Ren ran.

There was no escape.

The shadows closed in.

Hands made of black smoke grabbed his ankles.

Cold crept up his legs.

It burned.

Ren tried to punch.

His fist passed through the darkness.

No resistance.

No impact.

Just emptiness.

The voices returned.

Whispering.

“You are ours.”

“Do not resist.”

A shadow crawled up his chest.

It tightened around his throat.

Ren opened his mouth.

No air.

No sound.

Darkness flooded his eyes.

And he woke up.

Ren sat up abruptly.

A sharp gasp.

Air rushed into his lungs like shattered glass.

Cold sweat ran down his face.

The room was silent.

Morning light slipped through the crack in the window.

Cutting through the darkness.

Ren pressed a hand against his chest.

His heart was racing.

Too fast.

“Hey.”

The voice came from the corner.

Ren turned his head.

Sawe was sitting on a low stool.

Arms resting on his knees.

His feline ears relaxed.

His white tail swayed slowly against the floor.

“Easy,” Sawe said. “You’re safe.”

Ren took a deep breath.

Once.

Twice.

His pulse began to slow.

“It was just a dream,” Ren muttered.

Sawe raised an eyebrow.

“Didn’t look like a good one.”

Ren ran a hand over his face.

His skin was damp.

His body protested.

Pain.

Sharp stings in his shoulder.

Burning in his chest.

He looked down at himself.

Clean bandages covered his torso and arms.

The smell of medicinal ointment was strong.

“What happened…?” Ren asked.

Sawe let out a breath.

“You don’t remember?”

Ren frowned.

Fragments of memory surfaced.

Like broken glass trying to piece itself together.

The training. The elements. Earth. Wind. Fire. Water. And then… light.

“I remember the spell,” Ren said. “The light. After that… nothing.”

Sawe leaned back against the wall.

“There’s not much to remember. The old man lost it.”

Ren waited.

“That wasn’t a training spell. That could’ve killed anyone. Maybe even calamity-class beasts.”

Ren looked at his hands.

“But I didn’t die.”

“No,” Sawe said. “Because apparently, Master Myrddin missed. The attack went right past you.”

Ren tried to picture it.

That overwhelming power…

Missing.

It didn’t make sense.

Myrddin didn’t miss.

Ren felt a tingling beneath the bandages.

Healing magic.

“He didn’t take any damage…” Ren said.

“Not even a scratch,” Sawe added. “And he didn’t even use magic at first.”

Silence filled the room.

Heavy.

Then a third voice broke it.

“And you expected something different?”

Ren lifted his head.

Myrddin stood at the door.

Hands behind his back.

Gray eyes calm.

He stepped inside slowly.

His footsteps made no sound.

But his presence filled the room.

“There are many warriors beyond the mountains of Adrossa,” Myrddin said.

He stopped beside the bed.

“Some could defeat you easily. Some wouldn’t even need magic. So tell me… would you charge at them the same way?”

Ren didn’t answer.

Myrddin tilted his head.

“Impulsiveness. That was the cause of your defeat. And it will be the cause of your death.”

Sawe crossed his arms, irritated.

“Easy to say after you almost killed him.”

Myrddin ignored him.

Eyes fixed on Ren.

Ren knew.

The old man was right.

Charging without thinking.

Always.

That’s how he had fought his entire life.

Myrddin watched him for a few seconds.

“During the last attack… did you see anything strange?”

Ren frowned.

“Strange?”

“Yes.”

Ren thought.

The memory burned away by white light.

“No. I just remember the light. Then nothing.”

Myrddin fell silent.

“I wouldn’t miss an attack. Especially not one at that level. The moment I released the spell… there was a shadow near you. Something extremely subtle. But it was there.”

Sawe frowned.

“That doesn’t make sense. Light magic at that level produces absolute brilliance. There shouldn’t be any shadow inside the field.”

“Exactly,” Myrddin said.

He walked to a shelf in the corner.

Picked up a sheet of paper and a pen.

“I don’t know what it was. But for years, I’ve kept silent about your past. About your parents. Your family. Where you came from.”

Ren looked away.

His hand tightened on the sheets.

“That doesn’t matter to me.”

“You never wanted to know,” Myrddin said.

