Clearly a powerful being, whose blood, for unknown reasons, was in him. How could this have happened? Was it the result of some past event?
Maybe.
But even if that were true, there was no way to verify it. If he could regain all – or part – of his memory, it would make his journey considerably easier. Or, well, find someone who knew him back then.
Unfortunately, both options were pointless due to the same problem.
A lack of memories also means a lack of knowledge about the world. Someon knew nothing of the world he found himself in —literally.
Rubbing his face with his hands, Someon stood up and finally decided to look around. This time, to his relief, there was no pain, no voices, no messages.
Still, it was necessary to at least find out where he was now and whether there were any dangers nearby.
«It would be funny if I died at the paws of some wolf, after escaping from a giant snake.» – Someon chuckled to himself and headed away from the river.
As he walked between the trees, he became even more convinced of it. the realism of this forest. Everything around him seemed to acquire something wonderful, fabulous... magical... in the warm rays of the sunset. Strange, small, translucent balls of light began to rise from the ground. They were all completely different colors: some green, some blue, red, yellow, light blue, and other colors mixed together in a beautiful picture, as if painted by the most brilliant artist in history.
There were varying numbers of these balls around him. There were more green ones near the trees and plants, blue ones near the river, and gray ones in the air.
These same gray balls swirled in a slow dance, as if enjoying his presence in the forest. As he could guess, this was caused by his Attribute and this mysterious blood. After all, it belonged to some being who ruled over Winds and Ice.
«I wonder who's bigger: the snake or this someone? If it is, then are all powerful beings giants? – he shuddered slightly at these thoughts and his attempts to create an image of Her in his head, which failed. – I want to stay the same.» – he concluded, looking around.
All he saw were trees bearing ripe, juicy, and enticing fruits of various shapes and colors. There were so many of them that his eyes were dazzled. Someon didn't know whether anything in this forest was poisonous or not.
The atmosphere the forest created around itself made one think it was the safest place in the world. But just then, he remembered the serpent and the mysterious river. The image of a peaceful and safe place instantly shattered, replaced by an uneasy and frightening feeling. His heart sank, and a cold sweat broke out on his back, though the beating remained steady and constant.
Now, Someon looked at his surroundings differently. He had a sincere desire to believe that it was safe and he could relax here, but reason and logic prevented these thoughts from taking hold and taking root in his mind. So he considered how he could better prepare for the unexpected situations that often visited him.
Every step he took was filled with caution. The young man tried not to touch anything, and especially not to put anything in his mouth. He didn't really need to, anyway. By this time, night had already fallen, and he wasn't the least bit hungry.
«It's convenient. Neither hunger nor thirst bother me. So I can concentrate on what matters most.» – he realized some of the advantages of his current situation.
Almost immediately, one realization was followed by another.
«Could this be part of the benefits Her blood gave me? – her eyes widened, and her fingers began to tremble as a breeze swirled around them. – Perhaps I should look at the description of the Attribute itself, not just the Powers?»
Then, without thinking twice, Someon opened the Status Window and looked at the line he needed and opened it in more detail:
[Attribute: Frost lands Storm
Attribute Rank: Divine
Attribute Description: Somewhere in the north, storms rise with the mere flap of Her wings. The sound of Her cry reverberates, causing every creature in the vicinity to bow their heads. Between Heaven and Earth, between Ice and Storm, She built Her nest, where She hatches Her children. Of the five, four hatched. The fifth disappeared without a trace, and Her wrath is still felt…]
Someon's breath caught, as did he, upon reading the more detailed information. He didn't know how to react. Divine rank? It sounded pompous and grand, but he didn't know where it was. Maybe that was the norm here? Until he figured that out, it wasn't worth dwelling on.
The next thing that caught his attention was the description. It seemed too terrifying and grandiose. It suggested She was some kind of divine being. And it would be better if that weren't the case. Well, that's what he thought, hoping he was wrong.
