again and again, slashing into the beast's upper body.
The monster thrashed wildly, slamming its wings against the air – then suddenly took off, soaring into the sky.
Both of its heads twisted back in unison, snapping and pecking at Xin in a frenzy.
I have to finish this now!If it gains more height, I'm dead.
Xin planted his foot on the creature's wing, gathered all his strength, and launched himself upward.
With eyes locked on its nape, he drove the blade forward in one final, desperate thrust.
"Die!"
The sword sank deep into the back of its neck. The creature let out a piercing, guttural shriek – dark blood exploded into the air, staining the sky a deep crimson.
But before Xin could even celebrate…
"Aagh!" he screamed.
The beast's other head had clamped down on his shoulder. Pain exploded through his body, numbing his thoughts. His strength vanished in an instant.
He had no choice but to let go.
Wind roared past his ears.
The image of the thrashing beast against the blackened sky blurred… then faded.
And Xin…
He was falling, sword in hand, rusted steel spinning with him through the dark.
---------------------------------------
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Gradually, Xin's senses returned. He felt his body being dragged, slowly and clumsily, and his lower back ached so badly he couldn't even sit up.
With effort, he raised a hand to his chest.
His heart was still beating. Thank the gods, he had survived that fall.
I… I'm alive?
"Who… who's there?" Xin croaked, voice barely audible.
The figure ahead paused with a faint grunt, then walked over. A rough hand gently lifted one of Xin's eyelids, revealing a dull, half-conscious gaze.
"Still breathing, huh?"
Xin squinted, trying to make out the face of his rescuer.
It was a young man – sharp features, firm jawline, fair skin. His soft blue hair framed his face and ended in short strands that fell across one shoulder. His eyes, though upright and clear, carried a hint of mocking amusement – as if looking at someone hopelessly outmatched.
Gritting his teeth, Xin tried to sit up. The moment he moved, a sharp, burning pain shot through his shoulder, knocking him flat again.
"Don't bother!" The man gave a casual smile. "That wound of yours is nasty."
He wasn't wrong.
Xin was lying on a wooden plank, his entire body covered in dirt, blood, and torn cloth. His outfit was shredded nearly to rags, exposing most of his frame. Even his shoes were gone.
But the worst of it was the wound in his shoulder – deep, raw, and still bleeding.
"We're heading for Seraing," the man said. "Hopefully someone there can patch you up."
Then it hit him.
The pouch…
He had left it behind, back in the cave.
He swallowed hard, forcing out a hoarse whisper.
"Please… back there… I need to go back… to get something…"
The man raised an eyebrow, clearly debating. He rubbed a hand across his forehead like he was weighing the request.
"Nope. Not a chance. You're in no shape to go anywhere."
"Please…" Xin managed, barely.
Thwack!
A light smack to the head, and darkness claimed him once more.
"You're too damn noisy. Sleep would do you good."