S00N66L1
50205070914009010422051420211805.
(Rin’s pov)
“Thank you! Come again!”
Those were the last words I heard right before everything went black. Now all I see is nothing. Am I dead? Stray bullet? Assassination? No, not assassination. I'm just a normal college kid, there’s nothing to warrant a murder on me. So, stray bullet? Well I'm gonna be pissed if that's how I died.
A small white dot appeared on the horizon of nothingness. It's gradually becoming bigger moving towards me.
‘Ah is this the famous ‘light at the end of of the tunnel’ thing? If so, I really did die…. Now I'm close to it, even though I'm pretty sure I'm not moving my body. Welp, come at me.’
*mmmmmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!*
The light vanished while the feeling of falling enveloped me.
*CRACKKKK BOOOOMMMMM!!!!*
“HOLYFUCK!”
*SPLASH*
Dazed and confused I sat up only to find out my glasses are completely covered in a gooey substance. I can’t see a thing, and I panic as I try to clean them as fast as I can. Soon I discover that my ass is covered in mud and dead leaves. Surrounding me were rotting trees in a mucky swampland.
“What the hell…”
‘..........’
As my mind went blank trying to comprehend the situation, my eyesight hastily went down to my legs as I felt a heavy object resting upon me.
“...What...Why do I have a book.”
Upon my lap was a thick brown leather book, that looked extremely ancient. But it was well kept, as it hadn't even gained a single scratch over the ages. The book was bound by detailed silver clamps and a strange pyrographic symbol was on the leather cover.
As I ignored the book for now, I surveyed my surroundings. Looking around I saw a familiar sight,
“Guys?!?”
On either side of me lay my childhood friends, Kai and Mari. The only 2 people I truly despise, yet can call my bestfriends.
“Wha what? What's going on??” - Mari
Mari awoke suddenly and was startled by her surroundings.
“Holy shit that was loud! My fucking ass is soaked… Wait, where the fuck are we?!” - Kai
Seems Kai had a similar experience as me.
“I don't know, but get up right now! We need to figure out what's going on.”- Rin
“Wait, weren't we just playing monopoly at your restaurant?! How the hell did we end up in a swamp?” - Mari
“Kai where's your phone?”- Rin
“It was on the table where we left all our stuff!” - Kai
Not good. This is not good. Not good at all. Noooooo, not good.
“Mmmm okay okay. If we can just find someone we could get help.”
*chomp chomp burp*
*low growl*
“What’s that sound?” - Rin
“Uh guys… turn around” - Kai
Curiosity overriding our instinctual fear as humans from the unknown. We turned around and took a couple steps away from the direction of the sound, grabbing whatever was near us. I had found a thick tree branch to my right, and held it tightly preparing myself to fight.
“ROOOAAAAARRRRRR!!!”
*Flinch*
‘...goddamnit.’
/////////////////////////////////
(Mari’s pov)
*Pant pant*
“RUN RIN!”
“HAAH HAAH, JUST GO! JUST RUN! DO NOT LOOK BACK!” - Rin
Not heeding his words, I turn my head in worry of his safety. There, just behind him was an ogre. He was feasting on unrecognizable flesh and we interrupted his lovely little meal. The ogre chased us down stomping through the swamp with blood dripping from his mouth. He had to have been at least 10 feet tall and had the capability to crush a human within the palm of his hand. His skin was pale green, he wore cloth around his waist, and he dragged a giant club beside him.
‘Oh god no.’
We were running for our lives. We could’ve been far far away from this monster, but when we first saw its hideous form, all we could do was stand in horror.
“YOU GUYS RUN! I’LL TRY TO DISTRACT IT!” - Kai
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
“ROOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!” - Ogre
*flinch*
I stopped for a second and covered my ears from the horrendous sound.
‘IdontwanttodieIdontwanttodieIdontwanttodie’
While Rin and I kept running through the mucky terrain, Kai deviated away from us towards our right and threw the stick he was holding at the monster.
*Thud*
“Guh? Grrrrrrr” - Ogre
“OVER HERE YOU MONSTER!” - Kai
“KAI WATCH OUT!”
*SWOOSH*
“GAHH!! AAAAHHHH!!!” - Kai
I stood in shock watching Kai scream in pain while holding the side of his body. Although Kai had dodged a fatal blow from the monster, he was still lightly grazed on his chest from the club. Lightly being an understatement, as even a small graze managed to knock Kai away.
