Kairo pushed forward through the twisted forest, Leonhart's unconscious body heavy on his back. Suddenly, two more of those pale, unnaturally bent creatures emerged from the shadows ahead.
Before Kairo could even react, their heads were sliced clean off by an invisible force.
"Oh… that's good," Kairo muttered, breathing hard. "Now even if there's a wall, I just need to run straight and I'll get through it. Alright, wait a second—"
His body suddenly began to shrink. His shoulders narrowed, his height dropped, and the giant frame he had been forced into started reverting.
"No way… I need to hurry up. It seems like the magic of the tormentor is getting erased. I have to make sure I get through it no matter what happens. I will succeed."
A black, formless shape flickered in front of him for a split second before vanishing.
Kairo's instincts screamed. Daggers whistled in from the left and right. He dodged by leaping forward, barely keeping his balance with Leonhart on his back.
"I have to walk straight…"
A massive sword swung low, aiming to sever his legs. Kairo jumped mid-stride, carrying Leonhart's weight, and cleared it by inches.
"How long is this going to last? I'm getting smaller… I'm losing speed. And if Leonhart turns young again, he'll die sooner because he'll lose all his strength. On top of that, the poison… uhh…"
Two long, invisible swords suddenly dropped from above, aimed straight at his legs. Kairo's instincts kicked in again. He twisted mid-air, rolling awkwardly while still holding Leonhart, and landed with a painful thud.
Daggers flew from the left once more. Kairo dodged effortlessly, his body moving on pure survival instinct.
It's like I'm getting punched up. Here comes the jab—
He slipped to the side.
Here comes the cross—
He ducked under it.
Then he misread the next attack.
"It's a faint!"
Kairo barely dodged, but the movement cost him. His foot caught on a root. He tripped hard.
His knee dislocated with a sickening pop. Both he and Leonhart crashed face-first into the dirt.
"Ahh—! My leg… I think it's broken…"
There was no time to waste. Gritting his teeth against the blinding pain, Kairo slammed his fist into his own knee, forcing the joint back into place with a wet crunch. Fresh agony exploded through him, but the leg held.
A long sword suddenly materialized, streaking toward the unconscious Leonhart.
"Damn it!" Kairo growled. "There's no one except me… I have to do it!"
It was too late. The blade was already too close.
In one desperate motion, Kairo snatched a sharp stone from the ground and hurled it with everything he had left. The stone flew at nearly 45 km/h, striking the sword just enough to deflect its path by a hair's breadth.
"Uhh… I'm getting weaker because I'm turning young again…"
Kairo quickly pulled out the stem and leaves he had saved from the flower. He mashed them into a makeshift paste.
"I'm useless… I have to use it on myself."
He heard loud, unnatural screams echoing from behind — the monster was closing in fast.
Kairo urgently rubbed the paste into his injured knee. The pain eased slightly, but not enough.
"I have some spare for Leonhart… I'll use it later. I know he will handle it. I'll use it later."
He forced himself up. Every step sent fresh spikes of pain through his leg, but he kept moving. First a limp, then a jog, then a desperate, limping run.
The monster behind him was gaining ground, its form a blur of darkness and malice.
Then, ahead — the angel appeared, glowing softly.
"Thank goodness… we're safe—"
Kairo phased straight through the angelic figure as if it were an illusion.
"Damn it!"
He pushed forward with everything he had, dislocated knee screaming in protest. At first every stride hurt terribly, but adrenaline and sheer willpower forced him to keep running faster and faster.
The monster was right behind him now, its presence like a cold shadow breathing down his neck.
Kairo's heart hammered wildly. His body was shrinking rapidly. Leonhart's weight felt heavier with every passing second as both of them reverted toward their original child forms.
Just a little more… Just a little more…
The forest seemed endless, the path ahead dark and uncertain.
One wrong step, one moment of hesitation, and it would all be over.
But Kairo kept running.
For Leonhart.
For the promise he had made.
And for the faint hope that somewhere beyond this nightmare, safety still waited.
The monster finally caught up.
It struck with terrifying speed, severing Kairo's head in one brutal motion.
But the moment the blade connected, the figure realized its mistake — the body dissolved into wet mud and clay. A perfect decoy.
The real Kairo was already several steps ahead, running as fast as his shrinking body allowed.
A sharp, phantom pain exploded through his neck.
"Ahh—! It feels like my head got severed… I can't handle that pain!"
He staggered, but the combination of his healing magic and the flower paste kept him going. He had managed to apply some of the paste to Leonhart as well.
"That monster chasing me… it was nothing but a clone of mine…"
Kairo's legs buckled. He was no longer a giant. His body had fully reverted to that of a nine-year-old boy, small and fragile once more.
