The first thing I felt was pain.

A burning sensation crawling throughout my body, impeding my movements. Where am I? The last thing I remember is... I cannot recall because of the unbearable aching in my body.

Strange voices reached my ears from nearby, but the language they used... I could not recognize it. I clenched my jaw to ease the pain and looked in front of me. My vision was blurry, but given enough time, I noticed some people in front of me – three to be precise. They were having a quarrel over something. The dresses they had were white, with golden details, are they like priests? Tired as I was, I rested my head again on the floor.

Time passed slowly as I tried to figure out what happened to me. The walls were made from stone, poorly illuminated by some candles. If it weren’t impossible, I’d think this is some sort of dungeon? Seriously, where am I? Now that I’m fully awake, there was something on the floor that caught my attention – Red lines. I had just enough strength to raise my chest, and I wish I didn’t. I was in the middle of a red circle with some letters – or was it runes? I didn’t recognize it. I did study some rituals and sorts, but I find it unthinkable for someone practicing this kind of stuff nowadays... right? The men standing in front of me... this strange circle... Am I at the center of some divine or satanic ritual?

Damn it, my body aches and is screaming for a rest.

One of the men stepped forward, looking at me from above. Using his foot, pushed me so my eyes faced him. I coughed in response, but he seemed to not care. He then put his hand in front of him and begins to say something in whatever language he’s speaking. Soon after, a faded light shone from my chest. I couldn’t control the impulse to scream. The light was drawing something over my skin, leaving a scorching sensation with it. The priest continued with his brambling, unfazed, as I couldn’t contain the pain.

I thought about running away from there, escaping, but I could barely breathe. The man finally stopped talking an eternity later – It wasn’t that long but surely felt like it. The smell of burned skin reached my nose when the light disappeared, what a relief. He drew something on me, without touching me. What kind of unnatural power was that? Magic? The idea was ridiculous but so was everything that has happened since I woke up here.

“You belong to me now, beast.”

This warmth in my wound... That is why I can understand now! I don’t know how, but it’s because of it. And those words...

I didn’t have the strength before, but now I can tell for sure. I’m terrified. My body is not aching anymore, but the fear was enough to keep me from moving. This is a nightmare, there is no other explanation. He was checking something in front of him, like reading words written in thin air. He then frowned on me, suddenly upset.

“Take him to the cells,” said the man in a really disgusting way. “His Talent seems to be weak, but we can make something out of him.”

Some guard dressed in shiny armor stepped inside the room, throwing fabric over me. I didn’t know I was naked until now, charming. Although, I appreciate they covered my body.

They took me by my arms and dragged me through a dark hall, my feet still touching the cold floor. They were talking just like before and couldn’t make a word out of it – they sounded nervous, though. Few minutes passed when I realized we arrived at the holes they called cells. A cave carved out of stone without light but the one in the hall. It also had hay for a bed. They left me there and closed the door behind. I decided I should rest for now. If I start thinking about all of this, I’ll only get a headache. Besides... it looks like I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, so it’s better to recover first.

A few hours passed... I think, impossible to tell with this darkness. In any case, I feel good now. In fact, I feel more than good. The constant pain in my hands is no longer there. Is my arthritis cured? The urge to storm the bathroom every ten minutes is gone too. Using the scarce light from the window in the door, I studied my skin, and I looked younger. I was wrinkleless!

With a calmed mind, I started listening to the guards outside, I internalized every word, so I was sure when I concluded that’s not a language I’ve heard before. I detailed the wound in my chest... I really don’t know what this means. This whole mystery... Am I in a different world? Given all things happened thus far, it doesn’t sound that ridiculous.

Suddenly, a rumble made me fall from my feet. It wasn’t an earthquake; it was too short. An explosion perhaps. So, this is getting worse and worse. The guards didn’t sound preoccupied at all about the rumble, I decided to do the same.

I spent a few more minutes thinking to myself, about all that has been happening since I woke up and tried to make sense of it. A futile effort, of course. I couldn’t even understand them. The only words I knew were the ones from that weird priest. The mark on my chest helped me somehow, so why did it not work with the others? I sighed, frustrated. Regardless of that, something was utterly clear. I needed to go back home, and this crest on me, and that circle on the floor were most likely the key to it.