[Part 1 - Commencement of a New Beginning]

I find myself sprawled beside a towering tree, its branches adorned with leaves of a deep, majestic purple. The roots beneath me pulse with a gentle, ethereal glow, casting a soft light on the forest floor. The air around me seems to be filled with a sweet, floral fragrance, which I can't quite place. It feels like I've been transported to a different world, one that I've never seen before.

Around the colossal tree is a small clearing, no more than sixty metres in diameter. But beyond its edges, the forest takes on a dense, otherworldly quality.

Violet-hued trees stretch towards the sky, their branches entwined with neon-glowing vines that snake through the air like serpents. It's a sight that I can't help but stare at in awe.

"... Nngh... what the...?" I groan, trying to orient myself from this unexpected situation. Though, hearing the sound of my voice is another surprise I wasn't expecting.

"Wha... Why does my voice sound deeper?"

As I try to get up, I realise that something is different. It's not just the surroundings that are strange; it's my own body too.

I push myself up, groaning as muscles I didn't know I had protested the movement.

"My body feels all kinds of wrong... Why do I feel taller?"

With a perplexed frown, I glance down at my hands, noting the subtle differences from what I remember.

It's like I'm seeing them for the first time, yet they feel strangely familiar, as if they belong to someone else entirely.

As I take in my surroundings, I notice that everything around me seems to be in perfect harmony. Amethyst-coloured fireflies dance among the foliage, casting a surreal glow over the entire scene. The leaves rustle gently in the breeze; it's a beautiful, peaceful place, and yet, everything seems to be just slightly off-kilter, like a dream that's too vivid to be real.

I can't help but wonder where I am and how I got here. The last thing I remember is getting yelled at for staying up late, specifically up until 4 AM.

Did I somehow travel to a different dimension? Or is this all just a dream?

I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. At least I won't be getting ridiculed by school agai—

"Remember..."

My mind abruptly throbbed in pain as a ghostly voice echoed throughout the fantastical woods, or rather, inside my own mind. It tells me to... remember? Remember what? Did I forget something? Is that why I don't have any clue where I am?

"Remember your choice..."

My choice? These whispers aren't making sense... Maybe it's just a prank or a dream?

I take a deep breath, trying to push away the confusion and fear that are starting to creep into my mind. It's then that I realise something.

My choice... Wait...

I remember now. The decision I made that led me here, lost in this strange and mystical forest—to end my old life for a new beginning; the choice to leave behind everything I knew for a fresh start.

And now, as the voice in my head continues to urge me to remember.

I realise that this decision was more significant than I initially thought. Was it worth it? No, it was definitely worth it. Now I am free from pain and torment... But all alone in this forest? Why send me here, in this altered body?

I take a few steps around the tree, trying to adjust to my new body and surroundings, hoping to find some answers. But all I can hear is the rustling of leaves and the distant cry of unknown creatures.

Journeying around the tree, I come across a strange symbol, an emblem, perhaps etched into the bark of the towering bole.

It's as if the darkness itself has left its mark on the tree. The emblem portrays an ink droplet, swirling with enigmatic shadows, within which is the silhouette of a sword engulfed in flames.

"What is this...?"

Fractured streaks ooze away from the emblem, protruding a majestically sinister black and purple glow.

"This is unreal..."

As I gaze at the emblem in awe, a sharp thud echoes right beside me.

My slow reaction speed, the bane of my existence, once again betrays me as I struggle to comprehend the situation unfolding before me.

I find a long arrow lying before me. Its tip isn't silver or metal-looking but seems to be a mixture of gold and diamond, if that's even what they're made of.

The arrow lies innocently penetrating the tree, yet its presence fills me with a sense of impending danger, as if it's a harbinger of darker things to come.

I took hasty steps back and stumbled onto my rear end.

"Wh-what the—"

Suddenly, a chilling rustle mixed with bony clattering emanates from the distant shrubbery, or maybe that's just my imagination.

"W-who's there!"

My voice is shaky, and shouting out loud probably isn't the best of ideas, but fear has a way of clouding rational thought.

My gaze darts around in the eerie night, searching for any sign of movement or threat.

