Lily's birthday celebration was a resounding success, leaving the village square adorned with colorful decorations and the air saturated with laughter and happiness. Better yet, it had calmed my nerves.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue across the landscape, the village cleared, its members heading to their respective homes. As the sky transitioned from brilliant beams to the glistening gleams of deepening dusk, a sense of anticipation hung in the air. Someone was up to no good.
The moon, radiant against its indigo canvas, cast its gentle glow over the village and its surroundings. As the first stars blinked into existence, two small hands grabbed my head.
"Guess who!" Lily exclaimed as she dragged my head back.
I chuckled, recognizing her playful touch. "Hmm, let me think," I teased, pretending to ponder the mystery. "It must be Dylan; only he has such an annoying voice."
I felt the grip tighten, ach it was starting to hurt.
"....sorry, I meant, beautiful voice?"
The grip loosened.
"Hmmm..... is it, perhaps, you, Lily?"
Lily giggled and released her hold on my head, allowing me to turn and face her. Moonlight danced in her eyes, and her laughter was infectious.
"You got it!" she replied with a grin. "You know me too well."
I grinned back at her. These games weren't too bad; it was nice to let loose sometimes, after all, I was no longer an adult. I needed to get used to being a kid. "Well, you're the only one who sneaks up on me like that.... it's not hard to guess."
She laughed once more, ignoring my comment. Soon, she turned back to me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Uh oh.
"Alex, do you ever wonder what's out there beyond the village?"
I gazed at the distant horizon, where the woods lay, its shadowed gloom growing as twilight deepened. "All the time," I admitted, my voice carrying the weight of countless memories and unrealized wishes. My father often described the wood's majestic beauty, but he had warned me of the dangers within its bounds. Caution was as much a part of my thoughts as curiosity. I wanted to see this world of my choosing; to go on my first adventure, to see beyond the fading horizon, but I needed to resist the urge - at least temporarily.
A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of Lily's lips. "Well then, how about we find out?"
Ugh, my sneaking suspicion had been spot on. She was up to no good.
We couldn't ignore my father; there were wild, vicious creatures and unpredictable, dangerous terrain within the woods. We were too young. I tightened my grip on Lily's hand, a silent reminder of my protective instincts.
Despite that, just as I began to answer her, she escaped my grasp and skipped off toward the forest, ignoring my fearful gaze. "Come on, let's go Alex!"
I set aside my worries and chased after her, yelling her name.
The forest blurred around me as I ran after her. Reaching her, I grabbed her arm. Then, I paused. We had passed the boundaries of the village; we were within the forest's embrace.
Damn it.
I sighed to myself and gave up - I couldn't prevent Lily from exploring. After all, it was better for me to be with her; without me, she would explore by herself. And... this was an opportunity to see beyond the limits of Havenwood, my village.
Thus, we ventured forth, the forest enveloping us in its gentle, green embrace. Each step was a revelation, a testament to the beauty that thrived in the heart of the night. Gentle silver radiance colored the leafy, brown path in silver patches. Beams of light revealed groves of vibrant wildflowers that glowed like scattered stardust in yellow gleams.
Fireflies darted about, painting the canopy colorful hues as their surreal bioluminescent dance astounded us. Our laughter blended into the night's melody with every step, forming a harmonious duet with our crunching steps. We walked in sync, side by side.
Behind us, the moon cast a silvery glow over the village, bathing everything in its celestial light. The tranquility of the night was interrupted only by the distant hoots of owls and the rustling of leaves. It was during this serene moment that my worst fears were realized.
A low, guttural growl shattered the calm, sending shivers down my spine.
I instinctively pulled Lily closer to me, my heart racing as the forest came alive with unseen danger. Shadows danced ominously between trees. Chilling wind whistled; something lurked nearby.
"Alex, what was that?" Lily's voice trembled with fear.
"I don't know, but we need to stay quiet," I whispered, my senses on high alert.
