Strangers to the Village

The morning was cold.

The sky was covered with gray clouds, and the air carried the scent of old smoke.

The old man walked quietly, his eyes scanning the edges of the road.

The girl followed behind him in silence, her gaze drifting over the traces of fire and the destruction left by the attack.

It was quiet… no sound but the wind stirring the ashes.

As they drew closer to the village's edge, the old man said:

"Look over there."

The girl raised her eyes and saw, several meters away, a group of small tents pitched near the trees, just off the path leading into the forest.

They approached quietly.

The tents were simple some open, some closed.

It was clear they had been set up recently, after the fire.

The girl asked:

"Are these tents for the survivors?"

The old man replied:

"Most likely."

There was no sound coming from inside the tents, but the footprints around them were clear.

The old man stopped in front of one of them, then said calmly:

"Let's wait a little… someone might return."

The girl sat on a nearby rock, brushing dust off her shoes.

The old man remained standing, silently watching the direction of the forest.

The air was still, and the sky began to shift to a lighter gray as the sun started to rise.

They didn't speak much.

But it was clear they were searching for something… or someone.

The morning light began to spread across the forest's edge,

and gentle rays of sunlight crept into the tent camp.

Something stirred in one of the nearby tents.

A middle-aged man stepped out, stretching and yawning.

He looked tired, his hair messy, and his face bore the signs of a sleepless night.

He stood in front of his tent, then turned… and saw the old man and the girl standing at the edge of the clearing.

He froze for a moment, not moving.

He looked directly at them.

The old man didn't speak he simply returned the gaze calmly.

The girl sat on the rock nearby, also watching him, but said nothing.

A brief silence passed.

Then the man slowly raised his hand, as if to greet them or acknowledge their presence.

But he didn't approach.

He stood in front of his tent, watching them.

The old man walked toward him quietly, the girl following silently behind.

They stopped just a few steps away.

The old man said in a calm voice:

"Good morning."

The man gave a short nod:

"Good morning."

The old man looked toward what was left of the village behind them, then said:

"We passed through this place… it didn't look like an ordinary fire."

He paused for a moment, then added:

"Do you know what caused it?"

The man slowly nodded and said:

"Yes… it was a dragon."

The old man raised an eyebrow slightly.

The man continued:

"It attacked us suddenly, last night… breathed fire on the houses. There was no time to escape. Many died, and the rest fled. Those of us who remain… set up these tents here."

The old man nodded with understanding.

"I see."

He glanced toward the village, then back toward the forest.

He didn't say more, nor did he ask for names or details.

The girl stood silently, observing the place with thoughtful eyes.

A brief silence followed, then the man asked:

"Are you here looking for someone?"

The old man replied simply:

"Not exactly."

Then he turned calmly and looked toward the trees.

After a few moments of silence, the girl asked, as she looked at the burned village:

"What do we do now?"

The old man responded quietly:

"There's no reason to stay… it looks like everything burned."

She was quiet for a moment, then ran toward him quickly and said:

"… I want to ask you something."

He replied without turning:

"Ask."

She looked toward the forest, then asked:

"Is that forest… safe?"

Before the old man could answer, the man by the tent spoke:

"No, it's not safe."

The girl looked at him.

He continued:

"The forest is full of monsters… and bandits. Many entered and never came out."

The old man glanced at him, then turned his gaze back to the forest without comment.

The girl remained standing, staring at the trees in silence, her eyes full of thought.

After the man finished speaking about the forest's danger,

silence fell over them once again.

The girl still looked toward the trees.

The man near his tent said nothing more.

Then the old man said clearly, his eyes fixed on the forest entrance:

"I believe… we'll find the answer there."

He didn't explain further, nor did he turn around.

The sentence was enough.

The girl stared at him for a long moment, then nodded silently.

The man by the tent watched them without a word, without asking anything.

The old man began walking toward the forest,

his steps slow… but steady.

And the girl followed him.

Min Jun slowly woke up.

The ground beneath him was cold and hard, and the air inside the cave was damp and dark.

He opened his eyes… stared at the rocky ceiling above him, then exhaled softly.

He sat up slowly and wiped his face with his hand.

The blood on his forehead had dried, and his clothes were filthy.

He stayed seated for several minutes, unmoving.

Everything was quiet…

No wolves, no fire, no screaming.

At last, he said to himself:

"I'm still alive…"

He looked toward the cave's entrance.

Sunlight was filtering through the opening,

marking the start of the day.

He rose with difficulty.

His body ached, and his head throbbed.

He walked to the cave's edge,

stood there, and looked at the vast forest before him.

Then whispered:

"Where to now?"

He didn't know.

But he knew he couldn't go back…

And he couldn't stay here forever.

I need to move… and find something to eat if I want to survive.

Min Jun dragged his leg as he stepped out of the cave.

The light outside was harsh he raised his right hand to shield his eyes…

Until the brightness faded.

Min Jun looked at the trees in front of him.

Everything was still… but the forest looked deep, dark, and endless.

He took a deep breath,

then began to move.

One step…

Then another.

He walked slowly at first, feeling the ground beneath his feet.

The forest was filled with dry branches and faint sounds…

Rustling leaves, slight movement above…

But he didn't stop.

He didn't know where he was going or what he was searching for.

He was just… moving away.

Away from everything.

From the village, from the fire, from the screams, from the memories.

And with each step into the forest…

It felt like he was entering a different world.

No people.

No words.

Just him… and the forest.

Min Jun continued walking through the woods.

His steps were slow, and his eyes stayed fixed on the ground.

Then… a voice within him began to speak quiet, but clear.

"Just yesterday… I was with my family."

"My mother's voice… was the last thing I heard before I left."

He paused.

Closed his eyes as he walked.

"And now… here I am. Alone."

"No home to return to."

"No family waiting for me."

He opened his eyes slowly, staring at the thick trees around him.

"I have nothing left."

"Nothing."

Then he kept walking, not knowing where the path would take him…

But he didn't stop.

Min Jun kept walking, dragging his feet through the dry grass.

His stomach had quieted… but the exhaustion remained.

Suddenly

Rustling.

A faint movement among the trees behind him.

He stopped.

Turned slowly.

Everything was still… but he felt something moving there.

Then

A laugh.

But not a human laugh.

A low, rough laugh… like the sound of a beast playing before it strikes.

His eyes widened.

He stood frozen, barely breathing.

Then it came again

Another laugh.

Closer this time.

He looked around. The trees were getting denser, and the sounds were coming from multiple directions.

He muttered:

"That's… not a person. That's a monster."