He narrowly avoided another spear that sliced through the air, missing him by inches and sending debris flying into his face as he instinctively lifted his arm to shield himself. Blood dripped from the cut on his right arm, and bits of debris, but he couldn’t afford to slow down.

He winced from the pain in his arm and ankle as he desperately pressed on, the sound of the spears reforming echoing and sending chills down his spine as tears welled in his eyes.

He couldn’t think of anything else; his gaze shifted to the altar—it was his only option… A hint of confusion lined his features as he continued to look at the altar, above it, at the ruby eye. It was strange and sent a weird, foreign feeling through his body. It felt as though they were staring at each other, and he wondered, ‘C-could it be an ancient artifact built alongside the altar?’

That did not seem to be the case, as the eye looked to be floating above the altar… all on its own.

‘What… are you?’

His eyes widened when the ruby eye suddenly snapped down, its unblinking gaze locking onto him with intensity.

Without warning, a spear-like branch shot toward him with terrifying speed. The air filled with the sound of whooshing and whistling as the deadly projectile sliced through the air. With desperate effort, Fallen managed to roll to the side, narrowly avoiding the spear that slammed into the ground with a loud thud, sending chunks of the floor flying as he shielded his head.

“Ark!!” he gasped, the pain from his injuries intensifying. He glanced up, only to see the ruby eye’s gaze following his every movement.

A wave of strange feelings coursed through Fallen as his mind raced to connect the dots before another spear shot toward him, and he barely managed to dodge it, the sharp tip grazing his bare back.

“Ah!” The pain was sharp and immediate as blood slowly trickled down the sides of his back.

The ruby eye’s malevolent gaze never wavered, tracking his every move with chilling precision as cracking wood and rustling leaves filled the air.

Fallen clenched his fists, his eyes wide as he panted before staring at the ruby eye, aware of their connection.

A suspicion formed in his mind, and he gritted his teeth.

‘I have to test it,’ but doubt crept in, ‘But what if I’m wrong… and the next spear hits me? What if I fail? …What if I die? Here… away from my home…’

A spear suddenly whizzed through the air, narrowly missing his head as he swallowed the lump in his throat. It struck the ground before him with a thud, sending a spray of dirt and debris into his face.

“Tsk!” He winced, raising his left arm to shield his eyes. The sharp sting of grit against his skin made him grimace, and he let out a loud grunt. Pain shot across his body, and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision.

The suddenness and closeness of the attack left him stunned, frozen, his heart pounding in his chest.

‘I am dead… whatever I choose,’ he realized, his gaze turning to the ruby eye glaring straight at him.

‘You…’