How much time had passed... I couldn't know. Days...or weeks... my memories were too blurred.
…
"Ugh...eh...huh..." My heavy eyelids slowly opened. Just a little light pierced through, burning my eyes completely. I'm still not dead...or is this the afterlife? The pain spreading throughout my body told me I was probably...still alive.
"Where...is this?" My own hoarse voice sounded strange. I tried to raise my still-movable left hand to block the light, then used it to push against the ice-cold ground, slowly struggling to lift my body that felt weighted down by stones. Every movement made wounds all over my body tear open, pain shooting through until I nearly lost consciousness again.
Oh right... this is abandoned Sliver town... and I...what was I doing here? My last memories had gaps...
After struggling for a while, I finally managed to stand up...but nearly collapsed again. Both legs shook like branches in the wind. My stomach cramped like someone was pressing hot iron against it. Hunger gnawed at me until my insides burned. It felt like I hadn't eaten for days...or maybe weeks.
I looked up at the sky. The bright sunlight said it was noon...but what day? My body was too weak to think clearly.
I began walking aimlessly, each step feeling like carrying the entire world. My current state probably looked no different from a walking corpse. My clothes were torn and stained with dried blood and dirt.
"Ah...I remember now." The images of my crushing defeat flashed clearly in my head again... "I got beaten to a pulp by those bastards."
"How am I still not dead..." At that thought, what little consciousness I had left suddenly faded. My face hit the hard ground again. Darkness began creeping in, but I still gritted my teeth and held on...can't die yet...
"Some...one...help...me," I tried to force out a voice, but all I heard was my own faint breathing. Soon...I heard several footsteps approaching...from which direction, I couldn't tell.
"Someone...please help me," I tried to shout again, but my strength was completely gone. The sound that came out was so weak it was barely audible.
"Is this the place?" A deep voice rang out. There were...a lot of them.
"Yes sir, this is where I recommended," another voice replied. "We need to maintain this area."
"Because there's still a lot of silver ore around here."
"Alright, got it. Survey this area quickly, check everything for safety."
Survey the area? Maybe...someone might see me. I gathered my last bit of strength, using my left hand that still had some power to claw at the ground, slowly crawling toward nearby bushes, trying to make as much noise as possible.
*Rustle...rustle...*
"Hey! What's that sound?!" one of the group shouted with alertness.
"Soul Either?!" another voice added with suspicion.
"Shoot it!"
Bang!
…
"AAAHHHHH!" I screamed involuntarily at the top of my lungs. That bullet pierced straight into my left leg. Pain shot through my entire body until I nearly died, but luckily my scream was loud enough for them to hear.
"Stop!" A familiar voice commanded before the bushes were quickly parted.
And the person I saw...was none other than...Kylo...
"Hey! Rift?! Is that Rift?!" Kylo's eyes widened in extreme shock. He rushed over to check on me immediately. His face went pale seeing my condition lying in a pool of blood. My right arm...it was gone...leaving only a stump wrapped with old, loose bandages. "What the hell happened to you?!" His eyes were filled with pain and worry he couldn't hide.
I tried to force a smile, but all I managed was a face twisted with agony. My current state was probably too pitiful to describe.
"Medical team, are you here?!" Kylo shouted, his voice trembling slightly. "Help over here! Urgent!"
Soon, three or four medics rushed over. They looked just as shocked as Kylo seeing my condition, then quickly gave first aid and carried my powerless body away. Kylo kept walking alongside, never leaving my side. His eyes stayed fixed on me the whole time, filled with questions and concern, until we reached the entrance to Stone City.
"What did you go and do?!" he asked again, his voice full of deep concern. But I still had no strength to answer anything. His face still showed alarm at my missing arm, though he tried to control himself since he had to continue commanding his subordinates.
"When I finish my business...I'll come find you right away," Kylo said with a firm voice, though his eyes remained filled with worry and many questions about my arm. He patted my shoulder gently before turning to continue directing his team.
I didn't respond to Kylo because all my strength was truly gone. I could only think weakly...
"Kylo...you're really amazing...I can't compare to you at all..."
Then my heavy eyelids slowly closed...consciousness of everything faded away once more...