In the dim corners of a decrepit alleyway, a still figure leaned against the damp walls. The shadows curling around him, casting an eerie veil over the scene. Despite the lack of light, the boy's tattered clothes showed a glimpse of a life weathered by hardship. Rips and tears covered his clothing, offering glimpses of his bare torso.
His eyes spun around the derelict alleyway searching for any signs of danger, upon confirming there was no immediate threat in the vicinity he let out a weary sigh before allowing himself to collapse onto the ground.
The haggard boy glanced down checking his condition which could only be described as grim in the moment, cuts and tears as well as several holes marked his torso causing blood to pool around his feet in a gruesome scene.
However instead of the expected reaction of fear that most would exude, instead the boys expression was strangely solemn with a slight hint of indignation.
Calmly with unshaken bloodied hands he reached into a pocket grasping a small demure silver ring he clutched the seemingly mundane ring tightly, causing the edges to dig into his battered hands.
Instead of wincing in pain he merely raised his head up to look into the dark night allowing himself to feel the vast tapestry of stars before him.
He took a brief solemn sigh letting the nagging feeling of tiredness overtake him.
His eyes faded into a murky gray color as he fell into his final slumber, his body relaxed causing the mundane silver ring to slip from his grasp.
On that night a new star was added to the skies.
outside of the veil the birds around lay frozen in the air the monsters inhabiting the desolate city had slowed to a crawl, it wasn't long before the world itself stopped, and it was not long before the world began to move again. Only this time the sun which typically rose in the east and set in the west began to rise in the west and set in the east, on the world below civilizations grew from nothing and from nothing grew from civilizations.
unaffected by the changes happening to the world a veil darkness covered the motionless body of, and after a considerable amount of time the dark shell began to rustle as the being entombed within was freed.
Rene's eye's fluttered open groggily.
He raised his hand to his head as he felt a intense pounding pain that buried itself within.
'Why does my head hurt so much? I didn't even drink yesterday.'
At least he thought he didn't. As Rene tried to remember the night before, it felt foggy and distant. He couldn't remember anything of substance about himself. In the attempt to, the thought would fade away like his mind determined that thinking of such was inconsequential to him.
'What is happening to me?'
His hand that was clutching his pained head fell to his sides as his eyes adjusted to the light or rather lack thereof, realizing that he was no longer in his cozy apartment but instead he found himself in a long dimly lit corridor.
His mind was already jumbled from the pain and from being unable to recall any significate memories, but now his mind was in utter disarray. Several questions propagated his head, had he been kidnapped? where was he? who was he?
Even more strangely his mind accepted this situation making his attempts at questioning pointless as soon as he found himself indifferent of the answers.
Rene stood up pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He looked around what appeared to be an unending series of medieval doors. For a second he thought about lying back down and sleeping until the pain went away but the rational part of him realized it most likely wasn't a good idea sleeping in a strange rundown place.
'How am I suppose to get to work tomorrow like this, do I even have a job?'
After more than a few moments of pouting about the fact that he would have to miss work today and pondering the implications of such did Rene finally start moving.
As Rene began to navigate through the endless hallway of doors, he noticed several details. Or, to be more precise, the hallway doors were covered in strange symbols that Rene couldn't begin to understand. The symbols repeated themselves in a uniform pattern.
Some doors, older and more worn down than others, typically had fewer symbols, while the newer ones were covered in more intricate markings.
After minutes of walking down the endless hallway, René made a decision he had to step through one of the mysterious doors.
His eyes scanned the ruinous corridor, searching for the most decrepit door, one with the least amount of symbols. He hoped the markings would correspond to the level of danger lurking behind it.
It didn't take long to find one. The older doors were far more common in the ruined hallway.
He placed his hand on the rusted handle, took a breath, and opened the door.
Expecting to be greeted by some kind of demon or monstrous beast, Rene steeled himself, but to his relief, that did not happen.
Instead, the door led into a vast room. Arches stretched across the space, forming a maze-like pattern. The absence of torches left the room shrouded in darkness, and René could see no further than a few feet ahead of him.
Instead, the door opened into a large room. The room was filled with several arches, creating a maze-like effect. This, added to the fact that there were no torches to light up the place, meant that Rene was unable to see more than a few feet in front of him.
Cautiously, Rene took his first steps into the crypt-like room. As he did, the door behind him slammed shut, locking him out from the outside world. When he tried to open it, he found that it was bolted shut. He then tried kicking it down, but despite its weathered appearance, the door felt as if it were made of steel.
For a moment, fear crept into him, but just as his memories of himself had dissipated, so did his fear.
With no other options, René decided to explore the room.
Just as he took his first few steps he heard a click, and what sounded like something cutting through the air Infront of him at a rapid pace.
Just as he took his first few steps, a sudden click echoed through the air. Before he could even react, something sliced through the air in front of him at a rapid pace.
The object reached him in the blink of an eye.
Rene felt a wet sensation dripping down his neck, followed by a searing pain. He tried to cry out, but the object lodged deep in his neck prevented him from making any sound. All that escaped his lips was a grotesque, gargling noise.
It hurts.
It hurts so badly.
Am I really going to die like this? Here? Without even recovering my memories? In a strange place? I won't accept that.
Thoughts spun wildly in his mind. His body was already failing him, but his thoughts were the only thing keeping him tethered to reality. He desperately searched for a way out, but every idea he came up with led to the same conclusion death.
I can't accept that. Not like this. Not before I get my memories back.
His legs buckled beneath him. His body collapsed to the ground with a painful thud.
As the pain threatened to consume him, he thought he was losing his mind. His vision blurred, and he felt like his mind was slipping away into madness. But then, a soft, feminine voice whispered into his ear.
The pain was so intense that he couldn't focus on her words. But every time she spoke, he felt a strange sensation something that made the agony more bearable.
It wasn't that the pain itself was lessened. instead felt like it his mental state was being strengthened. The sensation was disorienting, but it gave him just enough clarity to stay conscious.
Despite that, Rene could feel himself growing weaker. His mind was growing foggy, his grip on reality slipping. The whispering continued, growing louder, but he could only make out bits and pieces of her words.
[Your mental state is unstable... %$% of $$%$$ suppressing you.]
Just as 'He' felt himself drifting, a deep part of his consciousness stirred. something started to take over his mind, attempting to take its rightful place. But just before 'it' could claim him, he heard the soft voice again.
[Fragment of &% has recognized you.]