But the darkness seems to swallow my surroundings, leaving me feeling more vulnerable than ever.

With a heavy sigh, I realise that I'm truly alone in this strange new world. No one to rely on but myself, no one to guide me through the perils that lie ahead.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, another arrow whizzes past me, this time from a different direction. My instincts kick in, and I dive to the ground, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectile.

"What is happening?"

My voice is barely more than a whisper in the thick silence of the night. The arrow lying before me, jammed into the bark of the tree, gleaming eerily in the moonlight, is a stark reminder of the danger lurking in the shadows.

With trembling hands, I reach out to touch the arrow without considering any consequences, hesitating for a moment before gingerly picking it up. Its weight feels heavy in my hand, like a tangible manifestation of the threat that looms over me.

The sensation's like being enveloped in a shimmering haze of amethyst light, a tingling energy that dances along my skin with ethereal grace, though it's also cold to the touch, so cold that it felt hot.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"I have to get out of here..."

My thoughts end there as I bolt away from the tree, thinking the emblem might be the source of danger. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, and my breaths are coming out in ragged gasps.

It takes a few seconds for me to reach the forest beyond the clearing, but those few seconds feel like an eternity. I'm desperately trying to distance myself and the emblem as much as possible. I don't stop there, though. I know that if something is lurking inside the forest, stopping would also be danger—

Clack!

"What the...!"

Thud!

Once again, I find myself falling as I bump into something. The impact produces a clacking sound, reminiscent of bones colliding.

I collided with something solid; what was... it...?

Gingerly, I look up and am greeted by a scene that resembles something out of a horror movie. Yet, strangely, it greets me as if it were just a normal Tuesday.

What? A skeleton. Alive, standing. With a bow?

A living skeleton, armed with a weapon of such otherworldly beauty. It defies all logic, all reason.

My heart pounds in my chest as I struggle to comprehend the impossible scene unfolding before my eyes.

There isn't just one, or two, or three. There are dozens of them. All identical to one another with their ragged bones and gem-like masks that only cover half of their skull.

"Uhh, uhm... H-hey...? D-don't mind me, just passing t-through!"

I stammer, my voice trembling with fear as I try to mask my panic. But the skeletons pay me no heed, their empty eye sockets fixed on their target with a decision to kill.

With a surge of adrenaline, I stand up quickly and begin to pace faster, my legs moving as if propelled by sheer instinct. But no matter how fast I run, it feels like I'm moving through molasses, my progress hindered by an invisible force.

I don't even make it more than three meters before a sharp pain invades me. The pain creeps through my body like an icy tendril, numbing and chilling every nerve it touches. It isn't a burning sensation, but rather a cold, biting ache that seems to penetrate to my very core.

I grit my teeth against the agony, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I struggle to push through the pain. But with each step, the cold only intensifies, wrapping around me like a suffocating shroud.

Before I know it, my back is frozen in rock-shaped ice, enhancing the freezing pain and forcing me to stumble over once again. Panic rises within me as I realize the gravity of my situation. Trapped and helpless, I can only watch as the skeletons draw closer, their weapons gleaming in the eerie light.

The skeletons advance with eerie precision, their bone-chilling clatters reverberating through the air. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, each beat echoing like a drumbeat of impending doom. With a desperate cry, I summon every ounce of strength I have left, struggling against the icy prison that binds me.

But it's no use. The cold seeps into my bones, sapping my strength and leaving me shivering and weak. As the skeletons draw closer, I can see the determination in their empty eye sockets, their weapons poised to strike.

Suddenly, a glimmer catches my eye, and I turn just in time to see an icy arrow hurtling towards my face at high speeds.

It's too late to evade. So much for a new beginning, I guess...

I close my eyes, bracing for impact, a whirlwind of thoughts and regrets swirling through my mind. Is this how it ends? Alone, frozen, and facing certain death?

I close my eyes and prepare myself for the inevitable. But just as all hope seems lost, a strange sensation washes over me, accompanied by a sudden absence of pain.

Opening one eye cautiously, I saw the arrow frozen in mid-air, suspended by some unseen force. It was as if time itself had stopped, granting me a moment of reprieve in the face of certain death.

