Chapter 2: The First Lesson

Kael's breathing quickened as he crouched in the grass, watching the girl pick flowers again. This time, he stayed silent, his mind racing.

The field was identical, down to the way the breeze made the grass ripple like waves. It should have been comforting in its predictability, but it wasn't. The perfection was unnerving.

Kael's eyes narrowed as he studied the girl. She was humming again, the same soft melody. Her fingers moved rhythmically, plucking petals and placing them into her basket. Why is she so calm? he thought.

His mind churned with possibilities. Had she noticed him before he called out the first time? Or was she always this wary? She was young, but that didn't mean she was naïve. She's dangerous, Kael reminded himself, his ribs still aching at the memory of the invisible force that had thrown him to the ground.

The sharp memory of her spell and the creature's teeth sent a shiver down his spine.

Kael froze as a low growl broke through the serene sounds of the field.

The creature was back.

This time, Kael didn't run. He didn't even flinch. Instead, he forced himself to watch. His stomach churned as the monstrosity lumbered into view, its massive form illuminated by the sunlight. The creature's flesh was a patchwork of sinew and bone, its glowing eyes burning with a feral hunger.

It moved with horrifying purpose, each step deliberate.

The girl noticed it too late.

Her chant was fast but clumsy, her hands trembling as she traced the glowing symbols in the air. But the creature closed the distance before she could finish.

Its jaws snapped shut around her, the sound of crunching bone echoing across the field. Her scream cut off abruptly, leaving only silence.

Kael's breath hitched, his body rigid as he watched the beast lift its head, the girl's lifeless form dangling from its maw. Blood dripped from its teeth, staining the flowers below.

It turned, its glowing eyes locking onto him.

Kael moved before he could think, sprinting toward the trees.

-------------:The Second Death:------------

Branches whipped against Kael's bare skin as he ran, his breaths coming in sharp, ragged bursts. The ground was uneven, roots and rocks threatening to trip him with every step.

Behind him, the creature's heavy footfalls shook the earth. Its growls grew louder, closer.

Kael glanced back, his heart dropping at the sight of its grotesque form weaving effortlessly through the trees. He pushed himself harder, his legs burning as he dodged between trunks.

The forest thinned ahead, revealing a narrow stream cutting through the underbrush. Kael's mind raced. If I can cross it, maybe it'll slow down.

He leapt, his foot landing on a slippery rock midstream. But the stone gave way beneath him, and he fell hard, the icy water engulfing him.

Pain shot through his knee as he scrambled to his feet, the cold biting into his skin. The creature barreled forward, unbothered by the water as it lunged.

Kael barely had time to raise his arms before its claws slammed into him, tearing through flesh and muscle. He screamed as he fell back into the stream, his blood mingling with the water.

The creature didn't stop. Its jaws closed around his shoulder, ripping him upward. Kael struggled, his fists pounding uselessly against its thick hide. The world tilted as the beast shook him like a ragdoll.

His vision blurred, pain consuming him as the creature's teeth sank deeper. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe. All he could feel was the unbearable agony of his body being torn apart.

Darkness crept in at the edges of his vision. His final thought, bitter and sharp, was: Not again.

He woke to sunlight.

Kael gasped, bolting upright. His hands flew to his shoulder, his knee, his ribs. Nothing. No wounds, no blood.

But the memory of the pain lingered.

His breathing slowed as he looked around, taking in the same endless field. The warmth of the sun, the rustling of the grass, the scent of wildflowers—it was all unchanged.

And there she was.

The girl in the blue dress, kneeling among the flowers, humming softly as she picked petals.

Kael stared at her, his mind a whirlwind of anger and clarity.

He wasn't angry at the creature, or even at the girl. No, his anger was directed inward, at himself. He had rushed, reacted blindly. Foolish, he thought bitterly. I should've known better.

This wasn't just a cycle. It was a puzzle.

Kael's lips curled into a cold, calculating smile.

"This isn't a curse," he muttered, his voice steady. "It's a game. And I don't lose."