Um! My wine, my love... don't ever leave me...
Liora mumbled in her sleep, reaching for her silk-soft duvet. But instead of the familiar warmth, a cold breeze brushed against her skin. Her fingers grasped at empty air. She tried again, but there was nothing there.
"Anna, wrap me with my silk duvet," Liora mumbled, hoping that her maid would hear and drape her with the duvet, as it was her habit to kick it off in her sleep.
But after countless attempts with no response, the cold continued to seep into her bones. Her temper began to flare at the thought of her lazy maid. She must be slacking somewhere, Liora thought angrily. She tried to open her eyes, but it was so hard. If she had the choice, she would have continued sleeping. However, the cold wind grew more and more unbearable.
It seemed she had drunk too much wine the night before. Opening her eyes felt like a monumental task. Her head was splitting apart from the pain.
"If I find that lazy maid, I will punish her with a wooden plank!" Liora grumbled with pouty lips.
"Ahh!" she screamed with frustration when she suddenly felt a chill on her body. Instantly, it made her open her eyes.
But instead of the crystal chandelier and golden silk around her bed, a ruin of blackened rubble greeted her. The little bit of sleep in her eyes disappeared, when she looked at the unfamiliar ceiling. She jumped in fright but instantly groaned when she felt a stabbing pain in her limbs.
"Ahh! What the hell? Who is playing prank on this princess?" She asked in bewilderment, but no answer came.
For a moment, she thought she was dreaming and that the liquor was still affecting her. But after pinching her arm and feeling the sharp sting of pain, she realized she was still in this forsaken place.
Everything around her was a wreck. It seemed like a mass of ruined structures and fallen rocks with iron rods sticking out from them. Her confusion deepened as she looked at her surroundings. Everything was so unfamiliar.
Had she been kidnapped while she was sleeping? The thought crossed Princess Liora's mind. After all, she was the only little princess of the Caelthar Empire, the beloved treasure of the Emperor and her eleven royal brothers.
Her enemies always tried to kidnap her to negotiate with her father.
But she wasn't bound, and no one seemed to be around. Was she really kidnapped? Liora doubted. But she decided it was better to find out than to just sit there.
"I will peel your skin," Liora muttered, her anger now igniting her thoughts. How dare this filth lock her up in such a nasty place?
"Just wait! Once I find you, I'll have the royal father punish you in the cruelest way," she hissed between clenched teeth.
"Ahh!" she screamed again when she felt her mind spinning. She instinctively leaned on a boulder for support as she stood.
"What the hell? Why is my head splitting like this?" She murmured, holding her forehead, but her hand felt sticky. When she looked at her fingers, she found them stained with blood.
"Oh my!" she gasped, nearly blacking out at the sight of so much blood.
So much blood… She gulped, unable to comprehend how she had gotten hurt without realizing. Now, her anger reached its peak. The despicable kidnappers had even dared to beat her. She would make them pay.
"You will be finished, just pray to the gods that I don't find you," She muttered, her bloodied hand now clenched in a fist. She began walking through the cramped space filled with dust and debris from ruined buildings.
After wandering for a while, she found nothing but rubble—no sign of life anywhere. Frustration bubbled up inside her as she looked around. Then, she screamed, Bloody hell!." She kicked hard at a piece of metal with a bang.
"Ahh!" she cried out as she held her foot, tears of frustration filling her eyes.
She looked down at the piece of metal she had kicked earlier. It only got worse when the pain in her foot joined the throbbing in her head, making her mood further sour.
"Ahhh!! Royal father and queen mother! Where are you? Please come find me, your little beloved is in pain!" she sat on the ground and started crying bitterly.
She couldn't take it any longer. She had grown up in the finest luxury, surrounded by gold and silks. The imperial palace was a place of opulence where even a small scratch would cause a commotion, but now she was covered in injuries.
She sobbed pitifully, her eyes turning red with tears. Her head throbbed even harder. She hiccupped loudly as grief took over her.
Suddenly, a noise broke through her sobs.
Grrrraaagh… Mmmmoooan...
Liora's hiccups died down when she heard the strange sound behind her. The hair on her body stood on end. She felt like a predator was eyeing her, ready to strike.
Her instincts screamed at her to run, but curiosity got the better of her. She slowly turned her head, and color drained from her face as her eyes locked with the culprit.
A twisted man with a broken leg and a bloodied face stared at her with hungry, hollow eyes. His hollow cheeks were caked with dried blood, and his clothes were in tatters. His hand reached toward her, dragging his distorted body as he shuffled forward.
The same low growl that she had heard came from him again.
Grrrraaagh… Mmmmoooan...
What in the world is this? Liora mumbled. She almost vomited as she stared at the man. It had the shape of a man, but everything was twisted, its eyes filled with hunger.
But all she could feel was the fear gripping her body, freezing her in place as the man dragged his body closer.
Her eyes widened as he suddenly lunged toward her, mouth open, as if to swallow her whole. It almost gave her the scare of her life, but she ducked out of the way just in time.
Eeeeaaahhh! Aaaaarghhh!
Liora smelled the foul stench from his mouth as he screamed in rage. The creature was clearly angry at her sudden escape.
"Damn filth! Stay away from me!" Liora also screeched at his face with double intensity, her voice filled with disgust and fear.
[ding..]
[System initialization complete...]
[Welcome, Princess Liora. You have entered a new world, one where only the strong survive. The system is here to guide you]
[Task One: Defend yourself. You have received your first weapon. Good luck.]