Mareus awoke to the rhythmic drip-drop of water coming from dozens of unseen sources. He shot up to look at his surroundings before his mind finally caught up with the pain. Every muscle in his body screaming at him for the sudden movement, demanding he lay back down. It didn’t take long before his cries joined in and echoed off the walls creating a haunting wail that lingered even after his own voice had stopped.

Laying in the dirt and panting he finally had the chance to realize that he was covered from head to toe in bandages and his robes were tattered, if they could even be considered robes in this state. Did someone treat his injuries? Who? Realization hit him hard. Almost as hard as the waves of earth from before.

“Grandpa Gin!”

“Brother! Sister!”

“Elder…”

He called out, asking for anyone in the village he could think of, begging for one of them to hear him, to tell him where they were, to explain what had happened after his world went dark. In fact, it was still dark. What was wrong? Why couldn’t he see anything?

Drudging up all the willpower he had, he reached for his eyes. Before he could touch his face he saw a faint outline of his fingers against the blackness.

Good. He thought to himself.

At least he wasn’t blind, but that still left several questions racing through his mind. Where was he? Who brought him here? Did anyone else survive? Surely there had to be an answer to at least one of his questions. Determined to find those answers Mareus fought through the pain to get up once again.

“You’d be wise not to do that until you recover some more.”

The sudden voice sent a chill throughout his body, and for a split second he was reminded of the crushing pressure he had felt not too long ago. The thought that the demonic warrior was here drained whatever strength he had gathered. His limp body ignoring his commands to get up and run away only reminded him of how truly weak he was in this world.

He was alone, injured, couldn’t see, and now his ears were filling with the sound of his heart thrumming faster and faster. His whole body began tingling with anticipation for something to happen, for someone to come in and finish what was started in the village.

He waited.

And waited.

For what felt like hours, he was left there and unable to move. Energy crawling all over his body caused his hairs to stand on end. He had to do something. Surely they would have to expose themselves if they wanted to make a move.

As soon as they bring out a light to find me, they’ll give away their position. That will be my chance. He planned while shifting his weight closer to the wall as silently as possible.

He was ready. He would fight with everything he had.

Mareus wasn’t sure when he fell asleep, his body still felt like it was made of lead but at least he regained his ability to move somewhat. Gradually, he made his way up the edge of the cave and found his footing.

He lost his balance more than a few times before finally making it to a small space in the wall. It wasn’t the exit, it was too shallow for that. Besides, he couldn’t feel any wind coming from further in. At least hiding here would be marginally better than lying out in the open waiting for something to find him.

His forehead pressed against the cold black stone as he laid motionless against the cave wall. Soot and dried blood coating him like makeshift camouflage. Mareus did his best to shrink himself to completely blend into the shadows. Though he wasn’t sure if he needed it.

The only thing accompanying him here were sounds anyone would normally overlook; wind snaking through unseen passages, the constant dripping of water, the chitter-chatter of hundreds of insects stalking each other for their next meal. His prison magnified the senses hundreds of times over. Even the smokey and metallic smell on him had become nauseating.

A burning image flashed through his mind. A giant, laughing like a mad man as he arched back towards the sky.

The sound of wood gently hitting stone erupted above all the other sounds. Echoing throughout the space behind him.

…

Silence.

The song from before became insignificant as his heightened senses returned to normal.

"You should eat, Child. I would rather the effort I spent saving you not be repaid by you wasting away in some corner." The ethereal voice was barely a whisper, and yet it filled the space. Commanding it. "Ultimately it is your choice to make." Without even waiting for him to turn around, they vanished as suddenly as they had arrived.

Mareus was frozen again. Did they find me? No. There wasn’t any light. But I couldn’t even tell someone was nearby. Who are they?

“Why should I eat something given to me by a faceless shadow? How do I know you haven’t drugged it with something?” He desperately grasped for his words before they could be heard.

“Do you believe me to be so conniving?” The darkness replied.

How am I supposed to trust someone who won’t even show themself.

Mareus stared into the darkness, unsure if the person on the other side of the blackness was waiting for him to lower his guard. If they even needed to. Or if he had the luxury of finding out what they brought for him. He sat there in silence until his fatigue finally dragged him back to unconsciousness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mareus occupied his time trying to keep track of the semi-regular pattern of his untouched food being replaced. More than once he thought he had figured out the interval between changes only for his theory to immediately be proven wrong.

How often are they actually changing the bowl? Do they wait for the food to spoil? No, that would mean they’re bringing different types of meals. Who would be so patient and generous as to do that? But if that were the case then maybe they’re waiting for me to notice the food and see if I’ll accept it. Mareus laughed to himself. They must think I’m a picky eater if that is true.

