There is a young man who lived a fairly consistent life. Despite having no family anymore, he still managed to survive within society. His name was Hector.
Hector was not the best man to ask for a favor because he saw himself as a man with little talent — and, rightfully so, he didn’t have many. But he was good at the few talents he did have, and his friends came to him for advice, even if it was just about small things.
He was a quiet man — well, he still is — and always held himself back. He was aware of what could be best or simply inconvenient, but because he limited himself, he never shared his own creations, like his stories. He never published them.
One day, while walking through the streets during autumn, he saw a red squirrel — except it had a golden-bronze, V-shaped stripe on its neck. Curious, he followed it behind a tree, and then it disappeared.
He didn’t think much of it and left. Unknown to him, a murder of crows had been watching him, each with a red ring-like ornament fitted perfectly around their talons, and faint greenish gas-like particles flickered in their eyes.
When Hector returned to his apartment, he saw that his window was slightly open. Thinking nothing of it, he closed it, assuming he had simply forgotten. Then, in his bathroom, he found a strand of red hair. Now he thought someone had broken into his home.
He pretended everything was normal but quietly listened for any sound. He moved toward the kitchen and tucked a small knife under his clothes. On the desk, he picked up three pens, as if he always did these things. Then, as he walked toward his room where he kept his books and his own stories, he heard it — the flipping of pages.
Outside his window, unknown to anyone, a crow landed on an electric wire. Soon more followed. To most people, it was just a group of birds, so no one paid attention to their unusual fixation toward the east — particularly toward one building. The same greenish gas flickered in their eyes, and as they flew up and circled the building, sunlight reflected off their red ring ornaments, glowing with an almost ethereal light. Only then did people notice.
Meanwhile, Hector didn’t know what was happening outside. He focused only on the door in front of him. In a moment that felt like a thousand years frozen in time, he opened it.
Inside, he sighed in relief as he saw a red squirrel running around, books scattered everywhere. But then he noticed again the same golden-bronze V-shaped stripe.
Suddenly, a loud bang shook everything. Books flew like birds, and everything turned red. Hector stood up — and so did the squirrel. They looked outside and saw that they were in a red place. While Hector was still in shock, the squirrel grew larger and suddenly spoke.
Back in the real world, people only saw the crows fly away. The building was still there, so everyone went on their respective ways.
Back in the void, a cat-and-mouse chase occurred between a half-man-sized red squirrel and a man armed with a knife and pens. The squirrel, who called himself Secal of the North, tried to calm Hector, who was in a frenzy.
After a long conversation — and another hour involving a gallon of water — they sat across from each other. Hector began asking what was going on, where this place was, and especially who this squirrel was.
Secal of the North began explaining. From what he could tell, due to the red-colored explosion, they must be in the Red Zone of the Yaral-Fruka Map. He explained that there were many worlds like Hector’s universe, and one day a man named Yaral-Fruka decided to map the paths between them. Among his maps was one place called the Red Zone — the source of the color red and everything associated with it. Furthermore, lost records said this was the place where the evil god Narefal had been killed.
Midway through the explanation, Secal noticed Hector was dazed, trying to process information that shattered everything he had known before.
Secal looked around and found a book. He drew lines inside it, turning it into a bowl, grabbed pen ink and a dead goldfish, and ground them together inside. Violet particles formed, and he blew the dust into Hector’s face.
Hector blinked and declared that he understood everything the rodent had said. Secal slapped him and said he wasn’t like those animals. He proudly called himself a professional alchemy expert with a wizard degree in spells.
Cautiously, he told Hector they needed to leave quickly because this place was nothing but red, and the slow nothingness of boredom would drive anyone insane — they would die with only madness and nothing else.
Soon, they went to work. Hector was tasked with gathering his original stories involving wonderland elements and placing them in a specific geographical order. Secal gathered items from other apartments in the building: a half-rotten tomato, a missing dog leash, wood chunks, wires, and other random objects.
While working, Hector asked Secal why he had been in his room and why Hector had been chosen. Secal laughed, telling him not to get ahead of himself. He said he was just running from the Curse of the World, and Hector happened to be nearby. Secal sensed that one of Hector’s stories had opened a gateway to another world. He explained that no one could fully map every world — only the paths between them — and Hector had written a story that mirrored one of those worlds by about 78%, enough to open a gate.
Then, in a serious voice, Secal asked Hector if he hadn’t noticed how little emotion he had shown ever since arriving there.
⸻
Soon, they finished a pentagram. Secal told Hector to stand in the middle and place three pens in front of him. Secal of the North chanted as the symbols glowed, spoke his name, and asked Hector to choose a world connected to one of his books.
Hector chose. His eyes emitted a faint orange gleam — then nothing.
When Hector woke, he was surrounded by ancient trees reaching for the heavens, lush vines, and thriving ecosystems. He breathed in fresh air.
