The white butterflies danced through the infinite void, tiny sparks of divinity navigating the currents of space and time. To the mortal mind, a journey across the multiverse would be an eternity; here, seven years bled into a single heartbeat.
They finally reached the protective veil of the new world. Below them, the map was a jagged mosaic of shattered continents and endless blue—a world where the land itself seemed to be in a constant struggle with the sea. This was a realm of scattered islands, towering walls, and hidden dangers.
The butterflies ignored the vast cities and the warring factions. They dived toward a remote, primeval island that time had forgotten. It was a place of humid heat and ancient giants, where the trees grew so tall they scraped the bellies of the clouds. This was a wild garden, teeming with prehistoric life and ferocious beasts.
Deep in the heart of the jungle, the butterflies chose their vessel: a massive, healthy tree with bark as thick as iron. They didn't just land; they merged with the wood, sinking into the very marrow of the plant.
Inside the trunk, a miracle began to take shape.
The butterflies acted as celestial sculptors. Using the life force of the tree and the essence of the Veil, they began to mold a new body. It was a slow, sacred process. Days turned into months, and months into years. The wood pulsed like a wooden womb, protecting the soul within from the prowling predators outside.
Finally, after three years of growth within the trunk, the crafting was complete. Inside the hollowed heart of the tree lay a ten-year-old boy. His skin was bronze and healthy, his hair dark and wild, and his frame was lean but packed with hidden potential.
The last of the butterflies dissolved into his chest, settling into his heart and his blood. The transformation was done. The soul of the beggar who died in the snow was now a child of the jungle.
The silence of the ancient forest was absolute until the trunk of the great tree groaned. With a sound like a thunderclap, the wood split clean in half, and the boy stepped out into the world.
He moved with the haunting, staggering grace of something newly born. At first, his hair shimmered like spun gold, falling in heavy locks to his shoulders. But as the tropical sun hit his skin, a strange transformation occurred. The healthy tan he had possessed inside the "womb" faded away, turning into a startling, porcelain white—the color of the pure snow he had died in.
Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open.
There were no human eyes beneath those lashes. Instead, two spheres of molten gold stared back at the world—gold irises and gold pupils that shone with a terrifying, celestial brilliance. Looking into them was like staring directly into the sun; it was a gaze that could make a lesser soul wither.
Ram looked down at his small, white hands. He clenched them into fists, then opened them again. There was no pain. No frostbite. No scars. Confusion clouded his golden eyes; he was a ghost who had been forced back into a shell, and he didn't know why.
He looked up. His mouth fell open in a silent "O" of wonder. The trees here didn't just grow; they dominated. They were wooden titans that pierced the clouds, draped in vines as thick as ships' ropes.
He tried to take a step, but his legs felt like lead. He moved like a puppet with tangled strings, stumbling and swaying. He practiced—step, wobble, step—until he gained a semblance of control. But as he mastered his balance, a new sensation hit him.
.Grumble.
His stomach roared with a primal ferocity. Ram stopped and patted his belly, his head tilting in genuine curiosity. He didn't remember what this feeling was—the hollow, aching demand for fuel.
The sound of his stomach seemed to be a signal. The peaceful silence of the primeval forest shattered. Birds with wingspans like small planes took flight, shrieking in alarm.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The ground vibrated. The rhythmic, heavy impact of something massive was heading straight for the clearing. The trees ahead began to bend and snap like toothpicks.
The beast burst through the final line of ancient trees, a chaotic symphony of snapping timber and flying earth. Ram didn't flinch. He stood perfectly still, his porcelain skin stark against the dark, damp soil of the island. He watched the creature with a calm that bordered on the eerie—a newborn soul with no concept of fear, only curiosity.
He tilted his head, his golden hair catching the stray beams of sunlight that filtered through the canopy. He placed a small finger on his chin, his golden eyes narrowing as he analyzed the titan before him. Then, he raised a hand. He pointed a finger at the beast, then slowly pointed at himself. He opened his mouth wide and made a biting motion.
Are you going to eat me? The beast, a massive fusion of a horse's powerful torso, crocodile legs, and a scorpion's lethal tail, skidded to a halt. Its triceratops-like head, crowned with a wide umbrella frill, tilted in confusion. Its bird-like beak clacked as it processed the tiny creature's lack of terror. For a moment, the primal predator was dumbfounded. Then, it gave a slow, heavy nod of its horned head.
The confirmation was met with no response. Ram simply continued to stare, his golden irises pulsing with a strange, internal light. He didn't move to run. He didn't look for a weapon. He stood his ground, waiting to see what this mountain of green scales would do next.
Offended by the boy's stillness, the beast let out a shrill, screeching roar. It lowered its horns, its crocodile feet digging deep into the mossy earth. In an explosion of speed, it charged.
The ground shook. The wind whipped past Ram's face, tossing his golden hair wildly about his shoulders. The beast was a blur of green muscle and bone, a ton of predatory intent aimed directly at the boy's chest.
Still, Ram did not move. He stood there like a statue of snow, his eyes wide and curious, watching the sharp beak and the massive horns grow larger and larger in his vision. He didn't know he was supposed to die; he only wanted to see what happened when the beast reached him..
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To be continued.