《Darker Things (Haitus)》
Into the Unknown
¡°For darker things are yet to come, Fear is born in everyone.¡± -A Raving Lunatic, room 1-002-B Saint David''s Mental Hospital
The Night sky was always comforting. The sprinkling stars and the deep purples and blues that scatter the horizon, the endless void in space. It was an adventure waiting to happen, unfortunately things change, and Kylan was stuck in the modern world of dreary office work and applications. Sure, the world was large, incredibly so, but most if not all of it had already been discovered. Earth¡¯s secrets rested in places that nobody could reach, they lay in the deepest, darkest depths of the ocean, and few other places. And unfortuntmnatly, it looked like such explorations would only be available long after this century or they would only be available to a select few individuals.
Thinking about it killed any sense of motivation, instead, it created a suffocating sense of uselessness. A feeling of being trapped. A feeling that nothing you did would push you into the unknown. Space... it was a place that was dreamed of but no man was able to go deep into it¡¯s mysteries. That was the appeal, the idea of traveling to distant worlds and seeing the unknown, of finding remnants of lost civilizations that had died out, of seeing something that no other human had see Kylan paused at the end of the thought. That was the appeal wasn¡¯t it? The ability to see something nobody else had ever seen before. That was what he wanted above all else, it was the adventure, the thrill of the unknown. Earth, was a prison for people like him. It was a realm coated in chains, binding each person within it with rules and regulations.
A sharp sigh escaped his lips as he looked out into the night sky, a brief flicker of light echoing on the horizon. Squinting slightly, Kylan paused, his head tilting to the side as the wind ruffled his dark brown hair. ¡®What is that?¡¯ he had seen the night sky ever since he was a child, meteorites, comets, even the rising space shuttles were able to be seen on the more clear nights. However, that flash of light? that was a first. Unless it was a bomb of some kind, in which case it would likely be the last. For him at least.
A soft chuckle escaped Kylan¡¯s lips as he grinned at the morbid thought. Pulling his head down from the skies, Kylan looked at the empty campsite, his tent nestled up in a tree as those of his friends were all settled in various positions around him. He liked being in high places, and he wasn¡¯t scared of heights.... he was quite afraid of hitting the ground if he fell though. So as a rule of thumb, he made sure to never fall.
The world shifted as if a sudden tremor had occurred. Stumbling as he heard the surprised groans from inside the tents, Kylan¡¯s stomach started to tie itself into knots. ¡®An Earthquake? here?!¡¯ it was unheard of. This small forest was nowhere close to any fault lines, and as yet another tremor forced Kylan onto his knees, a started emotion pushed out of the depths of his mind. Fear. Something was wrong, something was horribly wrong. Space seemed to be shifting around him as the thin tendrils of.... something reached through. The sudden sense of vertigo causing Kylan to shudder as he tried to keep his stomach from forcing itself up his throat as the tremors slowly ceased.
Panting in a moment of brief reprieve, Kylan could feel the... other withdraw, the previous tremor being too weak to let what it was through. A nervous chuckle escaped his throat as he grabbed onto a handful of cool grass. When he was younger, he was told that he had ''good'' senses from his parens. It ran down his mothers side of the family apparently. He could feel certain things, for example, danger. He could also feel when he was being looked at, it was a sort of itching sensation that started from wherever the perpetrator''s gaze would land. Of course, this had to be done with the intention of looking at him.... or maybe it was just non-sense. Well, maybe not. He could still feel that, that thing worming it''s way closer. Another tremor was going to happen.
Being proven right never brought as much fear into Kylan''s heart as it did now. The world shook as animals flew into the night sky. Woken from their sleep, beasts howled and tried to defend themselves from an unknown threat. Wolves howled, Bears roared, birds screamed.... it was a cacophony of terror as something crawled through the widening cracks between the world and the entity. A tendril of energy wrapped around all living things, the animals calming down near instantly and as Kylan''s tension rose to it''s peak, a sudden popup startled him, his hand instinctively smashing through it.
That energy started to push into him, Kylan feeling the near absolute power that the entity had as it tried to pull him into it''s System. In the corners of his vision, Kylan could see the outlines undefined shapes and objects, the shifting transparent hues moving and twisting in impossible shapes to comprehend. Fears started running wild through his mind, Kylar''s body tense as his imagination raced. Something was trying to bind him, to... enslave him to it''s will. An entity enforcing it''s power upon all under it''s gaze. There was no option to refuse the System it was downloading. And as he saw the number slowly start ticking upwards, a deep rooted fear sprouted in Kylan''s mind as he thought of virus''s.
