Chapter 3: Unknown boy

(3rd POV)

The beautiful sun rose from the horizon illuminating the world and announcing the start of a new day. Somewhere in the woods, far away from any human civilisation, a small house built from wood could be found hidden between the tall trees. The house was very simple, with nothing worthy of mentioning except its strange place.

Suddenly, the door of the small house opened and a small girl barely 12 or 13 years old left the house. Even though she's still tiny, it was very apparent that she would become a striking beauty when she grew up. Her beautiful silver hair reached the middle of her small back along with her sky blue eyes that could captivate anyone who looked at them.

"Grandpa, I'm leaving to collect some fruits." The girl turned to face the house, and there stood an old man. Just from his face full of wrinkles and his rather skinny body, you can deduce that he was ancient, but even with that, he was full of vitality with no apparent fatigue or illness because of his age.

"Flora, Be careful out there. You never know what could attack you in the woods." His deep voice carried a hint of worry for his grandchild.

"I'm training under the best swordsman in these lands. Some frail animals won't be of any threat to me." She said with a big smile on her gorgeous face while tapping on the iron sword that stuck to her hip. Her attire contrasted her adorable features and cute smile.

"Spare me the compliments, brat! Now, off you go." Laughed the old man heartily as he saw Flora off. The little girl didn't reply and just disappeared like a whirlwind, passing dozens of meters in a few seconds. It was a feat that without magic, was impossible for any human. Still, Flora could enhance her body with magic and increase her power, speed, endurance and many other functions that her body could do but to a specific limit.

The woods were like an open book for her. It was not the first time she ventured into these forests and could navigate her way through easily. Since she could remember, she was raised in the embrace of this forest, so she considered it her home.

Flora's silhouette moved from a tree branch to another like a shadow that the naked eye couldn't follow.

"Now, where could I find some Raspberries for the jam?" Muttered Flora to herself, looking left and right. 10 Minutes passed, and she probably covered 20 kilometres searching with nothing to be found. The sounds of birds whistling and the distant growls of animals completed the typical picture of a jungle yet also created a sense of peace for Flora.

"Sigh, I guess I don't have a choice." She stopped on top of one of the branches. With a thought, her right hand started glowing in a green light, and a weird circle full of engravings and unknown letters appeared on the tip of her fingers. Such a scene as possible in this world where magic was existed and was used on a regular daily basis by the people.

Flora closed her eyes, and one thought appeared in her mind 'Scan'. The glow in her hand intensified, and the circle started moving slowly.

In her mind, she could feel the existence of everything in a radius of 30 kilometres around her. From animals to plants and everything in between, she could feel their 'life aura'. Life aura is the energy that every living creature has, and it represents their life and there exists as a whole.

But to her surprise, there was something else that she found that stood out of the norm. She felt the aura of a human being. Her shock quickly turned to wariness as humans never enter these woods. It was rumoured that this place was cursed so that anyone who steps in here dies eventually. Of course, these were nothing but rumours and myths that had no relation to reality.

"He seems unconscious. I might as well see who is intruding here." She pulled her sword and readied herself, and then moved to the place of her target stealthily. 2 minutes of running from one tree to another was enough for her to reach him.

There she found a young man, the same age as her, lying unconscious on one of the giant tree branches. The young man was in a tattered state with injuries covering his body. But that didn't ruin his exceptionally handsome face that could make any maiden's heart beat faster. Flora didn't care about that and just checked if the boy was alive or dead. His rhythmic breathing pattern was enough for her to know that he was still hanging on his dear life.

"He's breathing." Said Flora, seemingly thinking of what to do. If it weren't necessary, then she would instead not show him her house, but for some reason, she felt the need to help the young man. It was a weird feeling, not love or interest. If she had to describe it, she would say it felt like a duty. As if she didn't do it, something horrible would happen. She had never had such a feeling before, but she rather not experience it again.

Complying with her foreign feelings, she lifted the boy slowly and returned from the way she came going back to her house.