Shattered

The journey north had been far more peaceful than I had imagined.

For two days...

Our carriage rolled steadily along the stone roads leading away from Saintess Anima.

The towering walls of the Cathedral had long since disappeared beyond the horizon.

Now...

Only endless grasslands stretched before us.

The golden fields danced beneath the wind like waves upon an endless sea.

Occasionally...

Small villages appeared beside the road.

Children would stop whatever they were doing the moment they noticed the white carriage bearing the Cathedral's crest.

Some waved excitedly.

Others simply bowed.

I awkwardly waved back every single time.

One of the guards beside me laughed.

"They really do admire Heroes."

"..."

I looked at the children disappearing behind us.

"...I don't feel much like one."

The guard smiled.

"That's because you've only just arrived."

"Give it time."

"One day..."

"You'll understand."

I quietly nodded.

"...Maybe."

The carriage continued northward.

Mountains slowly grew larger in the distance.

The roads became narrower.

The forests deeper.

Even the wind had begun carrying a cooler scent.

Everything around me felt...

Untouched.

As though nature itself had remained exactly as it had been thousands of years ago.

"..."

One of the younger guards suddenly leaned forward.

"So..."

"Is it true?"

"Hm?"

"You really came from another world?"

I chuckled.

"...Yeah."

The other guards immediately became interested.

"No wonder your clothes looked strange."

"So..."

"What was your world like?"

"..."

I looked toward the passing scenery outside the carriage.

"...Different."

"How different?"

I smiled.

"...Hard to explain."

"We didn't have magic."

"...No magic?"

They all stared at me.

"None."

The youngest guard blinked.

"...Then how did people fight monsters?"

"We didn't have monsters either."

Silence.

"..."

"...You're joking."

"I'm not."

The carriage erupted into laughter.

"No monsters."

"No magic."

"What kind of world is that?"

I laughed along with them.

"...A peaceful one."

"...Most of the time."

The second evening soon arrived.

The sun slowly disappeared beyond the distant mountains.

Orange light painted the valleys beneath us.

The captain gently pulled the reins.

"We'll stop here for tonight."

The horses came to a halt beside a small clearing surrounded by towering pine trees.

The guards immediately began unpacking supplies.

One gathered firewood.

Another fetched water from a nearby stream.

The captain quietly prepared the horses for the night.

I tried helping.

"...Can I do anything?"

One guard smiled.

"You can."

"What?"

"Sit down."

"...That's it?"

He laughed.

"Guests don't work."

"...I'm not exactly a guest."

"You're a Hero."

He winked.

"Close enough."

Night gradually settled over the land.

The campfire crackled softly.

Dinner was simple.

Fresh bread.

Stew.

Roasted meat.

Yet...

After two days of travel...

It somehow tasted far better than anything I'd eaten inside the Cathedral.

"..."

The fire slowly burned lower.

One by one...

The guards leaned back against fallen logs.

No one seemed eager to sleep just yet.

Curious...

I looked upward.

Then...

My breath caught.

"..."

"...Wow."

The words escaped without thinking.

The sky...

Was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Countless stars stretched from one end of the heavens to the other, each shining with a brilliance that seemed almost close enough to touch.

A vast river of shimmering light flowed across the darkness above, as if someone had scattered millions of tiny diamonds through the night.

The Milky Way arched gracefully overhead, brighter than any photograph I had ever seen back on Earth.

And above it all...

Hung a magnificent blue moon.

Its pale sapphire glow bathed the forests, mountains and fields in an almost dreamlike light.

For a moment...

The entire world seemed suspended between silence and eternity.

I couldn't look away.

"..."

"...It's beautiful."

One of the older guards smiled.

"It really is."

"You don't have skies like this?"

I slowly shook my head.

"...Not anymore."

"Why?"

I searched for the right words.

"...Pollution."

The guards exchanged confused glances.

"...Pollution?"

"...What's that?"

I smiled faintly.

"..."

"...That's..."

"...a very long story."

The youngest guard laughed.

"We've got all night."

The others nodded in agreement.

So...

Beneath the blue moon...

