Existence Is My Woven Tapestry

Two days had passed, Reynolds kept on pushing through the forest. His lips dry as he tried to find any source of water in the forest. He no longer cared what he came across, the thirst in his throat screamed to be quenched and he was forced to adhere to it.

He hadn't come across those he had fled from the city with, he had concluded that they had met their deaths or found. Now he was all alone, barely surviving. His breathes deep as he could barely keep himself up. He made it to the top of a hill to get a vantage point but what was presented to him was a dense canopy.

He wanted to go back and have his life snuffed but now, he doubted that he had the energy to tread back. In his lightheadedness, he fell and rolled down the hill. His body bruised with the small rocks making cuts all over his face before...

His senses were overwhelmed at once as he scrambled to regain control. He found a small stream flowing, under the cool shade it felt like a miracle. He limped over, his joints sore from the impact as he cupped his hands and greedily drank the water.

It glimmered faintly, inviting and promising to cure his thirst however his eyes shot wide, gagging before spitting all the water out of his mouth. He looked at the water, innocent as it shimmered lightly under the sun's rays. It was now he realized that it was tainted with malcore.

The first day he came to this world, a faint prick would dart all over his skin, this was more prevalent when he opted to go deeper to the heart of the city where all the mages were. It was then that he realized that his body couldn't properly experience malcore without facing some form of pain.

And now the water that he yearned to drink to his content was laced with it. It wasn't just the water but the air as well, his skin would develop rashes due to the wild malcore that drifted aimlessly. For a mage they could refine the malcore and help boost their rankings but for him, it was a plague.

He looked at the stream in disbelief before giving out a heavy sigh. Cupping his hands once more, he drank the water that lightly burnt his skin alongside his throat. As much as he wanted to spit it out, he knew that there was nowhere else he could find clear uncontaminated water.

His body writhed in pain, his skin crawled as he convulsed on the earthy ground. A few breathes later and the pain subsided. He could feel his entire body brimming with energy, the fatigue that claimed his body now washed away however he was still hungry. So far he hadn't come across any critters that he could kill for food.

'Maybe there's salmon upstream?' He thought, making his way up. The trek was anything but short but finally he sighted some animals. A pack of deer drinking the water, unbothered by the malcore in it. He had felt a new kind of pain making his way here.

His stomach groaned in agony, demanding food while his body was brimming with energy. He would force himself to drink the water and get used to it's acidity. Now presented with sustenance to satiate his hunger, he didn't blindly lunge but paused to come up with an idea.

'I could lay traps but that would take too much time. It would be better for me to trail them and see where they go.' He had already thought of making a trap after they had left and the next time the pack came, kill one off but that wasn't secure not to mention time-consuming and time was what he lacked.

Besides, the chance of them being poached by another predator was high. Thus he opted to stay hidden for now and watch. 'There are way too many variables that could happen now. It would be better for me to move in silence. After all I'm unfamiliar with the terrain of this place.'

The deer that he watched with keen interest suddenly perked their heads from the rivulet. Reynolds could tell that something was wrong however his senses were lacking and only watch.

*Whoosh*

The entire family was burnt to their death, the sounds of sizzling flesh tempting him to come our of hiding but he remained resolute. And it was then that the source of the attack came to view. A demon, horns pulled back like sickles before pointing to the sky. It wasn't the same kind of demons that he was used to seeing.

It was huge stature, the air around it chaotic as it walked akin to humans. It was dressed in rags covering it's crotch, it's frame human yet burly over eight feet tall. It's muscles bulging as it laughed at it's bounty. It picked the deer and without hesitation took a big bite, it's sharp teeth coming into view as it bore into flesh with ease.

Reynolds was barely composed, his senses urging him to run however his mind knew that he would be roasted to a crisp before he took his third step. With a few bites the deer were all thoroughly out of sight, the baby holstered in one hand. Reynolds was in a battle with his mind urging him to stay quiet and his body mixed between running away and salivating at the fawn.

However it didn't take a bite but rather the demon looked in his direction. His blood ran cold at the smile cast at him, his hair standing as he let out a shallow breathe. "Arghh!!!" In the next second, his figure was suspended by the demon, it's eyes trying to peer at exactly what Reynolds was.

