The world felt unfamiliar to him.
His mother's action left him in a state of shock and with multiple questions.
But he had no other option but to move on to find more about his situation.
Turning his attention to the seemingly dense forest that lay ahead, shrouded in darkness and concealed mysteries, Kalsie couldn't help but hesitate.
The world had become a place of danger and uncertainty, and he wasn't sure how terrifying the heart of the forest could be.
'But... is there even any other way?' he worriedly thought in his mind as no options remained for him since staying in one place wouldn't give him the answers that he was searching for.
The only way to understand his situation was to explore the place, get a clear idea of what was happening and understand his mother's intentions.
Although his heart was beating a loud but with his sword firmly in right hand, he ventured toward the edge of the ominous forest, his senses on high alert.
Furthermore, the dense trees and swirling fog limited his visibility, leaving him cautious and a bit anxious of what he might encounter.
"Fuuu... Let's do this."
Exhaling strongly as he controlled his beating heart, he entered the forest and the eeriness of the surroundings deepened.
Luckily for him, the moonlight filtered through the surrounding, providing just enough illumination to reveal the immediate area amid the slight fog.
It was very cold that he could see his breath, but Kalsie moved on stealthily, mindful of the potential dangers lurking in the darkness, mostly the monster which he just faced. He knew if there was one then there can be many. So, he made every effort to avoid drawing attention to him.
As he moved deeper into the woods, his movement was completely stopped because of a terrifying scream that pierced the night.
"AHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
"!!!!!" Immediately, Kalsie froze in his tracks and his heart pumped loudly.
The situation was already spooky within the eerie forest but now it only heightened his fear as he heard a terrifying scream.
But before he could think any further, another scream reached his ears but this time it was different.
"SOMEBODY!!! HELP US!!!!"
'There is a person here!?' Kalsie thought as the unexpected voice, which carried an unmistakable note of desperation, snapped him to attention.
Although he was startled because of the scream, but hearing the plea, he understood that there was a girl within the forest, a sign that he might not be alone in this mysterious place.
'What to do? Should I go and see? But what if it's some kind of a trap by some monsters!?' His heart raced as he contemplated his next move, torn between slight fear and a growing determination to discover the source of the distress call.
'But won't it would be good if they are locals?... Damn it!! I don't have any other option!!!'
Instinctively, Kalsie turned toward the source from where the voice came, his heart pounding with a mix of doubt, nervousness and hope.
'That direction!' He immediately identified the general location of the voice and sprinted in that direction, his senses on high alert.
Despite his urgency, Kalsie was not being careless.
He understood the precariousness of the situation – the girl's cry for help likely meant she was in danger, possibly facing one of the monsters that had crossed his path earlier.
Nevertheless, he knew that this was his only chance to encounter another human and gather much-needed information about his perplexing surroundings.
Two minutes had passed as he quickly closed the gap between himself and from the source of the voice. But as he was getting nearer to his destination, Kalsie's ears picked up more than one person's pleas, confirming that a group of individuals was in distress.
But his determination to reach them only intensified.
'It's here—!!!!!!' Emerging from the dense foliage of the forest, Kalsie came upon a small open clearing illuminated by the moonlight as the thick fog that momentarily dissipated.
He had indeed found the group of people, but the sight that met his eyes was far direr than he had anticipated.
In front of him, there were four individuals who were surrounded by the same monstrous creatures he had encountered earlier.
But seeing the numbers of the monsters, Kalsie couldn't help but feel a wave of shock and disbelief.
'How can there be so many of them!?' he wondered. But then he realized that he did not encounter any monsters in the forest because they had all converged on this group instead.
"GROWLL!!"
The eerie growls of the creatures reverberated through the small clearing as they closed in on their group of human prey.
Kalsie knew that these people were already in danger despite their attempts to fend off the monsters with spears and bows. Whatever they tried, the monsters showed no mercy, pressing the group closer to a massive tree at the center.
Seeing the dire situation, Kalsie quickly took cover behind a nearby tree, observing the dreadful scene with a heavy heart but then his mind had another thought.
'Are they truly locals? If they are then why aren't they hitting their weak points?' Kalsie thought as he noticed when the group of people was trying to fend off the monster.
If Kalsie was a bit closer to them and the fog wasn't present, he would have clearly noticed that the people were wearing the same track suit as him.
'How can I help them!?' Kalsie truly wanted to help but could he really be able to help them when he couldn't even guarantee his survival against such a large group of monster.
But despite their dire situation, Kalsie knew they weren't in grave danger since the group was retreating toward a huge tree in the center, which he knew would be able to give them protection. That was also why he wasn't hasty to go and save them.
"G-Get lost!!! You monster!!!"
As he helplessly watched from a far, their faces were filled with fear and anxiousness as they were desperately using their weapons to stop those monsters from coming towards them, but they couldn't do much since those monsters won't stop even if those people cut their limbs off.
"Damn it!! Hurry up and climb the tree!!"
Amid the chaos, a determined young boy with tousled blond hair struggled to maintain a somewhat clumsy defensive stance, gripping his spear but with an unwavering resolve.
His name was Job, and he was fiercely attempting to push back the relentless monsters, buying precious seconds for the people behind him to escape to safety.
