“Leave that thing over there,” “That goes over in that spot,” “Come over here and lend me a hand,” “Hey, don’t just sit there—go help everyone else.” A pair of pale blue eyes opened slowly, heavy with exhaustion.
A voice echoed inside his mind, “What exactly happened…?” The chatter outside continued without pause.
His worn-out body dragged itself up, a hand pressing against his aching forehead as messy strands of hair fell over his face.
“Where is this place…?” Tilting his head up to survey his surroundings, “This room…” The entire space was built from weathered wood, resembling a crude shack.
Looking down at his own palms, a single thought surfaced, “I remember jumping off the building…
didn’t I…?” A young boy suddenly burst in from the outside, his face lighting up with excitement.
“Oh!
You’re finally awake!” Ersak sat on the bed, his expression completely blank.
“Huh…?” The child poked his head back through the straw-draped doorway, shouting to the outside, “Grandpa!
Everyone!
He’s awake!” An old man with silver hair approached, peering inside.
“Ah, you’re back with us,” he remarked, stepping closer to Ersak.
“How are you feeling inside?” The boy followed right behind the elder, staring intently at the patient.
Ersak clutched his head, lowering his gaze toward the floor.
“My head throbs a bit…
and I’m rather thirsty…” Growl…
“Hmm?” The sound rumbled straight from the teenager’s stomach, drawing his focus down to his midsection.
The old man let out a chuckle.
“Just stay lying down and rest.
I’ll fetch you some food.” Ersak looked at the elder, dipping his head gratefully.
“Thank you, sir.” The silver-haired man turned to the youth beside him.
“Hurry along and grab some food and water for him.
I will go collect the medicine.” The boy stood up straight, replying at the top of his lungs, “UNDERSTOOD!
I’LL DO IT RIGHT AWAY!” With those words, the child dashed out of the shack.
Ersak stared blankly, a thought crossing his mind…
“The kid is fast…” The elder also made his way toward the exit, pausing right by the straw curtain to turn back.
“Get some rest.
I will be back with your medicine.” Finishing his sentence, the old man pushed through the hanging strands and vanished.
The straw fibers swayed back and forth before settling into stillness.
Ersak examined the clothes he was wearing, thinking to himself, “This outfit is strange.
It isn’t modern, nor does it look ancient.
It isn’t bulky either.
Seems to be made of fabric, and it’s quite light.” Gazing down at the bed underneath him, his hand reached out to gently touch the surface, which was crudely fashioned from wood and straw.
The moment his skin brushed the material, a sensation registered in his mind, “It’s actually comfortable.
Even though it’s incredibly simple…” His palm brushed back and forth against the layer of straw, noting its smooth warmth and dry texture.
His hand stopped moving.
Sunlight gradually crept in from the window on the left.
The gentle, slight warmth of the sun spread across his hand, then over his entire body.
Lifting his head, his gaze locked onto the light pouring through the window as a soft breeze swept inside.
His hair began to stir gently, while his clothes, the bed, and the entire hut shifted subtly in the wind.
Rustling sounds echoed continuously as the cool breeze brushed against Ersak’s face.
He kept his focus on the window, those dull eyes of his…
Those eyes…
those very eyes…
a sudden flash of light flickered within them, as if his vision possessed a heartbeat.
They brightened for a mere instant.
Ersak swung his legs over the edge of the bed, stood up, and took a step.
By the second step, a sensation like a bolt of lightning struck his brain, sending him crashing to the floor.
His limbs turned to jelly.
Beads of sweat broke out across his skin, his teeth gritted as his eyes widened, his muscles tensing and trembling all over.
Inside Ersak’s head: “Dammit…
the aftereffects of jumping off that building are still lingering…” “Hey, put that one over there.” “Bring that item over here.” Ersak parted the hanging straw at the doorway, gripping the wall of the shack to support himself as he stepped outside, scanning the horizon.
Ersak pressed forward step by step, his gaze scanning back and forth across the area.
Inside the teenager’s head, a single realization formed, “This place…” Among the people outside, some were up on the roofs of the shacks laying down fresh straw with a steady rustle, rustle, while others were chopping timber, their axes hitting the wood with a heavy thud.
A few children dashed past one another, playing merrily with loud bursts of “Hahaha!” nearby, while several women prepared food over open wood fires.
The village appeared to be built on an elevated stretch of land.
