The sun rose steadily, casting its golden glow over a vast, green landscape. A village nestled between a dense forest and a winding river ca to life with the gentle morning breeze. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of fresh earth and blooming flowers. Birds chirped lodiously, adding to the peaceful atmosphere.
By the riverbank, a young girl walked barefoot, carrying a clay pot to fetch water. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back, swaying slightly with each step. Her blue eyes glead with innocence, and her pale skin looked even more radiant under the morning sun.
As she reached the water’s edge, she knelt down, dipping her pot into the cool stream. She humd softly, a familiar village tune echoing through the air.
Suddenly, her song was cut short.
Her eyes widened in shock as she noticed sothing floating in the river.
At first, she thought it was just driftwood, but as the current brought it closer, she realized—
It was a person.
A young boy, unconscious, his dark hair slicked back from the water, his body gently swaying with the river’s movent.
Panic surged through her. Without hesitation, she dropped her pot and waded into the river, her heart pounding. The water was cold, but she barely noticed.
As she reached him, she carefully turned him over, placing a hand against his nose and mouth.
He was breathing.
She let out a sigh of relief.
Now that she got a closer look, she realized—he was handso. In fact, the only other person in the village who looked this good was Leon, but Leon was too feminine. This boy, however, had a strong jawline and a presence that made her heart race.
The girl felt heat rise to her cheeks but quickly shook her thoughts away. "Now was not the ti."
She gently placed her hands over his stomach and pressed down, trying to force the water out of his lungs.
A few monts later, she hesitated before taking a deep breath and leaning forward.
’If this is what it takes to save him...’ She placed her lips over his and breathed into his mouth.
A faint gurgling sound ca from his throat.
She pulled back just in ti as he suddenly coughed violently, water spilling from his lips.
His eyes flickered open.
At first, his gaze was unfocused, lost. But as he blinked a few tis, they settled on her face.
The girl’s heart skipped a beat.
"Thank goodness," she whispered, smiling warmly. "You’re alive."
The boy groaned slightly, his body weak.
"Huh...?" His voice was raspy, confused.
The girl tilted her head. "What’s your na?"
He hesitated. His mind felt foggy, his thoughts scattered like pieces of a puzzle he couldn’t quite put together.
Then, almost as if forcing himself to rember, he muttered,
"T-Tyler..."
The mont the na left his lips—
A sharp pain shot through his head.
He gasped, clutching his temples as an invisible force seed to tighten around his skull. His vision blurred, and before he could process what was happening—
Darkness swallowed him whole once again.
The girl gasped, shaking his shoulder. "Hey! Wake up!"
But Tyler had already lost consciousness.
She bit her lip, looking around in worry.
Then, with determination in her eyes, she grabbed his arm and began pulling him toward the village.
She had to get help.
Unbeknownst to either of them, an unseen force was at work.
Sothing had sealed away Tyler’s powers and mories, making him completely vulnerable.
┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉
Tyler slowly stirred, his fingers twitching as he showed signs of waking up. His breathing deepened, and his eyelids fluttered slightly. The mont she noticed, the young girl watching over him gasped and quickly ran out of the hut.
The sound of the door creaking shut barely registered in Tyler’s mind as he let out a low groan. His head throbbed, and an unfamiliar scent filled his nostrils—a mixture of herbs, wood, and sothing faintly tallic.
His eyes finally cracked open.
"Where... am I?"
Tyler’s voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. His gaze darted around, taking in his surroundings. The hut was small, made of sturdy wooden beams, and had shelves filled with herbs, dried ats, and various clay jars. There was a single window, allowing soft daylight to filter in, casting long shadows across the room.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the door swung open again. The young girl from earlier stepped inside, her expression filled with relief and excitent.
"Oh! Tyler, you’re awake!" she exclaid, her blue eyes gleaming.
Tyler frowned. Tyler?
He looked at her, confused. "Tyler...? Who is that?"
The girl blinked, caught off guard by his response. "That’s... what you said your na was before you passed out in the river," she explained.
