Splash.
Coughing, I gasp for air. "Wha—the hell?"
"He's finally awake," a knight snickers, his voice dripping with amusement.
Another voice chimes in, "Hey, boss man, what do you want us to do with him?"
From somewhere in the shadows, a cold, detached voice replies, "Do whatever you want with him. Just make sure to keep me out of it."
"Copy," both knights reply in unison.
As they finally yank the bag off my head, I blink against the sudden light, my eyes struggling to adjust. I try to move but I was tied down. I quickly scan my surroundings.
I realize we’re nowhere near where we were earlier. But we're still in the forest.
One of the knights steps forward, his presence commanding. He’s a tall, muscular man with tousled brown hair and sharp brown eyes that seem to scrutinize me with a mix of amusement and indifference.
"You're not from around here, are you?" he says, his tone sharp and probing.
I look at him, refusing to answer. Instead, I smirk. Not from around here? No shit.
"Not gonna answer?" The knight’s voice hardens. In one swift motion, he draws his sword and swings—
Blinding pain erupts in my chest. My breath hitches, my body recoiling as warm blood seeps into my clothes.
"Aghh… WHAT THE—"
SWING
Fire explodes across my ribs as the blade slices through flesh again.
"AGHH!"
SWING
I collapse to my knees, gasping. My vision blurs. Every breath burns. The taste of iron floods my mouth—I must’ve bitten my tongue.
"Just answer so we can get this over with," the knight says, his tone edged with impatience.
My head throbs. My body screams at me to surrender.
"F..." I mutter, spitting blood.
"What?" The knight leans in, bringing his ear close to my mouth.
Big mistake.
Summoning what little strength I have left, I sink my teeth into his flesh, clamping down with all my might. He thrashes, but I don’t let go—not until I taste blood, not until I feel something rip.
He screams—too late. With a final, vicious pull, I tear his ear away.
"HAHAHAHA! FWAK YUU!!" I spit the bloody ear onto the ground, my lips stretching into a manic grin.
The knight’s face contorts with rage. Veins bulge in his neck as he raises his sword.
SWING
"YOU FUCKING RAT!"
SWING
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"
I throw myself back, but the blade still catches my shoulder. White-hot agony tears through me. My limbs feel heavy, my vision narrowing into tunnels of red and black.
He lifts his sword again, and I know—this next hit will kill me.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
But before the blade can come down, another knight steps in, catching his arm.
"That's enough... He's gonna die," the knight says.
"Call the goddamn he—"
...
Call?
Who is he gonna call?
My vision is fading.. My hearing... Is this it?
I'm gonna die again... I don't wanna die...
"HEY HEY HEY"
A shock jolts through me. My vision sharpens, my hearing snaps back
Wait.. What?
What happened?
How am I alive?
I glance to the right, my neck straining against the knight’s grip.
Two women—I think they're women?—stand far off. Their mouths move. They seem to be saying something, but the words are lost, swallowed by the chaos around me.
"Hey…" His voice is low, almost a growl, and I can feel his breath on my skin—hot, rancid.
His face is right in front of mine, his brown eyes mere inches from my own. I can see the flecks of gold in them, feel the weight of his gaze like a physical force.
"Your probably wandering how your alive right?" He voice full of mockery
"WELL ILL SHOW YOU!"
My head snaps backward, my neck screaming in protest as he drags me up.
My hair—burning? No— He's yanking it.
"HERE THEY ARE" He screams lifting both his arms in the air
Infront of me two girls.
The first girl, tall and imposing, stands with an air of confidence. Her long, dark hair cascades down her back, and her green eyes are sharp—piercing. They don’t look at me with pity or fear; they look at me with the knowledge that I don’t belong here, that I’m just a pawn in some twisted game.
The second girl is smaller, her blonde hair barely fluttering in the wind. Her pale blue eyes are intense, searching. There’s something behind them—determination, a sense of purpose. Even from this distance, I feel the weight of her gaze. She’s not just standing there; she’s waiting, watching, calculating. It’s as if she can feel the flow of magic in the air.
They don’t move, yet everything about them screams power. They stand still, not like helpless bystanders.
"They're what you call mages!" He sneers, pointing at his mouth. "M-A-G-E-S."
"Well to be more specific. Healers!" He speaks up, "You see my ear? The one you bit? ITS FULLY HEALED"
My face flushes in disbelief, Wow.. I'm seeing magic up-close I cant believe it!
"Hmm..." He mutters, narrowing his eyes at me.
"Why are you happy?" His voice is low, sharp—like he’s reading me, dissecting the surprise in my expression.
Without warning, he swings his sword with brutal precision. The blade cuts through the air with a deadly accuracy, slashing into my chest before I can even react.
FUCK!
It hurts—the pain rips through me like fire.
SWING
I can’t breathe, I can’t think—
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
My chest is on fire, I can feel blood pouring out...
SWING
"AHHAHAHAHA!"
I can't take this. I can't...
[SYSTEM ALERT: NEAR DEATH STATUS ACTIVATED]
The words flash across my vision in blinding red.
[SYSTEM BUFF: ALL STATS +100% FOR 10 SECONDS]
A surge of power floods through me. Strength courses through my body, sharper than ever, like a last breath of life. My pain… it’s still there, but now… it feels like fire instead of agony, burning through me with purpose.
I quickly pull out my toothpick, using it to escape.
I point it towards the ground, my hand trembling from the lingering pain
"PIERCING STRIKE!"
With a sudden burst of energy, I'm flung into the air. I’m airborne, flying, the force of the strike making the knight look up in disbelief.
I look at the ground.
I'm.. too high
...
SHIT HOW AM I GONNA LAND SAFELY.
I need control.. I need to not die
I open my arms, like a bird fighting to catch the air beneath it.
As I spot a tree—high enough for me to latch onto—my instincts scream at me. That’s my shot.
I reach out, my fingers closing around the trunk as I latch on with everything I’ve got.
But I’m moving too fast. The momentum is overwhelming, and before I can even think, I crash into the tree.
CRACK!
The impact sends a shockwave of pain through my body. My ribs slam against the bark, and my chest feels like it’s about to shatter.
FUCK!
I slide down the trunk, my vision swimming, the world spinning wildly. My grip falters, and I drop the final few feet to the ground.
"hahaHAHAHA"
"Im alive..."
[SYSTEM ALERT: HEALTH CRITICAL]
I can feel that..
[SYSTEM ALERT: Activating 0-01]
0-01? whats that
------[SYSTEM]------
Activating: 0-01
[Skill Unlocked: Regeneration]
Condition: Health below 10% (Critical Status)
Effect: Regenerates 5% of total health per second for 10 seconds (50%)
Cooldown: 1 Minute
----------------------------
So it heals me for half of my hp? how useful..
I stay layed down my vision starting to fade
A short rest wont hurt right?