The boy starts his morning routine by brushing his teeth, having fish for breakfast again, and prepare his bag for the journey to the usual open field. He starts to walk outside into the dark forest which is even harder to navigate today due to the dense fog.

“What... never have I seen a fog this thick throughout my life. Something is wrong…” The boy muttered.

Right as he says that, an earthquake strikes the ground around him.

“What!?”

Suddenly, the skyscraper trees above him start to break one by one, exposing the forest’s floor to the full embrace of sunlight for the first time in thousands of years. In the sky, a metallic humanoid beast descended to the ground in front of the boy.

“A...mech?” The boy muttered in disbelief.

This term was not something he learned in his books, it was from a story told by his father of legendary tall metallic beasts controlled by humans which can decimate every threat in front of it. The boy thought this story to be a simple fairytale, a story one would tell before bedtime to their children. And yet, there it is in front of him.

The mech emits blue steam from its nostril. A nostril would be a correct way to describe it because the whole face of the giant resembles a beast known as a Lycan which he learned in his books. The body of the mech is grey in color and one of his hands is holding a gigantic sword while the other a shield.

Without warning, the mech starts to swing the sword into the direction of the boy.

“Oh shit!” The boy said in an urgent tone.

The boy managed to dodge by a hair’s breadth and rolled into the ground.

The mech wasn’t finished. Its eyes immediately start shining a deep blue light as if charging an unknown force which suddenly emits a thick blue line into the ground near the boy. The ground that was hit by the line of light starts to burn and it is heading nearer and nearer towards the boy.

“Motherfuc..”

The boy starts running to evade the blue line. His martial art training was not for nothing as his speed can already be considered inhuman.

But suddenly, the trees in front of him broke as well, revealing a second mech with identical features to the one before. The mech then started to swing its sword towards the boy. Trapped between the line of blue light and the sword, the boy is out of options.

‘Is this really how I die? I haven’t even traveled the world yet! Why are they after me? I’m an unnamed person in the middle of nowhere!’ The boy screamed inside his head as the sword and light starts to close in on him.

(BANG! BANG! SWOOSH!)

Loud sounds can suddenly be heard by the boy. The boy sees that the mech that was swinging the sword stopped moving and its head seems to be filled with holes. When the boy turns back into the direction of the mech that was shooting the blue line, its head is missing and the mech starts to fall to the ground.

“Are you okay your majesty!?” Said an unknown voice of a girl.

A third mech appeared from the direction of the mech that had its head cut off. This mech seems a bit more unique as it is gold in color while its face resembles a Faunur Lion, a great beast with sharp fangs and the ability to control the earth from the southwestern part of the continent. Although this particular Faunur Lion form seems to be of the female variety with the missing mane the males usually have. The mech started screaming in worry towards the boy.

“I don’t really know what you mean by ‘your majesty’ but no I’m not okay. I mean I was just an inch away from death!...*sigh* Forget about what I just said... thank you for saving me...you are…?” The boy asked the mech.

The Faunur Lion mech opens its mouth and a girl jumped down in front of the boy.

“Wow, a girl…first time I’ve seen one out in the wild, except for my mother of course. Long and lush red hair, a toned body and quite attractive features... whoops did I say that out loud? I’m terribly sorry I’ve been in this forest alone for so long that I usually just say every thought in my mind.” The boy muttered spontaneously.

The boy starts to apologize while bowing his head. The girl raised one eyebrow but starts to smile.

“I don’t mind your majesty. It is truly fortunate that you are safe. I am Sergeant Rosil Kaseli of the 909th regiment of your royal army, at your service!” Rosil replied with a respectful tone.

Rosil starts to drop to one knee while putting her right hand on her chest and bowing her head.

“Wow settle down Rosil we’ve just met and you already started speaking nonsense about royalty and army. May I know why you saved me, who were those people and why did you refer to me as ‘your majesty?’ " The boy asked Rosil.

“At once your majesty! You are 9th prince Braum Gundala of the eternal kingdom of Yakana. You are the last and only heir to the throne of the kingdom. As for those people that were after you, it is not in my jurisdiction to tell you. Your majesty must immediately follow your humble personage back to the kingdom for there is an unforeseen incident.” Rosil answered Braum in a straightforward manner.

As a response, the boy raised one of his eyebrows but no trace of surprise was seen in his face.

“I think the most surprising thing you just said was that I had a name. You really think I’m just going to believe the words of a stranger? Don’t mistake me… I am eternally grateful for you saving my life but I won’t just follow someone I just met without getting to know them better.” Said Braum with a straight face.

