The cliff gave Rey a clear view of the valley ahead. Strange trees with hollow trunks stretched in all directions, and scattered among them were towering rocks shaped like blades. But Rey wasn't admiring the scenery—he was observing movement.
Monsters.
But not like the ones he'd encountered before.
These ones… stood upright. Their bodies were muscular, humanoid in shape but far from human. Their skin was dark green with streaks of black, and their eyes glowed faintly under the dim sunless sky of the Abyss. Some wore crude armor fashioned from bones and beast hide. Others held weapons—jagged spears and rusted swords.
From above, Rey watched as they marched in tight groups.
They moved with discipline.
These aren't just beasts, Rey realized. They're organized.
And though they looked monstrous… something about their posture reminded him of humans.
He'd heard stories back home—of elves and fairies. Mythical races. But these things? They were twisted reflections. Elves, if such things ever existed, were supposed to be elegant, refined.
These were… corrupted. Savage.
Still, he kept his distance. Observe first. Engage never.
But just as he was about to crawl backward—
A chill ran down his spine.
He turned sharply.
Too late.
A black figure loomed behind him, cloaked in shadow, like smoke wrapped around a solid frame. Before Rey could react, it grabbed him by the neck.
What—!
The grip was cold and vice-like.
Without a word, the shadow hurled him off the cliff's edge.
The world spun violently. Trees, rocks, sky—it all blurred together. Rey's body slammed into the rocky ground below, rolling several times before coming to a stop beside a broken log.
Pain exploded through his shoulder and chest. Blood dripped down his forehead. He tried to move, but the strength in his limbs had vanished.
Vision fading.
Then—he saw her.
Amid the blur, a figure walked cautiously toward him.
A girl. His age, maybe younger.
Her skin was deep green, like jade wrapped in sunlight. Her long dark hair hung loose over her shoulders, and her eyes—golden, sharp, curious—were the first things in this world that didn't feel threatening.
She was half-monster. That much was clear. Her ears were pointed, her fingers clawed, and yet… something about her was different.
She wasn't snarling. She wasn't hunting.
She just stared.
For a second—just a second—Rey thought he saw concern in her eyes.
But then darkness crept in.
His breath slowed.
His eyelids grew heavy.
The world around him faded into black…
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