A new beginning

Then, a roar echoed through the forest.

— What the hell is this? What's that rotten smell... and why did something start screaming? — asked Shiva, suspicious.

Before Shiva could say anything else, a rock flew toward him. Thanks to his brief training with his gift, he managed to dodge it.

— Damn it... let's get out of this cave now! — shouted Camilla.

As they left the cave, Shiva was terrified. The sky had darkened, the trees had lost their leaves, and there was no sign of life around them. Everything was pale, drained of color — almost gray.

— What the hell happened? Everything's different... it's all turning gray... or black, I can't really tell. Let's get out of here now!! — yelled Shiva.

Shiva and Snow ran through the forest. Everywhere they looked, they saw devastation... but what they found next was even worse.

— URRGGHRRRAAAAA!!

— What the hell is that, Shiva? Is that a squirrel? But what the... RUN!! — screamed Camilla, panicking.

— That's not a normal squirrel... squirrels aren't like that... it looks more like a monster! — said Snow, the talking snake.

Shiva ran in the opposite direction from the squirrels, but something flew toward him.

PLOFT

— That was close... what the hell did it throw at me? — asked Shiva, still running.

He looked back and saw it: they were nuts — but not normal nuts.

— BIG NUTS! THOSE ARE HUGE!! — screamed Camilla, terrified.

Even while running, the squirrels were much faster.

— WATCH OUT, SHIVA!! — yelled Camilla.

BLUFF

— I'm fine... it just grazed my arm — replied Shiva, feeling the pain spread through his body.

— We can't run forever. At some point, we'll get tired... and if we do, we'll probably die! — said Snow, worried.

— You're right, Snow. We need to find a way to stop these monsters. Any ideas? — asked Shiva, gasping.

— Fight. It's our only option. There's no way to outrun them for much longer — they're too fast — answered Camilla, serious.

— There's no other way! — added Snow.

So Shiva and Snow turned to face the giant squirrels and prepared to fight.

— WAIT... now that I focus a little more, I can see it...

— What do you mean? — asked Camilla, curious.

— I don't know if it's the panic, but I can see their weak spots... I can see their hearts beating and the energy they give off... it's magic... — said Shiva, surprised.

— I knew it. You're a good wielder. You didn't receive this gift by chance... of course, that won't help if you die now — said Camilla, trying to encourage him.

— Thanks, Camilla. That makes me want to live even more — replied Shiva, determined.

— Can you two stop talking and actually think of a way to fight these monsters? — said Snow, impatient.

— Easy. Apparently, their bodies are pretty fragile. Let's use the nuts they throw and hit them back — suggested Camilla.

— Good idea! — said Snow.

Shiva and Snow grabbed some of the nuts from the ground and started throwing them at the squirrels.

— Yeah... they're way too fast. They dodge easily. There's not even enough time to swing your arm — said Shiva, frustrated.

But before they could say anything else, a nut hit Shiva right in the head.

FIIUNN (sound echoing from the nut)

PLOFT

— SHIVA??? Please, wake up! SHIVA??? — screamed Camilla, desperate.

— Wake up, Shiva! We can't die here!! — said Snow, trembling in fear.

— WAKE UP!! — they both yelled together.

WINGS FLAPPING

PLOFT

— What is that...? A...

A dragon appeared before them. But it wasn't a normal dragon — it was bleeding endlessly.

— Oh great... now we've got a messed-up dragon coming after us too! — said Camilla, in shock.

The dragon then looked at Shiva lying on the ground and let out a thunderous roar:

RUUUUAAAHAHH!

Then, it spewed its blood like fire onto the squirrels.

— WAIT... it's helping us? Seriously? — said Snow, confused.

— Looks like it... Shiva's passed out, and there's nothing I can do. You're too weak too. So... we'll just have to accept the dragon's help — replied Camilla, resigned.

After killing the squirrels, the dragon, with a grotesque and hungry look, stared at Shiva's unconscious body.

— Why is it staring at Shiva...? — asked Camilla, suspicious.

Strange sounds (like organs falling and blood dripping)

— Wait... did it die? Seriously? — said Snow, relieved.

— Maybe we can run away... let's wait for Shiva to wake up and get the hell ou—

BOOM

The dragon made a deafening sound, cutting Snow off. When Snow looked at the dragon, he realized...

— This dragon didn't save us... It...

NHACK (sound of a bite)

The dragon devoured Shiva and Snow.

MONTHS LATER

— Coming to this forest is exhausting sometimes. Don't you think, Karina? — asked Israel, a member of the HH (Head Hunting).

— It really is... but I don't mind the trip. I just want to know what happened to Shiva — replied Karina, worried.

— I doubt he survived in this place... honestly — said Israel, serious.

MINUTES LATER

— We've arrived. The forest looks beautiful at this time of day. Let's search for Shiva, see if he's still around — said Karina.

— I hope he's alive... — said Israel, concerned.

After a long walk, Karina suddenly screamed, her voice echoing through the forest. Israel ran towards her.

— What is it, Karina? You're trying to give me a heart attack? What are you doing near that dragon corpse? That thing is clearly undead and will rise at night... — said Israel, suspicious.

— Wait... what is she holding? — thought Israel.

As he approached, Israel saw it. It was unrecognizable, but still clear enough.

— He... he's dead... — said Israel, trying to hold back his sadness.

— Unfortunately... Shiva is gone — said Karina, holding back her tears.

— What are we going to tell the leader of the organization? — asked Israel.

— We'll tell the truth... the real problem will be telling Bartolomel... — replied Karina.

— Alright... let's bury the boy here. At least give him something worthy of a child so young... — said Israel.

— Agreed — answered Karina.

Then Israel and Karina made an improvised grave for the bodies of Shiva and Snow. In that place, they poured out all the pain and sorrow of losing the boy in such a cruel way.

MONTHS LATER, AT THE HH HEADQUARTES

— Shiva is dead, Falyin. The boy didn't survive — said Karina to the guild leader. — We buried him before leaving... and his body was completely skinned, digested in acid. The dragon probably ate him...

— ... Leave me. I'll handle this later — said Falyin, his head lowered.

...

— I thought the boy was special... and now I hear this? Damn it. It's all my fault for thinking a six-year-old could survive in Paradise... Argh... Bartolomel is going to kill me for this — said Falyin, frustrated.

FIVE YEARS AFTER SHIVA'S DEATH

Bartolomel took his own life. His body was found in his room, with several cuts across his throat. Days later, it was officially recorded as "murder." Falyin blamed a fake spy, trying to ease his own guilt — but clearly, that was not the best decision.

Five years after Shiva's death, civil wars broke out within the HH organization. Israel and Karina became deserters, and many members ended up killing each other. Later, the death of Falyin, the former leader of HH, was discovered.

— Hey... look at this flyer, Karina — said Israel.

"Former HH leader Falyin Pencilgon captured and killed. A professional assassin responsible for hundreds of murders for hire."

— What...? Falyin's dead?... — said Karina, shocked.

MONTHS LATER, IN PARADISE FOREST

The same atmosphere returned to the forest: the sky darkened, leaves fell, and the forest turned pale... and just like before, the dragon came back to life.

But it wasn't just the dragon. The squirrels returned... and so did all the other creatures killed that day.

At the spot where Shiva had been buried, something struck the earth. A skeletal arm burst out from the ground, and in that moment, Shiva — now just bones — rose again, along with his companion, Snow.

They didn't return as normal beings, but as undead. Only their bones remained... but now, a new story was about to begin.