Algeni jolted awake inside a mysterious sanctuary.
The air was cold and damp, carrying the scent of ancient stone and moss.
Almost complete darkness surrounded him, swallowing the vast chamber.
Cracks ran across the weathered walls, where thick patches of moss clung to the centuries-old stone.
An unsettling silence filled the sanctuary, broken only by the faint echo of dripping water somewhere in the distance.
Clutching his aching head, he groaned,
“What happened…
and where the hell am I?”
He tried to remember what had happened the night before.
Slowly, fragmented memories surfaced in his mind.
The truck.
The collision.
The car.
Panic instantly spread across his face.
“Am…
am I dead?”
He looked around for several long seconds before frowning.
“Wait…
if I were dead, I’d be able to fly or something…
right?”
He lifted his eyes toward the dark ceiling stretching high above him.
“Is this some kind of dream?”
Without wasting another second, he pinched his arm.
“Ow!
That hurt!
So I’m not dead…
and I’m definitely not dreaming.
Then where the hell am I?”
Frustration began to build inside him.
He stood up and started walking through the ancient sanctuary, searching desperately for answers.
“Ivan!”
“Pearn!”
“Polar!”
“Yeremi!”
His voice echoed through the endless stone corridors, bouncing from wall to wall before fading into silence.
No one answered.
Realizing he was completely alone, he decided to search for an exit.
He kept walking.
Every corridor looked exactly the same.
Darkness.
Nothing but darkness.
Minutes passed.
Then even more.
Still nothing.
Finally, Algeni clenched his fists in frustration.
“I can’t see a damn thing…
and I still can’t find a way out.”
Exhausted, he slid down against one of the cold stone walls and sat on the ground.
For a brief moment…
Despair began creeping into his heart.
“This doesn’t make any sense.
Why am I here?
Was I the only one who died?
Or…
did they die while I survived?”
The thought made his chest tighten.
But almost immediately, he shook his head and forced himself to stand again.
“No.”
“I have to find a way out.”
“I have to find the others.”
“My parents taught me never to give up.”
Hours passed.
After wandering through the endless darkness for what felt like an eternity, a tiny ray of light appeared in the distance.
Algeni’s eyes widened.
“Finally…
an exit!”
Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the light with every ounce of strength he had left.
Just as he was about to reach it—
A small green figure suddenly leaped out from the shadows.
Algeni barely reacted in time.
He jumped backward, narrowly avoiding the attack by mere inches.
His eyes locked onto the creature in disbelief.
“Is…
is that a goblin?”
The creature had green skin, razor-sharp teeth, pointed ears, and a rusted dagger clutched tightly in one hand.
Algeni swallowed hard.
“That’s…
that’s a real goblin.”
The monster let out a furious growl before charging at him again.
Algeni barely dodged, the rusty blade slicing through the air only inches from his body.
“Damn it…
maybe I really should’ve exercised more often.
Now…
how the hell do I get out of this?”
The goblin attacked relentlessly.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Algeni could do nothing except desperately dodge each strike while frantically searching for an escape route.
Then—
During a single moment of distraction…
The dagger struck.
“Argh!”
A deep slash tore across his side.
Pain exploded through his body instantly.
Ignoring the burning agony, Algeni turned and ran as fast as he could.
Only one thought remained in his mind.
“I can’t die.”
“I won’t die.”
“I promised my parents I’d live a good life.”
His legs screamed in pain as he continued running without looking back.
Eventually, he reached an area where the goblin finally stopped chasing him.
Completely exhausted, he stumbled behind a cluster of ancient ruins and collapsed against the cold stone.
His breathing became ragged.
Blood slowly dripped from the wound on his side.
“I won’t die…”
“I can’t die…”
He repeated those words over and over like a prayer, refusing to let go of hope.
Eventually…
His voice faded.
His eyelids grew heavy.
And darkness claimed him once again.