The sound of pen on paper filled the silence.

“A dead secret cannot be confessed. If you didn’t want to hear it before… now you’ll have to find out yourself.”

Ren didn’t even look at the paper.

“I’m not interested.”

Myrddin didn’t withdraw his hand.

“Even so. I have a mission for you. You and Sawe will travel.”

Ren looked up.

So did Sawe.

The feline’s ears lifted.

Myrddin placed the paper in Ren’s hands.

“Travel where?” Ren asked.

“To the Elven Dynasty of Sylvaris.”

The room fell silent.

“Sylvaris…?” Ren looked at Sawe. “Where is that?”

Sawe scratched the back of his head.

“No idea. How are we getting there?”

Myrddin remained calm.

“You’ve never left Adrossa. Not even the base of the mountains. The furthest you know is the outer forest.”

Ren said nothing.

It was true.

His world ended where the mist began.

“That’s why Sawe will go with you,” Myrddin continued. “And I will remain here.”

Sawe blinked.

“You’re not coming?”

“No.”

Myrddin crossed his arms.

“Someone must protect the village. Adrossa cannot be left unguarded.”

Ren tightened his grip on the paper.

“And how do we get to Sylvaris?”

“First, you go to Gor’sha.”

Sawe nodded.

“The Orc capital. I know the way.”

“Orcs are not monsters,” Myrddin explained. “They are rough. Crude. But not aggressive without reason.”

He pointed at Ren.

“But they are not very friendly toward humans.”

Ren frowned.

“So I can’t enter?”

“It could be a problem,” Myrddin said. “Sawe is a feline. They respect bestial races. Humans… not so much.”

Myrddin picked up another object.

A small dark metal card.

Ancient inscriptions faintly glowed across its surface.

“This is a pass from the Southern Merchants’ Guild.”

Ren took it.

Cold.

Heavy.

“How do you have this?” Ren asked.

Myrddin did not answer.

“It ensures you won’t be stopped at borders. It works as safe passage.”

He pointed at the letter.

“And this is for a merchant in Gor’sha. His name is Kragg.”

“Kragg?” Sawe repeated.

“He will get you a guide to Sylvaris,” Myrddin said. “The elves do not allow just anyone into their lands. You will need an intermediary.”

Ren looked at the pass again.

Southern Merchants’ Guild.

Months away from here.

How did an old hermit have something like this?

He didn’t ask.

Myrddin wouldn’t answer.

“Leave in three days,” the old man said.

“Three days,” Sawe repeated. “Enough time to prepare supplies.”

Myrddin turned his back.

Walked toward the door.

Stopped at the threshold.

Without looking back.

“And Ren.”

Ren looked up.

“Yes?”

“Try not to die, boy.”

The door closed.

A dry wooden thud.

Ren remained with Sawe.

The feline exhaled.

“He really wants us to go.”

“He didn’t ask. He ordered.”

Sawe walked to the window.

Looked out at the mist-covered mountains.

“Are you going?”

Ren thought about the dream.

The shadows grabbing him.

The voices calling for him.

He thought about the light.

And the impossible shadow Myrddin saw.

If there were answers…

They were out there.

Not here.

“Yes,” Ren said.

Sawe smiled.

A wide grin.

“Then I’m coming with you. It’ll be dangerous. Orcs aren’t friendly. And elves… well, elves are strange.”

Ren lay back down.

His body ached.

But his mind was clear.

“I know.”

Sawe walked toward the door.

“I’ll start preparing supplies.”

“Sawe.”

The feline stopped.

“Thanks.”

Sawe didn’t turn around.

Just waved a hand.

“Don’t thank me yet.”

The door closed.

Ren was alone.

He looked up at the wooden ceiling.

The familiar dark beams.

They had sheltered him for seventeen years.

For the first time in his life…

The world felt much bigger than the mountain where he had grown up.

He looked at the pass in his hand.

Cold metal.

And for the first time…

He wasn’t just surviving the next day.

He was going after something.

Ren closed his eyes.

Waiting for the shadows to return.

They didn’t.

Only silence remained.

Heavy.

Expectant.

Along with the promise of a journey… That would begin in three days.

©JAE-HOON