Confused, I look around for any answer as to why everything, not just the arrow, froze in place. Even the waving of the leaves and glowing vines halted.

As the world around me freezes in suspended animation, my mind races to comprehend the inexplicable phenomenon unfolding before my eyes. It's as if time itself has come to a standstill, granting me a brief respite from the impending doom that looms over me like a dark cloud.

Suddenly, a soft glow begins to emanate from the frozen space before me. The hues of purple, gold, and white entwine, casting ethereal patterns that seem to pulse with a life of their own.

The glow coalesces into a translucent screen that hovers in mid-air. It's a fantastical tableau that seems to exist beyond divinity.

« Gifts (1) »

« FROM ANONYMOUS#5042 »

* Absolute Resurrection x1

« Open? »

What? 'Gifts'? 'Absolute Resurrection'? What's this... thing floating in front of me?

New mail... The words hang in the air, laden with mystery and intrigue, prompting me to uncertainly press my finger against 'Open?'.

The screen shimmers for a moment before revealing the contents of the message. Words materialize on the screen, written in a script that seems both ancient and futuristic at the same time. My heart pounds in my chest as I read the message, my mind struggling to process the implications of what I'm seeing.

« HERE’S A GIFT FROM: ANONYMOUS#5042 »

« MESSAGE »

“It appears your life is about to perish, so here lies a skill to rectify that.”

« CONTENTS »

1. [Absolute Resurrection] Type: Skill (Transcendental Recovery2 + Passive)

User is capable of coming back to life from any state, whether that be dead or non-existent, regardless of anything that prevents them from doing so.

« Accept / Decline »

The words linger in the air, their weight sinking into my consciousness. Absolute Resurrection? The implications of such a skill are staggering. To be able to defy death itself, to rise again no matter the circumstances... It's a power beyond comprehension, beyond anything I could have imagined.

But as I digest the message, a surge of conflicting emotions floods through me. Relief mingles with apprehension, and hope is intertwined with fear. Is this truly a gift, or a curse in disguise?

The ability to cheat death may offer salvation in the face of impending peril, but what price must I pay for such power?

Questions swirl in my mind, unanswered and unsettling. It's hard to shake off the feeling of unease that's been gnawing at me.

How did this anonymous person know of my approaching death?

What motives lie behind this selfless deed?

Can I even trust the honesty of this gift?

But as I sit here, lost in thought, I realise that these questions are not the only things that bother me.

Why am I thinking like this? This doesn't sound like me at all. There's too much going on at once for me to even process anything!

Despite all the confusion and doubts, I know what I have to do. I press the accept button without hesitation. I don't want to die; it's an obvious choice.

The screen fades away with a melodic 'ding!', and a strange and otherworldly sensation washes over me, leaving me feeling disoriented and confused.

Time seems to speed up again and so does the arrow that was hurtling towards me. It becomes a blur, a deadly projectile aimed straight at my skull.

A million thoughts race through my mind in the split second before impact. Memories of my past life flash before my eyes – the relentless bullying, the loneliness, the feeling of never belonging. Was this my fate? To meet a sudden and untimely end in a world I barely understand?

And then, it happens. The arrow strikes true, its sharp tip piercing my skull with brutal force. For a moment, there is only darkness, an icy embrace that threatens to swallow me whole.

As I drift into the void between life and death, something becomes clear.

I died. Or at least, I should have.

Instead, I find myself suspended in a strange limbo, neither fully alive nor completely consumed by oblivion.

It's a surreal experience, being caught in this state of existence. I'm just floating here, in this abyss. Alone.

But just as suddenly, I feel myself being pulled back. Like something is calling me, urging me to return to the world of the living.

With a blinding light, I find myself back at the massive tree where I first woke up, the familiar surroundings where my journey in this strange world began, I can't help but feel a sense of disorientation and confusion. One moment, I was faced with the inevitability of death, and the next, I'm back where I started, as if nothing ever happened.

I take a moment to collect my thoughts, my mind reeling from the surreal experience I've just endured.

But first things first—I need to survive. The skeletons lurking in the shadows haven't noticed me yet, and stealth may be my best chance at avoiding a confrontation. I may not be the stealthiest person, but desperate times call for desperate measures.