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Arc I Chapter 2

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Tears streamed down my cheeks, marking a path as my eyes closed, and I found myself seated on the cold ground. The echoes of my sobs reverberated in the empty, dark room, creating a symphony of torment and bewilderment. The weight of my emotions was stifling, as though the pain of yesteryears had solidified, clenching around my heart.

With my head rested in my hands, I attempted to grasp comprehension. Why, despite the fresh start offered by new life, did this agony persist? Wasn't this new beginning meant to liberate me from past suffering? And yet, I remained trapped, burdened by remorse and despair in this new vessel.

Tell me, was it my punishment?

Ha ha. Am I fated to forever be branded a failure? Ha ha ha...

My own laughter intertwined with sobs as I looked down. The anguish, raw and overpowering, threatened to consume me entirely.

I had hoped for a chance at renewal, a path to discover purpose and happiness. Instead, I found myself adrift in an ocean of desolation.

With the passage of time, my breathing steadied. Hiccupping sobs replaced guttural cries, despite having been a guy in the past, and I brushed away tears with the back of my hand.

This state of despondency could not persist indefinitely. I must find a way forward, untangling myself from negative memories, and make sense of this unfamiliar reality.

Drawing a deep, trembling breath, I willed myself to rise. The chill of the ground against my feet was a grounding sensation, a stark reminder that I was alive, capable of experiencing more than the agony that had consumed me.

"I won't give up," I vowed in a hushed tone, surprising even myself with the steadiness in my warm voice despite the tears that still clung to my lashes.

I reject the notion that my past will dictate my future. I am determined to find a way to mend and discover my purpose in this unfamiliar existence.

Taking a tentative step forward, my legs quivering beneath me, I noticed a rectangular object in the periphery of my vision—or illusion, rather. It seemed to respond to my determination—a subtle shift, as if acknowledging my resolve. While the challenges ahead remained uncertain, possibly even malevolent, I stood ready to confront them head-on.

"Spark of Hope, huh?"

A glimmer of hope ignited within me, a fragile yet unyielding ember that I clung to with all my might.

As I composed myself, I cast another glance around the room; my vision seemed clearer than before enough to make sense those floating texts.

"Now then, where's the exit?" I murmured aloud, and the illusion vanished before me. I couldn't help but wonder what those illusions were for—perhaps I have brain injury? As frightening the potential case was, I kept them off the brush.

These floating illusions in the past minutes seemed by-product of my mind as I can't touch them nor interact with it like a smartphone.

With a spark of hope, I headed toward the brightest corner, where a luminescent stone lay. Rubbing it against the rough surface of the wall intensified its glow. Though unfamiliar yet familiar knowledge from who-knows where I got them, the stone in my palm cast a more generous light around. Remarkably, this stone held the power to illuminate a significant portion of the chamber.

I continued my exploration.

Minutes flowed into hours, yet my quest for an exit yielded no results. The room appeared to be a self-contained enclosure, its origins evident in the cracked bricks, surfaces overgrown with moss, and sturdy foundation. Frustration brewed as I posed the same question to myself repeatedly.

I methodically examined every detail, from the ceiling to the stone-laid floor, investigating even the tiniest crevice for secret passages. Yet, an insistent query lingered.

"I'm breathing normally, just like any human would, and the candle flames persist. But where does the oxygen come from?"

The sparse mosses present couldn't possibly produce sufficient oxygen, especially over an extended period without sunlight. Candles can't flame without oxygen. Strangely, the smoke from the candles lingered above, unable to dissipate as if ensnared by an unseen barrier.

My observations led me to conclude that I was beneath the ground. The abundance of broken bricks strewn about indicated the antiquity of the construction. Each brick measured an impressive one-fourth of a meter in width, a third in height, and shockingly, a full meter in length—a distinctly large brick. The walls were a meter thick, perhaps hiding nothing but layers of earth beyond.

Despite my efforts, I struggled to breach the walls or unveil any hidden mechanisms that might offer an escape. The circular chamber, with a diameter of 12 meters and a height ranging from 4 to 5 meters, appeared barren of concealed levers or buttons.

My repeated attempts to disperse the encroaching darkness by rubbing the luminous stone proved draining, leaving me weakened within the confines of this chamber.

The lifeless figure beside me grew colder by the moment, presaging its inevitable decay within a day or two. Exhaustion gnawed at my entire body, and the gathering smoke transformed the air into a haze. Strangely, even amidst deteriorating conditions, I found breathing effortless, the smoke above remained trapped, unable to escape. There had to be a reason for this peculiarity.

A mounting urgency gripped me, each second intensifying the weight of my predicament.

The stark contrast between my earlier turmoil and the harsh reality I faced now sent involuntary shivers through me.

The thought of my fledgling journey meeting an abrupt and premature end in this very place clawed at my senses, threatening to engulf me.

"Where do I go from here? My time is slipping away..."

Desperation drove me to an unconventional tactic—intermittent self-inflicted slaps, their sting jolting me back to the present, grounding me in the dire circumstances at hand.

Amidst the rising panic, a spark of inspiration danced at the edges of my consciousness, like a distant star piercing through a stormy night.

With deliberate care, I turned my attention to the lifeless form before me—her torn attire and the menacing sword lodged in her chest testified to the struggle that had unfolded here.

"You... You could hold the answer, the one I haven't yet explored to leave this place!"

A surge of hope surged within me, accompanied by a sharp pang of regret. How had I let her potential clues escape my thoughts? Could she possess a solution hidden within her very belongings?

"Why... Why did I forget about her? There must be something, a key perhaps, hiding among her possessions!"

I scrutinized the floor for any possible clues, making my way toward the imposing altar that dominated the chamber.

With a blend of swiftness and precision, I carefully removed her clothing, revealing the untold story beneath.

Inside the locket was a picture of a family of... three.