Pain.

  A dull ache throbbed in Aeron’s skull. His eyelids fluttered, and he opened his eyes to a blurred, green world. Leaves. Branches twisted above him, forming a dense canopy that blocked most of the sunlight. He blinked rapidly, trying to bring everything into focus.

  He lay on something cold, hard, and jagged. Stone. His hand brushed across the rough surface beneath him. It was fractured, pieces missing, sharp edges poking into his skin.

  Where am I? The thought came slowly, as if lethargic. He pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing as his stiff muscles protested. The cold air wrapped around him, and he glanced down. Simple clothes, some pants and a thin shirt, both looking cheap but correct. His feet were bare, and already starting to become dirty.

  He tried to recall how he’d gotten here, but his thoughts were fuzzy. His name was Aeron Northwood, he knew that much. He knew basic things about himself, he had a family, friends, a home... probably. But the more recent his memories felt, the foggier they became, like he was reaching through a mist. Everything from the last... few days? Weeks? It was all a blur.

  A sharp, cold panic began to grip his chest.

  What’s happening?

  He scrambled to his feet, his body unsteady. As he stood, he looked around, and his confusion only deepened. The stone he’d been lying on, broken and weathered, was raised above the forest floor. An irregular looking circle of stones surrounded it, uneven and cracked. His eyes traced the fractured patterns, piecing together what this could be. The only thing on his mind was how old it looked, which intensified his panic.

  The forest didn’t help. The tall trees were so high he couldn’t see the top, the branches tangled up, partially blocking the sky and the numerous bushes partially hiding what lay beyond.

  Why am I in such a place?

  Unsure if this was a dream or a twisted fate, Aeron decided he had to move. He began to trudge through the dense forest, his feet crunching over twigs and dry leaves. The oppressive quiet was broken only by the distant call of birds and the rustle of unseen creatures.

  Suddenly, the monotony of trees and shadows broke as something moved ahead. Aeron squinted. A small creature, similar to a bird, but somewhat different. It was roughly the size of a chicken, but its feathers shimmered with a sharp green hue. In another time, it might have seemed cute; however, its intense stare now expressed disproportionate rage.

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  Before Aeron could react, the creature charged with startling speed, claws kicking up dirt as it lunged toward him. In his confusion and terror, Aeron stumbled backward, his foot catching on a root, and he fell hard to the ground. In an instant, the creature pounce on him, its beak slicing across his leg, drawing blood and sending a shock of pain and panic surging through him.

  Dazed from his fall and the shock of the wound, Aeron barely had time to register what had happened before the beast attacked one more time. It surged forward in a vicious lunge aimed at his exposed side. Aeron, his heart pounding and his mind clouded with terror, twisted desperately to avoid the oncoming claws, which sliced through the air where his torso had just been moments earlier.

  Every instinct were screaming to him that he was fighting for his life. His fists flew in wild, desperate arcs. Even as several clumsy, desperate swings left Aeron battered with fresh wounds, one errant blow caught the creature on its wing, eliciting a piercing shriek from it. But the beast only recoiled briefly before surging back at him, relentless. Its claws slashed at his legs and arms, forcing him to clench his teeth against the pain.

  Aeron’s breathing grew ragged as he forced himself onto his elbows only to be farced back on his back, trying to fend off the creature’s relentless assault. Each time the beast lunged, he parried with clumsy, panicked blows. At one point, as the creature circled low, it snapped at his hand, and he could feel the sting of its bite before he jerked away. His body throbbed where the beak had cut into him, but there was no time to tend to any of the wounds.

  The creature’s attacks grew even more frantic as it realized its continuous onslaught had still not ended him. It darted in again, aiming for his head this time, and Aeron, fueled by sheer survival instinct, managed to block the blow with a wild swing of his fist. The impact sent the creature reeling for a heartbeat, but it recovered quickly, slashing at him once more.

  Time seemed to slow as Aeron, blood and sweat mingling on his skin, fought back with every ounce of strength he had left. His punches were erratic and untrained, yet each desperate strike forced the creature a step back. The beast’s furious screeches echoed through the forest as it attacked again and again, its eyes burning with feral determination.

  At last, with a final, desperate lunge, Aeron caught the creature off guard. With trembling arms and a surge of raw, unrefined power born of terror, he struck true. The creature’s movements faltered one last time, its aggressive flurry slowing until, finally, it collapsed in a heap on the forest floor, its once-vigorous form now still.

  Aeron collapsed onto his back, gasping for air. His trembling hands were smeared with dirt and blood, and the sharp ache in his body was a constant, painful reminder of the beast’s vicious assault. For a long moment, he stared up at the dense canopy above, his mind racing. This isn’t normal. This isn’t a dream.

  The realization hit him hard: this place was brutal, and he could die at any moment.