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*"Bang! Tat-tat-tat! Whizz!"*
A deafening explosion jolted me awake. My head throbbed, and my stomach churned.
『....e...va..! Soldier! Get up!』
The voice seemed urgent, but it was not loud and was unclear to me.
「 W-who is that? 」 I mumbled, my vision is really blurry. World seemed like spinning.
*"BOOM! Screech!"*
The ground shook violently, and dust choked the air. A sharp, burning smell stung my nose.
"Move, Soldier! We're under attack!"
"「Attack? What attack?!」" I yelled, clutching my puzzled head. The pounding inside it was unbearable.
*"Tat-tat-tat! Clang!"*
Bullets ricocheted nearby. Someone yanked me up.
『Deva, focus! Or You'll die here!』 a harsh and loud voice which pulled my senses back.
「Deva...?!」 —I asked.
"「I don't... I don't know who is that.!」" My chest tightened. "「What is happening?!」"
『Questions later! Move!』
*"BOOM!"*
An explosion roared behind us as I stumbled forward, dragged by the voice, lost in chaos I couldn't understand.
We ducked behind a supply truck, the relentless gunfire echoing around us. I exhaled sharply, relieved for even a second of cover.
*"Thud!"*
Pain exploded in the back of my head like a chunk of stone crashing into it. The impact sent my senses reeling, my vision snapping into sharp focus.
"『Get up!』" A rough hand grabbed my collar, yanking me forward before slamming me onto the ground.
"『Ugh!』" I groaned, looking up to see a towering figure looming over me. A middle-aged, burly man, his dark complexion marred by grime, his soldier's uniform stretched taut over rippling muscles. His voice was harsh, cutting through the chaos.
『You awake now, you drunk bastard?』 he barked, his piercing eyes boring into me.
"「I...」" I tried to speak, but my throat felt dry.
『We're on a siege mission, idiot!』 —he growled. 『Lives are on the line! Stop playing around and pick up your weapon. We're moving out!』
"「Yes, Captain!」" The words tumbled out of my mouth instinctively, like I'd said them a hundred times before.
I blinked, my surroundings finally coming into focus. The battlefield stretched out before me, a chaotic blend of smoke, fire, and screams. Soldiers in identical uniforms were counter-firing at enemy barricades, their shouts drowned out by the cacophony of battle.
*"Boom! Whizz! Tat-tat-tat!"*
An airstrike hit in the distance, a fiery plume rising into the sky. Enemy tanks rumbled forward, their presence a constant threat.
"Deva! Break's over—get moving!"
I turned to see a young man crouched behind me, firing rapidly at the enemy. He tossed a rifle my way.
"Take this!" he shouted, his voice strained but urgent.
I caught the gun, my hands trembling slightly as I stared at it.
*"Reload"*
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「Eh?...」
I woke up...!!
As my eyes fluttered open, I found myself in the same damp, muddy, and stale-smelling place. The faint chill of the morning seeped into my fur, reminding me where I was.
The night had ended, but the sun had yet to rise. A dim gray hue faintly lit the surroundings, casting eerie shadows from the twisted roots of the massive tree I had taken shelter under.
Compared to yesterday, when the land was alive with wicked and terrifying noises of beasts, it was eerily quiet now. The silence felt unnatural, almost suffocating.
I swallowed hard, realizing how dry my throat felt. A sharp thirst clawed at me, urging me to move.
I slipped out from under the root that had served as my resting point and made my way to a nearby water puddle. The water, though murky, looked just clear enough to drink.
As I bent down and lapped up a few gulps, the cool liquid soothed my parched throat and calmed my racing thoughts.
My eyes wandered to the surface of the puddle. There, in the rippling water, I saw my reflection.
「It was a dream... duh?」 I murmured, staring at the distorted image of myself.
My fur clung damply to my small frame, and my weary eyes held a faint glimmer of confusion.
「A weird one at that.」
The reflection wavered as a breeze brushed the puddle, but I couldn't tear my gaze away.
...…
It has been Three nights since that day.
Since waking up in this strange, damp world, I've decided to explore this dungeon-like place. After days of wandering and searching for food, I've managed to piece together some understanding of it.
