The boy lay on what could barely be called a bed.It was a broken wooden structure, covered in splinters and dry dust. Every time he moved, it creaked with a weak sound, as if it were about to collapse. The pillow, blackened by filth, had lost any trace of softness.
He tried to sit up.
Pain surged through his body immediately—heavy, slow, as if his own muscles refused to respond. He opened his eyes with difficulty.
He recognized nothing.
The sky was pale, dull, with no clear sun. Around him stood withered, twisted trees, their dry branches resembling deformed hands. The ground was not fertile soil, but a mix of hardened sand and uneven stones.
He brought a hand to his head.
The pounding in his temples was unbearable.
He tried to speak.
He opened his mouth.
Nothing.
Air moved in and out of his lungs, but no sound followed. He frowned, alarmed. He tried again, forcing his throat.
Silence.
His breathing quickened. He grabbed his neck with both hands, squeezing, as if something were choking him from the inside. There was no pain there. No wounds.
He simply… couldn't speak.
Panic began to seep in, slowly.
He closed his eyes and tried to think.
Who was he?
He forced his mind, searching for a name, a face, a memory. Something. Anything. But he found nothing. Only a deep, dark emptiness, like a bottomless abyss.
Nothing existed before this moment.
He opened his eyes suddenly.
The ground trembled.
At first it was faint. A barely noticeable vibration, as if the wind were shaking the earth. But seconds later, the tremor intensified.
The sand began to move.
The stones shook.
The boy backed away instinctively, stepping down from the broken bed. His feet touched the ground just as the surface exploded in front of him.
Sand shot into the air.
A creature emerged from the depths.
Its body was long and thick, covered in a dull orange tone that contrasted with the dead surroundings. It had no visible eyes. Only a massive circular mouth that opened wide, revealing endless rows of sharp teeth.
Too many teeth.
The boy froze.
The creature released a wet, deep sound that made the air vibrate. Then it lunged forward with terrifying speed.
Instinct took over.
He ran.
His legs moved before he could think. The sand sank beneath his feet, the stones made him stumble, but he didn't stop. Behind him, the ground trembled again.
The beast was chasing him underground.
The roar echoed at his back, closer and closer.
He turned sharply between the rocks, throwing himself toward a cluster of massive stones. He slipped between them, scraping his arms.
His body trembled. Sweat ran down his forehead and burned his eyes. He covered his mouth with one hand, holding his breath.
The ground trembled again.
The creature passed by.
The sound slowly faded away, until it disappeared.
Silence returned.
The boy did not move.
He didn't know how much time passed. Minutes. Maybe hours. His body was stiff, exhausted, soaked in sweat. His muscles burned, and his breathing was uneven.
Finally, he allowed himself to move.
He peeked his head out between the rocks.
Nothing.
The landscape was still dead. Still hostile.
He leaned against a stone, slowly sliding down until he was sitting. He looked at his trembling hands, covered in dirt and small cuts.
He was alive.
For now.
He clenched his teeth.
If that monster existed… then this world was not going to forgive him.
He picked up a fallen branch from the ground. It was little more than a stick with dry leaves, but he gripped it tightly, as if it were the only thing he had.
He lifted his gaze toward the withered forest.
He didn't know who he was.He didn't know why he was there.He didn't know what awaited him.
But he understood one thing.
If he wanted to survive… he would have to learn how to fight.
He moved forward.
One step. Then another.
His gaze stayed fixed ahead, but his mind worked without rest. As he walked, he began to examine his own body. He quickened his pace, testing how fast he could run. He jumped between rocks, measuring how high he could reach.
It was improvised training.
Preparation for when the creature returned.
He didn't feel thirsty.He didn't feel hungry.
That unsettled him.
The landscape worsened with every minute. The dry trees vanished, replaced by deformed cacti and sharp stones. The terrain grew more arid, more dead.
But he kept going.
Turning back meant wasting time.And when night fell… he could die.
He stumbled several times. He looked back too often and ended up crashing into cacti, thorns piercing his skin. He clenched his teeth and continued.
Hours passed.
The light began to fade.
He stopped.
His body reacted before his mind. His senses sharpened, as if something invisible were forcing him to stay alert. He scanned every corner within his sight, crouched, motionless, like a stalking animal.
Suddenly, he ran.
Three minutes. Maybe less.
He reached an area surrounded by large rocks and dense cacti. He studied the place. Then he looked at the stick he carried. Then he looked at the surroundings again.
He brought a hand to his chin, focused. This was not the time to laugh at how ridiculous he looked.
An idea crossed his mind.
He acted fast.
He cut cacti with an ease he hadn't expected. He moved rocks that seemed far too heavy for his body. He paused for a second.
He built a precarious shelter. Stacked stones forming uneven walls, and above them, intertwined cacti as a roof. It was miserable. But it worked.
He crawled inside.
The thorns pricked him everywhere. He closed his eyes with a bitter grimace.
He hated this plan.
The outside light disappeared.
Finally, he was able to relax.
Just before falling asleep… he heard footsteps.
Many footsteps.
Shadows moved outside.
Fear struck him head-on. Thinking it might be another monster, he covered his mouth with both hands, holding back any sound.
Then, a head appeared at the entrance.
"Hellooo… is anyone there?"
His eyes widened.
The world changed in a single second.
In front of him stood several people. One, behind them, raised sharp spikes from his back. The other three stared at him in surprise, all speaking at the same time.
And there he was.
Loki.
Mute.Covered in wounds.Surrounded by strangers.