It’s dark.
So dark that there isn’t any sense of light at all.
I began to feel uneasy as I smelled something rank. The smell of blood is so strong that it hurts my nose. I almost felt like throwing up.
I jumped up with wide eyes shocked by the nastiness.
[-tsu!!] (1)
A dark corridor comes into view.
Even though it shouldn’t, light vaguely seems to radiate from the stonework.
Surveying the area there was a small altar enshrined behind me. Looking carefully I can see that the altar is so weathered it’s on the verge of collapsing.
It is a small stone table that has the remains of two candles on it. It appears an animal hide has been placed as an offering, stuck there by an arrow.
[What’s this … …]
I muttered.
As I often speak to myself, the words spilled out naturally.
[I don’t understand … … Something feels wrong … …]
(TLN:Might be I don’t feel good not positive)
Repeating the words my heart rate changes greatly. It rises.
I literally don’t understand. I can’t understand this situation.
I went to sleep, didn’t I?
(TLN:not positive one this one it could be more like “I’m not asleep, am I?”)
However, there is no warm bed here, neither is there a noisy mechanical alarm clock nor any morning sunlight spilling through the curtains or light from a lamp’s light bulb.
Only a cold, unsanitary stone floor. A stench that hurts the nose and a few creepy stones that faintly emit light.
I feel sick … …
I covered my mouth and waited for the nausea to pass.
I heard a roaring sound in the distance.
[-Uoaaa!!](2)
It was a senseless wailing.
It seemed like a sound a wounded beast filled with killing intent would make.
[– Wait, wait, wait.]
I remarked unable to understand. Because I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t even know what I’m saying. (Maybe I don’t know what to say.)
In a panic, I begin to run in the direction opposite to which roar was heard.
I run through the stone corridor.
I turned several times, annoyingly the scenery doesn’t change no matter how far I run away.
Along the way I feel something strange and hear a squishing sound.
I feel something squish into the tread of my shoe, so I check the sole of my sneakers.
There is a fist sized insect in it’s death throes —
[U, Uaaa tsu!](3)
I cry out at the terrible sight.
It’s not that I am especially afraid of insects. But in a city surrounded by concrete I have never run into such large ones, so I retreated from such a viscerally disgusting insect.
The insect cries out. In the same way a dolphin cries out for help.
I feel a chill and look up. My gaze turns towards the next corner.
Something with the visage of a person sized insect peeks around the corner.
A size common sense says is impossible.
It’s body makes a ‘gichi gichi’ sound, as it’s angular insect-like limbs move. At first sight it’s near a stag beetle in appearance. However it’s abnormal size and shape push my sanity to the edge.
[–tsu!](1)
I can’t make another sound. If I do, the monster is likely to jump me, my only choice is to run the other way immediately.
I run and run and keep running.
Without thinking about where I am going I just keep moving.
I keep running until I run out of stamina and breath.
Then I come to my sense a little.
[-Uoaaa!!](2)
A beast’s angry roar.
It’s closer this time. I had foolishly returned to where I had escaped from.
I suddenly go pale, as my body stiffens.
However, being closer to the roar, I was able to pick up other sounds too.
It was the sound of people speaking.
[– tsu, — tsu!!](1)
As though walking towards an invisible light I headed towards the source of the voice.
My mind spun, another person, [People] I hoped.
The sound of the beast is also getting louder, but by approaching I become able to hear the person’s voice clearly
[Close in! Close in, it’ll work this time.]
It’s the low voice of a mature man.
A man giving orders to people who are nearby.
The scene was like one from a fairy tale.
a person wearing leather armor, like those in museums, wielding a bow. A rustic person swinging an iron sword forcefully. A person firing fire from an untechnological wooden staff.
Such unrealistic people were fighting a roughly 2 meter tall wolf.
I didn’t have enough courage to join the battle.
So I stopped in the distance, but I couldn’t stop looking at the fight.
[This time we’ll make, we’ll succeed somehow! Persist!]
The man who seems to be in charge gives directions to the warrior with the large sword.
The warrior drew back his large sword, and tried to slash it down. But the large wolf expected it, and rammed into him with frightening speed. The warrior was blown away like a rubber ball.
Because it avoided the sword blow the wolf turned it’s attention to the female wielding the wooden can that produced fire. Noticing this the other man broke formation in order to defend her.
The wolf followed his movement.
The fight had drawn closer to me.
I became panicked. I was also terrified.
If I had remained calm, it’s possible that I could have moved.
But I could only just stand dumbfounded.
And, my eyes met those of the leader, who was wielding a short sword.
[N~tsu, you, who are you!?](4)
The man shouted at me looking terribly surprised.
[I, lost my way– , please help!]
I promptly requested assistance.
And I slowly stepped towards the man.
My speech was broken, but the meaning should have gotten through.
It should have, but the man’s response was terribly cold.
[Help, thats –. You stupid?]
[–Eh?]
It wasn’t exactly an acceptance or a refusal.
The contempt that said that such a request was outrageous was basically the answer.
The usual me would notice that was the case.
That these people can’t afford to. That their character doesn’t possess such kindness. It was impossible not to notice this because of the dangerous beast, or from their equipment and the weapons they held.
Presently, I wasn’t able to think that far.
[It’s a Labyrinth, in the ‘Lawless Area’ even. Prepare on the surface, brat.]
(TLN:lit. unmanaged/unrestricted area, I may need to come back and fix this as the story goes on.)
The man continued with words that were even colder.
And the man coldheartedly cut my leg with a stroke of his short sword.
Many thanks to Indra for helping me with all of these onomatopoeias!
(1)tsu:SFX/Onomatopoeia. I think it’s like letting out a deep breath
(2)Uoaaa:SFX/Onomatopoeia. Seems to be a howl or roar of some kind
(3)Uwaa:SFX/Onomatopoeia. Small cry of shock or disgust I think
(4)N~tsu:SFX/Onomatopoeia. Not positive, a grunt followed by a ‘tsu’?