"Damn it… it seems like I can't walk properly. I'm nine years old now… uhh… I can't… All my stamina has been consumed by that illusion. I'm on the verge of death because of that magic…"
He collapsed face-first into the dirt, consciousness slipping away.
The invisible magic he had been using to confuse the monster was fading. The creature was starting to sense their real presence.
Both Kairo and Leonhart lay unconscious on the forest floor, completely vulnerable.
Then — movement.
Kairo felt himself being lifted. His eyes fluttered open just enough to see a familiar black shape.
It was Wind.
"Wind…"
The horse's voice echoed gently in his mind.
"Sorry, Master. Before, what I sent you was only my spirit. I wasn't really here. But now I am totally here. Leave everything on me. I will handle the rest."
Kairo's voice was barely a whisper, filled with exhausted relief.
"Thank you so much… Wind."
Wind didn't waste another second. The young horse broke into a silent, impossibly fast gallop through the cursed forest. Its hooves made no sound, and its presence seemed to blend with the shadows, evading the monsters that lurked in every direction.
Kairo clung weakly to Leonhart and the horse's mane, his small body trembling from pain and fatigue. Every jolt sent fresh waves of agony through his injuries, but Wind's steady rhythm never faltered.
Behind them, the real monster roared in fury as it realized it had been tricked again. It gave chase, its unnatural limbs tearing through the undergrowth.
The forest seemed to come alive with threats — pale creatures, invisible blades, and dark shadows lunging from every side. Yet Wind moved like a phantom, dodging and weaving with unnatural grace. Kairo could only hold on, his vision blurring in and out.
The pain in his neck lingered like a ghost. The phantom sensation of his head being severed refused to fade completely.
Just a little longer… We're almost there…
Wind's speed increased. The trees blurred past. The roars of the pursuing monster grew fainter, but never disappeared entirely.
Kairo's grip weakened. His small fingers slipped slightly on the mane.
"Don't… give up…" he whispered to himself, fighting to stay conscious for Leonhart's sake.
Wind pushed harder, carrying both boys toward the distant edge of the forbidden forest — toward the Land of Harmony.
The final stretch of their escape had begun.
And this time, they were no longer running alone.
Wind charged through the cursed forest like a shadow given form. Kairo clung desperately to the horse's mane with one arm while holding Leonhart's unconscious body tight against his small chest with the other. Every gallop sent fresh jolts of pain through his injured knee and phantom neck wound.
Behind them, the real monster roared — a guttural, inhuman sound that shook the trees. Pale creatures and invisible blades whistled from the darkness, trying to cut them off.
Kairo's vision blurred. His body had fully reverted to that of a nine-year-old again. The temporary giant strength was gone. His stamina was nearly depleted.
"Wind… faster… Leonhart… he's not breathing right…"
Wind didn't reply with words. Instead, the horse poured on even more speed, weaving between twisted trunks and leaping over roots with impossible grace. A swarm of shadow daggers rained down from above. Wind twisted mid-stride, dodging most, but one grazed Kairo's shoulder, drawing blood.
Kairo gritted his teeth, pressing the flower paste harder against Leonhart's chest wound.
"Hold on, buddy… We're almost there… Just hold on…"
The monster was gaining. Its unnatural limbs stretched and bent, closing the distance with horrifying speed. Kairo could feel its cold presence like a blade at his back.
Suddenly, the trees began to thin. A faint golden light pierced through the canopy ahead — the border of the forbidden forest.
Wind surged forward with one final burst of speed.
They burst out of the darkness.
The moment they crossed the invisible line, the pursuing roars cut off abruptly, as if the forest itself refused to follow them into the Land of Harmony.
Bright, clean sunlight washed over them. The air changed — rich with oxygen, warm, and filled with the scent of flowers and fresh grass. In the distance, the white towers of the kingdom rose proudly against a sky full of brilliant stars, even in daylight.
Wind slowed to a gentle trot, breathing heavily but steady.
Kairo slid off the horse's back, legs shaking. He carefully lowered Leonhart to the soft grass, tears blurring his vision.
"We… we made it…"
His small body collapsed beside his friend. The pain, exhaustion, and fear he had been holding back finally crashed over him. He curled around Leonhart protectively, sobbing quietly.
"Leonhart… we're home… You did it… We both did it…"
From the direction of the kingdom, distant shouts rang out. Figures were running toward them — guards, then nobles, then the unmistakable towering form of King Ariston leading the charge.
The King's voice boomed across the field, cracking with emotion he rarely showed.
"Kairo…! Leonhart…!"
Kairo looked up weakly, a tired but genuine smile breaking through the tears on his dirt-streaked face.
They had survived the abyss.
They were finally home.