When I opened my eyes, I expected to find my body writhing in pain after that terrible ordeal. But the reality was... strangely pleasant—nothing like I had anticipated. I had never felt so at ease in my own skin.

  The air felt different. Not just fresher or more comforting, but fuller somehow. Every breath seemed to connect me to something greater, something deeper. My lungs weren’t just taking in oxygen; every corner of my body was being filled with a new kind of energy, a subtle force that had always been foreign to me.

  I could feel my body responding differently to the world around me. The faint breeze that moved through the vault now seemed to have its own texture, caressing my bare skin and filling me with life. It felt as though I could taste every particle of air brushing against me—a sensation profoundly soothing.

  My gaze scanned the vault, taking in everything with stunning clarity despite the dim light. My vision, once clouded by years of wear and neglect, now felt reborn. As if someone had wiped clean a foggy window. Every detail, every shadow that had once been barely perceptible now stood out before me. The columns, the cracks in the ceiling, even the grain of the walls… everything was so sharp, so defined, I could hardly believe I had ever lived without this clarity.

  I was in awe of all these new sensations—until I saw Kairon. That’s when I froze. Just for an instant, I saw the image of a majestic dragon rising imposingly over the still body of the young man lying asleep. It looked hungry, devouring streams of energy with ravenous greed.

  It didn’t feel like something I was meant to witness. At once, a dull but insistent pain forced me to shut my eyes.

  Several minutes passed before I could open them again. Cautiously, I looked at Kairon’s body once more. But this time, I saw nothing but a young dragon sleeping peacefully. I stood up and walked toward him. I had so many questions. I wanted to know what I had just seen, what that place of paths had been—and more importantly, why everything now felt… so different.

  I tried shaking him. I shouted his name close to his ear. But nothing I did could wake him. If I couldn’t hear his breathing, I might’ve thought he was dead.

  I don’t know what kind of… ritual he performed, so I have no idea what price he had to pay. I only hope it’s not something that will cause him trouble down the line. I don’t want to lose my companion.

  With that thought in mind, I stepped slowly out of the cave. I was worried for his health, but I also trusted him.

  The darkness—something I had, to some extent, grown used to—still reigned outside the castle. Yet now it felt different. The night, which once resembled a wild beast ready to tear me apart, now welcomed me. The nocturnal sounds, once eerie and menacing, that used to torment my mind with constant reminders of my fate, now played like a gentle melody. A tune that eased my body, telling me I was still alive… and still fighting to forge a different fate.

  My eyes rose toward the night sky, where the stars—once distant and indifferent—now shone as if lighting my way.

  It felt like the world had accepted me. That was the sensation. Nature no longer regarded me as an intruder. It now offered its embrace, treating my presence as equal to those born of these lands. And like its oldest children, I too had a chance to grow, to learn, and to find my place.

  An indescribable sense of relief washed over me, releasing a heavy tension I hadn’t even realized I’d been carrying all this time.

  In a sudden rush of euphoria and curiosity, I climbed quickly to the top of the castle tower—my usual vantage point. I wanted to make the most of my new eyes and finally behold the nocturnal wilderness that had terrified me for so long, and until now, had remained hidden.

  I didn’t have anything magical like night vision, but at least the darkness no longer felt absolute. And the enigmatic nature of this place didn’t disappoint. In fact, it far exceeded my expectations.

  About two hundred meters from the city, a group of goats had gathered. Some were grazing, others resting, but their behavior was far from relaxed. The males had formed a protective circle around the females and the young, displaying a level of organization and intelligence that genuinely impressed me. Even more than that—it sparked a burning curiosity to discover what threat had put them on edge.

  I got my answer quickly. A sudden shiver rippled through the herd as they entered a state of high alert, and all eyes fixed on a single point in the darkness.

  Like them, I tried to spot the danger, but my enhanced vision—though impressive—was no true night vision, and the distance was significant.

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  Even so, it didn’t take long before I noticed that the area they were watching seemed to grow darker still; strangely enough, that one spot was now slightly blacker than the night around it.

  At first, I thought it was just my perception playing tricks on me—but the goats, seasoned in the art of survival, noticed the same. Four imposing males immediately leapt to the front line, ready to deliver deadly blows with their horns.

  The dance between life and death was about to begin. I wouldn’t be the one participating, but the idea of witnessing that encounter filled me with excitement—almost to the point of nervous awe.

  The goats, in contrast, remained calm, even in the face of imminent danger. A subtle display of the vast experience they carried… unlike me.

  The tension shattered with the thunderous bleat of the leader. Perhaps his vision was superior. Perhaps he possessed some special sense for detecting danger. Or maybe he was simply guided by years of hard-earned instinct. Whatever the reason, it made perfect sense that he was the one leading the herd.

