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Its been two days now since I faced the wolf, and I have come to one conclusion, apart from surviving against the deadly beings in this world I think I can live here without regrets. Frey might miss me, but she have herself to blame for keeping the company's secrets from me all my friends are dead, is been a while since my parents and little brother passed away because of greedy relatives, no relatives left as I killed them. As for my sister, I'm convinced she ended up in the same room I did. There's a chance she's here, I hope she is because I am sure I was in the star labs before I came here.
The book I had on me gave me idea of what this world is and what situation this world is in.
According to this book's author Drax, who worshipped a being named "Cosmeta" which is the balancer of existence and lives in "Nothingness". I don't understand how a being can exist in nothingness. But then he goes on about how he would be able to save his world from the "Osmerians" who will arrive here to destroy or capture it. It also tell me that this world is somehow connected to Earth, and that its 5 times bigger than Earth which explains why everything felt so different here. It's been a good pass time, although other pages are strange, I try to turn the page but my left vision blurs and I find myself back on the previous page, its as if some power is restricting me from reading more than it wants, so I just let it be.
It also had an old map in it which was hard to understand but I lost it on the day I left the place where I fought the wolf.
I had been passing through a clearing, pausing for a moment to admire a patch of strange, violet-blue flowers swaying gently in the wind. It was a rare spot of beauty in this bizarre, twisted world—one of the few things that didn't feel like it wanted me dead.
Then, a gust of wind ripped the map from my hand, sending it tumbling through the trees before I could even react.
And now? I'm just a lost sheep.
I keep moving, following a simple rule: opposite the rising sun, toward the setting one.
The sky shifts in its usual, eerie way—blueish-green in the morning, deep blood-red in the evening. When the sun is directly overhead, the sky becomes a swirling mixture of blue and red, shading into green near the sun itself. I've tried looking at it a few times, but the closer I focus, the more it messes with my head.
Maybe it's a blue giant, I wonder idly, a small distraction from the heavier thoughts gnawing at me.
The forest is never completely silent, but something still feels... wrong.
There are occasional animal sounds, rustling leaves, distant echoes—but no birds in the trees.
I've only seen birds in the skies a handful of times, but whenever I do, something shoots at them. I hear a sharp whizzing sound, followed by panicked squawks as they scatter. It's coming from the trees. Probably the monkeys.
It's strange how the smaller creatures act more aggressively than the larger ones.
I've also seen weirder things.
One plant tried to grab my left arm—its vines coiling around me like hungry fingers. Before I could even react, it shriveled away, its essence draining straight into my arm. I don't know how, but somehow, I absorbed it.
Then there was the lizard.
At first, I barely noticed it—just another creature lounging lazily on a thick branch. But then I got too close.
Its long, stick-like nose twitched, and I watched in confusion as it curled its tail around it—as if... mounting a gun.
The realization hit a second too late.
A sharp pop rang out, and something small and fast shot toward me.
Pain flared across my chest.
I stumbled back, gripping my side—my skin was turning green where the needle had struck. A sickly, creeping sensation spread from the wound, burning through my veins.
Poison.
I dropped to one knee, my vision blurring.
Is this how I die?
Then, as suddenly as it started... the pain dulled.
My body pushed the poison back. The unnatural green faded from my skin, my strength slowly returning.
I exhaled, shaking off the lingering dizziness.
That could've been bad.
Then came the fox.
At first, I didn't think much of it—just another creature crossing my path.
It stood a few feet away, partially hidden behind a fallen tree. Its fur was a deep ember-orange, patterned with white markings along its forehead—strange, rune-like symbols that almost looked deliberate.
It just... watched me.
Not scared. Not curious. Waiting.
Something felt off.
Then, its eyes flashed pink.
Shit.
Before I could move, a burst of blue fire erupted from its mouth, rushing toward me.
I raised my arm on instinct, bracing for the burn—but nothing happened.
The fire reached me, then... vanished.
