The Devouring

As James slept, his mind drifted into a vast, empty darkness. There was no sound, only silence that seemed heavy, yet strangely peaceful. Suddenly, out of the blackness, a bright blue screen appeared in front of him. It glowed softly, floating like a hologram in the endless void. James blinked, confused, staring at the strange screen that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Words appeared on the screen: Roll the dice to determine your race.

A glowing dice suddenly appeared in front of James, floating in the air as if it were weightless. Curious, he reached out and lightly tapped it. The dice spun rapidly, its soft glow flickering as it turned. After a moment, it slowed down and finally stopped. The screen in front of him lit up with a message that read: Race: Human. James stared at it for a moment, processing the information. It seemed like the answer he had been waiting for, but it still didn't make sense.

Before James could figure out what was happening, a bright light surrounded him, growing brighter and brighter until it filled his entire vision. He looked down at his hands and saw them fading, becoming more transparent with each passing second.

What's going on? he whispered, panic rising in his chest as he watched his body slowly disappear. It felt strange, like he was being gently pulled away from reality, piece by piece. The light wrapped around him completely, and before he knew it, he was gone.

Unknown Forest

James woke up suddenly, lying on soft, mossy ground in the middle of a dense forest. Tall trees stretched endlessly toward the sky, their leafy canopy allowing sunlight to filter through in golden patches. Sitting up, he brushed dirt off his clothes and glanced down at himself "Everything seemed normal I'm still human." he sighed softly. His eyes scanned the dense forest around him, trying to make sense of what had just happened. But then he noticed his clothes instead of his usual clothing, he was now dressed in simple linen garments.

"This... this can't be real," he muttered to himself, rubbing his forehead in confusion "One minute, I'm in bed, the next thing I know, I'm here, wearing... this?"

He looked down at his simple linen garments, frowning slightly. "I was wearing my normal clothing just a moment ago. What happened to everything?"

Looking around at the towering trees, the air was fresh, filled with the scent of moss and damp earth "Okay, stay calm. Think." He paced in a small circle, trying to regain his bearings.

"Alright, first things first. I need to find out where I am," he said aloud, trying to steady his racing thoughts "This doesn't make sense. Why am I here? How did I get here?"

As he spoke, his voice echoed faintly through the trees, causing him to pause and listen. There was no response, just the soft rustling of leaves.

He sighed again, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him "Well, it's not like I have a choice. I guess I'll have to figure this out on my own."

He began walking through the forest, the strange sense of being both lost was somehow sinking in slowly "I have to find someone for help, before I start losing my mind." he murmured, his thoughts drifting as his feet carried him forward.

Walking in the forest

James continued walking through the dense forest, his thoughts racing as his eyes darted nervously between the towering trees. His heart pounded in his chest as the silence of the forest weighed heavily on him. The only sound was his footsteps crunching the moss-covered ground.

"I need to find someone," he muttered to himself, eyes scanning the path ahead. "Someone who can explain all of this."

Suddenly, a soft rustling came from the nearby bushes, and his attention snapped to the sound. He tensed, eyes wide. His instinct told him to be cautious, but curiosity won out. He stepped quietly, moving toward the source of the noise.

As he neared, he caught sight of a figure slumped against the base of a tree. That looked to be a woman as blood was trickling from a wound on her side.

She was dressed in beautiful purple and white robes, the colors bold and bright, as if they hadn't aged at all. The fabric shimmered slightly in the light, almost glowing as it caught the sun. The robes were finely made, with intricate golden designs embroidered along the edges. The white parts were perfectly clean, adding to the elegance of the outfit.

The robe's layers flowed gracefully around her, the long sleeves hanging loosely from her arms. Despite the battle signs around her, the fabric looked untouched, and there were no tears or signs of wear. The golden threads gleamed in the light, giving it a royal, almost otherworldly look.

A deep cut ran along her side, bleeding through the robe, staining the perfect fabric. Despite the injury, the robes still held their beauty, the stitching holding up around the wound. Her boots were sturdy, matching the rest of her outfit, and she wore gloves made of fine leather. A belt hung at her waist with pouches, and a dagger was tucked in one of them.

Even injured, she held herself with a quiet strength, as if the robes themselves were a symbol of her power. The whole look reminded James of something from an ancient legend someone strong, noble, and connected to a world of old stories.

"Hey!" James rushed forward, his voice loud with urgency. He dropped to his knees beside the woman, his heart racing. "Are you alright?"

The woman's eyes fluttered open, her pupils dilated and unfocused. She blinked at James, confusion in her gaze. "W-what... who...?"

James quickly glanced at her wound, noting the fresh blood seeping from a deep cut on her side. "You're hurt. You need help."

He gently shook her shoulder. "Come on, stay with me."

The woman groaned softly, trying to sit up, but winced in pain, collapsing back against the tree. "Don't... don't touch me." she rasped, her voice hoarse.

James hesitated, but then gently placed his hand on her arm. "I can help. Just let me."

Before he could finish, her eyes narrowed, and with surprising strength, she grabbed the hilt of a knife hidden at her side. In one swift movement, she pulled it free and held it up, her grip tight and ready.

"Get away from me!" she snarled, her voice filled with anger and panic.

James froze, his heart skipping a beat. The blade was inches from his throat.

"Wait!" James gasped, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just saw you were injured. I was trying to help!"

The woman's eyes flicked back and forth, searching for any sign of danger. She looked deep at James, her gaze intense and calculating. She held the knife steady, but there was a hesitation in her posture now, like she was torn between fighting with James or not.

The seconds felt like minutes as the two of them locked eyes, the tension between them can be felt.

Finally, she lowered the knife slowly, her face softening. "You're not... one of them." she murmured, voice shaky but curious.

James let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding "I'm not anyone's enemy. I just... I don't know what's going on."

She blinked in surprise, as though processing his words "So you're lost too?"

James nodded, his voice quiet. "Yeah. I don't know where I am, or how I got here."

She looked at him, her expression unreadable. "Figures," she muttered, leaning back against the tree, her body slumping in exhaustion. "This place... it's not what it seems."

James's concern for her injury grew. "You need help. I can stop the bleeding. I know a little about treating wounds. Let me....."

Before he could finish, she shook her head weakly."You don't understand... they'll be back. You shouldn't stay here."

James's eyes widened, his heart racing again "Who? Who's coming?"

Her eyes flicked toward the shadows of the trees, scanning the surroundings with a wary glance "You need to leave this place quickly... the further away the better."

James hesitated, unsure of what to do. "I can't leave you like this. I can help you. But I need to know what's going on. Who's after you? Why are you hurt?"

The woman winced as she adjusted her position. "Doesn't matter," she muttered, closing her eyes briefly. "You don't want to know... trust me."

James couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than she was telling him. But he couldn't leave her there either "Please, let me help you. You're in no condition to go anywhere like this."

She didn't answer immediately, her eyes flicking open to meet his once again. There was a hint of something perhaps gratitude or reluctance in her gaze.

"Fine," she said finally, her voice soft. "Help me, but stay sharp. You might not like what you find."