He had no idea what the intentions of this being was, he had no concept or reference as to wether this system it was trying to create was for good or ill. So, he would reject it. It might be a discussion created out of fear, and it might possibly be the worst one available to him, however, if a being had enough power to create this construct, then what chances would he have to resist it''s will if it was arriving with negative intentions? With all of his soul, Kylan fought against that energy, the world slowing into a sluggish pull of motion as adrenaline pulsed through him, his body straining as the download seemed to tick ever slower with each moment of his resistance.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
5%
He refused. He would not bow, he wouldn''t kneel to a mere program. He would fight to the death before he would be affected by anything that would attempt to rule over his mind and body. Trying to stand up, Kylan groaned as he felt the air around him solidify, was it just him, or did it seem like time was moving slower? His hand slowly moved up from the ground as he fought against that invisible pressure, his bones creaking in his ears as he felt his joints pop. It was as if he hadn''t moved for hours as he pushed against that energy trying to invade him.
4%
A grin slowly inched across Kylan''s features. He was winning. We was fighting back- he could fight back. It was as this thought crossed his mind, that the energy around him suddenly shifted as if it noticed his resistance. Shifting as it violently drilled against his will, Kylan gasped, his lungs suddenly feeling as if they were being squeezed, his heart pulsing as it seemed offset, each irregular beat causing his chest to twist in pain. His vision started to blur as his body shuddered, the pressure on his body increasing as the air felt like stones piled onto every part of his form. Pushing against the pressure with a finger, Kylan opened his mouth to scream as he felt the wet crack, his bone cracking as he pushed against the energy coiling around him.
But the important thing was that he could move his mouth. Despite the pain, A grin formed on his face, Kylan groaning as his body pushed against the pressure, against the raw energy as the world slowed once more. The raw strength of the entity pulsed through him as it moved from the rift, spreading it''s infectious influence through the land. It wasn''t even Aiming for him, hell, it probably didn''t even notice he existed and resisted it in the first place. Instead, that energy was building up around him as he resisted it, each wave forcing more of it onto his body and mind. Wobbling dizzily, Kylan felt something in his mouth burst, a sharp flavor of iron coating his tongue as he gagged, the world twisting and shifting around him.
9%
It moved up three ticks in the moments he suffered from his body''s pain. Pushing against the entities power once more, Kylan forced all of his will against the mindless power as his body creaked in protest. It felt as if he was fighting a loosing battle against a god, the endless waves of energy crushing him as he pressed against it, his mind having accelerated into a state beyond his limits. Kylan Screamed in silence as he felt his right leg shatter under the effort of trying to move, his leg''s giving out from under him as his vision was suddenly dyed red, the warm sensation of blood spreading down his face as a thick steam oozed from his eyes like tears.
Each moment proved that he was moving faster, thinking faster, as he could feel the drops of blood on his face slow, his the liquid itching as it stopped midway down his cheek, it''s rolling motion pushing it down at an impossibly slow state. He was at his limit, and given the fact that the energy seemed to be moving at the speed of a person in normal time, he guessed that if he could beat it here and now, he wouldn''t be forced to obey whatever the rest of humanity was going to be subjugated to. Well, maybe someone else would try and resist like he was.
25%
With a final burst of effort, Kylan pushed, his body straining as his broken bones screamed at him to stop, his eyes quivering from the effort as the air itself felt solid. Pushing against the energy with his will, he felt his vision sudden wink out of existence, a sharp pain assaulting his mind as the bones in his arms shattered along with the bones in his legs. Falling back, Kylan watched the percentage tick upwards a brief thought crossing his mind about how annoying it would be living with his life ruled by some system.
Only, he didn''t hit the ground.
A sudden sensation of terror flooded Kylan''s heart as he realized he was still falling. Tumbling backwards with his limbs broken, Kylan could feel time return to it''s normal pace, his mind so exhausted from the effort to existing on such an accelerated pace that it was only by his pure will that he remained awake. He was blind, his limbs were broken, and he was falling far further back then a few feet. Cursing softly, Kylan squirmed as he tumbled through the air, his clothes sticking to his body as he fell the soft echoes of a song in the back of his head... something about free falling...?
And then, his mind winked out of awareness and into darkness.
Marus woke as he felt something wash over him, his body shuddering as he fell the tremors. damn. what the hell happened? Sleepily looking around his tent, it took a few moments before he realized that his friend Kylan was outside. Kylan''s tent was usually in a tree as he had a bad experience with a wolf wandering through the campsite. It didn''t attack or anything, heck, the wolf left after seeing there were more then three people around. However the event spooked Kylan enough that he decided that camping in a tree would be a good idea- and now an earthquake happened. About to step out of the tent, another tremor occurred, the violent vibrations followed by a sudden popup.
