"!!"
William's body lay upon a firm, uneven surface. It's aching sensation had forced his conciousness to surface, as if awaking from a long slumber—his breath erratic, driven by the abrupt shift of death to life.
"~Ack!"
The feeling from the "figure's" claws piercing through his chest had still clung to his mind, along with the constant turmoil he had felt before—all of it, it was still there.
His eyes darted warrilly and recklessly around the cramped wooden space. Looking down towards his arm and legs, he was struck by shock. His limbs... Were fully intact, even his vocal chords Were still there.
Clutching his neck, there wasn't any blood nor scars around it, along with his vocal chords that had been shrouded by "it's" claws, it's still there.
His chaotic breathing gradually fainted, turning to a laugh while he began clentched his chest. His expression brightened—no, it had become worse. With an uncanny smile and scornfull eyes that were wider than before. His laugh, exagerated as if he had seen something worth to laugh for. It was loud, too loud—loud enough to be able to damage his voice.
"I'm alive..." He murmured. His voice, trembling as if about to cry. As he did, he started recovering his sanity little-by-little until he was able to think straight.
The memory of his last breath was still fresh—he had died. he was certain of it and yet there he was... Breathing, talking and even moving, he could do it all.
"Is this... Heaven?" He guessed, eyes scanning around the clauterphobic space he's currently in.
Though... He didn't expect heaven to be such a tight wooden space.
No, this isn't heaven.
"Then... Am i in hell!?" He guessed once more.
It turns out, without him noticing, a spine chilling breeze had spread through the inside of the wooden space.
"No, if this was hell, then it wouldn't be so cold"
With no other clues to rely on except for the knowing of the wooden space he was in, be began to feel the edges if the wooden box, trying to atleast find a way out.
It was not until he began to touch the roof of it that he felt a slight movement.
"Hm?"
He began to gently push the roof once more.
Clack!
The roof loosened. It was Lighter than he had expected which Made it easier for him to open it.
The roof slid open before revealing a dark night sky covered by emenating fog that barely engulfed the sky with it's blinding dust.
He had realized that this was the same sky and fog that he had previously seen before he was stabbed by the "figure", though more... Foggy.
His eyes scanned even further, observing his surroundings to the absolute detail.
Though, that itself wasn't necessary as his gaze rested upon the steel fences that encircled around a Graveyard.
There was no doubt, this was-
"The graveyard i was in before..."
It was the first place he was sent to after he had met the walking statue.
Yes... This was also the place he had first met the "eye". The ones that observed his presence amist the concealing darkness beyond the forest.
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His mind suddenly fell a blank as confusion swifted the possibilities that "could" have happened and instead, held upon a void of thoughts like a blank canvas.
Though now, he was certain. He was certain that:
"I returned... back from the dead...?"
No... he didn't just die.
He immediately clenched his right pocket and felt that it was empty, along with all his other pockets and neck.
The the pistol, the necklace, and even the Notebook... It was gone.
At first, he thought it was the cause or side effect that took place after his death. However, even that theory had doubtfull remarks.
Why? It was because of his suit. It was
He thought:
"If i really did die, then why is my suit spotless of blood?"
Even at the Brink of death, he was certain Saw his suit painted by blood along with it's certain tornfull condition.
But now, he did not see anything of the sort. Instead, his suit was clean, as clean as when he had first entered this place.
And so, what does that mean?
By now, William had thought of two possibilities:
First, he had been, in a modern word term "Respawned", returned back to a certain spawn point while the items, or better known in game term "loot" had disappeared or had returned to it's previous location.
Second, he had traveled back in time after he had died. If this were the answer, it would explain the dissapearence of the pistol, necklace, notebook, and even the blood stains, Torn cloth, and deep wounds that had previously carved itself on his body.
As of now, he could only rely on these hypothesis. Though ofcourse, if he had more information then maybe this would be a different story.
Shaaa
A faint whisper echoed through the fog of wondering breeze.
William retracted his gaze towards the floating eyes that gazed back towards himself.
Subconsiously, his feet took a step back. His eyes widened at the sight.
Without a second thought, he began running, running through the endless decay of trees, dead trees, along with the ever lasting fog that had become worse as he ran deeper towards the embrace of mistfull darkness.
There was neither an alluring light of hope nor even the thrive for knowledge amist his mind unlike before.
This time, his thoughts bindered towards the cruciality of his survival.
Even after returning from his definite death, a rather eye-cathing doubt emeeged from the believes of his logical thoughts.
If he died again, would he survive?
Frankly, there were no venerable that had debated the laws of his "resurrection".
Rather, there were only venerable regarding the diffulties that one could experience without experience or knowledge, if so, does that conclude the means of "ressurection" is "Unlimited"? is it to teach the means of cherishing one's life in even the face of death? Or is it merely for the Embrace of finding "peace" in "trauma"?
Moreover, if one were to actually die, would their lives also be threatened when they return?
William mind became a battle field of thoughts.
Currently, in his mind, twirls of "doubt" had flooded his mind while "believe" stood his ground, or rather... His believe of "believe".
A battle of "doubts" and "believes" on the means of his "resurrection" that pillared from the unweavering roots of "survival".
Ofcourse, by merely experiencing death once more, this question could be simply solved—no, it will be inevitably solved, though not at the fullest.
Wish.
His foot, scraping the ground, weakening his momentum to move even a foot forward.
The overgrown decaying trees were no where to be seen infront of him.
"Is this... Water...?"
Instead, a vast lake—no, a vast sea of greenish-blue water, covered yet again with traveling fog that had covered the horizon's view. It smell reeks of rotten carcus with a hint of death along with it.
His face carving repugnance, he had never smelt anything as filthfull as this. Even the smell of rotting metal fences and dustfull houses were far better than this.
Shaaa.
The sound had appeared yet again behind him.
Before he was able to turn his gaze towards it, a figure, with jet-black covered body with three eyes, stood before him.
By now, he had already deducted his fate regarding the situation.
His heart instantly beating faster than before with one simple thought appeared, flooding other thoughts to just speak. It uttered one word:
'i'm dead...'
Gazing upon it's three eyes, William body had suddenly felt... different. It was as if his body's movements had been... Manipulated, as if... He no longer had any controll over his movements.
His eyes, forcibly gazing upon the aluring yet deep yellow eyes that painted crescendo of spiralls.
His body twisted against his will, facing the vast lake. He fought—screamed in his mind—but his feet moved forward step by step. His own limbs betraying him. oversteping a further Embrace of selfness of itself, a body without a mind.
As he reached the end of the cliff, his mind screamed in without being able to speak. Telling his body to withdraw his movements, stepping back and furthering his distance from teh edge.
But alas, it's effort were nothing more than futile.
His body dived towards the lake.
As soon as it did, his skin began to disintergrate, along with his flesh and bones.
He wanted to scream—no, he wanted call for help. To end his suffering, to end his pain, and to end his life.
But even then... he couldn't, Because no one was there, nor was he anywhee within the island's horizon. There was no one to save him.
And so, death claimed him—again.