The moment he turned, he froze. In front of him stood a ginormous bear with antlers like a moose, its height rivaling the ancient trees themselves. Its eyes were as white as the moon and held wisdom beyond any animal. Hector, amazed, frightened, and filled with questions, stared at the giant creature — and it stared back.
Then, as if judging Hector harmless, the creature left.
Hector sighed in relief and smiled, exclaiming that he couldn’t believe he had met one of the creatures he had written about — Kexvwa, guardian of the forest and secrets, child of the moon and the spirit of the woods.
Then Hector remembered Secal. He went to find him and saw him sleeping on a pile of dry leaves, relaxed like a monk. Hector smiled and lay beside him, his mind still trying to process everything so far. He closed his eyes — not because he had work to go to or a life of secrecy and restraint, but because he felt calm, relaxed, and aware that he truly knew nothing — and tomorrow would be a real tomorrow instead of a repetitive timetable.
By day six of surviving in this world, he regretted his choice. Both Hector and Secal were constantly trapped in ancient civilization traps, chased by creatures due to unknown variables entering their territory, or nearly starving because most plants were poisonous to non-natives.
It didn’t help that Secal constantly remarked on Hector’s lack of wisdom in choosing worlds.
Hector finally said he couldn’t have known his own stories would feel like this. Another slap. Secal reminded him he hadn’t created the world — by chance, his story mirrored it 78%, opening a gateway.
Hector indifferently asked why no one else had created a world like this and gone there already. Secal replied that because Hector always limited himself and never published his works, the energy of the worlds didn’t recognize them as their own — and because no one else knew of them, the Curse of the World noticed him instead, sending him to the Red Zone.
While arguing, they heard rustling in the trees. Fearful, they tried to run but found a cavern behind them filled with creature sounds. They turned toward the approaching presence. When the final tree was pushed aside and the creature revealed itself, both screamed as if struck by thunder.
When they opened their eyes, they saw a peacock as tall as a man’s shoulder, with four legs, six wings, orange stripes across its body, and an elegance like royalty.
Hector gleamed with joy — he recognized it from his book. Like Kexvwa, it was born from the union of different beings: a phoenix and a nymph. Its name was Larina the Provider, able to create fruits and vegetables and bring good harvests and luck.
Secal commented that only a male would have such a tale. Larina spewed a small flame at him, burning some fur, proudly proclaiming she was still a child of a phoenix and could control fire to a degree — and she called him a chipmunk. Secal fired back, calling her an unwanted child abandoned by her parents in the physical world.
Before things turned physical, Hector stepped in and said they needed to eat something edible first. Afterward, Secal sarcastically said they should leave and “thanks for the food,” but Hector invited Larina to join them since they needed a constant source of food and luck, to Secal’s utter dismay.
Larina smiled at Secal, said yes, and whispered in his ear that it wasn’t over.
Later, they began telling each other their stories. Hector went first. Secal proudly gave his full name: Secal of the North. Larina said she had heard of him, and just as his ego rose, she added:
“Secal, that bastard rodent who can’t even cast spells but graduated in learning them — so he performed forbidden rituals and got chased by the Curse of the World. What a commoner.”
Secal exploded, insulting her appearance and claiming her parents abandoned her because she looked like a male peacock.
Hector watched, unable to intervene, until the fight nearly became physical — then he stepped in.
That night, while crossing a thick swamp, all three fell silent. They felt they weren’t alone.
When Hector signaled Larina to light the way, they saw something staring back.
A creature taller than four grown men, with the body of a horse and lizard. Its face had mouths in both cheeks, and in the center another mouth with four rows of teeth stacked behind each other — with eyes between the teeth, each a different size. Its limbs were like a tiger’s, its tail long and spiked, with six pairs of wings and ram-like horns.
The chase was immediate. Secal asked if Hector knew it. Hector said he didn’t — and even if he did, he wouldn’t have written it. Larina said the creature was called Verto Nehayal, a being of endless hunger that destroyed and devoured almost anything that breathed.
When they escaped the swamp, Secal removed his golden-bronze V ornament and tossed it to Larina, shrinking himself while enlarging her. Hector picked up the now-small squirrel and climbed onto Larina as she took to the sky.
The chase continued through the air. Larina turned her body into flames to avoid the creature’s long tongue. The fire didn’t harm Hector or Secal, but the creature wouldn’t stop.
Hector told Larina to head for the Forest of the Elder Trees — Kexvwa would deal with the creature. Larina doubted the guardian would tolerate her, but Hector assured her that if she turned off her flames, returned to normal size, and looked harmless, the guardian wouldn’t attack.
Trusting him, she extinguished her flames, even though it made her easier to catch.
⸻
They crash-landed in the forest. Larina dropped the V ornament. Hector, still holding the small Secal, dragged Larina forward. Behind them, a massive impact echoed.
Hector recognized Verto Nehayal — then three more booms followed. His heart tightened as he remembered Larina saying it was a creature, not an entity. That meant it could reproduce.
