Virat: Abandoned by Destiny

Narrator

Ten Years Ago...

Morning sunlight poured over the Kingdom of Heart.

The streets were already alive.

Merchants opened their shops.

Children ran through the narrow roads.

Guards walked peacefully beneath the white banners of the kingdom.

Among them...

a young boy walked with a small basket in his hands.

His name was Keosh.

He stopped beside an elderly woman struggling to carry several bags.

"Let me help you."

The woman looked at him.

"Oh, no, dear. You should be playing with the other children."

Keosh smiled.

"I can play later."

He took the heavier bag.

The woman smiled warmly.

"You're a good boy."

Keosh looked slightly embarrassed.

"I'm not doing anything special."

He continued walking beside her.

That was Keosh.

A simple child.

Kind without trying to prove that he was kind.

He helped because someone needed help.

He smiled because there was no reason not to.

And on that peaceful morning...

nothing about him suggested that his future would be anything other than ordinary.

Present Day

Deep inside the Death Forest...

the morning light struggled to pass through the enormous trees.

Mist drifted between ancient roots.

The forest was quiet.

Too quiet.

Then—

Thud.

A young man stepped out from behind a tree.

He looked around.

His expression slowly changed.

"Where..."

He turned to the left.

Then to the right.

Nothing.

He looked behind himself.

Still nothing.

Lak scratched his head.

"...What kind of place is this?"

A distant howl echoed through the forest.

Lak froze.

His eyes slowly moved toward the darkness.

"...Nope."

He took one step backward.

Another howl followed.

Lak swallowed.

"Definitely nope."

He looked upward.

"Could've picked somewhere nicer."

The forest gave him no answer.

Lak sighed.

"Of course."

He continued walking.

A few minutes later...

his throat became dry.

Lak stopped.

He looked around.

Then noticed a small stream flowing between the trees.

His eyes brightened.

"Water."

He walked toward it.

But before touching it...

he stopped.

He stared at the clear surface.

Then at the trees surrounding it.

His expression became suspicious.

"This is the Death Forest."

He slowly pulled his hand back.

"I'm not drinking mysterious forest water."

His stomach growled.

Lak looked down.

"...I heard that."

The stream continued flowing peacefully.

Lak sighed.

"Fine. Stay there."

He turned away.

Then looked back.

"I'll come back when I find out whether you're trying to kill me."

He walked away.

A faint rustling came from the trees.

Lak stopped.

He slowly looked behind him.

Nothing.

He frowned.

"Don't."

Another rustle.

Lak pointed toward the trees.

"I'm serious."

A small creature suddenly jumped from the bushes.

Lak flinched.

"Ah!"

The creature immediately disappeared.

Silence.

Lak stood there.

Then slowly lowered his hand.

"...Nobody saw that."

He continued walking.

But the forest was watching.

Stolen novel; please report.

And something much larger was moving beneath the trees.

At the edge of Restart Village...

Alistair suddenly stopped.

His eyes narrowed.

Brald noticed.

"What is it?"

Alistair looked toward the distant forest.

"I felt something."

Brald's expression became serious.

"Something from Death Forest?"

Alistair nodded.

"Yes."

Nefi looked toward the trees.

"Another monster?"

"I don't know."

Alistair remained still.

The presence was powerful.

Not like the ordinary monsters they occasionally encountered.

Something stronger had entered the forest.

Brald tightened his grip.

"Should we send scouts?"

Alistair shook his head.

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because we don't know what we're looking for."

He looked toward the forest again.

"And if it is as powerful as I think..."

"...sending scouts blindly may only give it more targets."

Brald nodded.

"Then we'll wait."

Alistair's eyes remained fixed on the forest.

"Whatever it is..."

"It will eventually reveal itself."

Deep within Death Forest...

Lak suddenly heard something.

BOOM.

He stopped.

His expression changed.

Another sound.

BOOM.

The ground trembled beneath his feet.

Lak looked around.

"...That doesn't sound friendly."

The trees ahead suddenly broke apart.

A massive creature emerged from the darkness.

Four powerful legs.

Thick scales.

Long claws.

Two enormous wings.

A dragon.

Lak stared at it.

The dragon stared back.

For several seconds...

neither moved.

Lak slowly pointed toward it.

"You're kidding."

The dragon roared.

ROOOAAAR!

Lak jumped backward.

"Okay!"

The dragon charged.

Lak immediately moved.

BOOM!

The ground exploded where he had been standing.

Lak rolled across the dirt and jumped back up.

"Could we talk about this?"

The dragon attacked again.

Lak dodged.

Its claws ripped through a tree.

Lak glanced at the shattered trunk.

"...That was a perfectly good tree."

The dragon swung its tail.

Lak ducked.

The wind from the strike threw his hair backward.

He gritted his teeth.

"Fine."

He rushed forward.

Their clash shook the forest.

Lak fought with everything he had.

He dodged.

Countered.