"The hell?.." Markus rubbed his eyes as the blue screen shifted with his vision. Was he hallucinating now? Looking at the percentage, A brief expression of surprise crossed his face, it was already at 5% in the space of a few seconds! Shaking his head, Markus ignored the increasing number, moving his focus on rescuing his friend. Pushing out of the tent, Markus cringed as he noticed Kylan''s tree had fallen. However, as he moved his eyes across the dark clearing, he could see what looked like Kylan''s figure on the ground. His body looked as if it was rapidly shifting, it''s form a soft blur... Shaking his head, Markus tried to call out to Kylan only to hear a series of wet cracking as his friend slumped backwards. Horror filled Markus''s face as he saw blood spray from Kylan''s eyes, the red liquid glowing in the dim campfire before a loud explosive boom echoed and Kylan wasn''t there anymore.
Kylan had disappeared. Swallowing nervously, Markus looked at the Download screen, reading the number rising from 54% as a pit formed in his stomach. This looked far to... game like.
Chapter 2
¡°Results.... Inconclusive, more testing needed to verify the existence of worlds existing within Hyperspace and Quantum Flux. As a side note, Strange properties have been noticed when in conact with substance AB33445120Z-9. Further testing needed.¡±
-Experiment notes
Waking up on cold stone was never the best feeling. The chill that spread into your back, and the stiffness in your shoulders never seemed to go away until you managed to get a good nights rest on a soft bed. Looking around in the bleak darkness, Kylan groaned as he brushed his lengthy hair out of his face. Pushing against the ground he slowly pulled himself together, he paused for a moment, blinking as he moved a hand to his face. ¡®I¡¯m... okay?¡± the strange tingling at the edge of his senses left Kylan confused as he wiggled his fingers, looking at his body and wiping his face. Feeling dried flakes of blood peel off with his motions, the prospect of this being a dream was quickly removed from his mind. His limbs seemed to be fine, and the fact that there wasn¡¯t a piercing pain endlessly moving through him was a good thing.
It was a slight bit disconcerting how he had no idea where he was, and on top of that he was in perfect condition. Looking around the dimly lit cavern, Kylan bit the inside of his cheek as he noticed the softly glowing moss and crystal¡¯s on the ceiling. Small bugs moved along the ground, their carapace¡¯s shades varying from grey to a poisonous purple. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t an entomologist, so that made using the species of bug to decide where he was an option he didn¡¯t have. Furthermore, the lack of practical skills to survive in this situation was rather.... upsetting. Not that he lacked the ability to survive, camping and hiking taught quite a bit to those who were willing to learn.
He wasn¡¯t much of a cave explorer though, but he did know the basics. Which were mostly along the lines of ¡®Don¡¯t get lost, Don¡¯t go under water, and Don¡¯t eat the mushrooms.'' the last rule something that he had jokingly added when he was thinking about what would happen if he was in one of those survival horror movies. Snorting softly Kylan shook his head, it seemed like his musing and daydreaming actually had a use now. Who knew. With a slight grin on his face, he looked around the cave once more this time taking the time to listen to his surroundings.
The soft drips of water echoed in the darkness of the cavern, the soft skittering sounds of insects moving along the stone floor, the chirps of what sounded like bats from somewhere overhead... well, food and water was a go. Wrinkling his nose at the thought of eating a bat, Kylan sighed, ¡°Well... it¡¯s an adventure right? And besides, I can''t get lost if I don''t know where I am...¡±. He was in a cave, without a phone, and if his memories were right, the world might not even be looking for him with that....thing that had invaded it. A warm gust of air escaped from Kylan¡¯s lips as he nodded to himself, his fingers stretching with soft pop¡¯s that seemed to echo inside his body. He would find a way back eventually... but for now, it was better if he focused on some objectives.
Where was he? Was there a way back home? and what was the System? Three simple objectives that would be more difficult to solve the further he moved along the list.... well, that was the feeling he had about them. Speaking of goals, hwo the hell could he see? was everything a dream? he was pretty sure his bones broke under the pressure he was feeling before he woke up in this cave. Shaking his head, Kylan pushed the thought to the back of his mind, a Dues Ex Machina to save the day was never a bad thing right? Another drop of water echoed, the soft ¡®ping¡¯ rumbling against the walls as Kylan took a step forwards, his back foot pressing into the ground to propel him into the air for his first step since waking up.
Only, he kept moving into the air. Yelping as he found both his feet leaving the ground Kylan started floating into the air for a few moments, his ¡®step¡¯ sending him over a yard forwards as he frantically tried to keep himself from flying into a wall. Landing on the ground, Kylan felt a heated surge of panic rise into his throat, his chest tightening as his mouth was suddenly dry. Gravity did not work like that on Earth. He had explored plenty of places, ranging from forests to caves with his friends. Sometimes the group would spend months in the wilds, underground, or at sea.... but never had they encountered a place where gravity itself wasn¡¯t as heavy as it should be! His hand started trembling as a rush of fears started to bloom in his mind, What if he wasn¡¯t on Earth? Was the air poisonous? Was he going to die from an unknown toxin? He had no reference of what was poisonous and what wasn¡¯t, what plants could he eat? what about animals? Were those things he heard earlier really bats?
