The sensation was fleeting yet sharp—a sudden and terrifying void where my past should have been. A beautiful face I once loved... now just grains of sand slipping through my fingers.
All I had left was my name: Clark.
This oblivion was nothing like sleep; it was drowning. I had just broken the surface, gasping for air. My head throbbed with a dull ache. I wore rusty armor, heavy and cold. I forced my eyes open to a small campsite—and the first thing I saw was him. A man. Something deep in my gut twisted with unease.
He sat beside a faint fire, staring at the stars. A cold breeze rustled through the trees, but it couldn’t mask the pungent smell hanging in the air: blood. Beside me lay a corpse—mutilated, unrecognizable. Friend or foe? I didn’t know.
The man glanced toward me. His voice was disturbingly calm:
"Don’t bother reaching for that sword. I didn’t kill him. Found him with an empty bottle."
Ignoring the dizziness, I pushed myself up, my hand still gripping the sword’s hilt. My voice came out as a harsh rasp:
"Who are you? What is this place?"
He didn’t even flinch:
"Name’s Jin. I woke up in a field of corpses. You were the only other thing still breathing. So I dragged you here."
He paused, his cool demeanor cracking for a moment:
"I was hoping you’d have answers. About me. About any of this."
"What do you mean, ’about you’?"
He looked down, weighed down by the words:
"I don’t know. I’ve lost... everything. All I have left is instinct. The need to survive. That’s it."
I hesitated, then slowly sat near the fire, keeping my distance:
"I don’t trust you. But... I’m in the same damned situation. I don’t know who I am either."
Jin let out a hollow laugh:
"Then I guess that makes us even."
He lifted a liquor bottle, took a long swig, and offered it to me. I took it, but my eyes drifted upward. The stars... they felt familiar. As if I once knew their names. But my mind was a blank slate.
One question screamed in my head: Why? Why can’t I remember?
Exhaustion finally overwhelmed me, and I slept by the dying fire.
Dawn came with a ravenous hunger. My eyes were bloodshot, my stomach a hollow pit. I scoured the campsite desperately—nothing to eat.
Jin was hunched over, tearing into the dead soldier’s arm with his teeth.
Hunger ruled him. Savage instinct defined him. Survival was his only law.
My stomach churned, but the emptiness inside screamed louder. A monstrous voice whispered: Eat. Eat whatever you must.
Before I could move, a sound cut through the silence—footsteps.
Jin’s head snapped up, instantly alert. The wind carried the smell of smoke.
The footsteps drew closer... heavy and unmistakable.
A beast resembling a lion, with a scorpion’s tail, two small horns, and crimson eyes. Those eyes terrified me—I’d never seen anything like them. Its roar echoed deafeningly.
Jin stared wide-eyed:
Light began gathering in the beast’s mouth.
A ball of lightning shot out, shattering the tree behind Jin to splinters.
Jin’s head nearly flew off from the shock.
I drew my sword as fast as I could:
"We have to fight! It’s us or him!"
The beast charged at me—creatures always attack the first one who moves.
I leaped back, dodging its sharp claws.
"I’m skilled in combat! Why do attacks seem to slow down when they near me?"
I spun quickly and landed a powerful kick to its side.
The beast barely flinched—its rage only grew.
Jin watched intently, calculating his next move.
Then he joined the fray.
The beast sensed danger—neither of us had landed a blow yet.
"What’s happening?!" I shuddered.
Wings began tearing through its sides—blood gushed as blue wings emerged.
"Evolving after fighting you, Clark?"
"I don’t know... but this doesn’t look good."
The beast charged at double speed, aiming for Jin with its horns.
"Damn, it’s faster now!"
It slammed into Jin, but I grabbed his shoulder before he fell.
"Jin, listen! Its head is the hardest part. If we strike together, we can kill it—maybe even get real food."
"Fine. But we attack from one side and focus on its head."
The beast lunged again, leaving no time to think.
I shoved Jin aside and blocked its strike.
Sparks flew as my sword clashed against its horn.
I cursed: "If I move my sword, it’ll ram me!"
"No! It won’t. It’s me or this damned beast!"
I flipped sideways, forcing the beast to charge toward Jin.
I marveled at my own reflex: "Did I just do that?!"
Jin stood by the tree the beast had shattered—tall enough to crush it if it fell.
One last push was all it needed.
The beast unleashed another lightning bolt, but Jin dodged at the last second.
The tree split and crashed onto the beast, crushing it instantly.
I scowled: "How do we get it out now?"
Jin shrugged: "No idea. Maybe there’s other food."
"Let’s explore. Maybe we’ll find something."
We put out the fire and left.
As we walked, something nagged at me:
Two hours passed in silence. Jin was quiet as a grave. Was he hiding something? His calm during the fight was unsettling—he assessed the beast coldly. Would he have fled if I died?
Devious bastard. I can’t trust him.
Then I spotted a freshwater river.
I stopped: "Animals will come here to drink. Let’s wait and ambush one."
Jin nodded silently, his eyes scanning.
My hunger sharpened—my focus intensified.
One hour... two... three.
We didn’t move an inch—silent and vigilant.
Then I heard hoofbeats—a deer.
It appeared across the river.
(Clark’s Perspective)
I crept away quietly. Jin watched me, curious.
I tore cloth from my cloak, wrapped it around my hand, and gripped my sword like a spear.
The deer didn’t drink—it watched, wary of approaching threats.
It sensed a female nearby.
I smirked: "The male’s distracted. The female’s the easier target."
Soft footsteps approached.
The deer stiffened—it knew what was coming.
A graceful doe appeared.
She approached cautiously. Updates are released by NovєlFіre.net
Jin watched as I raised my sword—a swift throw! A direct hit to the throat!
I killed the doe—blood spilled out.
The buck fled in fear.
"Clever move, Clark. You waited for the right moment," Jin said.
I didn’t respond—unease lingered.
I gripped my sword’s scabbard with my teeth and swam across to retrieve the prey.
My mouth watered—my veins felt cracked from hunger.
We gathered firewood and lit a fire.
Using quartz rocks, Jin sparked a flame.
He stacked kindling to strengthen the fire.
I butchered the doe—cutting her thigh into small pieces to skewer on my sword for cooking.
A primitive method—meat without seasoning. But hunger overrides taste.
Jin approached with two sword-skewered meat slices:
"Here. Cook yours yourself."
I set my sword down and began roasting.
The meat was half-raw—blood still seeped—but we didn’t care. Survival was urgent.
"Ah... I haven’t tasted meat in ages," I muttered.
We finished eating—then something shifted.
A figure emerged—or so we thought. His skin was deathly pale, veins bulging, eyes dark and hollow.
Worse, he appeared on our side of the river.
A foul stench—clotted blood.
As the smell intensified, footsteps multiplied.
I tensed: "This isn’t good."
Shadows emerged around us.
Jin paled: "These are the corpses I woke up beside! How are they moving?!"
A massive skeleton towered among them—eyes burning crimson.
I whispered: "Is this how it ends?"