Beyond Existence

Ryan

Flowers were blooming, birds sang a melody of renewal, and the sun was shining brightly in the clear sky. The snow on the road and roofs of the small town of Neav had melted.

17-year-old Ryan stretched and yawned as he stepped out of his home, a smile spread across his face. He took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of fresh flowers and earth. He wore his boots and headed to the barn to gather his tools.

"Guess that's it for the winter break," Ryan thought, his smile widening at the thought of returning to work. He picked up an axe and a bag. "First on the list..." he began to plan, but his thoughts were interrupted.

Before he could decide, he heard a voice calling out to him. It was Daniel, the 13-year-old son of the village chief, with a bowl cut and a missing tooth, running towards Ryan, breathing heavily.

"Boss, it's bad! The bulls are going crazy!" he exclaimed, slightly out of breath.

"Calm down and explain what happened." Ryan dropped his tools and knelt down to Daniel's level, placing a steadying hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I fed them with grass I found this morning. I didn't know they'd get mad, I swear!"

"Alright," Ryan patted his head.

"I'll deal with it," he assured him before zooming off with immense power, moving faster than the wind. Ryan's mind focused sharply on the task ahead as he sprinted towards the chief's farm, leaving Daniel's panic behind.

The bulls were jumping around, hitting anything around them as if they had gone mad. The farmers were helpless in the situation.

"Grab some rope and prepare water, be ready to tie them up on my mark!" Ryan shouted to the farmers before jumping in to stop the bulls.

He grabbed a bull by its horn, stopped it in its tracks, and pinned it down. "Now!" The farmers hurried and tied the cow's legs together.

One of the farmers gently rubbed the neck of the bull behind the ear to calm it.

Ryan stood up, took a deep breath, and flexed his fingers, feeling the tension in his muscles ease. His eyes swept over the area, counting the bulls still thrashing in the field. "One down, seven to go," he muttered, exhaling slowly before locking onto his next target.

After the incident, Ryan could see Daniel being scolded by his mom. He watched the scene, feeling a twinge of sympathy. "Poor kid," he thought.

"Ryan..." As he was about to leave, he heard his name from a distance. He checked to find it was Fild, the village chief, and beside him were three figures. "You have visitors," Fild called out, his tone betraying a hint of unease. Ryan recognized their attire and frowned.

The sun was setting, showing the day was over, but not for Ryan. He was in Fild's home, sitting across from one of the visitors while the other two stood guard at the entrance.

Fild lit up the lantern, after which he placed a bottle and cup in front of the visitor, then took his seat a couple of spaces back. He glanced at Ryan, noticing the way the young man's eyes darkened with disgust, the usual calm replaced by simmering frustration.

The visitor was a man in his 30s, with brown hair and a scar across his closed left eye. He opened the bottle and poured himself a drink. He took a shot and grinned.

"Damn, ya make the best ale in the kingdom," he took another shot before facing the annoyed kid. "Ah, my bad... couldn't help m'self. Too good, ya know." He looked again and could see the veins bulging on Ryan's temple.

Ryan's jaw clenched as he forced a smile. His fists tightened, and his eyes narrowed as he glared at Fild, silently questioning why he allowed these men into his home. He took a slow, deep breath, trying to calm the fire in his chest, but the disgust lingered like a bad taste in his mouth.