Alice looked around with wonder in her eyes. Everything was so new to her. The pale, slender trees looked completely different from what she was used to. She imagined how, as a child, she would have loved to climb them.
A mild breeze swept through the forest, refreshing Nick and Alice. It was still quite hot, especially while following a bird uphill. As they ascended, the surroundings changed. Moss and lichen covered every tree, giving the place the feeling of an ancient, mystical forest. The air was thick with moisture, trapped beneath the dense foliage.
Suddenly, the bird landed—not on a rock, but on what looked like a person. A figure sat there, covered in lichen and moss, blending into the landscape.
Nick and Alice slowly approached.
“Halt!” a high-pitched voice called out.
Nick and Alice burst into laughter, unable to help themselves. The dramatic atmosphere shattered instantly.
“Why are you laughing?” the boy demanded, lifting his head to reveal his face.
“Just… just the moment. Sorry,” Alice said, still giggling.
“Yeah, I get it. You two were expecting some old wise man, weren’t you?” the boy said, crossing his arms.
“Age doesn’t matter here. Who are you?” Nick asked, his tone turning serious.
“I am Eric, the druid of this forest,” Eric announced proudly.
Nick hesitated. He had never met a forest druid before, and he couldn’t recall hearing of one outside of fantasy stories.
“I’m here to protect the forest and all its inhabitants,” Eric continued. “I swore an oath to the gods…”
And with that, he launched into a monologue—how he had been chosen by the gods, how he swore an oath at a sacred altar made of solid wood, and how a mysterious purple-blue fox led him to another world.
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Nick shut off his brain. Alice did the same.
He was just a kid with an overactive imagination. And, like any good parents pretending to listen to a child’s ramblings, they nodded and feigned excitement.
“…And when the holy fox, Margarethe the Second, placed the sacred mushroom in my mouth, the other foxes of the wild praised me as their newfound god! That’s when I was gifted this land, so that I may protect it from intruders with evil in their hearts,” Eric finished, puffing out his chest.
“Very interesting,” Nick said, relieved the speech was finally over.
Alice, still holding back a smirk, asked, “Why did your bird lead us here?”
“Hey, he didn’t lead you here. I just called him home, and you followed him,” Eric said, sounding annoyed.
So, it hadn’t been a sign or anything significant—just a pet bird returning to its owner, like a carrier pigeon.
“Is it a wild bird, or did you raise it?” Nick asked.
“A wild bird,” Eric replied.
Nick stared at the sky, deep in thought. What had this boy done to the bird? He couldn’t find an answer, so he asked directly.
“How do you make the bird come back to you?” Nick asked.
“I am the protector of this forest. Every animal, every flower—they are all a part of me,” Eric said confidently.
Nick frowned. “Alice, could you stop suppressing your essence?”
“Finally! That was getting painful,” Alice sighed, releasing the energy she had been holding back.
Like magic, every bird, every plant leaned toward her. Foxes emerged from their burrows to lay at her feet. Birds fluttered around her, perching on her shoulders and head. Within moments, she was completely covered.
Even Eric and Nick felt the pull toward her.
Eric’s eyes widened in shock.
“How is she doing that?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper.
Alice panicked. There were so many animals surrounding her.
Nick, however, remained calm. He knew she could free herself whenever she wanted. But something about this reminded him of a lesson from his mentor.
"Deep connections allow people to share themselves. It takes years to build up. Some say it can happen quickly, but is it truly a deep connection? When you share part of your soul with someone, you change them, and they change you. A lasting impact—nothing can ever make them whole again. Because they now carry a piece of you. Don’t be fooled into thinking only love does this. Fear, honesty, and pain can do the same. So be careful around those who have shared themselves too much. For them, it is more like a scar."
Nick studied Eric carefully.
This boy had given himself away. He had shared everything with the forest. Why? And what was the benefit? Did he even realize what he had done?
One thing was clear—if Eric died, the forest would die with him.
“How old are you?” Nick asked.
“Twelve,” Eric answered.
“When do you go home?”
“Never. The forest gives me everything I need. I’ve been here for years,” Eric said.
Nick’s stomach turned.
“Would it bother you if we came back another time?” he asked.
“Anyone who finds me again is worthy of meeting me again,” Eric said cryptically.
Alice exhaled, releasing her connection to the animals. They slowly scattered, returning to their homes. Eric looked disappointed to see them go.
Nick and Alice exchanged a glance. No words were needed. They both knew—this was beyond strange.
“See you soon,” Nick said.
There was no response.
Eric simply stood there, blending back into the moss-covered trees as if he had never existed.
And so, Nick and Alice left.