The bioluminescent forest of Xerion pulsed with an eerie, vibrant glow, its neon vines weaving through the night like veins of starlight, its moss casting faint emerald halos that flickered with life.
Norian staggered through this radiant labyrinth, his body a husk battered by three sleepless days. The river's crossing—a hard-won victory after nights of relentless swimming practice—felt like a lifetime ago.
Those nights had been a crucible, his arms slicing through the aetheric water's glowing currents, his legs kicking with growing confidence, fueled by the fear of silent, tree-climbing monsters that could strike without warning.
The aetheric water, drunk in desperate gulps from the pouch at his hip, had kept his body moving, its vibrant energy dulling hunger and sharpening his senses.
But his mind was crumbling, untouched by the water's magic, weighed down by a fog of exhaustion that blurred his thoughts and frayed his nerves.Sleep had been impossible since crossing the river.
The trees, where he'd perched during the day to avoid the forest's decay, were no sanctuary. Their branches were uncomfortable, digging into his thighs, and unsafe—each sway threatened a fall to his death or into the jaws of a predator that might scale the bark silently, its claws invisible in the neon glow.
That fear had driven his intensive training, pushing him to conquer the river in three nights, and now it propelled him deeper into the forest, toward the hills where he hoped to find refuge.
This side of the river was different—its bioluminescence brighter, its air thicker with a wild, living energy.
The distant roars of monsters, more frequent and guttural than before, shattered any illusion of safety, even at night. Norian's heart pounded, each beat a frantic warning as he fought to stay awake, his body teetering on the edge of collapse.
His eyes were the heaviest objects in the universe, burning with the effort of staying open, dark circles carved beneath them like scars. His head throbbed, a relentless hammer against his skull, and his vision blurred, the glowing vines smearing into a haze of light.
His muscles trembled, his feet and hands tingled with numbness, and his breath came in ragged gasps, each one a battle against the exhaustion seeping into his bones.
The aetheric water kept him moving, but it couldn't touch the mental fog or the psychological toll of constant fear. Every rustle, every snap, sent adrenaline spiking, his grip tightening on the spear tied to his back with glowing vines.
He couldn't carelessly roam this forest anymore—not with monsters prowling even at night, their roars a constant reminder of the danger lurking in the shadows.
Norian climbed down from his latest perch as dusk settled, the forest flaring to life with its neon glow. His movements were sluggish, his vision swimming, his body swaying as he hit the ground. He drank from his pouch, the aetheric water's rush a fleeting spark, but it wasn't enough.
Find a safe place, he thought, the words looping frantically in his mind. He ran, his spear dragging, his bare feet stumbling over glowing roots.
The forest's beauty—its pulsing vines, its starlit canopy—was a cruel taunt, hiding the predators he knew were watching. A distant roar split the night, and his heart lurched, his balance faltering as he fought to stay upright.
He tripped, his knees slamming into the mossy earth, and for a moment, he knelt there, hands clawing at the soil. If you pass out now, you're dead, he rasped silently, the memory of the mire golem's chase and the bear's pursuit pushing him to his feet.
His mind was a fractured mess, haunted by Veltharion's failures—the cursed boy who couldn't swim, the coach who vanished—and Xerion's trials, which had forged him into a survivor yet left him vulnerable.
He ran like a madman, his muscles giving out, his feet numb, his vision a blur of glowing shadows. This wasn't a monster chasing him; it was his own fatigue, a relentless predator pressing down on his chest.
Hours bled into a fevered blur, each step a defiance of the voice begging him to collapse. And then, through the haze, he saw it—a cave, its mouth a dark slash in the glowing forest. Hope surged, sharp and desperate, cutting through the fog.
He staggered inside, the cool air a shock against his fevered skin. The cave was faintly illuminated, the bioluminescent glow seeping in, casting eerie shadows on the rocky walls.Norian moved deeper, his spear raised, his blurred gaze scanning for threats.
His heart pounded, not with fear but with the desperate need to believe this was safe. Behind a jagged rock, he found it—a small, secluded nook, hidden from the entrance. He checked the area, his movements sluggish but driven by instinct, searching for claw marks or glowing eyes. There were none.
He slumped behind the rock, his spear and pouch clattering to the ground. His body gave out, collapsing against the cool stone, and relief flooded him like a tide.
His breath hitched, happy tears spilling down his cheeks, raw and overwhelming, born of the gratitude that he'd found this haven. I'm safe, he thought, the words glowing in his mind like the forest outside.
The throbbing in his head dulled, his muscles unclenched, and the weight of three sleepless days lifted. His eyelids fluttered shut, and as he passed out, a single thought lingered: I made it.
***
Norian woke up groggily. His head still drooped, his body aching not from running but from the uncomfortable position he'd slept in—that's what woke him.
His head felt like it might fall off, the pressure building as if it would burst. He took deep breaths, pulling the water bowl from his waist and drinking. The pain slowly faded, a refreshing sensation washing over him.
The rest had done its job well, though he didn't know how long he'd slept—only that it had been a long time. He stood, stretched, and looked around the cave.Silver and moonlight filtered into the cave, illuminating parts of the empty space.
No trees grew inside, though he remembered some at the entrance. The moonlight lit up the cave system. He noticed a deeper light and saw a small canal ahead, its water glowing like the forest's rivers.
He walked toward it, moonlight reflecting off his skin, which had become more transparent and smooth. The wound marks on his face and body had disappeared, his jade-like skin unnoticed by him in this strange place.
He looked back at the full moon, its luster unchanged, untouched by the planet's shadow—a mystery he couldn't explain but accepted if it wasn't dangerous. Kneeling by the canal, he dipped his face to drink, but a faint orange light caught his eye—not the bioluminescent glow he knew, but fire.
Squinting, he confirmed it wasn't a plant's light. His heart jumped with possibility, though a whisper of doubt crept in: What if they were hostile? He steadied himself, took his makeshift spear, and walked toward the light.The sandy ground surprised him, lacking the cave's usual glow except for the water's shimmer.
The light, once seeming close, took fifteen minutes to reach, then more to trace. His eyes widened as he emerged into a breathtaking scene. The cave opened into a vast chamber, its towering spires reminiscent of the fantastical landscape in the image—jagged rock formations rising like ancient turrets, their surfaces glistening with moisture under the moonlight.
A glowing canal wound through the space, mirroring the image's ethereal waterway, its light casting a soft blue hue across the sandy floor. But what stole his breath was the village nestled within.
Lizard men, their scales glinting like polished emeralds, moved gracefully. Some emerged from the canal, their clawed hands clutching wriggling fish, while children with wide, curious eyes swarmed around them, their laughter a gentle ripple in the stillness.
The village huts, carved from the cave's stone, blended seamlessly with the natural turrets, their outlines softened by the interplay of moonlight and the canal's glow—a scene both alien and alive, echoing the image's mystical allure.
Norian was shocked. He'd thought "HS" meant Homo sapiens, but this was something else entirely. Composing himself, he wondered how to introduce himself without being killed.
The lizard men seemed harmless to their own, but his appearance might provoke them. As he pondered, a guard sniffed the air, pointing toward him with a hiss. A system notification appeared.
DING!
====
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[First contact with otherworldly language detected.
Initiating Translation Protocol...
Success!
Translation Protocol now active.]
=====
The hiss turned to words:
"How are you? Come out now."
Norian's heart raced, his introverted nature urging retreat, but he stepped into the moonlight, his jade skin glowing.
"I… I mean no harm,"
He said softly, bracing for their reaction.
-To Be Continued