Without turning back, Hector grabbed the V ornament and wore it. He grew to ten feet tall and regained enough strength to carry both Secal and Larina — but that didn’t mean they were safe.
He ran faster than he ever had before. Behind him, he heard the creatures screaming and chasing them — not quickly, but steadily. Hector realized they were hunting, waiting for him to tire.
He tripped and looked back. Everything — earth, trees, land — was being eaten away as the creatures opened mouths wider than their skulls.
Larina woke during the chase. Seeing the creatures still pursuing them, she used the last of her power to unleash torrents of flame, burning the forest and enraging Verto Nehayal.
Hector reached a dead end. The creatures appeared. The four beasts cried out, shaking the land and striking fear into Hector, Secal, Larina — and every creature nearby. It felt like the end.
Then a majestic cry echoed.
On the horizon mountain, beneath the full moon, stood the gigantic guardian of the forest.
The clash was immediate. The guardian descended with mighty force. The creatures surrounded him, distorting their bodies as six extra tentacle-like limbs formed. They struck, but the guardian roared, caught the first creature, pinned it down, and stomped it to death. The remaining three realized the opponent was too strong — and began devouring each other.
To the disgust and fear of the three spectators, who healed themselves, Secal remarked that Larina’s “good luck” was just prideful rumor. She argued back that surviving and being saved by the guardian was luck. Hector snapped at both, telling them to focus — they needed to help the guardian with what little they could. He explained his plan.
Meanwhile, the guardian faced a much larger, more twisted Verto Nehayal, mangled with crude, chaotic design, wielding anything it could grab as a weapon. The guardian’s horns glowed emerald green as the forest listened. Now stronger, the bear engaged the massive creature.
Their clash shook the world. Clouds split across the sky, weather changed in distant lands, mountains flattened, rivers altered course, and ancient trees were uprooted as weapons or from impact.
When the guardian weakened for a moment, the creature lunged and bit him. Kexvwa roared — his eyes blazing white — and unleashed a shockwave that hurled the creature away.
Hector screamed at the monster, distracting it just long enough for Larina, wearing the golden-bronze V ornament, to spew frenzied flames at it. Hector rode Larina away as the enraged creature chased them, while Kexvwa gathered energy. Strange symbols appeared across his body as he drew power from the moon and the remaining forest.
When Hector and Larina reached the signal point, they gestured to Secal. He immediately activated a giant circle beneath Verto Nehayal, and purple chains bound the creature.
Kexvwa roared and unleashed the gathered energy. Countless lights scattered across distant lands, striking other Verto Nehayal. Even as the creatures adapted, the power of heaven and earth was overwhelming.
As dawn approached, Kexvwa stood triumphant and roared to the world that he had won.
⸻
When day returned, the aftermath of the battle would not be forgotten by time, but by action — by continuing while knowing what had happened, not ignoring it, but accepting it.
When the guardian noticed Hector, Secal — who had reclaimed his ornament and returned to full size — and Larina, he bowed.
When Hector saw Kexvwa looking at Larina strangely, he tried to step in, but Secal moved first.
He told the guardian that without her, every creature would have died — and that he should be grateful.
After a moment, the guardian stood tall again. His horns glowed with spiritual blue light, calling upon the spirits themselves. Greenery sprouted. Larina, sharing blood with nature, helped rebuild the land.
Hector saw everything — from insects to elephants — helping, and he joined in.
The forest regrew.
Then Hector noticed a crow flying high in the sky — a single crow. But Secal recognized it as the Curse of the World, from the greenish particles trailing behind it and the shimmer of red on its feet.
The world had noticed the massive battle — and had noticed beings who did not belong to it.
Soon, the guardian summoned the three and led them to the oldest tree in the world. He began digging and revealed a hole.
It was clear: the world could no longer welcome them. Despite understanding this, each of them felt emotional attachment.
Especially Larina — it was her birth world. Hector comforted her, saying that living also meant letting go, and that nothing in any world could be eternal — only feelings endured, and even then, only as memories.
Secal added that when he first jumped between worlds, he had felt the same. But life taught him that it was boring — yet always moving — and excitement and opportunity were as rare as finding your favorite acorn in a field of acorns.
The guardian bowed — a rare gesture of gratitude from someone like him. They returned the gesture.
They walked. They didn’t jump or run with excitement. They walked with unease, tension, fear — and hope — toward the unknown future.
THE END
⸻
Alternate Ending
“Wake up — wake up,” whispered a female voice.
A young man opened his eyes. Around him were rows and rows of books in strict order.
“What are you still doing? The bell just rang. We need to reach class before anyone notices,” the voice continued.
Under the young man were scattered books and an unfinished notebook.
He replied, “Don’t rush, Esther. Class won’t start until ten minutes after the bell.”
Esther, clearly irritated, said, “Why are you always writing in your notebook, David?”
David smiled and looked down. On the page was the title:
Wonderman Across Worlds
He whispered to himself,
“Some things aren’t meant to be published.”
Then he rushed off.