Moved between the trees.

But the dragon was too strong.

Every exchange pushed him farther backward.

Lak blocked another attack.

His feet dug into the ground.

The dragon's strength forced him back.

Lak's expression became serious.

"...Yeah."

He looked at the dragon.

"This isn't going my way."

The dragon roared.

Lak jumped backward.

"I'll remember this."

He turned around.

"And I'll definitely complain about it later."

He ran.

The dragon chased him.

Restart Village

The first warning came from the birds.

Hundreds of them suddenly flew out of the forest.

The villagers looked upward.

Then—

BOOM!

The ground shook.

Brald immediately stood.

"Everyone, stay alert!"

Another tremor.

BOOM!

Guards rushed toward the entrance.

Alistair drew his weapon.

"Something is coming."

The trees at the edge of the forest suddenly collapsed.

A massive dragon stepped through them.

Silence.

For a moment...

the entire village froze.

Then someone shouted—

"Dragon!"

Panic spread.

Children were pulled away from the entrance.

T grabbed Lily's hand.

"Mother!"

Lily immediately pulled her close.

"Stay behind me."

Kai moved toward the guards.

"Everyone, keep the children back!"

Niki helped move several villagers away from the entrance.

Nefi stood beside the other guards.

Brald's expression hardened.

"Form a line!"

The guards raised their shields.

Spears pointed forward.

The dragon roared.

ROOOAAAR!

Several villagers covered their ears.

T stared at the enormous creature.

"Brother..."

V looked toward her.

"Stay with Mother."

T nodded.

"Okay."

Lily watched V carefully.

She knew that look.

V was thinking about moving forward.

And she also knew that he wouldn't simply stand by while everyone else fought.

The guards charged.

"Now!"

Spears struck the dragon's scales.

CLANG!

The dragon barely moved.

Its tail swept across the ground.

BOOM!

Several guards were thrown backward.

"Fall back!"

Another group rushed forward.

Again...

the dragon pushed them away.

Kai clenched his teeth.

"We can't stop it!"

Alistair moved forward.

Brald raised his hand.

"Wait!"

The dragon lifted one claw.

The villagers froze.

V stepped forward.

Brald immediately caught his arm.

"V."

V looked at him.

"Let me go."

"No."

Brald's voice was firm.

"You've done enough."

V looked toward the injured guards.

Then toward the dragon.

"If we keep sending them..."

"They'll only get hurt."

Brald frowned.

"That doesn't mean you should go."

V remained calm.

"I'm not going alone."

Brald looked at him.

V turned toward Tiami.

The little dragon stood nearby.

Brald's expression changed slightly.

"You mean Tiami?"

V nodded.

"Yes."

Brald looked at the dragon.

Then at Tiami.

Then back at V.

"V..."

He lowered his voice.

"Do you understand what you're suggesting?"

"Yes."

"That creature is still dangerous."

"I know."

"You could get hurt."

"I know."

Brald stared at him.

V didn't look frightened.

He wasn't acting recklessly.

He was simply certain.

Brald glanced toward Tiami again.

He remembered Liza.

The dragon who had protected this village.

The dragon who had trusted V.

The dragon whose presence still remained connected to the little creature beside him.

Brald slowly understood.

This wasn't the same as sending V alone.

And it certainly wasn't the same as sending another group of guards.

If Tiami was truly connected to Liza...

then V was probably the safest person to approach the dragon.

Brald sighed.

"You really won't listen, will you?"

V smiled faintly.

"Not this time."

Brald almost smiled.

Then his expression became serious again.

"Fine."

He released V's arm.

"But I'm trusting your judgment."

V nodded.

"I won't let anyone get hurt."

Brald looked into V's eyes.

"I know."

Behind them...

Alistair had heard everything.

He lowered his weapon.

"He made the right choice."

Lily nodded quietly.

"Tiami isn't an ordinary dragon."

Kai looked between V and Tiami.

"And V understands her better than any of us."

Nefi nodded.

"Then let them go."

Brald stepped aside.

"V."

V looked back.

"Be careful."

V smiled.

"I will."

He walked forward.

Tiami followed.

The dragon lowered its head.

Its golden eyes focused on V.

Then...

on Tiami.

V stopped.

Tiami stepped beside him.

The village became completely silent.

The dragon growled.

Tiami stared back.

She didn't move.

The dragon took one step forward.

Tiami's tiny body remained still.

Then—

something changed.

The dragon's eyes widened.

Its entire body stiffened.

A presence reached it.

Not merely power.

Authority.

Something buried deep within its instincts recognized the dragon before it.

The Queen.

Tiami.

The dragon slowly lowered its head.

One front leg bent.

Then the other.

Its enormous body lowered toward the ground.

The villagers stared.

Kai's mouth opened slightly.

"...It bowed."

Nefi whispered,

"To Tiami."

Lily smiled softly.

Brald remained silent.

He already knew.