While countless stars shimmered above us...

I began telling them about my world.

About towering cities that reached toward the clouds.

About roads filled with endless carriages that moved without horses.

About machines.

Electricity.

The internet.

Airplanes.

About a world where millions of lights illuminated the night so brightly...

That people slowly forgot what the stars truly looked like.

The guards listened with the wide-eyed curiosity of children hearing fairy tales.

Sometimes they laughed.

Sometimes they questioned everything.

Sometimes...

They simply stared into the fire, trying to imagine such a place.

Their questions never seemed to end.

Neither did my stories.

Before I realized it...

The fire had burned low.

The conversations became quieter.

The night breeze carried the scent of pine through the camp.

I lay back against the cool grass.

Still watching the endless sky above.

"..."

"...Maybe..."

"...this world really is beautiful."

The stars continued twinkling.

The blue moon watched silently overhead.

And before I knew it...

Sleep quietly claimed me beneath a sky I would never forget.

The third morning arrived beneath clear skies.

The carriage continued north for several more hours before the scenery slowly began to change.

The open plains disappeared.

The road narrowed.

Towering trees rose higher with every passing mile, their branches stretching toward the sky until they almost blocked the sunlight.

The captain gently pulled on the reins.

The horses came to a slow halt.

I looked up.

"...Did something happen?"

The captain climbed down from the driver's seat before patting one of the horses gently along its neck.

"We continue on foot from here."

I blinked.

"...Why?"

One of the older guards smiled as he began unfastening the baggage from the carriage.

"Horses have sharp instincts."

"They sense danger long before people do."

He looked toward the dense forest lying somewhere ahead.

"The closer we get to the Forest of Death..."

"...the more restless they'll become."

"They panic."

"They bolt."

"And once frightened..."

"Very few can be controlled again."

The captain nodded in agreement.

"We can't risk losing them."

"They're worth far more alive than forcing them into a place they fear."

I quietly looked toward the horses.

Sure enough...

Even standing still...

They appeared unusually uneasy.

Their ears twitched constantly.

Their breathing had become heavier.

Almost as though they sensed something hidden far beyond the trees.

"...Animals really can tell?"

The captain smiled faintly.

"They usually know before we do."

Without another word...

We began unloading the remaining supplies.

One of the guards handed me my travel pack.

Another adjusted the straps of my armor.

"It should fit comfortably."

"...Thanks."

He gave me a thumbs-up.

"Ready?"

I nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

The carriage turned around.

One of the driver lightly slapped the horses' reins.

The wheels slowly disappeared down the road we had traveled.

Now...

Only five of us remained.

The captain looked ahead.

"The rest of the journey isn't far."

"So let's make good time."

The afternoon passed quietly.

The road beneath our feet gradually vanished until only narrow trails remained.

The Trees grew thicker.

The air cooler.

Even the sounds of birds became fewer.

Still...

The guards continued chatting with one another as though this journey were no different from any other assignment.

Sometimes they teased each other.

Sometimes they argued over whose cooking had been worse the previous night.

Their laughter echoed softly through the trees.

Without realizing it...

I found myself laughing alongside them.

"..."

Maybe...

This world wasn't as lonely as I first thought.

By the time the sun had begun disappearing behind the mountains...

The captain finally stopped walking.

"We'll camp here."

The clearing was small.

Just large enough for a single fire.

One guard immediately began collecting dry branches.

Another unpacked the cooking pot.

The youngest among them knelt to take out our water skins.

Everything happened with practiced ease.

It was obvious...

They had done this countless times before.

I placed my backpack beside a fallen log.

"...Need a hand?"

The youngest guard grinned.

"You can help by staying out of the way."

"...Again?"

He laughed.

"Heroes really aren't good at following simple orders."

"...Hey."

"I'm trying."

The others burst into laughter.

For a brief moment...

The exhaustion from the long journey simply disappeared.

Not long afterward...

Dinner was ready.

The aroma of warm stew drifted gently through the cool evening air.

The five of us gathered around the campfire.

No one spoke much while eating.

The day's march had left everyone tired.