Not fizzled out. Not dodged. Just—gone.
The fox's ears flattened, its tail flicking, its whole body going rigid.
It looked just as confused as I felt.
I lowered my arm, frowning. What the hell?
The fox snarled, eyes burning brighter, and launched another burst of flame—closer, stronger.
Same result.,
The fire disappeared the moment it reached me.
This time, the fox Lunges at me with sharp claws glowing red with fire, but as it closes in on me the glow disappears which baffles the fox too, I react and slap the things away with my left hand, it whimpers in pain and runs away.
I flexed my fingers, staring at my hand. That wasn't normal. Magic didn't just vanish like that... Right? . Another question added to the pile. No answers, at least not yet. I shook my head and moved on. No use standing around. There were bigger problems—like finding a way out of this damned forest.
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Soon The forest around me changes, the vibrant greens giving way to charred remnants of what once thrived. The landscape tells a story of destruction—a forest fire, perhaps? It didn't spread, which means either it rained or someone extinguished it. The soil still holds moisture, a testament to nature's resilience.
A clanging sound catches my attention, I thought I was hearing things but the sound became clear as I focused on it which pulled me from my thoughts. I head toward it, navigating through the burnt patches of forest until I stumble upon a denser area Sound of metals clanging can never be a good thing in places such as these, but maybe in can find people and finally get out of this forest.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNYMcXmDet
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After a few minutes, I find myself back in another clearing, where a group of green humanoids has surrounded a man. I duck behind a boulder, instinct kicking in. Goblins. Nasty little creatures, no doubt.
They encircle a figure who looks like a dwarf, though aren't dwarves supposed to be smaller? This one stands about my height, wielding a hammer with short handle and a massive head. I strain to hear their conversation, keeping my distance—approximately 12 to 15 meters away.
"Dwarf come, he lives, not, then die. King orders," a goblin with a staff barks.
"You and your king may as well have a taste of my thunder. You'll make a fine meal for the soil here," the dwarf retorts, leaping into the air and smashing the head of one goblin with a sickening crunch. The others recoil, forming a defensive line.
"Maybe I should help him?" I ponder, but the dwarf jumps again, this time levitating as clouds swirl above him and thunder rains upon the goblins.
Only one thought crosses my mind: "The Norse god of thunder. Gods exist in this world too?"
Although it looked very cool the dwarf's attack seems less effective on goblin mage as it erects a shimmering barrier, shielding himself and his comrades.
"Dwarf kill our brothers, finally tired. Now we kill!" the mage commands, retreating behind his troops.
It would be great to have a dwarf to make weapons better suited for this world and maybe I can finally make friends without worrying that some mafia or enemy may kill them to reach me, anyway, maybe doing something nice in a while may pay me off, I can have him guide me out of this never ending forest.
So I decide it's time to act. I slip from behind the boulder, catching the dwarf's eye. I gesture for him to stay quiet as I creep toward the mage, crouched low against the sunlight that could betray my shadow.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Mq6eHT1oc
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The Dwarf's Perspective:
"Is that a demon? Shit, I'm exhausted from these green savages chasing me for days, and now this? I can't fight—I must find a way to escape."
"Wait, why is he sneaking behind the mage? And the mage can't sense him?" Confusion clouds the dwarf's thoughts.
The goblin mage grinned, clutching his staff. "Finally, me go home. Me get reward. King and master happy."
A shadow loomed behind him.
"Huh...? Who's—?!"
Before he could react, a sharp twist snapped his neck to the side. For a moment, his body went limp. But then—crack. The bones realigned, his head jerking back into place as he wheezed out an incantation.
"Nature heals all: Minor Restoration."
His glowing eyes locked onto me, no longer filled with fear but amusement.
"Hey! Goblins are more flexible, so that won't work!" the dwarf shouted, frustration bleeding into his voice.
I clenched my jaw. Damn it.
