Vayu's heart was still pounding when he returned to his post at the edge of the village. His breaths were shallow, his sweat soaked shirt clinging to his skin. He scanned the area, relieved to find everything still and quiet. For a moment, he thought someone must have noticed his absence till now, but no one had noticed his absence.
He sat down heavily on a log that was below his watch point. His knife remained in his hand, his knuckles white from gripping it so tightly. His mind still filled with questions about what had happened beyond the boundary. The feeling of being followed, the way the trees seemed to close in on him, the disorientation that made him wander aimlessly for hours it was unlike anything he had ever experienced, it was creepy.
He didn't know the truth: the blue lotus had worked its strange magic, casting illusions and feeding his fear.
But before he could catch his breath, a high pitched cry sounded from the village, it was a "PEAL Call" it is a high pitched cry used by Eagles to scare away enemies, the villagers here used this as a signal to assemble. The horn was used only in emergencies to summon every villager to the center. HE was sure that he had been caught. Someone must have noticed his absence or seen him return.
Swallowing his fear, he rose and made his way toward the village square. The entire village was awake now, gathering under the light of torches. People murmured among themselves, their voices tense and worried. Vayu slipped into the crowd, doing his best to blend in, though his heart was beating fast in his chest.
At the center of the gathering stood the village 1st Elder, an old woman, but the women have air of authority around her, she was the wife of last village chief , her sharp eyes seemed to pierce through any lie. Suddenly many members of the hunter squad came from the village entrance, their presence made the whole village silent. As the silence continued the elder spoke.
"Someone has crossed the boundary," the Elder announced, her voice firm and echoing in the still night. "Whoever it was has put us all in danger, You know the laws, The boundary is not to be breached."
Vayu clenched his fists, his pulse racing. he was sure he was caught , Had someone seen him? He felt the weight of guilt pressing down on him, but he kept his expression neutral, forcing himself to remain calm.
Two hunters stepped forward, dragging a young man with them. The crowd gasped. It was another guard, barely older than Vayu. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear.
"I didn't mean to!" the young man stammered. "I didn't go far! I swear, I only took a step beyond—"
The 1st Elder silenced him with a single glance. "The laws are clear," she said coldly. "The boundary exists for a reason. Beyond it lies only danger and death. You have jeopardized the safety of everyone here". The hunter squad which was supposed to come after 3 days came early due to a good hunt this time, they didn't have any technology to keep the meat cold, so only a fix amount is hunted before it gets bad so they retuned early. But when they were returning they saw some moments on their way back and followed, that's when they saw a human running, to their surprise it was someone from their village and caught him
The young man was trembling, his protests dying in his throat 1st Elder turned her attention back to the crowd, her voice filled with anger and with a bit of sadness she said "Let this serve as a reminder to all of you. The world outside is not for us. It is filled with monsters, with horrors beyond imagining. Those who cross the boundary bring nothing but ruin."
Vayu lowered his gaze, his guilt growing heavier with every word. He had crossed the boundary too. He had seen the forest beyond, felt its strange pull. But no one knew at least, not yet. He made up his mind, to keep this a secret, no matter what.
1st elder dismissed the crowd, and the villagers dispersed, their voices hushed as they returned to their homes. Vayu lingered at the edge of the square, watching as the hunters escorted the young man away. He knew the boy wouldn't be harmed, punishment in the village was rarely physical but he would likely be stripped of his guard duty , a shame that would follow him for the rest of his life and he will never be allowed near the village boundaries.
The night was about to end it was already dawn,
Vayu returned to the training grounds early in the morning. His body still ached from the long hours of running and guard duty, but he couldn't rest. The events of the previous night had left him restless, his mind racing with unanswered questions, what he wanted now was answers not rest.
The training grounds were quiet at this hour, the other trainees still sleeping or tending to their morning chores. Vayu picked up a pair of training daggers and began practicing his forms. His movements were sharp and precise, the result of his rigorous training over the years. But today, there was a fire behind his strikes, an urgency that hadn't been there before.
The sound of steel slicing through the air echoed in the empty grounds. Vayu moved like a shadow, his daggers a blur as he struck at imaginary foes. His thoughts drifted back to the boundary, to the forest beyond, and to the feeling of being watched. What had really happened out there? Was it just his imagination, or was there really something out there lurking beyond those trees?
