A boy gets lost in the woods...

Aron was growing steadily more concerned. The small venture in the woods—initially starting out as nothing more than a few minutes of exploration—had somehow ended up with the youth finding himself terribly lost, despite him keeping mental notes of the environmental layout and memorizing specific landmarks all along.

Minutes had eventually turned into hours as Aron aimlessly, desperately roamed about the wooded forest, yet no matter where he went or which direction he took it seemed the trees and underbrush only grew the more lush, more clustered and deep. He was lost, and only seemed to be heading further into unknown territory no matter how much he tried to backtrack.

But then, just before he became truly terrified with his situation, something came to him—it was a lingering scent, faint yet nonetheless appealing. He had no idea what it could be, but the sensation grew stronger with every step... and he felt compelled to push forward.



————



Large, crowded shrubs, the tangling vegetation of fallen vines and breaching root systems... even the overly cluttered trees made it difficult for Aron to keep his footing as he pushed and shoved his way through the overgrown underbrush. His nose was the only guide at his disposal, and the vaguely sugary smell he followed only grew thicker and more potent the longer he pursued it.

The young man had long ago lost track of time, the drive to pursue this fragrance the only thing directing him. After about ten or so minutes, his worries had dissolved along with his sense of urgency, his only remaining objective that of following the alluring, overwhelming smell and locating its source. It was so pleasant, maybe he would find something really good in the end? What could be waiting for him?

More time passed and the youth began to grow lightheaded, his mind growing foggy as all but his sense of smell became duller and duller. His eyes went unfocused, the world shrouding into a haze around him... but this didn’t deter his advancement. In fact, it only magnified the scent, heightening Aron’s awareness to it and thus spurring his desire to heed its unspoken call, to chase after its beckoning fragrance.

His limbs still operated in keeping his pace steady despite his addled mind, though the boy did end up tripping over an unperceived network of underlying vines, near lifelessly falling into a patch of moist dirt and grass... nevertheless, he was not deterred from his objective, merely climbing back to his feet and resuming his pace, now dirtied in a few spots of mud and plant matter.

Soon thereafter he stumbled over another root and into a clearing, where he paused to catch himself before absentmindedly continuing onward, paying no heed to his new immediate surroundings. There seemed to be more than a single presence here, but Aron disregarded this; even as he was approached by something the young man continued on his path. There was something in front of him, something big and oddly intriguing. It was like a giant bowl... a tub? Was this where the smell was coming from? Was there something inside...?

A hand subconsciously reached forward in his search for answers, his fingers inadvertently dipping into a strange liquid within. His mind instantly wondered what it was. It had a thick, syrupy sensation, and it seemed to be giving off the very scent he had been following until now. He thoughtlessly brought his hand to his mouth and sampled the substance, before what was left of his mind ultimately began to shut down.

The only thoughts to linger within his brain revolved around the taste of this unfamiliar liquid and its overpowering scent, and—without wondering if he should or not—the young man began to clamber up into the strange tub...

His last memory was then being suddenly embraced from behind and pulled back, all while the abruptly pleading cries of a woman reached his ears...