Tyler opened his mouth, then hesitated. Did I?
His mind felt foggy, empty. The more he tried to recall sothing—anything—the more his head throbbed. It was as if his mories were buried beneath a thick layer of mist, completely out of reach.
The girl stepped closer and gently placed the back of her hand against his forehead. Her touch was warm, gentle.
"Are you feeling unwell? Do you have a fever?" she asked, tilting her head in concern. "Do you rember anything at all?"
Tyler’s lips parted, but no words ca out. Rember?
His mind was blank.
He knew that words had aning, that he should have mories—but no faces, no nas, no images ca to him. It was all just... nothing.
The unease in his chest tightened.
"...I don’t know," he admitted finally, his voice barely above a whisper.
The girl’s expression softened with sympathy, but before she could respond, Tyler’s eyes landed on sothing in the corner of the room.
A copper pot.
Next to it, a copper ladle.
His body moved before he could think. He reached for them, his fingers wrapping around the ladle’s handle instinctively.
The mont he touched it, a strange sensation washed over him.
Familiarity.
His grip tightened. His heart pounded.
He didn’t know why, but the weight of the copper ladle in his hand felt right.
The girl noticed his reaction and smiled. "Oh, that was with you when I found you in the river," she said. "It looked important, so I kept it here."
Tyler stared at the ladle, turning it over in his hands.
Why did this feel like it belonged to him?
Why did it feel like—it was a part of him?
His confusion deepened.
"...Wait," he said suddenly, his gaze snapping to the girl. "Who are you? Who am I? Where am I?"
The girl stepped back slightly, startled by the sudden flood of questions.
"Oh, um—" She hesitated, then took a deep breath and smiled reassuringly.
"Hold on, I’ll explain everything one by one," she said gently.
She sat down on a wooden stool beside his bed, her hands folded neatly in her lap.
"My na is Catherine. I found you unconscious in the river this morning. I don’t know where you ca from, but from the way you were dressed, you’re definitely an outsider."
Tyler listened to her carefully.
"This is my ho," Catherine continued. "And my ho is in the Village of Vale."
She glanced toward the window, where the faint sound of villagers talking and children laughing could be heard in the distance.
Tyler followed her gaze, trying to process everything.
Village of Vale.
Outsider.
Lost mories.
His fingers curled around the ladle once more.
"...Then, who am I?" he asked, his voice low.
Catherine gave him a small, sad smile.
"I was hoping you’d be able to tell that."
It took so ti for Tyler to accept reality. Unable to rember anything, he decided to entrust the Copper Pot and ladle to Catherine for safekeeping. She carefully placed them inside an old wooden box and closed the lid.
Even if his mories were gone, sothing deep inside told him that those items were important. At least this way, he could keep them safe.
"Is this your house?" Tyler asked, his gaze sweeping across the modest room.
Catherine nodded, but a blush crept up her cheeks. She quickly looked away, her heart racing. Tyler was half-naked, his lean and well-toned body exposed. The sight made her pulse quicken, and before she knew it, her eyes drifted to his lips.
The sa lips she had pressed against while saving his life.
’
No, no, no... that wasn’t a kiss! That was just ergency aid!’ She quickly shook her head, trying to clear the thought.
Tyler, noticing her sudden movent, frowned. "Are you alright?"
"I—I AM OKAY!" Catherine blurted out, her voice louder than necessary. Her face turned a deeper shade of red as she grabbed the broom from the corner.
"I-I’m going to sweep outside! You rest for now!" She stamred before rushing out, before leaving she looked at him and said, "By the way, Welco to Village Of Vale."
Tyler watched her leave in a hurry, a bit confused by her reaction. He sighed and laid back on the cot made of wooden fras and woven strings. His body felt heavy, his mind still foggy.
As he closed his eyes, outside, Catherine stood near the door, clutching the broom tightly, her face still warm with embarrassnt. She hesitated, glancing back toward the hut, debating whether to go back inside.
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