In a dark, desolate forest, a girl stood, stumbling throughout the woods, barely able to stay on her feet. With a blade lodged through her stomach, she stumbled through the grass, falling onto her side and clenching her teeth in agony as blood poured down into the dirt and mud.
"This is a pathetic display, Cain." A voice called out to her, her mind ringing with pain as it was clearly a telepathic connection. She could hear footsteps slowly approaching her, her body instinctively trembling.
"Get up." The voice ordered.
Cain leaned against a tree, trying to remove the blade that had been lodged from her stomach forcefully. She gritted her teeth, blood continuing to pour from the wound as the metal scraped against her insides, the internal bleeding only intensifying from this as it cut her from within. In a fit of strength, she removed the blade, and had she been able to scream, she would.
Cain breathed heavily, turning to the source of the voice. It was a mirage, her voice clouded with blood and dirt, preventing her from making out their physical appearance, but, she knew who it was.
"Yes..." She responded through her thoughts, gripping the blade that she had pulled out from her stomach. With that, she pulled herself onto her feet, moving towards the mirage. She attempted to strike at it, but, she could not maintain her balance to perform a clean cut, and fell to the ground, writhing in agony as the blade had clearly pierced something important.
"Pathetic..." The voice said as Cain trembled, gripping her wound. "You playing with that commoner has dulled your blade significantly, Cain... Your strength wanes."
"No... N-No..." She thought back, "I can keep going.... I can..."
"Save it. Your injuries are to severe for you to continue fighting without death." The voice said, "You waste your potential playing around with those you don't need, Cain. Eventually, you'll become worthless to me..."
"W-Wait...! P-Plea-" Cain tried to respond, but she was only met with irritation from her injuries, the mud and dirt only increasing the pain. "I can keep going... please..."
This time, she was not met with a response from the voice as she writhed on the ground. She could hear the footsteps slowly walking away from her, leaving her in a cold, desolate silence.
"N-No... No No No No No..." She curled up on the ground, only continuing to irritate her wounds. She trembled as she tried to get up, only to fall back to the ground. She wished she could call out, but, she could not speak.
"Don't go... Don't... I'm not weak... I can... I'm not weak... I'm not... I'm not... I can be useful... please..."