It's cold. Dark. What is this? Where am I? I look around, or try to. I see nothing, yet I feel like I'm sinking. I can vaguely feel that something is wrong? No, it feels right, but there is that sense that something is wrong, I just can't point out what. It feels like I'm losing...something. But what, exactly? I do not know.

...

What is this feeling? There it is. That weird feeling of it being right and yet so wrong.

Ah, I see. There is something eating away at me. It doesn’t hurt, like one would expect from being eaten alive. Of which, I’m not even sure that I am. Wait. How is it that I’m aware that I’m being eaten, but not know how I know this? Weird...

...

Wait, eating? Something is eating me? What is it eating? Ah, so that's what that was. The sense of loss. I looked down at myself, or at least tried to. Seems like I'm stuck or am I frozen? I can’t tell. What I can tell though, is that my body seems fine. So how do I know that I’m losing something? Emotions? I am quite calm about this. Wait, is it wrong to be calm in this situation? I do not know. What about my memories then?

What even are memories. Whatever. What else is there? My soul? Is that what it is? Is that what the something is eating away at? My soul. What does this mean? Why can't I move? Wait, what is a soul? Am I dead? What is death? Is this Hell? What is that? Is this something far worse? The more I think about all this, the more I seem to sink into the darkness. Well, I don’t hate it. I thought to myself.

And that was quite true. In fact, not only did I not hate it, it even felt nice. It felt like the warm embrace of a loved one. Ironic, really. Still, it begs the question. Where exactly am I?

...

It feels like death, even if I do not know what that is. It just seemed right. Now that I think about it, how did I even get here? Ah, what is this feeling. It feels...slow. My mind seems to wander often, it seems.

...

Death. Undeath. Life. False Life. It all seems so interesting, and yet I do not know where it comes from, nor what they even are. If they even are real. Different ideas, concepts, and understanding seem to flash by me, now that I think about it. I can’t comprehend what they mean, what they’re used for, or if they’re even useful.

Well, there is something I do know. This never ending darkness around me. Listening closely, I seem to hear whispers around me, though making out what they say is impossible. Could just be the side effect of me going mad in this darkness. That just seems wrong though, after all, the darkness is so comforting. There’s no way I could’ve gone mad from it, right?

...

As thoughts, ideas, emotions, and emptiness seem to pass by me, time has also done the same. Then a thought, one so seemingly natural that I struggle to comprehend why I haven’t thought of it before. Who am I? This, just like the many others, I could not answer. Though this one seemed to stick to me more than anything.

As this thought seeds itself into my mind, I didn’t fail to notice the change in the darkness around me. It wasn’t hard considering all I’ve ever known is the same cold, comforting darkness around me. This time, the darkness seemed less physical and was slowly becoming more spectral. Like an idea. A thought.

...

After a seemingly long amount of time after the change in the darkness, something I had never seen before appeared before me. Light, in all it’s blinding glory. The darkness was gone, if only for a split second. Even so, the light drew me in. I tried to reach out, only to find that I was still frozen, like I was stuck in time. Confused as I was, the light comforted me, in another way. Instead of the cold, certainty of the darkness, the light was warm. It gave me hope, whatever that was. It felt good.

I want it. Just as I finished this singular thought, I heard a noise and the light intensified. I closed my eyes.

*DING!*

It was loud, but it brought change to this empty, quiet darkness.

Preparations complete. Starting introduction.

Name : ????

Race : [ ???? ( B ) ]

Class : ????

Profession : ????

Level : 0

Heath ( HP ) : 3400/3400

Mana ( MP ) : 1000/1000

-----------

Strength : 400 Agility : 500

Stamina : 600 Vitality : 800

Hardness : 638 Wisdom : ????

Intelligence : 865 Perception : 900

Willpower : 1000

Free Points : 0

Skills : None

Titles : None

Opening my eyes, I saw these words. What they mean, what they are, and what they represent is lost to me. Before I could gather my thoughts, I felt like I was sinking. Looking around, I saw a vast sea of blue. Water. I knew. Strange how I knew, and even stranger considering all I knew was darkness. Well, I guess Light also fits in that category now. I felt something, or rather a lack thereof. Air. I needed air. I instinctively knew, how I did is still lost to me.

