Drip drop, drip drop, drip drop.

  The rhythmic sound echoes through the cave as Adam stands transfixed, staring down at his reflection in a puddle. His blood-red eyes flicker with both awe and confusion as they take in the silvery-white fox ears that poke out of his head, seeking attention. His matching tail sways back and forth, brushing past his hands—hands with nails so long and sharp, they could easily be considered daggers.

  As he scrutinizes his gaunt, emaciated form, he can't help but think of an abandoned child forced into slavery. The ragged clothes hanging off his frame and the shackles around his ankles only seem to confirm this. Adam sighs, his eyes fixed on his reflection, unable to comprehend what has happened to him.

  "Why did that damn goddess do this to me? Is this some sort of punishment? An attempt to jest with me?" Adam muses, his mind racing as he tries to make sense of his new reality.

  The cave around him is lit by the faint glow of light-purple crystals that protrude from the walls and floor. Their dim luminescence barely illuminates the dark space, leaving much of it shrouded in shadows. The cave itself seems to be nothing more than a simple tunnel, with a single path leading deeper into the unknown.

  Adam's gaze shifts from his reflection to his hands. "And who is this child?" he wonders. Though he has received fragments of the boy's memories, they reveal little—only that the child had been running from something before finding the cave, where he had succumbed to his wounds.

  "That damn goddess must have repaired this vessel before transferring my soul to this boy," Adam mutters, his expression souring. "Is there a reason she chose this child? Is there some connection between us, or was he simply the lucky winner?" He shakes his head, realizing that he has no choice but to move forward and confront the unknown. He puts down his hand and looks towards the dark path ahead, “Nothing more to do than move onwards.”

  With a wave of his left hand, Adam attempts to summons a ball of fire to guide him. A small flame forms and it flickers, then suddenly dies. And before Adam knows what’s happening, his vision swims. He drops to one knee, his chest tightening as he gasps for breath. Sweat beads on his brow, and his thoughts race. "This body... it has no mana? No, there's some, but it's barely detectable. Didn't my soul transfer to this body?"

  Mana, the source of all magic, is tied to the soul. The strength and density of a person's soul determine the amount of mana they possess. Yet, this is Adam's soul; why doesn't he have the mana his previous body held? Is this a punishment for the sins he has committed?

  As he struggles to catch his breath, Adam closes his eyes and focuses on the mana that fills the air around him. With each slow, deliberate breath, more mana flows into his body. In just a minute, his soul's mana is replenished, albeit to a much lesser degree than before.

  "This is going to be a problem," Adam thinks, his eyes opening to reveal a sense of dread. "With the amount of mana I have now, the best I can do is create a fire the size of a pebble. Anything more, and this body will be a lifeless doll again." He sighs, discouraged by this revelation. "And with so few of the child's memories to guide me, it's like I'm an amnesiac wandering in the dark."

  With his diminished mana, Adam knows he can't rely on the elements to help him, nor can he use light magic to augment his frail body. He sighs in disappointment, "I suppose I'll have to rely on a weapon instead." He scans the cave, but finding a suitable weapon proves difficult. Adam briefly considers using the crystals around him, but they prove too fragile to be of any use.

  Left with no other choice, Adam decides to utilize his razor-sharp nails as a makeshift weapon. As he moves forward, chains dragging against the ground, he passes numerous glowing crystals that provide enough light to guide his way. Eventually, he spots a bright opening ahead and cautiously approaches, mindful of the memories that linger in his mind. Memories of the child being chased by something.

  As he steps out into the light, Adam recognizes his surroundings and then heavily sighs. "This child... How deep into the cave did he go? This is the damn Crystal Valley!" Massive crystals, the size of buildings, surround him, their brilliant glow illuminating the cavern. Despite their beauty, Adam knows all too well the dangers that lurk within the Crystal Valley.

  "I might as well be in a monster's nest," he thinks as he carefully navigates through an opening between two towering crystals. “Crystal Golems, Crystal Reapers, Crystal Facehuggers, Crystal-”

  His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of crunching nearby. He turns to see a small creature with thin crystal spikes on its back, gnawing on a cluster of crystals. It stops when it senses Adam, and turns to meet his gaze. Their eyes lock for a long moment before the creature curls into a ball of spikes.

  "GOD DAMN, CRYSTAL PINE!" Adam dives behind a nearby crystal just in time, as the Crystal Pine explodes, sending spikes flying in all directions. One grazes Adam's shoulder, but he manages to avoid more serious injury.

  His instincts kicking in, Adam grabs one of the embedded spikes and charges at the Crystal Pine. The creature uncurls and begins to regrow its spikes, but before they can do so, Adam plunges the crystal spike through its head, killing it instantly. He breathes a sigh of relief but quickly realizes the Crystal Pine's body is vibrating violently.

