Unknown forrest, Middle of nowhere.
Sky. Wind. Air.
Everything began to grow colder. The clouds slowly gathered together, merging into a thick mass of dark gray.
The scent of rain drifted through the air, heavy and earthy.
The wind strengthened, pushing against the trees until they swayed and groaned. Leaves rustled violently, grass bending low, whispering against the soil.
Then—
Rain.
At first, only a single drop. It fell through the leaves, sliding down branches, touching grass, then finally the ground.
Another drop followed.
Then more.
Thunder split across the sky, a sharp crack tearing through the clouds.
The rain thickened, droplets growing larger, merging together as they fell in heavy waves.
They struck the earth with force.
They splashed against a body.
A human body.
Male.
It was Grassth Rashvorn.
He lay beside the remains of his campfire. His mouth hung slightly open.
His eyes were wide, staring blankly at the sky as if nothing lived behind them.
No movement. No reaction.
No soul.
He remained there, unmoving, rain soaking through his clothes, through his hair, through his skin.
Yet—
His body was still warm.
Minutes passed. Rainwater streamed over his face, dripping from his chin.
The campfire beside him had long died, stones darkened and wood reduced to blackened remains.
Then—
A faint flicker of color moved across his eyes.
His heart, once silent, began to beat again.
Slow.
Then louder.
His fingers twitched.
His eyes regained their depth, the dull emptiness fading. Suddenly he coughed violently, rainwater spilling from his mouth as he turned his head to the side.
He inhaled sharply.
His palm shot to his chest, pressing against it as if confirming he was alive. With his other hand, he pushed against the muddy ground, forcing himself upright into a sitting position.
He coughed again and again, spitting water and saliva aside, gasping for air like a drowning man pulled from the sea.
He was alive.
"What… happened?" he muttered between breaths.
"Where am I?"
His vision remained blurry. He blinked repeatedly, rubbing his eyes with trembling hands.
Sitting there in the mud, he lowered his gaze to his palm, staring at it for several seconds. Slowly… slowly… the blur began to clear.
He lifted his head and looked around the forest.
Then up at the sky.
"It's raining," he murmured quietly.
His gaze shifted to his side. Stones arranged in a circle. Burnt wood worn down to charcoal.
His campfire.
"How many days have passed…?"
He forced himself to stand. Mud clung to his hands, and he wiped them against his pants. The moment he straightened fully, dizziness struck him.
The trees doubled in his sight. The leaves seemed to split into two, the world swaying.
He shut his eyes for a few seconds, steadying himself.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
When he opened them again, the world stabilized.
He began walking slowly through the forest, steps unsteady but determined.
After a few paces, he stopped and turned back, glancing at the remains of the campfire.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he walked back and picked up the stones that had formed the circle. He gathered them in his arms, pressing them against his chest as best as he could.
Without another word, he began walking again.
"Lost in this forest… I don't know what to do,"
he said quietly, voice tinged with worry.
"I don't even know what's happening outside. The kingdoms… the towns… the villages… my friends… my family…"
His breath grew heavier, but he forced himself to calm down.
"It's not over yet," he whispered to himself.
"I'm still alive. There's still time. I can't waste another second."
Thunder struck again in the distance, and he flinched instinctively. But he did not stop.
He continued walking through the rain.
The forest stretched endlessly before him.
Moments passed then more.
His breathing grew ragged. His legs felt heavier with each step, worn from exhaustion and weakness.
The rain slowly weakened until it finally stopped, leaving only droplets clinging to the leaves.
Grassth's strength faded.
At last, he sank down onto the ground, sitting heavily against the damp earth.
The wind moved gently through the trees. Leaves followed its rhythm, brushing against one another, creating a soft, endless whisper across the forest.
Grassth exhaled slowly.
"I'm at a loss… I don't know how to escape this forest."
He raised his hands toward the sky, palms open wide as if reaching for something unseen.
"Strength… with time, through this forest, I could… maybe… Perhaps I need to teach myself to be more self-aware."
"I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. And still, my memories were…"
His eyes suddenly widened.
"I… I can't believe my memories came back after so long. The battlefield… war… chaos everywhere."
"I kept asking myself again and again—why am I still alive? Why am I trapped here?"
Tears slipped from his eyes.
"For so long I was manipulated… but did I do something right? It's all so complicated…" His voice weakened.
Then a dark voice echoed inside his mind.
"Complicated? Oh, you truly are a complicated being,"
Riitharion said mockingly.
"You wanted to escape this forest as fast as possible, and now you're overwhelmed by your own returning memories?"
