Ciclico: The example you wanted to follow ~ Past

Looking back, when did things get out of control? When did we cross the point of no return? When we returned from that hunt with two less people than we had just a few hours ago? When we decided to go on the scouting mission in the first place?

When the boar, by sheer coincidence, or the hand of fate itself, ended up near Ciclico?

Whatever the point was, the culprit of what happened after that was always clear in Ases’s mind.

The three of them had returned from the hunt, with warnings of not returning to the forest until the boar was out of the zone. That was the safest option, but the people in the village had a different opinion.

“That thing killed my husband!”

“It killed my brother, and I’m supposed to just forget about it?!”

The families of the two deceased ones were the first ones to suggest returning. An understandable decision based on grief, that was perfectly fine. There was no need to listen to them, only to console them.

“It’s too dangerous to let it roam around here. We can’t just stay still and hope that it doesn’t find us.”

“I have heard legends about this. An enormous boar that destroys entire cities where it passes.”

“That’s bullshit. I have heard no such thing.”

“Of course, when the only thing left is rubble and a mountain of corpses, who can corroborate the story? That woman Ases saw in the forest said the same.”

“Are we really gonna believe his story of a mysterious queen of the forest? Really?”

The people that wanted to see the boar dead, fearing for their safety, were the second ones that jumped the gun. How easy it is to say so, when they have not seen that monster themselves?

“You are completely right. We have to kill it. If we all collaborate, we will be able to take it down. There’s even a bounty in place for it, this is a chance of a lifetime!”

The first people were blinded by emotion, grief speaking through them. The second group was fear, guiding their actions, fear for the safety of them and their families.

But Urgo? He knew exactly what he was doing when he mentioned a bounty. He knew what he was doing when he told them that they had a chance and he knew what he was doing when he brought all the people he could in, even with the warning of not making any noise in the boar’s hunting zone.

The last nail on the coffin was that moment when he, after we returned, separated me from my father after I mentioned the woman of the woods. He was already acting strange after I said what I saw, but he went to me and grabbed me by my shoulders when no one was looking.

“Was that all? Did she say anything else? Are you hiding anything from me?”

He was looking crazed, I could not even utter a word, but the look on my face seemed to be enough of an answer for him. He seemingly recovered his sanity, and simply returned with the group to organize the new hunt expedition for the boar.

I begged my father to listen to me. I told him how bad of an idea it all was, but turns out it wasn’t necessary at all. He was the most strong opposition there was for the new hunt, describing the boar and how impossible it would be to kill it with any of the weapons they had on hand.

My father is a smart man, a very respected person in Ciclico, and a couple of people did support him when they saw how vehemently he opposed the hunt. But after some hours of debate, when all was said and done, the popular vote determined the hunt was gonna happen.

It was determined for the next day, they had no time to waste. After all, every hour they let that thing roam around was an hour it could find the village and kill them all.

“You two have to stay here.” Plojem said, that night, to both Ases and Herm.

“But!” Ases retorted.

“It’s not up to debate, you two have seen that thing, I cannot risk any of you two getting anywhere near to it.”

“Then why are you going! You are going to get yourself killed!” Screamed Herm.

Plojem slapped Ases across the face. By the face he did just after, Ases could tell he immediately regretted it, but his face hardened again.

“I’m not going to get myself killed. I am going to make sure that when all hell breaks loose, I can help at least some of them escape that thing.” He sentenced, rage starting to seep into his voice.

“Let them be, they are the ones who chose to go. You don’t have to go with them!”

Plojem seemed like he was going to slap him again, but managed to stop himself this time. He looked at them, sighed, and instead hugged them both.

“I’m going, because even if I think they are committing a horrible mistake, a lot of the ones who are going in the hunt are my friends. They have been for most of my life. I owe them much, and I would never forgive myself if all of them died tomorrow.” He said, still hugging them, not wanting to look either of his sons to the eyes.

Initially, both of them were too surprised to do something, but eventually, both of them returned the hug as well as they could. It was strange to do a hug between three people, but they eventually found a way they all felt comfortable in.

“Please… just don’t go” Said Ases, stammering, barely able to say the words himself.

Ases started sobbing, even if he tried to stop his tears. He could not see if Herm or his father were the same.

“I promise I’ll return tomorrow, alive and well. But there’s something I do feel I have to tell you two, right now. I love you two, more than I could express with words, and it pains me to think of what my death would do to you two, but I still have to go.” Plojem said, caressing the hair in the back of both their heads. “I know it’s risky, but sometimes a man has to assume the risk and push on. There are things that only can be gotten if you risk it, and things you will never forgive yourself for if you don’t. Always use your head first and foremost, but at the end of the day, some things you simply have to decide with your heart.”

That was all he said. Begging him would not change his response, and certainly neither Herm nor Ases felt like begging after his father opened up to them for the first, and possibly last time of his life.

When the morning came and most of the men of the village parted with all the weapons they had at their disposal, Ases could see the hesitation in his father's eyes. He seemed so sure that earlier night, but when looking back at his sons, he could not uproot the seed of doubt that was growing inside of him.

Before the seed could grow and he could no longer push forward, he entered the forest, hoping it would not be the last time he did so.