Before I could react, a monstrous figure emerged from the darkness – a creature with gnarled claws and gleaming yellow eyes, its presence dripping with malevolence. Its snarl was haunting and echoed through the night, and fear gripped me like a vice. It was a young wolf, nearly a cub. Despite this, it was half our size. Fortunately, it was alone.
In that moment, I froze.
I couldn't move.
I had never been in a situation like this on Earth; I could hardly comprehend what was happening.
My mind raced as Lily trembled against my chest. What could I do? I closed my eyes. I needed to protect Lily. At all costs. She couldn't become one of the many shadows native to Anamesa. Wandering. Lost. Broken.
As the creature lunged, I grabbed a nearby fallen branch and brandished it like a weapon, my heart pounding in my chest. My legs were jelly, my body small and fragile compared to the threat before us. I couldn't let fear paralyze me – Lily's safety was my priority.
I swung the branch with all the force I could muster, barely managing to drive the creature back momentarily. But it was relentless, its attacks fueled by a primal hunger.
It jumped towards me; I prepared for death. I began to move back to dodge when my foot snagged on a root. And, I tripped. ...not again.
The beast nicked me. I was falling; blood was flowing. My arm hurt. Bruises ran all along my left side. I quickly jumped up from the ground. It ached; my breath came in ragged gasps. I couldn't back down. Pain coursed through my body.
"Lily, run!" I yelled, my voice filled with urgency and terror.
She stumbled backward. Her eyes widened with terror. But she did not flee. She picked up a nearby stone and hurled it at the creature with surprising accuracy. The stone struck its mark, causing the young creature to falter for a brief moment.
In that moment, our eyes locked, a silent understanding passing between us. We were in this together, a team facing an unimaginable challenge. Drawing strength from each other, we fought with all the courage we could muster.
The battle was fierce and fast, a dance of desperation and determination. Our attacks were feeble compared to the creature's strength, but we pressed on, driven by a fierce will to survive. It was a struggle that seemed to stretch for an eternity, our bodies battered and bruised. Cut and crushed. Every time the wolf leapt at me, Lily would throw a rock, driving it back. When it charged towards her, I would step in its path, barely blocking it with my sturdy branch.
Finally, the wolf paused and eyed me with its gleaming yellow eyes. Within them, I could see hunger, pain, and rage. Then, it sprung at me with full force. Oh no. It was going to get me. I was going to die. Again.
Out of instinct, I stuck my branch out. Straight at its head. Time slowed. My arms shattered from pressure as I felt the branch firmly connect with its head. Then, I felt its claws slice the skin on my chest, propelling me into a tree. I collapsed, winded and bloodied. Pain coursed, driving me insane. Looking up, I saw I had managed to strike a decisive blow, hitting the creature in the eyes. It quickly retreated with a blood-curdling howl. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I fell to the ground, panting and battered, completely broken.
Lily crawled over to me, her face streaked with dirt and tears. She was not doing much better. "Alex, are you okay?"
I managed a weak smile, my body aching but my heart swelling with pride. I opened my mouth and barely croaked, "We did it, Lily. We're safe. You're safe. You survived."
In the background, I heard several familiar chimes:
"Combat skill unlocked: Courage (Level 1)."
"Combat skill unlocked: Sword Apprentice (Level 1)."
"Combat skill unlocked: Thrust (Level 1)."
As the moon continued to cast its glow over the scene of our victory and lit up the translucent blue screens, I realized that the levelling system wasn't just about acquiring skills and enabling my adventures – it was going to be the only way for me to survive in this harsh world. It was going to be the only way I could keep Lily - and myself - safe. This world wasn't a utopia. I needed to be ready to fight.
We had faced the darkness together, and it had scarred us. Limping back to the village, I knew that this trial by moonlight was just the beginning of the challenges that awaited us. And no matter what the future held, I was determined to protect Lily with every ounce of strength I possessed. With those final thoughts, my consciousness faded away and within the cacophony of pain, I heard Lily scream my name one final time.