Surviving As A Cannon Fodder

Chapter 144

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a familiar place.

Quiet, cold, and desolate. Wherever I turned, it was the same.

It was the endless darkness I was greeted with every single night since before I could remember.

There was no path to follow, no exit to leave, and no signs of life.

In the pitch-black land where nothing could be seen or heard, I was alone staring into the abyss.

'No, I'm not asleep' 

I turned around sensing a presence behind me.

'And definitely not alone'

However, nothing was visible in the darkness. The presence I had felt vanished without a trace as if it was just a hallucination.

*rumble* *rumble*

All of a sudden, the ground started to rumble violently. 

Thunderous roars were heard as the land underneath my feet cracked, splitting into pieces. 

I lept onto a piece of land so as to not fall into it and surveyed my surroundings. The land I was standing on moments ago was entirely pulverized leaving only bits and pieces of stones floating amongst the lava.

Scorching hot magma flowed in between the gaps like the rivers of fire in an active volcano. 

'What is happening here?' My brows furrowed in confusion.

Leaving no time to rest, iron chains emerged from the lava and levitated in the air searching for something.

"!"

In a matter of seconds, I was surrounded and held down by the chains, my entire body burning in a chasm of hellfire as if I'd been thrown in the dungeons of Niflheim.

The red hot chains were burning into my skin until I was subjugated and bound themselves to beams of stone that sprung from the ground.

"ARGHH!"

Beats of sweat dripped down my face as I desperately tried to hold in my screams. The pain was all too real to disregard it as a mere dream.

The temperature had significantly increased because of the lava, so much that when my sweat dripped onto the chains it instantly transformed to steam.

When I tried to break free from the bonds it became tighter, and I couldn't move. Running my eyes over the restraints I realized that it must be imbued with magic. If not for that I would've easily snapped it without much effort.

Then I observed the inscriptions on the beams.

'Those symbols...'

I have seen them before.

They were identical to those on the podiums used by the Serpents during their sacrificial ceremony. Though they were covered by blood, there was no mistaking about it. This could not be a coincidence. 

Before I could think further, I sensed the same presence I felt before.

Only this time, it was intentionally making its existence known.

When I searched in that direction, a huge lump appeared on the lava as if a creature was submerged under it. The creature advanced in my direction pushing away the hurdles along the way and stopped in front of me.

*swoosh*

Slowly, the creature rose from the magma to reveal a pair of menacing slitted golden irises that showed no signs of hospitality to the intruder in its domain.