Dion walked steadily, climbing out of the underground ruin. Ahead of him stretched a crumbling flight of stone stairs leading upward. He ascended carefully, one shaky step at a time, half-expecting his eyes to burn when he reached daylight.
But when he emerged, the light didn't blind him.
Even after being in darkness for so long, his eyes adjusted instantly, very suspiciously instantly.
The staircase ended inside the skeleton of a ruined building, its walls cracked and torn apart as though something colossal had bitten through them. Only fragments of its roof remained, scattered and uneven. Dion stepped through what used to be the entrance and froze.
He was surrounded by trees.
They stretched endlessly in every direction, towering like silent watchers. The ground was littered with thick roots and fallen leaves. The air smelled damp and heavy.
Dion clenched his jaw. He couldn't afford to rest. His body was weak, his throat dry, his stomach hollow. If any kind of beast lurked here, he wouldn't stand a chance.
Still… he couldn't remain in that ruin either.
It was time to move.
He gripped the bundle of clothes he had found and began jogging carefully into the forest, alert to every sound. Each crack of a twig beneath his feet made him tense.
To avoid getting lost, he picked up a small stone and began marking every tree he passed — a faint slash on two opposite sides. A crude path, but one that might save him later.
Time passed slowly. His breath grew shallow. Sweat rolled down his neck.
After about thirty minutes, a cool breeze brushed his face — a relief so sudden it made him stop. Ahead, faint wisps of blue mist drifted through the air like living vapors.
"What's that…?" he murmured.
He stepped closer and reached out, but his hand passed right through the strange blue gas. It didn't move, didn't react, as if it wasn't part of this world at all. Curiosity gnawed at him, and he decided to follow the trail.
The vapors led him to a pond.
It shimmered faintly under the light that filtered through the canopy, the surface rippling softly, exhaling the same blue mist.
Dion's eyes widened. "Finally… water."
He knelt beside it, dipped his hand in to test it. The moment his fingers touched the surface, a wave of warmth rushed through him — not just on his skin, but deep inside his muscles. The fatigue in his body eased slightly.
Without hesitation, he scooped up the water and drank.
It was unlike anything he had ever tasted — crisp, pure, almost alive. As he gulped more, his thirst disappeared… and so did his hunger. The foul taste in his mouth vanished completely.
Then, something else happened.
The stinging in his wounds faded.
The aches in his muscles melted away.
Even the dull pounding in his head quieted.
He looked down at his skin in disbelief — the cuts and scars were sealing, smooth and unblemished once more.
"…This water… heals?"
As soon as he dropped his hands and actually looked at the water, he saw his own reflection. He had a caramel skin tone, long hair that fell to his shoulders, his eyes were… purple, though it was hard to notice. He looked sickly, with barely any flesh or fat on his bones. Someone could even mistake him for a skeleton.
He hesitated only for a moment before stripping off his dirty clothes and stepping into the pond. The warmth embraced him, seeping into his bones. He scrubbed himself clean, watching the dirt swirl away in the glowing water.
Lying back, he stared at the soft blue vapors drifting above the surface.
Why does the water give off this mist?
Is it connected to whatever healed me?
He closed his eyes and let the warmth numb his thoughts.
Why should I care?
When he finally stepped out, he felt lighter. He dressed in the clean clothes he'd carried, the fabric soft and dry against his skin. The faint scent of the pond clung to him, sweet and natural.
He took a deep breath, staring into the forest ahead.
His body was restored. His mind, clearer.
Now came the harder part, finding people.