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Chapter 2 – The First Lesson
My lungs still burned.
I stayed on my hands and knees, staring at the frozen remains of the demon. Steam drifted from its shattered body, dissolving into the cold air. My heartbeat pounded louder than the wind.
This… this can't be real.
I clenched my fist—and punched myself across the face.
Pain exploded in my jaw. I tasted blood.
> "…Are you stupid?"
The voice growled in my head. Rough. Irritated.
> "You survive a demon and your first instinct is to hit YOURSELF?"
"I… I was checking if this is a dream," I muttered.
> "Congratulations. It's not. And everything in this world will kill you if you keep acting like an idiot."
My chest tightened.
I can't do this. I'm just a kid… I only know how to play games…
> "Stand."
"I… I can't."
> "You can. You just don't want to."
The words hit harder than the punch I gave myself.
Slowly—shaking—I got to my feet.
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I walked until the snow simply stopped, a perfect line dividing two worlds.
One side frozen and dead.
The other side green and gentle beneath a pale sun.
I crossed the line.
Eventually, I saw it.
A small village.
Wooden fences. A stone well in the center.
People… please…
"Hello?! Is anyone—"
The smell hit me like a wall—smoke, rot, dried blood.
Bodies lay scattered across the village paths.
Some burned black and twisted.
Others torn open, organs half-eaten.
Skulls stacked beside a ruined cart, their empty eyes staring right at me.
I stumbled and dropped to my knees—vomiting until nothing came out.
Maybe it was the same kind of demon…the one I fought… maybe it slaughtered this whole place…
My vision blurred.
"I… don't want to die…"
A memory flickered—
Mom calling my name.
Warm light.
The smell of food from the kitchen.
It melted away—replaced by rotting flesh and a sky that didn't belong to my world.
"I… I'm just a kid in armor," I whispered.
> "And you're still alive."
Frostbear's voice was steady. Heavy.
> "Get up, Reckka. Look at this. Learn from this. Or you'll end up like them."
My legs shook… but I forced myself up.
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I moved through the ruins.
Past broken shields. Torn limbs.
At a burned notice board half-buried in ash, I found a scorched map—only one corner still intact.
I clenched it in my hand.
And walked away.
Miles of empty fields.
No voices, no footsteps.
Just the wind… and my thoughts.
Where are Sho… Prime… Zir…?
Are they safe?
"Frostbear…" I muttered.
"Where are we? Why am I here? And how can you even talk…?"
> "In your world I was an item. Here, I am what I truly am: a beast spirit."
"Why me?"
> "That answer lies far above even my understanding."
I bit my lip—and kept walking.
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The fields ended without warning.
The jungle stood ahead like a giant living wall, choking the sky with twisted branches and black leaves.
My heart stopped.
If I go in there… I'll never make it out…
My knees gave out and I collapsed.
> "…Hey, kid."
"Y…Yeah?"
> "Walk."
"I… I can't…"
> "Then fly."
"…Fly?"
> "You heard me."
"The one you need has already woken up. Say its name… bring out the Eagle."
"…How?"
> "Say it."
"C-Change… Eagle."
Light tore across my armor. Frostbear vanished.
In his place came a sharp, rising pressure—like the sky itself wrapped around my body.
> "Welcome, Contractor," the Eagle said, voice clear and proud.
"The sky awaits you."
"I don't even know how to fly…"
> "Fly, kid."
"Jump as high as you can—and take control of the wind."
My legs still trembled—but I bent my knees—
—and jumped.
For one beautiful heartbeat—I flew.
The wind caught me… then panic hit.
I wobbled—and crashed into the jungle.
Branches snapped loud as gunshots. Something in my ribs cracked and pain exploded through me.
THUD
I hit the ground so hard stars burst across my eyes.
…Bones… something's broken…
Crawling forward, I dragged myself toward a tree and collapsed against its trunk, gasping.
> "Move."
"L-Let me breathe…"
> "There is no time to rest."
"You need to get out. NOW."
Every bone screamed.
Then—
Grrrrr.
Three mobs appeared from the shadows, jaws split in bloodied grins, flies buzzing around chunks of torn flesh hanging off their teeth.
I tried to back away—but the tree pinned me in place.
> "FIGHT, kid. Fight."
"H-How? I can't—"
> "Pull the feather. THROW IT."
I pushed myself up—bones grinding—and ripped a glowing feather from my armor.
THUNK — first monster dropped.
THUNK — second.
The third lunged—I twisted and stabbed a feather into its skull. It shuddered and died at my feet.
I did it… I actually did it…
> "Good," Eagle growled.
"Now MOVE."
I breathed. Twice. Then forced myself up—limping deeper into the forest, dragging myself from tree to tree.
Step.
Step.
Step—
The ground shook.
A heavy, thunderous rumble rolled across the dirt.
Branches dropped from the canopy.
Glowing eyes flickered between the trees—dozens of them, rushing straight toward me.
> "FLY, kid!" Eagle roared. "GET OUT. NOW!"
"I—I can't—my legs—"
> "YOU'LL DIE IF YOU DON'T DO IT NOW!"
I bent my knees—every broken bone screaming—
—and jumped with everything I had left.
> "TAKE CONTROL OF THE WIND!" Eagle bellowed.
"Be a part of it! USE me or DIE!"
The wind slammed into me—
—and I soared.
The pack roared beneath me as I broke through the canopy and tore into the sky.
I didn't look back.
I just flew.
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The jungle finally vanished behind me and the open sky stretched out like an ocean of pale blue.
My body started to tremble. The wind grew heavy.
My flight dipped lower… and lower… and I couldn't hold it anymore.
I hit the ground hard — rolled across the grass — and finally came to a stop.
Every breath was pure agony.
I crawled across the dirt and pressed my back against a small rock, slumping down in exhaustion.
My ribs felt shattered.
My lungs burned.
My arms and legs shook like they weren't even part of my body anymore.
I've never felt pain like this in my life…
I hugged my knees, trying to hold myself together.
"…Mom… Dad…" I whispered.
"I miss you… I'm sorry…
…Please… someone… end this misery…
…I'm scared… I don't want to die here…"
And for the first time since I arrived in this world—
—I truly felt alone.
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To be continued
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Author's Note:
What will happen next to Reckka now that he's escaped the jungle? 👀
Thanks for reading — see you guys in the next chapter!
If you're enjoying the story so far, please drop a comment or add it to your library — it really helps a lot!
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