The cave felt like it was closing in, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. Lin Xiao knew he was standing at a crossroads.
He could walk away, leave this mystery behind, and continue his search for a way back home. Or he could stay, help the boy, and dive headfirst into whatever strange fate awaited him here.
His hand hovered above the chains again, the energy pulsing beneath his fingers.
Lin Xiao hesitated for a long moment, staring at the glowing chains that bound the boy. The pull of the strange energy was undeniable now, gnawing at his thoughts like an itch he couldn't scratch.
The boy remained unconscious, his lips slightly parted as if struggling to speak again. The whisper of "Help me, Xiao Xiao…" still echoed in Lin Xiao's mind, making it impossible to ignore.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Xiao steeled himself. "I can't leave you like this," he muttered, more to himself than to the boy. He reached out cautiously, fingers trembling as they neared the glowing chains. Just before touching them, the eerie blue light flared brighter, and a low hum filled the air.
As soon as his hand made contact with the chains, a sharp jolt ran through Lin Xiao's body. He gritted his teeth against the pain but didn't pull away.
The energy was intense, almost as if the chains were alive, resisting his touch. His mind swirled with confusion, but he pushed through, focusing on breaking whatever enchantment bound this boy.
Suddenly, the chains began to loosen, uncoiling themselves slowly. Lin Xiao's eyes widened as they moved, each link emitting a sharp crackle of energy before falling away. The glowing blue light flickered, then dimmed as the chains fell to the cave floor with a dull clink.
The boy was free.
Lin Xiao took a step back, his breath heavy with exhaustion and disbelief. He stared at the boy's motionless body, waiting for some sign of life. The silence in the cave grew louder, pressing in on him with every second that passed.
Then, the boy stirred.
His eyes fluttered open, revealing irises that gleamed with an unnatural golden light. He blinked slowly, adjusting to his surroundings before locking eyes with Lin Xiao. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Lin Xiao felt a wave of familiarity crash over him again, stronger this time.
The boy sat up, rubbing his wrists where the chains had been, his gaze never leaving Lin Xiao.
The boy sat up, rubbing his wrists where the chains had been, his golden eyes fixed on Lin Xiao, staring at him with an almost reverent expression. "Xiao Xiao… you freed me," he said softly, his voice filled with gratitude.
But before Lin Xiao could respond, the boy's eyes suddenly widened, and his entire expression shifted from reverence to shock. It was as if he had been struck by some invisible force. "Who are you?" the boy asked, his voice trembling with confusion. "Why am I here?"
Lin Xiao blinked, completely taken aback. "What?" he stammered, trying to process what had just happened. "You literally just said my name! How do you not remember me? You—"
The boy cut him off, his face contorting in panic. "Your name? What are you talking about? I don't know you!" His eyes darted around the cave, as if searching for answers in the crumbled remains of the altar.
Lin Xiao took a step back, his mind racing. "What the heck is going on?"
Just moments ago, this boy had spoken to him like they were connected—like he had been waiting for him. And now, he was acting like a complete stranger. Something wasn't adding up.
"Calm down," Lin Xiao said, trying to keep his own voice steady. "You were chained here, and I freed you. You called me by my nickname—Xiao Xiao. Do you remember any of that?"
The boy shook his head frantically. "No! I—I don't know how I got here! I don't remember anything! One moment I was... somewhere else, and now..." His voice trailed off, his confusion deepening.
Lin Xiao clenched his fists, feeling a rising sense of frustration. He was caught between helping this boy and trying to understand the bizarre situation unfolding before him. "You were waiting for me, remember? You said we were connected."
The boy stared at him blankly, his eyes wide with fear. "I… I don't remember. I don't know why I said those things."
Lin Xiao was at a loss. His instincts told him there was something deeper at play—something that went beyond simple memory loss. But he didn't have enough information to make sense of it.
Before he could press the boy further, a sharp pain shot through Lin Xiao's head, causing him to wince. His system chimed in, [Error Detected: Host is advised to proceed with caution. Anomalies present in surrounding environment.]
"Great, that's helpful," Lin Xiao muttered under his breath. He glanced at the boy again, who now looked completely lost, staring at his surroundings with wide, frightened eyes.
"Okay, listen," Lin Xiao said, trying to stay calm. "I don't know what's going on either, but we need to get out of here. This place isn't safe."
The boy hesitated, then nodded slowly, his panic subsiding just enough for him to focus. "But… where will we go? I don't even know who I am."
Lin Xiao sighed. "We'll figure that out later. Right now, we just need to survive."
The boy stood, unsteady on his feet, but willing to follow Lin Xiao's lead.
"Stay close," Lin Xiao said, his voice low. "We'll deal with the rest once we're out of here."
But as they left the cave, Lin Xiao couldn't help but wonder: "Who is this boy? And why does he seem so familiar... yet completely unknown?"
The mystery deepened, and Lin Xiao knew that the answers were only going to get more complicated from here.
As Lin Xiao and the boy wandered through the dimly lit cave, their footsteps echoed eerily off the stone walls.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and the narrow passages twisted unpredictably, making it difficult to find any clear direction.
Lin Xiao's system map, though still active, remained blurry and incomplete, leaving them with no real sense of where they were headed.
"Stay close," Lin Xiao muttered again, glancing at the boy walking a few paces behind him. The boy seemed quieter now, lost in thought, but Lin Xiao couldn't shake the unease that had settled over him since their strange encounter.
"What is this kid's deal?" he wondered.
Suddenly, the boy stopped. "Hey, YOU!" he called out, his voice echoing off the cave walls. Lin Xiao turned around, surprised by the sudden outburst. The boy's face was lit with a strange mix of determination and excitement.
"What?" Lin Xiao asked, eyeing him cautiously.
"I think I can get us out of here," the boy said, stepping closer, his gaze intent.
Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Huh? How?" He folded his arms, half-expecting some kind of explanation.
The boy hesitated, rubbing his temple like he was trying to make sense of something. "I don't know... it's just this feeling. In my head. Like I know the way, like I've done this before." He looked at Lin Xiao, his golden eyes gleaming with certainty. "Trust me. I can get us out."
Lin Xiao stared at him for a long moment, his skepticism hard to hide. "You think you can get us out? Based on a feeling?" He couldn't help but feel wary, but there was something about the boy's confidence—something almost familiar.