Everything around him lacked meaning. It was as if he was immersed in a strange dream, floating in an endless space.
The lack of memories left him without a clear point of reference, and although he was capable of thinking, he didn't know how he achieved it. He found himself in a state of total passivity, without the ability to interact with anything.
He could only go with the flow, observing everything with a strange helplessness, like a mere spectator traveling infinitely in absolute silence.
Time flowed in a strange duality of speed and slowness, and at times he plunged into incomprehensible visions, where abstract shapes and impossible colors intertwined in an unreal ballet, confusing him in a labyrinth of perceptions.
It was as if reality itself mocked logic, revealing a hidden dimension full of mysteries.
After an unknown amount of time, having witnessed countless inexplicable scenes, a question began to slowly take shape in the depths of his being: Who was he really? As he delved into this enigma, more questions emerged in his mind, intertwining into a tangle of uncertainty.
Why was he in this unknown place? Was he condemned to remain here eternally?
The enigmas sprouted one after another, like an endless cascade of concerns. However, no matter how intensely he reflected, the answers refused to come, tormenting his existence in an endless punishment.
An overwhelming chaos took hold of his mind. Now he longed to have not thought about anything at all and continue floating in eternal silence...
Thus, time passed until a moment came when everything changed.
From somewhere in the infinite, a crimson light emerged, its brightness gradually growing to envelop everything, covering every corner of his vision.
As seconds passed, hundreds of memories gradually returned as if he was waking up from a long dream. Each memory was a thread that interwove itself in his mind, revealing answers to the questions that had tormented him for so long!
He remembered the sweet voice of his parents when he was born, the sound of his name, Ethan, resonating in the air.
Raised in a loving environment, he was tenderly cared for from an early age, especially when they discovered his ability to excel and achieve top scores in everything he pursued.
On the other hand, he also remembered his brother, Matthew. When they were young, they were inseparable, sharing adventures and laughter. However, all of that changed years later when their parents realized Matthew's poor grades in school.
He was punished and scolded again and again, until it was revealed that he was involved in illegal activities, such as drug use and theft.
Since that day, Matthew was expelled from the house and disappeared.
That awakened in him a sense of guilt towards his brother, as he believed that if it weren't for his existence, he would never have experienced something like that.
For this reason, Ethan gradually lost interest in his studies, obtaining mediocre grades that barely allowed him to graduate, which caused great disappointment in his parents.
It was at that moment that he discovered a bitter truth: his performance depended entirely on his interest in something. When he was engaged and motivated, he could easily surpass others, but when he lacked interest, he became quite mediocre.
Fortunately, one day he discovered the fascinating beauty of the hotel industry, which sparked a renewed sense of purpose and determination in his life!
Various events unfolded in his life. For a year, he dedicated himself to working hard in a rundown hotel, gaining the necessary experience to finally seize an opportunity to work at a prestigious establishment in the Bahamas, where he stayed for two long years.
Crack!
Suddenly, an intense rage invaded his mind, causing a sharp movement of his body that collided forcefully with something, creating an instant crack.
The source of his anger was that despicable monster of a brother, who was responsible for his death!
"Grrk?"
However, his anger faded as quickly as it had come. It was evident that if he were truly dead, he wouldn't be able to experience sensations as vivid and real as the ones he was experiencing at this very moment!
The tangible feeling of his own body was undeniable; it wasn't a fleeting illusion.
Ethan was experiencing a sense of weightlessness in the midst of a strange and viscous substance, as if he were immersed in a futuristic cryogenic suspension capsule, similar to the ones seen in movies, designed to keep people alive or incubate experiments.
This sparked the question in his mind of whether he was in a futuristic world, and the mere idea excited him deeply!
He stretched his arms and legs, feeling the freedom to move as if he were swimming. Interestingly, he didn't feel the need to breathe. It seemed that his body absorbed oxygen from the enigmatic substance surrounding him, affirming the possibility of being inside a capsule.
"Grrrk!"
The other peculiarity he noticed was his voice, which only produced strange guttural sounds. He felt in his throat the impossibility of articulating words.
Crack! Crack!
Without hesitation, he resolutely struck the strange material that imprisoned him. Each blow reverberated in the space, gradually causing multiple cracks to appear.
Crack!
