The night was still, save for the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. The campfire cast a gentle glow around them, but its warmth did little to ease the tension in the air. Tay couldn’t sleep. His mind was racing with everything that had happened—the Guardian’s appearance, the Keeper’s threat, and most of all, New’s quiet struggle with the powers he didn’t yet understand.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1cw38LuJQ
Tay’s gaze drifted to New, who was lying beside him, finally asleep after hours of silent contemplation. The soft rise and fall of New’s chest was the only thing keeping Tay grounded in the moment. He wanted to protect New, to shield him from the burden of the magic and the dangers it brought, but he knew that wasn’t possible. This journey was something they had to face together, no matter how terrifying it became.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI08tnDXkZS
Ryu sat by the fire, sharpening his blade in the quiet, his eyes flickering to Tay. “Can’t sleep?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLBoIpVK1U
Tay shook his head, glancing at the crystal still clutched in New’s hand. “There’s too much on my mind,” he admitted. “I can’t stop thinking about what the Guardian said… about our bond.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPj0I2lJK3j
Ryu’s expression softened. “You care about him. That much is obvious. But you can’t carry this all on your own.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfy7doazQ1
Tay sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I just… I don’t want to lose him.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TqfpV63YY
“You won’t,” Ryu said firmly. “But you also can’t control everything. Trust him. Trust that he’s strong enough to handle what’s coming.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QT2Pw7sKt
Tay nodded, though his heart still felt heavy. “It’s hard to watch him struggle like this,” he murmured. “I feel so helpless.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmdzbNitLo
Ryu looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and understanding. “You’re doing more than you realize, Tay. Just being here, standing by his side—that’s what matters most.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuMdiN43p4
Tay stared into the fire for a long moment, letting Ryu’s words sink in. He knew Ryu was right, but the weight of responsibility still pressed down on him. He had to do more—he had to make a promise, not just to New, but to himself.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiw4VzMSDCT
Quietly, so as not to wake New, Tay stood and walked a few steps away from the camp, his gaze fixed on the distant shadows of the forest. The mist seemed to pulse with life, watching, waiting.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXq9G5sSQD
Tay knelt down, pressing his hand to the earth as if speaking directly to the forest itself. “I swear,” he whispered, “I will protect him. No matter what it takes, no matter what comes, I won’t let him face this alone. This is my oath.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDheO0qx07H
The air around him seemed to shift in response, as though the forest had heard his vow and accepted it. For a brief moment, the mist parted, revealing the faint outline of something ancient and powerful watching over them. But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving Tay alone with the fire and the stars.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukTJp0Uxnf
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqXrpKpwun
---
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0R2RNT4n9
The next morning, the atmosphere around camp was noticeably lighter. New seemed more at ease, his grip on the crystal no longer as tense. As the group prepared to move deeper into the forest, Tay felt a renewed sense of purpose. His oath had solidified something within him—he wasn’t just protecting New out of love, but out of a deeper connection to the magic that surrounded them.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6KVbavBxe
As they packed their supplies, Jarin approached Tay with a thoughtful look. “I saw you last night,” he said quietly, glancing at the spot where Tay had made his oath. “That was a powerful vow.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6ggIJK0Yc
Tay looked at him, surprised. “You felt it?”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp5owcO0GD
Jarin nodded. “The forest responds to oaths like that. It will hold you to it.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJl8yaeOUoH
Tay swallowed hard. He had felt the weight of his words in that moment, but hearing Jarin confirm it made the reality of his promise even more profound.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1RFuMDmZD
“What does that mean?” Tay asked, his voice low.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWCLxpofzs
“It means you’re bound to New in more ways than one,” Jarin replied. “The forest won’t let you break that promise. You’ve become part of something bigger.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXm6MHVvd3
Tay nodded, feeling the gravity of the situation settle over him. He had known that making the vow would come with consequences, but now it felt even more real.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhsXajvQHd
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuk9YLVdrE7
---
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamtnDiR5ko
As the group set off into the deeper part of the forest, New walked alongside Tay, their shoulders brushing as they navigated the winding path. There was a newfound ease between them, the tension of the past few days giving way to a quiet understanding.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyVjUpF9B7
“What did you do last night?” New asked, glancing at Tay curiously. “I felt something… different when I woke up.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxclw415d1
Tay smiled softly, his hand brushing against New’s. “I made a promise,” he said. “To protect you, no matter what.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOoHIXGf2g
New’s expression softened, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You don’t have to carry all of this alone, you know,” he said quietly. “We’re in this together.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiP2m0AMlo
Tay nodded, his heart swelling with affection for New. “I know. But I still want to protect you, even if you don’t need me to.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79xEncSjV3
New laughed softly, leaning into Tay’s shoulder. “I’ll always need you, Tay. That’s never going to change.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1fotL2EX6
They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the mist swirling around them like a living entity. But as they ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, the feeling of being watched grew stronger.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5J0Vg3QfC
“Do you feel that?” New whispered, glancing around.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59De50aFdo
Tay nodded, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword. “We’re not alone.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVGxbTbTvs
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the mist—a young man, dressed in the traditional garb of the ancient forest guardians. His eyes gleamed with a mischievous light, and he grinned as he approached them.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcNvouXSEf
“Well, well, what do we have here?” the stranger said, his voice smooth and teasing. “A couple of lovebirds lost in the mist?”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jXMrnc0Ur
Tay stepped protectively in front of New, his grip tightening on his sword. “Who are you?”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0BLNGIWJn
The stranger laughed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Relax, I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m just… curious.” He glanced at New, his gaze lingering on the crystal in his hand. “You’ve got something interesting there, haven’t you?”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNPIZXIlbv
New tensed, his grip tightening on the crystal. “Who are you?”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6i0cbonri
The stranger smiled, his expression playful but unreadable. “Let’s just say I’m a friend. Or, I could be, if you’re willing to trust me.”
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLQyhgm8Dz
Tay didn’t lower his guard, but something about the stranger felt… familiar, as though he was part of the forest itself.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyhqigR3Mh
“Why are you here?” Tay asked, his voice firm.
205Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LyjGpXiJE
The stranger’s smile widened. “I’m here because the forest sent me. And I think we have a lot to talk about.”
ns216.73.216.176da2
