Chapter 1: The Strange Forest

Now he was here. Wherever here was.

All around him, trees rose like ancient pillars. Their trunks were thick and twisted, covered in bark that shimmered with a faint silver sheen. Leaves the size of dinner plates rustled overhead, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow. And the air—it was warm and thick, carrying sounds he had never heard before: a low, rumbling hum, like the purr of a giant cat, and distant chirps that echoed too long to be birds.

Leon scrambled to his feet, heart pounding. He was alone. No walls, no cold beds, no stern caretakers. Just endless forest.

He started walking. What else could he do? The ground was soft under his worn shoes, and he soon came across a stream. But the water was not clear—it was a strange, greenish blue, glowing faintly as it flowed over smooth stones. Leon knelt and dipped his fingers in. It was cool, but not cold, and it left a faint tingle on his skin. He drank cautiously, and the water tasted of mint and lightning.

For a long while, he wandered, deeper into the forest. The trees grew taller, their branches weaving into a canopy that blotted out the violet sky. Strange creatures flitted between the trunks: small, winged lizards with scales that changed color as they moved, and furry things with too many legs that scurried out of sight. Leon’s breath caught when he saw a massive shape glide overhead—a dragon, he was sure, with leathery wings and a long, serpentine tail. It let out a cry that made the leaves shiver, then vanished beyond the treetops.

He was not alone. But he was not safe.

A rustle in the underbrush made him freeze. It was heavy, deliberate. The sound of something large pushing through the ferns. Leon backed away slowly, his eyes fixed on the trembling leaves. A low growl rumbled from the shadows, deep and guttural, like the grinding of stones.

Then it emerged.

The creature was taller than a man, built like a lizard but standing on two powerful legs. Its skin was a deep, angry red, covered in thick, bony plates. A row of spikes ran from its head down its spine, and its eyes—yellow, with vertical slits—locked onto Leon with predatory focus. It opened its mouth, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and let out a hiss that smelled of rot.

Leon’s legs would not move. He was frozen, a rabbit before a wolf.

“Trespasser,” the creature snarled, and Leon’s mind reeled. It spoke. The words were harsh, but clear. “You step into the territory of Lexus. You die.”

It lunged.

Leon threw himself to the side, barely avoiding the snap of its jaws. He rolled, scrambled up, and ran. He crashed through the brush, branches whipping his face, his lungs burning. Behind him, he heard the beast—Lexus—crashing through the forest with terrifying speed. It was gaining.

Just as a clawed hand swiped at his back, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

Lexus stopped. Its head snapped around, and a low, confused growl rumbled from its throat. Leon stumbled, turned, and saw a girl standing on a low branch of a nearby tree. She was young, maybe his age, with dark hair braided tightly against her scalp and eyes that glowed faintly silver in the dim light. She wore leather and fur, and in her hand she held a small, carved whistle.

“Lexus,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “Stand down.”

The monster growled again, but it did not move. Its yellow eyes flicked between Leon and the girl, and then it lowered its head, almost submissively.

The girl jumped down, landing silently. She walked past Leon as if he were not there, approached Lexus, and placed a hand on its snout. “He is not prey,” she said softly. “He is lost. You may go.”

The red beast snorted, turned, and vanished into the shadows without another sound.

Leon stared. His mouth hung open. “How… how did you do that?”

The girl turned to him, and her silver eyes were kind, but wary. “I am Rina. You’re lucky I was hunting nearby. Lexus would have killed you.”

“I didn’t mean to trespass,” Leon said quickly. “I don’t even know where I am. I just… woke up here.”

Rina studied him for a long moment. “You are not from the Beast World. Your clothes, your smell—you are from somewhere else. Come. I will take you to my tribe. Our leader will know what to do.”

She turned and started walking, and Leon, with no other choice, followed.

The journey took hours. Rina moved swiftly, weaving through the forest with practiced ease, and Leon struggled to keep up. The trees began to thin, and the ground sloped upward. Soon they emerged onto a ridge overlooking a valley. Below, nestled against the base of a cliff, was a village. Huts made of wood and bone clustered together, their roofs thatched with broad leaves. A wall of sharpened stakes surrounded it, and smoke rose from several chimneys.

“The Night Blood tribe,” Rina said. “Our home.”

They descended into the valley, and as they approached the gates, a man stepped out to meet them. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a weathered face and eyes that held the weight of many years. His hair was gray-streaked, and he wore a cloak of dark feathers. Behind him, several warriors stood watch, their hands on weapons.

“Rina,” the man said, his voice deep and steady. “You bring a stranger.”

“He is lost, Decan,” Rina replied. “He appeared in the forest. Lexus nearly killed him.”

Decan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Leon. “Lexus does not attack without reason. What is your name, boy?”

“Leon,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know how I got here. I was in my world, and then I wasn’t.”

The old man nodded slowly, as if he had expected such an answer. “Come inside. We have much to discuss.”

Leon was led into the village. The people of the Night Bloods stared at him with open curiosity. Children peeked from behind their mothers’ skirts, and warriors muttered to each other. But none were hostile. They seemed more puzzled than angry.

Inside Decan’s hut, a fire crackled in a stone pit. Rina sat to one side, and Leon sat opposite Decan, who offered him a bowl of warm broth. Leon drank greedily; he had not realized how hungry he was.

“You are in the Beast World,” Decan began. “A land of five tribes, each with its own territory and customs. We are the Night Bloods, the smallest and weakest of the five. Beyond our borders lie forests, mountains, and the Death Fog Forest, where the Kratos dwell—creatures of shadow and nightmare.”

Leon set down the bowl. “Kratos?”

“Monsters, some would call them,” Decan said. “But not all are evil. The red beast that attacked you, Lexus—she is a guardian of the territory of a powerful demigod named Kain. He rules over the monsters of this world. And he hates us.”

“Why?”

“Because we are not his,” Decan said, his voice heavy. “Kain was once a mortal, but he stole power from the guardian gods—Unos, Rea, Creed, and Neo. Now he is a demigod, and he seeks to become a true god. To do that, he must find and kill those who carry god blood in their veins. He believes one of the tribes harbors such a person. He has been sending his monsters to attack us, trying to force us to reveal our secrets.”

Leon felt a chill run down his spine. He did not know why, but the words seemed to sink into his bones, as if they were meant for him.

“You are safe here for now,” Decan said. “But our tribe cannot survive forever. We have a plan—a dangerous one. We must travel to the Beast Kingdom and win a tournament. If we become the sixth tribe, we will gain protection from the guardian gods themselves. Then we can stand against Kain.”

Leon looked at Rina, who met his gaze with steady eyes. He looked at Decan, at the firelight dancing on the old leader’s face. Something stirred inside him, a warmth that was not from the fire.

“I want to help,” he said.

Decan smiled, a sad and knowing smile. “You may have no choice, boy. The gods do not bring people to this world without reason.”

That night, Leon lay on a bed of furs in a small hut Rina had given him. He stared at the wooden ceiling, listening to the unfamiliar sounds of the village. Somewhere in the distance, a creature howled. He thought of the red beast, of Rina’s whistle, of Decan’s words about god blood.

He thought of the strange, burning energy he had felt when Lexus attacked—a surge of power that had made his skin tingle. It was still there, coiled deep inside him, waiting.

He did not know what it meant. But he knew one thing: he was no longer just a lonely orphan. He was in a world of gods and monsters, and something told him his story was only beginning.