「 CHAPTER 3: Stranded 」
Immediately after the dragon's crashing at the school, Kayden woke up gasping for air like he just woke up from a nightmare. He opened his eyes and immediately noticed that the sky–no, the whole world was pitch black and empty. As he tried to move his body he felt discovered that he was laying down on a flat cold floor with shallow water.
"It's... dark—wait I can hear my thoughts echo? where is this place...?"
His thoughts full of questions began to echo inside the voided world. He stood up to look at his condition but to his surprise his body was dry, and naked.
I'm naked!? And what is this water fluid thing...?
Kayden stood up and began walking. In each step the water rippled but It did not make a sound. He looked around but all he could see was the endless darkness and a shallow water that never ends.
"Hello? Is anyone here with me? It's me Kayden! Kayden Carnation!" He yelled, hoping to hear someone and know that there's someone in the same situation as him. Several seconds later, there was still no response.
After a few minutes of aimlessly walking and yelling, he decided to rest. He crouched down to sit but took a second to look at the floor. At that moment, he saw a massive eye staring directly at him from underneath the dark depths of the void.
He instinctively jumped away from the eye and kept his guard up. His sweat turns cold and so are his feet. He stared at the massive eye that was also staring back at him. But eventually the eye slowly closed its eyelids and seamlessly faded away in the darkness below.
Kayden threw out a breathe of relief now that the eye was gone. Strangely he found himself being calm and composed. Most people in that situation would scream of terror and run away.
What's happening? Are they also experiencing this right now?
Then all of a sudden, the quiet and dark void began shaking intensely.
"Wo-Woah! What's happening!?"
Out of nowhere he suddenly felt surge of pain in his legs as if they were shot by a gun. He lost balance but caught himself with sitting on one knee.
The empty space kept shaking likea high magnitude earthquake was occuring. Kayden eventually lost balance and fell, but right before he touch the floor his body jolted and woke up.
As Kayden opens his eyes, It was still dark but now, it was different. A single streak of light passing through a tiny hole above him. He tried to stand up but struggled to do so, he then realized that his legs were pinned down by fallen debris. He struggled to stand up and the more he struggles the more painful it gets so he decided to stop and endure.
He kept a cool, calm mind and assessed the situation he was in. With the single streak of shiny light that shed a soft light around the surrounding, he tried to look for anything that could get him out of this predicament but there was nothing.
Damn it! Am I gonna die like this? I would atleast want a painless death and not this torture!
He tried pushing one of the debris Infront of him hoping to cause the debris to fall, but with all of his might it didn't budge. Fortunately there's enough holes for air to keep him breathing.
Time has passed but Kayden didn't know how much, all he knows is that, night is near as the single streak of light was slowly disappearing with darkness slowly filling up the small space he has.
Kayden was starting to feel weak. His lips are dry and his throat needs hydration. Sudden memories of his life so far flashed in his mind, recalling his time with family and friends, all the things he enjoyed. Tears began dripping down his face, he began to lost all hope. There was nothing he could do, he tried everything in his power but ultimately failed. Kayden gave up. He put his hand down and rested his head on top, crying quietly and eventually fell asleep.
***
One Week Later...
A fancy noble carriage is traveling through a dark forest with towering tall and thick trees. Beside the carriage are heavily armored guards wearing capes of blue and white with a lion symbol in the middle. Their strong black steed where also wearing armor like cloth with the same markings on them.
"Melina, where are we right now." Asked by a beautiful woman with golden yellow hair and almost pale shiny skin inside the carriage.
"Princess, right now we are passing through the Liman Dark Forest." Replied Melina, a female knight with black short hair and wearing a beautiful dark crimson armor.
"I heard from father that this place of the most dangerous forest in the whole world. Why in the world are we passing through here just to get to my damned fiancé?"
"Worry not Princess, this path we're taking is a shortcut used by your fiancé and the King. Plus, we have the strongest knight guards of the Kingdom and the one they call the 「Sword Saint」."
The princess sighed as she stares outside of her carriage's window. They were now deep inside the forest when the carriage suddenly stopped waking up the sleeping princess.
"Wh-what happened? Why are we stopping? Are we here?" She looked at Melinda which gave her a small head shake and replied.
"Stay here princess, I'll go take a look what's happening outside." The Princess also stood up along with Melinda and replied.
"I'll come with." Melinda sighed and let the princess come with her.
「 END OF CHAPTER 3 」