Chapter 3: First Encounter
The faint murmur of voices drifted through the air, pulling me from my thoughts. After so much silence, the sound of people was surreal, as though they might vanish if I moved too quickly. I followed the sound, cresting a small rise, and spotted them—a group of three, tense and wary, with weapons strapped at their sides. Two men and a woman, all dressed in dark, weathered clothing.
I stepped forward, letting my foot scuff against the gravel deliberately. Their heads snapped toward me, eyes narrowing as they took me in. I could see the flash of distrust in their gazes, mixed with the calculation of people who'd been on guard for a long time.
The woman spoke first, her voice hard and steady. "Who are you?"
I met her gaze, keeping my voice calm despite my own disorientation. "Someone looking for answers," I replied. It was true, but incomplete; I had no idea how much to tell them. How could I explain that I barely understood my own existence?
One of the men scoffed, folding his arms and giving me a skeptical once-over. "Answers? Out here, you're more likely to find trouble than answers."
"Maybe," I replied, "but I'll take my chances."
The three exchanged glances, relaxing just slightly. But I could tell they weren't convinced.
"What are you doing here, alone?" the woman asked, her gaze not leaving mine.
I hesitated. "I… woke up here," I admitted, feeling a bit ridiculous. "I don't remember how I got here."
The younger man, tall with a scar cutting across his cheek, laughed dryly. "You just 'woke up'? Do you expect us to believe that?"
"Believe what you want," I replied, fighting back my frustration. "I'm as lost as you think I am."
The woman's eyes softened, though her suspicion lingered. "You don't look like a local," she murmured. "And you're definitely not dressed for these parts."
I shrugged, unsure what else to say. I barely knew where I belonged, or even who I truly was. All I knew was the strange power simmering inside me, raw and waiting beneath the surface.
"Look," I said, "I don't mean any harm. If you could just tell me where I am—"
The scarred man stepped forward, his hand hovering near his blade. "Point you somewhere? How do we know you're not lying? People don't just 'wake up' out here."
I clenched my fists, frustration flickering through me. "I don't know why I'm here," I said, my voice sharper than intended. "I just need answers."
The woman laid a hand on his arm, calming him, and turned back to me with a thoughtful look. "If you're telling the truth, maybe we can help each other," she said. "There's been talk of strange happenings. Shadows moving, people disappearing. If you're caught up in something, it's bigger than just us."
Before I could respond, a low, guttural growl shattered the silence. We all turned, tense, as a hulking, shadowed creature emerged from the dark, its eyes glinting with feral hunger. I didn't have time to think; instinct took over.
I raised my hand, and a surge of dark energy spiraled through me, erupting from my palm in a concentrated blast of power. The air crackled as it tore toward the creature, slamming into it with a force that left it reeling. The skill felt familiar, yet powerful in a way I was just beginning to grasp.
"Voidflare," I murmured as the name surfaced in my mind. The attack's name pulsed through me, as natural as my own heartbeat.
The others stared at me in stunned silence. I glanced at my hand, feeling a faint hum as words floated before my eyes: +250 XP. My heart skipped a beat, both startled and curious. A surge of satisfaction accompanied the notification, a subtle thrill as I realized that with each action, I could grow stronger, learn more.
The scarred man's voice snapped me back. "What… was that?"
"I don't know," I replied, breathless. "It's something I… remembered. Or maybe something I already knew."
The woman regarded me with a new level of caution, though her gaze softened. "Whatever it is, it saved us," she said, casting a quick look at the smoldering remains of the creature. "Thank you."
"Thank you," I replied quietly, the weight of their gazes on me. For the first time since I'd woken, I didn't feel entirely alone.
The woman extended a hand toward me, the guarded edge in her expression giving way to tentative trust. "I'm Kara," she said. "This is Roan," she nodded at the scarred man, "and Ash."
I took her hand, feeling a sense of connection I hadn't expected. For the first time, I was more than a stranger to someone. As we turned to continue down the path together, another message appeared before me: Objective Updated: Gain 500 XP to unlock next skill.
I knew then that I'd taken my first step on a journey that would reveal who I truly was—and how powerful I could become.