Chapter seven: void darkness
A voice, cold and synthetic, echoed in the void of his consciousness. The words were fragmented, like pieces of a puzzle scattered in the wind. As his senses faded, he caught a glimpse of his surroundings: a sterile room, filled with strange, glowing equipment. The voice continued, its rhythm growing erratic.
"Project 1.0...day fast.breaking consciousness...host is prepared.. consciousness loading....."
Then, silence. A void. Nothingness.
His head throbbed like a relentless drumbeat, each pulse a sharp, insistent pain. His vision cleared slowly, revealing a vast expanse of green. Tall grasses swayed in an invisible breeze, their blades catching the sunlight in shimmering waves. A chill crept into his bones, despite the warmth of the sun.
He tried to speak, but a high-pitched squeak escaped his lips, a sound alien and unfamiliar. Panic surged through him as he looked down at his hands. They were no longer human, but rather, small, padded paws with delicate claws. His skin, once pale, was now a shade of light reddish-brown. He was no longer human.
A profound sense of confusion and fear washed over him. What had happened? Where was he? Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, a deafening explosion echoed through the serene landscape. The ground trembled beneath him as creatures of all shapes and sizes burst from the tall grass. Panic seized him as he covered his ears, his heart pounding in his chest.
A horrifying scene unfolded before his eyes. A small, shivering creature with large ears and red eyes was snatched from the undergrowth and killed with a sickeningly swift motion. Its blood spattered across his face, the iron-like scent filling his nostrils. Fear, raw and primal, consumed him. He had to escape.
A group of figures emerged from the tall grass, their eyes fixed on the fallen creature. They moved with a predatory grace, their actions filled with a cruel efficiency. As they turned their attention to the still twitching body, a wave of terror washed over him. He had to run.
With a surge of adrenaline, he turned and fled, the cacophony of strange sounds and the pounding of his heart his only companions. The world was a blur of green and brown, and he ran blindly, driven by a desperate need to survive.