Lamia Scale, the ice trail

Chapter 1: The Path of Magic Begins

Copyright notice: This fanfic is a work of fiction inspired by "Fairy Tail", created by Hiro Mashima. I do not own the rights to "Fairy Tail" or the original characters.

Author's note: English is not my mother tongue, so I apologise for any mistakes you may find in this fanfic. I appreciate your understanding and I hope you enjoy the story.

Chapter 1, The Path of Magic Begins

The boy found himself submerged in a world of unfamiliar sensations. Despite the darkness that covered his eyes, the forest came to life through his other senses. He could feel the cool dampness of the air, carrying with it the scent of wet earth and foliage. The ground beneath his hands was a mix of soft soil and fallen leaves, which crumbled at the touch. The sounds of the forest were a constant symphony: the murmur of the wind playing with the leaves, the distant gentle sound of a meandering stream, and the occasional song of a bird hidden in the density of the foliage. The crunch of branches under his feet and the rustle of his clothes against the vegetation became his indicators of movement and space.

Each breath carried a story, blending the smell of vegetation with the occasional sweet perfume of wildflowers, barely perceptible but present. The forest, though invisible to his eyes, revealed itself to him through these details, creating a mental map of his surroundings that was as vivid as any image.

As he moved forward, his hands explored the world in front of him, touching the rough bark of trees and feeling the change in terrain under his feet. Despite his blindness, Tristan began to perceive the majesty and mystery of the Lamia Forest, a place where every whisper of the wind and every change in the air told a hidden story.

Among the dense trees of the Lamia Forest, the boy found himself alone, disoriented, and immersed in complete darkness. The whisper of the wind among the leaves and the crunching of branches under his feet were the only sounds he could perceive. Trapped in the gloom, his hands clung to the bark of a tree, desperately trying to find something to guide him amid the darkness that enveloped his eyes.

Fear had taken hold of his heart, a deep sensation that came not only from the uncertainty of not remembering who he was but also from the overwhelming dread after having lost his sight. In the penumbra of the forest, he felt abandoned, and the acute need to quench his hunger and thirst gnawed at him from within. Each step he took seemed to immerse him further into the underbrush, moving him further away from any hope of finding help.

The distant echo of the stream called to him, but his inability to see kept him stationary, unsure of every movement. His trembling fingers explored the terrain, searching for something, any clue that could give him a sliver of orientation in the midst of that natural labyrinth. The whisper of water provoked a scorching thirst, and the sensation of his empty stomach was a constant reminder of his vulnerability in this unknown environment.

With each labored breath and every heartbeat, the boy longed for a ray of hope. A distant voice, an echo of compassion, anything that would pull him out of that dark maze. However, amid the stillness of the forest, there was only his own labored breathing and the distant echo of the stream, singing a melody of temptation and agony.

The boy's body finally gave in to exhausting fatigue. With the last reserve of energy spent, he collapsed in a lost corner of the Lamia Forest. The lack of food and water had weakened his body beyond its limits, and his mind, clouded by despair, struggled to find a path towards hope. Unable to see, his disorientation was absolute.

Amid his weakness, danger slithered through the shadows of the forest. A chilling howl echoed in the distance, announcing the presence of the demonic wolf. Its heavy steps and the smell of blood and ferocity slowly approached where the boy lay defenseless.