Somewhere in the Western Continent.
Lex stood alone in an endless, empty void. It was dark, oppressive, as if the air itself was thick with silence. Her mind felt hollow, and the weight of the darkness pressed against her. She didn't know who she was. Her memories were distant, fragmented—and yet, one thing stood clear: her name was Lex.
With no clear direction, she began to walk. Time stretched around her, unmeasured. She wasn't sure how long she had been moving. Hours? Days? She couldn't say. She just kept walking. Eventually, a faint red glow appeared ahead, like a distant light calling to her. She quickened her pace, driven by a spark of hope, but no matter how fast she ran, the glow remained just out of reach.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lex reached the light. It engulfed her in an overwhelming surge, and she felt something within her shift. A sharp, unrelenting force seemed to strike her, her skin was flayed from her body all at once and everything went black.
Time passed.
When Lex awoke, the world had changed. She was no longer lost in the void, but in a small, unfamiliar room. Her body ached, but there was no immediate danger. She lay on a bed in a simple lodge, the sunlight filtering through a small window. The sounds of a busy cobblestone street could be heard outside, and in the distance, the city was alive with activity, smokestacks touching the sky.
Confused but determined, Lex sat up. The room was modest—a bed, a gas stove, and a pantry. She walked over to the pantry and found it empty. Her stomach growled loudly. I need food, she thought, her mind drifting to what might be
outside.
In the bathroom, Lex stared at her reflection. She was short—about 1.6 meters. Her hair was wild and red, framing her sharp face. Her blue eyes stared back at her, full of confusion, but beneath that, there was something else: a quiet strength. She didn't know who she was, but something told her she wasn't someone to be
trifled with.
Her attention was drawn to the back of her neck. There was a faint red glow there, pulsing against her skin. She reached up, and a sensation unlike anything she had ever felt before seemed to course through her. It was as if something deep inside her was awakening. The mark on her neck seemed to throb, but it wasn't just painful—it felt alive.
What is this? Her heart raced. When she saw her finger that touched the mark it was covered in blood. She needed answers, but right now, she needed food more than anything else.
After a quick glance around the room, Lex grabbed a small knife from the kitchen and tucked it beneath her red dress. Better safe than sorry, she thought, before stepping out into the street.
The air outside felt thick with smoke. People bustled around, walking with purpose, their faces set in grim determination. The men were built strong, their hands calloused from hard work. The women moved gracefully, their eyes bright but distant, as though each one played a role she could not
escape.
Lex walked, her eyes scanning the scene. Her mind registered the signs of businesses—restaurants, bookshops—but something else caught her attention. A small building stood apart from the others, unmarked, its door slightly ajar. No one entered, no one left. Her curiosity piqued, she moved toward it.
As her fingers brushed the door handle, a surge of emotion flooded her senses. Her vision blurred and turned a blood red, the world spinning as she felt a deep, overwhelming fear. A cacophony of distant cries filled her ears, echoing through her mind. She staggered back, clutching her head in agony.
The pain was unbearable, as though a part of her was trying to escape her very body. She screamed, but the world around her went black.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
When Lex came to again, she was no longer on the street. She was in a dark, cavernous space, the air cold and thick with dread. Something was wrong, something ancient and heavy. As she moved, she felt a strange pull, a sense that she was part of something much bigger than herself.
Looking around, she saw the blood on the ground—her blood.