I swam up, trying to not only find out where I was, but also find air. As I reached the surface, I took a deep breath of air and it felt absolutely divine. It was quite a shame I couldn’t exactly savor the feeling since it felt like I was missing it my whole life, which would be more than accurate. Looking around I noticed that even though it was nighttime, it was bright. Red. Or rather, Fire. I looked at the water I was swimming in. And blood it would seem.

An explosion shook the water. I looked only to see a ship in flames. Only then did I notice the assortment of noises assaulting me. Screams, clashes of steel, iron and many others that I could not diserne. As the ship sunk, I noticed the varying debris around me.

The sea was cold, and yet the flames were hot. The contrast between them made me feel very off. It wasn’t the comforting cold of the darkness either, no it was a chilling cold. One that felt like it pierced into your bones. I hated that cold sea. I tried to swim further from the flames, if only to lessen the pain. The further I swam, the harder it got. Not from an attachment or anything, mind you. It was purely for the fact that it became harder to lift my arms as I went. I’m tired.

Having swam to a distance I deemed far enough, I looked back at the ship. It was big, half a thousand meters wide at the minimum. People jumped dove into the cold seawater to escape the searing flames. Which fate is worse, I do not know. Nor do I care, it would seem. Those that dove into the cold abyss looked for ways to float, whether it be small boats, debris, or even the dead. It would seem getting on one of the boats isn’t an easy feat. Men with swords are aboard the boats, killing would be fellow passengers.

Worse still, those who remained in the sea either died from the cold, or are dragged into the abyss by creatures unseen. All in all, it was quite the creepy sight. Men and women fought for their lives, in and out of the water. Creatures prowled for food. The dead floated beside the living.

*DING!*

Trait : [ Cold Heart ] Acquired

I saw a plank floating near me and swam towards it. It was difficult, to say the least. The exhaustion from the previous few hours didn’t help in that regard. When I reached the plank, I looked around. From the hundred of living trying to keep living, I saw that only a handful remained. Most were dead, only a few would live to tell the tale, if they even speak of this.

*DING!*

Skill : [ Soul Curse Resistance ( Low ) ] Acquired

The small boats were long gone by now. The flames of the ship were burning brightly though, like a beacon, or a warning to those too curious for their own good. My body seemed to get heavier though, like something was latching onto me. Something was calling to me and it was everywhere. The sea whispered to me. Tempted me. Lured me.

“Let it go. Let yourself go. Forget the pain. Come.”

*DING!*

Skill : [ Soul Curse Resistance ( Intermediate ) ] Acquired

Skill : [ Call of Souls ] Acquired

As a being of Darkness, the manipulation of Souls is something innate within you. ( + 2 to the collection of Souls )

[ Soul Fragments x 1432 ] Acquired

At some point, the ominous feeling that enveloped me began to lessen. This made me cling to the plank I was on even more, but the heaviness in my body only increased. Eventually, everything went dark.

...

I opened my eyes to darkness. The same darkness I loved, the very same I first knew. It made me shiver, but not of fear. It made me feel comfortable. It felt like it was a part of me.

*DING!*

Skill : [ Apostle of the Abyss ] Acquired

Only those blessed by Nyarlathotep can stand before his presence and dwell in the deepest darkness of creation… ( + 1000% Darkness )

...

The sounds of birds woke me up. Lots of them. I saw hundreds, if not thousands of them overhead. It was loud, all things considered. Looking around, I noticed that I was drifting towards the shore. Soon, I would touch land for the first time ever.

Before I could though, there were thousands of corpses around me. Looks like I’ll have to get through these to get to shore. It wasn’t a easy task, considering my fatigued body. The pain in my throat also doesn’t help.

As I neared the shore, I saw a forest ahead of me and a mountain range far in the distance. I need to find some humans. Wait, humans? What are those? The bodies? Ah, whatever. As this thought passes through my head, I walk onto the beach. The sand was soft and warm to the touch. I took deep breaths, now that my life wasn’t on the line. I knew, instinctively, that it felt great to be alive.

