Valun awakens violently in a cold sweat and takes several minutes to collect himself.
"What was that?.....it felt so real and I feel so alone" he quietly thinks to himself. "It's still dark, I must not have been asleep for too long." At that moment the moon appeared to cast a spotlight upon the well, its reflection shining brightly on the water's surface. The light spread outward, illuminating the entire area as Valun stood and turned to face the well.
"Uhhh Goma I hope you're seeing this" he says in surprise.
Goma suddenly appears seated on Valun's shoulder. "Seems like this is far worse than I originally thought" he states with a tone of concern.
"So.....what's going on exactly?" Valun asks seeming slightly confused.
"This can only mean that the world is again changing, and the events that follow this night will decide just what kind of change that will be" Goma replies as he hovers towards the well.
"Why do you sound so serious all of a sudden."
"Valun it's time I told you what happened all those years ago and why you've been unable to leave the woods all this time".
"Ohhh sure, every time we talk about it it's always "well if you were meant to leave"" Valun replies slightly annoyed.
"No, this is serious and if we ignore it we might be safe for now, hell we might be safe another one hundred years but we won't be safe forever".
"Alright, I'm listening," Valun states as he takes a seat by the remains of the campfire from earlier in the night and stares at Goma attentively.
"Long ago there was a village on the outskirts of this forest. It was called Ghanroh and inhabited by a people believed to draw power directly from this well. As you know I'm a Jix, we aren't normal creatures like I've led you to believe all these years though."
"What do you mean not normal?!" Valun quickly interrupted.
"Calm down I'm getting there, anyway we Jix are a guardian of sorts. We draw our power from the wells we guard and use that power to protect what we call the well's domain. This domain is a forest, however a domain can take many different forms depending on the Jix that guard it." Goma explains calmly now sitting along the edge of the stone well.
"So this entire forest is yours?" Valun asks in a somewhat confused tone as he lays backward flat on his back looking up at the starry night sky.
"In a sense yes, for that is the reason you can't leave these woods no matter how hard you try. The same reason you still get lost after living here for so long."
"Then why am I here?" Valun asks still examining the stars.
"I was getting to that originally but you keep interrupting."
"Sorry it's just you're throwing a lot at me right now, continue." Valun sits back up dedicating his attention to Goma.
"The people I mentioned earlier, the ones that lived in the village. Well they were called Zoria and a little over one hundred years ago an order was given to wipe them from the face of the planet. Valun to my knowledge you are the last remaining descendant of the Zorian people."
"I'm the last one!? What's outside these woods and how could you stay quiet about this for so long!?" He yelled back full of raging emotions.
"Calm down Valun. Even if I wanted to explain everything I couldn't I don't even know exactly what happened but I will share what I do know. After the order was given The Royal Knights set fire to the village and slaughtered anyone attempting to flee. Your father died trying to protect you and your mother, and your mother gave her last bit of life to push you across the barrier into these woods." Goma explained to the now troubled Valun.
"Just before all this started happening I had a dream almost identical to what you're telling me now." Valun remarks as he rises to his feet and begins walking towards the well.
"It was probably your memories that were suppressed coming back to the surface. The question is why now? If nothing else it's most certainly odd timing." Goma responds his tone sounding slightly more concerned.
"Well what happened next, how did I end up here?" Valun continues probing as he leans forward placing his hands along the stone edge Goma was previously seated.
"Once you crossed the barrier I activated my powers shifting the domain from its original radius to its current size destroying the village and knights along with it. When you woke up you had no memories so everything from there is what you already know. I've made slight changes to these woods over the last one hundred years in hopes that one day the darkness would be culled. However, it seems over time that the darkness has only grown stronger and looks to finish what it started long ago."
"So what exactly is happening now?" Valun asks as he paces around the clearing he calls home.
"The well reacting like this can only mean that the other wells have been tainted." Goma answers.
"Other wells?" Valun quickly interjects as he pulls a few orange colored berries from a pouch before plopping them into his mouth.
"There are four wells meant to maintain a balance in the world and each are protected by their own Jix. The exact powers and purpose of each well are a mystery except to the Jix who reside within their domains. It is believed that if someone were to control all four wells they would be able to bend the world to their will; it is because of this we Jix exist to stop the powers of the wells from being used. I broke my oath when I bestowed The Well of Ghanroh's blessing upon you, however I did so with the intent that if the darkness should ever spread as far as this well then we would set out to eliminate it."
"Sounds good let's go." Valun states ready to take on the outside world.
"Valun it's not as simple as walking through these woods. We will undoubtedly encounter people and creatures that are beyond our comprehension. Even still, if we leave we must press forward in hopes that we can stop whatever is happening out there. Are you sure you're willing to take up such a burden?" Goma asks behind a tone of concern.
"Goma my whole life I've believed there was nothing beyond these woods. Now that I know differently, I'd do anything to see the outside world and learn what's going on. So if saving some wells is the only way to make that happen I don't care what we encounter I'll be able to handle it!"
At this moment it almost seems as though the moon's light grew and pulsed with Valun's determination.
"Valun.....I didn't want this to be your burden.'' Goma quietly thinks to himself.
"Goma, I trust you. If you say we need to leave I'm with you and I won't look back." Valun states as he begins to sense the uncomfort growing within Goma.
"Thank you Valun, but don't worry about it right this moment. For now let's get some sleep, as I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day." Goma replies before vanishing from Valun's sight.
Valun spends several moments looking out into the darkness he has known for so long before deciding he should get back to sleep.
On that night the fate of the world was entrusted to the last remaining Zorian and his Jix companion. In the morning they would set out to explore the dark world and see for themselves what evil has begun to stir in the distance.