White
That was all I could see.
Turning my head left to right then up.
There were no walls and ceilings.
No boundary to hold the boundless, colorless white sky.
Looking down there was no floor and I found my body… formless.
Shapeless white visage given vague human form due to black mosaic encompassing it.
This formless body I currently inhabit should have given a foreign feeling, yet I felt familiarity with it.
... as if it was originally mine.
This place, I should have no pre-existing knowledge of it but by instinct or intuition I know it all too well. It gave the notion that I have been living here for as long as I can remember. It's name is…
WHITE SPACE
The elusive sense of stillness and clarity was present here. I feel comfortable. I don't want to do anything, I just want to lie down and rest eternally.
Just as I was about to give in, my vision caught a glimpse of a plain white wooden door.
Something compelled me to go through the door.
And before I knew it I was in front of it, shapeless hand turning the handle and a bright light engulfing my whole view.
I barely caught the image of a shadowy figure.
I woke up finding myself in the same marble room with the Ursa major that had almost managed to kill me. That was the closest thing I felt to dying. groggily , i rolled on my back and stared at the marble ceiling. My lack of dorsal tubes allowed me to lay flatly on my back.
Resting for a moment as I began to think about what occurred on the WHITE SPACE and the shadowed figure-...? 'I feel like I'm forgetting something but I just can't get it out of my head.' if i still had a face i would've scowled.
'No use in moping it won't get me anywhere,' feebly sitting cross legged and examining my surroundings. The damages done to the room somehow disappeared or reconstructed not only that but the recently shattered oddly shaped cube boulder that used to be a past tense is again a current tense. Placed at the center of the room is the cubed boulder in pristine condition.
'The destruction our fight induced is gone?' In retrospect when I first woke up in that boxed room it was inside a wall where the crack that made me escape disappeared or mended. Gears inside my head turned as I started to ponder on my ongoing hypothesis.
The Ursa major also came out from within the cube just as I was in the wall. This could mean that all the monsters I encountered originated inside the walls or some other structure before breaking out. All the monsters have gemstones and I assume I also have one that denotes that the gemstones we have in our body is a special ore that gives off unknown energy allowing us to maintain our forms which when removed turns us into uses. Lastly the larger the gemstone the stronger the monster.
Perusing my collected explanation and oversimplifying it. 'This labyrinth restores any damage it takes and gives birth to monsters including myself,' the last bit caught me off guard as I had completely forgotten to take the variable of encountering the same species I currently possess.
I hope that I won't meet them or is it too much to hope that I'm the only one of my kind? Nevertheless I made a precaution just in case. If they were hostile I would kill them mercilessly but if they are reasonable then… I'm not really sure how I would interact with them but won't attempt to instigate them.
-Growl-
My stomach rumbled and I subconsciously looked towards the dead bear. The dilemma presented itself as I deliberated over choosing starvation or horrible food. -Growl- it seems hunger won this time as I slowly approached the dead bear's carcass to keep myself from falling as I was still unsteady.
'I don't want to taste anything like that again,' swallowing my saliva as I neared my food. 'But i'll do anything to survive,' determination welled up within me as I tore up the meat and stuffed it in my mouth, chewing it hastily to not let the flavor linger on my taste buds.
.
..
'... It's not bad'
The taste is bland but not stale. Insipid and dull it is more akin to eating uncooked or unseasoned tofu, except its meat instead of tofu. Not that I'm complaining, it's a lot better than the wolf meat I had previously.
I then proceeded to eat the whole bear.
'I literally took the whole meaning of i could eat a whole horse at heart huh'
'Does this also mean that the stronger the monster the better it tastes?' I was practically drooling over that thought. All Right, New objective: eat strong monsters. Priority: Second to getting out of here alive.
All that's left was the Ursa major's gemstone. Its size was about the length of a human forearm, roughly 46 centimeters. Picking it up and holding it head level as I stood upright. Shame I don't have eyes anymore, this gem would have looked absolutely beautiful. I would have placed it on display back in my home and marvel at its beauty with… WHO?
-static-
Almost stumbling as I gripped my head feeling dizzy.
I don't even know what my home looked like anymore and I... forgot someone important did I.
