CHAPTER 1: THE AWAKENING
The moment I parted my eyelids, I was certain of one thing: I was dead.
Twelve shadows—executioners cloaked in the scent of demise—surrounded me like vultures. Their blades hungered for my life.
"Is this the end?" I whispered to the void. "But then again... why should I care if it is?"
Acceptance was my only companion. I closed my eyes for what I believed to be the final time, waiting for the cold embrace of steel.
But death did not come. Instead, a gentle breeze brushed against my skin, followed by the golden warmth of a distant sun.
When my eyes opened again, the blood-stained room was gone. I wasn't facing my executioners; I was lying in the heart of a vast, ancient forest. The air was so pure, the greenery so vibrant, that only one thought crossed my mind: Heaven.
I accepted this new reality as a final gift. Lying flat on the verdant earth, I gazed up at the heavens.
"Is this my reward?" I murmured. "Can I finally live as I please?"
High above, wisps of clouds danced across the azure expanse, chasing one another like playful children. The sunlight wasn't harsh; it was a soft, rhythmic pulse of warmth that lulled my exhausted soul. Fatigue, heavier than lead, finally claimed me. I drifted into a deep, dreamless slumber.
I must have slept for eight or nine hours. When I finally woke, the world remained unchanged. Time seemed to stand still in this ethereal realm.
"I've rested long enough," I thought, though the comfort of this place made me want to vanish into its peace forever. "But my stomach... it's hollow."
A primal hunger gnawed at my insides. In a place like this, did one have to hunt? Or would food manifest simply by wishing for it? I waited, but the air remained empty.
"I suppose even in paradise, there are no free meals."
I stood up. My nature had always been one of quiet obedience—I followed orders without question, and I witnessed wonders without surprise. Without a hint of hesitation or awe, I began my search for sustenance.
My eyes caught a glimmer of crimson—a fruit, resembling a wild strawberry but radiating a strange, crystalline glow. My hunger outpaced my caution. I plucked it and ate. It was divine—a burst of sweetness that seemed to vibrate through my very nerves.
For two hours, I had wandered in search of this moment. I closed my eyes to savor the lingering taste, feeling the familiar warmth of the sun and the caress of the wind on my face once more.
But when I opened my eyes... the forest had reset.
I was back. Back at the exact spot where I had first awakened. The fruit was gone. The distance I had traveled had vanished.
And the most chilling part? My stomach was still hollow. The hunger remained, as if the last two hours had never existed.