The Tailed Warrior of The Unknown Race
Chapter 2
As I slowly stirred from my sleep, I felt an odd sensation. Many odd sensations.
The ground felt… less solid. Almost as if I was on a thin and hairy pillow. With a hint of… dampness? Well, a sense of dampness… evidently soft, though.
There was also wind… lots of wind. I don't think the outpost was ever this windy before. Maybe they had opened the gates for fresh air…?
…no… they've never done something like that before. They didn't have a reason for it. But… even then, it's definitely new. The wind, I mean. It was chilly… cold… and chilly. Very chilly. Winter morning type of chilly. Fortunately, as bothersome as the coldness was, the frigid winds complemented the bright sunlight pouring down onto my closed eyelids perfectly…
…
… huh?
That… that doesn't make sense. The sun… the sun usually doesn't shine on my face. Like, at all. My cage… haha, yeah. My fucking cage, huh? Proud to be the owner… the cage I've been living in has a thick stone roof blocking any direct sunlight from ever happening. And… then there were the tree canopies outside the outpost that only added to the dim and dark environment that I've become accustomed to. So how could…
…
…unless… unless that's not the case anymore…
…
…unless… I wasn't in my cage anymore…
…
… freedom?
'... tch, dumbass,' I groaned to myself in displeasure, physically feeling the scowl growing on my chapped lips. Having hopeful thoughts… it was almost embarrassing. What hope was there for me to have? I had nothing… I had nothing to cling on, nothing to look forward to. I… I was bound to this hell. I am bound to it, and I'm helpless. I…
…
The reality of my newfound misery returned to me, and my mood plummeted back several feet under. I lost all care, despite my apparently new environment, and I just rested where I laid, motionlessly. So what if the sun was out? The hell would that do for me? More vitamin D? Fuck out of here, I couldn't fool myself with that even if I wanted to be fooled…
…
…
…and so I was silent for a while. Unanimated, rigid, and thoughtless like a statue. Like I've been for some time now. The winds whistled against my ears, the blades of grass silently shuffled, and the birds twittered in the distance. A spiteful serenity.
Instinctively, I rolled, shifting my form to a position that would alleviate my pain just slightly. Maybe I was far from saving… maybe I was beginning to accept my suffering. But I guess even then, it was only human for me to seek comfort… if I'm still even human anymore…
…
…
'...is this grass?'
It was a harmless thought, but the moment my arms brushed across the floor, it was impossible for me to ignore the notion. And it was because of this very simple curiosity that I had gone out of my way to reopen my eyes, to once again take in the sight of this forsaken world that I've grown to hate more and more every day.
And, God, am I so glad that I did.
Although dry, I opened my eyes. I had to bat my eyelids several times as I adjusted to the light, but even then I instantly noticed the green around me. Lots of green… lots and lots of green. As my vision focused, I was proven right. I was, in fact, laying on a bed of grass.
'... the fuck?' I instinctively lifted an arm over my face, attempting to block the bright sunshine from my tired eyes as I tried to sit up. What happened? Why was I sleeping on grass? Did… did they actually remove me from the cage while I was sleeping? I mean… maybe… I was sleeping pretty hard. I don't think I've had such a good rest since being thrown into this mess, now that I'm looking back at it…
…
…was this… was this going to be some sort of punishment then?
While I had no way to answer those questions immediately, they… it didn't take long for me to completely let them go. In fact, I completely forgot about them altogether. Suddenly, I completely froze like a picture caught in the moment. My breath hitched in my throat, pairing with my gradually widening eyes. Where I was in the middle of moving my arms to block the sun, I instead found myself staring at my arm. Specifically at my pale wrists… the same wrists that I haven't seen in months. The same ones which were bound together by dense rusty handcuffs. My iron chains… they were gone.
My discovery didn't end there. My eyes wandered, landing down to the lower half of my body. It was then that I found out that my handcuffs weren't the only things missing. My leg cuffs were gone too… and so were my slave rags. I was bare… completely naked.
'... did I die?' Although stupid, I couldn't help but wonder. It was probably the only thing I could wonder. How else could I have been set free? In this sort of situation… In the sort of conditions I've been living in, the only real freedom I could realistically fathom would be death.
So… did I really die?
…I… that…
I didn't know where to start thinking. I didn't even know how I should be thinking now. With my already jumbled mind being jumbled even more, I allowed my instincts to guide me, and as a result my response to this newfound freedom was to let my sight roam free, wandering around my new surroundings. I looked around me, noticing the differences… and there were a lot.
For as far as the eye can see, there was green and green alone. I… I was on top of a hill of some kind, covered in lime-green grass. As I looked down, surrounding the foot of the hill was an expansive forest. It… was large. Abnormally large. The canopy was like a ginormous blanket that shrouded everything beneath it. The tree' trunks were also of monstrous size, being bigger than anything I've ever seen both online or in person. It was as if I were in the Amazon, but… scaled up to unnatural proportions.
