Hello World! (part 3)

Meanwhile, in the heart of the crumbling marketplace, Gavin wove through the panicked crowd with practiced ease. The chaos he had unleashed served as the perfect smokescreen.

Behind him, the charred remains of the platform and the overturned pot of oil were still smoldering. The guards had been too disoriented to pursue him, and the speaker's cries of "witchcraft" had only sown more confusion.

The forest loomed ahead, its dark canopy offering both refuge and uncertainty. He avoided eye contact with the panicked townsfolk, many of whom were still stumbling over one another in their haste to flee the square.

The acrid scent of burnt oil clung to the air, mingling with the tension and fear that radiated from the masses.

His bloodied hair stuck to his forehead, and his torn clothing hung loosely on his frame, but no one spared him a second glance.

People were used to seeing the downtrodden shuffle through the streets, their lives marked by hardships that mirrored the kingdom's decline.

The Mistress's followers would be combing the city soon, looking for him, but for now, he blended into the sea of faces.

The moment he reached the edge of the forest, the din of the village faded, replaced by the eerie quiet of the woods. The trees, their gnarled branches clawing at the sky, seemed to close around him as he ventured deeper. The light dimmed, the thick canopy above swallowing the sun's rays.

Good, he thought, stepping into the cover of the trees. Time to make myself scarce.

His sharp ears caught the faint hum of distant voices—guards, perhaps, or worse, the Mistress's zealots. Either way, he didn't plan on sticking around to find out.

A twig snapped behind him.

Gavin froze, he crouched low, his eyes scanning the dense foliage. The shadows shifted, and a figure emerged—a young boy, no older than 5, clutching a crude wooden slingshot. The boy's wide eyes met Gavin's, and they both stood still, sizing each other up.

He seemed familiar.

"You shouldn't be here," Gavin said, his voice low and firm.

The boy hesitated, then stepped closer. "You're him, aren't you?" he whispered, his tone filled with awe. "The one they were gonna burn?"

Gavin sighed, straightening up. "Word travels fast."

The boy nodded, his grip tightening on the slingshot. "They're looking for you. The red-robed men. They're everywhere."

"Of course they are." Gavin ruffled his already messy hair, exhaling sharply. "Thanks for the warning, kid. Now, get out of here before they find you talking to me."

The boy didn't move. Instead, he fiddled with the slingshot in his hands, his expression like he had more to tell.

Gavin raised a brow in question.

The boy's eyes watered, and he took a step back, his hands trembling. " You're Azrelith. I'm like you. You're a —"

The boy stopped. Covering his mouth with his hand. "Sister sent me. She said to tell you it's Morathis" he said almost in a whisper.

Gavin's eyes widened. He hadn't expected to hear from Morathis and the others so unexpectedly.

His gaze returned to the boy in front of him, noticing for the first time how much the boy's face resembled his own.

"Your name —"

"Nazryth"

His heart skipped a beat.

It's finally time.

His egg had hatched.

40,000 cycles since he had been connected to the world where he first made the egg and they had finally hatched.

If the egg he left had hatched, it also means his system had rebooted. And a certain trouble-maker, yours truly, was back in the game.

He beamed at Nazryth, stretching his hand towards him. Nazryth lifts both his tiny hands, putting them in Gavin's palms.

"Let me introduce myself properly. I'm Azrelith. I'm your—"

A rustling sound came from the top of some trees far behind them, interrupting their quiet reunion.

Gavin groaned, rubbing his temple with his free hand. "You know, I was really hoping for a quiet evening. A nap, maybe. But no. Here we are."

Nazryth turned around, his eyes became alert, scanning through the forest with a serious look on his face.

"There are 10 of them. The red robed men."

"Sharp eyes you got there." Gavin placed his hand lightly on the kid's head rubbing his hair slightly before walking past and pulling a foot long needle from the slim, unnoticeable pockets along his arms.

"Go deeper into the forest. Scout for a safe place for the both of us to stay." Gavin said. His back was turned to Nazryth while he maintained a low but firm voice. "Go now."

"But sister said not to leave—"

"Go."

Nazryth stared at his back hesitantly before folding all his fingers except his index and middle finger which stayed firmly side by side as he raised them and touched his forehead. Shimmering white light covered him before warping him away like portal.

Gavin let out a relieved sigh feeling Nazryth had finally left.

And his enemies had finally gotten in range.

"Just a little farther," he muttered to himself running his fingers down the length of the needle concealed under his open sleeve, leaving behind a purplish black neon substance.

"Then we'll see who's really hunting who."

From the shadows, unseen eyes watched him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.