Awake and confused

Chapter 1 Awake and confused

(Have not been proofread)

…

Ugh…

What is this?

My… My body hurts. My body hurts so much as if I have been beaten by 20 bullies.

I know this feeling as I have felt this way before when I was just a kid.

My eyes are heavy and the nauseating metallic stench is drowning my senses.

I… I can't remember anything. I mean… what was I doing again before this?

No… No… wait. Who… Who am I?

I must have lost it. I can't even remember my own name.

Arghh… This… This is too irritating. The pain seems to be drowning my own senses… or… could I even say that what I am feeling is pain?

Click!

I suddenly heard something clicking from somewhere near me.

Then suddenly, I realize that there are people walking in my direction.

Wait a minute…

Why… Why did I know that there are people?

I mean… those are people, right?

I suddenly found myself looking below and saw three men wearing some kind of dirty armor.

Wait? I can see… but what is this? Why am I… floating?

I tried looking around but then found something gruesome entering my sight.

"Are… those… dead… dead bodies?" I thought while my heart skipped a beat.

I wanted to shout to squeal but I could not move or do anything.

I just watch in horror as the gruesome scene enters my eyes and penetrated my mind.

"Hey… These corpses are already rotting… let's just burn them." someone said in a weird language but confusingly I seem to understand.

"No, we should gather our troops first… Let those bastards rot in this place…" said a guy with a large stature especially with his armor.

"Hehe… Guys! Guys! Look what I've found!" shouted someone from the group while running towards them carrying some bags.

"Gold?! And some black stones?" asked a thin person.

"Are you stupid? That is Ether stone. We can sell that to the upper echelon for a hefty price…" the large guy suddenly said as he grabbed the pouch filled with gold and the strange stone.

I did not know what is happening but I can feel something strange from those black-looking stones. It was like some kind of energy that makes me feel refreshed.

I could not help but want to get closer to it. Before I knew it, I was already near that thing.

The more I got closer to it the more I can feel my body feeling light and the pain going away more.

"Alright, let's find more of this thing…" said the big guy who jolted me from my stupor.

The feeling suddenly disappears and I'm back to feeling that weird sensation again.

Soon, the group has already gathered the corpses which I did not want to look at anymore.

Suddenly, I felt my body moving for some reason.

When I came to it, I saw a small figure being carried by two soldiers. For some weird reason, I could somewhat tell, that they should be carrying… me.

Panic-stricken but at the same time disbelief filled my mind.

"Am I actually dead?" I asked myself.

"No… No… This can't be?" I wanted to move to go tell them that I am still alive, but I could not do anything.

Swoosh!!!

Suddenly, I noticed a few black objects flying in this direction.

Then I saw arrows hitting the group.

In that one volley, the only one who survives was the big guy who suddenly grabbed one of his companions and turns that guy into his shield.

He then ran in a direction without turning back.

But my mind was suddenly jolted in a certain direction.

And that is the pouch that is now sitting on my body's side.

The energy from inside that pouch is like an elixir which made me feel comfortable and relaxed. I truly enjoyed that light feeling and tranquility.

I did not mind what is happening around me. All I wanted now is to continuously feel that sensation all over my body.

I soon found weird writing appearing within the void of my consciousness.

"The immortal stone legacy has finished binding itself with a host. Transferring the legacy now…" I read which is somewhat weird as I seem to know that kind of writing that looks like glowing worms.

Then suddenly, my mind was engulfed in a bright light.

…

My body feels light and I slowly opened my eyes.

The strong stench of death lingers in the air and my vision is still the same. I could see my eyes opening, but from the looks of it, my eyes are all white.

But before I could do anything, I heard the galloping sound from a distance.

As my vision shifted in that direction I saw three weird-looking creatures and on top of those creatures are three soldiers wearing dark long cloaks.

I could not see their faces but only their red glowing eyes.

I knew that those three are a great threat to me, so I did not move and just lay in place.

"They are all dead… We should try and infiltrate the enemy ranks and kill their general." One of them suggested.