  "Oh, right, they self-destruct when they die," Adam mutters, then stares at it for another second before BOOKING IT to a nearby crystal.

  “DAMN YOU, YOU DAMN GODDESS BITCH!”

  A minute later.

  “Ugh…” Adam winces in pain as he removes a spike from his thigh. He considers using his dwindling mana to heal the wound but immediately pushes the thought away. Frustration sets in as he realizes just how vulnerable he has become.

  "Damn goddess, you must be laughing at how useless I am now," Adam grumbles, studying the crystal he'd pulled free. "At least I have a weapon now." He looks around, trying to decide which direction to take.

  "Now what to do… with no lead, I don't know where to go, and wandering aimlessly is a terrible idea in a place like this. Hmm… What should I do—" Suddenly, a searing headache grips Adam, forcing him to his knees. He gasps his head in pain. “W-What the?” Then suddenly, a flood of the boy's memories pours into his mind.

  In the memories, the fox boy is pursued by a group of armored soldiers, who halt their chase when they reach the Crystal Valley. The boy encounters numerous crystal creatures and narrowly evades their attacks. Unfortunately, he sustains significant injuries, particularly from a giant golem that pursued him until he sought refuge in the cave where Adam awoke.

  As the pain subsides, Adam wonders why he's only now receiving these memories. Is it because his soul is still adapting to its new host? He shakes off the questions, knowing that he needs to focus on escaping the valley.

  “But now,” Adam turns towards his right, “I know where to head next.”

  Armed with the knowledge from the boy's memories, Adam sets off in the right direction, staying close to the crystals for cover. Despite his uncertainty about the boy's identity and their possible connection, he acknowledges the usefulness of the memories in his current situation. "At least the memories came at the right time," Adam thinks, still wary of the dangers lurking within the Crystal Valley. "But why was the boy being chased by human soldiers? Is he special in some way? Connected to me? That's impossible—I don't recall leaving any lineage behind. And if I did, how many years have passed? Am I even in the same world? No, that would contradict the existence of the Crystal Valley. Am I overthinking this?"

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Adam shakes his head, frustrated by the barrage of unanswered questions. "There's no point dwelling on it now. I'm still in a dangerous area, and staying idle is worse than moving forward. Besides, once I escape this place and reach the outside world, I might find the answers I seek. And perhaps I'll uncover more of the boy's memories as I explore."

  With a determined expression, Adam carefully navigates the treacherous landscape, always on the lookout for any sign of danger. As long as he avoids encountering the giant golem from the boy's memories, he should be able to make it out of the Crystal Valley unscathed.

  "Everything will be fine as long as I don't run into that golem," Adam whispers to himself, trying to quell his growing anxiety. But no sooner has he spoken the words, he catches a glimpse of something massive moving to his left. He turns and finds himself staring straight into the face of the building-sized golem, who stares back.

  "...Why?"

  A Second Later.

  "WHY!?" Adam yells, his voice echoing through the caverns as he sprints as fast as his legs can carry him. Every muscle in his body strains, pushing him to his absolute limits. With a desperate leap, he manages to evade a colossal crystal fist that slams into the ground behind him. The sheer force of the impact sends shockwaves through the earth, lifting Adam’s body into the air for a heart-stopping second before he lands back on the ground. He nearly loses his footing but somehow manages to regain his balance and runs full speed, his heart pounding in his chest.

  "Is this some kind of joke!? Why is everything happening to me like some sort of twisted comedy!?" Adam shouts, his voice tinged with frustration and disbelief. He dashes through the cavern, weaving his way around giant crystals, desperately trying to put distance between himself and the gigantic golem relentlessly pursuing him. However, no matter where he finds cover, the golem is always just a few steps behind, shattering everything in its path.

  Exhausted and desperate, Adam's eyes dart around his environment, searching for anything he can use to his advantage. He doesn't have much time left. He can feel the fatigue weighing heavily on his entire body, his breath coming in ragged as his lungs struggle to keep up with his body's demands. His breathing grows faster and faster, teetering on the edge of hyperventilation. He can hear the golem behind him, the sound of something massive being lifted into the air. Assuming it's the golem's fist, Adam makes a split-second decision, veering sharply to his right and jumping away. He narrowly dodges the attack and resumes his sprint, but with each step, his speed diminishes.

  Just when he thinks he's found a brief moment of respite, a sound catches his attention from the left. He turns his head and sees a crystal scorpion-like creature flying toward him, its belly adorned with menacing spikes aimed directly at his face.

  "F-FACEHUGGERS!?" Adam bends over and barely evades the facehugger’s attempt to ensnare him. He tries to regain his footing to escape, but before he knows it, he's surrounded by a horde of the terrifying creatures.

  "Are you SERIOUS!?" Adam's legs spring into action once more, carrying him away as fast as they can manage. The facehuggers leap after him, their spikes hungry for the flesh of his skull. But, through sheer determination and adrenaline, Adam continues to evade their clutches.

