A gray ceiling filled the man's vision.

"What the hell?"

Bewildered, he looked around, trying to gauge his environment. That's when the memories flooded in. "Jesus Christ, where in God's name is this place?" After checking his body and taking note of the wounds he failed to notice in the heat of battle, he stood up. A sharp pain coursed through his back.

"MOTHER OF GO-" he scratched at his back like a beast. The burn began to ease when he felt around the afflicted area. The bumpy scar tissue formed a letter or symbol.

"This was that rune from earlier!"

Looking back at where the violet color had once been shining, all that was left was an outline of the symbol, which matched the scar on his back. "I believe I called it... omega hyperon?"

The man began contemplating before realizing he should get a move on. He began looking for anything helpful despite being disgusted at the gory mess of a human.

"It seems our unfortunate friend had a few goodies!"

Bending over to the first ant, he noticed the corpse of the human seemed to have a bag. Scouring through its contents, he found mostly junk. Most of his good stuff had fallen out somewhere along the way to the ant's mouth.

"Finally, some good news."

After seconds of scouring, the man pulled out what looked to be a blade. About 25 cm in length, it looked like it would perform better than a sharp rock. After more rummaging, the man found a bit of a twisted fibrous material. [Woooooo! Rope, what a godsend!] The man would have to pay his respects for this gift. "Now, onto this piece of shit bug!."

The green blood was dried up, and the corpse was still fresh, meaning the room didn't stink. The man began cutting into the beast. First, he tore the head off.

[I swear I wasn't this strong before... what happened?]

Without delay, he continued cutting. Finally, he found a bit of meat that didn't smell funky. He also managed to cut off a few pieces of chitin. [I can make armor with this.]

"It's a shame I don't have any more rope, but beggars can't be choosers, I guess..."

Shoving a bit of chitin and some meat into the bag, he began walking down the tunnel. [I need to rid my body of its scent, all this blood will draw unwanted attention]. The man started to awkwardly roll around on the ground, getting any dust he could on him. [Why do I feel like a pig right now?] Shaking off the useless thoughts, he carried on down the path.

After a while, the path widened, and the man could feel a slight breeze. The wind felt like a good omen, and the man continued. [The material of this cavern is interesting, rather than rough, it feels oddly smooth.] The tunnel walls seemed to have layers, with different shades to each layer.

"This could only be due to wind and water erosion..."

If one looked carefully into the wall, some fossils could also be found. [Where am I getting all this knowledge from? I can't even recall my name, but I understand erosion?] This thought made him stop in his tracks.

After thinking back to when he obliterated the second ant, the man had a realization dawn upon him! "When I touched that rune… ideas seemed to pop up from nowhere…." After thinking for a moment, he began to recall some details. Equations, theorems, concepts, everything began to flood his mind all at once.

This all had to be a hint. Some underlying reason for these ideas had to be tied to that symbol now etched upon his back. Putting his questions aside he trudged forward.

After walking for what felt like hours he reached the mouth of the tunnel, and what greeted his eyes was both awe-inspiring and dreadful.

An endless abyss, infinitely many tunnels, and what seemed to be a huge crystal at the top of the cavern. That single crystal provided a radiant white light that illuminated the immediate area.

[This has to be hundreds of kilometers all around!] The cavern seemed to go endlessly downwards, where even the gargantuan crystal seemed to be nothing more than a struggling flame in a sea of darkness.

This scale was beyond anyone's imagination, the man could hardly imagine how this place even came to be. Not to mention the time it took for these tunnels to come about.

Upon observing more of the alien environment, the man noticed something that stood out.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Is that smoke?" What seemed to be about 5 kilometers away a plume of smoke rose from the ground.

[That could be a human, but it's gonna be a pain in the ass to get down there] The decline was less than ideal to get to the origin of the smoke.

The man quickly decided to tie some chitin to the back of his legs and but, as well as one of his hands. Hopefully it would hold up on the way down.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained I guess", the man quickly began to slide down to where he saw the smoke. The rocky terrain was less than ideal and not even a minute later the man was beginning to regret his decision.

"OUCH, SHIT, OWWW" his incessant yelps might attract unwanted attention but he couldn't help it, after all he could practically feel the bruises welling up. After sliding for a few more minutes he finally came to flatland of sorts. After crossing the distant hill, he would be right on the smoke.

While making his way there he couldn't help but feel he wouldn't be able to sit for a good while thanks to that stunt of his.

"Weird, for an endlessly dark underground space, there's a surprising amount of greenery?" Shrubs and small trees dotted this flatland, almost making him feel somewhat safe. Yet he knew the dangers that this mysterious place held. "Best get moving, lest I want to end up like that poor guy with that ant."

