Time became meaningless as Ryan drifted in and out of consciousness. Fevered dreams plagued his rest—visions of ancient beings manipulating vast energies, symbols dancing chaotically before his eyes, and a relentless, consuming hunger that could never be satisfied.
At one point, he thought he heard whispers—indistinct voices murmuring in a language he couldn't comprehend. They seemed to be beckoning him, urging him to listen carefully.
Then, all memories related to this began to corrupt, turning into indistinguishable babble, making it impossible to discern any coherence between their sequences. Frustration and fear welled up inside him as familiar thoughts twisted into incomprehensible fragments.
His mind felt like a tangled web, each thread of memory entangled with static and distortion. Desperate to hold onto any semblance of clarity, he focused intently, trying to grasp any remnants of it.
But the more he strained, the more elusive the memories became, slipping through his mental grasp like sand through fingers. The oppressive silence of the lab amplified his internal turmoil, leaving him feeling more isolated and vulnerable than ever.
The AI chip's mechanical voice with a cold tone, gave updates in a detached tone that contrasted sharply with his tumultuous emotions.
[ALERT: NEURAL CAP ... AT 57%...]
[ALERT: SYSTEM INTEGRITY COMPROMISED]
[ALERT: MEMORY INTEGRITY AT 40%. INITIATING BACKUP RESTORATION PROTOCOLS.]
Despite the chip's efforts to stabilize his cognitive functions, Ryan felt the relentless pull of his corrupted memories like a wave threatening to engulf him entirely.
The AI chip's continued its reckoning like clockwork, analysing, backup and restoring on and on for an unknown amount of time...
----
A cold, damp breeze whispered through the dark corridors, stirring the dust that had settled over centuries. Ryan Malfoy stirred, his eyelids fluttering open to the pitch-black ceiling of the ancient lab. The hunger gnawed fiercely at his insides, sharper now than before. His stomach twisted painfully, reminding him of his dire need for sustenance.
The previous scene was as if it did not exist.
He groaned softly, attempting to push himself upright. Every muscle protested, weak from both the transformation and the recent ordeal. The silence was profound, broken only by the distant echoes of dripping water somewhere in the labyrinthine tunnels.
"How long was I out?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely penetrating the darkness.
He blinked, but the darkness remained impenetrable. Yet, somehow, he could see—the contours of the room, the scattered debris, the intricate symbols carved into the walls—all illuminated in shades of grey.
*No light, yet I can see... Must be night vision,* he realized, understanding how he could navigate the darkness.
[Beep. System boot-up complete.]
"Chip?" he asked mentally.
[Beep. Neural capability stable. Time elapsed since last activity: 12 days 5 hours.]
"All that," he muttered. "No wonder I feel like waking up from a death slumber."
He sat up slowly, his joints stiff. "Can you analyze my current condition?"
[Scanning... Vital signs are within acceptable parameters but indicate dehydration and severe energy depletion. Recommend intake of nutrients and liquids.]
"Don't say..." he sighed, his stomach clenching painfully. "Except there's nothing here to eat or drink."
He surveyed his surroundings again. The lab was vast, the walls lined with shelves that sagged under the weight of ancient books and scrolls. Intricate symbols adorned every surface—walls, floors, even the remnants of broken equipment. They varied in style: some angular and rigid, others flowing and ornate. It was as if multiple languages had converged in this one place.
"These symbols... could they be different languages?" he mused. "Chip, can you start deciphering them? Maybe they hold some answers."
[Initiating analysis. Cross-referencing patterns. Estimated time to preliminary results: one hour.]
"Good," he nodded. "At least that's something."
He pushed himself to his feet, his limbs trembling slightly. The air was cold and damp, seeping into his scales. As he moved through the labyrinthine corridors, he noticed peculiar objects scattered about—small crystals that seemed to resonate faintly as he passed, metallic tools of unknown purpose, and containers filled with substances that glimmered softly in the darkness.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
He reached for a crystal but hesitated. "Better not touch anything until I know what it is."
His journey led him to a vast chamber he hadn't seen before. The ceiling arched high above, supported by pillars carved with more symbols. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books and scrolls, some crumbling with age, others remarkably preserved.
"A library," he breathed. "Maybe I can find something useful here."
He carefully picked up a scroll, unfurling it gently. The parchment was delicate, the ink faded but legible—if only he could understand the symbols.
"Chip, any progress on that translation?"
[Partial patterns identified. Symbol structures resemble language systems. Likely represent forms of written communication.]
"Keep at it. We might be able to understand something."
His stomach growled loudly, the hunger becoming unbearable. "I need to find something to eat," he muttered, frustration seeping into his voice.
As he searched the surrounding area, it became clear that any food that might have existed had long since decayed into dust. Containers lay empty or filled with unrecognizable remnants. The thought of venturing further into the unknown tunnels in search of sustenance was daunting.
