Tinkle... tinkle...
The sound of a strange, cheerful little bell broke the afternoon's peace.
A much younger Hariel, who at the time was perhaps only seven or eight years old, was busy chewing the last crumbs of a "Hellfire Cracker" on the steps of his mushroom house. He looked up with curiosity, and his round eyes instantly widened in amazement.
A carriage—more like a giant, colorful toy box pulled by a skinny, brown-furred horse—had stopped right in front of him. The carriage was covered in mysterious carvings that seemed to twist and change when viewed from different angles.
An eccentric woman stepped down gracefully.
Her hair... wow!
Like freshly spun rainbow cotton candy, it was laden with glittering beads, star-shaped clips, and a few exotic bird feathers in colors Hariel had never seen in his entire life.
Her clothes were even more magical. They seemed to be a random combination of a wizard's robe, an adventurer's vest, and a noblewoman's gown that, somehow, all worked together to drape her body harmoniously.
"Hello, sweet boy," the woman greeted, her voice as melodious as music. Her smile was wide and friendly, but her pair of emerald-green eyes glinted with thrilling secrets.
An aura of adventure radiated so strongly from her that little Hariel instantly forgot about the breadcrumbs still in his hand.
"I am Lusi, the traveling merchant! Care to see some magical wares from my journeys?"
Little Hariel, who would normally run for his life upon meeting a stranger, could only manage a stiff nod this time. He was utterly captivated.
Lusi let out a small laugh at his reaction. With a theatrical flourish, she opened several large wooden chests on her carriage.
The contents... WHOA!
There were stones that glowed faintly on their own, peacock feathers that changed color when touched, and various shimmering liquids in uniquely shaped little crystal bottles.
"WHOOOOAAAA! SOOO COOOL!" Little Hariel gaped, his mouth hanging slightly open.
Lusi's laugh chimed again, as sweet as wind chimes. "This is nothing, child. The world out there is vaaast, filled with things far cooler and more magical than these!"
With courage from who-knows-where, little Hariel dared to ask in a voice that was barely a whisper, "Ma'am... do you know about... ZERO ONE?"
He had heard that name so often in his Grandfather's bedtime adventure stories.
Lusi's smile faded slightly. Her expression grew more serious, but her eyes only shone brighter with mystery.
"ZERO ONE... ah, you mean the legend of the greatest treasure of all time?"
Hariel nodded quickly, his eyes sparkling.
Lusi continued, "The one that's said to grant any wish to whoever finds it?"
"Is it real, Ma'am? It's real, right?" little Hariel pressed, his curiosity now unbearable.
Lusi moved closer, bending down slightly. Her voice was now a conspiratorial whisper, as if sharing the world's biggest secret. "Who knows for sure, child? This world is a place where the impossible can become possible!"
She paused, letting her words sink in.
"There are many reckless people out there," she continued in a whisper, "they call themselves the Zero Chasers. They believe the treasure truly exists and are willing to risk their lives just to find it."
"Zero Chasers?" little Hariel repeated, the words feeling foreign yet so thrilling to his ears.
"Crazy people!" Lusi laughed freely, her voice cheerful once more. "Crazy for adventure, crazy for power and truth... but they are also the ones who dare to dream as big as the sky! Daring to chase what they want most, even if it means risking everything!"
"Chasing a dream...?"
"Of course!" Lusi exclaimed. "They even have their own dream vehicles to help them! They're called Sky Arks, flying ships that let them explore the heavens!"
Hariel's eyes widened. "Ships... that can fly?"
"Not just fly, but conquer the skies!" Lusi straightened up, her gaze fixed on the horizon as if seeing something Hariel could not. "Some are shaped like giant iron birds with mighty, flapping mechanical wings. Others resemble magnificent palaces that float gracefully above the clouds, complete with their own hanging gardens!"
"Wow..." was all that could escape Hariel's mouth.
"In fact," Lusi added with a conspiratorial tone, "I once saw a strange one that looked like a giant, winged turtle carrying an entire library on its back! So cool, right? In the world of the Chasers, imagination is the only limit!"
Little Hariel's eyes glittered as he listened to all these stories. Flying ships, a legendary treasure, crazy people who dared to dream. Something inside his chest felt warm and turbulent. His small fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"I WANT TO BE LIKE THEM!" he shouted suddenly, a burst of determination that surprised even himself. "I'M GOING TO BE A ZERO CHASER! I'M GOING TO FIND ZERO ONE!"
Lusi smiled again, but this time it was a different kind of smile, one that held a hidden challenge. "Oh, really? Are you sure, brave boy? Their journey is incredibly dangerous, you know. Not everyone is strong enough or lucky enough to survive."
"I'm not scared!" Little Hariel puffed out his chest, trying to look brave. "I'm going to be... a Sky Conqueror!"
Lusi's crisp laugh filled the afternoon air once more. "Excellent! That's the most important thing, that spirit! Remember this well, little adventurer... this world is much, much bigger than your peaceful village. So, never stop walking, never stop being curious, and most, most importantly... never stop dreaming big!"
The spicy taste from the last bite of the "Hellfire Cracker" seemed to reignite the spirit from that magical afternoon.
The childhood promise, once declared so loudly, now felt intensely real and burned brightly in his chest.
The world truly was vast. Full of adventures waiting to be explored.
"Granny," Hariel said suddenly, his voice now more serious. He turned to Granny Ivana, who was busy wiping breadcrumbs from a nearby table.
Granny Ivana stopped her work. The smile on her face faded slightly when she saw the different look in Hariel's eyes. "Yes, what is it, child?"
"About Grandpa..." Hariel hesitated for a moment, swallowing. "You really don't know where he went?"
The old woman sighed softly, her gaze drifting far away, as if piercing through the bakery walls to a distant memory.
"No one knows for sure, Hariel, dear. He just said he'd be gone for a little while..." Granny Ivana trailed off, her eyes betraying a deep sadness. "But your grandfather's 'little while' could mean days, weeks, or even..."
She didn't finish the sentence.
"A little while to where? What did he leave for?" Hariel pushed, his typical blunt tone returning, demanding a clear answer.
"Perhaps... he had important business to take care of," Granny Ivana answered carefully, avoiding Hariel's sharp gaze. "He... he was always a man full of secrets. Or... maybe he was searching for something."
"Something like... ZERO ONE?" Hariel guessed immediately.
His golden-orange eyes sharpened, locking onto Granny Ivana's gaze, giving her no room to escape.
Granny Ivana was silent for a long moment, her breath coming out in a heavy sigh. She looked at Hariel, her expression weighing the need to protect a child against the duty to honor a man's legacy.
Finally, she said softly, almost a whisper, "It's possible... Your grandfather was the most stubborn Zero Chaser I have ever known."
At that very moment, the wind blew a little stronger than usual.
It carried the distinct scents from a distance—the smell of damp earth after last night's rain, the fragrance of decaying leaves, and... something else.
Something that felt like a faint call, an unspoken invitation.
The scent of the Onivira Forest.
"Granny," Hariel said again.
This time, his voice was firm. His eyes were now fixed straight ahead, towards the dense forest that loomed proudly at the village border.
His resolve formed in an instant, as hard as newly forged steel.
"I'm going to the Onivira Forest."