As I tried to think of what to do, Rin started running towards the fallen Kai.
“RIN! WAIT!”
“MARI GET OVER HERE AND DRAG KAI AWAY FROM HIM!” - Rin
With his loud commands, I started running towards Kai. Fear enveloped my mind while adrenalin fueled my body. With every smushy step through the mucky terrain I got closer to Kai.
“KAI! Are you okay!?”
“Haaah Haaah AAAGGGHH! Haaah no I’m not, I think my ribs are broken and it hurts to move.” - Kai
He was heavily breathing while blood seeped through the side of his shirt. I quickly put his arms over my shoulders and brought him to his legs.
“AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH! SHIT THAT HURTS!” - Kai
“We have to get out of here first, we’ll find you a doctor later. Wait, where’s Rin?!?”
“ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!” - Ogre
“Haaah…...Haaah.” - Rin
Standing against a tree while holding his limp arm was Rin. He had been keeping the ogre busy while I checked on Kai. Blood dripped down from his head as he tried to wipe the tears and blood from his eyes. Droplets of blood stained his glasses. Walking towards him was the monster responsible for all of this.
‘Nonono.’
My mind went blank, as all I could do was stand there.
“Haaah…...Haaah...hahahaha.” - Rin
Holding Kai up to his feet with all my strength, I watched as the ogre casually walk up to Rin.
“RIN RUN!!! RUNNNN!!!!”
But Rin was out of strength and dropped to his knees as if he was accepting the fate of looming death.
“Grrrrrrrr” - Ogre
Closer and closer.
“HAHAHAHA haaah...hehe-sniffle-hehe” - Rin
‘No, please no.’
Closer and closer.
“YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!! I’M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU HEAR ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!! AND THEN I’M GONNA, I’m gonna… I’m gonna die. Hahaha hwaaaaaaaahh-sniffle-haaah.” - Rin
Closer and closer.
Stop.
“ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!” - Ogre
*SWOOSH*
“NOOOOOOOO!!!” - Kai
*RUMBLE*
*CRACK*
*THUD*
“GRAAAAAAAGGGHHH?!?” - Ogre
A giant wall of mud and rocks emerged in front of Rin like a tower. A wall that gave a sense of security, as if nothing could break it down. Hovering slightly above Rin were several long, thick tree roots that belonged to the rotting tree next to him. Roots that no longer remain as structural balance, but life untethered like a snake, hungry for its prey. It’s as if I felt the roots itself surge from the tips of my fingers, asking me to take control.
Head raised high, I gazed as the roots coiled over the head of the ogre. It was my command without words that the roots constricted the ogre, warping it’s flesh, and stopping the ravage beast. For a moment the entire swamp became silent. Nerves from the tips of my finger dwindled to a relaxed state, along with it the roots made its retreat towards the tainted soil as if relieved from its command. What once stood 10 feet high layed resolved as a rotting corpse, nourishing the soil with blood.
““...........””
‘What. What is this.’
Rin exhaled a breath containing all of the fear and anxiety that filled his body just minutes ago. Although he was in dire need of help, he clutched a brown book while a disturbing grin crept up his face.
“Haaah. Hahahahaha. Did I seriously just survive from all of this.” - Rin
“What the fuck was that!?!” - Kai
“What the fuck was all of this, is more like it!”
“Is the swamp gonna kill us as well?” - Rin
“Uhhhhh, I think I just did all of that.”
“”What?”” - Rin and Kai
“The roots… it’s like the roots obeyed me. Without words, the roots interpreted my thoughts of the ogres death. ”
“Can you do it again?” - Run
“Hold on.”
Regaining my focus, I try to imagine the flow of energy that filled me previously. As exhaustion bears down on me, power courses through my veins and into my fingers.
‘Again’
“WOAH!” - Kai
“Holyshit!” - Rin
“Fuck yea.”
Just as I imagined, the tree roots rose from the ground like snakes while surrounding me as if they were my personal bodyguards. Once again, I envision the ground rising up to form a wall around us, and within a second, we were surrounded.
‘YOU HAVE MAGIC MARI! OH MY GOD THIS IS SO COOL!” - Rin
I went back for Kai and dragged him along while he leaned on my shoulders. We walked towards where Rin laid. Carefully while trying not to cause more pain, I lay him next to Rin.
“Haaaah.”
