The sensation was fleeting yet sharp—a sudden and terrifying void where my past should have been. A beautiful face I once loved... now just grains of sand slipping through my fingers.
All I had left was my na: Clark.
This oblivion was nothing like sleep; it was drowning. I had just broken the surface, gasping for air. My head throbbed with a dull ache. I wore rusty armor, heavy and cold. I forced my eyes open to a small campsite—and the first thing I saw was him. A man. Sothing deep in my gut twisted with unease.
He sat beside a faint fire, staring at the stars. A cold breeze rustled through the trees, but it couldn’t mask the pungent sll hanging in the air: blood. Beside lay a corpse—mutilated, unrecognizable. Friend or foe? I didn’t know.
The man glanced toward . His voice was disturbingly calm:
"Don’t bother reaching for that sword. I didn’t kill him. Found him like this with an empty bottle."
Ignoring the dizziness, I pushed myself up, my hand still gripping the sword’s hilt. My voice ca out as a harsh rasp:
"Who are you? What is this place?"
He didn’t even flinch:
"Na’s Jin. I woke up in a field of corpses. You were the only other thing still breathing. So I dragged you here."
He paused, his cool deanor cracking for a mont:
"I was hoping you’d have answers. About . About any of this."
His words froze :
"What do you an, ’about you’?"
He looked down, weighed down by the words:
"I don’t know. I’ve lost... everything. All I have left is instinct. The need to survive. That’s it."
I hesitated, then slowly sat near the fire, keeping my distance:
"I don’t trust you. But... I’m in the sa damned situation. I don’t know who I am either."
Jin let out a hollow laugh:
"Then I guess that makes us even."
He lifted a liquor bottle, took a long swig, and offered it to . I took it, but my eyes drifted upward. The stars... they felt familiar. As if I once knew their nas. But my mind was a blank slate.
One question scread in my head: Why? Why can’t I rember?
Exhaustion finally overwheld , and I slept by the dying fire.
---
Dawn ca with a ravenous hunger. My eyes were bloodshot, my stomach a hollow pit. I scoured the campsite desperately—nothing to eat.
Then I turned.
And I saw him.
Jin was hunched over, tearing into the dead soldier’s arm with his teeth.
Hunger ruled him. Savage instinct defined him. Survival was his only law.
My stomach churned, but the emptiness inside scread louder. A monstrous voice whispered: Eat. Eat whatever you must.
Before I could move, a sound cut through the silence—footsteps.
Jin’s head snapped up, instantly alert. The wind carried the sll of smoke.
The footsteps drew closer... heavy and unmistakable.
---
A beast resembling a lion, with a scorpion’s tail, two small horns, and crimson eyes. Those eyes terrified —I’d never seen anything like them. Its roar echoed deafeningly.
Jin stared wide-eyed:
"What is that?!"
Light began gathering in the beast’s mouth.
Boom!!
A ball of lightning shot out, shattering the tree behind Jin to splinters.
Jin’s head nearly flew off from the shock.
I drew my sword as fast as I could:
"We have to fight! It’s us or him!"
The beast charged at —creatures always attack the first one who moves.
I leaped back, dodging its sharp claws.
Shock gripped :
"I’m skilled in combat! Why do attacks seem to slow down when they near ?"
I spun quickly and landed a powerful kick to its side.
The beast barely flinched—its rage only grew.
Jin watched intently, calculating his next move.
Then he joined the fray.
The beast sensed danger—neither of us had landed a blow yet.
"What’s happening?!" I shuddered.
Wings began tearing through its sides—blood gushed as blue wings erged.
"Evolving after fighting you, Clark?"
"I don’t know... but this doesn’t look good."
The beast charged at double speed, aiming for Jin with its horns.
"Damn, it’s faster now!"
It slamd into Jin, but I grabbed his shoulder before he fell.
"Jin, listen! Its head is the hardest part. If we strike together, we can kill it—maybe even get real food."
"Fine. But we attack from one side and focus on its head."
The beast lunged again, leaving no ti to think.
I shoved Jin aside and blocked its strike.
Sparks flew as my sword clashed against its horn.
Jin yelled:
"Let it co at !"
I cursed: "If I move my sword, it’ll ram !"
"No! It won’t. It’s or this damned beast!"
I flipped sideways, forcing the beast to charge toward Jin.
I marveled at my own reflex: "Did I just do that?!"
Jin stood by the tree the beast had shattered—tall enough to crush it if it fell.
One last push was all it needed.
The beast unleashed another lightning bolt, but Jin dodged at the last second.
Boom!!!
The tree split and crashed onto the beast, crushing it instantly.
I scowled: "How do we get it out now?"
Jin shrugged: "No idea. Maybe there’s other food."
"Let’s explore. Maybe we’ll find sothing."
We put out the fire and left.
---
As we walked, sothing nagged at :
Two hours passed in silence. Jin was quiet as a grave. Was he hiding sothing? His calm during the fight was unsettling—he assessed the beast coldly. Would he have fled if I died?
Devious bastard. I can’t trust him.
Then I spotted a freshwater river.
I stopped: "Animals will co here to drink. Let’s wait and ambush one."
Jin nodded silently, his eyes scanning.
My hunger sharpened—my focus intensified.
One hour... two... three.
We didn’t move an inch—silent and vigilant.
Then I heard hoofbeats—a deer.
It appeared across the river.
(Clark’s Perspective)
I crept away quietly. Jin watched , curious.
I tore cloth from my cloak, wrapped it around my hand, and gripped my sword like a spear.
The deer didn’t drink—it watched, wary of approaching threats.
Its nose twitched.
It sensed a female nearby.
I smirked: "The male’s distracted. The female’s the easier target."
Soft footsteps approached.
The deer stiffened—it knew what was coming.
A graceful doe appeared.
She approached cautiously.
Jin watched as I raised my sword—a swift throw! A direct hit to the throat!
I killed the doe—blood spilled out.
The buck fled in fear.
---
"Clever move, Clark. You waited for the right mont," Jin said.
I didn’t respond—unease lingered.
I gripped my sword’s scabbard with my teeth and swam across to retrieve the prey.
Jin followed.
My mouth watered—my veins felt cracked from hunger.
We gathered firewood and lit a fire.
Using quartz rocks, Jin sparked a fla.
He stacked kindling to strengthen the fire.
I butchered the doe—cutting her thigh into small pieces to skewer on my sword for cooking.
A primitive thod—at without seasoning. But hunger overrides taste.
Jin approached with two sword-skewered at slices:
"Here. Cook yours yourself."
I set my sword down and began roasting.
The at was half-raw—blood still seeped—but we didn’t care. Survival was urgent.
"Ah... I haven’t tasted at in ages," I muttered.
---
We finished eating—then sothing shifted.
A figure erged—or so we thought. His skin was deathly pale, veins bulging, eyes dark and hollow.
Worse, he appeared on our side of the river.
A foul stench—clotted blood.
As the sll intensified, footsteps multiplied.
I tensed: "This isn’t good."
We drew our swords.
Shadows erged around us.
Jin paled: "These are the corpses I woke up beside! How are they moving?!"
A massive skeleton towered among them—eyes burning crimson.
The undead charged.
I whispered: "Is this how it ends?"
To be continued...
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