One foot out the door

The forest stretched endlessly before Kaden, a living symphony of green and gold under the dappled light of the sun. Trees towered above him, their gnarled branches interlocking to form a sprawling canopy that filtered the sunlight into soft, fragmented beams. 

The air was rich with the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves, mingling with the faint floral notes of wild blossoms hidden among the undergrowth. The forest floor was a tussle of ferns, fallen branches, and small critters darting between shadows, their lives woven seamlessly into the rhythm of the woods.

Kaden stood still, his eyes tracing the gentle sway of the trees and the flutter of bird wings above. He felt the heartbeat of the forest as if it were his own, the pulsing energy that connected every leaf, every blade of grass, every living thing. 

His chest rose and fell with its harmony, a deep breath grounding him in this sacred place. This forest was his sanctuary, his responsibility. It wasn't just a home—it was a delicate balance that he had dedicated his life to preserving.

Then he felt it—a faint, uneven ripple in the flow of energy. He turned his head sharply, his senses attuned to the disturbance. Beyond the protective barrier, vultures circled lazily in the sky, their dark forms casting eerie shadows on the treetops below. 

Their harsh cries echoed through the forest, a grim announcement of something wounded and near death. Kaden frowned, his instincts confirming what he already suspected. A beast was dying beyond the barrier, and its suffering had not gone unnoticed.

These vultures did not belong to this forest. They must have caught the scent in the skies coincidentally, pulling them towards the dying beast.

Feeding on a creature weakened but still infused with mana could elevate them unnaturally, shifting their position in the delicate web of the forest's hierarchy. If they grew stronger, they would disrupt the natural order, preying on creatures they shouldn't and throwing the entire ecosystem into chaos.

Kaden's grip on his broken spear tightened. He couldn't let that happen. The balance of the forest was his duty, his life's purpose. Every creature, every blade of grass had its place, and his was to ensure that the peace was maintained. 

Without hesitation, he began moving toward the barrier, his steps light and purposeful, his mind already focused on the task ahead. Whatever lay beyond, he would face it. The forest depended on him, and he would not fail it.

The barrier shimmered faintly in the distance, a translucent veil separating the heart of the forest from the untamed wilderness beyond. 

As Kaden approached, the air grew denser, charged with the faint hum of mana that powered the protective boundary. The forest on this side thrived in its ordered serenity, but the world beyond the barrier was wilder, its rules looser, its dangers unpredictable.

Kaden paused for a moment at the edge of the shimmering field, his sharp gaze scanning the skies. The vultures still circled above, their silhouettes black against the soft hues of the sunlit canopy. 

Their cries grated on his nerves, each one a reminder of the precarious balance hanging by a thread. He tightened his grip on his spear, his fingers brushing against the jagged break at its tip. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do.

If he couldn't defend the dying beast against the vultures and provide the beast a peaceful passing away, then as a druid he would have failed. He did not need to live anymore. He would enter the cycle and allow himself to be reborn right alongside the dying beast as was the natural order.

Kaden indifferently crossed the barrier as he placed one foot outside when suddenly his body froze. One of the vultures had caught sight of him and was diving straight for him. Right now it could almost tear apart his leg but death was almost certain if he completely stepped past the barrier.

There were three question marks above the vulture's head which meant that the bird was also a quasi-mana core being. There was no fighting against it. The streak of dark feathers and razor-sharp talons descended on him like imminent death.

However, Kaden only smiled. He would accept whatever was coming. The protective barrier buzzed faintly against his skin, its energy humming as if warning him of the imminent danger. He did not care.

If he faltered now, the balance he'd sworn to protect would tip irrevocably. His oath, his very identity, demanded action. Then something made his heart shudder. A voice deep inside him asked… what about the other oath you took?

A painful image flashed past Kaden's mind, an image was etched in the very depth of his soul. An image that he did not ever want to relive, couldn't bear to wander on, and yet couldn't allow himself to forget.

The image of a slender woman being ripped and torn to shreds by an ogre. The image of him kneeling beside her unrecognizable body and weeping.

And then opened the floodgates, letting in all of his worst nightmares barge in together.