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Edward.

His name echoed in my mind, And that eye… as another memory came, this time a poem.

When the sky is torn asunder,

And shadows stretch with growing thunder,

The Eye of Devour peers below,

Bringing forth eternal woe.

Beware the gaze that sees your soul,

For no mercy will it know.

Its hunger vast, its darkness deep,

In its stare, your end shall creep.

Turn away, do not defy,

For beneath its watch, all must die.

A fate far worse than death awaits,

Where hope is lost and time abates.

When the heavens break and tremble,

And the world begins to crumble,

Seek no answers in the skies-

The Eye devours, and never lies.

My head pounded with the sudden recollection as if the very act of remembering had a price. I grabbed my head, my fingers digging into my scalp as the pain surged. It felt like someone was hammering nails into my skull, a relentless, searing ache that made my vision blur.

I grit my teeth, trying to fight through it, but the pressure only built, each pulse of pain worse than the last.

What the hell was that? The poem. The prophecy.

It had been buried deep, locked away with the rest of my memories.

But why? And why now? Why did it hurt so much?

The words of the poem echoed in my mind, bringing with them a creeping sense of dread. The Eye… I had seen it, staring down from that tear in the sky, vast and unblinking, filled with malice and the very fact he may have heard the prophecy long before the actual incident.

I gasped, my breath ragged, my hands still gripping my head as the pain intensified. I felt like my skull was going to split open.

chill

It spread from my earring, cold and soothing, pushing back against the agony like ice against a fire. My breathing steadied, the pain ebbing away, replaced by a sudden, eerie clarity. I could think again, the fog in my mind lifting.

My thoughts sharpened, and with them came more fragments, pieces of the past tumbling into place.

.

Flashes of my mother surfaced. Pairah. The name resonated, important yet elusive, like grasping at smoke. No matter how hard I focused, it slipped away.

But then, another memory surfaced. My mother’s voice, sharp with frustration, cutting through the haze.

"You should never have accepted it, Alexis. This… gift will cost you more than you realize."

Her words reverberated, tinged with fear. I saw her standing over me, concern and anger etched on her face, hands clenched. But the rest was a blur.

.

What had I accepted? What gift worried her so much?

The earring.

My fingers traced the cold metal of the dragon-shaped earring. Was this the "gift"? It seemed too insignificant to carry such weight, but the chill it emanated, the way it connected to my memories – it couldn't be a coincidence.

I leaned back against the wall, the cold stone pressing into me. My head still throbbed, but at least I could think. Silence enveloped the cave, the faint green glow of moss casting eerie shadows. I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm the storm in my mind.

I ..I.. I need answers….

The thought echoed through me, sharp and clear, pushing aside the fog that clung to my mind.

I needed answers. I needed to know what had happened to my family, to Alice, to Aunt Mel. The names felt heavy like anchors dragging me toward something I couldn’t see yet. But one thing was clear, if I wanted to find them, to understand what had happened, I had to get stronger.

Strong enough to stand beside my Mother.

I may have forgotten nearly everything, but this - this I knew for certain. My mother was the strongest being on earth. She was powerful, far beyond what anyone else could dream of.

And I… I had been weak. That’s what stung the most.

Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the stale air, the scent of blood and rot thick in my nose. My muscles protested as I pushed myself up, pain flaring in my limbs, but I ignored it. I needed to move, couldn't stay here wallowing in half-forgotten memories and regrets.

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The cave spun for a moment as I stood, legs shaky, threatening to buckle. But I forced myself upright. I wouldn't fall. Not again.

I have to grow stronger. Strong enough to not give a f**k about anything.

The thought burned in my mind. The flashes of Edward’s death, of the Eye, of the monsters were all tangled up in that weakness.

Not anymore.

I gritted my teeth, steadying myself, my breath coming in slow, controlled bursts. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest. Pain was nothing. Not anymore. But I realized how frail I was. My legs trembled, barely supporting me. I pressed against the wall for support, fighting to catch my breath. Fatigue threatened to overwhelm me.

Pathetic.

I couldn’t help but sneer at myself. Here I was, barely able to stand, a shadow of whatever I once was. But I wouldn’t let this body beat me, not after everything I’d been through.

Focus Lexi, what would Mom say seeing this…

Another deep breath. The cave was silent except for the faint drip of water. After what felt like an eternity, I finally managed to stay upright without leaning on the wall. Small victories, I thought, but they counted. I stretched out my arms first, letting them dangle as I rolled my shoulders. They were stiff, the joints creaking with every motion. I winced as I stretched further, feeling the pull of muscles that hadn’t been used in who knows how long.

Next was my neck. I tilted my head from side to side, the vertebrae cracking in sharp little pops that sent faint ripples of discomfort down my spine. It felt good, though, in a strange way. Like my body was waking up after being dormant for too long.

With my arms and neck loose, I moved to my waist, twisting slowly from left to right. My balance was still shaky, but I pushed through it. I needed to feel alive again, even if it hurt. Especially if it hurts.

Finally, I bent my knees, careful not to push too hard. The soreness was still there, a dull ache reminding me that my body was far from recovered. But the more I moved, the more control I regained. The more the weakness faded.

I took a few careful steps, feeling out the ground beneath me. The jagged stones pressed into my bare feet, sharp and unforgiving, but I welcomed the sensation. Pain meant I was still here, still alive.

