Dead End?

-An unknown amount of time later-

Hade opened his eyes to a chilling darkness. The darkness almost seemed tangible, as if composed of an indomitable abyss.

'Am I dead?' Was the first thought to cross his mind.

Gradually though, his eyes began to adjust and eventually, he came to recognize the rocky exterior of the cave ceiling nearly 8 meters above him.

'Right, I'm still… here,' Hade gathered.

Memory fragments of the class event, the purple fog, the snow-peak mountain, his separating from the rest of the team, and subsequent clashes with the Dark Creeper and most recently, a horde of Earth Golem Commanders, rushed into his head all at once, inducing a slight ache.

'To be honest, that last memory is still a bit fuzzy,' Hade thought to himself as he attempted to stand.

However, a sharp pain coursed through his back causing him to falter.

"Damn, what the hell was I lying on?" He groaned, stretching.