His eyes moved further along the description and stopped on one detail that, for some reason, excited him:
[…Of the five children, four were able to hatch. The fifth disappeared without a trace, and Her wrath is still felt to this day...]
These lines made two things clear to him. And neither was particularly pleasant. First, She had five children, which could mean there were five more such great creatures of Hers. Second, someone incredibly bold and self-assured had dared to steal this creature's fifth child, either by killing it or snatching it from the nest entirely. Neither of these options could end well, at least for him.
«The connection between all this isn't particularly bright, as I can see, – the smile on his face began to twitch, and the cold sweat was growing. – What did I do in the past?»
This was what interested him more than anything else in the world right now. The things he cared about changed quite quickly, but looking at the events of a single day, one can understand him.
If he was guilty of, or complicit in, the disappearance – or, God forbid, the death – of her child, then he couldn't expect a good... or quick death... life. So for now, he decided to stay out of this northern region, just to be on the safe side. He still wanted to live, after all.
– Phew… why is everything so complicated? Can't there be something simple?
Someon put his hands on his hips and, shaking his head with undisguised pain from his situation, wandered deeper into the forest.
Night had already fallen, and the moonlight was bright enough for him to wander calmly among the trees and bushes. Perhaps such good night vision was also part of Her blood's peculiarity? Frankly, he didn't particularly want to know.
Although he could see well enough to avoid tripping, he still decided to exercise caution. After all, Someon didn't yet know whether this area was inhabited by wild animals or monsters.
But the presence of a huge snake told him that they still exist.
He continued to wander deeper and deeper into the forest. But no matter how far he walked, he felt no fatigue. The young man had already gotten used to not feeling hunger or thirst. But the lack of fatigue and the need for sleep truly perplexed him. The more he learned about himself, the more he wanted to know about his past, how he lost his memory, and how he ended up in that river. These questions continued to haunt him, and out of boredom, he began to imagine various scenarios that could have led to this. But, alas, none of them seemed realistic. So, it was decided to end this little "game."
– Maybe there aren't any monsters here after all? – he asked himself for the tenth time, trying to calm himself, but his grip on the sword's hilt only tightened.
During the few hours he spent traveling, Someon studied another part of his State Window: his only current Artifact, the "Princess's Sorrow."
And, frankly, he was surprised. Quite a bit. He kept glancing strangely at the sword's completely black blade, adorned with a dark blue thorn vine pattern. The sword itself was quite skillfully crafted. Light, yet strong and sharp. Purely black, from the hilt to the tip of the blade, the sword reflected the moonlight.
Someon looked at the information about the Artifact again.
[Artifact: Princess's Sorrow
Artifact Rank: Spiritual
Type: Weapon
Description of the Artifact: Somewhere in the distance, in a forgotten kingdom, the cry of a princess for a long-lost…]
He found this description quite touching, and somewhere deep inside, a small part of him responded. But almost imperceptibly. Someon practically ignored it. So he figured he'd had this Artifact long before it landed in the river.
[Artifact Enchantment: Sorrow and Suffering, Spirit of Suffering, Inner Sorrow
Description of the spell Sorrow and Suffering: Every suffering and sorrow you have in your life will serve as fuel for this sword to strengthen it.
Spirit of Suffering: Only in moments of greatest suffering and deepest sorrow can a force awaken within a being that will bring it back to life and give it light.
Inner Sadness: The wielder's sadness imbues this blade with new power at this moment to help calm it.]
After viewing these charms, Someon couldn't help but sigh with a strange emotion. It seemed he was glad to have a weapon... And yet, it seemed he didn't like the prospect of it.
«So that he and I can become stronger, I have to suffer, right? – he thought bitterly, recalling everything he'd read that day. –What nonsense is this?! What the hell is this?! Not only am I possibly connected to some incredibly powerful person, but I have to suffer so that some sword can become better!! What kind of bad luck is this?!?»
While Someon was lost in his painful thoughts and wandering aimlessly through the forest, an unknown creature followed him quietly and slowly, like a real shadow.