Chapter 36: The Forbidden One

Wind rustled through the dry canyons of the Wasteland, whispering between jagged cliffs and buried ruins. Deep in one of those canyons, hidden from the sun and the eyes of the world, two hooded figures moved quickly—carrying a motionless body between them.

The boy's face was pale, skin torn, ribs bruised. His robe was in tatters. His breathing—barely there.

"Keep going," one figure muttered under his breath. "If he dies now, it's over."

The second figure nodded. "If we're caught, it's over."

As they neared a narrow stone pass, two beast-mounted guards blocked the path. The guards wore crimson bone armor and sat atop silver-furred, wolf-like creatures whose eyes glowed faintly blue.

"Halt!" one barked. "You know the Lord's orders—nobody enters without full inspection."

"We're residents," the taller hooded figure said calmly. "Just returning from gathering."

The second guard narrowed his eyes. "Then why the secrecy?"

The taller figure sighed. Then, beneath his breath—"Veil Mist."

For a second, a shimmer rippled through the air. An illusion spell.

The guards blinked, confused—then their eyes passed over the stretcher as if it wasn't there at all.

"…Looks fine," one said finally. "Move along. But don't linger. Tensions are rising."

The two figures nodded and hurried past, slipping behind a veiled stone arch. Beyond it—

A hidden settlement carved into the rock. Homes fused into cliffsides. Crystals grew like stars from the walls, casting an eerie green-blue glow. Rope bridges stretched across narrow ravines. It was a secret world—an underground sanctuary.

They entered a rounded stone chamber and laid the injured boy on a cold slab.

His body remained still.

His face twitched in pain.

"Call Mira," one whispered.

Minutes later, a girl burst into the chamber. She wore healer's robes of stitched moss fabric, and her silver hair swayed behind her.

The moment she saw the body, she froze.

"…You idiots," she hissed. "Do you even know who this is?"

"We don't know exactly who he is," said the shorter boy. "But we know what he might be."

"He shouldn't exist," Mira whispered, eyes fixed on the boy. "The elders said his kind started the Great War. That they were… too powerful. Too dangerous."

"Then why do you care?" the boy shrugged. "Let him die, if you're scared."

Mira clenched her jaw. "I don't care about fear. I care about us. If the Lord finds out we're hiding someone like him, we're all dead."

He smirked. "If you don't help, I'll tell your mom who really broke her crystal lamp."

Mira glared. "You're the worst."

But she still walked over. Magic began to hum from her palms, casting a soft golden glow as she hovered her hands above the boy's chest.

"He's burning up," she whispered. "But not from fever. It's… something inside him. Something ancient."

Then—

BOOM.

A shockwave of flame burst from his chest. Mira stumbled backward, shielding her face.

"What the hell was that?!" one boy shouted.

Mira's eyes widened. "His body's fighting itself. His magic and his memory are colliding. He's not just hurt… he's broken."

Inside the boy's mind—a storm.

He saw her.

Selena.

Frozen.

Fading.

Screaming.

"Not again…" he whispered, trapped in the dream. "I couldn't save you…"

Tears slid from the corner of his closed eyes.

But Mira didn't stop.

The magic pulsed stronger now, and finally—

He gasped.

His eyes shot open. Wide. Wild. Gold flecks shimmered in his irises. He sat up, coughing violently, chest heaving with every breath.

Then he looked around.

Three unfamiliar faces stared back—figures with long ears, patterned skin, and faintly glowing tattoos.

Not human.

Not monsters.

Something… else.

He jolted upright in panic.

"Where am I?! Who are you?!"

"Quiet!" one of the boys hissed. "You'll alert the guards!"

The boy's breathing slowed, but his hands were clenched into fists, sparks of flame flickering around his fingers.

Mira stepped forward slowly, cautious but firm.

"You're safe. For now," she said. "But if you scream again, we won't be for long."

He stared at her—confused, breathing heavily.

"Start with this," Mira said softly. "What's your name?"

He hesitated.

The world felt foreign.

His mind… fragmented.

But that one thing—he remembered.

"…My name is Aryan."

The three exchanged glances. The name confirmed what they feared… or hoped.

He wasn't just a survivor.

He was a legend in the making.

And he was forbidden.

Chapter End