It was the last thought that sent an ominous chill up Kylan¡¯s spine, his flesh suddenly feeling as if it was crawling. He might not be on Earth, but given the fact he could ¡®jump¡¯ with a single step that meant that gravity was lower... so that would also mean he was stronger then most creatures on this planet until his muscles started to decay and adjust. In turn, that might be just enough of a cheat so that he could survive here, at least, he should be able to survive as long as nothing poisonous attacks him. So, there was a bright side at least.
Taking a deep breath as he steadied himself, Kylan took another step, each movement sending him forward several feet forwards at a time. With a slight grin forming on his face, Kylan chuckled, despite all the problems and terrors he had about the situation, there was one thing that was true. It was an Adventure, perhaps the adventure that he had been longing for. Walking out of the small, dimly lit cave Kylan made his way into a more open chamber, the ¡®sky¡¯ above his head thick with mossy growths that glowed and glimmered in hues of blue and red, soft purple¡¯s forming where the color¡¯s met. It was like the night sky of earth in a way... at least before all the light pollution made it impossible to see the stars.
A sigh escaped his lips, Kylan¡¯s tongue moving inside his mouth as he bit his cheek nervously. He needed to find some supplies, and it looked like he would be surviving on the edge of starvation if he wasn¡¯t able to find any creatures with meat to feed off of. He needed to get out of this cave. Looking around as the soft chirping sounds of bats echoed in the air, Kylan kept himself close to the walls as he looked around the murky darkness, the luminescent moss creating enough light to make it difficult to find an exit above him while it illuminated the floor. The rocky ground had soft tufts of grass growing in between cracks, the stems of the plants a sickly black. Shards of rocks littered the ground, some pulsing with light waves of red, blue, white, and purple as they rested on the floor. Looking closer to these rocks, Kylan knelt down, his hand picking one up as he turned it over in his hand. They reminded him of Geodes, only that strange wave of light spread through the rock like a ripple... it was intoxicating to look at, the pulse of energy moving through the rocks almost seemed to pull the eye to it, threatening to consume the mind of any who would stare for too long.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
However, despite the strange effects on the stones, what was more important was that they also had rather sharp edges. Grinning lightly Kylan nodded to himself, a sensation of relief spreading through him. It was a weapon, a primitive, terrible weapon- but it was a start. With these he could make a spear, and from there on he would be able to work his way up the tree of technology. He had a starting point and a path to follow. Now all he needed was to make his way back home. As the thoughts crossed his mind, Kylan¡¯s shoulders relaxed as he looked around the cave once more, the more open cavern glittering as things moved far above him.
Pocketing a few of the stones, Kylan looked around in the dark as he took a step forwards, a sudden sense fo danger washing over him. It wasn¡¯t like the empty mechanical feeling that the System brought forth, rather, the sensation was as if he was about to step into the lair of a bloodthirsty beast- a situation he was rather familiar with. Several years ago he had gotten lost on a camping trip and was forced to take shelter in the mountains due to a storm. The cave he found himself within was home to a hibernating bear that later started stalking him once he left. It took days to get the bear off his trail, and upon returning to the city he had found out that the animal was ¡®wanted¡¯ by the local forest rangers as it was rabid.
The only reason why he left the cave was due to the sensation of danger. It was as if someone put a knife to his throat while a sudden gust of cold wind washed over his body. The alien System had a similar feeling to it, which was why he reacted so violently to it¡¯s invasion. Tensing as his body prepared to leap in any direction at a given moment, Kylan paused as he heard a soft twittering. Looking up, An enormous bat like creature swooped down towards him, it¡¯s legs revealing sharp claws as it¡¯s wings seemed to bubble and shift, the flesh seeming almost liquid. The worst part of the creature was it¡¯s face, the bat had no eyes, it¡¯s mouth was hanging open and in place of anything above it¡¯s nose was a deep hole that would likely act as an ear of sorts.
The alien creature sent waves of fear through Kylan¡¯s body, his hand reaching towards a sharp stone and gripping it, the cold rock cutting into his flesh as he took a deep breath. With a screech the bat suddenly swooped down towards him, the monster¡¯s mouth opening widely as it revealed a throat full of rotating teeth, a ghastly howl of sound escaping from it¡¯s body as it struck Kylan¡¯s helpless body. Suddenly unable to keep himself steady, Kylan could only feel the world violently sway around him, his body shaking as he lashed out with the stone, cutting into the air as the bat flew back, a sharp hiss escaping it¡¯s mouth as it¡¯s prey unexpectedly fought back.