"I hate when I sleep."

He panicked as his half awake whisper left his lips, unsure if the stranger was listening. It didn’t matter in the end he supposed, whether they were watching him from the shadows or if they were only visiting when they changed out his food. They hadn’t done anything at this point and it’s not like he had the strength to resist them. They must be waiting for something else. He thought.

Mareus fought to stay awake through a few more visits. With the perceived danger gone his guard slowly fell away. He slipped into the dream world against his best effort.

He dreamt of flashes of his home and of his life before. The elders, watching over the younger generations as they went about their routines. The whole village exercising together during sunrise. Families, tending to the fields and tamed beasts. The sun, shining on hundreds of smiling and content faces. Mareus, running and playing with the other children after the day's chores.

Tears rippled down his cheek as he continued to remember everyone and everything he had ever known. He cursed himself for not being able to forget the truth and remain here in this unchanging world. As his focus fell onto the reality of what had happened, his dream warped into a twisted version of before.

People laying in the streets. Smoke filling the air like some ghostly fog. Cries echoing on top of one another. A terrifying one eyed man standing tall enough for his hair to brush the clouds. His hands drenched in a crimson color. An evil aura radiating from his clenched grin, pouring out like a thick miasma. Mareus slowly opened his eyes and wiped away the water blurring his vision.

"I REALLY hate when I sleep."

Several more meals came and went, the presence always waiting before vanishing. With the latest visit Mareus finally asked a question that had been on his mind since waking up in the cave.

"W-Wh-" His voice was dry and came out more like a breath. He tried again, “Why…” It was nothing more than a whisper and he wanted to say more, but the effort of forcing that much through his disused throat was already too much. Turned away from the opening he couldn’t tell if anyone was there, though he wasn’t sure if he’d even be able to see anything through the darkness anyway.

Everything was uncomfortably quiet.

Calming his breathing the best he could he felt his skin buzz as he waited, but now that the question finally left his lips his mind couldn't help but race.

What are you doing? What does the reason matter, you're going to die anyway. Just lie there and waste away. Why, though? Why was it me? Why am I the only one alone now? Why couldn’t I have stayed with them? At least then I would die without knowing.

Mareus broke into a cold sweat waiting for an answer. Their presence silent, some unseen pressure growing in the dark as the question went unanswered. He could feel them, at least he thought that he could. It was like the chill you get when you feel like you’re being followed while alone, the feeling only growing sharper. Until a sudden cool warmth touched the nape of his neck before running down his back.

The silence was finally broken by a cold and yet somehow familiar feeling voice, "It would have been a waste, to let one with such potential simply vanish from this world. And I couldn't stand to think your fate would end because of a contest of strength between mere children. I truly feel for your loss, and I feel sorrow for the ill fate that placed those 'experts' in your home." Their voice changed at the end, they spat out the word like someone talking about a pest running wild through their garden. The gentle pressure on his back continued to run the length of his spine, somehow the action lessening his fatigue and exhaustion.

He sat up slowly, and with a still hoarse voice he asked. "If you could save me. Then why?" He sharply inhaled, "WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP THEM?!" His scream filled his throat with the taste of iron. Mareus slowly turned to face the presence with tears in his eyes, "Why did you save only me? You could have saved TH-em." His trembling voice did nothing to hide his pain, still he did his best to look them in the face. The water in his eyes blurring the form against the blackness.

"Poor child." The presence placed a cold hand on his cheek and gently brushed away a tear. "My sweet boy, I'm sorry I could not be there in time to save your home. I did not arrive until the battle moved further south. And I was haunted by the site they left behind." They slowly pulled Mareus into their arms, cradling him in a soft embrace as their voice filled with grief. "Before I could pursue them, I sensed your faint life. Clinging to any shred of hope, and filled with animosity towards those insects. I performed all the emergency medicine I could to save you and brought you back to this cave. I hoped to help you avenge your home in order to make up for my absence." Their voice calmed his heart more than their words.

Mareus quietly let out a breath and pulled himself away from the presence, "Thank you." He gingerly wiped the tears from his eyes, embarrassed for crying in front of his savior. But, looking back at the presence for the first time with clear eyes, he thought he had already passed on to the afterlife.

The darkness seemed to melt away and before him sat the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, her robes elegantly billowing out across the cave floor. Her milky skin appeared to be almost iridescent in the dark cave, her hair standing out by seeming to be even darker than the surrounding shadows. He felt as if she was sculpted from the most precious materials by a master craftsman.