'... is this really the afterlife?' I began to doubt. It felt… too real. Despite being half dead, I could still… feel myself. I'm still shivering from the wind, and I'm still feeling the warmth of the sun hitting my pale skin. This…
…
…
'…my God.'
Amidst my turmoil, I was yet again slapped in the face with a new revelation. The forest surrounded the entire hill I was on top, but… there was one particular spot where the forest stopped. Completely. And in place of the lack of forest… was what I could only describe as a highway of destruction.
Uneven yet linear, my eyes witnessed a colossal-sized road of flattened earth, sprinkled with destroyed forestry like parsley flakes on a steak. Numerous black splotches that resembled that of an afterfire dotted this destructive path, with some still sizzling with smoke. All in all, the closest thing I could describe the sight before me was like that of the trenches of the world wars… ones that stretched beyond the horizon.
But… I think the scariest thing about this… the thing that really sent discomfort running down through me… was the colossal footprints that trailed through the heart of the destruction… almost like a proud display of ownership. And they all pointed towards me.
Around the same time, at a place far away…
News spread fast throughout the capital. It was only natural, after all; one would begin to question things if the city of wealth were to ever stop with their gossiping. Though, such a notion goes for essentially every city or town that had their respective socialites.
However… this time, the news came with something more than what would be the usual tea chatter for a weekend. The capital was in an absolute uproar. No, every corner of the empire was in uproar. Shock, fear, amazement, wonder… it was all there, and amplified tenfold. Reports came in the same night the assault happened. A colossal creature of unknown origins wreaked havoc on Ivory Outpost, one of the leading military frontiers seeking to expand the empire's territory. A strong and powerful military base, completely wiped within the span of one night.
To many, this was a shocker of the decade… but to some, this may not seem as much of an issue. Being so deep in the untamed wild, it was only natural that the outpost would face hostile creatures. Dragons, orcs, goblins… nothing that anyone has yet to hear from, much less has yet to defeat. Perhaps this was simply a misfortune? Genuine under-preparation to face off against this supposed colossal foe? Few had begun to speculate this, and had urged the uproar to come at ease.
However, the doubt was quickly squashed. This creature was special, special in that this was the first ever sighting of its existence. The description has yet to be matched with anything on records, and that alone was a grievous scare to many.
A colossal creature it was indeed. Standing well over twice the height of the outpost's towers, its menacing shadowy form was described to be as fearsome and bloodthirsty as a basilisk starved for a century. Thick, muscular arms swept the buildings like sand, pulverizing anything and everything in its path. For the few that managed to brave in for a counterattack, their attacks were futile. Thick hide covered in a dense dark brown fur made their crossbows and spears no more stronger than the ticks on a dog. For those who discovered such invulnerability… they were woefully graced with the swift squashing end of a building-sized foot.
Leaving the outpost in ruins, the beast was reported to have continued its onslaught into the horizon, with nothing but its roars and chest beats shaking the very air. Of the three hundred soldiers that were posted at Ivory Outpost, only two survived, with one dying to his injuries the moment they managed to get to the closest village.
As such… the entire empire's uproar was valid. What could this new creature be? Why did it attack one of their strongest military outposts? Will it come back? Which other outpost will it destroy? Would it target a city of civilians next?
These concerns and fears remained unanswered, for the people's government have remained silent since then.
I really had no idea what to do.
The thought of freedom… the very idea of me being free from that hell… I just couldn't picture it. I thought that I would be deemed to endure that suffering until my dying breath… I was prepared for it. I was… I am malnourished, I'm thirsty, and I'm weak. There was little to nothing I could do to muster up for an escape… and I'm even surprised I could still move.
And so I… I just walked. It was the only option I could think of, the only real instinct I had at the moment. There was… there was too much for me to take in, and… I didn't have the right mind to tackle my burdens.
My previous assumptions turned out to be an understatement about this new forest surrounding me. The trees… they were big. Behemoths compared to me, and I'm like an ant to the damn leaves. It's frightening, but at the same time mesmerizing. And I… I just kept walking in response. There really wasn't much more to it. I was just walking through a large forest… a dim large forest. It was hard to see, but I still moved.
Mud was everywhere, indicating the dampness of this forest. Rainforest, if I want to be precise. It sort of indicated the climate of the region. I'm probably somewhere close to the equator… or not. The cold winds would contradict that. But… did it really even matter where I was anymore? Just… I just didn't even feel the urge to return home, and… I… don't want to think about it. I'm probably somewhere in the Amazon, or maybe in Congo. The upscaling is probably me hallucinating… and I'll leave it at that.
The vegetation was annoying, with some places I just didn't even bother trying to go through, less I wanted to see whatever mystery floor crawler I would step on. And I also had to keep in mind that my johnson was hanging out free in the open. I didn't need shit start messing with my dick… I'm already having to stomach the sensation of wet and chunky mud on my feet. Fucking disgusting.
