I woke up face-down in the dirt. Not exactly the most dignified way to start a new chapter in life, but here we are.
As my eyes slowly opened, the world around me came into focus—or at least, it tried to. Everything was fuzzy and spinning, like I'd just stepped off a merry-go-round after a few too many rounds. The air smelled like ash, and the ground felt hot beneath my palms. Not just warm—hot. Like someone had left the oven on way too long. I pushed myself up onto my knees, wincing as my hands brushed against jagged rocks.
"Well, this isn't the Hilton," I muttered under my breath.
I glanced down at myself: hoodie, t-shirt, jeans. No armor, no supplies, not even a bottle of water. Brilliant. Whoever or whatever dropped me here had a real sense of humor. I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings.
Scorched earth stretched out as far as I could see, cracked and blackened like a burned pie crust. The sky was a sickly orange, and dark clouds churned overhead, crackling with the occasional flash of lightning. Jagged rocks jutted out of the ground like the teeth of some enormous, buried beast. Lovely. Just the kind of place you'd want to vacation, if you had a death wish.
"Okay, brain," I thought, "think. What's the last thing you remember?"
...Nothing. Not even a hint. My mind was as blank as the expression on my face when I tried to do algebra back in high school—assuming I went to high school. I didn't even know my name.
I sighed and ran a hand through my short, curly hair, feeling the sweat beginning to form on my forehead. "Great. Amnesia. As if things couldn't get any better."
All right. Focus. First things first: figure out where I am. Second: figure out who I am. Third: figure out how to not die in this hellscape. One step at a time, right?
I stood up, my legs wobbling a bit as I regained my balance. The ground was uneven, covered in sharp rocks and patches of what looked like... was that glass? No, just shards of obsidian glinting in the dull light. I took a cautious step forward, then another, each one crunching on the brittle ground. I had no idea where I was going, but anywhere was better than standing still.
After a few minutes of stumbling around like a newborn deer, something caught my eye—a flicker of movement among the rocks to my right. I squinted, trying to make it out. Was it... a wolf? It had the body shape of a wolf, but it was bigger, and its fur was a strange mix of ash-gray and fiery red, almost like it was burning from the inside out. Its eyes glowed a fierce orange, and as it snarled, I saw its fangs glistening in the dim light.
"Okay, definitely not a regular wolf," I muttered. "Scorch Wolf, maybe?" I don't know where the name came from, but it sounded right.
I didn't have much time to admire the view. The Scorch Wolf sprang at me, leaping over the jagged rocks with terrifying speed. My heart jumped into my throat, and I instinctively dove to the side, just barely avoiding its snapping jaws. I hit the ground hard, skidding across the rough terrain, but quickly scrambled back to my feet.
"Not today, Lassie," I said, my voice shaky.
The wolf turned on me again, crouching low, its glowing eyes locked onto mine. I could feel a cold sweat trickling down my back. I had nothing to defend myself with—no weapons, no magic, not even a stick. Great. So how the heck was I supposed to survive this?
Then, without warning, I felt something. A tingle at the back of my neck. No, more like a pulse—a sudden, sharp feeling, like an invisible tap on the shoulder. Before I knew what I was doing, I ducked just in time to avoid a swipe from the wolf's claws. It missed me by inches, slicing through the air where my head had just been.
"What the hell?" I muttered. "How did I…?"
I didn't have time to finish the thought. The wolf lunged again, and I rolled to the side, feeling that same instinctive pull guiding me. My body was moving almost on its own, reacting faster than I could think. I dodged left, then right, narrowly avoiding each strike. It was like I had this sixth sense, telling me exactly where the wolf would attack next.
"Danger sense?" I thought. "Is that what this is?"
I had no idea how I knew that term, but it made sense—no pun intended. I couldn't remember a damn thing about myself, but my body seemed to know exactly what it was doing. It was almost... reassuring. Almost.
The wolf growled, clearly frustrated that it hadn't turned me into a chew toy yet. I needed a plan, and fast. My eyes darted around, searching for anything I could use to my advantage. Rocks, more rocks, and… a cliff? About twenty feet away, the ground dropped off into a steep decline. I had no idea what was down there, but if I could get the wolf to charge me...
"Hey, big guy!" I shouted, waving my arms like an idiot. "Come and get it!"
The wolf snarled and charged again, its fiery eyes locked onto me. I waited until the last possible second, then sidestepped, sticking out my foot. The wolf's momentum carried it forward, and with a yelp, it tumbled over the edge.
I heard it hit the ground below with a satisfying thud, followed by a low growl of pain. I peered over the edge. The wolf was lying on its side, clearly dazed but not dead. I guess even magic wolves are tougher than they look.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Well, that was close."
As I stood there, catching my breath, I felt a weird mix of relief and… excitement? I'd just survived my first encounter with a freaky, magical beast, and somehow, I hadn't died. That was something, right?
"Okay," I said, turning away from the cliff, "lesson learned. This place is dangerous as hell. Need to be more careful. And I definitely need a weapon."
I glanced down at my hands, still shaking from adrenaline. I didn't know how I was going to survive in this world, but one thing was clear: I wasn't just some helpless nobody. I had instincts. I had... something.
Maybe that would be enough. For now, at least.
"Right," I muttered, taking a deep breath. "Let's find some shelter. And maybe figure out who the heck I am while I'm at it."
As I wandered deeper into the wasteland, I couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching me. The sky rumbled overhead, and I looked up to see dark clouds swirling like a storm was brewing. Just my luck.
"Yep," I muttered, pulling my hood up against the wind. "Definitely not the Hilton."
With a sigh, I trudged forward into the unknown, ready to face whatever came next.
Whatever this place was, it wasn't going to beat me. Not today.