Dae-hyon walked deep into the forest, where the trees were so thick that the fog beneath their branches created an oppressive feeling. Though the forest was silent, there was an underlying sense that it wasn't entirely quiet. Every instinct told him danger lurked in the shadows. His thoughts echoed with the words of the Keeper of Beasts, the woman with a mysterious gaze who promised answers, but left them unspoken. Her words were like seeds, planted in him, and now he felt as if he had become part of someone's game.
Tamer of Death. The words rang in his mind. He tried to understand what it meant, but every attempt to clarify his fate only pulled him deeper into the unknown.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden rustling sound, coming from something unseen. Dae-hyon stopped and fell into a whispering silence. He looked around, but couldn't pinpoint the source of the noise. Beneath the quiet creak of the trees, a figure suddenly emerged. It was a silhouette in a black cloak, barely visible in the mist, but something about it was eerily familiar. Only the eyes—those eyes—betrayed it. They were the eyes of something ancient, something malevolent.
"You're here, Tamer," a deep voice from the shadows spoke, calm and commanding, as though it knew everything about him before their paths had even crossed.
Dae-hyon couldn't move. He felt paralyzed by the voice, as a beast materialized before him. It was a massive, cruel creature, its armored hide almost impossible to comprehend, with eyes burning bright red. This was not just a beast; it was a legend—cursed, with the strength to crush even the mightiest of warriors.
"I must hold it back," Dae-hyon thought, his hands pressing against his armor. His hands trembled, but he couldn't show weakness. He had to fight.
The beast stepped forward, its massive paws leaving deep tracks in the dirt, its eyes glowing fiercely. It snapped at the air, then swung its sharp claws, as if ready to tear him apart. Dae-hyon had no time to react. His hands moved swiftly, quickly forming a surge of energy that flared brightly in front of him. In that instant, the beast attacked again. Its enormous claws struck Dae-hyon's arm, and pain shot through his body, but he felt something else—something wild and untamed—erupting from his chest.
"Watch out!" shouted the Hunter, who stood at a distance, watching the battle unfold. "Your strength is not enough."
The beast attacked once more. The blows were brutal, but Dae-hyon retaliated with bursts of energy that filled the air around him. His power wasn't just in strength—it was in something he felt coursing through every part of him. There was a sense of control, even though he didn't fully understand how it had come to be. He could feel that something had to happen, that something would pull him forward.
"There's no turning back," he thought, watching the beast leap again, but preparing himself. For a moment, the beast was with him in the same space, and then Dae-hyon felt an internal explosion. His hands lifted, and an immense light radiated from within him, casting shadows over the entire forest.
The beast let out a roar and pulled back, injured but not defeated. The Hunter stood by and observed.
"You may defeat this beast, but have you defeated yourself? Your powers are not yours... the beast will not retreat until you find all the answers," the Hunter said.
Dae-hyon stood there, his hands bloody, but instead of feeling defeated, he felt a new understanding. He had to be more than what he was now. He had to control what he didn't fully comprehend, to learn about it—or else he would be consumed.
The Hunter turned and left, and Dae-hyon remained in the forest, still unsure of what this all meant. The beast had disappeared into the darkness, but he felt that something much larger was at play. He felt that his fate was far greater than he had imagined.
As the Hunter's footsteps faded, Dae-hyon stared into the distance. He was tired, but there was no peace in him. He knew he had to find the answers—or he would lose control of his own being.
"Am I really the Tamer, or just another piece in someone's game?" he thought, deep in his heart, as his eyes were still fixed on the darkness spreading before him.