  I—just like the rest of the deer—failed to detect where the attack came from. It was only thanks to that powerful “Maaah!” that the rest of the herd managed to react in time.

  In an instant, the swirling patterns on the goats' bodies flickered in the darkness, and a sharp "Clank", followed by the cry of one of them, shattered the night. It was clear these animals were no strangers to such events, and it was precisely because of that experience that the male, despite taking a heavy blow, managed to survive.

  Thanks to my panoramic view, I saw him rise almost immediately, even with a wound on his body. His bleat hadn’t been one of pain—it was a warning to his companions. And now, the entire herd knew the exact location of the attacker.

  None of them were afraid. Guided by the alpha, the animals—including the females still inside the intact circle—slammed their hooves in unison against the ground. Instantly, hundreds of earthen spikes erupted beneath the predator’s feet, though I still couldn’t see it.

  The scene was surreal. Had I been the target, I would have died under that barrage without question. Unfortunately for the deer, the faint maa hadn’t come from the enemy.

  The earthen spikes, though seemingly deadly, were shattered effortlessly by the creature hidden in the darkness. Even so, the attacks didn’t stop. At the very least, they had forced the predator into a purely defensive position.

  Seeing this stalemate, the leader of the herd didn’t hesitate. Using his own body like a projectile, he launched himself at the spot under attack—determined either to drive the enemy away or kill it. For now, they had the upper hand, but a prolonged battle would draw unwanted attention.

  "Boom!"

  The impact echoed through the air, confirming the charge had hit its mark.

  Yet, contrary to my expectations, it was the chief who went flying, thrown back at the same speed with which he had attacked. He vanished into the darkness of the valley, while the predator remained unmoved… still hidden.

  Even so, the goats didn’t flinch. The assault continued, now in turns, maintaining relentless pressure. Perhaps this was normal for them. Perhaps they knew that by the end of the night, one or several goats from the group would be dead.

  For a moment, I thought they were fighting a spirit. But whether it was some spectral being or not, from where I stood, the spectacle was awe-inspiring. It doesn’t matter what world you’re born into; living has always been a gamble against death—and it’s only with experience that one forges the mettle to look death in the eye and not look away.

  The spikes kept rising without pause, but the unknown creature continued its slow advance toward the group. The goats were strong—but he was the hunter. He could not be weaker than his prey.

  And then, in that moment of uncertainty—when the goats’ resistance felt like a futile defiance against their inevitable fate as prey—a light, like a shooting star across the sky, streaked through the battlefield.

  The leader, rejected moments earlier, charged again. This time, his strike managed to injure the enemy.

  "BOOOM!"

  “GRRRRRRRRAAARAR”

  For the first time in the battle, the creature lurking in the shadows made a sound. But it wasn’t one of rage or courage—it was a cry of pure pain.

  The beast, caught off guard by the leader’s counterattack, failed to defend itself or dodge in time, and all the good work it had done so far collapsed like a house of cards.

  The goats were the prey, yes, but that didn’t mean they were at the mercy of fate.

  This moment finally allowed me to see the predator that, until now, had only been a rumor in the dark—and it was not what I expected.

  A monstrous rat: bald, deformed, bloated as if pumped full of steroids, and plagued with grotesque mutations. At first glance, it was hard to tell whether it was a product of this world’s peculiar nature or the result of a mad scientist’s failed experiment.

  “No wonder it hides,” I thought. “If I looked like that, I’d live in the shadows too.”

  “GRAAAAAAAAAAAR”

  The creature, furious and humiliated by its own carelessness, reared up on its hind legs, roaring at the herd. That display of ferocity gave me the perfect view of its full appearance.

  Its bluish-green skin—like stagnant water covered in algae—bristled with reddish spikes along its spine: a pitiful attempt to imitate Gojira.

  Its hind legs bore five deadly claws, each the size of my fingers, accompanied by a menacing spur. Meanwhile, its front limbs had only three claws, but they were thicker, sharper, and clearly its main weapons.

  —Those claws, my deformed friend… will kill— I couldn’t help but murmur, remembering a show I used to watch.

  I smiled, never taking my eyes off the creature, now consumed by its own fury.

  Large red bulges, like tubes, sprawled across its skin, comically connecting the spines on its back to its limbs and a yellowish belly that inflated like a balloon. I assumed those were veins, pulsing with each breath—pumping blood through the beast’s mangled body. The poor thing was clearly suffering from an extreme case of varicose veins.

  Why were they so prominent? Did they serve a specific purpose? And those little spikes sprouting from the veins—were they just for show, or a form of protection?

  It was hard not to question the evolutionary path that had led these creatures to this state. Because, at first glance… none of it made any sense.