Despite his cold tone, the boy is trying hard to hide his smile. This is the first time he met someone other than his parents. Although he doesn’t believe in a single word coming out of the girl’s mouth, she might be his saving grace so that he can get out of this forest. But first, he wonders if Rosil knows what happened to his parents.

“Well… I’ll believe you for now...I just want to ask one thing: do you know what happened to my parents? They left the forest 6 years ago. Come to think of it, in your story, I am a prince, does that mean my parents were the king and queen? I don’t get it.” Braum asked Rosil.

The girl seems to have a noticeable shock from hearing his words, then replaced with a tinge of sadness in her eyes.

“Your parents… I’m sorry your majesty but it is out of my jurisdiction to tell you that information. Your humble personage wishes you to follow her towards the kingdom so that your question can be answered and help us in this time of peril.” Rosil answered Braum.

“Time of...peril? Forget it, okay, I’ll just follow you to this kingdom of yours. I have been living in this forest all my life. Every day I see the same sights, do the same routine, one would go mad from such isolation but thankfully my personality seems to save me from this hahaha... my father would always tell me I am one of the most cheerful person he ever met despite growing up with no friends…” Said Braum in an increasingly distant tone.

After telling long stories about his parents he stopped with tears on the edge of his eyes. He was excited to tell someone else his story but began to remember and miss his parents instead. Rosil stood, still in one knee, in silence, to give him time to let out his feelings.

“...Ah...tears...sorry...right, where was I? Lead me to your kingdom then Rosil! And I guess you can call me Braum as well if I can believe your story” Braum returned to his normal self and muttered towards Rosil.

In truth, he still didn’t fully believe her story but he wanted to make friends with her.

“This humble personage cannot do that, your majesty! You are the heir to the throne and such holds the highest position in the kingdom. This lowly soldier cannot refer to your majesty without a title” Rosil muttered in an urgent but respectful tone.

“Well I guess we can work that out as we go, can you just let me pack up my belongings? My house is near.” Asked Braum.

Braum wanted her to call him by his name but know that they must leave soon so he left the matter for another time. But the house that he has lived on for so long holds an enormous amount of sentimental value for him so he wants to pack up everything he needs for the journey as he doesn’t know when he will be back.

“Your majesty does not have to worry about that. Another squad of soldiers will soon arrive here after we leave to clean up this mess and bring everything from inside your house to the kingdom. Your majesty just needs to climb inside your humble personage Faunur mech so we can arrive at Yakana at the fastest possible time.” Rosil muttered in a confident tone.

“*Sigh* okay then...Well if you’re lying I don’t really have anything to lose I guess. Let’s go shall we.” Braum said.

Rosil starts to jump high into the air and into the mouth of the mech. This feat was not something a normal human is capable of...but Braum is no ordinary boy either, he proceeds to jump in the same manner onto the inside of the mouth.

“This humble personage sees that your majesty has been training well. Let us go towards Yakana.” Muttered Rosil.

The inside of the mouth looks nothing like Braum has ever seen. Rosil is seating on a chair made of soft leather with a device wrapping around her head. She is leaning back and her hands are holding two joysticks located on the sides of the chair. Braum is forced to stand as there is no other chair.

“Forgive me for this your majesty but you must hold on until we arrive in Yakana.” Rosil said.

Rosil frowned and looks apologetic but Braum is still smiling from the new sights.

“Aah, that’s fine just do your thing and get us there.” Braum replied.

“Of course your majesty. I will now do a deep dive and drive this mech.” Rosil replied back.

After saying that, she closed her eyes and the mech starts to shake.

“IDENTITY CONFIRMED: Sergeant Rosil Kaseli from the 909th regiment of Yakana’s royal forces. Launching.” An unknown voice of a lady said.

“Who is that talking!?” Braum asked in a surprised tone.

Braum was surprised by the sudden appearance of a woman’s voice. Rosil answered but her voice seems to be coming from inside the mouth of the mech, not her own.

“That is just the system, your majesty. Please hold on until we get there.” Rosil answered.

The mech then started to walk forward and after a certain distance stopped. Suddenly, a force pushed the mech off the ground until it reached a great height. It then starts to fly in a particular direction.

“Well, I’ll be damned…” Braum muttered in a low voice.

Braum was surprised. This day just keeps getting better and better he thought. Seeing the forest he was forced to stay in for all his life below, he starts to think of the adventure ahead, of the new sights he is about to see. While adventure is on the menu, Braum will need to deal with much, much more.