Incoming

...

Opening my eyes, I found myself in a familiar room devoid of light. It was an empty void, a space of pure nothingness.

I attempted to glance around at my surroundings, yet it seemed as though there was a mysterious power preventing me from doing so. Instead, I found myself forcibly static, unable to move at all.

The feeling was one of confinement, it felt like I was being locked into one place. As I could only stand motionless, without the ability to do much of anything. 

-Clank.

My eyes widened as I saw two crimson eyes peering at me from the darkness. Their stare held an air of amusement, tinged with disdain.

As I glared at the two crimson eyes before me, a looming figure emerged from the shadows, its form shrouded in darkness.

Despite the dimness, I could discern that it was bound by eight chains, each of them encircling its body. As each of the chains emitted bands of colored light, and every shackle pulsated with its distinct aura.

I attempted to speak to it, but my voice failed to escape my lips. However, what unfolded next sent shivers down my spine.

I could feel the sheer intensity of the energy emanating from those chains, it's so potent that I sensed being bound by even a single shackle would subject me to an eternity of agonizing deaths.

Yet, the shadowy figure, with its piercing crimson eyes, continued to tug on the chains, causing the sound of cracking links to reverberate in the distance.

-Clank..

Before I could gather my mind and comprehend the unfolding chaos, the room of emptiness surrounding me shattered like a fragile mirror, its fragments scattering in all directions, while the entire space twisted and distorted.

...

Waking up from my slumber, I found myself gazing at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling, its grain and texture catching my attention.

The room around me was enclosed by whitish wooden walls that exuded a sterile scent, reminiscent of medicine. As I lay there motionless, the bed beneath me embraced me with its softness.

Glancing around my surroundings, my eyes landed on the nearby cabinet, its wooden surface displaying a few trinkets and personal items.

A wooden wardrobe stood silently against the wall, holding secrets within its confines. A table adorned with a flower pot caught my attention, adding a touch of natural beauty to the otherwise clinical atmosphere.

"Ughh.." I instinctively clutched my head, feeling the ache and confusion intensify.

Sitting up straight, I attempted to gather my thoughts about what had occurred, from the sudden headache to the vivid dream of a shadowy figure with crimson-red eyes.

'It seems like I must have been brought back to the survivors' base.'

When I initially started the trial, I was skeptical about the rule of not trusting someone, despite I was uncertain about its underlying significance.

While it made sense to exercise caution and not trust strangers, what about the friends I had made during the trials?

There were instances where an individual required assistance from the natives of the trial to complete the 'Purpose' given by the trials.

However, if I couldn't trust the natives, should I attempt to complete the trial entirely on my own, without anyone's help?

Certainly, that approach might work in a lower difficulty level, but in a tier 3 difficulty? I'm sorry, but I couldn't do that. I needed as much help as possible.

With these thoughts in mind, my skepticism regarding the rule grew, leading me to believe there was a deeper meaning behind it.

The rule could involve not trusting anyone at all or refraining from divulging any information about the trials.

Nevertheless, I now understand the consequences faced by those who disclosed the trials to the natives.

The true meaning of the rule may indeed encompass both aspects. Not trusting anyone would serve to prevent situations like this from occurring since nobody knew the rules of the trial.

As for why the Arbiters didn't disclose this information to the public or any Soul Macer, perhaps restrictions were preventing them from doing so, given the significant role this information played in an individual's ability to complete the trial.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and delved into my thoughts, focusing on the shadowy figure from my dream.

There was an eerie familiarity about him as if I had encountered him before. Yet, I couldn't pinpoint where or when. I looked through my memories, both from my previous world and the implanted ones bestowed upon me by an unknown entity.

Despite my efforts, no concrete clues emerged. However, suspicions lingered. Could it be related to the car accident in my previous life, the event that caused my father's disappearance, and the left behind those golden particles?

'I can't be certain, but if I felt a sense of familiarity, could the figure in my dream be my father?' I pondered.

However, doubts clouded my certainty. The figure in my dream didn't resemble my father in appearance or height. Yet, there was a chain in the dream that emitted the same aura as the golden particle I'd seen before.

'Is it just a normal dream?'

Part of me just wanted just nod and say yes. However, deep down, I knew I would just be deceiving myself. Before the dream even appeared, the same headache happened to me once again.

