The whisper Hope heard came from a tall, thin man hiding behind the bushes. He had applied green paint to his face to blend in with the green spring leaves. The shoulder-length hair and a short coat of feathers, tanned animal skins, and cloth completed his tribal look.

"Follow me!" said the mysterious man dressed like a savage and then disappeared beyond the bushes through the forest. Hope made two jumps and reached the top of a tree where she could see him quite well, despite his almost perfect camouflage. He was heading east. Following his path, the woman saw a small village in the middle of the forest in the distance.

Even from such long-range, it was clear that this was no ordinary village, but rather a pile of straw and wicker tents. Those people were probably living a pretty hard life. However, she was curious why that man called her.

As curiosity awakens courage, they often go hand in hand, but very quickly, curiosity fades away, and courage is left alone on the path already chosen. Hope knew this, but being very curious, she could not resist the temptation to find out more, even though she knew she could get into quite a lot of trouble. Why did people have so many feelings and attributes that far exceeded the instinct of self-preservation?

The woman got closer to the settlement and hid in some large bushes close by. The village was indeed how Hope imagined it, perhaps even worse than she had thought. The people seemed happy with their simple lives and their chores, each contributing to the welfare of the tribe.

Out of a wicker tent came an older man with long white hair, who seemed to be barely able to walk, and yet he was moving at a pretty fast speed without leaning on anything. At one point, he stopped, sighed deeply and loudly, and brought the words out in a loud but warm voice. "You can come out of the bush and come see me better. We are waiting for you."

For a moment, Hope didn't realize he was addressing her. She knew how to hide well and mask her presence and even her smell. How did that old man know she was there, looking at him?

The bushes shook, and Hope rose to her feet, cautiously approaching the imposing old man. Yes, he was imposing, but not by stature or posture. His voice and attitude gave him a prestige that could not be denied even by the most rebellious being in the world.

When she reached him, the old man stared into her eyes, as if trying to read her soul. He seemed to reflect nature in his green eyes, inspiring a supreme peace and a devastating power. The jade glare seemed wise and old as the world itself, but also young and strong. The deep wrinkles completed the look, giving even more breadth to the sensation created by his gaze.

Hope heard the old man's strong, warm voice again. "Follow me inside. There is a lot we need to talk about."

He seemed to know about her presence before leaving his tent, which was the only reason he came out. Hope followed him, curious to find out more and hear what this mysterious old man had to say.

Sitting down in the middle of the wicker hut, the old man urged the woman to do the same in front of him. When Hope took a seat on the ground and crouched her legs beneath her, the old man began to speak. "We have been waiting for you for a long time, Aegis. It was time for you to return home and take your place, according to the legend. "

"Home?" Hope muttered, not understanding why the old man used this word. She had never been here before.

The old man had nothing to hide, so he revealed the entire story. "Every year, we leave a newborn baby in the woods and wait for him to return to us. The one who will find his way home is named in legends as Aegis and must fulfill his duty. "

"I understand, so every year, you kill a newborn. I can already see that this tribe has taken the concept of barbarism to a whole new level," Hope snorted, already annoyed. "How many children have returned so far?"

The answer came promptly. "No one. Except you."

Hope swallowed hard, curiosity being the only thing holding her back. Part of her knew that maybe it was better to know nothing and just get up and leave now as long as she still could. Therefore, she gritted her teeth and then asked. "What does the legend say?"

The old man continued with his robust and calm voice. "Legend has it that in this tribe will be born Aegis, the protective shield of humankind which is in perfect communion with animals. He or she will lead mankind into a golden age and rule over the unnatural monsters, those atrocious abominations that can be called neither humans nor beasts. These creatures are a demonic combination of both, and they have been ruling the world for so long that their roots have been lost in history."

Hope started laughing, a burst of forced creepy laughter. When she spoke, the woman's voice was full of dignity and scorn. "It's funny that a person who shows no remorse for the deaths of dozens or maybe hundreds of babies can call other beings monsters. Even more amusing is that all people want something from me. Some want me to fill a void left in their soul created by their own helplessness, others want to turn me into a lady unable to accept me as I am, and others want to shape me to fit the legend that gives meaning to their useless lives. But no one gives a shit for what I need and what I crave! "

A warm voice inside whispered sadly. "Drake let you go because that was your wish, even though he got nothing out of it."

Hope started laughing again. Yes! It was funny that the most humane person she had ever met was a monster with a beast inside him.