I sat down and looked at the sea. It was strangely peaceful. Beautiful, even. I sat there for a long time, just admiring the view as my strength recovered. The fatigue lifted, but the pain in my throat was still there. There was also another pain in my stomach that I came to be aware of. I’m hungry. And thirsty. Not the best first experiences in life.

After an unknown amount of time had passed, I walked into the forest. It was green, really green and full of life. Not the kind I was looking for, I knew. There were dozens of different sounds around me. One in particular was close. Walking towards it, I saw a small hamster-like creature eating a snake much larger than itself. Focusing on it, I saw a screen appear in front of me.

Race : [ Damorguero ( D ) ]

Class : Natloz Forest Beast

Profession : None

Level : 4

Heath ( HP ) : 300/300

Mana ( MP ) : 0/0

-----------

Strength : 40 Agility : 50

Stamina : 60 Vitality : 80

Hardness : 68 Wisdom : 3

Intelligence : 10 Perception : 38

Willpower : 0

Free Points : 0

Skills : None

Titles : None

It was exactly like the screen that I first woke up to. My gaze didn’t linger long as I walked away to look for people. I knew not why I had to find living breathing humans, but I trusted myself.

…

I had walked for hours on end. I saw all kinds of strange creatures. Some looked normal, some were ferocious, but strangely, none approached me. Not that I care enough to ask why. Heh. As I finished that thought, I heard a sound in the distance. It was constant, like that of running water. A river, perhaps.

When I arrived, the pain in my throat intensified, reminding me I needed to drink water. I ran over and stuffed my face into the river, taking huge gulps of water. Before long, I took my head out of the water to violently cough. Still, it was all worth it. I felt so much better than before, though the pain in my stomach is still there.

Looking around, I noticed what I heard wasn’t the river itself, but rather a waterfall. One close to a hundred meters tall. It was majestic, beautiful, and loud. Follow the river. My mind told me. Well, downstream it is then.

After walking far enough from the waterfall, I began to think about what’s next for me. Humans, huh. I could vaguely recall what a human was. They were vile creatures. So why am I looking for them? I, once again, do not know.

…

After walking for a few more hours, passing by even stranger creatures, I saw it. It was on the other side of the river, far enough to barely make out. Not humans mind you, but something majestic. A white deer, with giant horns. It radiated divinity, but I hated it. It had disgusted me to no end. I felt repulsed by it. I looked away and kept walking downstream knowing that if I kept looking at it, I would probably either attack it or puke. Or both.

...

When dusk was starting to set, I saw them. Humans, or rather, humanoids. I could clearly see them in trees 500 meters away. It was a group of seven men in a formation. Three in front, two in the middle, and two at the back. They looked relaxed, but I could tell they were vigilant of their surroundings. Most of their armor consists of tanned leather, with only one exception. The spearman at the front and middle was flanked by two axemen. One of the men in the middle was a swordsman, while the other was in a robe. The two at the back seemed to be archers, with their arrows already knocked.

After I had finished my observations, I walked towards the unknown group of seven. As much as I wanted to see humans, something at the back of my mind warned me to be cautious. I didn’t really take it to heed. When I emerged from the trees 10 meters from them, they were stunned. They only hesitated for a split second though, as their faces turned hard. Maybe I should have trusted myself.

They yelled something at me in a language I was not familiar with. Wait, what language do I know? I didn’t get distracted for long, as I noticed that the three men in the front split up. One strafing slowly to my right and the other to my left. The spearman was pointing his spear at me as he lowered his stance for better control. The swordsman stood in front of the robed man as the two archers got into a stance that said they were ready to draw their bow at any time. The robed man seemed the most surprised out of the seven, as he took the longest to react. When he did, he opened up a massive book of some kind like it weighed nothing and pointed his palms at me. This is quite the situation, isn’t it.

---------

The Netloz Forest, one of the five forbidden places in the Fared Empire. It is commonly used by bandits for their hideouts, like our own group of seven. This forest is home to many valuable beasts. Some could be sold for gold, or if you’re lucky enough, platinum coins.

Our group of seven could be considered at the top of the food chain around here. Normally, it would be hard to find even one or two Silver-Grade combatants in a group, but most of us were Silver-Grade, with one of our archers even being Gold-Grade. This made us one of the strongest groups in the port city of Black Bay. Strength is, after all, everything.

