The footsteps were loud too loud.
Nova's heart raced as he looked around the darkened hut. His eyes landed on an old axe leaning against the wall. Without hesitation, he grabbed it with trembling hands. The wooden handle felt cold and heavy in his grip.
CRASH!
The hut exploded into splinters as the creature burst through it, roaring with primal rage. With arms thicker than tree trunks and the head of a monstrous ox, it towered over Nova. It let out a bone shaking growl and hurled a broken beam aside like a twig.
Nova bolted, but this time his legs betrayed him he stumbled and fell, scraping his elbows against the rocky ground. The creature loomed closer, its footsteps like thunder.
Gritting his teeth, Nova rolled over, raised the axe, and swung with every ounce of strength he had.
SPLAT!
The blade slashed across the creature's torso. It bellowed in pain, blood spurting from the wound. Nova fell backward, panting, the axe trembling in his grasp.
"What... what is this thing?" he muttered. His eyes locked onto its twisted form. "I've never seen anything like it... Maybe these monsters are real maybe they exist in the outer world..."
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Nova picked up the axe again, more out of fear than courage. His breaths were shaky, his heart still pounding. He looked at the path ahead.
Maybe I should've listened to Grandpa, he thought, glancing back toward the mountains he'd come from. But it was too late to turn back now.
The sun dipped beneath the horizon, and darkness began to settle like a blanket over the wildlands. Nova sighed. "I came too far... I can't even go home now."
He clutched his backpack tighter. Only an axe and a nearly empty water bottle stood between him and whatever else the night might bring. The winds howled through the open fields, carrying the distant howls of beasts. Shadows danced under the moonlight. Trees creaked. Rivers glistened, cold and unknowable.
"There's no light... no houses... just grass, dirt, and danger."
He took a sip from his bottle. "Grandpa's probably searching for me by now... Should I go back?"
But even as the doubt crept in, Nova shook his head. "No. Whatever happens I'm going."
Then, just ahead light.
A flickering orange glow lit up the night. Nova's eyes widened. "A fire?"
He broke into a run, cutting through the tall grass, his legs aching. He spotted a small hut near the fire and an old man sitting beside it, humming softly.
"Hey! Old man!" Nova called out, panting.
The man looked up calmly. "Yes? Who are you?"
"I'm Nova... Can I stay here for the night?"
The man squinted. "Nova...? Wait, you live in that monastery in the Green Zone, don't you? With your grandfather?"
Nova blinked. "How do you know?"
The man chuckled. "I'm Navy. Your grandfather and I were childhood friends we used to play, eat, and get in trouble together. It's been years."
Nova sat down by the fire, grateful for the warmth. "Really? Small world."
"So," Navy said, peering at him, "where are you going, Nova?"
Nova hesitated. If he told the truth, would the old man drag him back?
"I just got lost," Nova said with a nervous laugh. "I was wandering and forgot the way home."
Navy raised an eyebrow but smiled knowingly. "You're looking for Eluria, aren't you?"
Nova froze. "W-What?"
"You don't have to lie, boy. I've seen that look in your eyes before. The look of a dreamer."
Nova lowered his gaze. "Yeah... I am."
"Don't worry, I won't tell your grandfather," Navy said, tossing another log into the fire. "Chase your dream, Nova."
Nova smiled, eyes reflecting the firelight.
"How do I reach Mesonia from here?" he asked.
"Just a few kilometers west from this hut," Navy said. "But be careful. You're kingdomless. That means you'll have to sneak past the guards."
"What happens if I get caught?" Nova asked nervously.
"You'll be beheaded on the spot," Navy said without flinching.
Nova's eyes widened. "Beheaded?! Are you trying to scare me to death?"
"It's not a joke. The world is cruel outside the Green Zones. Especially for those without a kingdom's protection."
Nova took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. "I won't be caught. I promise."
"Good," Navy said with a soft grin. "Now get some rest. You've got a long road ahead."
Nova nodded. "Thank you, Navy. And... please don't tell Grandpa."
Navy smiled. "Your secret's safe with me."
Nova laid down inside the hut. As his eyes slowly closed, the fire crackled beside him. The shadows of the past still clung to him, but ahead an unknown future, wild and dangerous waited.
And Nova was ready to face it.