Chapter 12: Whispers of the Wilds
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The sun peeked through the towering canopy of the vast, untouched forest, filtering in thin shafts of golden light that danced on the mossy ground. Birds with shimmering feathers sang strange tunes, and distant roars echoed through the ancient trees. It was a world untouched by time — wild, mysterious, and full of dangers.
Reo wiped the sweat from his brow, adjusting the rough cloak he'd stitched together days ago from fur and leaves. His once modern sneakers were worn down, barely holding together. His fingers were cut and calloused; his skin was tanned and rough from the sun. The past few weeks had hardened him — the soft boy who once spent nights reading ancient history books was now learning to survive with his own hands.
His hand instinctively brushed the mark on his wrist, a quiet reminder of why he was here.
The mark pulsed faintly, almost like it was alive, but today it stayed silent.
"It's been days since I found the others…" Reo thought, stepping over a gnarled root.
Each night, the voice from the mark would whisper to him in dreams — calm, guiding him without revealing too much.
"Seek the others. Only together can you survive. Only together can you begin."
The message was the same every time.
He was starting to realize — this world, this version of the past, was not the one he had read about in books.
It was deeper, stranger, more alive.
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The Forest Maze
The forest was no ordinary one.
Sometimes the trees seemed to shift places.
Paths he walked in the morning would vanish by evening.
Strange lights floated at night, luring unwary travelers into unknown dangers.
He had seen glimpses of creatures that should not exist —
Giant beetles with shimmering shells, wolf-like beasts with six legs, and trees that seemed to breathe.
Reo pressed forward, driven by hunger and hope.
He had learned to fish with a sharpened stick, trap small creatures, and find edible berries.
He carried a small dagger he'd crafted from a sharp rock, tied carefully to a sturdy stick.
But food was growing scarce... and loneliness was an even heavier burden.
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The Strange Clearing
As he pushed through a dense thicket, Reo stumbled into a clearing — and froze.
There, sitting calmly atop a mossy rock, was a strange creature.
It was no beast he'd ever seen before —
A white monkey-like animal, barely the size of a small child, with four fluffy tails swaying gently.
Its big, watery blue eyes stared at him with an almost human-like curiosity.
Its fur was soft and clean, sparkling faintly in the sunlight, almost like falling snowflakes.
But even more strangely —
the air around it seemed... calmer.
The chaotic energy of the forest softened near the creature, as if the world respected its presence.
Reo's heart raced.
"Is it dangerous? Should I run?" he thought, inching backward.
The creature tilted its head, letting out a soft chirp that sounded... friendly.
Then, to Reo's surprise, it hopped closer on all fours — the tails flicking playfully behind it.
Reo didn't move.
The creature reached out its small hand, brushing his rough boots gently, and chirped again.
It wanted no harm.
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A New Companion
Reo knelt slowly, extending a trembling hand.
The creature sniffed him cautiously — then, without warning, leapt into his arms, curling against his chest.
Reo stumbled back, laughing in shock.
"You little… you're not afraid at all, huh?" he said softly, stroking the creature's snowy fur.
It purred — or something close to it — a soft vibration of happiness.
It had a faint blue glow about it, so light that Reo thought he was imagining it.
Tiny specks of blue light fluttered around it for a moment before disappearing.
For the first time in days, Reo felt something other than fear —
He felt warmth.
"You're… ancient," Reo whispered.
He could feel it.
This wasn't just some animal.
This creature carried an ancient aura — something far older than this kingdom itself.
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The First Bond
Reo sat down in the clearing, the little creature on his lap.
As he ate a handful of berries, he offered one to the creature.
It took the berry delicately, nibbling it with small sharp teeth.
"You need a name, huh?" Reo said after a while.
The creature looked up, tilting its head again.
He thought for a moment, thinking of the old legends he loved —
About spirits who guided lost heroes in times of need.
"How about... Shiroki?"
("Shiro" for white, "ki" for spirit.)
The little creature chirped happily, as if agreeing.
Reo smiled, a real, genuine smile.
For the first time since arriving in this broken era, he didn't feel alone anymore.
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Nightfall and Secrets
That night, under the pale blue moon, Reo and Shiroki shared their first real night together.
They sat beside a small fire Reo had managed to build after hours of trying.
Shiroki curled up against his side, the four tails wrapping gently around Reo's waist like a warm belt.
The stars were different here.
Fewer, but brighter.
The constellations he had studied back home were missing —
replaced by patterns he didn't recognize.
He stared up at them, wondering:
"What happened to this world? Why is everything so different?"
His mark pulsed faintly — like a heartbeat — but no voice came tonight.
Shiroki stirred, lifting its head and staring into the dark forest.
Somewhere out there, something howled.
Deep, powerful, and ancient.
Reo shivered.
They were not alone here.
The forest hid many secrets… and many threats.
And high above them, in the trees where no human eye could easily see, an ancient symbol carved into the bark shimmered faintly under the moonlight.
It was a circle within a triangle, with an eye at the center.
But Reo didn't notice it.
Not yet.
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The Promise
As he drifted into sleep, Reo made a quiet promise to himself.
He would find the others.
He would uncover the truth of this broken world.
And he would protect this small creature —
this new friend —
no matter what dangers lay ahead.
The journey had only just begun.
And somewhere, deep beneath the earth, something ancient stirred awake, sensing his presence.