It was getting dark when we decided to end our hunt in the Netloz Forest and get back to the city. We were pretty deep in the forest, so it would take at least three days, without any incidents, to get back. It was definitely worth it though, as our dimensional bags were filled to the bring with all kinds of mana stones, materials and even some corpses.

“Hey Rich, what will you do with your share of the money one we get back?” I heard a voice ask me. I turned to look and saw that it was James, the spearman.

“No idea. Maybe I’ll head to that bar on Calle Blois. Drown in alcohol and women.” That brought some chuckles to the group. Blois Street was where the nobility resided. It was pretty unrealistic for me to enter a bar there, but who knows, maybe we earned enough for me to pay a visit. A man can dream. I smiled to myself.

“Seriously though, man. I’m getting tired of this life. Ever since the Imperial Army arrived, it’s been harder for us to hit the caravans. Now look at us, we look like one of those hero wannabes.” He said, with a disgusted face.

“We have no choice, James, you know this. The Imperials built outposts all over the road.” This brought a sigh from our mouths.

“Hey, I heard that an Imperial Prince was the commander of this army.” Wesly, our magician, informed us.

“Prince or not, it pisses me off that I can’t lead an honest life anymore.” James’ comment made us laugh as we agreed with him.

Only when I started to look around us again did I see a man appear just 10 meters from us. Just this fact alone brought shivers down my spine. How did I not notice him before? He looked around 24, maybe 25, with black hair, dark eyes, and a handsome face only brought down by his deathly pale skin. It looked like he was on the edge of death. Even so, you should never underestimate your enemy, especially not in this forest. And considering it looked like he was wearing a silk shirt and cotton pants, it would be safe to assume he was not your average man.

“You there! STOP!” I shouted, to not only alert my team, but also to warn the strange man. The man, hearing my voice, seemed to stop. Good, at least we can get into formation now. I thought to myself as I looked to my team. We soon got into formation.

“Who are you? Identify yourself.” The Captain yelled at the man, only for him to look confused, as if he didn’t understand what was being said. It can’t be, right?

“Scan him.” The Captain told Wesley. Though, that was unnecessary as Wesley was already in the middle of chanting his spell.

“Huh?” After what seemed like forever, Wesley made a noise.

“Wes? Who is he?” I asked him.

“Ah, I don’t know.” He spoke after a few seconds of hesitation, and he sounded shocked.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” The Captain sounded annoyed.

“Identify doesn’t work on him.” That shocked me.

“Is that even possible?” James asked, confused.

“It shouldn’t be.” He paused. “Not without a spell of some kind, at least. Or god forbid, a higher willpower stat than my intelligence.” That made me pause. I looked at the strange man. Let’s pray it’s the former.

“Rich, James, check him out.” He ordered. James and I looked at each other for just a moment, then we nodded. We carefully walked towards the man as I heard our archers draw their bow. I motioned the strange man to sit down, but he didn’t seem to understand what we meant. I motioned for James to crouch and as he did, I motioned for the strange man to do the same.

Thankfully, he complied. This will make things easier. I thought to myself as I approached him. When I got to him, he had still made no movements suggesting anything, so I took his hands behind him and tied him up. James also put a magic suppression collar on his neck, just to be safe. Only when he was completely helpless did we relax and search his body. We found absolutely nothing on him.

“He doesn’t have anything. No coin, no pouch, not even food or water.” I shook my head at the captain.

“Since he’s useless, let’s just kill him.” The Captain also shook his head. I lifted my axe.

“Wait, maybe he’s a noble, or the son of a nobel.” Wesley suggested. Ah ofc, why didn’t we think of that.

“AH, as expected of the smartest man in the group.” We laughed at the Captain smacked Wesley on the back. “Take him. Let’s get out of here.”

I looked at the man. Something about him unnerved me. Especially his eyes. It seemed to stare into me. I quickly turned my gaze around and roughly pulled him up. I then pushed him ahead of me, to make sure he walked with us. Still, I couldn’t help but shake the feeling that something was wrong with the man.