It was then that another rock suddenly sailed through the air and slammed into the bat¡¯s side, the creature growling in distress as Kylan fell back, his body pressing against the stone wall behind him. A soft ¡®twang¡¯ echoed in the darkness as an arrow with another sharp stone attached to it smashed into the bat¡¯s face, the item pressing through the animal¡¯s head with a burst of bloody gore. ¡°Almost lost you there eh kid? What are you doing in these caves?¡± a grizzled voice echoed as a man stepped out of the shadows, his face covered with a thick scarf and the rest of his body cloaked with layers of hide clothing. It was impossible to tell he was human... well, besides the fact that he was using English. That was a giveaway. Pausing the man, spoke again, cycling through French, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and a few other languages before Kylan got over his shock. ¡°W-what? What just happened?¡± his voice spilled from his mouth as the man chuckled, the figures shoulders relaxing lightly as a slightly muffled reply escaped from his mouth. ¡°You almost died that¡¯s what happened. Howlers might look like bats at first, but these things are near the top of the food chain in these kinds of areas.¡± the man sighed as he shook his head, strands of dark hair escaping from his hood as he continued, ¡°Names Gregory by the way. Lets get out of this cave, I felt something... shift in this area, I never expected another human to appear though!¡±
A slightly infectious joy spread through the mans tone as he finished, his hand stretching out to help Kylan up as it suddenly vanished with the next set of words from his mouth, Gregory''s tone flat. ¡°Now, don¡¯t go telling me your name. As far as we are concerned you don¡¯t have the privilege of a name until you can show your worth.¡± Blinking, Kylan stuttered in confusion as he followed the man, the figure already starting to walk through the narrow cave corridors and the winding passages, ¡°Worth? Where are we going? and who are we?¡± Shaking his head the man made a ¡®what can I do¡¯ gesture with his hands, remaining silent as he continued to walk on, the cavern walls narrowing before opening once more, forming into an opening with dim light filtering through it.
The pair soon found themselves walking into an open forest, light filtering down between the heavy branches of the trees. Looking up, Kylan paused, swallowing nervously as he noticed the infected black veins that were on that blade of grass in the cave winding and crawling up through the wooden trunk. The leaves above his head were a sickly blackish green, and the sky behind them.
A sense of sheer terror flowed through Kylan as he looked into the sky, the night starts twinkling as red and black veins seemed to throb angrily above him. The shadow¡¯s of creatures wobbled in the distance as they dived through the clouds, thick trails of multi-limbed creatures swaying as the shattered moon writhed with life. The Moon. Was. Alive. Thick ponderous tentacles of black and blue flesh wormed across the surface, the cracked moon being held together by the creature that the tendrils were part of. Feeling a hand press down on his head, Kylan found himself looking back at the ground, Gregory¡¯s voice rumbling in front of him, ¡°Don¡¯t look up for too long. Things can see you too you know?¡± The man¡¯s voice held a slight trace of fear as he continued, ¡°I forgot to mention that.... But you should be fine. Just don¡¯t do it again. We are going to head to town, so try and keep up.¡± With those words, the man stepped forwards, his body leaping into the air as he kicked off the branch of a tree.
Looking at the man¡¯s movement, Kylan shook his head. How was he supposed to do tha-.... right. Lower gravity. Jumping up into the air, Kylan found himself rapidly nearing the thick tree branch. Kicking at the branch in a terrified attempt to change direction, he suddenly was tossed to the side, his body rapidly catching up with Gregory as the man chuckled, continuing to guide the newest survivor to the Village.
Chapter 3
¡°It is against regulation 12-F to travel alone within the wilds. Energy storms, Quantum Flux, and Corruption run rampant in the wilds. As such, a partner is needed to ensure survival. This is especially true for new explorers into the new frontier.¡± -Quel¡¯Tam Rules of Exploration
From what Gregory told him, it seemed like the Village was a rather interesting place. It was located in a much more healthy part of the forest, and the place he was found in was known as ¡®Corrupted land¡¯. The Village itself was placed just on the edge of the forest and a large grassland. The infected look of the trees and grass seemed to decrease the further from the depths of the forest and instead they were replaced with more healthy shades of green and other... peculiar colors. Gregory continued forwards as he led Kylan out of the Forest, each step pulling the pair closer to more living creatures instead of the ominous silence of the previous place that Kylan had woken within. Looking around, Kylan felt slight surges of surprise as he saw the creatures of the forest, deer wandered with crystal antlers, rabbits nibbled at the grass as their bodies seemed to flicker between nothingness and existence. Birds roosted in the trees, the varieties more numerous then he could count at first glance, some of the creatures looked distorted, eyes and mouths forming along their bodies as they moved, some of the birds having wings that opened to reveal a curtain of thousands of tiny eyes while their faceless heads chirped with birdsong.