A shadowed figure suddenly appeared in my mind and I could vividly see two golden orbs on its head. My throat felt sore and my chest felt heavy, it felt painful. For some reason whenever I gaze toward it I feel sadness, yet the shine in its eyes felt very warm.
I didn't know how much time passed but seconds felt like hours. As long as I continued to gaze at it I felt a wistful longing to be by its side.
And the figure started to disappear from my mind.
'Wait!'
Despite knowing fully well that the figure wasn't physically real, I still desperately reached out my hand as if my life depended on it.
Then the figure disappeared.
I fell to my knees, dropping the gemstone. Just as it had disappeared I feel that my whole purpose was severed. Discouraged by everything, I just stayed there motionlessly for a long time.
.
..
…
….
'I can't go on like this.'
'I'm sure that it wouldn't-... she wouldn't want this'
Shaking my head to get rid of my depressing thoughts. I slowly stood up before picking up the gemstone again. Opening my jaw, I bit off a huge chunk. Trembling as I felt energized all of a sudden and my wounds started to regenerate, I could feel my dorsal tubes slowly starting to grow back.
Moreover, I feel stronger and more powerful than before. I tested my body as I cocked my arm back before punching the ground beneath me fracturing it. Pulling back my arm as I repeatedly opened and closed my palm 'there isn't any damage nor did I feel anything too, did it also raise my defenses as well?'
It seems power coursed through that gemstone whenever consumed. A fire was lit within me, brimming with determination and willpower as a course is set, heading into the direction of the exit with my newfound goals.
'Feet first into hell.'
'….I'm not really sure how to feel about this'
Scratching my tough carapace, puzzled over a Shakespeare-esque question 'to do or not to do that is the question,' except that question involves eating my current kill.
'That's a mermaid,' I stated, deadpan with my already expressionless face. No matter what i say otherwise, that's a picture perfect mermaid. A woman's upper body, fins in place of ears and a fin for a lower body.
'ahh, I don't want to think I'll just take the gemstone and be on with it,' making a guess that its gemstone is where the heart would be just like the others, I plunged my hand and ripped out its gemstone turning its body to ashes.
Even killing something close to a human doesn't affect me anymore.
I wonder what she would think of me now… right not going there.
Focusing on the gemstone, it was smaller than the Spartoi and lizardmen, about a third compared to theirs. The mermaid was a lot easier to fight, ending it in 5 seconds using only a single movement of my tail arcing downwards to behead its head as it leapt from the water to pounce me, although the mermaid is indeed an aquatic monster so it was a given it was a lot weaker on land.
Not to mention the advantage of echolocation I detected soundwaves coming from the water ripples which nullified getting ambushed, but without it I would've been dragged at the other pool directly ahead of where the pool it leapt from.
Now that I mention it this area has numerous large pools of water and with no exit in sight yet. Dipping my head into one of the pools, I could see a lot better on the water than on the ground. This is due to my echolocation working better on water because it is a more effective and efficient conveyor of sound waves.
I could see that all the pools are interconnected into branching tunnels with some leading to dead ends, and monsters too many to count. 'There's probably a higher chance of finding an exit faster underwater.'
-clomp-
-clomp-
-clomp-
My blindsight sensed multiple footsteps drenched in water located behind. Getting my head out of the water, I greeted my soon to be opponents by entering into a combat stance, tail poised like a scorpion ready to strike and letting out a low growl for extra intimidation factor.
Which unfortunately didn't work since there were a lot of them, in fact 16 in total as the last one surfaced from the pool. Needless to say, no matter the species they tended to believe strength in numbers and that strength could fell down giants akin to a pack of wolves against a lone bear… well only young, old or otherwise weakened bears.
Besides, I'm not a bear… and the normal rules of logic and realism don't even apply here, from what I've seen this is a fantasy world they have their own rules.
The enemy inched closer whilst roaring and flailing their spears. 'Right, I should stop monologuing and focus on the fight.'
'Hmm, those are Mermans aren't they?' a humanoid monster covered with scales, gills at their neck and webbed hands wielding spears. Their height is that of a tall man which is 1.92 meters smaller than me if I stood upright at 2.13 meters. They look like that one amphibious character from a movie I saw albeit more feral.
One stood at the center of the group, that seemed to be giving out commands through grunts as the others listened. 3 groups were formed, 5 in the two groups that appear to be flanking me and 6 in the center with the leader.
