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My eyes fluttered open, a dull numbness washing over me like a suffocating blanket.

"Ugh..." I groaned, every muscle aching with a distant throb that echoed through my entire body. Blinking slowly, I tried to focus, but what I saw made my skin crawl.

Darkness. Not just a shadow or a night sky–but endless, oppressive darkness stretched out in every direction. Like someone had poured ink over everything, drowning it all in this suffocating black. Somehow, though, I could still see–barely.

Shapes loomed in faint grays, as if the dark itself had a light of its own. I was draped in a dark robe, heavier than anything I remembered wearing, almost choking in its thickness.

“What… the hell?” I muttered, voice hoarse, and the words drifted, echoing through the void in a way that made my skin prickle. It was like the sound of my own voice didn’t belong to me here. My words twisted and faded out like whispers swallowed up by the darkness itself.

Where am I?

Standing slowly, I glanced down, half-expecting to see solid ground, but there was only water–still, black as oil, yet I was somehow standing on it. I kicked the surface, expecting a splash, something. But the water just rippled, smooth and silent, leaving no trace of disturbance.

“This place… doesn’t make sense.” The thought crept into my mind, unwilling, as if the darkness itself had planted it there.

Fuuu. I took a deep breath, the chill in the air clawing at my lungs. Instinctively, I reached for Exira, calling on that familiar power to ground myself, but instead, a wave of pain smashed into my skull. It felt like a hammer had driven itself right between my eyes. Shit!

“Argh!” I doubled over, clutching my head as my vision flared red. Blood trickled down, hot and thick, painting everything in crimson streaks. I crouched there, trying to breathe, but every heartbeat was like a sledgehammer driving deeper and deeper into my skull.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Slowly, the pain ebbed, retreating like a wave, leaving me shaking, bloody, and exhausted. I pushed myself upright, wiping the blood from my eyes.

The darkness around me stayed silent, oppressive, pressing against me with a suffocating weight. But I needed to move–somewhere, anywhere other than this spot that felt like it was crushing me.

With my head still throbbing, I took a few tentative steps, feeling the slickness of the black water beneath my feet. Every step rippled out in faint waves, but there was no direction, no path, nothing but endless dark stretching out around me. Each step I took felt like walking further into an endless void.

Is this real? The thought came unbidden, crawling up my spine. Was any of it real? The monsters, the cave, my own damn name—all of it felt distant, slipping through my fingers like sand.

“No, no, I’m not… losing it,” I muttered, clenching my fists. But the doubt clawed at me, insistent, relentless. What if none of it was real? What if this was all there ever was—this void, this nothingness?

No. Focus Lexi. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to latch onto something, anything to steady myself. But every memory was like a faded picture, details slipping away the more I tried to hold onto them.

Was it a cave I woke up in? Or was that just… something else? My own name started to feel slippery, like I was forgetting the shape of it. The more I tried to remember, the harder it was to breathe, my chest tightening with a cold, creeping panic.

Enough. I stopped, sucking in a breath, then bit my lip until I tasted blood, feeling the sharp sting ground me, keep me in the here and now.

Who am I?

The answer barely surfaced, just a whisper in the back of my mind. Alexis… Artoria Drakesier. But the pain lashed out again, slamming into my skull, a spike of agony that left me reeling.

“Argh!” I gripped my head as the blood ran down, hot, thick, soaking my hands. It seeped from my eyes, my nose, even my mouth. Each breath was like inhaling shards of ice. But I didn’t stop. I reached for Exira again, drawing it out even as it tore through my mind like a wild animal.

Push harder. Don’t stop. I clamped down on the pain, forcing the Exira to strengthen, expand, fuel me. Every cell in my body screamed, my vision warping as the red haze thickened, but I held my ground, letting the pain mold me, define me.

“I… am…” The words barely escaped through gritted teeth. My vision blurred, the world swaying, spinning, but I didn’t let go. Even as I felt like I was drowning in blood, I clung to that single truth, forcing it out in a guttural, hoarse scream.

“I am Alexis… Artoria Drakesier! And I will… reach back… home… Mom…”

The darkness around me shuddered, like it had heard me. Cracks split through the void, faint, like lightning against a blackened sky. I could feel the edges of reality tearing, unraveling around me. Light seeped through the cracks, harsh, searing, as the world dissolved, splintering under the weight of my resolve.

And then, just as quickly as it had come, the darkness shattered.

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“Cough… damn it…”

The sound came from deep in my chest as I sputtered, choking out water, every breath burning down to my lungs. I lay sprawled out on the floor, drenched, barely able to move. My limbs felt like lead, and my left leg—it burned, sharp and insistent, every nerve screaming at me.

Slowly, I tried to piece together what had just happened. The fight, the damn monster, the water… and that place. Was that real? I clenched my fists, feeling my nails dig into my palms, forcing myself to focus on the present, on the feeling of the cold cave floor under me.

I pushed up onto my elbows, taking a good look around. It was another part of the cave, darker but quieter, with the faint, hollow echo of dripping water nearby. Not the same water source, though, I noted as my eyes adjusted to the dimness.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Great. Just fantastic.” I huffed, struggling to sit up fully, my body protesting every movement.

As I settled against the cold stone wall, a wave of pain rolled over me. My left leg throbbed, the skin feeling raw, sensitive to even the slightest shift.

A quick glance confirmed what I’d suspected: my skin was pale and red, burned from the acid, patches of it tender and shiny.

Hell, even just breathing makes it hurt.

With a wince, I raised my hand, studying my palm. Redish pink and blotchy, but at least it wasn’t falling off. The damn acid had done a number on me. I let out a sigh, forcing myself to focus, and looked down at my wrist.

The bracelet was still there, the faint glimmer of its last charge intact.