It was unnerving to see creatures that reminded him so much of Earth look so... corrupted. As if feeling the confusion and slight terror in Kylan¡¯s body, Gregory spoke, his deep voice rumbling as it caused some of the more cautious creatures to flee, ¡°Strange isn¡¯t it? Everything looks so similar to Earth, yet it is all different.... We have a theory in the Village, all those disappearances on Earth, the cases of being spirited away, the victims of such anomalies might end up in this world. Some wouldn¡¯t be able to get back to Earth, and staying here has strange... effects on creatures that aren¡¯t native.¡± Pausing slightly Gregory kicked the ground, his body flying forwards, ¡°I can explain to you in the village, its a bit safer there. And there are more people to talk to.¡± With a slight feeling of tension in his chest, Kylan made a muted sound that could be taken as agreeing to Gregory¡¯s words. Unfortunately, the efforts the man made to calm Kylan down only made him more worried.
He didn¡¯t feel like Gregory had any real intentions to hurt him, but it was the fact that the man was so casual about the changes that creatures in this world had that set of warning bells in Kylan¡¯s mind. He only just arrived in this world, and while he had no food or water to date, the only thing that could count as an injury was the scratch on his hand due to holding the stone shard too tightly. Even then, it wasn¡¯t a scratch that would bleed, but it brought an important point to Kylan¡¯s mind.
What about diseases? In any world, there would be pathogens that would affect living creatures, and as a foreign entity within this one, he would likely need to build up resistances against the illness¡¯s that stalked the creatures of the world. Shaking the thoughts out of his head as he followed Bastion through the forest, the pair soon coming to a stop in a clearing. Tossing a wrapped package to Kylan, Bastion spoke, ¡°Here. It¡¯s easy to loose your bearings around here, and people tend to get hungry far more easily... time doesn¡¯t quite work like it did on Earth.¡± the hooded man chuckled lightly as he watched Kylan unwrap the package of food, the scent of meat filling the air. Looking at the strips of roasted jerky, Kylan felt a sudden pain in his belly, the sensation similar to a knife swirling through his guts. Now that he thought about it, he was rather hungry, so hungry that it hurt.
Licking his lips, Kylan cautiously lifted a strip of the Jerky and started chewing on it, the sudden flavor of the meat making him gag. Spasming as he coughed, spitting the disgusting meat out of his mouth, Kylan groaned, ¡°W-what the hell!? This tastes like it¡¯s raw!¡± His voice quivered slightly as he wiped his mouth, the thick taste of iron heavy on his tongue. Hearing the soft chuckle escape from Bastion¡¯s hood, Kylan glared at the hunter, the deep rumbling voice of the man who saved him quietly filling the clearing, ¡°It might taste bad but it¡¯s cooked... most things taste like shit around here. This is meat from the same species of bat that I killed when I saved you. They are a good source of food, and they dry into Jerky rather easily.¡± Hearing the words, Kylan grimaced, nodding lightly as he looked at the heavily clothed figure of the hunter once more.
It was odd... Something felt off about this. That prickling feeling on the back of his neck told Kylan that something wasn¡¯t normal, his sixth sense tingling ambiguously in an almost helpless fashion. Looking up into the sky, The clouds covered the horizon, hiding the sun and the Things that lived far above the atmosphere. Feeling the pangs of hunger suddenly attack him again, Kylan groaned as he took another bite out of the jerky. He was Starving, he had no idea why, but he was far more hungry then he had any right to be... then again, maybe this was a side effect of his sudden revival and healing upon entering this world? Rubbing his face with a free hand, Kylan shook his head as a slight wave of vertigo washed over him, the disgusting food churning in his stomach as his mind told him to reject it while his body eagerly devoured the meal. Watching Gregory eat a piece of the same kind of jerky Kylan shook his head at the man, ¡°and you guys don¡¯t have anything better then this to eat?¡±
The hunter shrugged, suddenly getting up and turning, walking away from Kylan as he was forced to scramble and follow after the man. As Kylan caught up with Gregory, the hunter spoke, ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t have good food. Rather, these are rations above anything else, they are used as travel food. It builds character.¡± Chuckling lightly as he spoke the last sentence, Gregory gestured forwards, ¡°We are almost at the town, I imagine you¡¯re pretty hungry so we can get you a real meal there.¡± Feeling his stomach squirm inside of his gut, Kylan shuddered at the uncomfortable feeling, taking another bite of the disgusting jerky in his hands. The iron like taste slowly faded as his face was twisted into a grimace of disgust.
