Erwin was only fifteen, yet he felt as though he had lived lifetimes. The orphanage was no sanctuary for children; it was a cold, desolate prison where every corner breathed hostility and every day was a test of survival. There was no room for tenderness, no hand to wipe away a tear, and no kind words to be found. Everyone was a potential enemy, every smile was a mask, and every glance carried a warning. He learned early on that the weak are trampled and that silence offers no protection.
In that place, Erwin knew neither friendship, nor safety, nor justice. He knew only pain: a stinging slap from an older boy, the mocking laughter of ruthless peers, and collective punishment dealt without reason. His life was a sequence of moments reminding him that the world is a cruel place, and that he had to be sharp, swift, and ready to run when the time came.
For weeks, he planned his escape. He memorized every turn in the corridors, every neglected window, and every weakness in the perimeter walls. Every step was calculated; every second was a key to survival.
The Flight
On a pitch-black night, while the world lay in a deep slumber, Erwin moved with ghostly agility. His heart hammered against his ribs, but he knew that any show of fear would betray him. He slipped through the shadows, navigating narrow hallways and evading the merciless guards. Every creak of a door or rustle of his feet weighed heavily on his soul, yet he pressed on.
Just as he was about to clear the final wall, he heard footsteps behind him. His heart screamed: "They've found me!" He ran blindly, every muscle aching with exhaustion, his mind focused solely on escape. The streets he once knew as a child now felt like a foreign, endless labyrinth.
Then, in a blur of chaos, there was no stopping. A speeding car—no time to think. The impact came, and the world dissolved into a fog of pain and shock. Everything blurred together: agony, rage, and terror. He wondered, "Is this the end? I haven't even lived yet..."
The Awakening
When he regained consciousness, there was no celestial light, no divine voice, and no grand promises. His body appeared intact from the outside, but a strange pressure weighed on him, as if the very air was watching his every move. He bolted awake, a raw scream escaping him before he could realize where he was. His muscles betrayed him, and he collapsed onto his side.
The forest was dense and suffocating. Thick leaves blotted out the sky; there were no birds, no insects, and no comforting breeze. Everything was unnervingly still. Then, he felt it. A presence.
A shadow shifted between the trees—a subtle rustle, a distant but tangible silhouette. Suddenly, a massive fox emerged. It was white, with nine long tails swaying slowly; some were frayed, and one appeared lifeless. Its eyes were calm, devoid of hunger or curiosity, yet radiating an aura of survival that struck Erwin with primal dread.
Erwin trembled, his voice catching in his throat: "Y-you... you can speak?"
The fox's muzzle did not move, but its voice echoed inside his head—mysterious and riddling: "Human flesh? It has no value."
Fear and wonder seized him simultaneously. How could a creature speak without a mouth? How could it be alive after all that had happened? The wounds on his chest and arm still throbbed, but the pain had turned internal—a heavy sensation filling his core. These weren't just scratches anymore; every movement felt like it carried a hidden cost.
The fox took a single step forward, the ground beneath its claws crunching softly as if in warning: "Whoever moves next shall either pay the price at once or be drained slowly."
Erwin tried to move, his heart racing as his mind battled between terror and the instinct to take control. Fear was natural, but it didn't leave him entirely paralyzed. He caught a glimpse of a shadow darting through the trees, away from the fox. He couldn't tell if it was a threat or a mere hallucination, but his sense of danger doubled. The forest fell into a sudden, heavy silence, as if waiting for his next move.
This was the first chapter—the end of the beginning. Erwin stood there, gasping for air, suspended between fear and the overwhelming mystery of the forest and the being before him, wondering what price he would have to pay in this new world.