Silence—an unmatched law—reigned with authority over an endless plain, where only tall grass stretched across its vastness. The sky, lifeless and ash-gray, veiled in dust, existed without a single glimmer of light.
Yet, within this world's indifference, a black mist was forming—intertwining into an entity defiant of this realm's laws.
The mist was crystallizing, like snowflakes stripped of their corrupted white essence and adorned in pure black.
They gathered and shaped a new form: a human.
A skinny, bone-thin boy with pale, corpse-like skin. His black hair matched the dark snowflakes seamlessly.
He appeared fragile, on the verge of collapse. His collarbones protruded; his veins ran clearly beneath the thin skin, as if long-starved and wasted.
In the suffocating stillness, a faint motion stirred.
His eyelids fluttered.
His chest rose and fell with difficulty. Pain marked his face—brows furrowed, veins in his temple swollen.
It seemed as though he was being crushed under immense pressure.
Then, his breath faltered—paused—suggesting an end had come.
But seconds later, his eyes opened. Life returned.
Disoriented, he looked around.
Everything was blurry—just flickers of shadows. After several blinks, the scene came into focus.
A question formed in his mind:
"Where am I?… Damn, this hurts."
His head throbbed violently. Every attempt to remember something was met with an unbearable agony.
He recalled nothing—not even his name.
Alone in this strange place, he placed his hands on his knees and tried to stand, but his joints were too stiff.
It felt like he had slept for years, his body frozen from immobility.
He looked for support—a branch, a trunk—anything to lean on. But there was nothing except the endless grass.
"Damn it… What is this place?"
His eyes widened as he searched again.
Still, nothing.
Determined, he massaged his legs to ease the cramps.
Minutes later, he stood and took his first step.
A small smile formed—he had managed to move.
Now he could explore.
The grass reached his waist, like the height of a ten-year-old child.
Long, slender stems with wide leaves—like corn stalks—tinted jade green with hidden veins of blue.
The sky showed no trace of life.
No birds above, no creatures below.
Just a deep, unbroken silence across the land.
He felt a strange unease blooming inside—an unfamiliar shade of fear.
Something deep within urged him to obey the laws of this place.
So, he even regulated his breathing—quieter than anything, for the silence was so complete he could hear his own breaths, his own heartbeat.
In his confused mind, two conflicting emotions bloomed:
Calm… and fear.
A desire to flee… and a longing to stay.
"Why do I feel this way? What am I supposed to do?... Should I run, or remain?"
A mirage of clashing thoughts flooded his mind.
His headache, once eased, flared again.
"Ahh… it hurts… it hurts so much… my head's gonna explode."
Overwhelmed, he collapsed, clutching his head tightly.
---
One hour passed…
The boy woke.
The atmosphere remained unchanged—as if time stood still here.
Choosing to ignore his conflicting emotions—he had no memories to guide him—he decided to search, investigate, maybe uncover a clue.
He began a long walk to unravel the secrets of this place.
The first five kilometers yielded nothing but the same repetitive scenery.
Despite his frail condition, he pressed forward.
Panting, breathless—"Huff... Huff…"
His endurance alone kept him going.
Fatigue finally overwhelmed him.
He sat beside the grass, hugging his knees and gazing around.
Hidden beneath the tall grass, he felt no safety.
This place… was too quiet.
He feared he might be the only living thing here.
Yet amid the fear, a spark of curiosity took root—a feeling urging him to search.
But he had no idea what he was looking for.
His mind was blank, a canvas of white.
And when he tried to search deeper, all he found…
was pain.
Overwhelmed by thoughts, his eyelids grew heavy.
In this cold place—where warmth didn't exist—he drifted into sleep.
Perhaps… into a nightmare.