Firstly, this place is enormous—spanning a kilometer, maybe more. Its size feels endless, with winding paths, towering stone walls, and hidden caverns that stretch beyond what my eyes can see.
Secondly, it's rich in resources. Plants of strange shapes and hues grow abundantly, insects scuttle across the damp ground, and water flows from crevices in the rock. The most curious thing is the glowing stones embedded in the walls and ceiling, casting a soft yellow light. They illuminate the place, making it feel both otherworldly and alive.
And thirdly... I realize I know nothing at all.
Despite being able to recognize things, understand my actions, and question my surroundings, there's a void where my memories should be. I know how to walk, eat, and think, but I don't remember ever learning these things.
I have no recollection of this place, the peculiar flora and fauna within it, or even of myself.
Before waking up in that dark yet warm void, everything was a blank—no faces, no voices, no past moments to cling to. And yet, somehow, I can comprehend it all, as if I've lived through it before.
It's a strange paradox: having knowledge but no history to explain it. I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse, but for now, I keep moving, hoping the answers lie somewhere in this endless maze.
The place where I woke felt like an abandoned cave. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint skittering of small reptiles and pests. For the first two days, I wandered aimlessly, scavenging for food and shelter in this desolate cavern. Then, I came across an exit.
It was far above me, barely visible through the darkness, but the sounds that echoed from beyond it—guttural and alien—sent chills down my spine.
Still, the stagnant peace of this cave had worn me down. The promise of something beyond this quiet, stalled existence was too tempting to resist.
I climbed.
Exiting the cave felt like stepping into another world. The air outside was thin but strangely invigorating, and I found myself on a high peak overlooking a glowing pond. The water shimmered with light, illuminated by luminous stones scattered on the bottom.
The serenity of the pond belied the presence of its strange visitors.
They emerged slowly from the shadows, each more bizarre than the last. Some were towering creatures with elongated limbs and scaled bodies, while others were smaller but lethal-looking, with claws and teeth sharp enough to carve through rock. There were enormous serpents, feline predators the size of horses, and even giant spiders whose eyes glinted like polished obsidian.
"Woah... so many of them," I whispered, half in awe and half in fear. From my vantage point, I watched the creatures interact.
It was a surreal sight: so many beasts gathered together in one place, yet none appeared to be fighting.
I stayed hidden, unsure whether they'd welcome an intruder like me or tear me apart on sight.
Time passed. My patience was finally rewarded when, one by one, the creatures dispersed.
Seizing the moment, I climbed down from my perch and leapt into the glowing pond. I filled my lungs with air, letting my body float like a bloated balloon as I kicked and spun toward the shore.
I emerged on solid ground, wet and shivering but alive.
This was a really faul smelling and harsh environment at first look. As i inspected my surroundings and further wandered in for few hours
(Graahhhhhhh....!!!)
"crumbel..."
A sound began reverberating through the entire cave, a deep, thunderous *(boom-boom)* that seemed to pulse in time with my racing heart. It echoed off the walls, overlapping and amplifying itself, creating a symphony of chaos that made the air feel alive.
I should have felt fear—those screams, sharp and guttural, carried a raw, primal intensity that could send chills down anyone's spine. But my newborn curiosity was louder, driving me forward.
I followed the sounds, each step accompanied by the crunch of loose gravel underfoot. The air was heavy with the distant *(clack)* of claws against stone and the occasional, sharp *(CRACK)!* of something massive slamming into the walls.
The closer I got, the more intense the sensory assault became. Then, it hit me: the sweet, metallic scent of blood, thick and cloying, curling around my senses.
The low rumble of snarls and growls filled the air now, interspersed with quick, piercing screeches that echoed like blades scraping against stone.
I rounded a corner and finally saw it—the source of the chaos.
Two of the cave's residents were locked in a brutal fight.
