It's hot. The sun was blasting its heat right into me and I could feel it as I was waking up. I was facing up and it blurred my vision with its extremely bright light.
I woke up in the middle of a huge crater.
Questioning how I got here, I couldn't think of a reason. I didn't remember anything. Who am I? Is the first thing that came to mind.
I was just randomly here, and I didn't have any memories of what happened before. I looked down at my clothes, which seemed to be torn apart and covered with blood. And on my right hand, there was a long, whiteish blade with brackish spikes on it.
I raised it up in the air and it seemed to be attached to my arm. I didn't have much mobility in my fingers and it felt like I was permanently gripping the hilt, which resembled more of a spike than anything else.
I tried to speak but my voice was hoarse.
I should go look for water. I began climbing out of the crater. My body moved slowly at first and I couldn't really control it. The blood was dried on my torn-up shirt, and it smelled very strongly of iron.
My stomach suddenly started growling. I guess I'm hungry as well.
I reached the top of the crater and looked around only to find nothing in all directions. There was a river nearby, but it was orange and my instincts told me to stay away from it.
I decided to just walk in one direction and so I did. I kept walking and walking until nighttime came. Eventually I saw smoke in the distance. Very far away, there was someone making a campfire or a bonfire of sorts. Drenched in sweat from being in the sun and a sword in my hand, I decided to try my luck and walk toward the smoke.
As I got closer, I could see people huddled around the fire. All very big and brawny.
They were all looking at me as if they had been waiting for me to come. The largest man was looking straight at me and had meat prepared on a stick. Which looked incredibly delicious to me.
But the closer I got, the more dangerous it felt. It's like they were on guard against me and were ready to attack me. I could feel bloodlust and power being released.
"Stop." I stopped walking and glared at them for seething such hostility. My instincts kicking in.
"Where'd you come from?" Asked one of the men sitting by the fire.
"I came from-" That was when I was attacked. I quickly jumped and rolled midair to avoid the mace that was sent flying toward me. Only to land to a direct attack from one of the men.
He punched my stomach but I was able to deflect it with my sword and sliced off his hand in the process.
"Hahahaha! He lost a hand!" Started screaming one of the other men.
I was confused.
That was when the biggest looking man charged at me at incredible speed. I wasn't able to dodge it but I managed to react quickly enough to block it with my arm and was sent flying in the opposite direction of where I came from. I noticed there was a forest that I couldn't see before because of the dark, but that's most likely where they got their meat. I didn't get launched far enough to reach the forest, but when I looked down at my arm, it had become swollen and red.
"Who are you?" Asked the big man who attacked me.
"I don't know." I answered sincerely, but it only made him more annoyed. The expression on his face hardened and this time, I was able to anticipate his attack.
I swung my sword as he came down on me from above and he somehow dodged midair and readied his stance again as soon as he landed. Ready to go again.
My arm feeling more and more pain.
My sword suddenly started to shake.
"You're repulsive. I'll be taking your life today." Danger signals started going off in my head and the man suddenly became filled with a fiery aura and his fist were covered in some muddy flame. I was scared.
I followed my instincts and ran toward the forest, where he suddenly appeared in front of me and swung his fist at me and I dodged by kicking the ground and jumping high enough to kick his head with my other leg. Only to find out it did nothing, as he stood there with a grimace on his face.
He swung his other fist at me and I clashed with it using my shaking sword, leaving nicks on his hand and arm in the process because of all the spikes on the sword.
"Oh?" He had a perplexed expression on his face and then licked the blood off his hand.
This guy is insane, I thought. I must get away.
I took the chance to escape into the forest, but I was too late, some of the other men surrounded me and the only way to get through them was to kill one. I gathered all the strength I could muster quickly dashed through one of the guys, slicing him in half and running past him, into the dark forest.
I made my way through the trees and jumped from branch to branch to avoid detection, but I could hear shuffling behind me. Multiple people were after me and that big guy was definitely a huge problem. My arm hurting from all the movement. I needed to hold it with my other hand so it wouldn't hurt as bad, but I couldn't put away my sword.
I kept trying to let go of the hilt but I couldn't, that was when it suddenly shook again and was absorbed into my arm.
I didn't know how I did it, but I quickly grasped my broken arm by my chest and moved faster and faster until I lost track of them. I couldn't hear their screams or their footsteps anymore.
I jumped down from one of the trees and saw an old man sitting by some long grass.
"Hello, young man. You have a very powerful aura about you. I hope you're not here to make trouble." He spoke.
"No." I was haggard and tired from running. My stomach still hungry.
"I'm just looking for food."
The old man inspected me for a second before he opened up a satchel he was holding and pulled out something white with meat next to it.
"Sit down young man. Tell me about yourself and I'll give this to you." Feeling defensive from my last encounter I quickly tied my broken arm to my shirt and had it hanging from my chest. I couldn't take any chances.
"I don't mean to harm you, young man. You're in no condition to be fighting."
"How can I trust you?"
"Hmmm... I don't know. It's up to you whether you trust me or not."
I didn't know what to do, so I stopped thinking and followed my instincts.
"Thanks."
I grabbed the food he was offering and started eating. It was the most delicious thing I could have ever imagined. It felt like it was the first time I had eaten in years. A proper meal.
That was when tears started falling down my eyes.
I recalled something.
I remembered a boy. A boy who used to call my name.
"My name is Brenner." My sword came back out and shook in what seemed like agreement.
But who is this boy in my mind? I could see it. The image of the silhouette of a boy calling my name.
That was when I sensed the old man's bloodlust. He was emitting a terrifying power. Similar to the guy from earlier.
"Put your sword away. It's quite unsettling to be near it."
My sword?
I reabsorbed it and he put away his bloodlust, leaving only a lingering feeling of death.
"Young Brenner. How about you come back with me to my city? I can treat your arm there and have you cleaned up and fed. What do you say?"