My grip failed, and I felt myself falling, the sensation of weightlessness returning with a vengeance. The world spun around me in a chaotic whirl of colors and sensations as I plummeted toward the unforgiving ground below. My stomach twisted, the sickening lurch of free-fall turning my insides into a knot of fear and dread.
This is it, I thought, panic surging through me. This is how it ends.
The impact was nothing short of brutal. Pain exploded through my body like a bolt of lightning, radiating from my back as if my spine had been shattered into a million pieces. The force of the fall drove the air from my lungs, leaving me gasping, struggling to draw breath as my chest heaved in agony. My head struck the wall with a sickening thud, and stars burst in my vision, pain blossoming behind my eyes like a cruel, fiery explosion.
I can’t die like this… not like this.
Dizziness washed over me in waves, the world tilting and spinning in a nauseating spiral that made it impossible to focus. My vision blurred, the edges darkening as the overwhelming pain drowned out every other sensation. An all-consuming agony enveloped my entire being, dragging me down, deeper and deeper, into the comforting, terrifying embrace of darkness.
It hurts… It hurts so much…
I felt the world slipping away, my consciousness teetering on the brink of oblivion. But just as the darkness threatened to swallow me whole, a voice cut through the void, sharp and clear.
[You have used a Checkpoint Coupon. This does not count as a run. You have been reset to your last stable location. You have been restored to full health and stamina,] Crystal’s voice announced, bringing with it a strange sense of relief amidst the chaos.
Reset? I thought, confusion mingling with the pain. But… I died…
A soft, ethereal light surrounded me as consciousness returned, the darkness lifting like a veil being pulled back. The pain that had wracked my body moments before was gone, replaced by a warm, soothing sensation that spread through my limbs like a gentle, healing balm. I took a deep breath, the air cool and refreshing as it filled my lungs, banishing the suffocating pressure that had gripped my chest.
I’m… alive? And not on floor 1? Damn, that's convenient.
My vision cleared, and I found myself back at the last stable point, the cliff where I had fallen to my death. I opened my eyes fully, blinking against the dim light, and took in my surroundings. The air was thick with tension, heavy with the scent of earth and stone, tinged with the acrid stench of smoke from the distant fires below. The faint, sulfurous odor of the monster’s breath lingered in the air, a reminder of the terror that chased me. The distant roars of the monstrous creature below echoed in my ears, a low, rumbling growl that vibrated through the very ground beneath me.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, I sat down, trying to calm my racing heart and survey my options. The ground beneath me trembled with each powerful boom, as if the mountain itself was quaking in fear of the beast that lurked below. The monster continued its relentless assault, hurling creature after creature at the mountainside, each impact sending shudders through the earth, making the cliffside feel precarious and unstable.
I bit at my fingers, the nerves fraying my mind. The booms grew louder, the tremors more violent, making it feel as though the very ground might crumble beneath my feet at any moment. My instincts screamed at me to curl up into a ball, to hide, to escape from the pain and terror, to pretend that none of this was real. But I knew I couldn't
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
As I looked around desperately, my eyes landed on something I hadn't noticed before—oddly vibrant orange rocks scattered among the dark, jagged stone cliff. They stood out, almost glowing in the dim light. A surge of hope flickered inside me. Could those really be… my way out?
Like a beacon of hope, they dotted the mountainside, glowing faintly against the dark stone, forming a natural ladder that led all the way up. Ignoring the rising fear that gnawed at the edges of my resolve, I reached out and grabbed one of the rocks, feeling its texture beneath my fingers. It felt strange, almost hairy, as if covered in thick moss. The sensation was unsettling, but I pushed it aside, focusing instead on the task at hand.
No other choice… I have to try.
I began to climb, one handhold at a time, the rough surface of the rock scraping against my palms. The air was thick with tension, the sound of the monster’s roars growing louder, more insistent, as if it sensed my escape. Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the mountain, just as my right hand reached upward. A bomb had struck the mountain, the force of the blast yanking me out of my grip, leaving me dangling by my left hand, which barely held on.
Hold on… Just hold on!
Agony shot through my shoulder, the joint nearly dislocating from the violent pull. I screamed in pain, the sound echoing off the mountainside, but I forced myself to swing back, gritting my teeth against the searing pain that radiated through my arm. My fingers scraped against the rock as I struggled to find another handhold, and I felt a sickening crunch as the rocks shifted beneath my weight. I felt the urge to drop my grip from the pain radiating up and down my fingers.
Don’t let go… don’t let go!
The rocks weren’t rocks at all—they were tiny, hairy monsters, camouflaged against the mountainside, blending seamlessly with the terrain. As I clung to one, it came alive, wriggling and squirming in my grasp before biting down on my hand with sharp, needle-like teeth. Searing pain shot through me, but I refused to let go, my determination overriding the agony.
It hurts! God, it hurts!
I forced myself to grab for the next 'rock' , and yanked my other hand free, the creature’s sharp teeth ripping through flesh and leather. Blood oozed from the torn glove, and my hand throbbed in protest. The pain was excruciating, but I forced myself to keep climbing, each movement sending fresh waves of agony through my arm.
[You take 5 damage.]
It’s just pain… I can push through it… I have to push through it…
My arms trembled as I reached for the next handhold, my muscles screaming in protest. The creature I grasped onto squirmed violently, its tiny teeth scraping at my palm as it tried to shake me loose.
[You take 5 damage.]
Stay focused… just a few more…
I bit down hard on my lip, the taste of blood filling my mouth as I pulled myself up another foot. My fingers found purchase on another creature, its hairy surface rough and prickly against my torn skin. It hissed and snapped at my fingers, but I held on, even as its sharp teeth sank into my flesh, the pain like a white-hot brand searing through my nerves.
[You take 5 damage.]
This can’t be happening… I thought, my mind screaming at me to let go, to stop the pain. But if I let go... Keep climbing!
With each agonizing movement, I felt my strength waning, the pain gnawing away at my resolve. My breath came in ragged gasps, my lungs burning with the effort. The rough texture of the creature beneath my fingers was slick with my own blood, and I struggled to keep my hold as the creature tried to shake me off, its body writhing beneath my grip.
[You take 5 damage.]
Just… a little… further…
My vision blurred, the world narrowing to the rock face in front of me as I fought to climb higher. The pain in my hands was relentless, each new bite and scratch a fresh jolt of agony that made my head spin. My arms felt like lead, every muscle screaming in protest with each movement. But I couldn’t stop—not now, not when I was so close.
[You take 5 damage.]
I can’t… I can’t keep this up…
I could feel myself weakening, my grip faltering as exhaustion set in. The pain was overwhelming, raw and unfiltered, each bite and scratch pushing me closer to the edge of consciousness. The world spun around me, my vision darkening at the edges. Just as I thought I couldn’t hold on any longer, my right hand found a solid hold on the cliffside—a blessed patch of smooth, cold stone unmarred by the vicious creatures.
Thank Rellum… please let this be the end…
With a final, desperate effort, I pulled myself up, swinging my leg over the edge and collapsing onto the top of the mountain, my body a broken, bloodied mess. Just as I was about to close my eyes, the screaming started.