Talentless Beast Knight: Arc 1, Ch. 2 – Tender Glow

Arc 1 – Lost

Ch. 2 – Tender Glow

I was scared.

The Beast’s claws pierced my back with utmost ease just like it had done multiple times in the past. Something warm oozed out of those recently-made gashes.

But that didn’t matter at the moment. I had neither ground below my feet nor any base to stabilize myself on. I was falling in a hole I hadn’t seen beforehand; that Beast’s attack propelled me forward, unable to hold onto anything. The light from the outside swiftly disappeared as I went down.

I couldn’t scream; my voice was suppressed by the sheer amount of dread I felt. It was dark and it scared me. I wanted my mom’s lullabies to help me ease my heart.

The gusts of wind washed over me and my desires as I kept on falling. I had no way of stopping it. I was powerless.

Those thoughts were swept away as I began to see something at the end of the fall. It was fluid; a liquid – maybe water?

Before I could react, my body was enveloped violently by the pond. It hurt more than most things I’ve ever felt before that Beast’s attack.

All of the oxygen inside my lungs was abruptly replaced by the turbulent water that I’ve submerged myself into. It was like being punched in the gut or even worse… It was truly something unpleasant.

Winning against my pain, I mustered whatever remained of the strength that I had and kicked the water multiple times, trying to swim up. It was a battle between myself and time.

Somehow, I barely won. My head emerged from the water as the sudden presence of air made itself known inside my mind. I inhaled as much air as I could, trying to stabilize my situation.

With that newfound breath, I was able to swim my way back to land. Laying on the hard rock ground, I began to rest. I had no strength after being attacked by that Beast and swimming back to land.

Whilst laying I glanced around. Stalactites and stalagmites protruded the boulders menacingly. The rocky cave I found myself in was neither small nor big.

Around me, I saw some grassy bits. The light source that illuminated me was a mysterious formation of gems. Their shine was akin to the village lamps and they allowed me to see through what could’ve been a penumbra of darkness.

“GWAH!!”

Interrupting my observation, my eyes shot open with the throbbing pain that I hadn’t felt from the enormous effort I’ve done. I had to calm myself down.

If I didn’t treat my wounds as quickly as possible, I’d die from blood loss. I had to move from there, I could hear the sounds of relentless smashing above me.

I knelt on the ground, only to receive another punch from the pain. These lacerations wouldn’t get off… I could only shudder at the thought of my mom getting worried and angry over these future scars.

With one last push of strength, I stood up and began to walk, even if I was almost incapable of doing so. Every part of my body was pulsating with pain.

With shaky legs, I kept on going one step at a time.

“Ugh…”

My eyes were getting heavier with each passing second. The surroundings seemed like they were approaching me but I had a hunch that it was just my head.

There was no way that I had fallen in that pond without getting hurt. Water isn’t something that removes damage from falling. In fact, it may even cause more damage if you fall in the wrong position – or that’s what I’ve heard from my relatives.

I shrugged those remarks away and kept on moving forward.

The trickling down of water droplets reached my ears. It was humid down there.

I kept trying to ponder about small and random things. If I kept myself silent, I’d probably pass out and die. I had to keep myself awake.

I tried humming one of my mom’s songs. It was a sweet lullaby that she sang for me since I was a little baby. She told me several times that it kept her calm when the times were rough.

My voice echoed throughout that cave as I searched for anything I could use to stop the bleeding.

My eyes laid onto a small area, lustered by a soft diamond-blue glow. I shifted my course and, while curious, made my way to that place.

With unstable steps, I saw the source of the glow: a small, shiny pond. It shone a light-blue color and it was enthralling. I had never seen something so mysterious.

I took one step closer.

However, my knees gave up and I fell. My stomach hit the ground, momentarily knocking the breath out of me, and I laid there. I had no strength left. I had no way of continuing.

Whatever that pond was, I still wanted to touch it.

Reaching out with my fingers, I touched it. I felt that the substance was rather dense. However, it felt pleasant to the touch. I wanted to keep touching it.

With that substance in hands, my conscience abruptly slipped away. The last thing I remembered was the sound of silence and the trickling of water.

My body was heavy.

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