The air was heavy and still, carrying a strange scent that stuck in Xi Feng's throat. He could taste blood on his tongue, though he wasn't injured; at least not yet. Beneath his feet, the ground shifted slightly, like it was alive, pulsing with hidden energy. The landscape of Chitik'xa, as the planet's native inhabitants called it, was full of sharp, jagged rocks and glowing plants that twitched whenever he moved.
To Xi Feng's clan, this place was called Z0567, a low-tier world, ignored by the clan except for its resources and training disciples. But for Xi Feng, this wasn't a simple mission to scout for minerals or exotic plants. This was a test-one that would determine if he was qualified to fight for the position of an heir.
"They're watching," Xi Feng thought, looking at the sky. The sky above was a thick, sickly yellow, slashed with red clouds. On a ship outside this planet, the elders of his clan were observing. If he failed, they wouldn't step in to help. They'd take his body, strip it of anything valuable, and leave him behind. If he succeeded time would tell if he would live to enjoy it.
"Return victorious, or not at all," his father had told him coldly before he was thrown through the portal.
Xi Feng's hands tightened into fists, the metal gauntlets humming softly as they drew on the power of his Heart of Iron technique. A simple black leather armor, clung to him like a second skin.
He knew this wouldn't be easy. Nothing on Z0567 would be. The creatures here had evolved to survive against the planet's harsh conditions.
A deep, rumbling thud echoed beneath his feet, and Xi Feng went still. He could feel the vibration through the rocks, the telltale signs that the insects were closing in. The chitterings of Chitik-borne creatures echoed around him, growing louder by the second.
Emerging from the from a hole in the ground, the first creature came into view. It was like an enormous spider, and a human face with a mouth that was filled with teeths. It moved forward on dozens of legs, each movement accompanied by a clicking sound. Its mouth dripped with venom, hissing as it touched the rocks.
Xi Feng frowned. There would be more. There were always more.
From the holes, more Chitik-borne insects appeared, smaller but no less deadly. Their eyes gleamed in the dim light, reflecting their hunger. They moved quickly, surrounding him from all sides.
"Focus."
Xi Feng centered himself, drawing on the Heart of Iron-the technique that he was given as a gift by his father at the age of six for killing his maid. That was one of the few times his father had smiled at him. His muscles tightened, his bones hardened like steel, and his mind sharpened. The creatures were closing in fast, but Xi Feng was ready.
The first one lunged, and Xi Feng moved. His body blurred with speed as his gauntlet smashed into the creature's head, sending it skidding across the rocky ground. But before he could catch his breath, another attacked.
The swarm was relentless.
Xi Feng spun and struck again, his gauntlets were crackling with energy as he unleashed the full force of the power in his core. He delivered a crushing blow to a smaller creature, shattering its shell and leaving a trail of yellow gore on his armor and on the ground. But they kept coming. They moved like a wave, surrounding him, cutting off his escape.
One of the insects which was smaller but faster, darted forward and slashed at him with its spiked leg. He felt a sharp pain in his back as his armor absorbed most of the hit, but blood still seeped from the wound. He gritted his teeth.
There were too many!
He lashed out with another powerful strike, sending one crashing into the rocks. But two more replaced it instantly. He was getting tired. The Heart of Iron wasn't enough to keep up with the swarm.
"If I die here, no one will care," Xi Feng thought bitterly. His clan valued strength above all else. His older brother had already proven himself, earning his place as the favored son. But Xi Feng? He was still fighting for a sliver of recognition, a chance to prove he wasn't just one of his father many bastards.
Another insect lunged at him, catching him off guard. Its strike hit him square in the chest, knocking him backward. He hit the ground hard, pain exploding through his chest
"That must have broken a rib" he winced. He tasted blood again, this time for real.
"Gauntlets offline," his armor warned, its light flickering. The insects closed in, their chittering growing louder, more frenzied.
Xi Feng struggled to get back up, his body screaming in protest. His vision blurred as the world spun around him, but he forced himself to focus. He couldn't give up now. He had to keep fighting. But as the largest insect reared up before him, mandibles spread wide, Xi Feng knew the end was near.
"This can't be my end!" he screamed, his mind suddenly clear. Z0567-this desolate world-wasn't going to be his grave!
"Click click-hiss" The insects chattered to one another in excitement at the thoughts of a meal. This was a chance for them to evolve by consuming this two legged beast that seemed to be filled with a strange energy.
The creature lunged at him, its massive body casting a shadow over him. Xi Feng braced himself, his breath ragged…
-----
Anandriel woke up, gasping for air, his body drenched in sweat. His heart pounded in his chest, his hands shaking. The dark room around him felt small and suffocating, like he hadn't really escaped the nightmare. He stood up quickly to open the windows, allowing rays of light from the rising sun to enter the room.
These dreams had been happening ever since he woke up in the forest beside Windrest village with no memory of his past two years ago. At times he would wonder if he was that person-someone who fought in strange worlds against impossible odds-but he denied the possibility of that because reality of his simple life seems pale in comparison to the magnitude of what he saw in his dream. No one in this village believed that there is any other world
"Who is he?" Anandriel wondered. He didn't know who this person was-Xi Feng-but every time he woke up, he felt like he knew the man. There was an unsettling familiarity, like their fates were connected somehow.
"I must have being a writer or a bard for me to have this depth of imagination about different worlds" he mocked himself. But he shoved the thought aside. They were just dreams; nothing more.
"Anandriel?" A small voice came from the partly open door.
He turned and saw Arina, the village elder's daughter, a small girl of around twelve years old, dark in pig tails and brown curious eyes standing there looking concerned "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Anandriel said, though his voice trembled slightly. He sat up, wiping the sweat from his face. "It's just a bad dream."
Arina stepped closer, her little hands clutching the blanket on his bed. "Hump! You are probably thinking about girls, that's why you have been tossing and turning all night"
Anandriel smiled as he gently smacked her head to her outrage. "Stubborn girl"
The nice atmosphere of a family gently dispelled his dark thoughts.