The next morning, Alex found himself at the edge of the village again, standing where the dirt path met the tangled roots of the jungle. It had become a ritual now—staring into the shadows between the trees, wondering what lay beyond them. Wondering if she was waiting for him there.

  A breeze stirred the leaves, carrying the scent of damp earth and something older—something ancient. His thoughts were deep in the dream world when a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder.

  He spun around, heart leaping. Standing behind him was an old man he had never seen before.

  The man looked like he belonged to another world entirely. His cloak was tattered but richly colored, like it had once been royal. His eyes, a pale stormy gray, shimmered with something between wisdom and madness. A long scar traced down one cheek, like a mark from the past that refused to fade.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met,” the man said in a gravelly, calm voice. “What’s your name, boy?”

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  Alex hesitated. Something about the stranger made the air feel heavier, charged with meaning. But then he answered, quietly, “Alex.”

  The old man’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes.

  “My name is Caelum,” he said. “And I have a question for you.”

  Alex narrowed his eyes. “What kind of question?”

  Caelum stepped closer, gaze drifting toward the jungle.

  “Do you want to go to the other side of the forest?”

  The words hit Alex like thunder. His breath caught. His heart skipped.

  “There’s… another side?” he asked, voice almost a whisper.

  Caelum chuckled, a dry, echoing sound. “Of course there is. You think the trees go on forever? Nothing in this world does.”

  Alex's eyes lit up with wonder, but a wave of guilt and fear quickly followed.

  “My mom says it’s dangerous,” he said, “and the others—they say my father went in and never came back. They all say the same thing. That no one returns.”

  Caelum's gaze remained steady, unreadable. “That’s because they don’t want you to return.”

  The words stunned Alex. His chest tightened.

  “But… why?”

  Instead of answering, Caelum took a slow breath, then said something that made Alex’s skin prickle.

  “If you want, I can help you leave the forest.”

  Alex stared at him, stunned. “Why would you help me?”

  A silence settled between them. The wind seemed to hush. Then Caelum smiled, a slow, knowing smile that didn’t

  reach his eyes.

  “Because it’s your destiny.”