Shadow of the forest

Arina hummed softly to himself as he carefully measured the ingredients for a new potion. The air in the room smelled of herbs and sweet flowers, the delicate scent of magic filling the space. His small hands worked quickly, knowing Kava would expect perfection. The potion was for healing—something that could ease the pain of his guardian, who had been suffering for weeks now.

Suddenly, a strange noise broke his concentration. It was coming from the other room—a series of harsh coughs, followed by silence. Arina's heart leapt into his throat. Without thinking, he dropped the potion vial and rushed towards the sound.

He entered the room to find Kava on the floor, his face pale and contorted in pain as he coughed violently. Zeke was there, his usual playful demeanor gone, replaced by worry and panic as he knelt beside Kava, holding his head.

"Zeke!" Arina shouted, his voice thick with fear. He ran to Kava, kneeling beside him. "What happened?"

Zeke looked up, his eyes wide with desperation. "It's getting worse. Kava's—he's—" He didn't finish the sentence, his voice trailing off as he looked helplessly at Arina.

Arina's hands shook as he grabbed a cup of water from the table, offering it to Kava. The older man took it gratefully, sipping slowly, though the coughing fit seemed to have taken a lot out of him. Arina stayed close, his eyes searching Kava's face for any sign that he might be okay.

After a long silence, Arina's voice broke the quiet. "Why are you coughing so much? "It's been getting worse lately."

Kava hesitated. He seemed to consider something, a shadow of regret flickering in his eyes. Then, he smiled weakly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm dying, Arina," he said, his voice calm but full of an unspoken sadness.

Arina's breath caught in his throat. "What?" No...you can't! You're Kava. You've always been…You can't—"

Kava raised a hand to silence him, his smile never wavering, even though it was tinged with sorrow. "It's true," he said softly. "I fought the King of Shadows many years ago. "The Worst Shadow."

Arina's eyes widened. "The King of Shadows?"

Kava slowly slows down. "Yes. A terrible creature. We fought for days, the battle raging through the forest. But in the end, I couldn't defeat him. He managed to escape, but not before he took something from me. He devoured half of my soul, Arina."

Arina's mind raced. "What do you mean?" Half of your soul?"

"The Worst Shadow is not like the others. He doesn't just kill. He consumes souls, takes pieces of them. And when he did that to me…" Kava's voice trailed off, his expression distant, as if remembering the pain. "It's been eating away at me ever since."

Arina felt a cold chill run down his spine. "So that's why… why you're…" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

Kava met his gaze with a calm that only deepened Arina's fear. "Yes. The coughing. The pain. It's the soul slowly fading from me. It won't be long now."

Arina's heart clenched in his chest. He couldn't lose Kava. Don't like this. Kava was everything to him—his mentor, his protector, his family.

Kava reached out, placing a hand on Arina's shoulder. "But there's hope, Arina. You're the last hope to save this forest. To save all of us."

Arina blinked, confusion flashing in his eyes. "What do you mean?" How can I help you?

Kava's smile softened, full of warmth despite the gravity of his words. "The magic in you is stronger than you know. The forest chose you, Arina. It's time for you to step into your destiny."

Before Arina could say anything, Zeke—who had been sitting quietly beside them, his lion form curled in on itself—shifted. In a flash, he was back to his human form, his face etched with deep sadness. He placed his head gently in Kava's lap, his lion-like eyes filled with sorrow.

"I can't lose you, Kava," Zeke said, his voice quiet but full of emotion.

Kava's hand gently ran through Zeke's hair, his fingers brushing the top of his head. "You won't lose me, Zeke," he said softly. "I'll always be here. Even if my body isn't."

Arina's heart hurt, seeing both his guardians in such a state. He looked between Kava and Zeke, a knot forming in his throat. "What can I do, Kava?" Tell me. Please."

Kava's gaze softened, his smile returning, though it was tinged with a sadness that Arina couldn't shake. "You will know when the time is right, Arina. But for now, keep learning. Keep growing. The forest will guide you. You're ready, I can feel it."

Arina, though his thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion, fear, and desperation. He didn't feel ready. He didn't feel strong enough to carry such a burden. But Kava had never steered him wrong before.

"I won't let you down, Kava," Arina said softly, his voice steady despite the uncertainty that flooded his chest.

Kava's smile was full of pride. "I know you won't."

The room fell into a long silence. Zeke's head remained in Kava's lap, his body tense with sorrow, and Arina stood beside them, his mind racing with the weight of Kava's words. The future seemed uncertain, and the forest seemed to hold its breath.

But one thing was clear, Arina was about to face a challenge unlike any he had ever imagined. And he was going to need all his strength to rise to it.