Surrounded by darkness, cold as a forsaken corner of the world, I sensed my body plummeting rapidly, yet I could see nothing. The wind howled past my ears, a sharp and piercing scream. Where am I? Am I dead?
In the next moment, the sensation of falling abruptly ceased, the surrounding darkness was suddenly rent apart, and my body was drawn into another realm by some invisible force. The blinding light rendered my vision a haze, but as clarity gradually returned, everything before me sent shivers down my spine.
Before me lay… a desolate wasteland.
Dilapidated structures leaned precariously, as though they had endured centuries of devastation. The air was thick with the stench of decay and dampness, each step accompanied by the crunch of broken stones beneath my feet. I attempted to steady myself, but my entire body felt as if it had just survived a cataclysm, weak and trembling.
Suddenly, a low growl emanated from the depths of the ruins. It seemed to rise from the very bowels of the earth, reverberating throughout the space. I whipped my head around, scanning the darkness, yet saw nothing. My heart raced wildly, cold sweat instantly soaking my back.
"Who's there!" I shouted instinctively, but there was no reply, only that eerie growl drawing nearer.
For reasons unknown, I felt an indescribable sense of oppression wash over me. The air grew thick, as if this space were beginning to constrict around me. The ground beneath my feet trembled, and a heavy, metallic scent wafted toward me from all directions. Suddenly, a pair of gleaming red eyes materialized in the darkness, staring at me as though they had emerged from the depths of hell.
What was that?
A massive shadow slowly crawled out from the ruins, its form hunched and grotesque, seemingly stitched together from countless dry bones. With each step, it emitted a bone-chilling scraping sound. Its head was adorned with irregular spines, and it let out a low growl, sharp fangs glinting ominously in the dark.
I had no time to flee.
In the instant the creature lunged at me, I instinctively raised my hands to shield myself. Yet, the anticipated pain never came. Instead, an unfamiliar force surged from within, radiating like searing flames from my palms throughout my entire body. A flash of crimson light erupted, causing the monster to suddenly halt, its scarlet eyes widening as if sensing a new threat.
"What… what is happening?" I gasped, staring at my hands, which shimmered with a faint luminescence. This was not my body; I had never possessed such power before.
But there was no time for contemplation. The monster's growl resounded once more, now infused with fury, as it charged at me. Instinctively, I swung my hand, and a blazing beam of light shot from my palm, striking the creature's chest. In the next instant, it let out a piercing shriek, its body punctured and consumed by flames, dissipating into a plume of dark smoke.
Silence enveloped the area once more, broken only by the sound of my own ragged breathing echoing in the stillness. I stood frozen, the light in my hand gradually fading, while confusion and fear deepened within me.
What… have I become?
The air around me remained frigid, thick with the pungent stench of decay. The black smoke left by the vanished creature lingered like a ghost in the atmosphere. I could hardly believe what had just transpired. My fingers trembled slightly as I struggled to comprehend the events that had unfolded. This alien body, the power in my grasp, even this nightmare of a world felt entirely disconnected from the reality I remembered.
"Am I dead?" The question echoed in my mind, repeating like a haunting refrain.
As I stood in bewilderment, the sudden sound of hurried footsteps shattered the silence. I swiftly turned, only to see figures emerging from the other side of the ruins, rushing towards me. Instinctively, I stepped back, my body tense, bracing myself for another confrontation. But as they drew nearer, I discerned that they were not monsters.
They were… people?
"Run! They're coming again!" a young man shouted at me, panting heavily, clutching a makeshift iron spear. His face was etched with terror, yet he did not slow his pace.
Before I could respond, the familiar low growl echoed from the depths of the ruins once more—but this time, it was not a single monster, but many. Their footsteps reverberated like thunder, shaking the ground beneath us as they drew nearer. The young man barely spared me a glance as he dashed past, followed closely by others, each with grave expressions etched across their faces.
"Are you not moving?" Another figure halted beside me—a petite girl with a look of urgency, her eyes betraying a steely resolve. She wielded a bloodstained dagger, clearly accustomed to facing such peril.
I forced myself to remain calm, my thoughts racing. I had no understanding of this place, but the urgency of the situation was undeniable. The number of monsters now far exceeded the one I had encountered earlier; lingering here would surely lead to my demise.
I nodded resolutely, hastening to keep pace with them.
"What is this place?" I asked as we ran, my curiosity mounting.
"We don't have time to explain! Just survive!" the young man glanced back, then pointed toward the edge of the ruins ahead. "There's a shelter over there—hurry!"
The urgency of our footsteps increased, the monstrous growls now nearly upon us. Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. I turned just in time to see a man at the back of our group being tackled to the ground by a massive shadow, blood spraying into the air. His cries echoed hauntingly before being swallowed by the creature's gaping maw.
Instinctively, I froze, my mind blank. The brutality of that moment was too overwhelming to process immediately.
"Don't stop!" the petite girl shouted, yanking my arm to pull me back into motion.
What kind of world is this?
We ran for our lives until we finally reached the edge of the ruins. A dilapidated high-rise loomed before us, its entrance long sealed with steel plates and wooden beams, leaving only a narrow passage. The others quickly climbed inside, and I followed suit, with the girl being the last to enter, promptly sealing off the entrance behind us.
The interior was dim and cramped, the air thick with the musty smell of mold and the metallic scent of blood. I leaned against the wall, gasping for breath, my heartbeat still pounding like a drum.
"Are we safe now?" I asked, still shaken, my voice trembling.
"Safe for now, but this isn't a long-term solution," the young man replied coldly, his expression tense with anxiety. "They'll find us soon; these monsters are far more terrifying than you can imagine."
A wave of dread washed over me, cold sweat trickling down my spine. What was this place? How did I end up here? And what were these monsters?
"What was that power you exhibited?" the girl's voice cut through my thoughts, her gaze fixed on me, a hint of wariness in her eyes.
"I… I don't know," I admitted honestly, glancing at my hands. The light that had surged from them moments ago had vanished, as if it had never existed.
"You don't know?" She furrowed her brow, clearly skeptical. "In this world, no one is unaware of their own powers. It's either a gift or a death sentence."
"What do you mean?" I retorted, confusion lacing my voice.
The young man approached from the corner, studying me intently, a mixture of curiosity and surprise in his eyes. "He just arrived," he asserted, then turned to the girl. "It's obvious he doesn't even understand the rules of this world."
"So he's a 'Wayward One'?" The girl's tone deepened, her gaze sharpening further. "Do you have memories of your past life?"
"Wayward One?" I frowned; the term was both unfamiliar and oddly resonant.
"It seems you truly don't remember," the young man sighed. "This isn't your world. We're in a parallel dimension, a place known as 'The Abyss.' It's connected to our original world but isolated by some mysterious force."
"Parallel dimension? How did I end up here?" My mind was awash with questions, feeling as though I were trapped in an unending nightmare.
"We all don't know why we've come here," the young man replied gravely. "But one thing is certain: every Wayward One receives a 'Revelation' upon arrival, granting them special abilities, which is why you were able to defeat that monster just now."
"Revelation?" I looked down at my hands, pondering whether that strange surge of power was a result of this so-called Revelation.
The girl nodded. "Exactly. Each person receives a different Revelation; some even awaken powers strong enough to turn the tide. But many are devoured by monsters before their Revelation can manifest."
"Your Revelation came to you earlier than most, which suggests you have an extraordinary fate in this world," the young man's tone grew serious.
All of this felt utterly absurd, but at that moment, I had no choice but to believe them.