'Apparently they have a merman leader, I wonder what would happen if I took it out' already my plans were put forth into motion as cracks formed beneath where i dashed.
The merman looked surprised as I was upon it in an instant before getting its head squashed between my palm strike and the ground when I collided on top of it. Smoke of dust was formed when the ground fractured by the pressure upon contact with my charge, using the smoke to hide my body I spun on my palms with my bladed tail sticking out, cleaving their abdomen.
'That's six'
Preparing to pounce at the other two groups, body crouched low, muscles clenching before rushing forth… only stopping midway as I saw the disoriented state of confusion the enemy was in.
'Huh, that's interesting,' for a while they lose their bearings , mindlessly walking around and bumping into each other with no reaction whatsoever. This lasted for 5 seconds before they managed to reorient themselves and finally take notice of me.
'So that's what happens when their leader dies. It was controlling their minds rather than leading them,' they then did something I least expect… they ran away, diving back into the pools.
'... I expected them to fight,' sounding almost disappointed, at least I gained vital information of their weakness. Eliminate the enemy leader first as to weaken the rest like the idiom 'to cut the head off the snake.'
I didn't give chase since it wasn't my goal and a waste of energy, they should be far away and have split off by now plus I have more pressing matters per se than a large crab heading my way right now. Running sideways very fast but it was still a considerable distance away.
The large crab is about 5 meters tall, its left claw was abnormally developed as it was tall pincers long and serrated, their other claw was smaller a fraction of its size. Speaking of which, the larger claw slammed down the area I had been cracking the ground. 'Its attack was heavily telegraphed and slow… did my perception get better too?'
The crab lifted up its large claw glancing at it and the crater it caused, then did a double take of its missing squashed prey. Confused, it looked around turning sideways scanning for its punished prey.
-Clang!-
Then noticed there was a passenger on top of it… it was it's prey!
Its armor appears to be more metal than it is chitinous, i dub thee Metal Crab. shifting myself to avoid its smaller claw it was faster than its larger counterpart but can't reach me far in the back.
The Metal Crab noticed this and started to back me off. If this continues I'll be forced to fight on the ground… which is not bad as I think about it as there's a soft underbelly covered by its apron which can be forced open.
But I wanted to try something I learned from the Ursa Major, not by brute force to destroy its armor but by corrosive acid. Contracting unknown muscles on my throat I spit off large streams of acid all over the Metal crab after I leapt off.
It flailed around helplessly hitting the ground numerous times as it endured the searing hot pain induced by my corrosive acid before falling down with its back disintegrated as it still continued to eat away its remains.
'Oh right, gotta get the gemstone' mentally facepalming, I hurriedly went to extract the gem before it could come into contact with my corrosive acid and melt along with the rest. Just as expected the monster turned into ashes as I went and extracted the Mermans gemstones too sharing the same fate.
Consuming all seven gemstones I discerned something important. The monsters have been getting progressively weak. Not only am I growing stronger but the monsters I face kept getting weaker as I traverse up this labyrinth, this area in particular was leading up.
These labyrinthian monsters have varying difficulties depending on the floor, lower floor monsters are stronger and tougher while vice versa for the higher floors. Their gemstones from the lower floors seem to have less power in them at this rate. I'm going I'll remain stagnant but that doesn't matter, finding an exit is the first goal then I'll look to become stronger.
'Now that i think about it this world seems like the perfect world for a rpg fantasy setting,' somewhat fascinated at the idea of me indulging myself in a fantasy-esque world before shooting it down quickly as it's not all fun and games when it becomes a reality.
'Now time to go for a swim.'
Looking at the pool briefly for a second before diving underwater. The need to breathe has been annulled ever since I got this body. I have not inhaled air, not a single breath.
These tunnels are like a maze if not for my echolocation it would be easy to get lost. Like a minimap to a game or a sonar to a submarine.
I remain floating, unsure of how this body should swim, even more unsure as I didn't actually know how to swim with a human body. Then I remembered how iguanas swim, giving myself a few practice steps with my tail. I began to use it to propel myself through the water in a slithering motion close to the bottom of these large tunnels
Luckily these monster infested tunnels were too busy with killing and eating each other to take notice of me.