The goblin mage let out a wheezing laugh, twisting unnaturally in my grip. Before I could react, he brought his knee up—hard—slamming it into my ribs.
It barely hurt, but it was enough to make me loosen my grip. He took full advantage, slipping free and scrambling backward, his small frame darting through the charred remains of the forest.
Coward.
He put several meters between us, then spun, raising his staff with renewed confidence. "Sun is fire, fire is hot: Flame Shot!"
A fireball erupted from the staff's tip, streaking toward me.
The goblin was already preparing another spell. He stepped back, staff raised. "Bless us with rain: Sun Shards."
I hesitated. But moved. The fireball hit the ground creating crater and dust.
Then—
"Above you! Dodge!"
The dwarf's warning barely reached me before my instincts screamed at me to move. I looked up only to realise that the goblin was ready with another spell. The sky shimmered. Fiery shards rained down, each one like a molten dagger hurtling straight for me.
I raised my left arm on reflex.
An explosion of heat and smoke swallowed me whole, I could feel some heat but it wasn't much, I watched the flames flicker uselessly against the invisible shield surrounding me. No heat. No burns. Nothing.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3biAJsmPKi
My fingers twitched at my side. This was real. This wasn't some lucky dodge. Magic didn't reach me.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iVDcP30r2
I wasn't just resistant. The barrier around me rejected it. I think but first I need to settle the score with the green ugliness first, I take out my plasma spear but with its plasma off, I don't know if it has a hydro battery or not so I can't afford to discharge it in case it doesn't.
The goblin mage threw back his head and howled with laughter. "Haha! See? Your friend—dead!"
He turned toward the dwarf, already preparing his next attack. "Now you know. Me powerful! Now you—"
The laughter died in his throat.
A shadow moved within the smoke.
I stepped forward, unharmed, spear in hand. "You were saying?"
The dwarf, sees the shadow emerge from the smoke too.
"He's fine even after that?" he thinks, disbelief etched on his face.
I swing my spear hard against the mage's temple, the impact reverberating through my arm. The goblin crumples, and I grab him by the neck before he can recover.
"Try that again, if you dare." I say, trying my best to avoid squeezing too tightly, not wanting to kill him yet. His eyes widen in terror, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Who you? Please, no-kill! I slave, your slave. No kill!" he pleads, his voice trembling. From every tale I've heard, I know one thing: never trust goblins. But something in his desperation tugs at a sliver of sympathy within me. I let him go, my curiosity piqued.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡph7Xb5ziht
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Maybe after destroying the shadow company I had become a bit more like I was when I was a kid, kinder. But these feelings had been supressed due to those shitheads.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMWVsDHKFd
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I snap out of my own thoughts and see the goblin still begging for his life.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbv2ucWdBXB
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I let go of the goblin mage who pretend to be afraid but as soon as it got down it started to run, I didn't want to kill it just yet to test some of my theories but the dwarf finishes off his side of the fight, and before I could start chasing the goblin mage, he unleashed a thunderbolt that strikes the mage dead.
"Damn it! I needed him alive!" I growled, watching the smoking remains of the goblin mage. "Did you really have to fry him?".169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhWK4Ws8bg
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The dwarf, still breathing heavily, snaps his gaze toward me, gripping his hammer tighter.
"Why did you help me?" His voice is laced with suspicion, his stance shifting ever so slightly into a defensive posture. "Are you not part of the Demon Lord's army?"
My eyes narrow. He's ready to fight me if I say the wrong thing.
"Whoa, whoa!" I raise my hands, careful not to make any sudden moves. "Did you just judge me based on my black suit? I'm a human, not a demon's lord."
The dwarf doesn't relax. His sharp, battle-hardened eyes flicker to my left arm, the scaled, otherworldly limb that even I barely understand.
"If you are going to lie, at least make it believable, you can't hide your identity when you're swinging your demon hand around." His fingers tighten around his hammer's grip. "What are you, if not a demon?"