It spoke in a language similar to those in this world however Reynolds couldn't quite understand what it meant, his face showing it all. "There's no malcore essence in your body and the air around you feels foreign. I wonder whether you'll be a treat, otherworlder..." The pain soared through his body, his mind blank as his body spasmed.

The demon didn't hod back as it took a deep bite off his neck and shoulder. The demon grimaced, dropping his body to the earthy ground next to the fawn whose dead eyes locked with his. His mind had yet to register what had happened, his face in pure shock.

"Ugh! Your essence is rather lacking. Otherworlder. You're lucky I'm full or I would've finished you off." The demon picked up the roasted fawn and took his leave. Reynolds was shocked to see the amount of blood flow out of his body.

His breathes slowed, the area of the bite slowly turned into a blistery violet hue. He was forced to look at the scorched forest as his life slowly slipped through his hands.

***

"Lady Sylvaine, we can't crack her skull in time before her body begins to heal." An assistant reported, his body uneasy. Lady Sylvaine didn't seem bothered at the slightest upon hearing this. "Very well, since you're so adamant in keeping your secrets to yourself, we'll have to keep on pushing Crimson."

Her back faced the assistant, still seated as she looked at Crimson who remained holstered in the air akin to meat at a butchery. Her eyes vacant while her limbs stretched out, scientists whispering rumors surrounding her similar to priests talking about their god.

"Just make it quicker, use malcore to melt her skin and tissues. As for her skull, it doesn't matter just blow it up, it's not like she's going to die. And if you do manage to fail, we could do it all over again." Her orders rang through the air, her golden irises never leaving Crimson's figure.

The assistant nodded before taking his leave. Her office was more classy, massive glass windows to look down on Crimson while her new seat, comprised of leather and cotton was much more comfortable in comparison to her old one.

It wasn't just the elves that were undergoing massive technological leaps but humans as well however some were still in the dark of it all. Crimson started to notice how their means became more violent, less restrained and their tools now more enhanced.

Without a doubt her world was assimilated into the new one but at this point, she didn't care. With how they had shown great interest in her mind, it was clear what they wanted to do. As if on cue, her body was lowered onto the dissectomy table, new tools in their hands.

Their faces etched in their minds, as they started with their procedure. No anaesthesia, she was exposed to Malcore that flowed like water burning her skin and tissue. Some dripped to her face burning her eyes and into her orbits but as always her body always regenerate on cue.

Her eyes started to regenerate, her nerves forming anew as the scientists went on with their pursuit of cracking her head open. "I see the skull." One commented to which he was handed a device, a small golden mana shard which he embedded on her head...

*Boom*

Her skull exploded however no sign of shock or worry could be seen on their faces as they went on as if routine. One managed to cut a sliver of her brain, as blood gushed out non-stop, brain matter coating the floor and their coats before her head started to repair itself.

She didn't scream like she used to, but they all remembered her last words before she fell silent. "I'll enjoy killing each and every single one of you." Her body was raised once more as the scientists took their leave. Some complained about how messy it was and worrying how they would get rid of the grime on their coats.

Sylvaine watched the entire procedure, a cynical smile plastered on her face throughout the procedure. 'It's only a matter of time before we figure what truly makes you tick, Crimson.'

***

Way above the metaphysical planes where horrors lost themselves to insanity and ruin, Solon existed, calm as ever with his low smile. He watched how Crimson went through her personal hell while also keeping his starry obsidian eyes on Reynolds.

There wasn't a single player that he didn't know on the board. He could save her with a mere thought but he didn't. He could've saved Reynolds from the demon but he chose to watch it all unfold. "It's getting a little boring here, don't you agree?" He quizzed the god standing alongside him.

It was the god of the previous world, Crimson's world who was now reduced into a pathetic and pitiful state as he watched it all unfold with Solon.

For him, the abyss simply existed and before he knew it, he was here. The halls were calm and quiet ignoring the wails of gods, demons and horrors begging to meet their death.

Puppets from before, playthings he lost interest in at a time long before. "Yes..." The voice came of shaky. "And so are you." With a snap, space that was absent appeared and tendrils with eyes all over formed clasping onto the god's figure and dragging him into the unknown.

"I guess it's time to play." He chuckled.