Strange little boy

Borne's eyelids grew heavier, and his vision blurred, as though the world around him was slowly slipping away.

His legs had lost all feeling, and the Frostfire Hyenas were greedily gnawing at his flesh, the grotesque sound of tearing meat filling the air, yet he felt no pain.

A cold chill spread from his wounds, enveloping his entire body.

"So tired..."

His consciousness was fading, and his thoughts drifted, as if he were being pressed into an endless abyss.

The blood loss had rendered his mind sluggish, and everything before him seemed to waver.

The Frostfire Hyenas, which had once filled him with dread, now appeared as dark, shapeless shadows, fading from his blurred vision.

His breathing became shallow and erratic, each breath requiring all the strength he had left.

The sounds around him—the snarls of the hyenas, the wind, even his own heartbeat—seemed to be growing distant, retreating into the void.

"Grandfather... I'm sorry..." 

He called out in his mind, but his consciousness was slipping beyond his control.

From Borne's waist pouch, water began to trickle out, unnoticed at first by the Frostfire Hyenas as they continued feasting on his flesh.

But the water flow increased, gradually pooling and spreading out like a small stream.

The Frostfire Hyena leader sensed something was amiss and let out a low growl, alerting the others to the mysterious water.

In that moment, something glowing with blue light surged from Borne's pouch, its force ripping through the air with a sudden, violent energy.

The next instant, the entire plain was consumed by a cataclysmic wave, as though the world itself was being drowned by a force from the depths of the sea.

This was no ordinary wave—it was a raging torrent of power from the deep ocean.

The sound of water roared like thunder, as though every inch of space between heaven and earth was shaken by this unstoppable force.

A colossal wave surged upward, towering into the clouds like an impenetrable wall of water, rushing madly across the plains from all directions.

The wave spread with unimaginable speed, as if it sought to engulf the entire land.

Countless streams of water converged, carrying the weight of mountains, crashing fiercely upon the ground. 

The waters churned and swirled, creating vast whirlpools and turbulent waves, like countless enraged sea serpents writhing uncontrollably across the plain.

The violent torrent blanketed the entire plain.

Borne, barely conscious, lifted his head, his vision too blurry to make sense of what was happening.

Amidst the giant wave, a massive shadow moved slowly.

It was black and white, its immense form suffocating, as though it blocked out the sky.

The Frostfire Hyenas' snarls were drowned by the overwhelming wave, their frantic attempts to escape futile against the relentless surge.

No matter how fast they were, it was useless now.

One by one, the Frostfire Hyenas were swept away by the waters, vanishing in the endless waves without any chance to resist.

Yet Borne felt an odd sense of comfort, as though the water posed no threat to him.

Instead, it seemed like a warm embrace, protecting him.

He wasn't choking on the water; instead, he faintly felt his legs and shoulders, which had previously gone numb, slowly regaining sensation.

But Borne, utterly drained by exhaustion and blood loss, felt his consciousness slipping away.

His eyelids became impossibly heavy, and at last, within the gentle flow of the water, Borne completely passed out.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a strange place.

He was standing on a calm, light blue sea.

At first, fear gripped him, as he thought he would fall into the water and be swallowed by the unforgiving ocean.

But as he steadied himself, he realized his feet could stand firmly on the surface without sinking.

Tentatively, he moved his foot, and the sea remained still, only sending out gentle ripples in response, as if the ocean was softly answering each of his steps.

He lifted his head to look at the sky, which was a clear, bright blue.

There wasn't a single cloud in sight, and the sun hung high above, its light gently falling on him, bringing a comforting warmth rather than a scorching heat.

Borne felt the unease in his heart gradually fade away, as if the vast ocean before him could embrace everything.

As he gazed out over the endless sea, curiosity stirred within him, making him wonder where this ocean led.

He began to walk forward.

With each step, ripples gently spread beneath his feet, yet the surface of the water remained calm, like an immaculate mirror reflecting the blue sky above.

He walked for a long time, but nothing changed; the sea remained vast and boundless.

And he was still standing alone on this infinite expanse of water.

Borne had no idea how long he had been walking—time seemed to lose all meaning.

"Where is this place? Is anyone there?" 

Borne's voice echoed across the open sea, as though his cries were swallowed by the endless horizon and the tranquil ocean, fading into the boundless silence.

The sky remained a brilliant blue, the sunlight continued to fall gently, and there was no reply.

No matter how he called out, there was no answer.

The ripples beneath his feet spread softly with each step, as if the sea itself was answering his movement.

"What kind of place is this?"

Borne was full of confusion, and the feeling of loneliness grew stronger in his heart.

He began to wonder whether this ocean was just a figment of his imagination.

His pace quickened; he wanted to find the edge, to find an exit. But no matter how fast he moved, the sea remained eerily calm.

After walking for what felt like an eternity, he suddenly stopped, his breathing becoming shallow.

He felt a sense of oppression in his chest. The solitude and helplessness overwhelmed him, and he couldn't help but shout again.

"Is anyone there?!"

To his surprise, this time, a young, impatient voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

"You're so loud, you've been yelling nonstop."

Borne whipped around, and the sight of the child nearly made his heart skip a beat.

Standing behind him was a boy, barely tall enough to reach his waist.

The child's sudden appearance was startling, as though he had materialized out of thin air.

What immediately caught Borne's attention was the child's hair—mostly black, but with several noticeable white streaks, making it look quite peculiar.

The child's eyebrows were also white, like two small dots above his round, chubby face, with rosy cheeks that made him look undeniably cute.

"Young people these days really have no manners," the child said in a tone that, despite his childish voice, sounded oddly like that of an elderly person, adding to the strange encounter.

Borne was left speechless by this unexpected response, staring blankly for a moment.

"Hey there, little one... who are you?"

Borne squatted down, trying to appear friendly as he smiled and met the child's gaze.

But the boy seemed utterly bored by the question, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms in a dismissive gesture.

He looked Borne up and down, his expression clearly filled with disdain.

"Why would Raphael hand me over to a grade brat like you?"

Despite the childish voice, the tone carried an unmistakable arrogance.