Chapter five:The spiritual spring
1086 Words
Kairo had been following his father's trail for two days.
The further he travelled, the more dangerous the Outland became.
The creatures were stronger.
The plants were stranger.
Even the air felt different.
Yet Kairo continued forward.
His father's map had brought him this far, and he had no intention of turning back.
On the third morning, while studying the map beside an enormous tree, he noticed something he had overlooked before.
A small symbol had been drawn away from the main trail.
A circle surrounded by three lines.
Beneath it, his father had written a single word:
Spring.
Kairo's eyes narrowed.
"A spring?"
He looked at the surrounding forest.
There was no indication of water nearby.
Curious, he followed the marked path.
After nearly an hour, the trees became thicker.
Then he heard it.
Water.
Kairo pushed through a wall of vines.
His eyes widened.
A beautiful pool lay hidden inside a small valley.
The water was perfectly clear, almost glowing beneath the sunlight.
Mist floated above its surface.
Kairo immediately understood.
"This isn't ordinary water."
His father had deliberately marked this place.
But before he could approach—
ROOOAAAR!
The ground shook.
Kairo turned.
A massive beast emerged from behind the rocks.
It resembled a bear, but it was far larger, with dark stone-like plates covering its shoulders and forearms. Two thick horns curved backward from its skull.
Its eyes locked onto Kairo.
Kairo slowly drew his weapon.
"So you're the guardian."
The beast slammed both fists against the ground.
BOOM!
Kairo jumped aside as the earth cracked.
The beast charged.
Kairo waited until the last moment.
Then he moved.
The creature's fist smashed into the ground.
Kairo climbed onto its arm and drove his blade toward its neck.
CLANG!
The blade barely penetrated the thick hide.
The beast swung its other arm.
Kairo was thrown through the air.
He crashed against a tree.
Pain shot through his back.
He immediately rolled away as another attack destroyed the tree behind him.
Kairo stood.
"This thing is stronger than anything I've fought."
The beast roared and charged again.
Kairo didn't retreat this time.
He ran toward it.
At the last second, he slid beneath its body.
He struck the beast's rear leg.
The creature stumbled.
Kairo jumped onto its back.
He grabbed one of its horns and pulled with everything he had.
The beast violently shook its body.
Kairo almost fell.
He tightened his grip.
"Come on!"
The beast slammed itself against a rock.
Kairo released the horn just before impact.
He landed behind it.
The beast turned.
Kairo saw an opening.
He rushed forward.
His blade struck the creature directly beneath its jaw.
This time, the weapon pierced through.
The beast roared.
Its body staggered.
Kairo pulled the blade free and struck again.
The enormous creature finally collapsed.
THUD.
Kairo stood over it, breathing heavily.
He looked toward the spring.
Then back at the beast.
"If Father marked this place..."
He looked at the carcass.
"...there must be a reason."
Kairo spent the next hour preparing the meat.
He didn't know exactly what kind of creature he had killed, but the flesh was unusually dense.
He built a fire beside the spring and began cooking.
The smell filled the valley.
When the meat was ready, Kairo took a bite.
His eyes widened.
Power suddenly rushed through his body.
"What—?"
His muscles tightened.
His heartbeat accelerated.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Kairo dropped the meat.
Energy surged through every part of him.
It was too much.
His body felt as though it were being filled from the inside.
He staggered.
"Too much..."
His vision blurred.
His veins burned.
He dropped to one knee.
The power continued pouring into him.
His body couldn't contain it.
Kairo looked toward the spring.
Without hesitation, he ran.
He jumped into the water.
SPLASH!
The moment his body entered the spring—
Everything changed.
A cool sensation spread through him.
The burning disappeared.
The violent energy inside his body began settling.
Kairo closed his eyes.
He floated in the water.
For the first time since eating the beast, he could breathe normally.
"This water..."
He looked around.
The spring's energy was flowing through his body like cold rain.
After several minutes, he climbed out.
Then he looked at the remaining meat.
He hesitated.
Then laughed.
"So that's how it works."
He ate again.
The power surged.
Kairo immediately jumped back into the spring.
He remained there until his body stabilised.
Then he repeated it.
Eat.
Enter the spring.
Recover.
Eat.
Enter the spring.
Recover.
He continued for four days.
On the third night, Kairo sat inside the spring beneath the moonlight.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
Something was different.
A faint light was coming from his body.
He looked down.
The tattoos on his chest were glowing.
Kairo froze.
One by one, the tattoos began emitting a faint light beneath his skin.
"What..."
He touched one.
A powerful sensation surged through him.
His muscles tightened.
Strength flowed through his body.
Kairo clenched his fist.
The water around his hand trembled.
For the first time in his life, he could feel something inside his tattoos.
They weren't awakening.
Not yet.
But they were responding.
Kairo smiled.
"Father..."
He looked toward the night sky.
"What exactly did you know about this place?"
By the fourth morning, Kairo had recovered completely.
He stepped out of the spring and stretched.
His body felt different.
Stronger.
Lighter.
More alive.
He returned to the fire and found the remaining meat.
Before he could take a bite—
A small white creature appeared.
Kairo stopped.
It was a fox.
Tiny.
Pure white.
Its eyes were bright and strangely intelligent.
It walked directly toward the meat.
Kairo stared.
"Seriously?"
The fox grabbed a piece.
Kairo chased it away.
"Get out of here."
The fox ran into the bushes.
Kairo returned to the meat.
A few minutes later—
The fox came back.
Kairo stared at it.
The fox stared back.
"You've got courage."
The fox approached the meat again.
Kairo sighed.
"Fine."
He pretended not to notice.
The fox began eating.
Kairo ate as well.
For several minutes, everything was peaceful.
Then—
Rustle.
Kairo stopped chewing.
The fox froze.
The bushes behind them moved.
Kairo immediately stood.
His hand went to his weapon.
The peaceful atmosphere vanished.
Something was approaching.
Something large.
Kairo stared into the bushes.
The fox slowly lowered its ears.
Another rustle.
Kairo tightened his grip.
His eyes narrowed.
Whatever was coming...
wasn't alone.
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