After Aven asked the question, he waited for Shuron's response.
But instead of answering immediately, Shuron remained silent, looking thoughtful.
Aven didn't interrupt him. He simply waited. After all, he didn't know the way, so he could only wait for his son to speak. He wasn't familiar with the mountain range at all and had never visited this place before.
So, he relied entirely on Shuron to lead the way.
He was slightly surprised at how well Shuron seemed to know the routes, but he didn't think too much about it.
"He must have checked the map online before coming here," Aven thought.
But what he didn't know was that Shuron hadn't studied the mountain range. Instead, he knew it because he had come here with his family three and a half years later in the future, spending time enjoying the place.
Even then, he had only experienced and remembered the main road leading to north outskirts and the dirt road ahead, which wasn't of any use for the current situation, because his destination lay in the western outskirts of the mountain range.
There was no road leading to the west outskirt. Shuron had to go on foot, not by car. Luckily, he still knew the route to his destination.
Back then, during that future trip, he had overheard a couple planning to visit the western outskirts. They had talked about the route to reach there, and that information was now coming in handy.
Although he didn't remember much of their conversation after so many years, he still remembered the direction, along with the approximate time and distance needed to reach there.
But there was still a problem with the route.
The distance wasn't the issue. The real problem was that he had to climb some small hills along the way, which makes the route dangerous and tiring.
The western outskirts weren't much of an attraction. That area was mostly covered in dense vegetation and tall trees. Even sunlight had difficulty passing through the thick leaves to illuminate the ground.
So, people rarely went there. Most preferred to follow the dirt road and enjoy the beautiful views from there. As of now, there was no official road, or even a dirt path, leading to west. Only the dangerous and unreliable route connecting north and west outskirts remains, which naturally became his only choice.
So when his father asked the question, Shuron hesitated. Thoughts ran through his mind.
"Should I tell Dad that he has to climb hills, avoid small animals, and head into the west where there might even be wild beasts? Will I get beaten up? But… I still have to say it. I can't ignore that being's words.
I don't know why that being wants me to go there, but I should still check the place. As for the risk… there isn't much to worry about. If that being wanted me dead, it wouldn't have gone through all this trouble. It could have killed me the same way it sent me into this world.
Still, I should stay alert. There are no guarantees. The future is uncertain."
After thinking it through, he spoke.
"Dad, we have to go to the western outskirts now. There is something important there. And we have to climb...."
He didn't hide anything, he told everything truthfully. There was no point in hiding, his father will eventually discover it later. So it's better to say it now, it will enable his father to prepare his mind for the upcoming route in advance.
After he finished speaking, he silently counted in his mind. A few moments later, he got exactly the reaction he expected.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, SHURON?? IF YOU ALREADY KNEW THE DANGER THERE, WHY DO YOU STILL WANNA GO? NOT ONLY IS THE PATH DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS, BUT THAT PLACE IS EVEN WORSE. DO YOU WANT YOUR OLD DAD TO DIE THERE? WHY ARE YOU—"
Just as Aven was about to rant further, Shuron stopped him with great difficulty.
He then said, "Dad, you asked why I'm still suggesting we go there even after knowing the danger. Do you know the reason?" Shuron paused for a moment, as if about to answer his own question, but his father cut him off.
"Because you are bored?"
Hearing this, Shuron rubbed his temples like an adult. He took a deep breath, straightened himself, and spoke in a serious voice, "Dad, I'm not so bored that I would risk myself. The reason I want to go there is…"
He stopped midway, because he didn't know what to say. He couldn't talk about that being's existence. He didn't know that being at all. What if it became angry if others learned about it?
At that moment, he looked at his father's expression. Expectation was clearly visible on his face, urging him to continue.
Shuron forced a smile, which looked quite awkward, then turned to look in the opposite direction, his back facing his father.
He then lifted his gaze to the sky and said in his mind, "Dad, forgive me for this."
***
At the Vane Mountain Range, northern outskirts.
In a clearing, which was also the end of the road, where hundreds of vehicles were parked, people could be seen moving in groups and enjoying themselves.
It was the weekend, so many had come to relax in the mountain range. Otherwise, the crowd would have been much smaller.
Beside one of the many cars, two figures stood, a man and a teenage boy.
At this moment, the man was looking at the boy's back, while the boy stared up at the sky, as if preparing to give a serious speech.
The teenage boy, still looking at the sky, said, "Dad, I know this will sound unbelievable. But the reason I want to go there is because it is calling me. I can sense that it desperately wants me to go there. It is asking for help."
"I don't know what kind of help, but it is calling me. I think its time is running out. It is going to die, and now it is asking me for help. Even if I can't help, I can at least find the answer to the question I asked earlier."
"So we have to go there. It's important. Even if it's dangerous, we still have to go. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, we…"
Just as Shuron was about to continue his nonsense, Aven stopped him with an irritated expression.
"Okay, okay. We will go. But don't you dare tell your mom about this. Otherwise, even if we survive the danger here, we won't survive your mother."
Hearing this, Shuron smiled happily and nodded. He silently agreed not to tell his mother about this stunt. Deep inside, he was also surprised that his father had agreed so easily. He had expected to use more lies and nonsense, but this was good.
Aven, on the other hand, moved to the back of the car. Opening the back door, he took out a metal rod. It was an extension rod from the car jack, quite durable and useful, enough to threaten and keep small animals away.
He tested the rod by striking it lightly against his hand a few times. Then he looked at Shuron, who was also watching him. Aven motioned for him to follow from behind and guide him along the way.
As they started moving, he said, "Shuron, don't leave even one meter from my side. And don't touch anything. Also…"
Aven continued giving careful instructions, while Shuron nodded, smiling inwardly at his father's concern.
They moved in the opposite direction of the dirt road. Some people passing by noticed them, but no one said anything. There were always a few who sought extreme adventure. People had seen others head that way before, and since there had been no serious incidents, no one paid much attention.
As he walked, Aven thought to himself, "It's a good thing I didn't bring Shen and Roxa here. That would have only increased the danger. I know there are risks ahead, yet I still agreed to come."
He continued thinking, his mind returning to Shuron's earlier words.
"It's because I know Shuron was talking nonsense just now. If he hadn't said he could 'hear a call for help,' I might have actually believed him. Even so, I still agreed, because I want to see why he felt the need to lie just to come here. What is it about this place that attracts him?"
"And I also don't want to stop him or let him come here alone. At least this way, I can keep an eye on him. And well, it also saved me from listening to more of his nonsense."
On the other hand, Shuron followed behind his father, guiding him along the way, completely unaware of his father's thoughts.
His mind began replaying the events of that morning, when he had heard a few words in his mind while doing his daily exercise.
His body had grown stronger after a month of consistent training, yet he continued to push himself further, always reaching his limits.
Today had been no different. Just as he reached his limit and his body began to relax, he heard a voice from within.
It was the same voice he remembered. The voice he had heard when he first woke up in this world.
The voice had no origin, no direction. It simply emerged in his mind, as if it came from his very soul.
"Vane Mountain Range. West outskirts. Forty meters to the north. A large crack on a tree trunk."
That was all he heard before the voice faded into silence once again.
And now, he was close to that place.
Which meant he was close to discovering why that voice had pointed him there. Soon, he would finally find his answers.