The first sensation that washed over him was warmth.
A deep, golden warmth that enveloped him like a gentle embrace. It pulsed softly, a familiar rhythm that he had known throughout eternity but had never truly experienced until this moment. He felt weightless, floating in the protection of something ancient and powerful.
Then came a sound. A deep, resonating crack echoed around him.
Something in the world shifted.
In an instant, that warmth wasn't just around him; it surged within him. It coursed through his veins, filled his chest, electrified his fingertips. For the first time, he felt his heart thumping—alive and insistent—like the steady patter of rain against stone.
But then, pain sliced through the bliss.
A sharp, raw ache spread through his limbs as his body ignited into life.
His eyes snapped open.
The golden cocoon that had cradled him for what felt like a thousand years shattered, spilling light in torrents like dawn breaking on a long, dark night. As he fell forward, his body was no longer weightless; it met something solid—the inside of a sacred tree.
His sanctuary. His prison.
And now, his tomb—unless he could find a way to break free.
He took a deep breath. The air around him was thick with energy, ancient and potent. With determination, he pushed through the fog clouding his mind. His fingers pressed against the living wood, feeling the heartbeat of the earth beneath him. His pulse quickened, the warmth inside him growing more intense.
The tree shuddered.
A crack spiraled up its bark. Light burst from within, splitting the tree apart as if it, too, was desperate to escape.
With one last exhale, he broke out
And the world exploded into view.
He stumbled forward, feet meeting the earth for the first time, feeling the cool ground against his skin. The wind rushed in to greet him, sharp and invigorating. Above him, the sky stretched vast and endless, painted in the soft hues of dawn.
But amidst the beauty, something felt deeply wrong.
The air carried the scent of decay, a stark reminder of loss. The land, although still alive, murmured of suffering. Trees stood tall but bore scars—blackened, twisted, and unnatural. The wind, once a gentle whisper, now howled with a haunting undertone.
This was not the world he was meant to awaken into.
His fingers curled into fists, a strange sorrow blossoming within him. He didn't know the faces of the people who once roamed this land. He couldn't picture their laughter or feel their dreams. Yet, somehow, he felt their absence as a palpable ache in his chest.
He had been planted here as a seed of hope, a promise for renewal. But the world around him told a different story—one of war, destruction, and something corrupting the very essence of life itself.
Then, he heard them.
Low, guttural snarls reverberated through the trees. Fear prickled at the back of his neck. Instinct took hold. His feet shifted, his body tensed, muscles coiling like a bowstring drawn tight.
The first creature lunged from the shadows.
It was anything but human.
Once, it may have had a name, a family, a life. But now, it was a grotesque shadow of its former self. Its flesh, cracked and blackened, limbs elongated and moving with an unnatural jerkiness. Hollow, empty eyes locked onto him, driven by a singular purpose: to kill.
Time slowed to a crawl.
He wasn't sure how he moved—only that his body reacted before his mind could catch up. His hand shot up, and the air around him responded.
A blast of wind, sharp as a blade, sliced through the creature. It emitted a shriek, startled and terrified, before it dissolved into ashes.
More came—a relentless swarm. They crawled from the ruins, slithered from the shadows, drawn to the light of his awakening, determined to snuff it out.
They surrounded him.
Fear gripped his heart, not for himself, but for the world he was realizing was so fragile.
Had it truly fallen to this? Were these grotesque monsters the result of humanity's neglect?
A growl rose in his throat.
No.
He had been planted here for a reason.
The warmth in his veins flared into a fire. He raised his hands, and the earth listened.
Vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around the creatures, snapping bones, dragging them back into the embrace of the soil.
One of them hissed, launching itself at him.
He turned instinctively, fingers curling. Wind spiraled around him, swirling into a violent storm. With a fierce release, he sent the creature hurtling into the trees, its body shattered under the force.
One by one, the creatures fell, but their numbers were relentless.
And that's when realization struck him—they were hunting him.
They were aware he had awakened.
Which meant someone—or something—had been waiting for this moment.
—
When the last creature crumbled into dust, the forest fell silent once more.
His chest heaved in exhaustion, hands trembling—not from fatigue, but from a heavy realization.
This wasn't just a battle. This was a war.
And he was, perhaps, the only one who could fight.
Turning toward the sacred tree—his birthplace, the only untouched haven in this shattered world—he felt a connection to the ancient god who had planted him.
His voice broke the silence, hoarse and fragile. "What do I do now?"
The wind stirred gently, carrying with it the familiar scent of earth and coming rain. Leaves rustled softly, as if whispering secrets to one another. Deep within, he felt a stirring of emotion, an acknowledgment of a path that lay ahead.
A whisper beckoned him—a pull that felt both daunting and reassuring.
East.
He closed his eyes for a moment, envisioning what awaited him there. A flicker of hope ignited in his heart, accompanied by a pang of longing.
Someone.
He took a steady breath, a bittersweet ache swelling in his chest. Loss always lingered, a constant companion. Yet beneath that sorrow, a fire simmered—something igniting within him.
Resolve.
If the enemy had laid in wait for him, shrouded in shadows, it meant they feared his return. They sensed the power that had begun to awaken within him.
And fear was a potent ally.
With one last lingering glance at the sacred tree—each ring telling stories of his past—he turned his gaze toward the horizon.
The road stretched infinitely before him, lined with uncertainties and dangers that loomed like dark clouds, threatening to engulf him.
But he was ready.
He had awakened in a way he hadn't thought possible, the weight of his burdens now fueling his determination.
And this time, the world would have to reckon with the change he was willing to embrace.
His heart raced at the thought of what lay ahead. He felt the warmth of connection and courage surge within him, a reminder that beyond fear and sorrow, hope persisted.