Dion walked out of the room and climbed 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, expecting his eyes to burn when he reached daylight.
But when he emerged, the light did not blind him.
Even after being in darkness for so long, his eyes adjusted instantly. Suspiciously instantly.
The staircase ended inside the skeleton of a ruined building. Its walls were cracked and torn apart as if something colossal had bitten through them. Only fragments of its roof remained.
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. Thick roots and fallen leaves covered the ground. The air smelled damp and heavy.
Dion clenched his jaw. He could not afford to rest. His body was weak, his throat dry, his stomach hollow. If any kind of beast lurked here, he would not stand a chance.
Still, he could not remain in the ruin.
It was time to move.
He had already decided. He would not wait in a place that only seemed safe. No matter what happened, he needed to regain his memories.
He gripped the bundle of clothes he had found and jogged carefully into the forest, alert to every sound. Each crack of a twig made him tense.
To avoid getting lost, he picked up a small stone and marked every tree he passed with faint slashes on opposite sides. A crude path, but one that could lead him back if necessary.
Time passed slowly. His breath grew shallow. Sweat rolled down his neck.
After about thirty minutes, a cool breeze brushed his face. The relief 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. His hand passed straight through the strange blue gas. It did not react, as if it were not part of the world at all.
Curiosity gnawed at him, and he followed the trail.
The vapors led him to a pond.
It shimmered faintly beneath the canopy, its surface rippling softly as it exhaled the same blue mist.
Dion's eyes widened. "Finally… water."
He knelt beside it, suspicious of its cleanliness and convenience, but still dipped his hand in to test it. The moment his fingers touched the surface, warmth rushed through him, not just on his skin, but deep within his muscles.
His fatigue eased.
Without hesitation, he scooped up the water and drank.
It tasted unlike anything he remembered. Crisp. Pure. Almost alive.
As he drank more, his thirst faded. The foul taste in his mouth vanished completely.
Then something else happened.
The stinging in his wounds dulled.
The aches in his muscles subsided, leaving only faint soreness.
A dull pounding remained in his head, growing stronger with time.
He stared at his skin in disbelief. The cuts and scars were sealing.
"…This water heals?"
Looking into the pond, he saw his reflection. Caramel skin. Long, locked hair falling to his shoulders. Purple eyes which looked closer to black at a glance.
He looked sickly, little more than bone and skin.
He hesitated briefly before stripping and stepping into the pond. Warmth embraced him. He scrubbed himself clean, watching dirt dissolve into glowing ripples.
Floating on his back, he stared at the drifting blue mist.
'Why does the water give off this mist?'
' Is it connected to whatever healed me?'
'How could water be this warm? Why did I find it so conveniently?'
An uneasy feeling crept over him.
Someone was watching.
Dion shivered.
Why should I care right now?
When he stepped out, he felt lighter. He dressed in clean clothes. The fabric felt soft and dry against his skin.
His body was restored. His mind clearer.
Now, he needed to find people.