Sol stepped outside, blinking as the sunlight hit his face. It was a stark contrast to the dark cave he had just left behind. The air was cool, a gentle wind flowing past him, bringing with it the scent of the forest.
Half-burnt trees stood like grim sentinels, their charred branches pointing upward, some still smoldering from a fire long extinguished. The remnants of the blaze left deep scars on the bark, and patches of ash-covered ground surrounded them. Despite the destruction, the forest was eerily peaceful.
Sol took cautious steps, his eyes scanning every inch of the landscape for danger. His senses were heightened, and every rustle of leaves or snap of twigs made his grip tighten on the broken blade.
I swear if I go out there and some goddamn monster ambushes me...
He thought about how pointless his anger would be in death. He moved toward the waterfall’s edge, noticing for the first time the narrow path made of stones that ran alongside it. It was a natural walkway, wet from the constant spray of the cascading water. Sol circled the waterfall cautiously, his eyes lingering on the forest ahead, always alert for movement. He couldn’t afford to relax.
As he made his way further from the cave, his eyes fell on something near a bush—a dead animal. It was unrecognizable, torn to shreds with a huge chunk of flesh missing. Its body had been mangled, and the sight made Sol pause, the smell of decay hitting him.
"Must be one of that thing's prey," he muttered.
Even as he stepped back from the gruesome sight, Sol's stomach grumbled in protest. The hunger was gnawing at him. He turned in the opposite direction, away from the carcass, and ventured deeper into the forest. His steps were careful, his gaze sharp, constantly searching for something edible—or worse, something hunting him.
The forest was alive with strange creatures. He saw insects crawling over plants he had never seen before. One particular bug caught his attention—it had wings and four long, hair-like tentacles protruding from its back. Its mouth resembled that of a mosquito, but the insect was the size of a tarantula. It was feeding on a nearby flower with rectangular petals, a surreal sight that made Sol step back.
No... just no.
He moved onward, determined to find something to eat and to distance himself from the bizarre wildlife. He continued in a straight line, heading in the opposite direction from where he had originally come. The thick canopy of the trees made it hard to see the sky, but as he pushed forward, the trees started thinning out.
Suddenly, he found himself at the edge of a cliff.
The view was breathtaking. The forest stretched below him, a sea of green that seemed to go on forever. But it wasn’t the vast expanse of trees that caught his eye—it was the massive tree in the distance, towering above everything else. It pierced through the sky, its colossal trunk standing out against the horizon.
The tree’s bark was dark brown, almost black, and its leaves were a deep red. It looked ancient, oozing with a mysterious aura, as though it had been there long before anything else.
Sol's gaze returned to the area closer to him, and his eyes widened in shock. In a small clearing just below the cliff, he saw bodies—humans, lying scattered on the ground. They were wearing armor and clothing unfamiliar to him, unlike anything he had seen back at the cathedral. Some of the corpses had been ripped apart, their bodies mangled in horrific ways.
What the hell happened here? Who are these people?
It seemed there were more survivors in this strange place beyond the cathedral. Sol's mind raced as he searched for a way down. He spotted a path and quickly made his way toward it, his heart pounding with nervous anticipation. He had no idea what he would find, but he needed answers.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
As Sol approached the clearing, weaving between the trees, something slammed into him with brutal force. A figure in silver armor had rammed him with his shoulder, sending Sol flying through the air. He hit a nearby tree hard, his broken blade slipping from his hand. Before he could grab it, the armored figure was already standing over him, a gleaming silver sword pointed directly at Sol’s neck.
“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Sol gasped.
The man towering over him had no helmet, his short blonde beard framing a hard-set jaw. His blue eyes were cold as they analyzed Sol from head to toe.
“Which domain are you from?” the man asked in a calm but authoritative tone.
“What?! What the hell are you talking about?” Sol spat back, confused.
The silver knight’s eyes narrowed as he continued to study Sol’s worn-out figure. “Newcomer?”
Sol blinked. “I just… I don’t know how I got here. I just ended up in this place…”
Without warning, the knight raised his sword high, the blade glowing with a bright yellow aura. Sol’s heart jumped in his chest as the man brought the sword down at an inhuman speed. There was no time to dodge. Sol braced himself for the end, but the blade stopped just inches from his neck.
The knight lowered his sword, then sheathed it at his side. “Follow me.”
Sol struggled to his feet, his heart still racing. “What the hell was that for?!”
The knight ignored his question and started walking toward the clearing. Reluctantly, Sol followed, though his mind was racing with questions and frustration. He didn’t trust this guy, but he didn’t have much choice.
As they reached the clearing, Sol’s stomach turned at the sight of the corpses strewn about—dozens of them, all mangled and lifeless. The smell of death hung in the air, thick and suffocating.
Sol stopped in his tracks, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Tell me what the hell is happening. Where am I? What happened here? And who are you?"
The silver knight sighed, his patience clearly wearing thin. "I don't like repeating myself. You'll know soon enough."
Sol gritted his teeth, thinking, This prick. But he held his tongue, realizing that pushing for answers wasn’t going to get him anywhere right now.
They continued toward a cave nearby, nestled against the cliff. From the outside, it looked like a narrow opening, barely enough for one person to squeeze through. But as they stepped inside, Sol's eyes widened. The space expanded dramatically, revealing a cavernous interior with towering rock walls and deep shadows.
Stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping water that echoed throughout the massive chamber. The cave was surprisingly cool, the air damp and carrying a faint metallic scent.
As Sol stepped deeper into the cave, his eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he saw more people scattered throughout the spacious interior. There were four of them in total.
One man, in his 30s, wore a jacket that had clearly seen better days. He stood near the back, his hands tucked into his pockets, observing the room with a tired, detached expression. Another man, much taller and more imposing, wore a tank top that showed off his muscular frame. He held a torch in his hand, the flames casting flickering shadows across his bulging arms and the cavern walls.
A third figure, about the same age as Sol, was dressed in a black hoodie. He was sitting against the wall, looking down at the ground, his face partially hidden by the hood. His eyes glanced up briefly, and he muttered softly, almost to himself, “Another one?”
In the corner, a girl in a long dress sat alone. Sol recognized them all—they were some of the people he had seen back in the cathedral, the same ones whose fate he had wondered about. But now, here they were, each one strangely isolated, keeping their distance from each other.
Sol's mind raced with questions, but none of the others spoke. The silence was heavy, only broken by the soft crackling of the torch in the muscular man’s hand. He could feel the weight of their gazes on him, but no one moved to greet him.
The silver knight turned without a word, heading back outside, leaving Sol standing in the dimly lit cave, awkward and uncertain. Before disappearing through the entrance, he tossed a final command over his shoulder.
"All of you loot the corpses for anything of use after explaining everything to him," he said, his voice stern but impersonal.
Sol shifted his weight from one foot to the other, glancing around at the others. None of them seemed eager to engage. The man in the black hoodie kept his head down, his demeanor cautious. The muscular guy with the torch gave Sol a brief, disinterested look before returning to the flame. The man in the jacket remained aloof, leaning against the wall with a distant expression, as though he was detached from the situation. The girl in the long dress looked at Sol with a mix of curiosity and hesitation, her eyes revealing a flicker of recognition.
Great, just great, Sol thought.