The crackling flames filled the silence.

When the last bowl had been emptied...

The captain slowly stood.

He stretched before looking toward me.

"Hero Candidate Vinaas."

"...Yes?"

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Would you mind if the men had a few drinks tonight?"

I looked around.

The guards all seemed slightly embarrassed.

One of them quickly added,

"It's been a long march."

"And tomorrow..."

"We'll be passing close enough to the Forest of Death that we won't have another chance."

Another nodded.

"We'll leave before sunrise."

"Long before anything wandering inside the forest becomes active."

The youngest guard laughed sheepishly.

"So..."

"We thought we'd relax a little tonight."

I couldn't help smiling.

"...I don't mind."

"If anything..."

"I think you've all earned it."

The captain gave a respectful nod.

"Our thanks."

He pointed toward the nearby tent.

"You should get some rest."

"We'll keep watch."

"Tomorrow will be another long day."

"...Alright."

I stood.

"...Goodnight, everyone."

"Sleep well, Hero."

"...Goodnight."

I ducked inside the small canvas tent.

The soft bedroll welcomed my tired body almost immediately.

Outside...

Laughter slowly began replacing the quiet conversations.

The clinking of wooden mugs echoed around the campfire.

Someone began humming an old marching song.

Another immediately complained that he couldn't sing.

The others laughed.

I smiled to myself.

"..."

"...They're good people."

Closing my eyes...

I listened to their voices drifting through the cool night air.

Somehow...

For the first time since arriving in this world...

I felt completely at ease.

Slowly...

Sleep claimed me.

Outside...

The fire continued burning.

The mugs continued filling.

And little by little...

The conversation began to change.

The night had grown colder.

Outside the tent...

The crackling fire remained the only source of warmth.

I had almost fallen asleep.

Then...

Laughter.

Loud laughter.

"...Hahaha!"

"...You're already drunk."

"...Shut up and drink."

Wooden mugs struck together.

Someone began humming a song i sung for them before forgetting half the lyrics.

Another burst into laughter.

"..."

I smiled to myself.

"They're really enjoying themselves."

I pulled the blanket a little higher.

Closing my eyes once more.

"..."

"..."

Then...

A different voice.

Much quieter.

"This escort mission..."

"...is a pain in the butt."

Another laughed.

"This one night."

"Then we're finally free."

"..."

"...Free?"

The word drifted through the thin canvas of the tent.

Someone snorted.

"Yeah."

"The brat gets dropped."

"We disappear."

"..."

My eyes slowly opened.

"...Dropped?"

The laughter outside continued.

Another guard lowered his voice.

"Keep it down."

"He's sleeping."

"So?"

"He won't matter after tomorrow."

"..."

A strange feeling settled in my chest.

Without making a sound...

I slowly moved closer to the entrance of the tent.

"..."

"...You still think the Saint is scary?"

One of them laughed bitterly.

"I never would've guessed."

"Always smiling."

"Turns out..."

"...she's colder than Cardinal Mantis."

More laughter.

"..."

"...The Saint?"

My heart skipped.

Another guard emptied his mug.

"I still don't understand why she suggested the Forest."

"Would've been easier to just kill him."

The captain immediately spoke.

"Enough."

"No questioning orders."

"We escort."

"We leave him."

"We disappear."

"That's all."

"..."

Another guard sighed.

"I still can't believe we're abandoning a kid."

"The boy hasn't done anything."

"Doesn't matter."

"The Goddess didn't bless him."

"The Cathedral has already made its decision."

Someone spat into the fire.

"If we're lucky..."

"The monsters will finish it before sunrise."

"..."

"..."

"..."

I stopped breathing.

No...

That...

That wasn't funny.

It had to be a joke.

A terrible joke.

"...They're drunk."

"..."

"...They're just talking nonsense."

Then another voice answered.

"...Just be glad Mantis found a clean solution."

"If the brat died inside the Cathedral..."

"The other Heroes would've started asking questions."

then.

"Tell everyone he's being transferred."

"Leave him near the Forest."

"Report that monsters attacked."