An urchin monster with sharp needles on it and a 10 foot long serpent trapped on its round mouth full of fangs, Mermans and mermaids hunting the urchin monster, said monsters getting devoured by giant sharks, before getting ensnared by a kraken and getting devoured, said kraken then battled a horse monster with fins as equally as strong.
The sight was an all you can eat buffet.
Which I took no part in as finding an exit was my priority right now. Swimming low to the ground, almost grazing it, all in order to avoid unnecessary attention.
Left, right
Right, right
Left, left,
Right, left,
Turn by turn I continued to swim in these complex tunnels. Corner by corner avoiding dead ends.
It has been close to a kilometer since I kept swimming.
Almost reminds me of the quote.
'Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming,' quoted by a certain small vibrant blue fish.
'Hmm, what's this'
Turning right into this particular dead end, there was another tunnel behind it. Tapping on it -stud- its hollow. Backing up a good distance away from the hollow wall or barrier I began to speed up towards it gathering momentum as my carapace eventually met the barrier cracking it into a large hole that leads to an opening with the tunnel behind it.
What greeted me behind it was… disturbing.
A giant sleeping monster that snored then eventually woke up due to the sound emitted by the destroyed barrier.
It was not how large its head that can swallow me whole that distrubed me but its face. A serpent with a human face, complete with eyes, nose and mouth. Then revealing that this face is only the upper half of its head as it opens its real jaws, full of large humanlike teeth.
Then it gave chase.
Repeatedly chomping down its jaws as it relentlessly pursues me.
Maneuvering a barrel roll between a kraken and the horse fighting as they both got swallowed up the faced serpent.
There's a wall right ahead and a passage by its right.
I sped up with maximum speed.
Then turned right at the last second before hitting the wall. The serpent entirely focused devouring me failed to take notice of it as its head smashed the wall causing the walls to tremble.
!?
Almost as immediately it recovered and almost swallowed me whole had i not swam back.
The chase continued as it relentlessly pursued me again.
Performing an aileron roll between a group of mermaids and mermaids, hoping that I'll stop chasing me once fed enough.
Only for it to prove ineffective as it still continued to chase me.
'It's stubborn.'
This thing looked like it really wanted to eat me.
The serpent sped up, almost overtaking me. But my luck won out as my echolocation fortunately detected a small passageway enough to only fit me.
The walls trembled as my pursuer crashed into it by the time I slipt through. Exasperation was clear on its face as it continued to bang its head at the small hole whilst I just stared at it. The serpent did not even bother at its face getting more damage as if it didn't care about the pain anymore.
Mesmerized at its determination to kill me, I didn't know how long I stared at it nor kept count of how many times it banged its head. Eventually it lost interest and I saw how long it truly was, 20 meters long with multiple eyes trailing down its body and… its body was decaying and rotting, its insides and guts showing with bones protruding out, the monster was suffering.
It would've been longer if it still had its other end, it decayed to the point that it's missing half or more of its body.
No wonder it tried to kill everything, it just wanted someone strong to end its suffering.
'... that's an emotion. It's almost sad,' was my last thought before I went on the other end of this hole.
.
..
…
'This tunnel is long.'
...
..
'Ah, I lost track of how much distance I swam.'
..
.
'Finally the exit.'
Leaving that long small tunnel. I sensed something strange, particularly that there was no movement and there was a familiar piece of long meat there… decayed body part with guts and bones showing.
!?
Instinctively propelling myself sideways as I dodged a very large mouth that almost devoured me. It was the same serpent but it was marginally smaller this time.
Because all that remained was its…
Head.
It looked like it wanted to cry. And there was its gemstone hanging on the uvula. It opened its mouth as it slowly came towards me.
This action was depressing. It was begging me to kill it…
I sped up towards its mouth and destroyed its gemstone.
Turned into ashes as I gave it what it wished… a mercy kill.
This labyrinth wasn't just cruel to me but to all its residents.
Taking out the large gemstone that was split into, I gave out a prayer.
'rest in peace,'
before eating it quickly.
And leaving through the next tunnel
The tunnel led down. The water diminished as it flowed to a large area.
The area I had been to was a prelude to a chamber with 4 broken columns at the center. The other end of the room split off at a wide berth akin to a broken bridge. Water from the tunnel flowed down towards the chambers split off point giving it the view of the top of the waterfall.