"No… Our mission is to sweep this area. Do not let any enemy escape." The one who seems to be their leader said.

Then suddenly his head shifted and he seems to be looking in my direction.

Without saying anything, he suddenly lifted his bow and then fires an arrow toward me.

From that action alone, I already knew that I am dead.

The pain enters my body coming from my chest. I knew that he has shot my heart.

Then everything went black.

I did not know how long I was unconscious but when I regained my vision, I could not feel any pain within my body. I also heard the galloping sound of some creature getting further from me.

Wait a minute… I'm still alive?

I did not believe it. I was dumbstruck at this revelation. Although I almost lost most of my memories, this does not mean that I've lost my common sense.

I knew that once I was struck in the chest by an arrow, I would have surely died.

But what is this? I'm still alive.

And the arrow… the arrow seems to be moving. It's like being ejected from my flesh.

I have to go away before those people could come back. That is the only thing on my mind right now.

Without hesitation, I pick myself up while I did not forget to grab a couple of pouches from the side before vaulting and running in a certain direction.

On one hand, I have the pouches, and on the other is a dagger I casually grabbed.

For some reason, my action seems familiar as if by instinct.

I soon found myself reaching the tree lines.

But suddenly, a dangerous premonition enters my mind as I quickly took a step to the side.

Swoosh!!!

A black arrow flew past me and sticks to the ground.

Seeing that arrow, my vision quickly went in the direction of the source.

I was those three people and their weird creatures.

Without hesitation, I quickly ran with all my might and enter the forest.

My mind went into a panic as I did not know what to do.

Suddenly, I noticed some green plants on the side and without hesitation grabs them. I seem to know what these things are used for.

"Anti-tracking herb…" I seem to even know its common name.

Entering the forest, I could sense my body seemingly entering a familiar place. It's like I just enter my own domain where I can control everything around me.

I quickly remove the armor covering my body. After removing the heavy armor, I discovered that I was actually a thin little boy who seems to be at the age of 10 or 11.

After getting rid of the armor, I quickly put the bunch of herbs I pick and put them in my mouth and chew of them quickly.

While doing so, I tasted a pungent yet familiar bitter taste in my mouth. I began spitting some green stuff from my mouth on my hand as I quickly rub it on my body and bloody weird-looking clothes.

After a while, I saw a tall tree and like an agile monkey, I began to climb it.

Upon reaching the thick truck, I lay myself flat and then controlled my breathing.

Every action that I take seems really familiar to me. It was as if I already know what to do next.

"That guy went this way!" shouted a voice from afar.

I could not hear the enemy coming.

I was curious so I took a peek and saw them arriving near the tree that I just climbed.

"He removed his armor so that he could run… We seem to be dealing with a scout…" their leader said while looking around the place.

I could only heave a sigh that I could see them and they could not see me.

"Track that bastard…" shouted the leader as one of them made his mount sniff on the armor.

The strange creature sniffed the air for a while and then shook its head while looking at the spot in front of it.

"That guy vanished in this spot… This is weird…" said the soldier as his mount stopped on the spot while sniffing the place.

"Sir… Look at this…" That soldier suddenly jumps down and then drags his index finger on a leaf.

"What is that?" asked the leader.

"I don't know… It's some kind of plant juice…"

"Hmm… Let's get out of this place… I feel a bad premonition here… It's like something dangerous is watching us…" said the leader as he guided his mount back to the way they came.

Soon, the tree of them is now out of the forest.

I could only heave a sigh of relief at this time.

I'm still trying to figure out what is happening to me. I need some time to digest and accept these things.

As I lie on that branch while thinking, I soon heard some rustling from the bushes.

Without hesitation, I shifted my vision in that direction.

What I saw next made my heart almost jump out of my chest.

The thing that is hiding in the shadows while watching the surrounding is a large creature with black fur on its body.

Its yellow eyes and razor-sharp fangs made me feel a tingling sensation crawling on my skin.

I knew by instinct that the thing is very dangerous. It is far more dangerous that those three soldiers who just left.

Suddenly, its head lifted up. The direction where it was looking made my heart skip a beat.