Chapter 2

As I wandered around in this underground labyrinth, I decided that at the rate at which my side was bleeding simply keeping my hand pressed against the wound was inefficient. Hence, I tore the edge of the battered, dirty rugs that I was currently wearing and used it as a makeshift bandage; whist hoping against all hope that the wound does not become infected before I could get professional help.

I tried to study my surroundings to see if I could get some clues as to where I was. I didn't have a concrete hypothesis that explained my being here as well as the events of last night that involved me getting stabbed so maybe looking around might give me clues to explain my current situation.

I knew I was underground and so there were no landmarks or anything of the sort that could here me identify where I was however doing this allowed me to concentrate on something other than my own bleak circumstances. Due to this I noticed that the walls surrounding me seemed uneven… no that is not what id call it, partially destroyed is more like it.

I moved closer for a closer look and noticed that some parts of the wall had scorch marks on it and others had fist sized holes. My mind immediately pictured the scene of a bald man chasing down two kids- a boy and a girl.

I shook my head. 'That's impossible.'

Maybe this was chased by a flamethrower or something. There must be some logical explanation as to what caused this burn mark on the rock walls. I managed to convince myself that there might be a logical explanation for the burn marks, however, my mind turned blank when I tried to think about what caused the fist sized holes on the walls. Because if my not too sure hypothesis about the flamethrower was correct, which idiot would bring something like a hammer to a flamethrower fight.

I didn't know the result of the fight, though inwardly I scoffed at the possibility that a guy with a flamethrower would lose to someone using a blunt weapon, but I a more concerning issue came to mind. 'Who the hell was fighting?'

'And whoever it was that won, would they be friendly or hostile to me?'

Not knowing the answer to these questions, I continued moving though more slowly while paying more attention to my surroundings.

I wondered around this maze of semi darkness with light filtering in through tiny holes in the rock above me. Sometimes I came across a dead end and had to backtrack and other times I found more traces of the fighting, with it being more intense at some places and less intense at others.

I estimated that I had spent around three hours wondering this dark, bleak maze. Of course this included breaks to rest my unfamiliar, worn out and dirty feet. Since I hadn't drunk any water or eaten anything recently, there was no need for bathroom breaks or food breaks. Though that wasn't necessarily a good thing as the thirst and hunger was starting to get to me. It was also getting increasing harder for me to get to my feet after I took a break.

I was even tempted to grab a few insects I had noticed crawling around in an attempt to put something in my stomach. But I stopped myself, because it would be disgusting for someone like myself to resort to eating insects to survive as well as it being inefficient. For one thing, I was in a semi darkness and could barely see.

The few insects I had managed to notice along the way disappeared into the darkness before the thought of even capturing them came to mind. Even then, with how tired I am wasting the little energy I have trying to catch a few disgusting bugs to eat held no appeal to me.

I turned the corner and noticed something lying in the middle of the path. Judging from the shape and size of whatever was lying in the middle of the path I judged that it could be nothing but a person. Not knowing whether said person was alive or dead, I moved carefully.

Trying not to make a sound, I picked up a small sharp looking rock and clutched it in my hand while positioning my had in such a way that unless a person was deliberately looking they would not notice it until it was too late. You know just in case things went south with whoever I was approaching.

I smelled it before seeing it. The metallic tang of blood. With how strong the scent was I knew that the corpse in front of me had lost too much blood to have survived and even if he was still somehow alive; was on the verge of death. Turning the body around, I moved back in shock after realizing that the face that looked back up at me was the dame face that I saw in the images that raced through my head a little while ago. The face of the bald man who was chasing two kids.

I moved closer once more to have a closer look. To check whether I was imagining things but no, the face of the corpse hadn't changed.

'What kind of sick joke is this?'

I could not come up with a plausible explanation for somehow seeing the man that was currently lying dead not two feet away from me before actually meeting him. Not to mention in my vision of him he was somehow conjuring fire and controlling it.

Immediately, my mind went to the scotch marks I found on the walls on my way here. Moving forward, I tried searching for the body for an ID or something I could us to identify this man. Instead my hands froze as I finally noticed the wound that had killed the bastard. There was a fist sized hole in his gut.

Small trickles of blood still flowed from the wound which told me that it had not been that long ago since this guy was killed. Looking at the wound on the corpses' gut, I shivered.

'What in Gods good name could have done something like this?'

I quickly searched the body, looking for anything I could use as a weapon. Afterall, if it hadn't been that long since this son bitch was killed then whoever, or whatever had killed him could be nearby… and I didn't want to meet him holding nothing but a small, probably sharp but most likely not sharp enough to kill in one shot, rock.

I found a water pouch on the corpse, a dagger and a ring, but no ID. Grabbing the water pouch I gulped down almost half of what was left before remembering that I should conserve it. I stripped the shirt off the corpse and used it as a makeshift bag to hold the water and the ring.

Afterall, if I somehow managed to get out of this alive I'd need to have a little money to survive which I'd get from pawing off the ring. I dropped the rock and replaced it with the knife all the while moving more slowly and cautiously than before.

A few twists and turns which involved me getting lost and backtracking resulted in me walking into a cavern. There was considerably lighter here than in the maze behind me though I had no idea where the light was coming from.

Examining the cavern for any hidden danger and a potential exit proved to be fruitless.

In the middle of the cavern stood a stone dais and on it sat a golden headband. Moving cautiously, I approached the headband and examined the dais it was on for any traps. Finding none, I grabbed the headband intending to add it to the ring I had found earlier and a notification appeared in front of my eyes.

[You have found one of the artifacts of the Monkey king. You have been selected to become one of his successors. Do you accept. (Yes/NO).]

I don't know whether it was instinct or another force that moved my hand but before I realized what was happening, I had selected yes.

Another notification appeared in front of my eyes.

[Body reconstruction would begin shortly.]

'The hell is body reconstruction?'

Before I could raise any more questions, fire engulfed me and my scream filled the cavern.