Right behind it lay a vast, open expanse filled with dense trees, green grass, and vibrant, glowing flowers.
A young woman stepped out from the cooking area, cupping both hands near her mouth as she shouted, “EVERYONE, TAKE A BREAK AND GET SOMETHING TO EAT!” The workers immediately paused their tasks and began heading toward the kitchen area.
A dazed look surfaced in Ersak’s eyes.
Inside his mind, he mused, “This place is just like a village…
everything is so…
ancient…” The children sprinted right past Ersak.
His bewildered gaze followed the little ones as they rushed by.
Ersak muttered, “Oh…?!” The boy from the shack earlier walked over from the kitchen area, approaching Ersak with a bright smile.
“You should eat something.
You’ve been unconscious for days, so you must be starving.” Ersak’s facial expression returned to normal.
“Right…” The child extended his hands, presenting Ersak with a loaf of bread and a bowl filled with an unfamiliar mixture.
Ersak accepted the meal from the youngster, staring down at the items in his hands.
A thought crossed his mind, “This is…
bread and…
fruit soup…?” Noticing how Ersak was staring at the food, the boy spun around and said, “Follow me.” Ersak looked up at the youth.
Before he could fully grasp the situation, the child had already taken several steps forward.
Ersak opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself and simply followed behind.
The boy made his way over to a massive tree, letting out a long breath as he sat down on the ground, leaning his back against the sturdy trunk.
Looking up at the newly arrived teenager, the child spoke up, “Sit down here and eat.” Ersak kept quiet.
Without a word, he walked over and seated himself right next to the youngster.
Ersak set the bowl of fruit soup down by his feet.
Using both hands, he tore the loaf apart, the crust breaking open with a distinct, crisp crunch.
He stared at the torn piece of bread, then dipped it into the bowl of fruit soup, which was sending up faint, blurry plumes of hot steam.
The youth glanced at Ersak and remarked, “There’s always a breeze blowing beneath these big trees, and the shade keeps it really cool.
Sitting here is way more comfortable than being inside that shack.” Ersak raised the steaming piece of bread he had just dipped in the soup and popped it into his mouth.
The boy, who had been leaning his back against the trunk, suddenly bolted upright and turned to Ersak.
“Oh, right!
I don’t think I’ve introduced myself yet.
I’m Tenzin.” Ersak flinched violently in surprise.
Tenzin panicked, his eyes going wide and round as sweat broke out on his face.
He asked anxiously, “Hey, hey…!
Are you okay?!” Ersak wiped his mouth with his hand, his tightly shut eyes slowly blinking open.
“I’m fine.” Tenzin stared at Ersak and reasoned, “The food must be really hot.” Ersak covered his mouth with his hand, huffing softly to cool the heat as he chewed the bread.
His eyes went wide and sparkly, his mouth forming a perfect ‘O’ shape.
Ersak swallowed the food, then immediately tore off another piece of bread, dipped it, and shoved it into his mouth.
Seeing this, Tenzin let out a forced chuckle and scratched his head.
“Haha…
eating like that, you must really love this dish.” Ersak glanced at the boy, who continued talking, “I’m the village chief’s grandson.
He’s the one who came into the shack with me earlier.” Ersak turned his head back to his meal and offered a brief response, “My name is Ersak.” The piece of carrot on the bread was as soft as jelly.
As Ersak ate, he thought to himself, “This carrot is incredibly soft…
and sweet, too!
This broth is really flavorful.” Tenzin’s face lit up with pure excitement, his eyes crinkling into happy slits as he cheered, “WOAH!
Ersak?
THAT’S A REALLY COOL NAME!!” While the young boy was experiencing a surge of intense enthusiasm, Ersak’s face remained completely deadpan.
Inside the teenager’s head, Ersak thought, “What on earth is wrong with this kid…?” Right at that moment, the wind picked up.
Ersak’s hair drifted slightly, the leaves shifted gently, and the grass and flowers began to sway in the breeze.
Everything seemed to pause for a single instant.
The only sound left was the quiet, soothing rustle of the wind passing through the greenery.
Ersak looked up, watching the sunlight flicker as it filtered down through the canopy.
The oncoming breeze brought a sensation as if everything weighing on his inside was being swept away.
It was refreshing, and the surrounding air grew completely calm.
