ARK Survival Ascended

Chapter One

Kyle p.o.v

A jolt surged through my body, a lightning bolt of sensation that shattered the darkness. My eyes snapped open, and I gasped, greedily pulling air into lungs that had lain dormant for far too long. It was as if I'd been submerged in an abyss, my consciousness suspended, and now I clawed my way back to life.

My heart raced, pounding against my ribs like a desperate prisoner seeking escape. Thoughts flooded my mind, a cacophony of memories and questions. Where was I? How had I arrived here? The disorientation was overwhelming, like a thousand puzzle pieces falling into place at once.

I sat up, my fingers sinking into warm, gritty sand. The beach stretched before me, a canvas of golden grains meeting the turquoise expanse of the sea. Waves whispered secrets as they kissed the shore, their rhythm both soothing and disconcerting. This wasn't right. I hadn't fallen asleep on a beach. I'd fallen asleep in my cramped city apartment, the distant hum of traffic my lullaby.

Yet here I was, toes buried in the sand, the sun's rays searing my skin. Birds called out, their songs a chorus of confusion. Had I sleepwalked? Had I been drugged? The last thing I remembered was the flicker of my bedside lamp, the mundane routine of life. Now, I was an actor thrust onto an unfamiliar stage.

I pushed myself upright, legs trembling. The world spun, and I clung to the memory of hallways and lockers, of sterile school buildings and orange desks. But this place defied logic. It was paradise and nightmare entwined—a waking dream that refused to release its grip.

The diamond-shaped object on my left arm glinted in the sunlight. Embedded, as if fused with my flesh, it pulsed with an otherworldly energy. Panic surged anew. What was it? How had it become part of me? I scratched at it, but it resisted, unyielding.

As I sat there, the waves whispered secrets. They spoke of forgotten realms, of ancient bargains struck beneath moonless skies. They murmured of lost memories and forbidden knowledge. And in that moment, I understood—I was no longer who I'd been. I'd crossed a threshold, stepped beyond the veil.

The sun dipped toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the sand. I had no answers, only questions. But one thing was certain: I was no longer a mere mortal. The beach held its breath, waiting for my next move. And as the waves retreated, they left behind a single word etched in the sand: Remember.

I let out a long sigh, my breath mingling with the salty air. The black T-shirt clung to my skin, and the grey shorts felt foreign against my legs. This wasn't my attire when I'd drifted off to sleep last night. Yet here I stood, disoriented and barefoot, on a beach that defied all logic.

The ocean stretched before me—an expanse of mystery and power. Its waves whispered secrets, ancient and unfathomable. I'd always thought of the sea as a tight embrace before the abyss of freedom—a paradox of safety and danger. But this ocean was different. It held creatures unknown to me, its depths concealing wonders and terrors alike.

The sun blazed overhead, casting a golden net across the water. It was both a blessing and a curse—the warmth on my skin a reminder that I was alive, yet the glare in my eyes a challenge to my sanity. How had I arrived here? Had I sleepwalked? Or had some cosmic force plucked me from my mundane existence and deposited me on this forgotten shore?

The sand shifted beneath my feet—grains of time slipping through my toes. I tasted salt on my lips, felt it etching patterns on my skin. The waves lapped at my ankles, insistent and soothing. Harmless on the surface, they whispered promises of hidden depths.

And then I saw it—an anomaly in the vastness. Something floated far out in the water, a lone figure adrift. My heart raced, and I scrambled up a nearby rock, my gaze fixed on the distant shape. It wasn't debris—it was a person.