Thank god, I thought, relief washing over me. “Alright… one last save for when I really need it.”

Glancing down, I took in the state of my clothes, clinging damply to my skin. The fabric had been eaten through in places, almost melted. I could feel it sticking to the burns, irritating them further, but the wetness somehow dulled the worst of the pain, cooling the fire that simmered just below the surface. Still, it was shredded, barely hanging together. Not that I was planning on giving any fashion shows down here.

Rifling through my bag, I breathed out another sigh of relief. Everything was intact, still surprisingly dry. A few damp edges, but nothing major. The bone bundle and both swords were gone, though.

“Damn. They really served well,” I muttered, mentally cursing the loss. Time to think about replacements… again.

I reached out instinctively for Exira, only to stop as a sharp pain shot through my head, cutting off any attempt at focus. It was like my brain was being wrung dry, every thought twisting and snapping as I tried to concentrate.

“Guess that’s a no-go for now,” I grumbled, pressing the heel of my palm against my temple. I’ll have to give it some time.

With my back against the wall, I took out a few jerkies from my bag. The inside of the bag was dry, which was nothing short of a miracle. I bit into one, savoring the rough, salty taste as I chewed slowly, each bite grounding me back in reality.

Between bites, my mind drifted back to the fight, and… that place. That empty darkness.

Was that place… my origin?

The thought twisted my stomach, making me feel more unsettled than I’d like to admit. I clenched my teeth, remembering the black void and the weight of those memories and feelings, all that blood and pain. It hadn’t just been an illusion. No, it was… something more, something darker.

Or maybe, I thought, as a memory surfaced, it was because I tried to touch the monster’s origin. A faint recollection of Mom’s voice echoed in my mind, her stern tone warning me of the dangers. She’d said there were consequences to connecting with the essence of a being, especially a sentient one, and even more so if that being was stronger than me. “Dire consequences,” she’d called it, her face dead serious.

“Yeah, well… guess I learned that one the hard way,” I muttered, chewing on another strip of jerky. My head throbbed faintly as I thought back, and I took another breath to steady myself. Every beat of my heart was a dull ache, reminding me of just how far I’d pushed things.

And that place… the memory of it sent a shiver through me. Just what was that? It felt like I’d been staring into the edge of something—myself, maybe, or something much worse.

I shook my head, feeling the lingering dread settle deeper. Whatever it was, I didn’t want to visit it again anytime soon.

Not if I could help it.

huuuu

I let out a long, tired sigh and pulled out the metal card, feeling its cool weight in my hand. The tug was unmistakable, stronger now and definitely closer. “Well, well,” I muttered, allowing myself a half-smile. “Looks like this little thing might actually lead somewhere.”

I pushed myself up, gritting my teeth as a sharp ache shot through my left leg. Every time I put weight on it, the pain flared, jagged and relentless. Great. Just what I needed. I took a moment to steady myself, inhaling through clenched teeth.

“No rest for the wicked, huh?”

With a quick breath, I closed my eyes and summoned Exira, letting it flow in a steady, level 0 strength throughout my body. The energy rippled, dulling the pain just enough to make movement bearable.

Better. Not perfect, but hell, I’d take what I could get.

Slowly, I tested my footing, stepping lightly on my left leg. The pain was still there, a dull throb, but the relief Exira provided was enough to make it manageable.

Step by awkward step, I hobbled forward, following the card’s insistent pull. Can’t believe I’m trudging through this place in this state.

A quick inventory ran through my head. I had the throwing knives and two of the small blades I’d taken from the elf. Not much of an arsenal. And I couldn’t even rely on Exira past a few seconds at level 1 strength; the last encounter had made that painfully clear.

“Yeah, nothing dangerous about this situation at all,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

But even with every rational thought telling me to stop, to find a place to rest, I kept moving. Wherever this thing is pulling me, I thought, glancing down at the card in my hand, it better be worth it.

After what felt like an eternity of careful steps and gritted teeth, I reached a small, narrow opening in the wall. The card tugged insistently in my hand, practically vibrating.

So it’s in there… or above? I looked up, squinting to make out a hole high above me, similar to the one I’d found near the elf’s body.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered, rubbing a hand over my face. The idea of climbing up there in my condition was laughable at best. And yet here I am, staring at this damn hole like an idiot.

I looked down at my leg, still throbbing under Exira’s effects. “Alright, Lexi. Let’s think this through.” I eyed the walls, rough and jagged, perfect for climbing if I had both my legs working with me. With one injured? It was going to be a gamble.

“Perfect, just what I wanted,” I muttered, feeling the familiar twist of frustration. “Let’s get one thing straight,” I told the darkness. “The moment I get out of this hellhole, I’m not climbing anything for a long, long time.”

With a resigned sigh, I set my bag down, carefully adjusting the straps to secure it across my back. I tested a few handholds, feeling the stone bite into my fingers. This is gonna hurt like hell.

As I grabbed hold, I muttered, “Alright, if I’m gonna do this, let’s do it.”

It took every ounce of grit and grim determination, but after what felt like a damn eternity–ten or maybe fifteen minutes? I finally heaved myself up through the opening.

Each step was a surge of pain, every inch a reminder of how close I was to just collapsing. I’d used my knives like makeshift pitons, stabbing and climbing my way up. Now, wincing and cursing under my breath, I let myself down to the floor on the other side, landing hard and feeling the shock ripple through my battered body.

“Ah–fuck,” I hissed, clutching my side, my hand instinctively pressing against the burning throb in my leg. Barely made it up here in one piece, I thought, willing myself to stay upright.

And then… I looked up. And froze.

There, slumped against the wall, was another figure–a form that shouldn’t have been there. Pointed ears, unmistakably elven features, skin a shade lighter than the last one I’d found. But this one… this one was different.

This one was still breathing.

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