The night was still, save for the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. The campfire cast a gentle glow around them, but its warmth did little to ease the tension in the air. Tay couldn’t sleep. His mind was racing with everything that had happened—the Guardian’s appearance, the Keeper’s threat, and most of all, New’s quiet struggle with the powers he didn’t yet understand.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAA6cxGeqeXL
Tay’s gaze drifted to New, who was lying beside him, finally asleep after hours of silent contemplation. The soft rise and fall of New’s chest was the only thing keeping Tay grounded in the moment. He wanted to protect New, to shield him from the burden of the magic and the dangers it brought, but he knew that wasn’t possible. This journey was something they had to face together, no matter how terrifying it became.
144Please respect copyright.PENANANQ78UWUpBV
Ryu sat by the fire, sharpening his blade in the quiet, his eyes flickering to Tay. “Can’t sleep?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
144Please respect copyright.PENANA9jekEeldol
Tay shook his head, glancing at the crystal still clutched in New’s hand. “There’s too much on my mind,” he admitted. “I can’t stop thinking about what the Guardian said… about our bond.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANADlQX80CzIg
Ryu’s expression softened. “You care about him. That much is obvious. But you can’t carry this all on your own.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANA5VF5RpcD0f
Tay sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I just… I don’t want to lose him.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANASJ8QZcpQqf
“You won’t,” Ryu said firmly. “But you also can’t control everything. Trust him. Trust that he’s strong enough to handle what’s coming.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAomlILmdduU
Tay nodded, though his heart still felt heavy. “It’s hard to watch him struggle like this,” he murmured. “I feel so helpless.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAqyRwgy3YzA
Ryu looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and understanding. “You’re doing more than you realize, Tay. Just being here, standing by his side—that’s what matters most.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANALzExsGahaQ
Tay stared into the fire for a long moment, letting Ryu’s words sink in. He knew Ryu was right, but the weight of responsibility still pressed down on him. He had to do more—he had to make a promise, not just to New, but to himself.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAGG3lW1Hjcf
Quietly, so as not to wake New, Tay stood and walked a few steps away from the camp, his gaze fixed on the distant shadows of the forest. The mist seemed to pulse with life, watching, waiting.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAG2V8euAOLH
Tay knelt down, pressing his hand to the earth as if speaking directly to the forest itself. “I swear,” he whispered, “I will protect him. No matter what it takes, no matter what comes, I won’t let him face this alone. This is my oath.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAs1Z9plpMDD
The air around him seemed to shift in response, as though the forest had heard his vow and accepted it. For a brief moment, the mist parted, revealing the faint outline of something ancient and powerful watching over them. But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving Tay alone with the fire and the stars.
144Please respect copyright.PENANABSCud2y4LQ
144Please respect copyright.PENANAYZHvRXthkg
---
144Please respect copyright.PENANAzgGjArblP4
The next morning, the atmosphere around camp was noticeably lighter. New seemed more at ease, his grip on the crystal no longer as tense. As the group prepared to move deeper into the forest, Tay felt a renewed sense of purpose. His oath had solidified something within him—he wasn’t just protecting New out of love, but out of a deeper connection to the magic that surrounded them.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAe0HxOHR3DO
As they packed their supplies, Jarin approached Tay with a thoughtful look. “I saw you last night,” he said quietly, glancing at the spot where Tay had made his oath. “That was a powerful vow.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANApoLp06dhEr
Tay looked at him, surprised. “You felt it?”
144Please respect copyright.PENANApezrRU6lBk
Jarin nodded. “The forest responds to oaths like that. It will hold you to it.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAjjQqUHlRTE
Tay swallowed hard. He had felt the weight of his words in that moment, but hearing Jarin confirm it made the reality of his promise even more profound.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAq30kJdpgO3
“What does that mean?” Tay asked, his voice low.
144Please respect copyright.PENANACnOsQuUMQZ
“It means you’re bound to New in more ways than one,” Jarin replied. “The forest won’t let you break that promise. You’ve become part of something bigger.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAd4Y4z30pUe
Tay nodded, feeling the gravity of the situation settle over him. He had known that making the vow would come with consequences, but now it felt even more real.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAoG5mYV3dtn
144Please respect copyright.PENANAQOaoiVZQgM
---
144Please respect copyright.PENANAyW5vTc6bp0
As the group set off into the deeper part of the forest, New walked alongside Tay, their shoulders brushing as they navigated the winding path. There was a newfound ease between them, the tension of the past few days giving way to a quiet understanding.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAFdyR6SgUZH
“What did you do last night?” New asked, glancing at Tay curiously. “I felt something… different when I woke up.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAdNCxg0zE4S
Tay smiled softly, his hand brushing against New’s. “I made a promise,” he said. “To protect you, no matter what.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAcwQY2xST4k
New’s expression softened, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You don’t have to carry all of this alone, you know,” he said quietly. “We’re in this together.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANA69hOEwD0gd
Tay nodded, his heart swelling with affection for New. “I know. But I still want to protect you, even if you don’t need me to.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAX5O8Akw17X
New laughed softly, leaning into Tay’s shoulder. “I’ll always need you, Tay. That’s never going to change.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAxA1bcszcm1
They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the mist swirling around them like a living entity. But as they ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, the feeling of being watched grew stronger.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAS5vxJqrZxY
“Do you feel that?” New whispered, glancing around.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAhYX2sHekp6
Tay nodded, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword. “We’re not alone.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANA8PCtPnybey
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the mist—a young man, dressed in the traditional garb of the ancient forest guardians. His eyes gleamed with a mischievous light, and he grinned as he approached them.
144Please respect copyright.PENANAklhI8n77pd
“Well, well, what do we have here?” the stranger said, his voice smooth and teasing. “A couple of lovebirds lost in the mist?”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAF2kauwt5rl
Tay stepped protectively in front of New, his grip tightening on his sword. “Who are you?”
144Please respect copyright.PENANA4DcS3mQTtP
The stranger laughed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Relax, I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m just… curious.” He glanced at New, his gaze lingering on the crystal in his hand. “You’ve got something interesting there, haven’t you?”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAGib4D7kS6H
New tensed, his grip tightening on the crystal. “Who are you?”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAqtheMyDbOR
The stranger smiled, his expression playful but unreadable. “Let’s just say I’m a friend. Or, I could be, if you’re willing to trust me.”
144Please respect copyright.PENANAG1giDWNvEE
Tay didn’t lower his guard, but something about the stranger felt… familiar, as though he was part of the forest itself.
144Please respect copyright.PENANATLlysH523b
“Why are you here?” Tay asked, his voice firm.
144Please respect copyright.PENANA4VLdebXpTk
The stranger’s smile widened. “I’m here because the forest sent me. And I think we have a lot to talk about.”
ns18.118.109.216da2