  Then, suddenly, a facehugger emerges from behind a large crystal in front of him and launches itself at him. With lightning-fast reflexes, Adam uses the crystal spike embedded in his hand and thrusts to impale the creature. He swings it away from him, yelling, "FUCK OFF!"

  His breaths come in ragged gasps as he continues to sprint, the relentless golem and the facehuggers in hot pursuit. The odds seem insurmountable, but Adam refuses to give in to despair.

  In the midst of the chaos, a glimmer of hope appears.

  The exit! It looks exactly like the one from the child's memories!

  With renewed determination, Adam musters every ounce of strength he has left, dashing for the exit. He yells and pushes himself one last time, leaping forward just as the golem's fist comes crashing down behind him. Adam rolls around against the ground violently until halting to a stop. Then… silence.

  He did it, he escaped!

  Adam screams in victory before collapsing to the ground, his chest heaving as he draws in desperate gulps of air. He turns his head toward the entrance and stares.

  "If I remember correctly, the crystal monsters can't leave their domain." As if to confirm his thoughts, one of the facehuggers stares directly at him, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze. A moment later, the creature turns around and begins to crawl back to the Crystal Valley.

  Finally allowing himself a moment of respite, Adam closes his eyes and allows his body to relax.

  He did it. He managed to escape a domain rumored to be a danger zone for even the most seasoned adventurers. These were individuals with abilities to shatter boulders with a single punch and run faster than sound. Of course, he had been there before, but even he had struggled to deal with the monsters' resistance to magic. And yet, against all odds, he had succeeded.

  Once he's recovered enough to move, Adam sits up and peers deeper into the entrance. "Now that I'm out of there, I should be in the clear for now. However, it'll probably still take time for me to navigate out of this cave and into the outside world."

  With a groan, Adam stands and dusts himself off. "I better get moving then. I don't want to push my luck and stay here any longer. Besides," he thinks back to the memory of the human soldiers chasing the child, "I still need to find out why they were after this kid, especially this deep into a cave."

  Adam raises his hand, intending to create a light to guide his way, but he stops when he remembers he's out of mana. "How frustrating. What do I do now? Going deep into a cave without any light is death-"

  At that moment, he realizes something is glowing on his hand. He turns and sees the crystal spike on his hand emitting a soft, radiant light – just enough to allow him to see where he's going. Adam smiles, "Looks like luck is on my side."

  Using the crystal as a makeshift torch, Adam ventures deeper into the cave.

  From there on, Adam proceeds to navigate the cave smoothly. He encounters multiple monsters, but most of them are large spiders about the size of the facehuggers. They are easy to deal with compared to the terrifying crystal monsters he faced earlier.

  After an hour of navigating the maze-like cave, encountering dead ends and retracing his steps, Adam finally sees a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel. Noticing this, he picks up the pace, jogging towards freedom. As the light engulfs him, he feels the gentle caress of the wind brushing against his face. Adam takes a deep breath and gazes at the open sky.

  "Finally," he says, stretching his limbs, "fresh air." The leaves of the trees sway around him as Adam finds himself in a forest. The grass dances in harmony with the trees, and the comforting wind embraces him. As he inhales the crisp, clean air, he hears wings flapping to his right.

  Adam turns and spots a bird perched on a tree branch. It gazes at him with its ruby eyes, showing off its black feathers and the small white horn protruding from its head. As soon as their eyes meet, the bird takes flight, disappearing from view behind the trees.

  "The Aeternavis, how fitting," Adam muses to himself as he continues to watch where the bird vanished. The Aeternavis, also known as the Bird of Beginnings, is said to be a harbinger of new journeys and opportunities, making its appearance a fitting symbol for Adam's current predicament.

  "Now then, where to start—" A sudden, massive headache strikes Adam once more. "Again!?"

  Memories flood his mind again, providing him with more glimpses into the fox boy's life.

  The child had managed to escape with a small chest after another slave created a diversion for him. He ran from a group of slave hunters for many days, clutching the box close to his heart. But what was so important about it?

  After a long and arduous journey, the child reached his destination, only to find a ruined village. The sight left him in absolute shock, and he broke down in tears. Why was he crying, though? Was this village once his home, or was there some other reason for his despair?

  Knowing he couldn't afford to stay in one place, the child hid the chest by burying it near a tree. To ensure he'd remember which one, he marked it with a single gash. Once the task was complete, he continued to flee, the slave hunters still hot on his trail. What could be so valuable inside that chest that they would pursue him so relentlessly?

  The last memory was of the child being chased into the cave Adam had just escaped. And then, the vision ended.

  As the memories receded and his headache subsided, Adam regains his composure. With renewed determination, he looks forward and says aloud, "It seems I've found my next destination."