With each crack that formed, tiny rays of light seeped into his confinement, slowly unveiling the destiny that awaited on the other side!
Sluurp!
Finally, the liquid began to flow outward, and the layer that enveloped him shattered, crumbling completely. His eyes met with an intense and dazzling sunlight, of an incandescent red.
The power was such that he instinctively closed his eyes, protecting them from its radiant brilliance! After a few seconds, he slowly opened his eyes, now more accustomed to the intensity of the light.
"Grrrrrum!"
Suddenly, a strange sound escaped from his mouth as he tried to speak, a soft and interrupted growl.
Instead, what he really wanted to express was how terrifying the sight was!
Vegetation in the area was scarce and twisted, forming thorny bushes of a sickly green color
With twisted branches and black leaves, the trees stood like gloomy guardians on the horizon.
Scattered across the ground, rocks displayed a dark red hue and were enveloped in a blackened moss that stirred ominously, as if awaiting to devour any living creature that approached.
It seemed to be in something resembling a dry cenote, without a single drop of water inside.
"G-grrr..."
His back was drenched in a cold sweat as he witnessed a macabre display of dozens and dozens of skeletons of creatures of various sizes. As Ethan gazed upon this desolate panorama, he had an immediate certainty: he was in deep trouble!
A futuristic world? How far-fetched was that thought!?
First, he had to face a zombie apocalypse, and now he found himself in a strange and desolate world that resembled hell itself.
"Graaaaaaw!"
Ethan looked up to the sky upon hearing an unusual noise, and his eyes widened at the sight that surpassed his imagination: a terrifying purple firebird that, with the flapping of its wings, unleashed waves of flames dancing around it!
"Sssssssssss!"
To make matters worse, a powerful hiss resonated in his ears as he witnessed the appearance of a colossal red serpent, tens of meters long!
Swooosh!
It surpassed the firebird in size at least three times. It boldly lunged towards the bird, unfurling its sharp fangs in an attempt to devour it.
But something happened that completely defied Ethan's logic!
Fwoosh!
Before the serpent could even touch the firebird, it released a blazing inferno that instantly engulfed it, reducing it to ashes...
"Graaaaaaaaw!"
With a roar of victory, the firebird soared away, leaving behind a trail of fire in the sky.
Thud!
To Ethan's surprise, he fell backward as his vision blurred. Terrified, he clutched his throat and finally realized that he had been without breathing for minutes!
Haaaaah!
Aware of the problem, he quickly reacted and began to breathe naturally, as he had always done in his original body.
Still, he felt pathetic. First, he died shortly after the start of a zombie apocalypse he had longed for in his youth, and now he almost died in the most stupid way imaginable.
Grrrrrr!
Was that another terrifying creature? Not even close. The deafening roar came from his stomach, desperately pleading for food.
He stopped observing his surroundings and focused on the place he emerged from. Looking back, he noticed dozens of fragments of a black shell scattered alongside a viscous red liquid.
Indeed, he had emerged from an egg...
Ethan quickly looked at his hands, filled with fear that he had turned into a bird. Fortunately, his hands were white and delicate, like those of a human baby.
Looking down, he realized that he did, in fact, have the body of a baby. He was completely naked, which was normal for his situation.
He leaned forward to see his reflection in the substance and was surprised to discover two small horns on either side of his bald head. His facial features were fairly normal, though it was the typical generic appearance that babies usually have.
"Grrrk?"
As he touched the upper part of his back, he noticed the presence of two protrusions that stuck out, resembling tumors.
However, being unfamiliar with what they were and not experiencing any pain, he decided to stop thinking about them. Unfortunately, Ethan found no source of food in that place. In fact, there was nothing available to satisfy his hunger.
Grrrrrrrr!
Once again, his stomach emitted a roar, louder and more intense than before.
Upon observing once more, he only saw the shells on the ground. Reluctantly, he picked up a fragment and, with disgust, brought it closer to his mouth. But when he tried to bite it, he experienced extreme hardness that nearly broke his small sharp teeth!
Ethan felt perplexed by this situation. Previously, it had been so easy to break the shell. Now it was as resistant as diamond.
Sigh...
He only had one last option: to leave that place and venture outside in search of food. However, when he recalled the terrifying scene earlier, his body began to tremble with apprehension.