For a moment, I consider lying—denying everything, making up some excuse—but something tells me that won't work on him. He's a warrior. He trusts actions, not words.
"Yeah, I get why you'd think that," I say slowly, keeping my voice level. "Wait a moment."
With deliberate movements, I pull off my mask, revealing my face.
The dwarf freezes. His jaw tightens, eyes darting between my human features and my monstrous arm, his breathing momentarily hitching.
"By the gods..." he murmurs, his grip on his hammer easing just a fraction.
We stand there in tense silence. He's still wary. I can see it in the way his weight shifts, like he's ready to swing his hammer at the slightest provocation.
I exhale. Better to keep moving.
"Look, maybe we can talk while we walk. I want to get out of this accursed forest before their friends arrive to get revenge" I say pointing at the goblins "And I'm guessing you do too."
The dwarf doesn't respond immediately. His eyes search my face for something—a lie, a trap, a sign of betrayal.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he lets out a gruff sigh.
"...Gladly. I am Warzheil." His voice still carries a note of caution, but he lowers his hammer slightly. "I don't want the lich to find me out aswell, so let's leave this cursed place."
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"Lich, huh?" I say as we start moving. Warzheil keeps his distance—not far enough to be hostile, but not close enough to be friendly either. He's watching me. Studying me.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaw2hMzMbTZ
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The silence stretches between us, thick with unspoken tension.
After a while, I decide to break it. "Hey, don't you have any suspicion about whether I'm lying?"
Warzheil scoffs, but there's no amusement in it.
"Of course I do." His grip on his hammer tightens for a brief moment. "You helped me, but that doesn't mean I trust you. For all I know, you could be leading me into a trap."
"...Fair point. But you are the one walking in front." I say on which he grunts169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KbTf51D8N
Well I don't blame him. If the roles were reversed, I'd be thinking the same thing.
A long pause. Then, he exhales, shaking his head.
"You're clearly not from around here. I'd be suspicious if it weren't for the current situation. So if its trust you want then we should start with how we got here."
His tone has shifted—less guarded, more thoughtful. His suspicion isn't gone, but he's at least willing to listen.
"I will go first, " he says on which I nod, Warzheil continues, "You see, there was a dragon who became a god by worshipping a deity that no one other than him believed in. As a blessing for his devotion, his god granted him powers that made him stronger than the current god-king. We call him Drax."
"What does that have to do with me?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.
Something about the name Drax stirs a memory. I remember reading about him in the book—Then it returns to me, it was the name of the Book's author that I have.
And yet, Warzheil speaks his name like a man recalling a friend.
The dwarf's gaze sharpens as if gauging my reaction. He doesn't answer immediately, instead tightening his grip on his hammer before finally speaking.
"Drax was my friend," he says, his voice steady but cautious. "Three days ago, he performed a summoning ritual... but it cost him. Most of his power drained, he was left vulnerable, and Zamba—the dragon who had long envied his strength—struck him down."
My stomach tightens. "Summoning ritual?" I say169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDT6XUz2Ck
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That sounds too deliberate to be a coincidence.
Warzheil shifts his stance. He's watching me carefully now, measuring every reaction.
"I..... wait, I thinks it's better to just show you." I say as I take out the book I had from a torn part of my suit."By any chance do you know of this book?"169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABmXKyb8za
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On mere glimpse of the book, I realise that the dwarf has already become hostile, taking a fighting stance.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoMN3Bsqfd
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"Where did you get Drax's diary?" he yells which annoys me as I feel like my head is pulling itself from inside.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxSf6voNhW
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"How am I supposed to know? I found it when I woke up in this forest three days ago."
Warzheil doesn't answer right away. His brows furrow slightly, and I notice the subtle shift in his posture—less aggressive, but still wary. He stares at me, his eyes scanning my face, my stance, like he's piecing something together.
"Three days ago...?" His voice is quieter now, more thoughtful.
I cross my arms. "Yeah. Why?"