But the strength in Job's muscles waned against the monstrous onslaught, and he found himself slowly being pushed back by the sheer force of the attackers.
"Growl!"
"W-Wait, Job!! Watch out!!" Another boy, his light brown hair tousled by the frantic struggle, rushed to Job's side.
In a brave show of friendship, he jumped in front of one of the hungry monster that was trying to bite Job's stomach.
"!!" Job felt his heart race with fear as the monster's wide-open mouth came dangerously close but repelled in time.
"T-Thanks, Jack!" he gasped in relief.
"Thank me after we get out of here!!" Jack replied, his voice trembling beneath the facade of bravery.
Deep down, he prayed very hard, longing for someone to come in and rescue them from the brink of disaster.
"Nicole!! Hurry up and climb that tree!!!" Jack then urgently cry was directed at a girl with the same light brown hair as his own, who had been frozen in place despite Job's earlier suggestion to seek refuge in the tree.
"Nick!! You too!! We won't be able to hold them back!!" Job urged another boy, who clutched a bow but was unable to wield it effectively due to an injured arm, which was bleeding a little.
"I-I am sorry…" Nicole's voice quivered with regret and sorrow as she reluctantly acknowledged her fear and uncertainty.
Her terror of the menacing monsters had paralyzed her, rendering her and Nick as little more than a burden to Job and Jack.
Nick on the other hand remained silent, biting at his lower lip in frustration and anxiety. The agony of his injured hand intensified his inner turmoil, causing his body to tremble uncontrollably.
At Job's command, he gritted his teeth and made a desperate dash toward the towering and thick tree.
Fortunately, the tree's angle made it slightly easier for Nick to ascend, and he quickly scrambled onto one of its substantial branches.
"Nicole!! Go!!" Jack told his sister.
She shot a final worried glance at Jack before summoning her courage and replicating Nick's actions, climbing up to another branch alongside him.
With Nick and Nicole safely stood on the tree, Job signaled to Jack, their eyes locking in unison as they remained steadfast against the approaching monsters.
"On my signal, we'll make our escape before it's too late!!"
"I was thinking the same!!" Jack affirmed.
He thrusted his spear into the belly of one of the monsters, but even though the beast howled in pain, it showed no sign of faltering.
"Now!!" Job's decisive command echoed through the tense night air.
In response, both he and Jack mustered their strength and forcefully repelled the encroaching monsters, creating a brief respite that allowed them to make a hasty retreat toward the nearby tree.
"Here!! Take my hand!" Nicole's voice rang out as they approached the tree.
Her outstretched hand offered a quicker route for ascending on the tree, and they gratefully accepted her assistance. With Nicole's help, they climbed the tree quickly, each one mounting the branches until they joined the others.
A sigh of exhaustion escaped Job's lips as he leaned against the sturdy trunk of the tree, casting an uneasy gaze at the relentless monsters swarming below, blocking their escape route.
Witnessing the ugly creatures gathered for their lives beneath them, Jack voiced his concern. "Say... do you have... some plan?"
Job shifted his focus to the perilous predicament they found themselves in, his brows furrowing with anxiety. "What plan? There's nothing we can do now. We can't escape from here."
An air of dread settled among the group.
Nick, the typically quiet and introverted member, suddenly found his voice, his words tinged with disbelief. "T-Then... why d-did you tell me to c-climb here?"
"Nick, I understand how you feel," Job began, his tone heavy with regret, "but there was no other choice. If there weren't so many of them, we might have had a chance to run. But for now, all we can do is hope someone comes to our rescue."
Hearing his words, Nicole held her head down and spoke with guilt, "I-I am sorry…"
Nick, frustrated and upset, lashed out at her with trembling words. "N-Now y-you are sorry!?!?! I-If it wasn't for you, then w-we wouldn't be s-stuck here like this!!"
Jack, protective of his sister, interjected with a scowl. "Hey!! Why are you blaming my sister!?!"
Job, the de facto leader of the group, intervened swiftly. "Stop!!! This is not the time to argue!! You too, Nick!!"
An indignant snort escaped Jack, and he complied, but Nick remained unyielding.
"J-Jack! Y-You, tell me!!! A-Am I wrong? W-We wouldn't have been surrounded from all sides i-if she hadn't screamed back then!!" Nick pointed an accusatory finger toward Nicole as his anxiousness was intensified further from the pain of his injured arm.
A heavy silence enveloped the group. The implication of Nick's words hung heavily in the air, and Nicole, consumed by remorse, could only bite her lip in guilt.
Nick's accusation struck them like a sting because, as he had spoken, their situation hadn't always been this dire. It was Nicole's panicked scream that had drawn the attention of the monsters, and before they knew it, they were utterly surrounded by the relentless creatures.
Initially, their plan had been to flee, but they soon found themselves surrounded by a horde of monsters, leaving them in their current dire predicament.
"I-I..." Nicole began to speak, her voice trembling and tears welled around her eyes as the blame was put on her. But before she could speak, something strange happened.
"GROWL!!!!" Suddenly, the monsters intensified their chaotic behavior, converging on a single point and causing even the sturdy tree to tremble.
"What the-!? What happened to them!?"