𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 - 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘱𝘯

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘟𝘟𝘝

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐂

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄
___________

You draw in a deep breath, filling your lungs with the crisp, fresh air of the forest. Holding the breath in, you steady your aim, focusing intently on the bird perched on a branch in the distance. With one eye closed, you carefully gauge the distance, taking into account the wind speed and direction, the weight of the arrow, and the measurement of the shot. Your finger rests lightly on the bowstring, poised to release at the perfect moment.

Your heartbeat slows, and your mind focused. The world around you fades into the background, leaving only you, the bird, and the arrow.

With a gentle, practiced motion, you release the arrow, watching as it soars through the air, its flight smooth and quiet. Time seems to slow as you follow the arrow's path, your eyes locked on the bird. The arrow strikes with a soft thud, and the bird falls, its wings fluttering wildly for a moment before it comes to rest on the forest floor.

As you exhale, you lower your bow. You approach the lifeless bird, kneeling down as you retrieve the arrow. You tuck the arrow back into your quiver and pulled out a vida.

You strike the bird with a swift and precise motion, watching as its petals blooms with a crimson color- the bird's blood. After retrieving the vida, you discard it and pick up the bird, beginning your journey back to the tunnel.

As you enter the tunnel, you pause, noticing a trail of jewel plants illuminating the path. 'Who did all of this?' You wonder. Continuing down the path, you arrive at the open area of the tunnel, where you find Salvus and the four others you found a couple days ago.

"Back." you announce, walking over to the side of the wall to tie up the bird for skinning later. You toss the slug-like creatures into a basket and set your gear aside, removing your cloak's hood as you turn to face the group.

"I'll head back out later." you say with a sigh, approaching Salvus and Rebecca, who's giving a lesson on herbal medicine.

Salvus speaks up."You don't have to. I'll go instead."

You nod in agreement, turning around to head down one of the many hallways to your room. You enter your small space, containing a small makeshift bed in the corner and a few meager possessions. You remove your cloak, folding it neatly and setting it aside.

'There's a lot to do today.' you think to yourself as you turn around and suddenly come to a stop. Max stands at the entrance of your room, his piercing gaze fixed on you. You feel slightly uneasy as you take in his imposing figure, his towering height, and his unsettling silence. "Can I help you?" you ask, trying to sound calm and composed.

Max grunts softly, his only response. You gaze down at his clenched fist, wondering what he wants. His eyes seem to bore into yours, as if trying to communicate something beyond words.

Max has endured unspeakable experiments since the day he was born, leaving him mute. Despite everything, his eyes still hold a glimmer of innocence.

You sometimes wonder what goes on in his mind, what he thinks and feels.

As you stand there, a mix of emotions swirling inside you, Max extends his hand further. His gesture seems almost pleading, like he's trying to connect with you.