Journey To West

Everything Started To Happen.

The years passed swiftly, carrying with them countless peaceful memories.

Before they realized it, Gantara and his friends had reached the age of eighteen—a time when curiosity burned brighter than caution, dreams felt limitless, and youthful pride often overshadowed wisdom.

Among them, Gantara had grown into a confident young man. He carried himself with quiet determination, yet beneath his confidence remained a heart untouched by malice. Compassion came naturally to him, a gift he had inherited from both of his parents. The people of Gaztra often said that Gantara possessed his father’s courage and his mother’s kindness.

Whenever they had free time, Gantara and his three closest friends gathered at their favorite place—an abandoned archery range on the outskirts of the village. Once a lively training ground, it had long since fallen silent, leaving behind weathered wooden targets and overgrown fields where nature had reclaimed its place.

To them, however, it was more than an abandoned field.

It was where they laughed together, argued over impossible dreams, and imagined the futures they hoped to create.

As the warm afternoon sun slowly descended, the four friends sat beneath the shade of an old oak tree, talking as they always did.

The first to break the silence was Arlot.

Arlot was full of energy and confidence, never afraid to speak his mind. Unfortunately, his courage was often matched by an equal amount of recklessness, earning him endless lectures from the village elders.

Beside him sat Nolia, a shy young woman whose gentle nature made her one of the kindest people in Gaztra. Years ago, Gantara and Arlot had first met her when they caught her secretly watching the village festival from the window of her room. Too timid to join the celebration herself, she had simply admired it from afar. Since that day, the three had become inseparable.

Leaning quietly against one of the old wooden targets was Ziran.

Unlike the others, Ziran rarely spoke unless he believed his words truly mattered. Quiet, observant, and exceptionally intelligent, he was considered the brightest student in the village despite being the youngest among the four.

Stretching his arms behind his head, Arlot suddenly grinned.

“Hey, did you hear what happened yesterday?” he asked.

The others looked toward him.

“My father was hunting outside the village when he found a man lying unconscious beside the river. He wanted to help him, but Uncle Argo was suddenly bitten by a snake. Father had no choice but to save Uncle Argo first. But when they returned to the river…”

Arlot paused dramatically.

“…the man had disappeared.”

Gantara chuckled.

“He was probably just a farmer taking a nap.”

Nolia remained silent, quietly observing the conversation, while Ziran simply listened without saying a word.

Arlot shook his head.

“I don’t think so. My father said the man’s clothes were torn to pieces and covered in dirt… He looked like someone who had come out of Exodus Forest.”

The cheerful atmosphere vanished instantly.

Silence settled over the abandoned archery range.

At the mention of that f*******n place, everyone instinctively became uneasy.

Ziran slowly frowned, his sharp mind already piecing together possibilities.

“I don’t think we should concern ourselves with things that come from Exodus,” he said coldly. “Nothing good ever follows that forest.”

Realizing he had made the mood too heavy, Arlot quickly laughed.

“Come on, forget about it! How about we go fishing tomorrow at Moonroe River? Uncle Argo says there are enormous fish there.”

Nolia hesitated.

“B-but… isn’t Moonroe River close to the border of Exodus Forest?”

Arlot waved dismissively.

“Relax. We’ll stay on our side of the river, and we’ll go during the day. There’s nothing to worry about.”

After exchanging glances, everyone eventually agreed.

A relaxing day by the river sounded far better than dwelling on frightening stories.

As the evening sky turned golden and the village bells announced dinnertime, the four friends said their goodbyes and returned to their respective homes.

────────

Inside the Laguin household, the aroma of freshly prepared food filled the room.

Guntama, Hexa, and Gantara sat together around the wooden dining table, enjoying a warm meal prepared with love.

For the Laguin family, dinner was more than a meal.

It was the one moment each day when they could forget the burdens of leadership, responsibilities, and the outside world—sharing nothing but laughter, stories, and the comfort of being together.

The conversation around the dinner table continued peacefully until Guntama’s expression slowly turned serious.

“There is something I need to tell you,” he said, setting down his cup.

Both Hexa and Gantara looked at him.

“This afternoon, one of the hunters reported finding an unconscious man lying beside the river. By the time help returned, he had vanished without a trace.”

Gantara immediately remembered Arlot’s story.

“So… it wasn’t just a rumor?”

Guntama slowly nodded.

“It was real.”

He looked directly into Gantara’s eyes.

“I want you to promise me something. Do not leave the village at night, especially anywhere near the river.”

His voice was calm, yet unusually firm.

“What makes this strange,” Guntama continued, “is that I have never seen that man before. I know nearly everyone living in Gaztra and the neighboring settlements. Yet no one recognizes him. What’s more troubling is that he disappeared far too quickly for someone who had supposedly been unconscious.”

An uneasy silence settled over the table.

Hexa lowered her gaze before speaking quietly.

“Do you think… something like what happened twenty years ago… is happening again?”

Before she could continue, Guntama shot her a sharp glance.

His eyes alone were enough to tell her not to say another word.

Hexa immediately fell silent.

Across the table, Gantara looked back and forth between his parents, his face filled with confusion.

“Twenty years ago?”

Neither of them answered.

Instead, Guntama forced a smile and effortlessly changed the subject, talking about the upcoming village parade as if nothing had happened.

But the question remained inside Gantara’s mind.

⸻

That night, as he lay in bed staring at the wooden ceiling of his room, sleep refused to come.

His mother’s words echoed over and over in his thoughts.

“Something like what happened twenty years ago…”

“What happened back then?” he whispered to himself.

“If something terrible really happened… why has no one ever spoken about it?”

For the first time in his life, Gantara felt as though Gaztra was hiding a secret buried far deeper than anyone wished to admit.

Eventually, exhaustion overcame his curiosity, and he drifted into sleep.

⸻

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight poured through his bedroom window.

After washing up, Gantara joined his mother in the kitchen.

“Mother,” he said with a smile, “Arlot invited us to go fishing today. May I go?”

Hexa returned the smile immediately.

“Of course. Just don’t stay out too late.”

Gantara looked around the house.

“Where’s Father? He’s usually here this early.”

Hexa gently placed a basket of bread onto the table.

“Your father left before sunrise. The village elders have called an emergency meeting. They’re probably discussing preparations for this year’s parade…”

She hesitated briefly.

“…and perhaps the incident by the river.”

Gantara quietly nodded before grabbing his fishing rod and leaving the house.

⸻

The streets of Gaztra were already alive with the sounds of merchants opening their shops and children running through the village.

Halfway to the old archery range, Gantara heard a familiar voice.

“Gantara!”

It was Arlot.

He jogged over, carrying two fishing rods across his shoulder.

“My father left for the elders’ meeting before dawn,” Arlot said. “That’s unusual.”

Gantara looked surprised.

“Your father too? I thought he retired from the village council months ago.”

Arlot scratched the back of his head.

“Exactly. That’s why it feels strange.”

Arlot’s father had once served as Gaztra’s military strategist and war adviser. Respected for both his wisdom and battlefield experience, he had stepped down at the beginning of the year, choosing a quiet life with his family instead.

For him to be summoned again…

Something important must have happened.

Neither of them spoke after that.

The two friends simply continued walking together toward their meeting place.

When they finally arrived at the abandoned archery range, Ziran and Nolia were already waiting.

Their fishing equipment had been neatly prepared, complete with fresh bait packed into small wooden containers.

Everything was ready.