Stepping out of the portal, I instinctively raised my arm to shield my eyes from the light. After spending such a significant amount of time in darkness, the brightness felt like knives piercing my eyes. My body recoiled from it, and it took a moment for me to steady myself. And while I was doing so, I could hear the sound of the portal closing behind me. I had no intention of going back through there anyway.
I took my time and blinked several times slowly, my vision adjusting as I tried to take in the world around me.
The first thing that caught my attention was a neatly folded set of clothing, resting on a smooth stone pedestal a few steps away. They were clearly placed there by someone who had thought ahead. The tailcoat was black, but the inside was lined with crimson silk that made the fabric stand out. Gold embroidery shimmered faintly along the edges of its design, interwoven with deep blue threads that mirrored the night sky. The trousers were simple and gray, tailored to be practical yet refined. Lastly, a black belt sat neatly beside them, completing the look.
I looked down at myself. The rags that clung to my frame barely qualified as clothing anymore—filthy, torn, and raggedy from my body. I decided a change was in order.
I stepped towards the set, my eyes narrowing slightly as I reached for the fabric. These clothes weren't just left here by chance.
That man, the one who seemed to know me.
He was the only one who could have left them here. No one else would have bothered.
My fingers brushed against the fine fabric of the tailcoat. It was soft, strong, and entirely foreign. I hadn't felt anything like this in so long that it seemed almost surreal.
Piece by piece, I stripped away the rags of my old life, letting them fall to the ground at my feet. The grey trousers slid on easily, fitting perfectly, as if tailored for me. The coat followed, its weight settling over my shoulders in a way that felt both unfamiliar, and strangely comforting. Even the belt felt familiar, as if I'd worn it before in another life.
Once fully changed, I stepped away from the stone pedestal, my boots striking softly against the ground. The sound they made was unfamiliar, something I'd get used to with time.
My eyes, having adjusted fully to the light, now took in the rest of the world before me.
It was nothing like the last one I had known.
This area was vibrant. The ground beneath my feet was soft. The air carried the faint smell of greenery and the distant scent of flowers I couldn't even begin to name. Flying above me in the sky, birds chirped faintly, their melodies foreign to my ears.
I held my hand up to the light. The warmth of the sun brushed against my palm, and for a moment, I just stood there, basking in it. It wasn't an overwhelming warmth, just enough to remind me of something I couldn't name. A sensation I had all but forgotten.
My gaze lingered on my hand, and I realized I didn't know how to feel about it.
But before I could decide how to feel about the sensation, movement caught my attention.
A white-colored Crane drone descended from above, its metallic wings flapping softly as it landed delicately on the stone pedestal where the clothes had been laid. Its pristine, polished surface gleamed faintly in the sunlight, and its mechanical eyes rotated toward me with a whir.
I knew they'd still be watching me even after I went through the portal.
"Having fun?" a voice broadcasted from the drone, tinged with slight amusement.
I recognized the voice immediately. It was the one who freed me from my cell, the one who knew about the old me.
I lowered my hand as I turned fully to face the drone, the sound of his words pulling me from my momentary daze.
