Free Web NovelChapter 44: Awakening
The water bubbled.
Bubbles appeared around Gabriel’s body, breaking the whitish surface of the well with a constant, viscous sound.
Tension built in his eyes as he felt something awakening in the depths of his being.
Until that moment, he had managed to coexist with the hunger. He had endured the predation, the violence it produced, and its impulses.
But this was different.
Because for the first time, he didn’t feel like he was controlling the monster. He felt like the monster was devouring him.
The burning spread through his limbs.
The black veins beneath his skin began to extend slowly, like cracks covering his body. Something ancient was trying to force its way through him.
He tried to move and get out of the water, but something held him back.
It was the hunger — a monstrous need he didn’t understand.
It started as small scratches, then dull blows, until it became a violent outburst.
At some point, the whispers seemed to come from everywhere.
Until something broke through the door inside him.
Hands, then more. As if long, twisted fingers emerged from the cracks, trying to force their way outward.
His rationality began to dissolve, unable to think clearly.
Something unknown was taking control, wanting to consume the milky water surrounding him.
As if that substance were vital nourishment for survival.
He had the illusion that the water was rising, but it was he who was sinking.
His body slowly tilted forward and his pupils dilated.
The color disappeared from his eyes. The world began to darken.
And finally, he lost consciousness.
***
He fell.
With no earth or sky, only darkness. It was a black sea.
His body passed through the surface of the sea without producing any splash.
He continued descending, sinking heavily.
He was unable to move, while the pressure increased with every second.
He had no strength, will, or direction. He simply fell endlessly.
Then he passed through something.
An invisible barrier, like a membrane, and fell until he collided with a solid surface.
The impact ran through his entire body.
He tried to get up, but couldn’t. He couldn’t even move his arms, because none of his muscles responded.
His instincts reacted with urgency.
He felt them stir, twist, and try to take control, failing completely.
Until he heard a whisper.
It was a soft, masculine voice.
"I have been calling you."
He tried to lift his head, without success.
"It has been a long time, Gabriel."
He clenched his teeth as helplessness filled his chest.
He didn’t understand where he was, or how he had gotten there.
"It must be difficult being you right now, isn’t it?"
The silence stretched.
"I can help you."
He felt something warm land on his forehead.
It was a single drop, but when it impacted his skin, the sensation was strange. Warm and corrosive.
Like acid and comfort mixed in the same substance.
Then his lungs opened and air returned.
Gabriel inhaled violently, sitting up heavily. As if he had just escaped drowning.
"You shouldn’t be here, but fate has cruel plans."
Finally, he managed to see who was speaking.
It was a tall figure with broad shoulders, standing motionless.
It had its back to him, observing an infinite void. In that space there was no source of light.
And yet he could see it.
He tried to approach, but it didn’t work. When he tried to retreat, that didn’t work either.
Something invisible closed around his body.
They were chains— hundreds of them, sealing around his limbs.
They were invisible and intangible, but he could feel them.
"In life it is impossible to escape. So vile, exhausting, and sadistic... many times even duty loses meaning."
He frowned.
His words made no sense... Nothing made sense.
Something had gone wrong during the ritual. And he was convinced it was related to the thing awakening inside him.
He watched as the figure slowly extended one of its arms.
It opened its hand, as if showing something invisible.
"There is no light... Those vicious memories... beings dismembered from their past selves, cannot see."
The void seemed to shudder.
Gabriel didn’t understand, but he gathered all the strength he had left and asked:
"Who are you?"
The answer was a soft, constant, and chilling laugh.
Like the sound of a wound that never finishes closing.
"What does it matter? We are all pieces, pieces destined for destruction."
The figure fell silent for a few seconds.
"Once I asked if this could change, but..."
For the first time, something like weariness appeared in that voice, something like defeat.
"Choose your pieces well; and avoid the destruction of the world you know."
Gabriel tried to ask another question.
But it was already too late. The entire space deformed.
The figure appeared close, then far, then above, and finally behind.
Dimensions seemed to break. The void spun upon itself, like a dying organism.
Everything began to collapse.
Gabriel fell back into the cycle.
***
He opened his eyes.
And took a huge gulp of air. He jumped out of the well on pure instinct.
He landed on the stone naked. The room trembled, the floor vibrated, and the walls creaked slightly.
For a few seconds he thought an earthquake was happening, but the tremor dissipated.
Gabriel breathed heavily.
He looked at the well and froze.
It was empty, without a single drop.
The huge reserve of whitish water had disappeared, absorbed and consumed.
Whatever had happened, he was in trouble. It wasn’t supposed to happen with the water.
His body, however, felt extraordinary.
The fatigue had disappeared, the wounds had closed, and his muscles overflowed with strength.
Notifications glowed across his interface, but he ignored them.
He had much more urgent problems.
He dressed quickly with his coat, weapons, and everything finally back in place.
Then the stone door was pushed open violently and an advisor burst into the room.
He looked agitated, his gaze sweeping the place.
When he saw the well, he paled.
"Here too!"
Gabriel felt immediate relief.
Those two words were invaluable information.
He hadn’t been the only one.
The advisor barely glanced at him.
"Present yourself immediately before the Village Chief."
Then he disappeared, running toward other rooms.
Gabriel obeyed, although all his instincts screamed at him to leave the place.
Something didn’t add up, but he also understood another truth... If he tried to flee now, he would draw attention.
And attention was precisely what he didn’t need. Because many times it was the main culprit in sacrificing lambs.
***
The main hall was full.
Dozens of players were gathered, with confused, restless, and anxious faces.
Many murmured among themselves, but no one understood what had happened.
Gabriel remained silent, listening, observing, and waiting.
Finally, the Village Chief appeared.
His expression was solemn, much more than usual.
He seemed to be carrying an invisible burden.
The old man observed those present without speaking. He waited.
Then one of the advisors approached hurriedly.
Gabriel heard the whisper. His enhanced hearing caught every word.
"Respected sir... the underground channels have dried up."
The old man coughed, deep and violently.
For an instant he seemed to have aged several years, but he quickly regained his composure.
He looked at all the players, one by one.
And finally spoke.
"Forgive me, honorable guests. Our facilities have suffered unpredictable problems. I beg for your understanding."
Surprise appeared on several faces.
Even the advisors seemed disconcerted.
That reaction was far too moderate, contrary to what they had imagined.
The players let out sighs of relief, the tension decreasing slightly. But the confusion remained.
The old man continued.
"You have all undergone a notable transformation.
From today onward, your paths will decide whether you are proud or foolish."
His gaze swept the crowd and he made a brief pause.
"But for now... you may leave."
That was all. There were no interrogations, accusations, or forced explanations.
The meeting ended.
Gabriel felt an enormous pressure leave his shoulders. Perhaps they really couldn’t link what had happened to him.
Perhaps the problem was bigger or, very likely, no one fully understood what had occurred.
Whatever the reason, he was still free.
As the players began to withdraw, he heard new voices behind him.
Advisors and officials.
And one phrase.
"We will not report this."
Gabriel continued walking without turning his head. But that sentence remained engraved in his memory. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Apparently, he had underestimated the gravity of the matter.
However, for now, it wasn’t his problem.
A soldier began to guide them outside, toward the interior of the village, into the most fortified depths of the Beginner Village.
Toward the teleportation portal. The only path to the true world.
Gabriel observed the immense structure built from rare materials and commissioned to the best professionals.
The moment had finally arrived to leave the starting point.
