The road back to the village felt longer than ever.
No one spoke.Not Borin, not Draven, not Lyra.Even the insects—usually constant around them—seemed to have been silenced by what had happened.
Ren walked in front, but not because he wanted to.It was as if something was pulling him forward while something else tried to hold him in place.The weight of the forest still clung to him.To all of them.
Lyra moved closer.
"Ren… do you want to stop for a bit?"
He inhaled deeply, not slowing his pace.
"No.""You're tired.""I'm not."
But she knew he was.
Not tired like others.Tired on the inside—as if the body still had strength, but the soul had been left exposed.
Borin noticed too.
"He doesn't want to stop, Lyra.""I know.""Then let him."He looked at Ren with a stern expression."He needs to get back before… something reaches him."
Draven hugged his arms tightly.
"SOMETHING WHO?!Don't talk like that, Borin! There's no 'something' coming after us… right?!"
Silence answered.
Ren only said:
"Not yet."
That was enough to make Draven nearly faint mid-step.
The village finally appeared at the horizon.
But it didn't look the same.
People were gathered outside in clusters, whispering.Some looked toward the forest.Others toward the ground.As if rumors had reached them before the group did.
Lyra frowned.
"Something happened here too."
Ren already expected it.
"They felt it.""Felt what?" Draven squeaked."The rupture."Ren spoke calmly."The forest sent too many signs. And cultivators appeared."
Borin grunted.
"And cultivator never shows up by chance."
As they entered the village, every head turned.
All eyes landed on Ren.
It wasn't hostility.It wasn't clear fear.It was… caution.
Like staring at a distant storm—it isn't striking yet, but it could.
Lyra walked close beside him like a shield.Borin walked behind them like a wall.Draven puffed his chest in an attempt to look brave, which only made things more awkward.
An elder approached slowly.
"Ren… boy…"She looked at his hands, as if expecting them to be stained with something."The forest trembled. The ground breathed. The branches sang. And then… all went silent."
Ren lowered his head.
"I know."
She touched his arm gently.
"What did you do in there?"
It wasn't accusation.
It was fear wearing the face of curiosity.
Ren tried to answer.
But Lyra stepped forward.
"He saved us," she said firmly."And what did he save?" someone asked from behind."Everything," Borin answered.
Silence spread.
The elder studied Ren with eyes that saw deeper than his face.
"There is something following you, child."
Ren swallowed.
"I know."
"Will it reach you?" she asked.
He hesitated.
Then answered with honesty:
"One day."
The whisper of his words rippled through the crowd.
No one spoke.
They only watched.
Ren felt the weight of their stares.Felt their fear.Felt responsibility settle over him like fine dust.
And he felt the Shadow.
Not close.But not far.
Lyra squeezed his hand.
"Ren… let's rest.""I can't."
She frowned.
"Why not?"
He breathed quietly.
"Because the village needs to speak to me."
Borin frowned.
"They'll ask too many questions, Ren.""I know.""You don't need to answer anything.""I know."
Draven raised a hand.
"I vote we pretend nothing happened and go eat something."
No one agreed.
Ren looked around.
The villagers stared at him with fear, expectation, uncertainty.
And for the first time, Ren realized something new:
They weren't looking at a child.They were looking at someone who could carry what was coming.
Lyra felt it too.
She whispered with quiet sadness:
"They… already see you as something different."
Ren didn't answer.
He knew.
And it quietly broke something inside him.
The elder inhaled slowly.
"Ren, my boy… there is something you must decide before the Shadow comes for you."
Ren looked up.
"What?"
She smiled.
Not kindly—but knowingly.
"Choose who you want to be… before she chooses for you."
The cracked echo inside his chest pulsed.
Lyra squeezed his hand.
Borin stood firmer.
Draven lost more color.
And Ren spoke with all the sincerity inside him:
"I… am trying."
The elder nodded.
"Keep trying, boy. Before it's too late."
The entire village fell silent.
A silence that signaled change.
A silence that signaled an ending.
A silence that signaled a beginning.
Ren turned toward the forest one last time.
The Shadow wasn't there.
But he could feel her.
She was coming.
And he needed to be readybefore the Shadow arrived.