Struggle to survive

Many bushes were on the jolty path I was traveling on. I needed to push them aside to go further. The distance between the trees grew and a landscape full of fields came onto my sight.

A river flowed through the grasslands. Unfortunately though it was frozen, since it was quite cold.

Snow began to fall onto the ground and the air increased its coldness. I shivered, mostly because of the perforated clothes I wore. I still had my garment on, but nothing of its former superiority-inducing feeling was there. I probably looked like a beggar.

Slowly, I felt my mouth get dry. I quickly needed to drink water. I rushed towards the river. It didn't matter if that it was frozen.

After such a long time not needing to drink or eat, I'd got used to it. Now that I was a mortal again, it was necessary for me to do the things I couldn't do before.

I got onto my knees and started hammering on the ice. My hands began to hurt. My skin opened and blood flowed out of the wounds. My bones hurt and cracked. They broke.

After destroying my hands, I desperately threw myself onto the frozen river, in hope to break it.

And finally it happened. The ice showed cracks. The hour I spent on doing this, breaking several of my bones and getting dozens of wounds, wasn't in vain.

Another hit, the ice breaks. Then I realized my mistake. I'm afraid it was too late.

Because I was on top of the river, I fell together with the splinters into the water. It was extremely cold and I immediately stretched out my hand and grabbed the edge of the opening I fell through. Even though it was sharp and uncomfortable, I had to hold on to it. If I didn't, I would most certainly be swept away by the strong current and die after a few minutes.

But I had no reason to die yet. It was actually quite the opposite. I had a will to live. I needed to get stronger again and get my revenge.

With all my remaining power, I pull myself out of the freezing water. I rolled onto the safe ground and panted heavily. I had to remove my clothes in order to not to be killed from hypothermia.

I became goosebumps from the cool wind blowing through the fields.

I still needed to drink something. I came near the water again, this time being more careful. I cautiously bowed over the opening and held my tongue into the river.

Then I started to get as much as possible, even stilling most of the hunger that had begun to build up inside of me.

When I stopped, I looked into the water. I could see the reflection of a young boy. Was that me? Could it be that my looks changed after the teleportation? Was it because it consumed more qi than I had back then?

The only explanation for this phenomenon was that the consumption of too much energy had influenced my overall looks.

My black hair was still there, but it was short now. My height was considerably lower than previously and my eyes were now yellow. I was also slimmer and only now did I notice that my clothes had shrunk and had readjusted themselves to fit me.

I was amazed by this discovery. Even though I was once a god, I hadn't seen nor heard of such a transformation after overusing one's qi.

First, I had to find a warm place to rest. I decided to strive and search for a cave. I couldn't make a fire. The wood in the forest was too wet.

I was naked and held my clothes in my left hand. I went into the thicket again. I had seen a mountain from the river and hoped to find a cave there.

The forest grew denser, but there was still enough space between the trees. My feet sunk into the wet soil with every step I took. My body was already covered in half dried mud.

The ground began to go up. I was now on the mountain. I then turned around to walk around the hill. I looked at every little detail, but even after more than 2 hours later I couldn't find anything.

I slowly started to feel the symptoms of hypothermia and I soon couldn't walk right anymore.

Only then did I see a small opening in a stone wall a hundred metres away. Of course I immediately ran, only to trip and fall onto my nose. It began to bleed.

"What the fuck is this? Shit!" I cursed. But I didn't fell in despair and moved on.

I was almost at the entrance as I heard a loud growl. It came from my side. I glanced into the direction the sound had come from. My eyes widened in shock.

A wolf stood there, baring its teeth. I felt danger approaching.

I took a big wooden stick from the ground. I would use it in case the animal attacked me.

And that's what it did. It jumped forward, opening its mouth wide and revealing rows of sharp teeth.

I raised the stick as fast as I could, unfortunately I was too slow, due to my exhaustion. The wolf closed its mouth.

The next moment, I screamed in pain. The animal had bitten off my left hand and the spraying blood dyed my body and the wolf's gray fur red.

The beast in front of my chewed on my hand and swallowed it. It seemed to be enjoying its meal.

I, on the other hand, laid on the wet soil, rolling around, while holding my left wrist.

It sucks to be a mortal!

I tried to suppress the pain as much as possible. Even though it hurt as I'd never felt anything as painful before in my life, I stood up, my expression probably full of desperation and determination. I grasped the stick with my remaining hand and swung it down.

The wolf had sensed my attack, but too late. It was just tasting the delicious meal it'd got, as the wood hit its head, while it attempted to jump backwards to evade the sudden change of my state.

Its head was crushed with a loud crack. Bone splinters, blood and brain matter flew anywhere.

The animal now just laid there. Perhaps it went to heaven, if it should really exist, or maybe it went to hell. I wasn't destined to know the outcome of this poor wolf.

Even after eating my hand, I didn't particularly felt angry towards it. That what had just happened was an example that the stronger one normally survives. Power can't be replaced by anything, since it's the most valuable thing that exists. Strength cannot betray you, but you should still know your limits well and not be greedy.

The dead body of the wolf would decompose and decay. That's why I fastly went towards the corpse and ripped it open with my remaining hand.

I didn't bother to remove the organs and ate them together with the meat. It was extremely good. It was also the first meal I had after dozens of millenia not being able to eat.

After I finished, my eyes became heavy. But before I could rest, I had to go into the cave that I had seen.

I turned away from the corpse and headed for the entrance in the wall again. It wasn't only to warm myself at least a bit, but also cover myself from enemies until I was stronger and could kill them easily.

As I arrived, I looked inside. It was actually pretty big. I went inside and into a corner.

I laid my clothes besides me, so they would become dry again. Then I cowered into the corner, into a comfortable position.

My heavy eyelids already closed, before I could even do other things.