Someon, unaware of his pursuer, continued to wander through the night forest. Every step he took was accompanied by a glimpse of the wondrous scene around him. All those flying, sparkling lights were truly beautiful.
«They are so calming... You can look at them forever...» - suddenly his thoughts became less and less collected and coherent.
As he approached a tree laden with juicy, apple-sized orange fruits, the lights around him multiplied. They surrounded him, enticing him with their light and the peace they created right in his soul.
Maybe he should touch them? Eat these wonderful, sweet fruits? Such ideas began to appear in his head, increasingly as the flickering lights gathered around him.
The white lights quickly flew up to his body and began to spin in a delightful dance, capturing all his attention.
Meanwhile, the unknown beast was getting closer. Someon couldn't hear its footsteps, couldn't sense the threat looming behind him. That threat was getting closer and closer with every second.
Saliva dripped from the beast's mouth, and hunger blazed in its eyes as it gazed at the young man. A silent, yet murderous, bloodthirsty intent erupted from its mouth, aimed at its prey. Then it began to approach him through the trees, in the shadows, remaining unnoticed.
The beast didn't want its presence revealed. It might have been a beast, but it had seen a sword in the hands of a man. So it didn't want to risk its life with an open attack. It simply approached slowly and patiently waited for the forest to do its work.
Meanwhile, Someon became increasingly captivated by the wondrous and fantastical nature of this place. He lost all desire to go anywhere, to do anything... Especially, he lost the desire to leave that very place. The idea of simply remaining before this tree, standing there and enjoying the magnificent dance that these lights, like wondrous fairies, performed before him, began to form in his mind.
But at the same time, something was bothering him. It was as if something deep within his soul, somewhere in the most distant parts of it, was calling out to him, screaming at the top of its lungs.
There was a sensation, but he couldn't make it out.
The feelings Someon was experiencing now were what he wanted most of all at that moment. Peace, safety, tranquility... All of it warmed his heart, reminding him of... reminding him of... Home?
«Why did this feeling remind me so much of something I'd forgotten? And where is my home, if it was so peaceful and safe?» – Someon became intrigued by this unexpected thought, interrupting any thoughts that surfaced about watching the dance.
Now, however, this very dance of the wondrous "fairies" didn't seem so enchanting to him. Watching it, it seemed simply chaotic, abrupt, rapid, and devoid of any refinement... It wasn't that astonishing, breathtaking, fantastical dance.
Now he was just... nothing.
This dance became simply nothing, as if it had never happened.
Someon's heart grew heavier and the oppressive feeling began to grow when he noticed something was wrong. It was then that he noticed something. He heard that same female voice in his head again. Only now it was more of an echo, a faint echo of that same loud voice.
«Brother... be careful... Brother... Behind...» – a faint, but still discernible echo echoed in his mind. And it was this echo that confirmed Someon's fears.
«Something's really wrong, – he said, his suspicions growing. – But what exactly is wrong? I can't figure it out.»
His suspicions grew, but thinking was as difficult as before. It felt like a veil had been placed over him, difficult to remove, interfering with his thought process.
And the feeling of bliss, of beautiful, quiet, and peaceful peace, continued to insist on its presence. It seemed to be speaking to him, whispering in his ear: «I'm here. Leave your worries and anxieties in that heavenly forest. Nothing will disturb you here.» It felt like a gentle female voice was whispering to him. But it was completely different, distinct from the one Someon knew.
If the stranger's voice had been full of love, worry, and sadness, this one was full of guile, treacherous joy, and evil. There was nothing good in it, and Someon sensed it. With every second he spent near the tree or trees bearing fruit, he felt it more and more strongly.
At some point, it dawned on him that his mind was under attack, but he didn't know what to do. Maybe his past self knew this, but his present self didn't.
And again, the lack of memories was a major problem. If a monster, whose existence he no longer doubted, attacked, what would he do? Did his body remember how to fight, or would he have to learn it all over again?
There was so much he didn't know. And right now, that uncertainty was where he was now? In a clearing near a tree or surrounded by monsters?