Yet, how was it possible to experience such an occurrence while being in a trial?

"..."

As I dwelled on this matter, my headache intensified, clouding my ability to think clearly. It felt as if everything was spiraling into chaos, with no connection between the scattered pieces.

"Step by step for now," I whispered to myself as I clutched my head with one of my hands.

While I couldn't be certain about the identity of the figure in my dream, I was convinced that the figure within my dream had something to do with the disappearance of my father.

...1

-Clank.

I shifted my gaze towards the door as a figure appeared. Scarlet walked in, with her long black hair loose and flowing. A piercing glinted silver in her right ear.

She wore a simple white shirt with an intricate black rose design embroidered at its center. A short black skirt exposed her slender, milky legs. On her feet were a pair of worn slippers, scuffing softly against the floor.

Holding a glass of water, Scarlet caught me staring at her in a daze. Her eyes flickered with amusement.

"Ahem," she coughed delicately into her clenched fist, glancing aside.

Awaking from my stupor, I awkwardly scratched my head. "Apologies, my mind was elsewhere."

"It seems like you're fine," Scarlet said, her tone conveying relief though her expression remained stoic.

I look at her in bewilderment. Black eyes meeting mine, she must have sensed my unspoken question. Her lips curved in a faint, sad smile.

"You remind me so much of my younger brother," Scarlet said softly. A deep sadness laced her tone, dulling the usual coldness in her gaze.

At the mention of family, her usually stoic face cracked - just for a moment - to reveal deep vulnerabilities beneath.

There was a moment of silence between us as I was unable to form any words to respond to her unexpected revelation.

"Alright, enough about depressing matters," Scarlet spoke as she held a faint smile, trying to cheer herself up.

I nodded my head as I looked out the window. I couldn't see the skies, except for a bright light that seemed to fill the whole cavern from above.

"How long have I been in a slumber?" I asked as I shifted my gaze to Scarlet.

She nodded as she walked up to the table in front of me and put down the glass of water. Leaning against the sturdy surface, her piercing black eyes met mine steadily.

"About half a day," she replied. "You collapsed rather suddenly. I brought you here to recover."

Once again, I looked out of the window to take in our surroundings.

Wooden buildings surrounded the area as far as the eye could see, reminiscent of an urban cityscape. Yet instead of metal and glass, every structure appeared fashioned from wood.

People roamed the streets below, going about their daily errands on foot. No motors or cars rumbling in the distance.

Turning back to Scarlet, so many questions lingered in my mind. But for now, one question has precedence over the others.

"Where are we?" I asked as I stood up from my bed and walked over to the table, gulping down the glass of water.

Scarlet, who was leaning against the sturdy surface of the table, introduced, "Welcome to Asylon, the last human city in Soleria."

"Asylon..." I mumbled to myself as I glanced around the city. People roamed around with smiles on their faces, the bustling crowds not worrying about creatures of night invading the city. It looked very peaceful.

'It is indeed like a sanctuary,' I thought, reminded of the destruction of the city I was in before.

"So what is the city name of the place we've been to?" I asked.

"It's called Luvengton. You don't know anything, huh?" Scarlet squinted.

I nodded and let out a soft sigh. "I never got a proper education, as I was an orphan born in the slums."

"I don't know much about the information related to this world, even the state I was in before," I lied through my teeth. Although I felt bad lying to someone who had considered saving my life and a mentor to me.

I had to do so or else I wouldn't be able to complete the trial nor survive this world.

Since what if the natives in the trials knew that I wasn't someone who was in the trials? Would they just lock me up and start doing experiments on me like in the movies?

The thought lingered in my mind as it sent shivers down my spine, just imagining scientists torturing and dissecting my body made me gulp nervously.

"Are you good?" Scarlet looked at me, waving her hands in front of my pale white face.

"Right, the bad memories from my time in the slums just came back to me," I once again shamelessly lied.

"I see..." She nodded her head, giving me a pitying look.

"Alright, I want to go out and see what this city has.."

I hastily tried to change the subject, not wanting her to ask further about my identity before I heard a loud clap resounding in the room.

-Clap!

Scarlet interrupted my sentence halfway with a clap of her hands.

"Before you do that, I want to introduce you to the members of the Abyssal Hunter Squad first," Scarlet said as she began to walk towards the door.

"Follow me."

...2