The first thing that Zhi Yan could remember was the taste. A watery, muddy taste overwhelmed her senses as water flooded into her airways. Immediately, the panic set in. Something was pressing down on her chest, something extremely heavy. She didn't dare open her eyes, flailing her arms and legs in the water towards what she presumed to be the surface. Her hands groped in the darkness until one hand by some miracle came out of the water and grabbed onto a rock that jutted out just enough to serve as a ledge.
A primal gasp for air could be heard as she barely broke the water's surface. Eyes wide and panting, Zhi Yan blinked away the remnants of water and peered around in the darkness. She couldn't see anything but she couldn't be bothered, more concerned with whatever was on her chest threatening to drown her. Desperately her right hand fumbled around feeling several thick metal chains coiled around her body locking a large and heavy metal plate to her chest.
Raw pain shot up from her fingertips as her hand started to lose its grasp on the wet rock. Think. Think. She gauged that the bottom was about two feet beneath where her feet were. Her heart rapidly thudded in her chest as she took in more greedy gulps of air trying to prevent the panic and fear from clouding her mind. She felt along the chains again her body. To her dismay, they were wrapped around her tightly in a crisscross manner. But crisscrossing means one continuous chain. Just one loop is all I need.
The pain in her hand had spread to her arm, a searing red-hot pain that begged for her to let go. It was getting harder to think now. Taking another deep breath, she let go of the rock letting herself sink underneath the water again. As soon as she let go, her arms flew to her sides digging at the metal for some looser part. She had been able to kick earlier with the lowest loop of metal sitting right above her knee. Tucking her knees back, Zhi Yan pulled. It didn't budge merely digging into her skin. Again she pulled. No luck. Again and again, she tried, movements turning frantic. The chain didn't move at all. Her lungs screamed at her for air but she just couldn't get the loop over her knees. Kicking off from the bottom, she shot towards the surface. As soon as her head popped through the surface, her hands waved around desperately for the ledge until she found it and swung both arms around it as her chest heaved up and down. This time was harder. If I don't get it off this time, I'm going to die.
Zhi Yan shook her head forcing herself to calm down as much as she could. She needed to be more relaxed this time so the chains weren't as taut on her body. I need more air this time too. She could feel the fatigue and sluggishness trying to take over but again she forced those feelings away. Then with the last of the strength in her arms, she pushed herself up, taking in as much air as she could before she sunk herself back under.
This time she tucked her knees less in and started to wiggle the chain closer to where her kneecaps sat. Bit by bit the chain got closer to where her legs hinged and she felt something hit her back. She had hit the bottom and she was running out of time. But the chain just refused to cross over the top of the joint. Time seemed to slow down. Ignoring the pain in nearly every crevice and expanse of her body, she grabbed the chain and pulled. The metal dug into her skin followed by the drag of her nails as she tried to her legs free. It felt like her skin was going on fire threatening to tear in half before the chain abruptly went slack in her hand. The loop had finally slipped over her knees, sliding past her ankles as the upper coils of metal followed suit.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Like a madman, Zhi Yan pushed down on the chains trying to free herself. Finally, she felt the weight on her chest slide downwards before getting caught at her hips in a bunch of whatever she was ripping. Her fingers ripped at the clothing on her as her legs began to kick slower and slower. She could feel herself sinking back down.
> "I'm going to die, aren't I?"
In her frenzy, her hands had caught onto a rip in the fabric, and not knowing what else to do, she ripped. Suddenly the clothes around her loosened sending the metal plate plummeting to the depths of the water. The startling loss of weight was all Zhi Yan needed to propel herself to the surface. And for the third time, she burst through the surface gasping for air. Once she had gotten ahold of the ledge, she took lungfuls of oxygen her chest no longer limited by something sitting on it. After she had recovered a bit of her strength, she moved her body so that she could along the wall. Fingers cautiously felt around along the wet and grimy wall revealing that she was in a well of sorts. Even though she didn't know how high, the well couldn't have been more than three feet wide as her outstretched easily grazed the other side. And from the lack of light, it seemed like the well was also covered. What an experience that the gods have blessed me with.
Lugging her left arm over the ledge, she leaned back before swinging her legs up until both feet rested flat against the opposing wall. This is going to hurt. And hurt it did as every time she pushed her upper body up, the rough stone walls scraped harshly against her naked back. Every muscle and bone in her body begged for her to stop. Still, she merely closed her eyes and bit her lip. Curse the weak mortal body. After what seemed like an eternity, her head rammed into something hard up above. Taking in a deep breath, she inched closer up until much of the wooden covering was sitting right over her back. Then she pushed the wooden covering.
Bright moonlight flooded her vision as the heavy covering slid to the side. The cool night air hit her nose as she shakily hoisted herself over the side of the well and onto the grass. As she sat down, Zhi Yan took in her surroundings. She seemed to be in a courtyard of sorts. Why she was in a well was beyond her. Zhi Yan herself mostly kept to her pavilion so there weren't many opportunities to make enemies with her. But it was very clear she was neither in her pavilion nor in her original body anymore. Speaking of which...She looked down and watched as rivulets of blood traveled down her limbs past bumps of old scars. She just needed a break for a little. Closing her eyes, she promised herself she would be gone before sunrise. Clearly, I am not welcome here.
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When she opened her eyes again, Zhi Yan could see the little bits of orange rays peeking out over the horizon. Ah. Plans can change.
She shifted her body from side to side before awkwardly pushing herself up. Her body still hurt quite a lot but, the rest had also helped. As she turned, her knee rammed straight into the slightly parted covering on the well. Zhi Yan sighed before using her hip to inch the covering back in place. Might as well tidy up before I leave. The plate emitted a loud grating noise that she didn't remember from the previous night causing her to wrinkle her brows in distaste.
A shrill shriek and a shatter broke through her thoughts and she paused, looking up to see a small servant girl eyes wide petrified with fear across the court.
Confused, Zhi Yan lifted her hand as if to silence the girl, only to realize that she was barren of any clothing. Ah, I think that is an appropriate response. Clearly her throat, she asked in the most dignified voice she could muster, "Fetch me some ro-"
"A GHOST! ZHI YAN'S GHOST IS HERE!" And then the girl fainted.
Eh? Ghost?