Ozul never imagined this would be his final resting place—a narrow, overlooked alley between towering buildings. As he lay there, his body growing colder, he reflected on the choices that led him to this fateful moment. He remembered arrogantly challenging the Blessed, those superpowered humans with abilities beyond imagination. Initially, he had dismissed them as mere propaganda with strength no greater than his own.
Blood oozed out from below as he looked at his severed torso across the alleyway. He hadn't ever lost a fight before, often relying on his large build and self-discovered superpower to wipe out his opponents.
Ozul stood tall when he followed them to the dead end. His voice echoed through the empty alley as he faced the Blessed: "So, you're one of the 'blessed humans'? Let's see if your flesh cuts as easily as any other human. I'll make sure to empty your wallet on my way home."
The unfazed Blessed replied, in a voice that carried an unsettling calm, "Arrogance is a fatal flaw, young man. You'll learn that the hard way."
Dashing forward, Ozul threw out several lightning-fast blows, striking at the man's stomach and neck to take him down as quickly as possible. He didn't hold back because the man was a superhuman like himself.
Ozul could use his body to rip apart metal with his bare hands. Yet no matter how much strength he used, he couldn't budge the superhuman. Blinking momentarily, the stranger flashed behind Ozul, raising his hand slightly.
With one swift swing of his arm, the blessed tore his seemingly indestructible body in half as if tearing apart a piece of paper. Ozul stood frozen momentarily, then toppled in two within the dark alley. He heard the man say something but couldn't quite make it out as his vision turned dark.
The rain fell in relentless sheets, the night air heavy with the scent of damp asphalt and decay. The distant sound of footsteps echoed through the alley, but it was too late. Ozul was already slipping away, his final thoughts consumed by regret and the heavy weight of the inevitable.
***
The cacophony of chaos assaulted Ozul's senses as he slowly became aware of his surroundings. Shouts and echoes filled the air, blending with the howling wind and the distant rumble of thunder—the clatter of debris and the occasional crash of falling objects added to the dissonance.
A cold, biting wind whipped through the snowy meadow, carrying with it the sound of shattering ice and the muffled crunch of boots on frozen ground. It was like the world had erupted into discord, a symphony of turmoil set against a desolate, snow-covered landscape.
Groaning, Ozul pushed himself upright, his mind roiling with confusion. "How... I was dead, wasn't I? Is this some cruel afterlife?" He nearly lost his balance as a blood-curdling screech erupted right behind him.
When he turned around, a colossal shadow enveloped him, cast by a creature with a single eye, three curved jade horns adorning its head, and a face bristling with razor-sharp teeth. Its massive body was shrouded in thick white fur, and its mangled hands boasted jagged claws.
He shivered as his gaze fell upon its monstrous form. "Great, from bad to worse. What in the world are you supposed to be?" he muttered under his breath, a mix of fear and defiance threading through his words.
Without time to ponder what was happening exactly and having a revolting monster in front of him, Ozul clenched his fists, eyeing the towering creature. "You'll find I'm not so easily defeated!" he shouted, defiance fueling his stance.
The beast looked down, its eye glowing ominously. A deep, resonant chuckle sounded from its throat, "Is that so? You are but an insect to me," it boomed, amused and unbothered by Ozul's challenge.
"What..? Did that thing just speak? No, now is not the time to be surprised." He drew his fist back and lashed out with all his might, punching as high as he could against its frozen fur.
Ozul's fists collided with the beast's chest with all the force he could muster, expecting—or perhaps hoping—to at least stagger the monstrous being in front of him. However, his assault seemed futile; his punches felt no more impactful than raindrops against a boulder.
The beast, unphased and glaring down at Ozul with eyes glowing with a malevolent light, merely let out a guttural chuckle as if amused by the feeble attempt.
Staring in disbelief, Ozul staggered back, his fists still raised but his confidence rapidly dwindling. He had put everything he had into those punches, fueled not just by his desire to survive but by the raw desperation that had taken hold of him. Yet, it was as if he had attacked to tickle the towering behemoth, not to harm it.