Inside Ersak’s mind: “The air is so incredibly crisp…
this place really is peaceful…” Ersak tilted his head down a fraction, his hair drifting softly with the wind as his eyelids grew heavy.
Closing his eyes, Ersak took a deep breath in.
“It’s so light…
it feels like the air is flowing straight through my body…” Opening his eyes, he lowered his gaze and placed his palm against his chest.
He shut his eyes once more, exhaling slowly.
A thought surfaced: “My chest feels so light.” Noticing Ersak’s reaction, Tenzin leaned his head over and remarked, “It’s really breezy and nice here, isn’t it?” Ersak closed his mouth and replied, “Yeah.” Tenzin continued speaking, “If you wanna recover as fast as possible, just find a breezy spot to hang out.
You’ll feel a lot better.” With his eyes still closed, Ersak’s lips twitched slightly.
Tenzin stared at the older boy, his face filling with confusion.
“Huh…?” Tenzin’s eyes suddenly widened in surprise.
“Whoa!” Ersak…
those lips of his curled upward into a faint smile while his eyes remained softly closed.
A tiny, subtle smile appeared on a face that had previously been devoid of all emotion.
Time itself appeared to stand still, leaving only that face with its gently closed eyes and softly upturned lips.
His hair drifted slowly, swaying to the rhythm of the wind.
For a brief moment, Tenzin froze, his face fixed as his eyes stared intently at Ersak.
The child barely even breathed.
He just kept looking at Ersak, watching and watching…
Suddenly, Ersak gave Tenzin a light nudge, asking, “Hey, kid?
What’s wrong?
Trying to kill yourself?” Tenzin snapped out of his trance and stammered, “No!…
I just…” Ersak stared blankly at Tenzin and countered, “I saw you stopped breathing, so I thought you were trying to suffocate yourself.” Tenzin looked back at Ersak.
“Huh…?” The younger boy suddenly realized what he had been doing.
Shocked, he collapsed right onto the ground, gasping heavily for air like a dying man.
GASP—!
HUFF—!
GASP—!
HUFF—!
Ersak stood up, looking down with an uneasy, somewhat judgmental expression.
“Are you really okay…?” Tenzin scrambled back to his feet, his hand still pressed against his chest as he spoke, “Let’s just head back to the village.
It’s gonna get dark soon.
Grandpa’s probably looking for you to give you your medicine.” “Alright,” Ersak replied, walking back toward the village alongside Tenzin.
They had only taken three steps when Tenzin suddenly sucked in another massive breath.
GASP—!
The sudden noise made Ersak flinch right behind him.
“Ah!?…
Are you sure you’re good…?” Night fell over the area.
A full moon surfaced in the center of the sky, surrounded by countless twinkling stars, while a loud, heavy rustling sound echoed from the bushes.
One pair of feet walked past, followed closely by another.
The two figures pressed forward toward the light shining ahead.
“Hey, get over to this side,” “Don’t go stealing my spot now,” “There’s still plenty of wine left, everyone come and grab some.” The duo stepped out from the thicket, their hands pushing the branches away to either side.
Tenzin emerged, with Ersak following right beside him.
The old village chief was standing near the campfire, turning his head to look at Tenzin and Ersak with a wooden bowl held in his hand.
He made his way over to the pair.
Tenzin ran up to him, shouting, “Hey, Grandpa!
Ersak and I were just—” Before he could finish his sentence, a loud crack echoed.
The elder brought his hand down hard, striking Tenzin right on the head.
The wooden bowl in the old man’s grip rattled violently, nearly spilling the liquid inside.
Tenzin clutched his head in agonizing pain as tears welled up in his eyes, yelling straight at the man, “HEY!
WHAT DID YOU HIT ME FOR?!” Ersak stood behind them with a completely deadpan expression, his eyes narrowing as he remained rooted to the spot like a block of wood.
The elder immediately spoke up in a thoroughly stern voice, demanding, “Where have you been since this afternoon?
The moon is already high in the sky and you’re only just getting back?” Tenzin kept one hand on his hip while rubbing his head with the other, explaining in a strained, forced tone as he let out a nervous chuckle, “Uh, well…
I…
Ersak and I went out past the back of the village, but on the way back we sort of forgot the path, so…
haha…” The old man walked past Tenzin, heading directly toward Ersak in the back.
Tenzin watched him go, his face full of curiosity.