I hadn't failed to take notice of the abnormally large rock pillar that carried a massive boulder.
This place reeks of a boss room.
Then something below the waterfall came up.
It was tiny, cute even then the head of a large lizard…
Then it climbed up out of the waterfall giving me it's true appearance.
The creature had six legs likely to sustain its large stomach, and four large mangled wings. The creature's torso stood upright, giving me a view of Its chest region opened up into a gigantic vertical maw filled with fangs of various sizes. It was tall and long, 10 meters standing upright and 32 meters long. Its head now regressed to a stubby mouthless proboscis to detect potential prey.
It was perhaps the most disgusting thing I ever saw, a malformed and malnourished dragon.
I could feel its ravenous gluttony. I'm hungry.
The dragon jumped high into the air, its mangled wings assisting it before landing before the tunnel I had come from collapsing it before giving out a loud roar.
There goes my escape route.
Nevertheless, the dragon wanted a meal then it's gonna work for it.
Giving out a hiss before charging towards my foe.
Sidestepping to the left as to evade its arm vertical slam and jumping over it as the dragon horizontally dragged its arm to the right hurling the debris out.
Close to its front leg I dashed and sliced, continuing to sprint before drifting and turning as I dashed and sliced at its back leg… my claws aren't doing any fatal damage.
!? jumping back before a stomp before sidestepping from a kick.
This dragon is too big for my claws to deal any lasting effect. Then how about this, clenching my muscles as I let out streams of my corrosive acid.
… to which it did nothing.
This dragon is immune to acid. ! My bafflement almost caused me to be grabbed by its long arm. I didn't need to guess what'll happen to me if it threw me in that gluttonous mouth.
Continuing my hit and run tactics as I sliced, diced, cut up its hard scales. Doing my best to avoid getting stomped on as every stomp, kick, slam and punch cracked the ground with ease.
Ducking down as it arced it's tail, lining up my own tail as it grazed it when it passed large streams of liquid gushed out.
Soon the dragon was covered in shallow lacerations caused by my claws with my deepest avulsion inflicted by my tail. Blood flowed freely from the dragon but I doubt that'll keep it down due to its sheer size.
The gluttonous dragon grew more hungry the longer the battle dragged out.
Aggravated, the dragon let out a very loud deep roar.
The dragon reared back and then slammed his exposed ribcage into the ground in front of it, doing massive damage to the ground as it shaked involuntarily which also caused me to lose my footing and lose my balance as I staggered.
The dragon noticed this as it slightly raised its head and upper torso, the ground began as he ran halfway across the room taking me along the ride as the dragon rammed its head unto me, crashing through multiple columns before stopping as its head met the abnormally large rock pillar with me between it.
It felt like a truck just hit me.
The dragon moved back, nothing supporting me from keeping me in place. I fell to the ground feeling stiff, I hissed as I forced myself on all fours looking back at the pillar. I noticed the massive boulder on top of it then as he lifted his head back up.
Then to the boulder again… an idea was born that moment.
Putting my plan into motion as I scrambled up to the pillar. The Dragon, not wanting its meal to escape, repeatedly attacked where I was as I ran along the pillar.
The pillar kept shaking as the dragon threw punch after punch that grew more frustrated that it could not hit me seemingly oblivious to the numerous cracks that lined on the pillar
Only one last hit it would take for the pillar to fall.
And the final punch it took to fell down the pillar wasn't even a punch but it spit out streams of acid that corroded the last support.
I rode down the massive boulder with the thought 'Timber!'
But something happened that I least expected.
The ground caved in as soon as the boulder fell down on top of the dragon. The ground wasn't a ground but a floor with a hole beneath it.
The dragon kept roaring as it fell down.
With me.
I didn't know how long we fell nor the distance of the fall.
But the dragon was dead squished by the boulder; its body apparently still intact seems that the boulder didn't destroy its gemstone, I couldn't see the whole image of it.
My vision was blurry, my hearing must have been damaged by that fall. I could only hear and visualize my surroundings to a mere 5 meters.
There was shallow water beneath me but nothing else in sight as I continued to drag myself with only my right arm.
My left arm was broken, my bottom legs i had to sever them as they were trapped under the boulder.
I felt miserable.