"Then fake our own deaths."

"Everybody wins."

Silence followed.

Even the fire seemed quieter.

"..."

My ears began ringing.

I couldn't hear the forest anymore.

Couldn't hear the wind.

Couldn't even hear my own breathing.

Only one sentence...

Repeated endlessly inside my head.

"The Saint's plan..."

"No..."

I whispered.

"So..."

"It wasn't treatment..."

"..."

"It was..."

I couldn't finish the sentence.

My throat refused to move.

My chest tightened painfully.

Every smile.

Every kind word.

Every promise.

Every farewell.

They flashed through my mind one after another.

Archbishop Hymedal.

The guards.

Saint Rerisa.

"..."

"...No..."

Another burst of laughter echoed outside.

One guard mocked,

"That smiling Saint fooled every one of those Heroes."

More laughter.

"..."

Something inside me...

Broke.

I slowly backed away from the tent entrance.

My legs no longer felt like mine.

I sat down against the canvas wall.

My hands shook uncontrollably.

"...Why..."

The word barely escaped my lips.

"...What..."

"...did I do wrong...?"

No answer came.

Only drunken laughter.

The world around me blurred.

The firelight dancing against the canvas became hazy.

My breathing grew heavier.

Faster.

The ringing inside my ears swallowed every other sound.

"..."

"...Mom..."

"...Dad..."

For the first time since arriving in this world...

I wanted to go home.

But...

There was no home left.

The last thing I remembered...

Was staring blankly at the tent ceiling.

As darkness slowly consumed my vision.

A gentle breeze brushed across my face.

Its cool touch stirred me from sleep.

"...Mmm..."

Slowly...

I opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was the sky.

It was bright.

Far too bright to be called early morning.

"...What time is it...?"

I rubbed my tired eyes before slowly sitting up.

For a moment...

Everything felt normal.

Then...

Something felt wrong.

"..."

There was no canvas above me.

Only the endless blue sky stretching overhead.

Confused, I quickly looked around.

"..."

The campfire...

Had long since gone cold.

The wooden logs surrounding it lay scattered across the clearing.

"...Captain?"

No answer.

"...Is anyone there?"

Silence.

I stood up.

My heartbeat slowly quickened.

Not a single trace of them remained.

Only the dying ashes of last night's fire and a few footprints disappearing into the dirt.

My eyes slowly drifted downward.

Resting against a nearby log...

Were my sword...

And the polished white armor they had given me.

"..."

"...So..."

"They really left."

The words escaped my lips almost instinctively.

A cold feeling settled deep within my chest.

Then...

Like pieces of shattered glass...

Last night's conversation returned one fragment at a time.

"The brat gets dropped."

"The Saint's plan..."

"Leave him near the Forest of Death."

"We'll fake our deaths."

"..."

I lowered my head.

"...It wasn't a dream."

For a long moment...

I simply stood there.

The forest was quiet.

Too quiet.

Only the sound of the wind moving gently through the trees.

"..."

There was no point standing here.

Even if I waited...

No one was coming back.

I quietly picked up my sword before fastening it around my waist.

Then I lifted the armor from the ground.

"..."

It still gleamed beneath the morning sunlight.

I let out a small, bitter laugh.

"...Some Hero I am."

After securing my backpack, I looked around once more.

If Lionheart Domain truly existed...

Then reaching it was my only chance.

Somewhere beyond these forests...

There had to be another town.

If I stayed here...

I'd simply starve.

"..."

"Guess..."

"...I've got no choice."

Taking a deep breath...

I began walking.

Only a few dozen steps later...

I stopped.

Before me...

The sunlight that had followed me all morning seemed to disappear beneath an enormous wall of ancient trees.

Their branches twisted together high above, blocking almost every ray of light.

A thick mist clung to the forest floor.

The air itself felt strangely heavy.

Each breath seemed harder than the last.

Without realizing it...

I took a step backward.

A chill slowly crept up my spine.

Every instinct inside me whispered the same thing.

Don't go.

I swallowed.

"..."

"...So..."

"...this must be..."

"...the Forest of Death."