Creatures of Habit

A thud against my body and a slow-burning feeling building up into a sharp pain in my stomach before leaving, the stinging sensation on top of an even hotter sensation building in my stomach.

I was stabbed, and I'm still getting stabbed, repeatedly.

My eyes grew wide as I looked at what was in front of me -- multiple Goblins stabbing me at once as I found myself tied to a stake.

I felt pain surging across my body, and I couldn't help but cry as their spears dug into my body, pulling my entrails along with the spear as they pulled them back out.

I felt blood bubbling around my lips and my eyes began to burn.

Am I really going to die here?

Accomplishing nothing, pathetic, a waste of space for everyone.

Why? Why did my life have to be like this?

What would they think...? Would anyone care?

Fuck...

*****

Math is sitting on a chair sitting in front of a desk, the person behind the desk being none other than himself, wearing a suit with short red hair and blue eyes.

He sighed, flipping through papers.

"Math Arnottir, that's your name, right?"

Math couldn't respond, examining the room slowly, almost like he was in a daze.

"That's your name, right?"

Math looked to himself and nodded.

"Good, you need to remember your name if you don't want to die."

Math's eyes blinked periodically, shaking his head to keep conscious before furrowing his brow and pointing at himself.

"Y-you..." He began slurring his speech, "You're m-me... who...?"

"I'm Titus, Stolt Titus. I'll be your temporary physician."

"I-I... what?"

"Don't worry, this is just so your brain doesn't kill itself. We need you back on your feet and this'll happen frequently if you continue dying."

He shook his head, "I-I'm dead?"

"You're about to come back so we need to you remember yourself properly, alright?"

"Y-you're the... the other things, personality?"

"That's correct."

"So... I won't die?"

Stolt shook his head, "You won't. You just gotta remember everything. It's a quick process so it shouldn't be a problem."

Math nodded, "S-so... what do I do...?"

Stolt looked at his papers, nodding, "Do," He pointed at Math, "You remember your parents?"

Math shook his head, "Not... n-not too much."

Stolt nodded, "So... you don't remember this?"

Stolt held out a piece of paper that shocked Math.

Math fell out of his chair, looking at the paper in horror before placing his hand on his mouth and vomiting.

Stolt looked at the piece of paper, "So you do remember. It's why I exist you know? You've got a lot more baggage than you think."

"Why would you show me that!?"

"You stopped slurring!" Stolt interlocked his hands, "Amazing, we're making progress!"

"Why wo-"

Stolt cut Math off, "Moving on, do you have any clear memories of your childhood?"

Math pulled a button off of his clothes, placing it in his mouth to force out saliva, swallowing the liquid down.

"Do you have clear memories of your childhood?"

"What are you getting at!?"

"Do you remember whe-"

A vague memory and me finding myself knocked out in the middle of a forest.

My eyes adjusted to the bright sun which peaked through tree branches, forcing myself up as I begin registering my surroundings.

I shook my head, scanning the environment around me.

I slowly grabbed my bag, looking at what was inside finding the crystal that I had thrown away days before.

Where am I?

What's happening?

It felt familiar but my mind was too much of a jumbled mess to really realize what had happened until a familiar voice entered my head.

/Unlocked: The Clockwork Titan's Rogue Blessing: G-Rank.\

"W-what... is that?"

/When you die, you go back to the start. You've become a Rogue in the dungeon. You are an anomaly... officially.\

"W-wait, what happened to Rogue Dungeoneer?"

/Those are the same abilities.\

"It... it has a rank now. How do I raise it?"

/You have to die, specifically in a dungeon.\

"W-wait... that means," I pulled my chin into my neck, holding back the bile surfacing in my throat, "I died?"

The system stopped responding.

"Fuck... what...? What did it mean? What was all of that? Does that mean...?"

I actually died!?

That fucking horrible feeling. It was already familiar but it felt even more reason than with that fucking serpent!

I can't die... but I can die?

It feels like I'm missing something too, something after I died.

After much deliberation, I'd figure I'd be used to the feeling by now, but resetting is very real.

I especially didn't expect that - that Hobgoblin would've given me to the others to be tortured.

I thought he'd just take care of me by himself but... that fucking bastard... I'll fucking kill him.

I remember that pain that went across my body, like my muscles were all crying for help, trying their best to keep themselves together before being stabbed and pulled apart.

This... I'll make sure to kill them all.

FUCK! FUCK!

THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

I'LL FUCKING KILL THEM!

I'LL FUCKING EAT THEM!

*****

[Do you feel it?]

What... what do I feel?

[The hunger pangs, do you feel it?]

I... think I do. I think I feel it. The flesh of those who have wronged me entering my very being and sliding down my gullet.

At first, I thought it was disgusting but the taste became sweat as it reached halfway.

I think I sort of understand... I have to eat everything. I'll... I just need to keep my mindset that way... it'll be hard but... I think I can do it. I think I can eat them... the Goblins, everything.

All until whatever is left becomes static.