Civilization

The previously cramped hallway expands outwards until it was the size of a tennis court. At the same time, the walls crumble, and in exchange dirt and rocks piled on top of one another, creating mountains on all 4 sides. The solid ground below me softens, replaced by a grainy texture. I step back, and my foot slips, bringing my knee to the ground. Sand sprays everywhere, covering my lower body and parts of my upper body.

What made it worse was the little light the game gave me vanished. Darkness enveloped the surrounding space quickly and without any vision, I had to rely on my other senses. 

What can I hear?

What can I smell?

What can I touch?

I hear it. 

Sand booming around me echoing off the walls. In conjunction, I could hear a low hissing creeping closer to me. I turn around, shifting and pushing sand around me, hoping to get a reaction from whatever it was around me. 

But nothing.

My eyesight slowly becomes clearer, and the outlines of monsters form at the edge of my vision. But at the same time, they looked less like monsters and more like waves. Like waves of sand crashing into each other. Shifting to and fro.

Mustering up my courage, I swing my spear around me, aiming for the closest moving thing. However, my spear swings in the air, hitting nothing, but I saw it. It split into two, one part flying upwards while the other merges downwards,  just seconds before I hit it.

Is it a monster? Or is it just moving sand?

Just as my brain was thinking of the possibilities, it starts moving closer. Waves of sand tumble and turn, collecting together and then separating. My heart races faster and faster. I endlessly swing my spear around me, but I hit nothing. Wherever my spear goes, it moves around it. It flows like water, but it sounds like a storm as the sand brush against each other, rumbling and tumbling. 

I try to move around as the sand storm draws closer but find that my feet have sunk into the ground. The sand reaching my ankles, relentlessly gripping onto them. I try to pull them out, but it feels like I would rip my legs out, leaving only my feet under the sand.

With no way to pull my feet out and the sand crawling up my calves, I instead started to focus more on my surrounds.

If I'm going to die, then I might as well gather as much information as I can while I'm here.

Having been through a long journey of constant running and dying, my mental state had improved and strengthened. Dying once or twice wouldn't even faze me, but instead I would learn from the mistakes. I felt like the week-long journey had changed me, although I do have a slight fear of heights now and a major fear of falling, but what can I do, right?

I plant the butt of my spear into the ground and put my hands on my waist. Not only that, but I closed my eyes and started to listen. Since it was dark, my vision was already impaired. Rather than rely on my vision, I tried to use my hearing to figure out anything about the challenge. However, I couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary. 

At the same time, I feel the sand creeping up my legs. Having already covered my calves and knees, it was reaching for my thighs. I could also feel blades of sand cutting at my skin, tearing just enough to make me bleed. Cuts slowly appear all around my body, none of them fatal, but together well…

I open my eyes and surrounding me is a wall of moving sand. Looking closely, it looked like millions even billions of tiny ants scurrying along the sandy wall, and as it gets closer it starts to pull my blood along with it.

The cuts get deeper and the pain intensifies. The only relief was the parts already covered in sand, mummifying my lower half and stomach. I do my best to breathe, but with each breath I feel sand entering my lungs, stabbing me from the inside. 

I try to concentrate on my surroundings, but the pain was stopping me. Even if I had experienced greater pain, it didn't mean I was used to it. So, I gave up. I'll try to learn more the next time.

[ You have died. ]

Ah yes, such a familiar message. Sometimes a small chuckle escapes my lips when I see it. It's like the system was taunting me. Yes, I know I have died. You told me that just a while ago. I don't think it has changed just yet, maybe if I die a few more times I'll get a new message. Maybe. 

I open my eyes to the hallway and in the next second the same sequence plays. The walls expand and transform, the ground softens, and the light goes out. 

This time, I'll try to learn more about what I am surviving from.

Since I knew it was going to be dark, I had closed my eyes the moment the walls started to change, so that now when I open them, they will be used to the darkness. While I might not be able to see everything around me, I could see more than before. I move towards the wall quickly, touching the cold hard surface with my hand. However, in the next second or so, I could feel sand already picking up at my feet, creating small cuts along my skin.

Did it start faster? Or is it because I'm at the side that I could already feel the sand moving? 

Then all of a sudden, a huge lump of sand crashes into me, knocking me back against the wall. Like the bodies of sand before, when I tried to retaliate it would separate and or divide into multiple parts, however this time after pushing me against the wall it starts to press against my whole body. Gripping onto my wrists and preventing me from swinging my spear, it starts to apply pressure against my body. At the same time, the sand storm starts to pick up around me, stabbing into my skin and slicing pieces of flesh off. 