.
..
My mind was foggy but i was fortunate that there were no monsters nearby to finish the job
..
.
I felt tired, really tired
.
Is that land?
My hand touched what seemed like grass then I began pulling myself up.
It was a small hill with a lone tree on top of it and a sword embedded in front of it.
This seems like a nice resting position, I wouldn't mind sleeping here… but I didn't want to die yet.
"Oho, this is interesting, I've never seen one of your kind before" a feminine voice that sounded smooth and soothing came out of nowhere.
"You are?" I inquired.
"I'm not a person to whom one gives a name on a whim much less to strangers" I'm undoubtedly sure that this person always has a smile on her face. "You can call me great wind spirit"
"Ok wind spirit"
"Hey! Call me by my title" I can't see her face but I'm sure she would have been making a fake pouty expression.
"Sure"
Noticing my sarcasm, she relented and sighed "Jeez you're no fun you know that. Anyway, back to my question: what are you? In all my 996 years of continued existence i haven't encountered your kind yet"
"I.. don't know but I'm sure I have been a human once before"
"Ah! That's why your soul felt different to Xenos," I felt something watching through me, it feels like my soul is being observed. "It is indeed a human soul but parts of it are mixing"
Missing? That's troubling.
"Xenos?" confused at that term
"They're reincarnations of monsters that have been killed multiple times by adventurers and possess memories from past lives. They are also intelligent creatures capable of thought and emotions but are treated indifferently as both monsters and adventurers attack them" stopping for a moment. "Hmm let see ah right they consume magic stones of monsters to strengthen themselves"
So there are reasonable monsters that's good. The magic stones are probably what I call gemstones. It seems my information is right. Lastly, I'm probably a part of the Xenos if I line up what she said correctly, except I was human before.
As I was about to inquire what an adventurer was, she beat me to the punch.
"Hold up, I know you're curious but I have questions too. How about I answer yours and vice versa until our questions are exhausted"
An equivalent exchange, there were no demerits to it "I agree"
"What are your goals"
… I didn't know why I answered that day, due to my desperation or pleading for help but I felt like I could trust this person.
"I want to become human again and recover my lost memories"
"an amnesiac huh, say wanna form a magic contract?" the wind spirit proposed.
"... why?" Could this be a trick?
"Our goals aligned, i may not seem like it but i don't have memories on what happened before these 996 years"
"... then why couldn't you just find out for yourself?"
There was an awkward silence in the air for a moment.
"... I can't leave this place without a host," she said, almost embarrassed. " and i really didn't want to be the first one to ask for help"
Sighing "what are the advantages of this contract" I asked.
"I can help you become human again by redirecting the magic stones you consumed but it'll weaken you as you have the same weaknesses of a human again" stating the downsides first of the contract "but with my help i can aid you with my magic and soon you'll develop magic of your own" she cheerily stated the advantages.
Overall it was a good contract, the downside is that i'll lose the monstrous physical advantage of my current body which i didn't mind, not at all.
"What do I have to do"
Even without my eyes I knew she was smiling.
"Read this contract out loud"
Words formed in my mind taking on the shape of a contract.
I opened my mouth and announced " I hereby propose. Swear your fealty to me, and my life shall be your sword." I could slowly see colors now as a bright golden aura emitted around us "obey me heed my call! Will you trust me with your fate?"
"As the great spirit, I accept your vow" her voice sounded resolute. "You are my contractor and I am your familiar!" The golden aura blinded my vision.
The aura diminished down and I could see her form. Long golden hair and eyes of the same color, wearing a white dress. "Now that we're not strangers you may call me Aira"
I still couldn't remember my name, so i'll make one in the name of the Xenos race.
"Xenon"
Authors Notes:
Update arrived
Feel free to leave a review
Now that the character is named, I'll probably stop using first-person.
Guess who the Character really is.
It won't be long now before he gets a humanoid appearance.
Edit:
Changed the title to from Now What to Lost memories as the former was a spur of the moment thing.
Notice:
Next chapter might be later than 10 days, i need to prepare for my exams.
Reviews:
lytsadboi: Thanks for the compliment!
Touhoufanatic: Yep he could now spit acid.
Azure-Star-Dragon: Writing fights is hard. Aren't they genderless until they molt into a queen?