I freeze. There is a behemoth before me. Clad head to toe in large, large, overlapping, oval scales. With a fierce slit eyes and a head larger than me. Wings that just before was carrying this monster through the sky, now drape over its long body. This can't be a dragon whelp. It must be an adult. If this is a whelp, no way in hell humans could ever have won a battle against such monstrosities.

I have this unnerving sense that nothing is in my power now. That if I run or fight, I die. All I can do is sit still and pray it does nothing. More people than Asger were trampled, why did it have to land here? Why did I have to go back? Why did I have to join this request? Such decisions and thought are what I am lamenting, as I keep as still as I can for as long as I can.

For what feels like an eternity, I focus all my being into sitting as still as possible. It feels exhausting, and I feel like I can't swallow, that I am about to cry, that my throat is dry and sweat is pouring out of me at an incredible pace.

"You" a low voice bellows. I can feel the vibrations in my bones. "You came to kill my son?"

Ah fuck, I am so fucking dead. Shit. Fuck. No. Shit. Fuck.

"N-no?" I stammer out.

"Foolish human" Is all it says. Before I can even react, sharp teeth are over me, excruciating pain follows from my waist and the-

It hurts. It hurts. Something pressing on me from all angles. It's warm. It burns. Am I being born again? Did I die and I am being born again? Did I die the first time? Can't breathe, I try to take some air in, but all that fills my mouth is making me nauseous, burns and makes me want to vomit.

In a panic, I struggle. I have no weapon. I must get loose. I pour all of my magic into a single creation magic, one that forms a sword. I cut all around me, swing wildly, struggle for everything. I am dying! I have no air! LET ME OUT! I feel the sensation. I hear the sound. I am definitely cutting something. More! It is if I am trapped in a giant yarn ball, and each cut loosens the strings. MORE! I must get loose! Argh shit, can't breathe, can't see. Everything shakes. I am losing strength. I must... con-

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I can't breathe again. I struggle with all my might, expecting the same resistance as last time, but I meet relatively little resistance. Once I am free, the first thing that assaults me is a putrid odor and taste in my mouth. I puke. My face is caked in something.

I slowly get the worst off me with my bare hands. I am stark naked, bar whatever is covering me. I look over the scene. A collapsed dragon, out of which is a trail of blood and... shit? And where I emerged from. I am goddamn covered in shit and blood. What happened? Did it swallow me whole? Did someone rescue me?

I look around. I think I am in a dungeon. The place has a large, cave-like structure to it, I haven't even heard of just... caves in this world, so I presume it's a dungeon. I look around and see that I am alone. Only the dragon lies there, with its blood and feces that I emerged from. What just happened? That question comes over me again and again.

I can't do nothing. I can't just sit here. I must do something. I slowly convince myself out of my confusion. I must try to leave this dungeon. I cast Read. I only pick up a few signals relatively far away. The opposite way must lead out of here. I start to slowly trod in the direction, Read leads me.

I am still confused. Didn't I die? Was that somehow an illusion? Is Asger alive? Things course through my head as I mindlessly go in one direction, relying only on guesswork to take me through intersections and Read to go away from the monsters to get out of here.

I don't know how long it took, maybe a few hours, but I emerge from the dungeon. There is no one here either. It is the same dungeon I arrived at just a while ago. But there is a trail and... some blood in the dirt. Where Asger was. No, that doesn't mean anything. He could just be hurt. The trails show the depression of wheel and footsteps of many men flattening the ground. Good thing I can follow it; else I would have no idea how to get back home. I just want to go home.

I take a deep breath, crouch down, weave bestowal magic into my legs and run with all my might, following the trail at a breakneck speed, completely naked.