Eventually, after some time wandering aimlessly, I heard the tell tale signs of flowing water. I was able to pick up the noise… somehow, but it was nonetheless a good sign. Eagerly, I blindly made haste towards the noise. While doing so, I occasionally saw common forest critters I could recognize, ranging from squirrels, deer, and birds. The normalcy was inviting, as was it convoluting to everything else. I didn't pay much mind to them.
The trees abruptly began to become scarce, making way for a wide and grassy clearing. There was a lot of overgrown grass, and the dirt was unfortunately still mushy, but pushing through them I quickly found the source of the sound at the heart of the area. A small river, with a staircase of small waterfalls that went west and disappeared into the depths of the forest. It kinda reminded me of those types of river paintings you'd see in a hospital lobby or retirement center. Pretty aesthetic, I guess.
Without much to wait for, I bent down to the side of the river. The water looked clear enough, and the sun's light made it look sparkly. There was a very faint cloudiness, but it was so faint one would've missed it. I had no doubt it was just due to the movement of the water. But… I didn't give a fuck either way. If there was anything bad like bacteria or a virus… I'll deal with that later. Somehow. Or I could let it deal with me…
… yeah…
Cupping my hands, I went to get a handful of water… but I paused. At that moment, my eyes just so happened to fall on the reflection on the water, and it was just clear enough for me to get a good picture of myself.
I… I stared for a long, long time, taking in each and every detail of my… no, this body. It was the body of a stranger, one that was completely different from what I knew was my body. And although I've known about this… seeing it now for the first time is unsettling.
What I saw before me was a young boy… maybe in his late teens or early adulthood. Younger than my previous self, that's for sure. His eyes, irises specifically, were onyx black, and he had moderate eyebrows of similar color. The face looked young, but… I can tell that the trials and tribulations I've experienced for months now have made this body's face look different from what it used to be. Almost like a wartime effect.
What surprised me even more, however, was the toned physique. Even though this body was essentially at the border of skins and bones, there was still some defined muscle. I could tell. His hair, however… made me frown. It looked… unkempt, messy, thick, and… very anime-like. Not once in my life have I ever seen hair spike out like this… and naturally to boot. It… I guess this isn't something that should be one of my worries right now, but I just couldn't help it. My new hair looks ass.
Quickly, I poured the water in my hair and ran my hands through the onyx-black spiky hair, smoothening it into a slightly less disheveled look…
…
…yeah, much better.
Sighing, I refocused and dipped my hands into the river, feeling the cool current of water wash my fingers. So… I was no longer in my body, huh? However it happened is beyond me… and I doubt I'll be able to get it back any time soon. Though, more importantly, I just wanted to know… why. Why… why all of this? Forget my new body and everything, why did I have to endure all of this? The questions kept piling up, and… the best I could do was allow them to mingle in my head as I took in handfuls of the cool and refreshing water.
As I drank the water, I lifted my chin and let the cool content drizzle down my throat. I felt the coldness spread across my chest, and my stomach gurgled as precious water was finally reintroduced in my body. I did this again… and again… and again… and I kept doing it. Like a machine, I just kept drinking water. In fact, I ditched using my hands altogether, and instead decidedly dunked my entire face into the river. I drank straight from the source, taking in large gulps to fill up my poorly cared body. The care of disease, fish, bacteria, or whatever the hell could be in this water quickly went over my head. I needed to take care of something I've been forced to neglect for a long time… a lethally long time. I can't even remember the last time I got a good drink of water…
…
…God, how did I even survive? Definitely, had I been in my original body, I might've died within the first week.
After filling myself to the point I physically couldn't take anymore, I lifted myself up and flopped back onto the tall grass, using it as a natural thin bed over the wet soil. I sighed, resting my head on my hands and closing my eyes. I felt like a deer's foal, basking in the warmth of the sun and hidden by the tall grass from everything else. Despite my filth… I began to feel… comfort. I was somewhat calm, had a full stomach… and, more importantly…
…I was free.
Staring up into the tree canopies, I let my mind go blank. As my vision blurred and tears trailed my cheeks, I fully embraced it. I was fucking free.
In an unknown place, far away…
"... Is this the only trace you could find?"
"Yes, Grandmaster, these were the only traces of the creatures left on the scene."
In the darkness of a large facility, two figures stood near the light of a handle. One of the hooded figures picked one of the two hair follicles that were wrapped gently in a cloth. The strings of hair were large and as dense as the branches of an old oak. And in their grasp, the hooded figure could feel the residue of power emitting from the samples. Such strands of hair could only belong to a large creature, and one that just so recently became the celebrity of the entire world.
With a hum, the hooded figure returned the hair follicles in the cloth and wrapped it tightly. "Very well, we shall begin our experiments immediately. Have our golem projects paused for the next two weeks… we will need extra caution with such valuable material."
"And what of the publicity, Grandmaster?" the other asked.
"Give the empire what it wishes to hear. What we uncover here will be known to us and only us."
Author's Note
Thank you for reading! This is a revised version of chapter 2, and the same will be done for chapter 3. I realized they weren't the best and I needed to fix them to help transition my story better. I hope you're still interested!