Chapter 10

The sun rose from behind the eastern mountains, casting a warm golden light. Ishak woke up and realized Amanda wasn't there.

"Amanda? Amanda! Where are you?" he called out, stepping outside to look for her.

A moment later, Amanda showed up carrying some freshly cut meat. There was a hole made through the chunk, tied with a string so it'd be easier to carry.

"Whoa! Did you already go to the market?" Ishak asked.

"Yeah, the harvest festival starts later this afternoon. We need to start cooking now so we don't miss anything," Amanda replied.

"How are you gonna cook the meat?" Ishak asked, looking excited.

"I don't know, I've never cooked meat before. What if we just grill it?" she said.

"Up to you. However you make it, I bet it'll still taste great," Ishak said with a big grin.

Amanda started cutting the meat into smaller pieces, skewered them onto sharpened sticks, and began roasting them over hot coals. She fanned the coals so they wouldn't die out, while Ishak sat nearby, his eyes sparkling as he waited for the meat to cook.

As he sat there, he noticed Amanda seemed lost in thought.

"Amanda… what's wrong?"

"Oh… nothing. I was just thinking about Galang," she said softly.

"You don't have to worry. Galang's super strong. I saw him fight that wolf last time from up in the tree. When I grow up, I wanna be strong like him too, so I can protect you," Ishak said with confidence.

"Haha, really? Well then, you'd better eat a lot so you can grow big and strong," Amanda said, ruffling his hair. She smiled, genuinely touched by his words.

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Aslan had just climbed out of an underground pit. The sides were too steep and the soil too soft to climb, so he had spent two full days digging his way out.

Thankfully, he still had some roasted meat with him—otherwise, he might've starved down there.

"Ugh… I really need to get back," he muttered, then started heading home.

When he returned to the path he had taken a few days ago, he was surprised to see it had widened—wide enough now for a horse-drawn cart to pass through easily.

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Back in the village, Amanda and Ishak were enjoying the harvest festival along with the other villagers.

They stood in the crowd, watching traditional dances being performed in the village square. Girls in colorful outfits twirled and stepped to the rhythm of flutes, drums, and little bells. Some people watched while sipping warm drinks, others strolled hand in hand, enjoying the festival games.

As Amanda and Ishak watched the dancers, a group of girls around Amanda's age approached them. They were Amanda's childhood friends. But after her parents passed away, Amanda hadn't been able to join them to play anymore—she had to work to survive and take care of her little brother.

"Hey! I heard you've been hanging out with a guy. Where is he?" one of them asked, teasingly curious.

"He left a few days ago… but he'll be back soon," Amanda answered nervously.

"Oh really? You've got to introduce him to us later," another girl said, giggling.

"No way! Galang is ours. My sister and Galang like each other, you can't take him!" Ishak suddenly blurted out.

Amanda turned bright red as the other girls burst into laughter.

"Your name's Ishak, right? You used to be so quiet—didn't even speak. Now you're all bold," one of them said, pinching his cheek playfully.

"Come on, join us! It's not every day you show up at a festival. Show us what you've got," another girl said, grabbing Amanda's hand.

At first Amanda felt awkward, but the girls pulled her into the dancing, and soon enough she was caught up in the fun. Ishak sat nearby, smiling as he watched his sister laughing and dancing with her old friends. For a while, everyone just enjoyed the moment and forgot their problems.

Before they knew it, the sky had begun to darken. The festival roared on with laughter and music echoing through the square. A large bonfire crackled and lit up the smiling faces of the villagers. Amanda, who had been so tense before, now laughed freely with her friends, occasionally glancing over at Ishak, who was sitting with a kind old man, listening to a story.

But then—everything changed.

A terrifying scream tore through the music. Not laughter. Not song. A scream. A monster had appeared, tearing through the village in a frenzy of blood and violence.

It looked like nothing they had ever seen. From the waist down, it was like a giant snake. From the waist up, it resembled a massive, hairy ape, with razor-sharp claws and fangs.

It ripped into one of the villagers, tearing out his insides, then lunged toward another with terrifying speed.

People ran. They screamed. But the monster was faster. No one could escape.

Amanda froze. She wanted to scream, to run—but her body wouldn't move. Her legs were like stone.

The monster turned its glowing red eyes toward her. It let out a deep, guttural hiss and slithered straight for her. Just before it reached her, Ishak tackled Amanda, and the two of them tumbled to the ground—just in time to dodge a crushing blow.

"Come on! We have to run!" Ishak shouted, grabbing her arm and pulling her behind a pile of rubble.

But the monster found them. It slithered forward, fast and silent. Ishak stood in front of Amanda, shielding her with his small body.

"Run! I'll protect you!" he shouted, pushing Amanda away.

The monster grabbed him, wrapping its muscular tail around him. Ishak screamed in pain. Amanda stood frozen, watching in horror as the creature stabbed into Ishak's tiny body and tore it apart like a rag doll.

"Ishak!" Amanda screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the monster's roar and Ishak's weakening cries.

His lifeless body dropped to the ground, blood soaking into the dirt.

Amanda's tears poured down. Time seemed to stop. Her heartbeat roared in her ears. Her little brother—her only family—was gone. His small body, the one that had always been by her side, was now broken and lifeless.

"Ishak! No! You can't die! Open your eyes! Please... don't leave me... not like this…" she sobbed, cradling him.

Strangely, the monster didn't attack her. It just watched, almost like it was enjoying the scene. Then, it turned away and began attacking the other villagers who were trying to run.

Screams filled the night, but Amanda no longer heard them. Nothing else mattered. There was nothing left for her to run from. The one she loved most was gone.

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To be continued...