The night before his departure, Kael packed his things carefully. A few loaves of bread, a flask, a small hunting knife, and a worn blanket—barely enough for survival, but it was all he could manage. His heart pounded with anticipation, mixed with a quiet fear. Tomorrow, he would leave the safety of Division 8's town and step into the infamous Dark Forest.
At dawn, Kael stood at the edge of the town. The towering gates behind him slowly closed as he walked forward, carrying nothing but determination and his modest supplies.
The Dark Forest loomed in the distance like a sea of shadows. As Kael entered, he was swallowed by a canopy of massive trees, their roots twisting across the ground like the veins of the earth itself. Sunlight barely pierced through the thick foliage, giving the jungle an endless, suffocating feeling.
He wandered deeper, step by cautious step. The silence was heavy, broken only by the rustle of leaves under his boots. Hours passed, and Kael found nothing—no monsters, no humans, just an endless stretch of green and darkness.
By nightfall, fatigue claimed him. Kael gathered branches and fashioned a small camp. With a weak fire flickering beside him, he muttered,"Tomorrow… I'll find something. I have to."
Sleep came quickly.
When dawn arrived, Kael awoke to something strange. Just a few steps from his campfire, he noticed footprints pressed into the soil—human footprints.
His eyes narrowed."Who could be here this deep in the forest? Maybe… someone lost?"
The thought lingered, but Kael shook his head and packed up his camp. He had come here for one purpose—to train.
Venturing further, he eventually stumbled upon a river. Its waters shimmered faintly, flowing with a calm rhythm that eased his thirst. Kael crouched down, filling his flask and splashing cold water onto his face.
But then…
The air shifted.
A sudden heaviness fell over the forest. The leaves stilled. The birds quieted. The wind itself seemed to vanish.
Kael didn't notice. His focus remained on the water, his reflection rippling faintly in the river.
Behind him, eight sharp legs moved silently, dragging across the ground.
A shadow loomed.
The monstrous form of a giant spider, its fangs dripping with venom, crept closer—its many eyes fixed on Kael's unguarded back.
The forest held its breath.
And then—
Chapter End.