The sight brought up stories that the elders would tell of the great immortals that lived across the world. Without thought he collapsed into a bow and laid his head to the floor, his fatigue completely forgotten. "I am sorry for showing you such a sight. I humbly thank the immortal for saving my life." Mareus didn't dare lift his head as he heard a soft chuckle fill the cave.

"It is alright child," she patted his head. "I am not like the immortals from any stories you may have heard, I am not one for these customs. Now, raise your head." Mareus hesitantly looked up, only to see a gentle smile not unlike a mother would give to a crying child. "What is your name, child?" She asked.

"M-my name... my name is Mareus. I have no family name, though I was raised by my grandmother with the surname Huā." Feeling more confident, Mareus gingerly asked "May I be graced with the name of my savior?"

The woman continued to pat his head as if she was amused by a pet. "I have had many names over my long life, the one I am currently fond of is Fu Kong. It is quite fitting, at least I think so." The woman gracefully rose to her feet, leaving Mareus speechless in her overwhelming presence. "Do make sure to eat your meals, I shall return with a change of clothes for you. That is unless you prefer those rags clinging to your frame?"

Mareus lowered himself back into his bow, "I am blessed by Mistress Fu Kong's kindness." After a moment of silence he raised his head only for the shadows to stare back at him.

How did she do that?

Breaking free from the awe Mareus finally examined his body for the first time. He was noticeably thinner from so many skipped meals, though it still wasn't anything that could be considered unhealthy. His dark hair was crusted and knotted and some of it clung to his worn robes. The thing that shocked him the most was the stench.

Ugh, how did I not notice this before? Realization washed over him and was just as thoroughly replaced by embarrassment. I can't believe I showed such an appearance to someone of her status. Looking around the space he noticed a few things that weren't there before. At least he didn't remember them being there.

It was no wonder he couldn’t find the exit before, the room he was in was more like a bowl and it looked like there were several openings up on the ledge above him.

In one corner was a small table and stool with a used candle and some parchment, another had a pile of furs he didn’t recognize. And on the far end of the cave were some plants he couldn't recognize in the dark. As Mareus got closer he noticed a small bucket with water, a piece of pumice soap, and a cloth.

"I guess she really thought of everything." He brought the stool over and got out of his tattered clothes before beginning to wash himself.

"Ah, I'm glad you're taking the initiative to explore on your own." Mareus panicked at the sudden voice and fell off his seat while trying to cover anything he could. Unfazed Fu Kong continued, "I was worried that you'd fall back into depression after I left. But to see you up and about is testament to the strength of your soul." As she spoke he slowly climbed back into the stool making sure to have most of his body turned away from her.

Mareus listened as she spoke and when she stopped he looked back to see if she disappeared again. But she was still there, gracefully sitting on an inky black ledge he didn't notice before.

"Um, Mistress, I’d hate to seem disrespectful. But do you need something more from me?"

She thought for a moment before saying, "No, I can wait until you're ready."

Accepting that she had no intention of giving him any privacy he continued to wash himself off. "You said you'd wait until I was ready, what am I supposed to be ready for?" He spoke while too embarrassed to look towards her.

"Well first of all, we'll have to get something more substantial in your stomach before you waste away. And you'll be needing new robes that are preferably more durable. You probably don't want to wear your old ones and there's no point of getting you robes that will just tear right away." She pulled a tea kettle from seemingly nowhere and poured herself a cup as she continued. "There is much we'll need to do before we can build your foundation, and from there you'll need to advance quickly through the first few realms if you hope to withstand just the pressure of their power."

Their power? So there was more than one of those monsters.

As Mareus finished washing himself he wrapped a fur around his body. "What do you mean, I'm not sure I follow. How could someone like me who's not even a practitioner hope to face such a divine power, especially when my village's best warriors and elders didn't fare any better than I did."

Fu Kong's laugh wasn't exaggerated but it still filled the cave and echoed all the way to the entrance. "Divine power?" She said while trying to hold back a toothy smile. "My sweet child, they are to me what an insect is to you. And though I could handle them after learning of their whereabouts, I will not." Her tone became more serious. "While it's true that they disrespected me by acting freely in my territory while I was away, this is not my justice to seek. Your village wasn't even in their sights. They fought without concern for their surroundings and you suffered because of it. So I will teach you to reach a truly divine power so you can make them feel the same pain you've felt."

Mareus wasn't sure how he felt about the sudden darker turn that the conversation took. On one hand she was offering him the opportunity to get justice for all of his village. On the other it felt like she was using him to deal with something she didn't want to bother with. On top of that, normally a benefactor would offer you the chance to right a wrong, but she wanted him to destroy everything they have. Or at least she made it seem that way. Either way this was his only chance to get justice, he can figure out what exactly that means later.

"What do I have to do?"