"Guess I'll have to hold it for a while," he sighed.
Returning to the library, he resumed his examination of the texts, occasionally contemplating if paper tasted good.
"These symbols... some of them repeat. Maybe they're common words or phrases."
He sat down amidst a pile of ancient tomes, his tail curling around him. The silence pressed in, amplifying his thoughts.
[Analysis update: High-frequency symbols may represent basic terms. Suggest focusing on these for initial translation.]
He nodded. "Agreed."
As he worked, he couldn't help but notice gaps in his own memory—blanks where information should be, and occasional glitches in the system that were familiar yet he could not understand.
"Chip, are you detecting any anomalies in my memory?"
[Affirmative. Sections of memory are corrupted or inaccessible.]
"Any idea why?"
[Possible causes include the transformation process or exposure to unknown energies.]
He clenched his jaw. "Just one more thing to worry about."
He felt a surge of determination. "If I can understand this language, maybe I can find a way to survive—or at least understand this place."
Hours passed as he delved deeper, his hunger momentarily forgotten. The more he learned, the more the symbols seemed to make sense.
"Chip, cross-reference these symbols with any known linguistic patterns."
[Processing... Certain symbols align with concepts such as 'energy', 'transformation', 'gateway'.]
"Interesting..."
As he progressed, he noticed that the symbols were adjusting into something meaningful, systematic, and some seemed to deviate from others.
"These must be different dialects or perhaps other language systems," he speculated.
He then picked another book to increase the chip's database. The pages were filled with complex symbols, accompanied by diagrams and illustrations.
"Chip, can you help translate this?"
[Symbols correspond with those previously identified. This text may provide valuable information.]
He spent hours poring over the book, the AI chip aiding in translation. Slowly, concepts began to form—discussions of energy manipulation, transformations, different reactions based on underlying structures.
But the meanings were fragmented and incomplete.
"There's so much missing," he lamented.
[Data corruption in the text is significant.]
He closed the book thoughtfully. "At least it's progress."
"Well, no point in standing around," he said aloud. "Time to find something to eat."
Feeling a renewed sense of purpose, he decided to continue exploring.
He took a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs.
"This place is enormous," he thought. "How did I not realize it before?"
He closed his eyes, trying to tap into any enhanced senses his new form might possess. He focused on listening—perhaps there was the sound of running water somewhere, or the movement of other creatures.
Faint echoes reached him—the distant drip of water, the subtle hum of energy resonating through the walls, and... something else. A soft skittering sound, like tiny claws against stone.
"Could be rats," he considered. "Not exactly appetizing, but beggars can't be choosers."
He stood up, following the sound through the dark corridors. His nocturnal vision guided him effortlessly, the darkness no hindrance. As he turned a corner, he froze.
Lying before him was the skeletal remains of a large lizard-like creature. Its bones were massive, the skull elongated with sharp teeth.
"Was this... another dragon?" he whispered.
A chill ran down his spine. "What happened here?"
He backed away slowly, the weight of isolation pressing down on him. "Am I the only one left?"
Shaking off the creeping despair, he forced himself to focus. The remains had long fossilized into stone, except for the visual impact—nothing more could be gleaned from it.
As if noticing something, an instinct gnawed at him relentlessly. Ryan crouched low among the towering skeletal remains of a fossilized lizard-like creature, its massive bones jutting out from the cracked stone floor like the ribs of some ancient leviathan. The chamber was vast.
Every sense heightened, Ryan's eyes pierced the gloom, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the distant drip of water and the soft scurrying of unseen creatures that hid his movement.
From the corner of his eye, emerging from the shadows, a rat the size of a small dog appeared. Its sleek, muscular body was covered in coarse, matted fur, blending seamlessly with the dim light. Sharp ivory tusks curved menacingly from its elongated snout, while large amber eyes glowed eerily in the darkness. Thick whiskers twitched constantly, sensing every movement. Powerful hind legs allowed it to leap agilely over debris, and retractable claws gleamed as it moved silently. Scars marked its hide, evidence of past battles. The giant rat stood as a fierce predator, gawing at the fossil bone of the unknown lizard embodying the dark and mysterious breath.
He caught the swift movement of the rat darting between the remnants of the broken lizard. Instinctively, Ryan lunged forward, his draconic agility allowing him to move with surprising speed. Claws extended, he pounced on the creature, pinning it swiftly against the cold, hard ground. The rat squeaked in panic, its large body trembling under his weight.
Although Ryan was only half a size larger than the rat, but how could the rat resist the apex predator that is a dragon?
*I need to eat now,* Ryan thought desperately, having become a beast devouring the raw flesh and blood of the still-struggling rat.
He bit down, the taste of the rat’s flesh momentarily satisfying his ravenous hunger. As he tore more into the creature, a surge of unknown energy pulsed through him. His body tingled, and the immediate relief from his hunger was overwhelming.