Twenty years ago, deep within the forsaken woods, a massacre unfolded—claiming the lives of nearly everyone who had ventured there in search of a livelihood. Tayan's forces were almost wiped out in the struggle, forcing him to retreat. He was certain that none of his enemies would survive the wounds his men had inflicted. And even if, by some cruel twist of fate, they did, their worst nightmare awaited them in those woods. The forest was forsaken for a reason—its depths were home to beasts so resilient they were nearly impossible to kill.
These were not ordinary creatures born of fantasy tales. They hunted not out of hunger or instinct but to remind the world who the true predator was.
Moments after the battle, snow began to fall heavily. The silent forest stood as a grim omen—no one would be left alive to tell the tale.
Kael, the infant who had received his parents' final words, was writhing in pain, a searing headache tearing through his fragile body—like thousands of needles piercing his skull.
"What's the meaning of this? Why?" His tiny features twisted in agony, his face reflecting unbearable pain.
Within the woods, glowing eyes emerged from the shadows—beasts ready to strike. Kael could sense something approaching.
"Who's there? Damn this body! I can't move… I'm losing consciousness…"
The freezing cold and the pain were too much for him; darkness consumed his senses.
When Kael next opened his eyes, his fragile form was wrapped in dried, fleshy leaves, woven together like a makeshift blanket. He tried to take in his surroundings but froze as he overheard a faint voice.
"So, the others are on standby…"
A gentle light materialized before him, taking the shape of a woman with glowing skin and luminous eyes. As Kael looked around, he saw several others—identical in form, ethereal in presence.
"Oh, so you're awake, child of man," one of them spoke.
Kael said nothing, but a thought crossed his mind: What are these beings?
"Are you referring to us as merely things?" The woman chuckled softly.
"You can hear me?" Kael asked.
"Surprisingly, yes. It's been millennia since one born of your kind could perceive us," she replied.
"So… were you the one who saved me?" Kael asked.
"No, it was—" she was interrupted by another voice.
"Young master! I'm so relieved you're unharmed and awake…"
A young girl, barely six or seven, stood before him—covered in blood, trembling from the cold, tears streaking her face.
"I… can't thank you enough, my god…" she sobbed, rubbing her eyes with her small hands.
The mysterious woman turned to Kael. "Child, do you see? This other girl cannot even feel our presence."
"I don't understand what you mean," Kael replied. "But please—could you do me a favor and heal her?"
"Don't you think it's rude to ask a favor from a stranger you've just met?" she teased.
Before Kael could respond, the girl collapsed—but the ethereal beings caught her gently, surrounding her in a warm, glowing light.
"Hey, what are you doing to her?" Kael shouted, startled.
"Child, you asked me for a favor. So here it is," the being replied calmly.
"All right…" Kael muttered, still clutching his head as the pain flared again.
"Hmmm… may I ask you something now, child of man?" the woman said. But Kael could no longer respond—his headache was unbearable.
"Why do I sense a familiar essence when I look at your soul?" she murmured, circling him slowly. "It was that very familiarity that drove us to intervene before the beasts could devour you."
"I don't know anything…" Kael groaned. "I'm just trying to make sense of this pain—it's getting worse each time."
"It's strange," she said thoughtfully. "Even for one who has lived for thousands of years, it's hard to believe a newborn could speak with such clarity. Do you retain memories of a past life? Or are you the reincarnation of something greater?"
Kael managed to calm his mind after a few moments of silence.
"I already told you—I know nothing. My memories are blank. I only know fragments… about what a soul carries into its next birth."
"What do you mean by fragments?" the being asked curiously.
"I can't explain how I know this," Kael replied, "but every soul carries its past experiences when it changes its vessel. Yet, it can't preserve them for long—the new vessel is fragile, barely able to sustain that weight."
"Fascinating…" the woman whispered, intrigued by his words.
"Who… or what are you?" Kael finally asked.
All the women-like figures smiled at once.
"That's not an easy question to answer," she said gently. "You see, we exist… yet we do not. We are one—but also many. In the simplest sense, we are the soul of this very land itself."
Her eyes glowed brighter as she spoke her name.
"You may call me Sayla—the First Fragment."
To be continued.