His eyes squinted against the bright sunlight, but as they adjusted, his eyelids relaxed, revealing the world around him bit by bit.
As time passed by, his vision cleared, revealing the details of the scene before him, like unwrapping a precious gift.
Ivan stood from the velvet carpet, stretching like a waking flower.
He stretched slowly, arms reaching out, yawning loudly and disrupting the quiet morning.
His fingers lazily roamed over his stomach and through his tousled hair, playful like a monkey, saying goodbye to sleep before starting the day's adventures.
In just 5 days, Ivan discovered new wonders of the lustrous forest each day. Unlike the destruction of man he witnessed at home, this sanctuary remained untouched by humans.
Nature ruled here, its beauty drawing creatures to seek refuge in its lush embrace, creating a haven untouched by civilization's destruction.
Well that was until it gained an unknowing guest.
During the peaceful days, Ivan roamed through endless acres of forest, finding sustenance in nature's gifts. Ripe fruits satisfied his hunger, while water droplets from broad leaves of the trees quenched his thirst.
At nightfall, Ivan slept peacefully, but on the previous night, a chilling foreboding hinted at the unseen dangers lurking in this haven.
Resting under the stars and leaves, Ivan's slumber was disturbed by a sense of impending danger.
Under the moon's glow, creatures emerged from darkness, their hides shimmering like moonlight, eyes filled with malice. Mocking laughter similar to jackals echoed before they attacked, baring their fangs at their unsuspecting prey.
With honed reflexes, Ivan countered their attack. His fists struck vulnerable points with precision, while his agile legs deflected their lunges.
Drawing forth his weathered dagger, its bone blade worn by countless battles, Ivan stood firm against the onslaught.
His resolve unyielding, he faced the beasts with steely determination, refusing to succumb to their primal fury.
As the beasts retreated into the darkness, their malevolent gazes lingering, Ivan remained vigilant, his senses attuned to the slightest hint of danger.
In this wild place, Ivan understood the danger of letting his guard down, treating each moment with the same vigilance as in his former prison.
As dawn broke, he perked up at the sound of rushing water in the distance.
The sound, a symphony of nature, echoed through the untouched wilderness, drawing Ivan with its promise of refreshment.
His racing heart pounding, Ivan ventured toward the enchanting melody.
With each step, Ivan neared the enticing possibility of finding a river or meandering stream, filling him with eager anticipation.
The thought of immersing himself in flowing water sparked hope in Ivan's weary soul.
For too long, the grime of the wild had clung to his skin like a second skin, and the chance to cleanse himself excited him
But beyond the eagerness of cleanliness another significance of this discovery arose.
A reliable water source would make Ivan's life much easier, saving him from the exhausting chore of gathering water from leaves.
As he walked, he imagined finding clear streams flowing over smooth rocks, bringing him the promise of nourishment and relief.
Excited by the prospect of finding a pure water source, Ivan's senses sharpened as he approached the captivating sound. His heart raced with anticipation, eager to drink from an untouched source.
Guided by the melody, he journeyed deeper into the wilderness, knowing it would lead him to life's essential elixir.
After just 15 minutes of navigating through the verdant labyrinth , Ivan encountered a breathtaking sight—a grand entrance made of flowing vines, swaying gracefully in the breeze. Two weathered rocks, covered in vibrant moss, stood like ancient guardians on either side, welcoming him to the oasis beyond.
They converged overhead, forming a natural archway that beckoned Ivan forward with an air of enchantment.
"Water, here I come" Ivan whispered to himself, determined, as he gently pushed aside the hanging vines, which moved like theater curtains parting for a grand reveal.
As the lush gateway opened, a brilliant light flooded out, momentarily blinding Ivans vision.
With his eyes shielded from the brightness, Ivan cautiously took a step forward.
Before him stretched a magnificent panorama of nature's beauty, leaving him speechless with awe.
A majestic waterfall, its crystalline torrents cascading gracefully from a rocky precipice above, tumbled into a vast circular pond below.
The water, as clear as the sky above, shimmered with a hypnotic pattern, creating ethereal reflections that danced like flickering flames on its surface.
Around the pond, a vibrant carpet of lush green foliage spread out, its emerald hues contrasting beautifully with the pristine edge of the water.
In the air, the soft murmur of flowing water mixed with the gentle rustle of leaves, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and serenity. Amidst the wild beauty of the surroundings, Ivan stood captivated, his senses filled with the sheer magnificence of the oasis unfolding before him.
In this hidden sanctuary, nature's abundance unfolded in all its glory, a testament to the enduring power and majesty of the natural world. As Ivan gazed upon the scene, he knew he had discovered a place of unmatched wonder, where the line between the ordinary and the extraordinary blurred, and where the soul found solace in nature's embrace.