He scoffed.
Riitharion drifted through his own thoughts.
This kid… this might be the one I sensed before. When we fought for control of his body, his resistance was unusually strong.
His mental fortitude alone had begun clearing his mind. His brain was healing over time.
When I first entered this body, it was filled with malicious incantations dark seals placed upon his mind.
As Riitharion wandered through his thoughts, Grassth spoke quietly.
"Riitharion… you're awake."
"Fool. I was awake before you even regained consciousness. What? Are you surrendering already?"
"I'm not surrendering. What kind of place is this? Days have passed, and we haven't encountered a single human."
"You're asking me? I told you. I've never been here before. Ask a rock. Perhaps it will answer you," Riitharion replied dryly.
Then his tone shifted.
"Weakling. Let me take control. I'll see what's delaying our escape."
"Control? What are you going to do to my body this time?"
"Fool. I'm not playing tricks. What do you take me for? Stupid?"
Grassth scoffed softly. He closed his eyes while still seated on the ground.
Then—
His finger twitched.
A faint smile formed across his face.
When he opened his eyes again, they widened. His left eye shifted—
half red, half orange.
He stood instantly, no hesitation, no dizziness. He scanned the surroundings sharply and cracked his neck and knuckles.
"Hmm… let's see what this place truly is," Riitharion muttered.
He looked up at the sky, then down at the soil. His gaze shifted toward the bushes, then the towering trees.
"Hmm… these trees are taller than usual."
He approached one and placed his palm against its trunk, rubbing the bark thoughtfully. He flicked it with his finger, listening to the sound.
"This isn't ordinary… It's at least twenty feet taller than normal. No… even taller than twenty."
He pulled his hand back. His claw extended, sharp and fierce, piercing into the wood. With ease, he climbed upward.
Reaching the top, he stood among the swaying branches as heavy winds rushed past him, his hair whipping violently.
"Hmm… something is off."
He narrowed his eyes, scanning the horizon. Trees stretched endlessly in every direction.
"There are far more trees than I imagined. Mountains as well…"
He inhaled deeply.
"And in this wind… that scent… Sea?"
He followed the scent. Leaping from tree to tree like a predator, he moved faster with every jump.
Then he launched himself high into the sky, pulling his legs inward as he ascended.
From above, he looked down.
His eyes widened.
"This isn't merely an island… It's a dimension."
"There's no visible sea, yet I can smell it. The air is cold—yet warm at the same time…"
Concern flickered across his expression as he descended, crashing through leaves before landing.
"Did I accidentally open a portal into another dimension?!"
His voice rose in frustration.
"Ughhh! What is this?! My Zinxtal—this isn't just—WHAT IS THIS?!"
Rage burned through him as realization struck. Suddenly, fatigue weighed heavily on the body.
He inhaled sharply.
"Hmm… explore for now… Grassth."
He closed his eyes.
When they opened again, both were normal.
Grassth was back in control.
"What happened? What do you mean another dimension?! Riitharion?!"
Riitharion's voice echoed inside his mind.
"What? Before you throw a tantrum, look down."
Grassth glanced downward—
And realized he was falling through layers of leaves.
He crashed onto the ground.
"Ugh! What the heck?! What was he doing? And another dimension? Ugh… this will take even more time!"
Annoyed and confused, Grassth stood up slowly, brushing himself off as he looked around the forest once more.
"Just what is this place?," he glances at the stones at ground forming into circle.
"I guess I have to gather some wood again… I'll think of a plan later," Grassth muttered.
He walked deeper into the forest, searching for dry sticks, large leaves from tall trees, and anything that might help him survive.
The forest was quiet except for the rustling of branches and the distant sound of wind brushing through the canopy.
Moments later, carrying a large bundle of wood in both arms, Grassth returned and dropped it beside a circle of stones. The sticks scattered slightly across the ground.
He exhaled heavily and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
For a moment, he simply sat there, thinking.
Then he grabbed a long wooden stick and a piece of flint stone. Holding the stick firmly, he began sharpening its tip with slow, careful strokes.
The scraping sound of stone against wood echoed faintly through the forest.
Minutes passed.
The dull branch slowly formed into a pointed spear.
Grassth stood up and examined it, turning it slightly in his hands.
He stretched his arms out, loosening the stiffness in his shoulders.
"Food… next."
With the spear in hand, he slowly walked back into the woods.
Minutes passed as he wandered through the forest. Then he suddenly spotted movement.
A rabbit hopped through the grass.
Then another.