Finally reaching the crest of the hill, he could see the source of smoke, an improvised campsite of sorts. The place reeked of patchwork however, with holes in the cloth of the makeshift tent, and a hastily thrown together fire. "Whoever was here left quickly, they didn't even bother to take all of their stuff.

The man rummaged through the place, hoping the previous owners would be understanding. What remained was perplexing. Traces of some sort of bedding, a few clothes, and a journal were in the tent. Disturbing splotches of blood remained on some of the discarded clothes. He also found an empty vial, which smelt of ammonia.

What was in the journal somewhat described the nameless man's journey so far, however a few entries appeared to be missing.

1st Entry: I don't recall who I am or where I'm at, but this place is wrong, very wrong. I awoke in this field, with the sight of a huge crystal being the first thing to greet my eyes. I walked around the area, looking for anything to serve as an indication of what this place is. What I discovered was nothing, except for this journal and a strange marking. Cut into a tree on the edge of the plains, was what seemed to be a crude eye. The green hue drew me in, and next thing I knew this journal appeared in my pocket. This mysterious phenomena has left me even more confused, but I have no time to delay, I need to find shelter.

4th Entry: I've made a makeshift shelter with the shrubbery and trees, and can only hope it can protect me from what I witnessed today. Roaming the vast plains was something beyond comprehension, a creature as tall as 3 of the trees here stacked, and as long as 6 of those trees came nearby. It had tendrils which it used to walk, and resembled and its entire skin writhed like it was made of worms. Its endless rows of teeth had remnants of meat and blood. And its eyes, those god-forsaken eyes were unnatural, pupilless with only a bloody crescent in them. This place is a nightmare I tell you, a nightmare…

10th entry: A PERSON, finally I met another of my kind! Another nameless, he bears a mark on his leg, a mark which resembles a hand and two fingers. He also gained a bag full of some useful items, like rope and cloth, perhaps we can make a proper shelter now. Although, the hunger really is starting to get to me. We'll need to find something to eat, and maybe a weapon to hunt something, hell anything.

From here the entries began to get less tidy, and more wild and deranged, maybe something snapped for the person…

18th entry: Food, all I think about is food. We've had some water spring from the ground, but no food. How is anything alive here?? They must be eating. Something, they have to eat something.

20th entry: I witnessed two ant-like creatures yesterday, they seemed to be eating a small creature, a quadruped with a long nose and reptilian eyes. Meat, meat seems to be the only answer here. That fellow I met, he seems to be sickly. He wouldn't mind if I had a bite would he? I really am losing it, please, anyone…

24th entry: I found another mark, in a nearby cave. A green hook. It gave me a vial and a knife, about 25 cm I'd say. The vial smells weird, but I get this strange feeling, like maybe it could produce some nice results? Hehehe… I'll slip this into his makeshift container of water, might as well see what it can do.

25th entry: He fell asleep almost minutes later, this stuff is strong. I'll just take a slice of his shoulder. A bite can't hurt. He'll forgive me, I'm sure he would do the same in my shoes…

28th entry: Every day he screams bloody murder, haha SHUT UP WILL YOU. I've only taken a few bites, and even in a show of kindness I gave him some not long ago! He looks to be on his way to his deathbed however. Whatever, more for me, less for him!

30th entry: He kicked the bucket a few hours ago, and I've already started a feast! The ribs, the tenderloin, the belly meat. Even the offal and liver, maybe I'll make a pate! Today has been my first taste of a proper meal. Thank you nameless, thank you. A feast worthy of the gods hahaha…

The next entry was stained with dried blood and a few other liquids, perhaps sweat.

33rd entry: Damnation! Those ants must have smelt me! I have to get out of here. I even have to leave some of my precious meat… whatever, as long as I live… as long as I live…

"Oh dear God…" feeling nauseous, the man sat down. Now realizing the origin of this bag and the knife, he felt disgusted. "A person driven mad by starvation, finally met their end when they only got a taste…" The man refused to end up that way.

The man followed a trail of footprints and bits of blood into the cave. A stench washed over the man, and he had to chase down the bile rising in his throat. What awaited him would haunt him.

Organs and pieces of a cut up body remained. Among the mess was a leg with a slice taken out of it. On it was a hand, with two fingers. "I'm sorry friend, no one deserves to die that way… rest easy." Nearby an arm that had looked to have been gnawed off lay, with a hook thrust into an eye burned into it. "This belonged to that gluttonous cannibal, must have been that fellow hanging out of that ant's mouth…"

The stench finally got to the man, and he vomited all over the ground. All of it was bile, and his eyes watered. Whatever he did, he would make sure to survive. He had to know who brought him here, and why. And what those mysterious symbols seem to mean…

That's when a red glow near the remains caught the man's eye.