The elder stopped right in front of Ersak, asking, “Are you alright?
I am truly sorry for letting you get lost out there for the entire afternoon.” Tenzin poked his head out from behind the old man’s back.
The chief placed his hand on Tenzin’s head and forced him downward into a bow, adding, “On behalf of my grandson, I apologize for putting you through that.” Tenzin groaned from the pressure on his skull, “Ack!” Lifting his head, the old man narrowed his eyes and stepped closer, inspecting Ersak from top to bottom, from bottom to top.
He muttered a low “Hmm” behind his back, another “Hmm” in front of his face, and kept humming “Hmm” as he scanned his arms, legs, head, and every single part of his body.
The elder let out a long breath, relaxing his posture as a smile broke out on his face.
“Good heavens…
thankfully nothing bad happened…” Ersak stood frozen, entirely at a loss for words.
The old man turned around to leave, calling out, “Come along, let’s go inside and get something to eat and drink.” Inside Ersak’s head at that exact moment…
his face twisted up, his eyes narrowing into slits as he began breaking out in beads of cold sweat, “I wouldn’t be so sure about nothing happening…” A thought bubble surfaced above Ersak’s head, flashing back to the horrific scenes inside the forest…
Inside Ersak’s mind: “There were snakes…
gigantic pythons…
scorpions…
elephants…
crocodiles…
rhinos…
lions…
tigers…
wolves…
I had to run like absolute hell just to escape with my life…” Ersak shuddered violently, beads of sweat pouring down his skin as his body trembled all over.
He thought to himself, “Ughhh!!!….
Just thinking about it gives me the literal chills!….” His legs dragged him forward toward the campfire.
Inside his head: “It still makes me shiver just remembering it.
Why on earth did I have to drop into a death trap of a forest like that…?” Ersak lowered his head slightly as he walked, raising a hand to press against his forehead, letting out a heavy sigh, “Haaah…” The campfire crackled and popped, the burning logs slowly turning to ash and crumbling down bit by bit.
A massive banquet table stood filled to the brim with all sorts of dishes and fruits.
Right in the middle of the table lay an entire crocodile, sending up thick plumes of steam, with an apple stuffed inside its jaws.
Alongside it, whole roasted cows and pigs were being carried out to the feast.
Tenzin’s eyes lit up instantly as saliva pooled in his mouth, and he yelled at the top of his lungs, “WOAH—!!!
THE FOOD IS INCREDIBLY LAVISH TONIGHT!!” He leaped straight into a chair, grabbing an apple with his right hand and a pork leg with his left, devouring the meal ravenously.
Ersak walked over, stopping right behind the feasting youth.
Suddenly, Tenzin let out a massive, drawn-out breath, tears streaming down his face as he shrieked, “OH MY GOD, IT’S WAY TOO HOT—!!!” Standing right behind him, Ersak thought to himself, “This kid…
how can someone be so incredibly greedy when they eat…?” The old man approached from behind, gently nudging Ersak toward the banquet table as he chuckled, “Come on, come on, go sit down and join everyone for the meal.” Once Ersak was seated in a chair, the village chief lifted a wooden bowl and presented it right in front of the teenager’s face.
Inside was a thick, dark green liquid that made Ersak instantly break out in beads of cold sweat.
He stammered, “What exactly…
is this…?” The elder smiled, taking a seat right next to Ersak as he replied, “This is your medicine.” Hearing those words, Ersak lifted the bowl and drained it in one go.
His face contorted violently as if hitting a wall of shock, and he yelled out, “IT’S SO BITTER!!!” Tenzin, who was sitting right beside him, burst into a loud fit of laughter, “HAHAHA!!” The old man explained, “We don’t have any herbs around here that can mask the bitterness, so you’ll just have to bear with it.” The chief stood up and walked away to another part of the gathering, leaving Ersak to lean his head against his palm, looking thoroughly miserable.
Inside the teenager’s head: “What kind of medicine is this…
it’s horribly bitter…” A man stepped up behind Tenzin, throwing an arm around the child’s shoulders as he joked, “You little rascal!
You’re stuffing your face before anyone else even starts, and your uncle hasn’t even had a bite yet.” Ersak glanced over and noticed that the speaker looked quite young.
The man looked across at Ersak and remarked, “Oh!