I decided to finish the warm-up with a few jumping jacks. Slowly at first, just to make sure I wouldn’t collapse halfway through. My body protested, but I ignored it, pushing myself harder with each jump. It felt strange, familiar, but distant, like a forgotten habit surfacing from the depths of my mind.

One, two, three… I lost count after twenty. My breathing was labored by the end, but I didn’t care. The soreness in my legs had dulled, and I felt more grounded than I had since waking up in this cave. I might’ve been weak, but I wasn’t helpless. Not anymore.

Leaning against the wall again, I chuckled to myself. What would my gym buddies say if they saw me now? Taking this long just to warm up…

The thought was absurd, but it brought a smile to my face nonetheless. I began exploring, steps slow and unsteady. The cave wasn't large, but the eerie green light distorted everything. I found a narrow passage in the far wall – the only apparent way in or out.

A single passage? No other way… how the hell did I even end up here?

The thought gnawed at me as I scanned for another exit. Nothing. Someone must have brought me here. Teleportation? Some kind of retreat ability?

I sighed, a mix of frustration and confusion. It didn't make sense. But standing around wouldn't help, so I continued walking, circling the cave. It was disorienting, the way the glowing moss cast everything in that sickly green hue, and before I knew it, I found myself back where I started, the monster’s corpse.

I grimaced, the stench of decay hitting me all over again. The sight of it, too. A disgusting, mangled thing, its body twisted and bloated in death. My stomach churned, and for a moment, I thought about just turning away, leaving it to rot. But then…

Aunt Nora’s voice echoed in my mind, sharp and clear.

"Always analyze them, Lexi. A post-mortem is your best opportunity to identify their vulnerabilities. Examine their skeletal structure, and observe how their body fails. Understanding this will make you more efficient in future encounters."

“Even if that may be disgusting work and you may even stink but it may help you to survive”

I sighed, kneeling beside the corpse despite my revulsion. As much as I hated touching it, her advice made sense. I had to learn—anything that could help me survive.

Reaching up, I grabbed a handful of the glowing moss and lichen clinging to the walls, pulling it free. It still glowed in my hands, the same faint, greenish light. Good. I gathered a bit more, shaping it into a ball, the dim light giving me just enough visibility to properly inspect the monster.

The thing was massive. Around six or seven feet in length, bulky, with broad shoulders and thick limbs. I hovered my moss-light over it, revealing its full, grotesque form. It was an ugly a*s creature. Rotting flesh clung to its body in patches not sure if that’s natural. Parts of its skin looked burned, charred in some places, while others were cracked and festering.

I shook my head, trying to push the lingering nausea aside. I needed to focus. Ignoring the stench, I traced my hand along the corpse's shoulder, feeling the leathery surface beneath my fingertips. It was firm, almost unnaturally so. Out of curiosity, I knocked my knuckles against it, expecting some give, but the skin didn’t yield at all.

Damn. This thing's hide is tough, almost like armor only natural of course.

I moved my hands toward its limbs, and that’s when I noticed something that made me pause. Extending from its elbows were long, dirty white blades bone-like, roughly 30 to 40 inches in length, curving slightly at the tip. I leaned in closer, running my index finger very lightly along the edge. Almost instantly, I felt a sharp sting as the blade sliced through the surface of my skin.

I jerked my hand back. Damn… sharp. Really sharp.

I inspected the blade again. Both of the creature’s elbow joints had these weapons embedded in them. They weren’t just for show, these things were designed for killing. Taking a deep breath, I reached out and grabbed one of the blades, trying to pull it free. It didn’t budge.

Huh.

Frustrated, I turned to the other elbow and noticed that the joint there was barely hanging together. Flesh and sinew dangled loosely, and with some effort, I managed to pull the entire right elbow free. The blade came out with a sickening squish, the flesh giving way in my hand.

uegh….aeuk

Grimacing, I exhaled and moved to the other side, gripping the second blade firmly before chopping it clean from the rest of the corpse.

I inspected the cleaner bone blade, turning it over in my hands. It was a little shorter than a longsword, but it would have to do. I hefted it, testing its weight, then gave it a few swings through the air. The balance was off.

Sighing, I muttered to myself, "These need work. The weight’s horribly distributed… no pommel to counterbalance, and the grip’s nonexistent." Still, the blade’s sharpness was impressive, dangerous even.

I shifted into a stabbing stance, the familiar motion coming back to me as muscle memory took over. With a quick thrust, I drove the tip of the blade into the monster’s corpse. It pierced the leathery hide with surprising ease, sinking in deeper than I had expected.

"Yeah… with a few adjustments, I could make a decent weapon out of you," I murmured, pulling the blade free and staring at it with a strange sense of appreciation. There was potential here.

Satisfied for now, I moved to the second bone blade, cleaning off the remaining flesh stuck to it. Once both blades were set aside, I turned my attention back to the corpse. Kneeling down, I examined its face more closely. It had an elongated, almost reptilian shape, with slitted pupils that gave it a predatory look. Its maw, though, that was something else.

The mouth was full of teeth. Too many teeth. They jutted out at odd angles, sharp and twisted, mutation and it had gone horribly wrong. I grimaced, feeling a deep unease as I stared at the unnatural formation.

"This thing’s a walking nightmare," I muttered.

I grabbed the creature’s side, bracing myself as I attempted to flip it over onto its back. The damn thing was heavy, far heavier than it looked. It took all my strength just to move it a few inches, my muscles straining under the weight. Finally, with a grunt, I managed to roll it onto its back, the impact of its body hitting the ground echoing through the cave.

This thing weighs a damn ton.

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