The Flower Is Finished

I could only stand frozen as I thought about everything. After the Elder gave his warning, I carefully left Lira in his care.

"Lira, sweetheart, you have to listen to Grandpa, okay? Don't be naughty and make Grandpa struggle with your mischief," I said gently, lowering myself to her height. She hugged me tightly.

"Where are you going, big sister?" she asked, her face already on the verge of tears. I chuckled softly at her question.

"Big sister is going to earn some money first. After that, we'll buy candy for Lira. Wait for me, okay?"

"So Lira has to be patient, so big sister can collect the money quickly."

"I don't want candy. I just want you here, playing with me," she said, hugging me even tighter. I slowly tried to loosen her grip.

"Lira, don't you want pretty clothes and lots of toys?" I asked. She nodded, then shook her head again, clearly torn.

"That's why big sister is going to earn money, to buy toys for Lira," I said. She finally nodded, looking at me with her innocent eyes.

I looked at her with unease in my heart, then hurried away, leaving the village behind.

"Grandpa, I'm entrusting Lira to you," I said, waving my hand. He only nodded in response.

I walked through the forest accompanied by a small bird.

"Aren't you the bird from back then?" I asked, but it stayed silent on my shoulder as if it couldn't speak.

I scratched my head, though it didn't itch, confused. "Did I misjudge you… or mistake you for someone else?" I muttered softly, glancing around.

As evening approached, I decided to look for dinner. By chance, there was a river not far from where I was.

I quickly made a spear from bamboo and began fishing as the sun neared the horizon.

In less than half an hour, I managed to catch a fairly large fish and cleaned it.

The sun finally set, replaced by the glow of a fire that brought warmth to the cold air. I paused, thinking about Lira's condition.

A wolf's howl echoed through the night. Hearing it repeatedly, I immediately extinguished the fire and climbed a tree that looked tall and sturdy enough.

I could have slept on the ground, but there was no one to take turns keeping watch. So I chose to sleep on a high branch, where I would be safer from wild animals.

After arranging some branches and making sure I wouldn't fall, I lay down.

I gazed at the sky and exhaled slowly, wondering what would happen next, knowing the journey ahead would be long.

Morning came, and I prepared to leave the forest. I was still deep within it, heading toward the palace.

I relied on the small bird that kept flying around me. It chirped from time to time, but I ignored it. My goal was clear—to meet Xanders.

My stomach growled as the sun climbed higher, its heat beating down on my head. I began searching for a simple meal.

I spotted some nearly ripe bananas and picked them to eat. Suddenly, a group of monkeys screeched loudly. I looked around, sensing something was wrong.

"What's going on? Why are they screaming?" I muttered, reaching for the dagger I had brought from home.

Sure enough, a giant lizard had entered the area. Some monkeys were devoured instantly, while others fled. I was about to run too, but the creature suddenly turned its sharp gaze toward me, as if I were its next meal.

My lips went dry. My legs refused to move. I stood frozen until a voice snapped me back to reality.

"Run."

The voice was loud. I looked around, but there was no one else there—only me. Still, I obeyed without knowing who had spoken.

The giant lizard charged into the forest, chasing me. I ran as fast as I could.

"If I keep running like this, I'll end up being eaten. I need a way to kill it," I thought. They were agile, and their sense of smell seemed incredibly sharp.

This was my first time seeing such a massive lizard, far larger than normal. A foul stench poured from its mouth, and its roar thundered through the forest. I focused on evading it.

Ahead of me was a cliff. I grabbed a rope from my bag and formed a loop, preparing to jump. But before I committed, I reconsidered. A second plan would be better—one that wouldn't kill them instantly.

I glanced back. The giant lizard was still chasing me. My breath came in ragged gasps. Now there were two massive lizards behind me, fast and relentless.

"I should hide first."

I ducked behind a large tree. Both creatures searched for me. Panting, I watched them while tying the rope I had taken from my bag.

I ran again toward the cliff. The lizards noticed and followed. I quickly looped and secured the rope I had prepared earlier, moving fast so they wouldn't realize I was setting a trap.

I tied the rope in the opposite direction between trees, so that when they charged through, they would trip. Beneath the ground, I planted a sharp dagger.

Moving quietly, I set three daggers I had brought from home. I placed two of them at a distance apart so they wouldn't notice. Before planting them, I coated their tips with poison so the pain wouldn't come immediately.

Once the traps were set, I ran out as bait, leading them straight toward the snares.

The rope lay ahead. I leapt over it, but they didn't notice.

As soon as one of them hit the rope, the dagger slashed straight into its chest. A painful roar echoed through the forest. I rushed in and stabbed one of its eyes. Its howl grew louder, and as it struggled, it scraped against the daggers embedded in the ground.

The second lizard tried to attack, but I leapt onto its body, then sprang up into a tree branch. Instead of hitting me, it crashed into the other lizard.

A foul stench filled the air as the trapped one died. The roars grew deafening, signaling unbearable pain. The remaining lizard glared at me with pure hatred, as if preparing to strike.

"Feel that," I spat, staring back at it.

I stayed on the tree branch at a safe distance. Once I was sure it was safe, I drank the water I had brought from the river.

I wiped my lips and glared at the beast.

"Damn it… I've barely left home, and already something is hunting me," I muttered, still locking eyes with the giant lizard.