The sand monster slowly envelops my entire body, applying pressure similar to a hydraulic press. Slowly it presses on my harder. Breathing becomes an issue and I could feel my rib cage snapping one by one, stabbing my internal organs one after another until my heart was stabbed. I couldn't even scream in pain, since all the air was pressed out of me. 

I died again.

Although, it was a different kind of death. Instead of aimlessly standing still and getting cut up bit by bit and getting mummified in sand, the sand came to me after I reached the walls. Not only that, it seems to know to disarm me before I could attack it. Was it just programmed by the game to attack anyone? Or was it because I was near the wall…? As I was thinking about why and how, I respawned. Third time, I have to test out the theory. 

After respawning, I dash towards the wall. With what little vision I had, I look around, seeing if there was anything out of the ordinary. I run my hand along the cold, rough surface, but along my feet I start to feel the sand moving. 

The sand monster was coming.

I ready my spear but keep observing the wall just in case I miss something. The storm picks up and cuts start to appear along my calves and thighs. I press my back against the wall, ready for the monster, and on cue it rushes to me from the side. Knowing that I most likely can not hit it, I start to do big, quick swings of the spear. Separating as much of the sand as possible, making it divide into smaller and smaller clumps of sand. 

Up.

Down.

Left.

Right.

Diagonal.

I swing.

I stab.

I thrust.

I back step.

Always make sure there is space between you and your opponent, but I guess that doesn't apply to a sand monster that can dodge all your attacks. The storm is picking up speed and I start feeling the pressure from the winds against my back and the blades of sand piercing into my flesh. Unable to handle the pain, I make a run for the eye of the storm, the place where I died the first time. However, the moment I left the sand storm and stepping into soft sand that was unaffected by the storm, I start to sink and the sand grips onto my leg like a vice grip.

With how sudden the attack from the ground was, I fell forward, landing on my knees and hands. The sand did not miss this opportunity, wrapping around my hands like a snake, covering it and climbing higher, but at the same time I notice something. Where was the sand monster that attacked me at the edge of the storm? I could feel the sand storm slowly getting closer, and I could feel the ground wrapping around me, but I could not see or feel the sand monster. 

While slowly dying, start to pool the knowledge I had gained from these past few attempts. A monster that only guards the walls. A sand storm that rages on, slowly getting closer to the middle. A slow confirmed death in the eye of the storm. Sand that wraps around you while you stand in the middle. A sinking feeling the longer you stand in the middle. Moving sand creatures inside the storm that appears from time to time but never engage in battle. 

What does this all mean?

How do I survive?

Kill the monsters?

Live long enough while getting cut up over and over again by the sand?

Be mummified by the sand?

Wait…

Being mummified by the sand.

That's it. 

While I was getting covered in sand, I didn't take damage from the surrounding storm, and if the sand monsters never attacked me, then I could technically be covered in sand and not be attacked.

But for how long?

I quickly check my status.

Name: Kingston

Race: Human

Health Points (HP): 8/28

Mana Points (MP):  0/0

Strength: 12

Vitality: 14

Intelligence: 5 

Dexterity: 5

Agility: 15

Luck: 1

My HP is already in the reds. Can I survive this? No, even if I can't, I can try again in the next life. Seeing the sand only reach my shoulder, I try to push my body down further, letting the sand collect around my chest and stomach. I close my eyes and take many deep breaths through my nose, doing my best to be prepared for the lack of air. 

Then it starts.

The sand creeps along my neck. A suffocating feeling. Like someone is straggling you lightly. Next was my chin, my mouth, then my nose. No more airflow, I have to do my best. Cheeks, ear, then over my head. 

Completely covered. 

No sound can come in.

No air can come in.

My lungs start to burn.

I can feel my body screaming for air.

I want to open my mouth.

I want to take a breath, even if all I breathe in is sand.

But I can't.

My lips sealed shut.

I can feel the seconds pass. 

My heart slowing down.

I can't feel my hands.

My head is spinning even though I am grounded.

My life slipping away.

Slowly.

Slowly.

Slowl.

Slow.

Slo.

Sl.

S.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I don't know what happened.

My cheek is pressed against the soft sandy ground.

My eyes unfocused.

I lay there for who knows how long.

Just breathing.

In and out.

Nothing on my mind but breathing. 

Slowly, I start to see again. My once blurry vision expands and I could make out a blue box in front of me. The system messages.

[ You have completed the Second Challenge: Survive ]