The beast behind him noticed the change in the young man and became more active. It accelerated its approach, baring its fangs and dripping with drool, and its eyes filled with even greater impatience and hunger.
The beast didn't notice the branches crunching under its paws, betraying its approach. But those sounds didn't go unnoticed by Someon. The moment he realized the enemy was present, the world around him seemed to slow down.
Someon clearly felt a faint chill spread through his body. The clouding and fog of his mind eased, and his thoughts became easier. Afterward, his grip on his sword tightened, and his body, as if out of habit, prepared for combat with the monster.
«So, my body still remembers how to fight. Well, that will make my future life at least a little easier», – the young man concluded, slowly turning to face the one who had been patiently creeping up on him all this time.
To his surprise, there was no one there. Only trees and fruit hanging from the branches. They felt the same pull as the first one. But now he immediately dismissed the obsession.
The silence of the night was broken only by the rustling of leaves and the crackling of branches from different sides.
«Is he alone or are there several?» – Someon couldn't determine the exact number of his first enemies since awakening.
The moonlight reflected off his blade, slightly illuminating the area before him. But there was no one there. Perhaps the monster was hiding from the light to avoid detection? Perhaps, in this case, the young man had no intention of underestimating his enemies. His life was at stake.
The cold continued to act, cooling his emotions and state. Thus, he maintained a cool mind and concentration.
Then the words that Welter's Grace used to describe one of his Powers came to his mind:
[…The wind faintly covers your body and whispers of nearby events.]
He already knew what the first part meant. Gentle gusts of wind slowly wrapped around his body and sword, making them lighter, faster, and more agile. But what about the second part?
Could this mean Someon could have learned about what was happening around him? Perhaps he should have found out sooner. Before he found himself in this situation.
«No, seriously, what a day it is today. Can I spend it peacefully? – he couldn't contain his irritated indignation. – Apparently not, since I'm about to fight a monster.»
Just as he was contemplating the possibilities of his Power, the sound of branches snapping was heard again somewhere nearby. Someon spun around, instinctively adopting a fighting stance. His eyes sharpened and never left the spot from which the sound had come. But he also kept an eye on other areas, lest he fall into a trap.
«Maybe it's worth trying after all?»
Deciding it was better to take a risk than not, Someon took control of the nearby currents of the night breeze. Green lights danced in the air, responding to his call.
Honestly, at that moment the young man tensed up, as he wasn't sure what it was. Was it a good sign, confirming his theory... Or was it a very, very bad sign.
«Well, now I'll find out everything!»
The surrounding wind grew stronger as the lights approached his body. More wind concentrated around his ears, nose, and eyes, and the young man instantly felt the change.
The swaying of leaves and grass underfoot, the smell, very unpleasant and disgusting, the lights hovering more than ten meters away from him and the broken branches - Someon heard, smelled and saw all this as if it was just one step away from him.
But it was the next that made him cry out in surprise and joy.
Spreading the wind further, obeying the feeling infused into him by «Welter's Grace»... perhaps... he created an invisible, almost imperceptible field around himself. It encompassed those same ten meters, giving him a complete and almost clear picture of the world.
Why almost clear? Because the rest of what was hidden from his view was revealed to him by the wind, flowing around the shape of the object. Thus, a blurred picture of what was happening appeared in his mind.
And it was precisely because of this that he realized who his opponent was. Behind him, five meters away, and drawing closer with every step, was a wolf with its mouth open. Crouched low to the ground, it slowly and cautiously approached Someon's back.
«Smart bastard. Decided to attack from behind as soon as he realized I was aware of what was happening», – Someon realized almost immediately that the enemies here would be no ordinary ones, since such a wolf possessed any intelligence.
But what should he do in that case? Turn around and charge toward the enemy? No, that was too reckless and risky. He'd already taken too many risks, testing his assumptions in real battle. What else could he do? The choice was obvious.
A joyful, but not happy, but rather a sly grin appeared on his face.
«Come closer, creature. You're in for a very good, and most importantly, a pleasant surprise»
Someon continued to feign alertness, staring straight ahead. His true focus, however, was entirely on what the wind was showing him.
The unsuspecting wolf continued to walk slowly towards his "prey".