The realization hit him harder than he had hit the beast; he was outmatched in every conceivable way. Physical strength was useless here, and he had no weapons, nothing but his wits and will to survive. He eyed the surroundings frantically, searching for something, anything—some advantage he could use.
But the beast advanced, its every step causing the ground beneath to tremble, and Ozul knew then that if he were to stand any chance, he would need to do something drastic. He needed to outmaneuver the beast and use its confidence and size against it. With that thought, Ozul gulped down the fear that threatened to paralyze him and prepared to make his next move, aware that it might be his last.
Ozul took a calculated step back as the beast advanced, his mind racing. "Is this all? Can't you do better?" he taunted, hoping to provoke a reckless attack, seeing as this beast seemed to have intelligence. The creature paused, its curiosity piqued by the challenge. "Bold words for prey," it rumbled, the amusement fading into irritation. "Let's see if your courage holds as I tear you apart."
The mighty beast moved faster than Ozul had thought possible. Even that blessed stranger in the alley seemed like a snail compared to it. A sickening crunch resounded as its bestial claws ripped through his stomach, but strangely, he felt no pain.
Blood flowed from his mouth like a fountain, bathing the pristine white snow in a deep dark red. Taking one last look at the monstrosity before him, Ozul couldn't help but curse his luck as his vision blurred and his world crumbled away.
Thunder rang out with a lion's mighty roar. The world was icy and decayed, and chaos rang out as Ozul gasped in agony. He was lying against the chilling snow again. Quickly looking down, he was relieved to no longer see a gaping hole in his stomach.
Fear crept into his mind as he spoke, "What is happening to me? I must have died twice already. Wait, how could I be alive?"
No voice answered his questions; only the endless chorus of howling wind and terrible screams reached his ears. Only this time, there was no monster looming over him from behind. After taking a moment to breathe, Ozul stood up carefully.
He hadn't noticed before, but was wearing nothing but crude pants, seemingly made from some brown cloth. His skin became covered in goosebumps from the chilling winds, urging him to find shelter.
He cautiously examined the unfamiliar snowy meadow, his eyes darting around the eerily quiet and potentially treacherous expanse, half-buried under a deceptive blanket of snow.
The sky was bleak and lifeless. No sun floated in the sky like an empty void casting pale light onto the snow. To his left, a vast forest stretched beyond the grey horizon; to his right, a mountain rose to pierce the murky skies.
"I must be dreaming, or that's what I would have said if not for the fact my stomach has been pierced and split in half twice the last two times I was awake."
His face grew dim as his eyes spotted a patch of snow bathed in blood, his blood. "Well, that's all the more proof."
Ozul often talked to himself while he worked. Challenges to fighters of all kinds were a hobby at first, but simple muggings kept him afloat as he went broke.
"Where exactly am I? If I died, is this some sorta hell?." A scowl covered his face. The thought crossed his mind earlier, but that was before being turned into a festive kabob by the abominable snowman.
What a fitting name for that grotesque thing. Lucky for him, it decided to leave after murdering him. Had he been brought back to life by whatever this place was?
As Ozul pondered how long it had been since his supposed resurrection in the meadow, an inhuman shout rang out from the mountain, and high up on a jutted cliff, he could make out a familiar figure.
"Crap. I'm not getting ripped in half again!" he muttered frantically, running as fast as he could into the forest. A boom resounded behind as the beast leaped from its hawk-eye view, charging toward Ozul with a maddening lust for blood.
Sprinting into the forest, he tensed his muscles and pulled himself onto a nearby tree branch, climbing as high as possible. Ozul pressed himself against the thick tree, trembling.
Closing his eyes and hoping for the best against his carnivorous predator, he couldn't help but mutter through gritted teeth, "Dammit. This place really is hell."
Then, the world began to shake.