Warzheil exhales, his grip tightening around his hammer. "That timing..." He trails off, his expression darkening as if lost in thought.
Then, his gaze snaps back to mine, sharper than before. Measuring. Searching.
"Let me see something," he says, taking a slow step forward.
I don't move, but my body tenses on instinct. "See what?"
He hesitates, then gestures vaguely toward my face—toward my left eye.
"I won't harm you. Just let me check something."
My first instinct is to back away. I don't like how suddenly his attitude is shifting.
But he's not acting out of hostility. It's something else.
Curiosity? No. Caution. Like he's dealing with something he doesn't fully understand.
I sigh. "Fine. Make it quick."
Warzheil steps closer, his rough fingers lightly brushing against my left eye. His expression is unreadable as he examines it.
Then, he pauses.
His breath catches, his fingers twitch just slightly before he pulls his hand back. A slow exhale, as if confirming something to himself.
"...So it really is you."
I frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Warzheil takes a step back, adjusting his grip on his hammer—not aggressively, but like he's grounding himself. His face is unreadable, but there's a weight in his eyes that wasn't there before.
"Thank Drax I found you."
I blink. What?
"You were looking for me?"
Warzheil's jaw tightens. "Not you specifically. But..." He exhales, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. You are the god that Drax summoned."
Something cold settles in my stomach.
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My fingers twitch at my sides. A nervous habit.
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"What?" I say with a voice Too hollow. Too forced.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnkfN5ei8T
Warzheil doesn't blink. His stare, heavy with certainty, feels suffocating.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTIf8WuLzp
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He nods, his earlier caution now replaced with something that feels almost like conviction.
"Your eye says it all. It holds the mark of Cosmeta."
"Cosmeta?" I echo. The name rings faintly in my memory—I remember seeing it in the book I read earlier. The so-called balancer of existence.
Warzheil nods. "The mark is faint now, almost unnoticeable. But it's there."
I exhale sharply. "This is ridiculous. How could you possibly know that?"
Warzheil doesn't answer immediately. Instead, he reaches into his armor, his movements more certain now as he pulls out a small mirror from an impossibly small pocket.
He brings it closer to my face.
And my breath catches.
My left eye—it's not normal.
It mirrors the black orb from my dream—the same one that fired a crimson beam at Geolard. A swirling void of unearthly darkness, faint energy pulsing beneath the surface with a Redish 'T' symbol in its centre, I don't know what made Warzheil say that it was barely visible as for me the entire eye had changed, I saw my face in a pond I came across a day ago but it wasn't like this at that time. Does this have to do with that strange power that protected me earlier? My thoughts rampage in my mind but I try to supress them to prevent losing my cool.
And that's not all.
I look younger.
I swallow hard, gripping my knee to steady myself. The outlines of objects glow faintly, the world around me seems sharper, and now I realize—I've been seeing differently since I got here.
A chill creeps down my spine.
Warzheil watches me carefully, his earlier scepticism almost entirely gone.
"Drax chose you," he murmurs, more to himself than to me. "Whether you believe it or not, this world does."
I shake my head, trying to push down the unease crawling through my veins.
I don't trust this. I don't trust him.
The tension lingers between us, unspoken but present.
The weight of Warzheil's words settled in my chest. Chosen? That wasn't a word I liked. It felt like a chain more than a title. I clenched my fists, shaking the thought off as Warzheil sighed and adjusted his Armor.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLz2K2ZUgz
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I hesitate, then nod.
We still don't trust each other completely. I can see it in the way he keeps his distance as we walk, his hand near his weapon. And I know he notices how I stay slightly behind him, watching his movements.
Trust isn't built in an instant.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw100kXD7Zj
Warzheil keeps his distance. And so do I.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXh1yaKXOw
For now, we walk together. But neither of us dares turn our backs.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUJ6iL544N
An uneasy truce.169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfR4ahZDfnb
That will have to be enough.
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