He pushed the thoughts aside, focusing instead on his training. The dagger was the weapon of choice in the village, prized for its versatility and efficiency in the dense forest. Paired with the bow, it formed the backbone of the village's defenses. All the trainees were trained in both , but most preferred dagger over bow because, there were only 5 bow techniques in total and you can learn only 2 of them before becoming a member of hunter squad only then they teach u all 5 techniques, and hitting just the dummies with arrows was very boring so most trained hard in dagger techniques .The weight of daggers in Vayu,s hand felt natural, almost comforting.
Hours passed, and the sun climbed higher in the sky. By the time the other trainees arrived, Vayu was drenched in sweat, his muscles burning. He ignored their curious glances, his focus unshaken. If he wanted to be part of the hunter squad, he needed to be better—faster, stronger, more disciplined.
And deep down, he knew he needed answers. The boundary still called to him, its mysteries a constant pull in the back of his mind. But for now, he would wait. He would train. And when the time came, he would be ready, THIS TIME.
The training ground was bathed in the orange light of the setting sun. Vayu stood in the center, his breathing steady despite the hours of relentless practice. His daggers gleamed in his hands, their edges dulled due to continuous training but his eyes looked sharp. He moved with precision, repeating the techniques he had been practicing since dawn.
"Gale Spiral," he murmured under his breath, stepping forward into the maneuver.
His feet twisted on the ground as he spun, the daggers cutting through the air in a whirlwind of motion. The technique was designed to repel multiple opponents, each slash precise yet flowing into the next. As the move ended, he immediately transitioned into Serpent Strike, feinting left and lunging forward with a rapid, deceptive thrust. His arms burned, his muscles trembling from the effort, but he pushed himself to repeat the sequence.
The 4th and 5th dagger techniques were the newest additions as he became a guard. There were total of 9 dagger techniques as a trainee u get taught only 3 of them as you become guard of the village you get to learn 2 more techniques. They were far more advanced than the simple strikes and evasion techniques he had trained and tried to master as a trainee. Each movement demanded perfect balance, fluidity, and control, and he knew he was far from perfect.
Vayu wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart still beating fast from all the practice. The other guards had long gone since they finished their training and returned home, but he couldn't stop. The events of the previous night haunted him, the strange sensations beyond the boundary replaying in his mind. He didn't know what awaited him outside, but he knew he had to be stronger if he ever wanted to face it again.
By the time Vayu returned home, the sky had turned a dark. The faint glow of the moon lit the village as he pushed open the wooden door of his hut. The familiar scent of food greeted him, but it did little to soothe the tension in his mind.
His mother sat by the fire, stirring the pot carefully . She looked up as he entered, her face softening with relief.
"You're late," she said, though her tone filled with fear he knew his mother would have thought countless scenarios where he left the village and died ,his mother was a overthinker, his father was a member of hunter squad due to that his mother and father would fight often, his mother wanted his father to quit the hunter squad and be a farmer instead she didn't wanted to take any risk in her life, her own father died during a hunt, her mother's and her life was very difficult she didn't want this to happen again.
Vayu avoided her gaze, setting his training daggers carefully by the door. "I was just practicing," he said simply.
His mother stood and walked over to him, her hands resting gently on his shoulders. She looked at his face, her expression filled with concern. "Vayu, you know I worry, your father's already a member of hunter squad , don't ever cross the line, what if u cross and ... and di...." She trailed off, her voice rugged.
"I'm fine," he said quickly, though he felt the weight of her words. He knew she was terrified of losing him, especially with the rumors of guards testing the boundaries. He hadn't told her about his misadventure the previous night, and he didn't plan to.
"Let's eat" he said, changing the subject.
The two eat in silence, suddenly Vayu asked "where is father"
"The hunter squad are on guard duty tonight" his mom replied.
After washing up, Vayu went to his room. The wooden walls felt close around him, the faint smell of pine and earth filling the air. He lay down on the simple straw mattress, his body exhausted but his mind restless.
What if he was the one to be caught? What if someone had seen him? And what had really happened out there beyond the boundary? The questions churned in his mind, refusing to let him rest.
But as his head hit the pillow, exhaustion finally claimed him. The worries and doubts faded, replaced by the pull of sleep.
For now, the village was quiet. For now, he was safe.