Alistair lowered his weapon completely.

V looked at Tiami.

She turned toward him.

"Kyuu..."

V nodded.

"I know."

She looked toward the dragon.

"Kyuu."

V smiled.

"You don't want to fight it anymore?"

"Kyuu."

"Good."

T looked at the scene from behind Lily.

Her eyes sparkled.

"Mother..."

Lily looked down.

"What is it?"

"Tiami stopped the dragon."

Lily gently touched her head.

"Yes."

T looked toward V.

"Brother knew she could do it?"

Lily smiled.

"Brother trusted her."

T smiled.

Then...

a figure appeared near the village entrance.

Dirty clothes.

Messy hair.

A tired expression.

Lak.

He stopped.

He stared at the dragon.

Then at Tiami.

Then at V.

His mouth slowly opened.

"...What?"

He looked behind himself.

Then back at the dragon.

A few moments ago...

that same creature had been trying to tear him apart.

Now...

it was bowing.

Lak scratched his head.

"So that's how we're doing things here."

He looked at Tiami.

"You're apparently important."

Tiami turned her head.

"Kyuu..."

Lak blinked.

"...Did you just talk to me?"

Tiami looked away.

Lak frowned.

"Rude."

A nearby villager stared at him.

Lak noticed.

"What?"

The villager quickly looked away.

Another whispered,

"Who is he talking to?"

Lak heard it.

He looked around.

Then pointed at himself.

"Me?"

The villager nodded cautiously.

Lak sighed.

"Great."

He looked toward the sky.

"...This is going wonderfully."

The villagers exchanged confused glances.

One whispered,

"Is he..."

"Talking to himself?"

Lak turned toward them.

"Not exactly."

He paused.

"...Forget it."

Alistair's eyes immediately narrowed.

He moved behind Lak.

"Don't move."

Lak froze.

Slowly...

he turned his head.

Alistair stood behind him.

"Who are you?"

Lak looked at him.

Then at his own clothes.

Then toward the Death Forest.

"...That's a complicated question."

"You came from Death Forest."

"Technically."

"You entered our village without permission."

Lak looked around.

"Well..."

He sighed.

"That part is true."

Alistair raised his weapon slightly.

"You're under arrest until we know your identity and intentions."

Lak stared at him.

Then looked toward the dragon.

Then Tiami.

Then V.

Then back at Alistair.

"After surviving that..."

"...I'm getting arrested by the welcoming committee."

Alistair's expression didn't change.

"Hands behind your back."

Lak obeyed.

"Fine."

Alistair restrained him.

Lak looked toward the village.

"First day here..."

He sighed.

"Already making friends."

Alistair pushed him forward.

"Walk."

Lak walked.

Then looked toward the sky again.

"You couldn't have given me one peaceful day?"

Nothing answered.

Lak frowned.

"...Thought so."

The nearby villagers stared at him.

One shook his head.

"Definitely strange."

Another nodded.

"Probably crazy."

Lak heard them.

He smiled faintly.

"You're not completely wrong."

Alistair looked at him.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

The dragon slowly rose.

It looked once more toward Tiami.

Then toward V.

Its head lowered in respect.

Tiami gave a quiet sound.

"Kyuu."

The dragon understood.

It turned away.

Then walked back toward the Death Forest.

The villagers watched until it disappeared between the trees.

Only then did everyone breathe again.

Kai looked at the damaged entrance.

"We survived."

Nefi smiled.

"Because V and Tiami stopped it."

Brald looked toward V.

A proud smile appeared on his face.

"You made the right choice."

V looked at Tiami.

"I just trusted her."

Brald nodded.

"Sometimes..."

"That is the right choice."

Lily walked toward V.

She gently placed a hand on his head.

"You did well."

V smiled.

T ran toward him.

"Brother!"

V crouched.

T hugged him.

V smiled and gently patted her head.

Tiami stood beside them.

For a moment...

the fear of the dragon seemed far away.

The damaged gates could be repaired.

The broken ground could be rebuilt.

The village could return to normal.

Everyone was safe.

And that was what mattered.

Farther away...

Alistair continued leading Lak toward the village center.

Lak looked back once.

He saw V.

Tiami.

T.

Lily.

Brald.

The peaceful village.

Then he looked toward the Death Forest.

His expression became thoughtful.

For the first time...

he didn't complain.

He simply smiled.

Then, after a moment—

"...Still hate that forest."

Alistair glanced at him.

"What?"

Lak shook his head.

"Nothing."

He continued walking.

Behind them...

the evening sun slowly disappeared beyond the mountains.

The river reflected the final light of the day.

The villagers returned to their homes.

Children laughed again.

The guards began repairing the damaged entrance.

T stayed close to Lily.

V remained beside Tiami.

And the village...

was peaceful once more.

Tonight...

there would be no battle.

No fear.

No screams.

Only the quiet sound of the river...

and the warmth of home.

For one night, Restart Village was safe.