The concerned bird

Hael had lived his entire life in the confines of Aphthonia, though to the young man, it didn't feel like he was confined at all. 

How could a person recognize they were confined to a place when that place was all they had ever known? The forest had always been Hael's home, a sanctuary he'd never questioned. Yet now, for the first time, he felt the stirrings of something he couldn't ignore—a yearning to leave the familiar, to step into the unknown. The thought was unsettling, even terrifying, but it was there, a deep desire to experience something beyond the trees and shadows that had shaped his entire existence.

Hael was troubled by these thoughts and couldn't sleep well for the next two days. And his strange behavior didn't go unnoticed by the perceptive bird. The man was lost in thought and had a troubled expression on his face. He couldn't help but wonder if the human who had arrived two days ago was the cause of his absentmindedness. Loki started to feel unease as he watched his dear friend, and he realized that he had felt it from the moment those three men had arrived. 

Loki feared for some time now that his friend would someday grow tired of the forest, and would wish to venture out into the world like he was originally intended to do. It was human nature to be curious and not want to be tied down to a single place after all. Though Loki hadn't been around humans much, he was aware of the way they operated. They were different from animals. However, he had thought differently from Hael who grew up surrounded by animals. Loki hoped he'd adopt some of their behavior, but this incident was proving it wouldn't be the case. He was aware Hael would have to leave, but he didn't think it would be so soon. 

The white cockatoo wasn't the only one who sensed this change within their friend. Brontus, Maximus as well as the other animals could tell their friend's heart was growing restless. 

"Well, we all knew this day would come." Maximus said as he munched on some leaves. 

Brontus sauntered his way through the hoard of chimpanzees, and settled on the grass, next to the gorilla. "Do you think he'll follow that woman when she comes back?" He asked. 

"I'm not sure. But it is likely that he will. You heard how wonderful she made Trojas to be." Loki said. "She did however fail to mention how terrible the kingdom has become." He added. 

This piece of information surprised the others. "How do you know what Trojas is like?" One of the animals asked. 

"I once ventured out of the forest. It was around the time when Yuuja had gotten weaker. Out of curiosity, I went out and flew across the land. I happened to overhear the people complaining about how bad their king had gotten." He explained. 

"I see. So she purposefully left out the bad stuff to entice him. It's obvious she's trying to manipulate him so they can start hunting in the forest again." Brontus said. 

"Such is the way of the human." Maximus replied. 

Loki sighed. "I don't like her very much. She's obviously trying to take Hael away for her own nefarious plans." He grumbled. 

Maximus snorted. "Aren't you forgetting that Hael is going to have to leave eventually? Doesn't he have an important mission he needs to accomplish?" 

Brontus nodded in agreement. "He does! The goddess said so, however, she never explained how or the reason he would leave. Maybe that human is the catalyst." The bear thought. 

"Still, I don't think she needs to fabricate stories just to convince him to leave." The bird muttered. 

"...I guess we'll see how many more lies she will feed Hael." 

*

Two days later, Anthanasia returned to the forest, where Hael was already waiting to greet her.

Since dawn had broken, the young man had gone through his usual morning routine, but today, there was a sense of urgency in his movements. Once finished, he made his way to the entrance of the forest and waited patiently for the huntress to arrive.

Though his expression remained as unreadable as ever, there was a subtle shift in his demeanor—his blue eyes seemed to glimmer in the sunlight, and if one looked closely, they might notice the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Hael was clearly pleased to see her, and even more so that she had kept her promise.

They made their way back to the spot where they had spent hours talking, and Anthanasia pulled out a popular snack that the children in the city often enjoyed as a token of her appreciation. Hael eyed the snack with cautious curiosity before unwrapping it and popping the pastry into his mouth.

The mixture of sweet and salty flavors was a bit of a surprise to Hael, whose palate had yet to experience such a combination. The first bite left him unsure, but by the time he finished the second piece, he had grown accustomed to the taste. Anthanasia watched him with a quiet smile as Hael devoured the treat, clearly enjoying it despite his initial hesitation.

I should make sure to buy some more for next time, she thought. 

The two continued their conversation, with Anthanasia sharing stories about her family and upbringing. She spoke of how she became a huntsman and what life in the guild was like. As before, she focused on the positive, carefully avoiding any mention of the darker sides of her life. But after a while, her words faltered, and a troubled expression crossed her face.

Hael tilted his head in confusion, sensing a shift in her mood. Noticing his perplexity, Anthanasia sighed deeply, her gaze turning distant as she weighed what to say next.

"To be honest, I've only told you about the good things about Trojas until now Hael," she started to say. "But things have gotten pretty bad over the last five years…more notably with the King. Though we know the cause of his change, it still doesn't excuse the fact that our Kingdom isn't prospering like it used to." 

The thing about Trojas was that it had a patron goddess—Aria. But unlike most nations, where prosperity and growth were tied directly to their deity, Trojas was different. The King served as a kind of earthly proxy for the goddess. He wielded immense power, and the kingdom's well-being was intrinsically linked to his state of mind. If the King faltered, especially mentally or emotionally, the entire kingdom would suffer alongside him.

"...In terms of morale, we're at an all-time low," Anthanasia said, her voice heavy as she began recounting the terrible things the King had done since his transformation.

Hael's expression shifted from concern to outright anger as she spoke. He couldn't understand why a King—blessed with a beautiful land, loyal people, and boundless wealth—would choose to abuse his power and mistreat those he was meant to protect.

The more he listened, the more incomprehensible the King's actions became. To Hael, each cruel decision was a puzzle with no solution. Yet, despite his growing distaste for the King, an unsettling curiosity lingered within him. He still wanted to understand who this mysterious man was. 

"No one has been able to stop him," Anthanasia continued, her voice tinged with frustration. "It's not just because he's a King, but because no one can challenge him on equal ground and win. He's a demigod—immensely powerful. Trying to reason with him would be nothing but a fool's errand."

She paused, her gaze shifting toward Hael. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing something unspoken. 

The huntress couldn't help thinking that perhaps if it were him, he'd be able to knock some sense into their idiotic King. She wasn't sure since she had yet to see him fight, but something told him that Hael would be able to hold his own in a fight against the King. 

Maybe Hael could be the saving grace our Kingdom so desperately needs.