A muffled thumping sound reverberated in Alex's ears as they blinked groggily back into consciousness. Everything was dark—an all-consuming void, broken only by a faint, flickering light in the distance. A sharp, metallic taste lingered in their mouth, and their head throbbed with every shallow breath they took.
Where am I?
Alex tried to move, but their body was sluggish, every muscle heavy as though weighed down by something unseen. Panic surged through their veins, but before they could cry out, a sharp pain shot through their chest, forcing them to inhale deeply.
Air filled their lungs, and with it came a rush of awareness.
The chamber. Shadow. The artifact. The mist.
The memories came crashing back, jumbled and incoherent, but clear enough to remind Alex of the peril they were in. The last thing they remembered was the flash of blinding light and the ground shaking beneath them. And then… nothing.