One was a towering, scaled behemoth, its movements accompanied by the heavy *(THUD)* of its massive feet. With each step, the ground beneath it trembled and cracked, sending loose rocks tumbling down the cavern walls with soft
*(clinks).*
Its tusks and horn gleamed dangerously, sharp and sturdy enough to pierce even metal
*(swish-shhh!)*
Its opponent was a smaller, two-legged creature with razor-sharp claws that slashed through the air with a terrifying speed. Each strike landed with a sickening *(CRUNCH!)* against the scaled hide, sending fragments of broken scales scattering across the ground. The creature's quick, darting movements were marked by rapid *(patter-patter)* sounds as its feet scraped across the stone floor.
It was a perfect match of brute strength versus speed and precision.
The clash of claws against scales echoed like thunder, a constant barrage of
clang.....crack...thud...
that reverberated in my chest. The ground trembled beneath their ferocity, dust falling from the ceiling with every collision.
I found myself unable to look away, completely absorbed in their brutal dance.
But all battles must end.
The scaled behemoth, despite its slow movements and numerous wounds, endured. Its stamina outlasted its opponent's speed. With a final, devastating strike, it let out a guttural (GRRAAWWRRRR!) and impaled the clawed beast through the chest with its massive horns.
The clawed creature let out a strangled, high-pitched *screeehh!* before falling limp, its body collapsing to the ground with a heavy *THUMP!*
The victorious beast roared again, a deep, earth-shaking GRAHHHHHH! that resonated through the cave, making the walls vibrate and loose stones clatter to the ground.
(drip-drip-drip)
Despite its triumph, the scaled giant was far from unscathed. Blood dripped from deep gashes along its body with a rhythmic drips pooling beneath it. Its movements were slow and labored, each step producing a low *scrape* against the rough stone floor.
I stayed hidden, watching silently. I didn't know whether to feel awe or terror.
I was still dazed, my senses struggling to catch up with the chaos I had witnessed.
The mammoth beast, victorious but battered, had begun to feast on its hard-earned kill. Its powerful jaws tore into flesh with a sickening *rip*, chewing through meat and bone alike. The sounds of its feast—a grotesque mix of crunching and wet tearing—echoed through the cavern.
Watching it devour its prey sent a strange pang through me. Was it hunger gnawing at my insides, or was I still too awestruck by the battle to think straight? Either way, I found myself driven by a reckless urge.
I moved carefully, sneaking behind the jagged rocks, my eyes fixed on the massive loaf of meat the beast was feasting on. My body acted on its own. Without thinking, I crept closer, closer still, until I left my cover and lunged toward the food.
Was I always such a fool?
Before I could reach it, a scaled tail lashed out with terrifying speed, catching me off guard. It struck me like a battering ram, and my body was sent hurtling through the air.
*CRACK!*
I slammed into the wall with enough force to create a massive crevice.
「What happened…?」
My vision blurred. The world spun violently, shifting as if I'd been teleported to another reality. My head throbbed, and I could barely make sense of my surroundings.
Then, a deafening roar—*GRAAAAHHHHH!*—ripped through the air, jolting me back to my senses.
The beast, now furious, turned its full attention on me. It lifted its massive front legs, casting a shadow over me, and then slammed them down with a thunderous impact. The force shattered the ground beneath me, sending cracks racing outward like spiderwebs.
Before I could react, it lunged, horns gleaming as it charged.
*BOOM!*
The beast tore through the crevice I'd been thrown into, demolishing the walls as if they were paper. The impact sent me flying once again, my body a helpless projectile smashing through boulders and glowing stones alike.
*CRASH!*
I finally hit the ground, my momentum carrying me across the rocky floor until I came to a painful stop. Every breath was agony, and I felt blood rising in my throat.
*Gruuuuaaaaahhhhh!*
The beast's furious scream echoed, shaking me to my core.
Fear took hold of me. My instincts screamed for me to run, but my body refused to obey. Broken and battered, I used what little strength I had left to drag myself forward. My limbs trembled with every pull, leaving streaks of blood on the ground.
Suddenly, a wet *splurt* erupted from my mouth. Blood streamed from my nose, painting the rocky floor beneath me. One of my eyes grew heavy and unresponsive, leaving me half-blind. My limbs turned numb, and I collapsed again, face-down in the dirt.
My mind swirled in confusion.
It again swings its tail at me , the force was big enough to crack the whole ground and make me go blank.
「Ohh!! Shi**t!!!....」