Quickly disrobing, Ivan eagerly ran towards the pond. Like an olympic triple jumper, Ivan lunged forth, breaking through the water's surface with his hands and legs, creating ripples that mirrored his excitement.
Submerged in the water, Ivan's laughter bubbled up, muffled by the surrounding liquid, yet his happiness was incomparable.
His body moved effortlessly through the water, a skill honed from numerous swims in the village lake, typically reserved for washing clothes but now offering him a moment of pure joy.
Moments later, Ivan surfaced, his mouth full of water which he eagerly gulped down before bursting into laughter once more, the sound echoing in the serene surroundings.
"Water is so good!" Ivan declared triumphantly, claiming this oasis as his temporary home, at least until he found a way to leave.
As time passed, Ivan grew somewhat accustomed to life in the forest. He harvested tough ancient wood by channeling his mana to strengthen his fists, as his blade was too dull to be of much help.
With this wood, he built a functional shelter, though not the most aesthetically pleasing or sturdy, it served its purpose.
He also managed to create a source of fire for warmth and cooking.
Drawing on the hunting skills taught by Aria, Ivan honed his ability to locate small creatures by analyzing mana signatures, distinguishing between ambient mana in the air and the concentrated mana within a creature's core.
This allowed him to diversify his diet and sustain himself more effectively in the wilderness.
Despite his many tasks, Ivan remained committed to his pursuit of mastery.
He dedicated himself to relentless practice, refining both his swordsmanship and magical abilities.
Each swing of his blade and every mana unleashed served to fortify his skills, while intermittent reinforcement of his core ensured his continued growth and resilience.
In the height of daylight, Ivan remained crouched and silent, concealed by bundles of bushes and camouflaged with rich mud. He was in the midst of a hunt, his keen eyes fixed on his prey.
The creature resembled a deer, but with much larger and luminescent horns. Its eyes were blank, reminiscent of the creatures that had attacked him, and its coat bore a lifeless shade of gray.
As the creature lowered its guard to graze on the lustrous grass below, Ivan prepared to strike.
With calculated grace, his hand rose into the crisp air, fingers tightly gripping a meticulously sharpened stake of wood.
In the suspended moment, the world held its breath, anticipating Ivan's decisive move.
With silence enveloping the forest like a heavy shroud, Ivan seized the opportunity.
His mana surged forth, imbuing the stake with a shimmering aura of power as he launched it toward his quarry with unerring precision.
The creature, caught unaware, had no chance to evade the deadly projectile hurtling towards it.
In a swift, decisive motion, the stake found its mark, piercing the creature's flesh with a sickening thud as it shattered through bone and sinew, its lethal trajectory guided by Ivan's unwavering focus.
As the creature's life faded, the forest fell into a solemn silence, as if paying tribute to the fallen.
A profound stillness settled, interrupted only by the distant rustle of leaves and the gentle whisper of the wind mourning the loss.
With the hunt concluded, Ivan gracefully descended from his perch among the branches.
He gazed upon his prey before removing the stake from its corpse, his eyes devoid of hesitation, for he had grown accustomed to taking lives for survival.
With the stake still in hand he clasped them and bowed his head in respect for the dead.
``Ας αναπαυθεί η ψυχή σου εν ειρήνη (As anapafthi i psichi sou en irini)``
A saying meaning "may your soul rest in peace" used after ending your prey's life used to peacefully guide its soul back into the afterlife.
In a moment of vulnerability, a cloaked figure, hidden in the shadows of the trees just meters away, watched Ivan intently. Illuminated by a faint moonlight glimmer, its eyes revealed an unknown purpose.
With silent precision, the figure prepared an arrow crafted from the finest wood, adorned with intricate carvings showcasing a master craftsman's skill. At the arrow's tip, a glint of silver hinted at lethal intent, ready to strike its target.
With a fluid motion, the figure released the arrow into the air, the projectile slicing through the dense atmosphere with graceful ease. As it soared, the arrow seemed to warp the air around it, bending and contorting as if influenced by an unseen force.
The feathers on its fletching, alternating between stark white and inky black, danced in the daylight, their subtle movements guiding the arrow with uncanny precision.
In the crucial moment, as the arrow neared its target, Ivan's senses sharpened to a razor's edge.
With reflexes honed through countless trials, he swiftly raised a stake aloft, its crude form transformed into a barrier against the imminent threat in mere heartbeats.
His gaze, a piercing azure that left a trail of metaphorical light in its wake, locked onto the approaching arrow, his resolve unyielding in the face of danger.