AWAKENED

Upon waking up, I instantly realized I wasn't in the mortal world anymore. The ground beneath me was unlike anything I had ever seen; it was an eerie, shifting landscape of dark, pulsating matter, as if the shadows themselves had come alive and solidified. The surface seemed to undulate and breathe, a disconcerting rhythm that made my skin crawl.

The sky above was a swirling maelstrom of deep purples and blacks, with flashes of crimson lightning illuminating the darkness intermittently. No stars or moon provided any solace; only the oppressive void stretched endlessly in all directions. A chilling wind whispered through the air, carrying faint echoes of voices, their words indistinct but filled with sorrow and despair.

"Oh, I'm dead." I whispered to myself. "Shit… Thought I'd at least live for about ten years."

Around me, twisted, gnarled trees with branches like skeletal fingers reached out, clawing at the air. Their bark was a charcoal black, and a thick, oily substance seeped from their trunks, pooling around their roots. The foliage, if it could be called that, consisted of jagged, dark leaves that rustled in the soft breeze.

"Hello?" I yelled out. "Is – anyone there?"

As the memories flooded back to me, my hand instinctively went to my left eye. There wasn't an arrow wound there, nor in my back or on my leg. Yet, I distinctly remembered being shot by three arrows.

In the distance, I could see towering structures, shadowy monoliths that seemed to defy the natural laws of geometry, their angles sharp and disorienting.

Creatures lurked in the periphery of my vision, their forms indistinct but undeniably sinister. Their eyes, if they had any, glinted with a predatory gleam, watching my every move. Occasionally, a low growl or hiss from them would break the silence, making me increasingly jumpy with each passing second.

"This – is not heaven nor hell." I said. "Where am I? Hello?"

I opened my eyes, gasping as if I had been holding my breath for ten years. I scrambled to my feet, taking four frantic steps before pressing my back against the wall. My eyes darted back and forth, trying to comprehend what had just happened. I was so out of my mind that it took me a full twenty seconds to realize where I was.

I was in my house. The moonlight streamed through the window, indicating it was well past afternoon. I walked around, accidentally pushing some crates along the way, and called out for my sister. But she wasn't home.

I noticed the door to our house was off its hinges, the doorknob lying on the ground. Crouching and examining the floor, I saw two droplets of dark red blood and a piece of fabric that belonged to Sura.

"Oh, no. No." I rose to my feet. "S-Sura! No, Sura! Where are you!"

I stepped outside, checking the alleyway for any sign of my sister. James and his men had surely been here, but I had no idea if they had taken her or harmed her. I had to find them. Fast.

The next building's window showed my reflection, though something was off. I walked closer to the window, leaning in to get a better look. My left eye seemed to be off-colored, almost as if it had lost its vibrancy.

"S-Sura." I refocused, shaking off the unsettling sight. "I need to find her first. Other things come later."

"Master." A voice echoed inside my head.

"Wha –" I turned around and drew my dagger – with a slight problem.

I didn't have my dagger on my belt. Instead, a dagger appeared in my hand from the shadows. It seemed alive, gooey and pulsating, yet it felt powerful, like I could slash a troll with a single hit.

"Who are you?"

As soon as I turned my back to face the door, everything became – it's hard to explain. Everything became more focused. I could see details I would normally miss. The blood on the ground had a little almost invisible box with an arrow pointing to it.

[Not matching: Sura.]

Another box hovered over the broken door.

[Off hinges: Possibly kicked in.]

The third box appeared near my face. It read:

[Mana: -1

Health: 100/100

Gold: 573g

Class: Petty Thief

Bounty: 4500 -Dead or Alive-

Current Quest: Find Sura.]

My mana was in the negative. I didn't even know that was possible. And petty thief? Damn…

"What's going on?" I said. "Fucking hell, why did I trust that woman? I knew something was up. What are those boxe –"

"Oi, what's that sou –" An old woman opened the curtains of the window I was looking into, her eyes widening in shock. "Oh, no. It's the Shadow Dancer."

"Such an edgy name…" I said as I began to run away. "I gotta check James' hideout. I hope you aren't there, Sura… Please don't be there."

Another box popped up in the corner of my eye. It was a bird's-eye view map of the district I was in, Megino. The map drew a line from where I stood to James' hideout, showing two routes: one in blue, one in red.

[First Route:

On Foot: Approximately 25 Minutes.

Second Route:

Back alleys and Rooftops: Approximately 10 Minutes.]

"Fuck it. Let's take the second route – whatever the hell this is."

As it was shown on the map, I climbed the building in front of me and reached the roof. Even I wasn't able to see the map, I could feel my way around. I knew which roof to take, which alleyway I needed to head. It was a sense of – I don't know. It's hard to explain. Like it was an instict.

After eight minutes of jumping from roof to roof like a monkey on caffeine, I finally reached my destination. I had always thought I knew this district like the back of my hand, but this... whatever it was, led me through places and streets I'd never seen before. I guess there's always more to learn about a city.

James' hideout was an abandoned building with cracked windows and a sagging roof. The walls were covered in vines, and the place was severly neglected. I crouched in a nearby alleyway, watching it carefully.

"Great," I muttered. "Just what I needed, a bunch of James' goons."

There were five enemies in total: three near the entrance, one patrolling the perimeter, and another sitting on a crate, looking half-asleep.

[Enemies Detected: Start an analysis?]

"Eh – sure."

[Enemy Analysis: (Readings might be inaccurate)

Guard 1: Armed with a short sword, average combat skills.

Guard 2: Crossbowman, moderate threat.

Guard 3: Unarmed but muscular, likely a brawler.

Guard 4: Knife-wielder, quick but inexperienced.

Guard 5: Sleepy and likely to be distracted, minimal threat.]

'Huh… handy.'

"Okay, Sura." I whispered. "Your brother is coming for you. Don't worry."