Two of them.
Grassth immediately tried to rush forward to catch one, but the rabbits quickly darted away before he could reach them.
He stopped and exhaled quietly.
This time, he moved more carefully.
Grassth crouched behind a bush, staying completely still. His eyes followed the rabbits as they continued nibbling at the grass.
He tightened his grip around the spear.
Slowly… carefully… he stepped out from the bush, making almost no sound.
Then—
He threw the spear.
The stick flew forward and pierced straight through one of the rabbits.
Blood splashed onto the ground as the animal collapsed instantly. The other rabbit panicked and bolted away into the grass.
Grassth quickly ran forward and pulled the spear from the first rabbit.
Without wasting time, he dashed after the second one.
The rabbit was already running far ahead.
Grassth stopped and steadied himself. He closed one eye, trying to focus his aim.
His hand trembled slightly as he held the spear.
He exhaled slowly, calming himself.
The shaking faded.
He tightened his grip and threw the spear with all his strength.
"Ra!"
The spear cut through the air with a sharp whistle as it flew toward the fleeing rabbit.
But it missed.
The spear struck the ground as the rabbit escaped into the forest.
Grassth scoffed quietly and exhaled in disappointment.
He walked back and picked up the rabbit he had already caught.
Holding it by the stick, he began walking back through the forest.
Minutes later, while passing between tall trees, he looked around from time to time, scanning the branches above him.
"Isn't there any large leaves around—"
Then he spotted one growing from a tall tree beside him.
He smiled slightly.
"There it is."
He approached the tree and set the rabbit and spear down on the ground.
Then he jumped up, grabbing one of the large leaves and tearing it from the branch.
He dropped it to the ground.
Then grabbed another.
And another.
After gathering several, he stepped back and looked at the pile.
"Hmm… this should be enough. Seven leaves."
He picked everything up again, carrying the spear with the rabbit pierced through it while holding the leaves in his other arm.
A few minutes later, he finally returned to his camp.
"Haaa… Alright. Done… all done."
Grassth placed everything down beside the circle of stones and began preparing the fire.
He gathered several wooden sticks and stacked them carefully in the center of the stones. Then he grabbed the flint and struck it against another rock.
Sparks flickered.
Soon, a small flame appeared.
He gently added more wood until the fire slowly grew stronger.
Grassth then grabbed the rabbit still pierced by the stick.
He pulled the stick out of its body. A wet sound followed as blood dripped onto the ground.
Dropping the stick, he started trying to skin the rabbit with his bare hands and teeth.
Trying to skin it with bare hands was hard, but Grassth seemed to have some experience.
With his fingertips, he pinched the skin from the side of its body. Then he bit it hard, making a small opening.
Now he used two fingers, inserting them inside before pushing outward through the skin as it made a tearing sound.
He used the force of his bite and pulled the skin down along the side toward the end of its tail, but the upper area from the chest to the face still had its skin.
After pulling the skin down, he began working on the upper area next.
After finishing skinning the rabbit. He picked up the stick and then he pushed the stick through the rabbit's mouth and out through the back, securing it.
After that, he stabbed the other end of the stick into the ground near the fire so the rabbit hung over the flames.
The fire crackled softly.
Grassth sat down in front of it, the rabbit slowly roasting beside him.
He closed his eyes, breathing in and out slowly, letting his exhausted body rest while the warmth of the fire touched his face.
Riitharion spoke, his voice echoing through Grassth's mind.
"You seemed to be going to check your classification...? Hmm..."
"I am. Why?"
Silence followed as Riitharion did not respond.
Then, within Grassth's mind, something appeared.
[Classification: None]
[Path: None]
He spoke, "Still nothing... How am I supposed to choose such a role again? Am I going to wait another 15 years?"
Riitharion spoke.
"Waiting for 15 years... such a long time. But don't worry. If you seem desperate to claim a classification, I can give you an easy way."
Grassth cut him off. "What? You want me to kill a person? Or maybe try to make me a thief—cause war and do evil things?"
"Ugh, no, weakling. Let's make a temporary contract... Hehem, hm." He giggled.
"A contract? Such as what?"
"Well, temporary as I said. For a moment, I will be able to freely control your body... for a few minutes."
"And how long is that minute?"
"As long as you won't be able to wake up..."
Grassth opened his eyes and made a thinking pose, touching his chin.
"You're sure I'm not going to do evil things?"
"Oh yes. Yes. Yes."
"Hmmm."
"Oh, just accept the contract, Grassth!"
"No."
"Ugh, you stupid weakling."