[Adrian POV]
"Hhmm!"
Waking up in an unfamiliar place, Adrian immediately bolted upwards, looking at his body as it looked nothing like him. In a hurry, he looked around, barely seeing his surroundings since it was really dark, but it seemed like a cave, and in front of him was a door… like a prison door.
'What is this place…?'
"You finally woke up, kid… thank goodness."
Adrian flinched at the voice behind him. Turning around, he saw an old man with green eyes and white hair looking at him calmly. The man got up, handed him a piece of bread, then went back near one of the cave walls and leaned against it.
"Thanks…"
"Wanna come here?"
The old man patted the ground, inviting Adrian to sit next to him. Since he didn't seem like a threat, Adrian went ahead and sat down.
"You seem alright. You got a name, kid?"
"…Adrian."
"I see, a good name. Mine's Osfold."
"Good to meet you, Osfold."
Adrian shook his hand, then asked about this place.
"What is this place?"
"A hideout… we were captured by bandits."
"… bandits."
"I don't know about you, but I was heading back to my village when they got me."
"I can't remember."
"I see…"
'Bandits… Am I in the Middle East or something?'
Adrian was confused. The only place he could think of where something like this could happen was the Middle East.
"You should sleep. Tomorrow will be hell."
"Yeah… I will."
Looking to his right, Osfold had already laid down and fallen asleep. Even on a stone floor, the old man seemed used to it.
'These chains… seem really old…'
Trying to understand what was happening, Adrian examined the room. The first thing he noticed were the chains on the walls—they looked ancient, not something ordinary.
'Is this another… planet? World?'
He started to realize this wasn't the world he knew. There was no way something like this could exist in the 21st century.
'Tomorrow is going to be hell? What does it mean?'
He wondered what Osfold meant, but the man was already asleep. Waking him didn't seem like a good idea.
'Dad…'
Lying down on the hard floor, trying to find a position, Adrian wondered if his father was alright. His body felt unfamiliar and heavy with fatigue.
Soon, darkness took him.
[Nathan POV]
shake shake
"Yo, wake up!"
"Mom… two more minutes."
thud
"Wake up, fucker!!"
"AAaah!"
After taking a hit, Nathan bolted upright, startled. In front of him stood a boy with brown hair and black eyes. He had a well-built body, shirtless, only wearing trousers. Looking down, Nathan realized he looked the same.
"Wh-where is this?!"
"Calm down, idiot. We got captured."
"Captured? What?! By who?"
"Bandits."
Hearing that, Nathan looked around and saw what seemed like a cave, with barely enough light coming through the iron door.
Then it hit him.
"H-hey! What continent are we on?"
"Did I hit you that hard? We're in Valeria."
"…"
Valeria.
A place from Fate's Outcast.
He was inside the novel.
His face froze as he looked around again, eyes landing on the chains.
Fear replaced everything.
'Bandits… was this even in the novel?!'
Panic set in as he tried to remember. Looking at the boy in front of him, who was now casually eating bread and doing push-ups—
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Rowan."
"I'm Nathan."
"Well… I hope I misunderstood you."
"What?"
"Because if you're this dumb, you won't survive long."
'Harsh… but did such a character exist?'
Realizing he was staring too much, Nathan moved to another wall and leaned against it, trying to remember.
Nothing.
No Rowan.
'Wait… does that mean he dies here?!'
If someone like Rowan—strong, confident—dies here…
What chance does Nathan have?
'Man… I have a family to return to, fuck.'
If he was inside the novel, maybe he could return.
Maybe.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself.
'Haa… alright. I didn't read this shit for nothing.'
He knew the world.
He just had to survive.
"Yo, empty head, get to sleep."
"Can't you be a bit nicer?"
"No. Sleep. Make noise and you die."
"…"
Rowan said it casually and laid down.
Nathan stayed silent.
'… I already miss my family. Fuck.'
With nothing else to do, Nathan did the only thing he could.
He prayed.
For the first time in his life.
After that, he used a wooden bucket, then collapsed onto the stone floor and fell asleep instantly.
Outside both rooms, a corridor stretched out, with a bandit guard sleeping on a chair.
There were many cells.
[Adrian POV]
thud thud thud
"Wake up, you rats! It's time to work!"
Loud banging echoed outside the iron door as Adrian and Osfold woke up. The door was unlocked, and men in leather armor led them out, lining them up.
Looking around, Adrian saw many people—some scared, others trying to stay calm—but all tense.
creak
"Listen up!"
At the end of the hallway, a door opened, and a man appeared before the crowd. Adrian couldn't see him, but his voice echoed clearly.
"It doesn't matter who you were. You're here to mine until you die."
"…"
Voices erupted—curses, begging—
Then—
A scream.
Silence.
"This is what happens if you are problematic."
"Wha—"
"Shh, they killed him." Osfold whispered.
Adrian shut his mouth instantly.
The crowd moved forward.
Reaching the spot, Adrian saw the ground covered in blood.
Someone had just died there.
A strange feeling crept into him, but he held himself together.
"Don't look, Adrian." Osfold said, placing a hand behind his back.
"Yeah…"
They moved on, heading down into a massive cave.
It was huge.
In the middle, embedded in stone, were golden fragments.
"Each take a pickaxe!"
Pickaxes were handed out.
Then—
thud thud thud
Metal hit stone.
They were slaves.
Work or die.
That simple.
The cave filled with the sound of mining. Everyone worked desperately, clinging to hope—even if it was pointless.
"Ha… ha…" Osfold struggled to breathe.
"Take a break, old man."
"Sorry, kid."
Adrian didn't mind. He just felt bad for him.
thud
"Rowan, I'm tired."
"Shut up already, Nathan."
Turning around, Adrian saw them.
Nathan—brown hair, green eyes.
Rowan—brown hair, black eyes.
'Maybe I should talk to them…'
But before he could—
"Get in line! You're going back!"
A guard shouted.
Everyone dropped their tools and moved.
The first day ended.
But something felt off.
No one believed tomorrow would be the same.