The Awakening -
Deep beneath the earth, on the ancient borderlands of China and India, a discovery had shaken the archaeological world—an underground battlefield lost to time. A team of students from a renowned archaeology school had been granted rare access to explore the site, their institution known for its groundbreaking discoveries.
Among them was Natasha Virschoff, a brilliant and determined high school scholar. As the others examined ancient relics, Natasha felt something calling her deeper into the ruins. She followed her instincts, breaking away from the group and venturing into a dark, uncharted cave.
Her heart pounded as she stepped forward, the dim glow of her flashlight revealing a motionless figure. A man—bleeding, yet somehow alive—lay against the cold stone. His armor, though cracked and worn, still glimmered in black and silver. Shadows seemed to coil faintly around him, as if reluctant to leave.
Despite her fear, Natasha hurried forward, pressing her fingers to his neck. A pulse—weak, but steady. Who was he? How had he survived in such a place?
The Hospital Encounter -
Hours later
A dull beeping filled the whitewashed hospital room. The man stirred, his scarred face tightening in discomfort. As his eyes fluttered open, he found himself in an unfamiliar place—no stone walls, no battlefield, no kingdom. Only the sterile scent of medicine and the hum of machinery.
Sitting beside him, arms crossed, was Natasha. She leaned forward, eyes sharp with curiosity.
Natasha: "You're awake."
Varyon winced as he shifted, his body aching from wounds that should have killed him. He turned to Natasha, his gaze cold and calculating.
Varyon: "Where am I?"
Natasha: "A hospital. I found you in the ruins—bleeding out, half-dead. Now, I have a few questions. Who are you? And how the hell are you still alive?"
Varyon frowned. His memories were hazy. The last thing he remembered was betrayal—the sting of steel, the gods and demons watching as he fell. And then… darkness.
None of this made sense. What was this world? Why did everything seem so... unnatural? His instincts screamed at him to leave, to find answers, but when he tried to sit up, pain tore through his body, forcing him back down.
Seeing his struggle, Natasha sighed and pushed him back onto the bed.
Natasha: "If you want to do something, then first you must be capable of doing it."
The words hit him like a blade. He had heard them before.
A memory flickered in his mind—his wife, standing before him in the throne room, a knowing smile on her lips. She had spoken those exact words to him long ago, when he had foolishly rushed into battle without thinking. The pain of that memory hurt more than his wounds.
For the first time, he stilled.
The Police Inquiry-
The next morning, the police arrived to question him. An unidentified man in ancient-looking armor found in a cave? It was bound to attract attention.
Officer: "Can you tell us who you are and how you ended up there?"
Varyon studied them. He could sense their authority, but he would not be caged or controlled. He could not yet reveal his identity—not until he understood this world.
So he did what any ruler would do. He lied.
Varyon: "I… I don't remember much. I must have fallen into the cave while traveling. Perhaps I was attacked? Everything is a blur."
The officers exchanged glances. His injuries were real. His amnesia, believable. And with no records of his identity, they had little reason to suspect otherwise.
Officer: "Alright. But if you remember anything, report to us immediately."
Before they left, Varyon made one request.
Varyon: "There is someone I wish to thank. The girl who found me. I owe her my gratitude."
The officers agreed. Later that day, Natasha received a notice from the school. The police would be escorting a mysterious man to meet her.
She wasn't sure why, but a strange feeling twisted in her gut. Something about him was... different.
The Truth Revealed-
The sun hung low over the school campus as Varyon arrived, escorted by police. Natasha stood near the entrance, arms folded as she watched him approach.
He had been cleaned up, dressed in modern clothes rather than his battered armor. Yet, there was something undeniably ancient about him—his posture, his gaze, the way he carried himself.
As soon as they were alone, he wasted no time.
Varyon: "You don't know who I am."
Natasha sighed, rubbing her temples.
Natasha: "Not this again—look, I get it, you hit your head pretty hard, but—"
Varyon (interrupting, voice colder):
"They won't let you know who I am."
She faltered, sensing something different in his tone.
Varyon:
"They forgot about me… History forgot about me."
His eyes darkened, and in a blink, he raised his hand. Before Natasha could react, the air around them shifted. A strange, almost unnatural force hummed in the space between them.
Shadows curled at his fingertips, coiling like living creatures. The ground beneath them trembled slightly. The effect lasted only a moment, but it was enough to steal the breath from Natasha's lungs.
Natasha (whispering): "What... was that?"
Varyon let the power fade and stepped forward, his gaze burning into hers.
Varyon:
"I am Varyon, the king who once ruled a kingdom that touched the heavens. I built the pathway to the gods—a path they destroyed in fear and jealousy. But now, I have returned. And I need your help to find what remains of it."
Natasha's entire world seemed to shift. The logical, scientific side of her screamed that this was impossible. But the part of her that had seen his power firsthand—the part of her that had always believed there was more to history than what books told—knew otherwise.
She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes.
Natasha: "If what you're saying is true... then history is hiding far more than I ever imagined. But why me? Why ask for my help?"
Varyon:
"Because you found me. And because in this world— I have no one else. "
A heavy silence settled between them.
Natasha knew she was stepping into something far beyond her understanding. But for some reason… she couldn't walk away.
Natasha:
"Fine. I'll help you. But you'd better start from the beginning."
For the first time since awakening in this strange new era, Varyon felt the stirrings of hope.
This was only the beginning.
To be continued....