Seeing the grin that was doubtlessly on Gregory¡¯s covered face through the shrug of his shoulders, Kylan exhaled slowly. Just a little further and he would be fine. Following after Gregory, it wasn¡¯t long before the two came across an injured deer, the animal limping as blue blood oozed down it¡¯s leg. Hearing a chuckle from Gregory, Kylan paused, watching the man suddenly lunge forwards with incredible speed and snap the neck of the stag. The creature limply fell down next to the hunter, it¡¯s body lifted and hauled over Gregory¡¯s shoulder. Seeing the several hundred pounds of meat easily lifted onto the hunter¡¯s shoulders, Kylan gasped. How strong w-... right. Another world. Lower gravity. Shaking his head as his belly growled insistently, Kylan watched as Gregory leaped forwards and started heading back to the Village.
Arriving at the Village was fairly peaceful, the thick trees having thinned into less monstrous looking entities as their trunks narrowed enough for a man to wrap his arms around them. Looking around, traces of what looked to be a road was visible through the underbrush, small chiseled stones poking out from under the roots of the trees around them. Landing on the road, Gregory gestured to the Village in front of them, thick wooden trunks rising to the sky with sharpened tips created a wall. Braids of hemp rope linked the wooden walls together as a guard stood at the entryway. Upon seeing Gregory, the guard waved, his fur clothing rippling as sharp bone javelins were revealed by the side of his massive body. Feeling an aching pain in his head, Kylan wobbled as Gregory glanced over to him, suddenly moving to support the newcomer with one shoulder while holding the deer on the other. ¡°Oy, Jim, we got a new guy. Take him to a room so he can get some rest, I¡¯ll carve up this deer real fast so he can eat something. I found him just as he came through a rift in the Depths of the forest.¡± Looking over at Kylan the guard chuckled, his bone helmet hiding his face as he nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the kid and head to the tents.¡± Walking over, the guard grabbed Kylan by the side and lifted his body, pulling him onto his shoulder like a sack of grain. As the Guard walked, Kylan groaned, his view of the world darkening in thick pulses of pain, his body tensing as he shuddered, his bones suddenly aching. Being suddenly tossed onto the ground, the guard muttered something and left, leaving Kylan to suffer in the ¡®soft¡¯ animal furs under his body.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Animal furs that felt like raw stones and thick roots digging into his back.
Groaning as he was suddenly tossed onto the ground, Kylan curled up, coughing as he felt his insides squirming, his face paling as a dim thought crossed his mind. ¡®Damn it.... It was the jerky wasn¡¯t it....¡¯ clawing at the furs, Kylan felt his vision wobble as Gregory walked inside, Carrying a plate of venison. Seeing Kylan¡¯s state, the hunter nodded as if nothing was wrong and forced the youth up, pulling Kylan¡¯s body into a sitting position as he suddenly stuffed the meat into his mouth. Gagging as the taste of raw blood filled his mouth, Kylan¡¯s eyes watered as he looked at Gregory with teary eyes. Feeling his blurry vision shifting, Kylan gasped for air as he swallowed the raw tasting meat, his vision wobbling as he suddenly collapsed to the side, hearing the soft words of the hunter who ¡®saved¡¯ him. ¡°As much as I would like to coddle you, we don¡¯t got the time for that. Things are moving a bit faster then I thought they would have... Just be strong and try to survive.... I wish we had a tutorial or something...¡± Shaking his head Gregory sighed as Kylan watched his body blur, the world around him fading into darkness a the figure of the hunter, the town, and the echoes of sound around him faded away.
Waking up was painful, Kylan¡¯s vision was dark as the dim rustle of trees echoed above him. Groaning as he rolled off some thick roots, Kylan gasped for air as he looked at the sky, the horizon covered with thick clouds as thunder echoed in the distance. Seeing the sky, a sudden thought struck him- he wasn¡¯t inside a tent anymore. The roots digging into his sides alerted him to the fact that he had been laying here for some time already. Slowly pushing himself up, the sudden scent of raw meat filled the air, the smell causing Kylan to push his hands to his mouth and gag as he saw the remains of two familiar creatures next to him.
A bat had it¡¯s stomach gouged out and a deer suffered the same fate. Coughing as the thick blood mixed in the small grooves of the roots around him, Kylan shuddered as he realized his hands were coated in blood. More then that, thick, pulsing veins moved through his arms and into his chest, his clothes ripped and torn as the veins were dyed a purplish black. Coughing as he looked around the clearing, Kylan hesitantly wiped at his face, feeling dry blood flake off his mouth as he shuddered. Well, that explained the ¡®jerky¡¯ that he was eating and how everything went so... odd as soon as he went into the Village. he might have been hallucinating or something... W-wait. Did that mean he was a madman now!? Pushing back against the roots as the thoughts entered his mind, Kylan curled up and hugged his knees, a weak whisper escaping his throat. He wanted to go home. This... this wasn¡¯t nearly the adventure he wanted.