Is this the kid who was found unconscious down at the foot of the mountain a few days back?” He shifted his position to stand behind Ersak.
Tenzin looked over and clarified, “Yeah, Uncle Vory.
His name is Ersak.
He’s the one who was knocked out at the base of the mountain.” Uncle Vory scrutinized Ersak and stated, “Looks like you’re doing a lot better than before.
I honestly thought you’d be a goner out there.” Ersak’s face went completely deadpan.
Inside his mind at that moment: “Wow, aren’t you just a sweet talker?” Uncle Vory glanced down at Ersak’s neck and noted, “Hey, that’s a pretty nice necklace you’ve got there.
It looks really finely crafted.” Ersak looked down at his own neck, replying, “Ah, this belongs to…” Before Ersak could finish his sentence, Uncle Vory jumped right in with a conclusion that made the teenager let out a completely forced chuckle, “Must be a gift from some girl, huh?” Ersak smiled weakly and corrected him, “No, that’s not it at all…” His face darkened slightly as memories began to resurface…
a person…
with bright red hair…
“Hahaha!
This is mine now!!” A scene flashed through his mind, showing a red-haired girl snatching a toy car away from a young boy who looked exactly like a younger Ersak…
“I’M GONNA KILL YOU!!!” “Ah—!
Spare me, please!!” Another memory surfaced right after, showing the same red-haired girl climbing all over him and yanking the boy’s hair out…
Ersak’s face turned grim and gloomy.
He thought to himself, “There’s absolutely no way…
like that annoying brat would ever give me anything…” A voice called out from a distance, “HEY, VORY!
TENZIN!
HURRY UP, THE RITUAL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.” Vory shouted back, “YEAH!!
COMING RIGHT NOW.” Uncle Vory looked down at Tenzin and gave him a sharp rap on the head, scolding, “Let’s go.
Look at you stuffing your face, you little glutton.” Tenzin slammed his food back onto the table, clutching his sore head in annoyance as he trudged along behind.
He complained, “Grandpa just whacked me earlier, and now you’re doing it too!…” Vory snapped, “Shut up.” Ersak watched the silhouettes of the two figures grow more distant.
He looked down at the medicine bowl, squeezed his eyes shut, and braced his facial muscles to down the rest of the bitter liquid.
Slamming the bowl back onto the table, he took a deep breath, stood up, and dashed after the pair.
Ersak pushed his way through a thick layer of leaves and low-hanging branches.
Directly ahead, a vast crowd of people stood lined up in a long row atop an elevated stretch of land.
Within that long line, Tenzin was also visible, taking his position among the villagers.
As Ersak drew closer to get a better look, another boy suddenly approached and pulled him along.
The youngster dragged Ersak up to a higher vantage point that overlooked the entire lineup of people.
Looking straight ahead, Ersak saw a massive, pitch-black grassland stretching into the distance.
Suddenly, everyone raised both hands, extending them straight out in front of themselves.
Ersak glanced over toward Tenzin and saw that the younger boy was mimicking the action perfectly.
Tenzin closed his eyes.
A soft glow gradually emerged from his palms.
Person by person, pair of hands after pair of hands began to light up, shining with an array of different colors.
The wind picked up, whistling sharply as the blades of grass, the flowers, the streams, the lakes, the trees, and Ersak’s entire body drifted and swayed gently in the breeze.
Ersak looked out toward the plains.
Out of nowhere, several flowers began to glow, followed by more and more, multiplying rapidly across the field.
Gusts of wind swept toward the meadow, pushing the expanding lights further and further into the horizon.
The flowers bloomed in unison while the stalks of grass swayed without pause.
The entire breadth of the vast grassland lit up, illuminated by a radiance emanating from the ground as glowing specs floated up into the air, riding the wind.
Butterflies fluttered back and forth across the plain, their bodies beginning to emit light as they settled upon the fully opened flowers.
Everything sparkled as multi-colored specks of light and crystal-clear blue fragments drifted upward.
The scene was so breathtaking that Ersak’s eyes held nothing but the reflection of the landscape before him.
The ground resembled a mythical wonderland while thousands of bright stars blazed in the sky above.
The small streams snaking through the plains mirrored both the glowing embers rising from the earth and the starlight reflecting from the heavens.
Ersak’s mouth parted slowly before settling back into a soft line as a single whisper escaped his lips, “…It’s…
beautiful…”