The cold jolted Alexander awake.
He groaned, his body stiff and aching, as he tried to push himself upright. His hands scraped against a surface that was cold, hard, and metallic. Blinking, he looked down and saw veins of faint, pulsating light running across the silvery ground beneath him. The eerie glow illuminated his surroundings, revealing an endless expanse of a strange, alien landscape.
"What… what is this place?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
He sat up fully, wincing as a sharp pain shot through his left side. His clothes—a gray hoodie and dark jeans—were caked with dirt, and his sneakers were scuffed. Looking at his hands, he noticed small cuts and bruises, souvenirs from… what? He couldn't remember.
Taking a deep breath, he ran his fingers through his damp, disheveled black hair, which clung to his forehead. His hazel eyes, a mix of green and brown, reflected his growing panic as he scanned the horizon. Nothing but the strange metallic ground stretched in every direction, broken only by the occasional jagged pillar rising into the sky.
"I must be dreaming," he whispered, trying to steady his breathing. But the chill biting at his olive-toned skin and the ache in his muscles felt far too real to be a dream.
The first thing Alexander did was check his pockets, a habit born of years living in a busy city. His phone—cracked but still functional—was there, as was his wallet. Pulling out the phone, he tried to power it on. The screen flickered briefly, but instead of the familiar home screen, it displayed strange static patterns, accompanied by a faint, high-pitched hum.
"Of course," he muttered, shoving it back into his pocket.
Standing up proved to be a challenge. His legs felt like jelly, and his left ankle throbbed painfully. He tested his weight on it and hissed, quickly leaning against a nearby rock-like structure for support.
He took a moment to look around more carefully. The metallic ground was covered in a network of glowing veins, their light pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat. In the distance, massive jagged structures pierced the sky, their surfaces gleaming faintly in the light of twin suns—one golden, the other a pale blue. The sky above was a swirling mix of purple and black, dotted with strange, unrecognizable constellations.
"This… isn't Earth," he realized aloud, his voice barely above a whisper.
As Alexander tried to make sense of his surroundings, a low growl broke the silence. He froze, his heart pounding in his chest. Slowly, he turned toward the source of the sound.
A creature emerged from behind one of the jagged pillars. It was unlike anything Alexander had ever seen—a quadruped with a sleek, black, chitinous body that shimmered like oil in the faint light. Its eyes, six in total, glowed a menacing red, and its mouth was lined with jagged teeth that dripped a viscous, green liquid.
The creature snarled again, its body lowering into a predatory stance.
"No, no, no," Alexander whispered, backing away. His injured ankle protested, but he ignored the pain.
The beast lunged.
Alexander barely managed to throw himself to the side, landing hard on the ground. The creature's claws raked through the space where he'd just been, leaving deep gouges in the metallic surface.
Scrambling to his feet, Alexander looked around desperately for anything he could use as a weapon. His eyes fell on a jagged shard of metal lying a few feet away. He lunged for it, grabbing it just as the creature charged again.
This time, he wasn't fast enough to dodge completely. The beast's claws caught his side, tearing through his hoodie and leaving three shallow gashes across his ribs. Alexander cried out in pain but managed to swing the shard of metal wildly.
The makeshift weapon struck the creature's face, leaving a shallow scratch across one of its glowing eyes. It reared back, letting out a screech that made Alexander's ears ring.
He didn't wait for it to recover. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, he turned and ran, each step sending a jolt of pain through his injured ankle.
Alexander didn't know how long he ran. His vision blurred with tears of pain and fear, and his breath came in ragged gasps. The glowing veins beneath his feet seemed to pulse faster, as if reacting to his desperation.
The creature's screeches grew louder behind him. It was faster than him, and it was gaining ground.
He stumbled, falling hard to the ground. Rolling onto his back, he gripped the shard of metal tightly, prepared to make one last stand.
The creature leaped toward him, its claws outstretched and its maw open wide.
A sudden flash of light erupted between them, blinding Alexander and forcing him to shield his eyes. He heard a sickening crunch, followed by a wet gurgling sound.
When he dared to look again, the creature lay motionless on the ground, a charred hole in its chest.
Standing over it was a figure clad in sleek, dark armor. The armor shimmered faintly, its surface etched with intricate patterns that glowed with the same light as the veins on the ground. The figure turned toward him, and Alexander saw that it was a woman.
She was tall and lean, her movements precise and deliberate. Her face was partially obscured by a helm, but he could see her sharp golden eyes and a strand of silvery hair that had escaped her helmet. She held a weapon that resembled a spear, its blade crackling with residual energy.
"Get up," she said, her voice cold and commanding.
Alexander stared at her, still clutching the shard of metal.
"Now," she repeated, more sharply this time.
He forced himself to his feet, wincing as his ankle protested. The woman gave him a once-over, her golden eyes narrowing slightly.
"You're lucky I found you," she said. "But don't think that means you're safe. If you want to survive here, you'll need to keep up."
"Survive where?" Alexander asked, his voice trembling. "What is this place?"
The woman didn't answer. She turned and began walking, her spear resting casually on her shoulder.
"Wait!" Alexander called after her. "Who are you? Why did you save me?"
She paused, glancing back over her shoulder. "My name is Kaelith. And I didn't save you—I just delayed your death. Now move, or you'll find out just how many things in this world want to kill you."
Alexander hesitated for a moment before limping after her. He didn't know who Kaelith was, or where she was leading him, but one thing was clear: if he wanted answers—and a chance to survive—he had no choice but to follow.