My eyes opened with difficulty. My body was drenched in sweat, my clothes sticking to my skin.
I stayed still for a few seconds, waiting for my mind to piece together whatever I'd just lived through with what my eyes were seeing now.
My breathing was uneven, as if I'd run a marathon. My heart hammered against my ribs, ready to puncture my chest.
I forced myself upright, dragging myself out of my torpor, and drew a long breath of fresh air. The night air flooded my lungs, cold and almost aggressive, but painfully real.
My gaze lifted to the sky, searching for the rift I had seen earlier.
But only the moon remained. A full moon whose pale glow faintly illuminated a deep, endless black sky. The contrast was so strong my pupils struggled to adjust.
"Was it… a dream?" I whispered, doubt clinging to my voice.
Everything had felt real - the voice, the pain, the heat, the panic. I still felt a lingering throbbing in my skull, like a physical memory.
I shook my head and looked around. Nothing had changed, except the atmosphere itself. Everything had changed, not physically, but in a way I couldn't define. I was certain of it: something was different.
My eyes settled on the forest that had seemed so welcoming by day. Paradoxically, it was far less inviting at night. The soft daylight that pierced through the canopy had been replaced by an oppressive darkness.
Darkness that should have repelled me, yet - strangely - it drew me in, like a moth drawn to flames. My mind emptied itself piece by piece, as if I'd left my consciousness somewhere behind me, while my body moved on its own, descending the slope.
I took one step at a time, not without difficulty; my muscles were still sore from my nap.
With each step, my shoes sank into the wet soil, producing a soft, sucking sound. The smell of earth rose, rich with mushrooms, moss, decay.
My footsteps sank into the soaked humus. The nocturnal air exhaled a metallic, almost iron-like scent I had never known the forest to have. I frowned. That smell didn't belong here.
I listened. Nothing. Not even the monotonous drone of insects.
Not a rustle. Not a chirp. Not a whisper.
A silence too perfect.
I froze.
A breath passed between the branches, but no wind followed. My fingers curled involuntarily, my nails digging into my palm.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
A wet chewing sound echoed from somewhere ahead. I swallowed hard, my saliva thick as glue.
My hairs stood on end, goosebumps crawling across my skin. My heart pounded wildly, as if trying to burst out of my chest, while thick beads of sweat slid down my face. A tingling sensation ran up my spine, lodging itself at the base of my neck.
My body tightened and my brain started racing at full speed.
First that voice, then the rift in the sky, the strange pull toward the forest, and now… chewing?
My legs trembled and I pinched my cheek, the pain snapping me back into myself.
"T-this is a nightmare… right?"
STEP. STEP. STEP.
Footsteps echoed to my right, forcing my head to jerk in that direction.
The sounds grew louder, each step crushing leaves under a weight too heavy for any ordinary animal. I caught sight of something moving between the trees - clumsy, staggering, wrong.
"Gloaaarkk."
Before I could react, something rushed at me, slamming me to the ground. My head hit the dirt, tearing a groan from my throat.
"HARRGGG! F-fuck!"
A gray creature pinned me down. It stood around six foot three, with an absurdly small head. Something that could have been funny, if not for the terror choking me as it sank its teeth into my arm.
Its long teeth tore into my flesh, while its eyes stared hungrily at me. Not with hatred. Not with anger. Just hunger.
"ARGH! W-what the hell is this thing?!"
My free hand tried desperately to push the creature away, before it was pinned to the ground as well.
Its weight crushed my ribcage; every breath became a battle.
My eyes bloodshot, adrenaline kept me from passing out from the pain.
My arm vibrated under the pressure, the flesh splitting open like an overripe fruit. The smell of warm iron filled my nostrils - sickening and impossible to ignore.
[ Gray Goblin ]
[ Level: 1 ]
[ Status: Starving ]
[ Tutorial activated ]
[ Quest: Tutorial ]
[ Objective: Defeat a level 1 creature ]
[ Rewards: XP, healing, quest continuation ]
A translucent status hovered above its head, floating, almost unreal.
Even in the panic, my mind registered the information in one instant. No time to think. No time to understand.
The goblin pressed harder on my forearm, spilling more blood and exposing raw flesh.
"S-stop…!" I gasped.
Despite the blows I landed and my attempts to push him off, the monster didn't move - it pushed harder, unstoppable, mechanical.
My eyes landed on its ear. Without thinking, driven by panic and instinct, I lunged and bit down with all the strength I had.
Tear.
"GLOARRRK!"
The goblin released my arm and shrieked.
A spray of grayish blood splattered across my mouth and chin. The taste was vile - metallic, acidic, almost burning.
I didn't hesitate. I threw myself at the creature, adrenaline numbing everything but the need to survive.
My hands trembled but my movements were sharp, precise - guided by something primal.
I slammed my fingers toward its eyes and pressed with all my strength.
Crunch.
The eyeballs collapsed under the pressure, turning into mushy flesh and gray blood.
"GLOARRK!"
It screamed even louder, slashing at my chest with its claws. My shirt tore instantly, opening like wet paper. A sharp burn spread across my skin.
Instinct took over. I grabbed a nearby stone and smashed it into its face.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
The first blow shattered its nose - a wet crack followed by a choking gargle.
The second tore skin away, leaving tendons and bone exposed.
The third knocked out a tooth that bounced in the grass with a dry tap.
The sight should have repulsed me… but it pushed me further.
I hit for it to stop moving.
I hit for it to stop breathing.
I hit because if I stopped before it did, I was dead.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
My blows grew more brutal, pulverizing bone, ripping teeth free, splattering blood. The ground drank it eagerly. My face, my hair, my lips - all soaked in red and gray.
Finally, the last strike landed, leaving behind a pulped mass of brain, blood and pus.
The goblin stopped moving.
I dropped the stone with trembling fingers and rolled onto my side. My breathing was ragged, my chest rising and falling at frantic speed.
The stench of blood clung to my throat. My heart hammered so loud I could hear my pulse pounding inside my skull.
"Argh… f-fuck…"
It hurt like hell. What the hell was that thing?
I tried to get up, but nausea overtook me and I vomited -
once,
twice,
three times - acid burning my throat.
"Arggg…grf…"
When I finally caught my breath, my eyes darted to my arm. It wasn't a pretty sight. Bone laid bare, muscles shredded, blood pouring endlessly. Without immediate treatment, I was done for.
A laugh escaped me - dry, pathetic, hysterical.
I was really going to die like this?
Like some dog drowning in its own vomit?
Pitiful.
A shameful smile tugged at my lips.
[ Level 1 Goblin defeated: +10 XP ]
[ Congratulations! ]
The same voice echoed as glowing text appeared before my eyes.
[ Quest completed! ]
[ Reward: +90 XP ]
[ Minor healing applied ]
[ Level up! ]
A faint green light wrapped around me and my arm healed before my eyes. The tissues pulled together slowly, as if sewn by invisible hands.
It didn't hurt.
It felt… comforting, like a mother's embrace after a fall.
I remained still, panting, unable to speak. The fireflies around me had stopped moving, as if observing.
"System," I said, without even thinking.