After the last drop of blood left Edward's body, he found himself in a completely dark space for a moment. Edward couldn't feel his body, as if it had turned into a cloud of smoke, ready to dissipate with the slightest breeze. He was confused, unsure of what to do next. Suddenly, he felt a force pulling him towards it. Edward was surprised, as he had thought that there was nothing after death, but the reality turned out to be different. Edward didn't know how to deal with it, so he simply accepted it and decided to go with the flow. Perhaps the afterlife will be much better.
Floating slowly in the void, Edward pondered. What awaits him next? Will he see God or his likeness? Will there be a trial where he will be punished for all his sins? Or would his soul simply disappear under the influence of an unknown force? In any case, Edward was sure that he would not be able to influence his future fate in any way. For this reason, he interrupted his thought flow and began to await his fate. After some time, Edward felt his consciousness gradually begin to fade.
"So I'm going to disappear after all... Well, it's for the best, I'm too tired..." – Edward mentally accepted his fate.
However, Edward suddenly came to his senses again, and the first thing he felt was the damp, musty air seeping into his lungs, poisoning them. He was lying on a cold stone surface, and the air was filled with the smell of dust, earth, and something metallic.
"Blood!?"
Edward's eyes snapped open, revealing the stone ceiling above him, illuminated by the dim glow of torches. He ran a hand over his face, then looked at his palm. His skin was covered in a thin layer of dirt, concealing numerous wounds.
"Where am I?"
The cold, wet air cut into his lungs with every breath. The stone floor beneath his body was hard and damp, and the cold seeped into his bones. Everything was too real. Although he had never died, Edward could tell that this was not the afterlife.
"Am I... alive? But how? I'm certain that even God himself couldn't save me with my throat cut."
He tried to get to his feet, but he felt a strange heaviness in his limbs. His head was buzzing, and his body ached. He also had a lot of injuries on his body, which, although they weren't too severe, were limiting his movement. The last time Edward felt this exhausted was when he was undergoing his mentor's rigorous training.
Turning his head in different directions, the young man looked around. There were many people around him who were just as exhausted as he was. They were dirty and dressed in rags that could hardly be called clothes. From the look of these people, Edward began to realize where he was, and he was not pleased with the situation.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance, followed by a rough man's voice filled with disgust and contempt:
– Get up, you scum! Work doesn't wait.
The man decided to accompany this shout with a punch, and Edward heard the crunch of someone's ribs and a muffled grunt nearby. Edward raised himself on his elbows and looked at the source of the noise. It was a menacing figure with an ugly face and a disproportionately thick body.
Another kick, and a pain-filled scream echoed off the walls.
– I said get up!
Edward stood up calmly, following the example of the other people. It was a bad idea to anger the fat man standing at the entrance to the cage. This was not the first time he had found himself in a place where fear and violence reigned.
– Come on, move it. – The guard hissed, pushing him towards the exit from the dark stone room.
Edward complied. There was no point in resisting until he understood what was happening.
As he was chased down the corridor, he quickly studied his surroundings. Narrow passageways. Stone walls. Rough grates on the doors. The dull thud of pickaxes coming from somewhere in the distance.
As he was chased down the corridor, he quickly studied his surroundings. Narrow passageways. Stone walls. Rough grates on the doors. The dull thud of pickaxes coming from somewhere in the distance.
"A mine? Hmm... Apparently, that's true... However, how could I have gotten here?"
Edward was still confused. Although he had been in unexpected situations before, about which he had no information, what was happening now was beyond his comprehension.
As Edward was lost in thought, analyzing the situation, he felt a rather strong push on his back. Barely standing on his feet, Edward turned around, coming face to face with one of the guards.
– Don't stand there like a statue, you little puppy! Grab a pickaxe and get to work!
Edward didn't want to tempt fate, so he obediently followed the order. Normally, he wouldn't have tolerated such treatment, but his condition was far from ideal. Even standing on his feet was a challenge. Staggering from side to side, Edward made his way to the mining site, carrying a pickaxe he had borrowed from one of the guards.
"Ugh... My body is about to break... I don't remember ever being this weak."
As Edward swung his pickaxe, he felt immense pain, as if his muscles were about to burst. Every strike against the rock reverberated through his body, causing him to groan in agony.
This continued for several hours. Throughout this time, Edward was forced to work tirelessly with his pickaxe. Any attempt to rest was met with a searing whip across his already aching back. By the time the guards led him and the other slaves back to the cage, Edward was no longer able to think clearly.
He made his way to the cage in a daze. He was brought back to his senses by a stale loaf of bread and a flask of water thrown in his face.
"I need to eat..."
With trembling hands, Edward pulled a roll to his mouth and took a bite. The taste was disgusting, and the dry pieces of bread scratched his palate and gums, but he didn't even notice because he was so tired. After quickly chewing the bread and washing it down with water, Edward finally collapsed on the cold stone floor.
"What kind of place is this? After working for only a day, I almost died... Am I in one of those illegal mines? If so, my prospects are rather bleak..."
Lifting his hand up, Edward looked at his palm. It seemed too small, and that immediately caught his attention. Due to his hazy awakening, Edward hadn't noticed the changes immediately, but now he realized. His body felt different, as if... His soul had found a new home.
"This is crazy..."
Edward refused to believe it, even though he had recently floated through the void as a soul. His common sense refused to accept the fact, but everything pointed to the opposite. Edward's soul had taken over someone else's body.
– But how... – He muttered under his breath, when he suddenly noticed something on his finger, a ring covered in dirt.
It looked very familiar to Edward. After all, he had received this ring as a trophy from his first victim. Edward couldn't help but recognize something he had been carrying around for ten years.
Quickly looking around and ensuring that no one was watching, Edward carefully moved towards a crooked stone wall and discreetly removed the ring. He wanted to confirm that it was indeed the same ring.
As he turned the jewel in his dirty, bony hands, Edward carefully examined every inch of the ring. It was indeed the ring that had accompanied him for many years. Every nick and scratch matched exactly what Edward remembered. However, his attention was soon drawn to something unusual, something that he had never seen before in all the years he had owned the ring.
In places, the ring was covered with faintly glowing lines. The dirt covering him made the lines almost invisible, but they gave Edward a strange idea.
– Is it really because of the ring?
Straining his memory, Edward tried to remember everything he knew about the ring. He had received it from his father, on the very night his life had been turned upside down.
As a child, Edward wasn't particularly interested in antiques, so he wasn't interested in this ring, but his father did tell him something. This ring had belonged to his family for several generations, acting as a family heirloom. Edward's father, James. He often said that the ring was found by their ancestor in the middle of the 18th century, when he was exploring Central America. Being on the verge of life and death after being seriously injured, he discovered a strange accessory inside the Maya temple that emitted a mysterious glow. When their ancestor put on the ring, a miracle happened. All his wounds were healed, and he easily found his way out of the temple, as if the ring was guiding him. However, Edward, who had been a skeptic since childhood, did not believe in the fairy tales his father had told him.
– It's amazing... This ring really is unusual. You were right, Father, as always... – Edward sighed, remembering his father and his kind eyes. Although he still couldn't fully accept the reality he found himself in, he had at least gained some understanding of the situation. That was enough for him. As for the rest... Edward had plenty of time to explore it.
– If you saved my life, then it's too early for me to die... I'm going to get out of here and survive! – As Edward placed the ring back on his thin finger, he made a vow to himself. He believed that his father had given him the ring in the hope that it would protect him. If that was the case, then Edward would do whatever it took to survive.
– I'll see you again, Mom, Dad... – A single tear rolled down Edward's cheek as he remembered his parents.