Monsters roamed the woods around him, his sanity was questionable as he couldn¡¯t tell if he was dreaming or if his previous experience was a dream. The thick, pulsating veins squirming deeper into his body showed no sign of stopping, maybe it would be easier to just lay down an-
A deep breath escaped Kylan¡¯s lungs as he shook his head. It didn¡¯t really matter did it? He would live the best he could in either life, and.. what... what was that sound? Tilting his head to the side, Kylan shuddered as he was suddenly aware of the incoherent whispers that seemed to echo around him, a brief shift of the thick foliage above him sending a sharp ray of sunlight onto the forest floor. Seeing the reality around him, Kylan jumped to his feet and stumbled backwards, his eyes looking along the thickly woven floor of roots as he noticed for the first time that they squirmed. The roots moved, ever so slightly, the tendrils of wood sinking around the corpses of the dead animals that he hunted. That he ate.... The thought of eating such animals raw and having no idea when he killed them was a problem. What was worse was how he could see the depression on the ground marking where he once lay... it was as if the roots would slowly swallow anything on them, leaving the bodies of their victims to feed the trees. Shivering at the thought, Kylan kicked at the ground, an expression of horror filling his face as he lifted into the air and was able to see the many heads and limbs of animals stuck into the squirming roots.
The roots were like a thick pile of snakes... weaving and crossing as they promised the animals caught within them a soft death. He could hear it, the soft, soothing whispers at the corners of his senses, the sounds just barely reaching him as they tried to lull him back into the pleasant world he was once in.
It would be nice to have a Village to start in, to have someone other them himself to rely on in the wilds. However, that was not his fate. Kicking against a trunk of a tree, Kylan pushed away from the forest floor, his torn shoes falling apart as his bare toes pressed into the soft bark. Feeling the warm bark give away under his foot, a thick tendril of discomfort threatened to push through Kylan¡¯s body, his form shaking as he felt the soft whispers in his ears increase in volume. Shaking his head as he launched himself away from the trees, Kylan pushed through the trees, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he suddenly heard a soft voice echo near him, ¡°Duck!¡±
Twisting in midair, Kylan¡¯s body bent as he felt something fly past him, a thick stinger embedding itself in the tree next to him as a sharp gasp escaped his throat and a stream of curses erupted from his lungs while a thin red line opened on his shoulder, blood oozing from his body as it took a darker hue thanks to the growing infection in his veins. Kicking harder as he landed on another branch, Kylan heard the violent crack of wood breaking as he launched away from the scene once more, the world blurring around him as he blinked rapidly, his vision overlapping with the sensation of him being carried while the world rippled and twisted as his vision dimmed slightly. Groaning as the sudden vertigo washed over him, Kylan flinched as the world twisted, the thick trees morphing into tall mountains, the mossy ground shimmering as it took a cold glow, the green life around him fading into an endless white. Shivering as the temperature suddenly dropped, Kylan kicked forwards once more, his body shaking under the chilled winds that suddenly overwhelmed him. He had to run before they caught him. As he kicked into the snowy ground, the wet crunch of fresh snow shifted around his toes as he looked over his shoulder, a small mob with pitchforks and torches were chasing behind, their bodies rotting as their blue tinted limbs waved angrily. He was almo.... Wait, when did he start being chased?! Kylan shook his head as he felt another thick string of vertigo wash through him, the world twisting as he rejected what was around him. No, he was in a forest wasn¡¯t he? Or was he still in the cave....? The sky darkened as the snowy land rumbled, the sudden quake nearly sending him off his feet as he watched thick metal spires suddenly launch from the earth. The tall spires blinked with artificial lights as spider like robots clawed at the towers, short bursts of ozone flooding the areas around them as they welded and repaired metals.
Looking around at the shifting landscaped, Kylan coughed, a hand moving to cover his mouth as a thick black ooze coated his hand. Looking at the fluid, a thick pulse of pain pushed through his head as he swayed in place. Reaching a hand out into the air, the world pulsed once more as Kylan fell to his knees, his body writhing as it gave out from under him. Looking at the rough ground, waves of terror pushed through his body as the ground bubbled, his form steadily sunk into the bubbling fluid. As the earthy ground bubbled around him, Kylan¡¯s eyes quivered in terror as he watched the ground turn from white to brown and then into a red so deep it was almost black. Gasping for air as his head sunk under the fluid, Kylan could only scream as he was engulfed by the world around him, his body and mind drowning under the irrational sensations and sights as bursts of phantom pain rushed through his body.