Pain was the first thing I registered. A deep, disorienting ache that radiated through my synthetic body, telling me something had gone wrong. My vision adjusting to the sun light hitting my eyes as I took in mysurroundings. I was lying on damp earth, my fingers digging into soft soil as my systems rebooted. Above me, a thick canopy of trees stretched toward a sum what unfamiliar sky, their leaves rustling with an unseen wind. The air was heavy, dense with moisture, carrying the scent of wet foliage and unfamiliar plant life. I pushed myself upright, my joints stiff. Where am I?
The last thing I remembered was the teleporter—the hum of energy filling my lab, the calculations scrolling across my vision, the moment I initiated the jump. It should have been a simple test, an experiment to extend teleportation beyond conventional limits. But instead of a controlled transition, I had been ripped from reality, flung through a chaotic storm of space and time. I had seen things as I was falling—massive bubbles floating in the void, entire worlds contained within them. In some, towering machines battled beneath burning skies. In others, warriors clad in impossible armor clashed with monstrous entities. A thousand realities, each one separated only by the thin veil of their bubble-like existence. I had no way of knowing if this place was one of those worlds or something entirely different.
I stood, shaking off the last remnants of disorientation, my enhanced senses kicking in. The world around me was lush, teeming with life. The trees were enormous, their trunks thick with age, vines curling around them like living ropes. Massive ferns stretched outward, their leaves damp with condensation. Somewhere in the distance, the call of an unfamiliar creature echoed through the trees—a deep, resonant sound that sent smaller animals scurrying. I was in a jungle, but not one I recognized.
I needed information about this new environment, and I needed to come up with a plan of action. First, I checked my body. My synthetic body was intact—no severe damage, no missing parts. I still had all my memory's and knowledge. But beyond that, I had nothing else. No weapons, no tools, no equipment beyond the clothing I had on me when i was teleported. For now I had to be satisfied with starting from scratch.
My first priority was finding shelter. The jungle was beautiful, but it was also dangerous. The size of the trees alone suggested that the creatures living here were most likely as large if not larger than what I had encountered in the wasteland. I moved carefully, scanning my surroundings, noting potential hazards and resources. The jungle floor was rich with plant life, thick with moss and fallen leaves. The air was humid, but breathable. Every step I took disturbed tiny insects, some of which resembled Earth species, while others were completely alien.
After an hour of searching, I found what I was looking for—a cave. The entrance was small, barely visible behind a curtain of vines, but the interior was dry and defensible. It would serve as a temporary base while I assessed my situation. I stepped inside, testing the stability of the walls, checking for signs of previous inhabitants. Nothing dangerous. No fresh tracks, no nests. I cleared out the loose rocks and debris, making space for a fire pit near the entrance. Fire wasn't essential for me—I didn't need warmth or protection from the cold—but it would serve as a deterrent to any predators lurking nearby.
I spent the next several hours gathering materials. Wood for the fire, stones to build a basic toolset, vines to use as makeshift rope. I crafted a simple spear, sharpening the tip against a rock, reinforcing it with tightly wound fibers. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. As I worked, I took note of my surroundings. The jungle was full of resources, but I needed to be strategic about what I used. Some plants had fibrous stems that could be woven into stronger cords, while others had broad, waxy leaves that could be used for shelter reinforcement.
As night fell, I sat by the entrance of my cave, watching the firelight dance across the stone walls. The jungle was alive with movement, the sounds of creatures stirring in the darkness. Some calls were distant, others unnervingly close. My eye's adjusting themselves to the darkness outside of my cave. Shapes moved through the trees—large, powerful, the way they moved had me marking them as possible predators. I remained still, waiting for anything to happen. But none approached the cave and for now, I was safe.
I leaned back against the rock wall, staring up at the unfamiliar constellations above me. This world was a mystery, but mysteries could be solved. I had done it before and i can do it again, piecing together lost knowledge, and rebuilding what had been forgotten. This was no different. I would start with fire, tools, and shelter. Then I would map the land, gather resources, and build. I had survived the wastelands of my old world, navigating its dangers and carving out knowledge from its ruins. This place would be no different, just a little bit more challenging.
I closed my eyes for a moment, not to sleep, but to focus, to let my mind process everything. I had no idea how long I would be here. Days? Years? Forever? But that didn't change my goal. I will survive be it by adapting to the environment or forcing the environment to better suit me, but either way I will find a way to call this place home.
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End of Chapter One