Darkness. Absolute, unyielding darkness. Endless. He felt himself suspended in nothing or was he falling, weightless, yet every nerve screamed with a tension he could not identify. His mind raced with questions, but the answers refused to come. 'what... What is happening?'
He tried to move, to stretch his limbs, but they felt... alien, unresponsive. His hands passed through shadows that weren't there, grasping nothing. His legs floated without grounding, and even his head seemed detached, heavy and untethered.
Am I dead?
The thought made him shiver. He had no way to confirm it. No sensation, no sight, no touch. Only the emptiness around him and the cold of the void pressing in like invisible fingers.
'Why.... Why can't I feel anything?'
The darkness seemed to pulse with a life of its own. Shapes flickered at the edges of his perception -barely visible, like shadows watching, waiting. He tried to scream, but no sound came. His chest rose and fell with a panic he could barely control.
Time- or whatever passed here - stretched endlessly. He floated, drifting and then, suddenly, a strange vibration under him, not pain. Not motion. Just... grounding. He felt a faint resistance beneath his back, or what he assumed were his back.
He opened his eyes, with a hesitant brea... no air came in. There was no oxygen.
A glowing panel hovered before him, floating silently in the void. Words shimmered into existence, translucent yet commanding
{System Online}
[ Welcome, Dream Crowne]
[ System has noticed the host is having difficulty breathing
Host will not be supplied with oxygen]
[ Oxygen is now available]
[ Sorry, about that host]
[ Current location: Broken Dimension - "The Void"]
Dream Crowne froze. His heart pounding as his conscientiousness slowly returned.
' what is going on... A system? Online? Broken Dimension? Void?' His voice came out as a whisper in his mind, raw with confusion. 'Where am I? Who... Who are you?'
A soft voice, Omnipresent yet calm, echoed around him.
[ You are in a broken dimension. Here, chaos thrive and only those who can adapt, can and will survive. You... have been chosen host]
Chosen. The word was strange. He couldn't remember ever being chosen for anything. Fear twisted in his chest.
He tried to move again, shakily this time. His hands floated through the emptiness until they finally brushed against something solid around him. A faint glow outlined a small circle of light.
Th system's words came again.
[ This is your safe zone. Here, you can rest, plan and grow but do not linger too long. The void test all who enters]
His breath caught. " Safe zone... rest.... grow?" The words meant nothing. Everything around him was dark, infinite, and alien. Yet there it was .. a patch of faint warmth in the void, small but real.
Above, a blood-red moon hung low in the void, partially enclosed. It's crimson light bath the landscape in a surreal glow, highlighting shadows that seemed to move just beyond compression. And in those shadows, he noticed them.
Red eyes. Countless. Unblinking. Watching.
Panic surged. He stumbled back wards within the safe zone, tripping over nothing and landing hard. 'this... this is real?, this is real'
[ Does are the void beats]
[ Like there names they are beast that lurk in the void, consuming void essence to survive]
"Please, who ever you are... Mrs. System. Please get me out of here"
The red eyes weren't just in front. They surrounded him, hundreds, perhaps thousands, glowing spheres of intent in the darkness. His chest tightened, his vision blurred at the edges. He felt truly helpless.
" I.... I'm going to die"
"Th... they can't get in right?"
[ Yes, the barrier around the soft zone will protect the host]
He tried reaching out, his fingers trembling. A faint pulse of energy sparked at his finger-tips as he touched the safe zone protection barrier.
The red eyes in the darkness shifted closer, some flickering with faint movement. He could feel their intent, cold and ruthless. The safe zone beneath him pulsed faintly almost like it wouldn't hold forever.
Instinct took over. He forced himself to stand, trembling but the barrier was a 360 protection so there was no where to run. His hands clenched to fist.
[ System Alert]
[ Safe zone (lv.1): will collapse in 60seconds]
"What!?... I'll die. What do you mean!?"
[ Host has been given a beginner survival tool]
[ Item: Sword]
[ Rank: Silver]
"Please, keep the zone up. They will kill me!, a sword won't do anything. Please!" He panicked as he cried out to the system
A low, whispering growl echoed through the void. One of the red- eyed shapes lunged as if enjoying Dreams fear and despair. He flinched and panicked as he fell again.
[ Host can access his weapon from the inventory]
"Please I don't want this, take me back to earth or anywhere else. Just get me out of here"
[ System Alert]
[ Threat level: Multiple beasts wish to devour you]
[ Host is advised to access his inventory]
[ Safe zone defense has dropped to less than 10%]
[ 30 seconds until complete collapse]
" I'm begging you, please stop"
[ 23 seconds]
"Please"
[ 20 seconds]
"Who's doing this!!"