After a few minutes of testing out my new found powers, I became exhausted. Instantly all of the roots simultaneously fell, unlike how they had previously slid back to the ground. Yet, the wall of dirt still stands proudly around us. It seems if I slowly relax my powers like I did the first time, the roots and mud walls will slowly go back to its original state.
‘Fuck yea, I just got me some awesome ass powers. Controlling nature and shit.’
……….
“Now what?” - Rin
“I don’t know, don’t ask me.” - Kai
“Did I ask you specifically Kai? No, I didn’t. So shut up.” - Rin
“Well how bout we get out of here.”
“Can’t, too hurt to move.” - Kai
“Same.” - Rin
‘Hmmm?’
“Rin, what are you holding?”
“Hm? Oh, I don’t know. It’s a book, I found it lying on me when we first got here, and I guess I brought it with me without knowing.” - Rin
“Maybe it’s like some sort of instruction book and has info on why the fuck we’re here!”
“Yea Rin. What if that book has answers to all of our questions, and could’ve helped us through this shit. Because you didn’t read it, we ran without knowing what to do. It’s all your fault Rin. Great job.” - Kai
“...Shut the fuck up Kai.” - Rin
“Hurry up and read it!”
“Okay okay hold on….Uhhhh it’s full of symbols and words. So it’s in english, but with symbols, and no sentences explaining it.” - Rin
“What?”
“What?” - Kai
“What?” - Rin
“Rin could you make any sense? Cause you don’t make any sense. Read the book. What does it say” - Kai
“Well first off, there’s words, like ‘Enhanced regeneration’ and then there’s a symbol above it… Wait.” - Rin
As if Rin had some sort of theory, he started crawling towards Kai. Upon reaching up to Kai’s mangled body, Rin looked at the book, looked back to Kai, and then started writing on Kai’s arm. A small white light emanated off of Rin’s index finger, the same one he was currently using to draw on Kai.
“Wha! What did you do to me?” - Kai
“Did it work? How do you feel?” - Rin
“I feel… Better. Dude I can like feel my ribs going back into place, and all of my cuts are like closing up.” - Kai
“Hahahahaha! It works!!” - Rin
“Rin what did you do?”
“I HAVE THE POWER!” - Rin
As Rin shouted a line from an old cartoon show, he started drawing on himself. Once again, the faint white light is coming off of his finger.
“Hoooh shit this is awesome! I’m feeling better already!” - Rin
“So uh, care to explain?”
“Okay okay, so like, this book is just filled, page upon page, with a huge variety of symbols. Some in circles, others in certain lined shapes, and underneath each symbol is a couple words. Guess which word I just used on us?”
“I don’t know, healing?”
“ENHANCED REGENERATION! All I have to do is draw the symbol indicated by the words, and BAM! WE’RE ALREADY HEALING! IT’S LIKE A SPELL BOOK WITH TONS AND TONS OF DIFFERENT ENCHANTMENTS! I figured, if you can use magic, maybe I can use magic with these symbols. Turns out, I just have to draw the symbol on something, use some mana, which I don’t know how much I have or if it even uses a thing like mana. And tada! An enchantment. Although I’m healing up, I feel tired just from writing two symbols.” - Rin
“Wait so what’s my power?” - Kai
“Let’s find out later! Muahahahahaha magic is real!!” - Rin
‘Uh I think he’s a little too excited.’
“Wait, so what other enchantments can you do?”
“Tons, come here Mari.” - Rin
As I arrived next to his laying body, he started drawing something on my hand. A faint green light came this time.
“Woah”
“Feel better? I just gave you an enhanced stamina enchantment. Seems I can only write a single enchantment once per person. Too bad. If I could’ve stacked the stamina enchantment on you, you could run for days without ever feeling out of breath. Oh well, I can still stack you with other enchantments. Here’s the regeneration one.” - Rin
“Holyshit Rin that’s op.”
“Same to you Mari. You can fricking bend nature to your will.” - Rin
“Ight, okay, when I get my new powers, it’s gonna be way better that both of yours. Bet.” - Kai
“Bet it won’t. I have so many enchantments, there’s probably one that can counter yours…” - Rin
“...Kai? Kai wake up!”
“Oh shit lol he passed out. Pussy.” - Rin
“Great, we’re in the middle of nowhere, we almost died, and now we have to drag Kai’s ass around. Best day ever.”
“I know right!” - Rin
‘......’
Today marks the end of our first nightmare.