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I felt my heart pounding as I stepped onto the path that followed the river’s course. I'd heard stories of the dangers that lurked in these depths, and I was taking a huge risk even setting foot on the path. I cursed my lack of swimming prowess – if only I'd taken my lessons more seriously, I'd have more confidence in the river's depths. As I trudged along, I hoped that the men who had promised to come to my aid were well equipped – I knew I'd be in big trouble if they were not.

"Ring........!"

My heart raced as the communication comma suddenly rang. I thought, not now, please not now. I could feel the trepidation rising in my chest as I cautiously answered the call. 

"Yes, J10 here," I spoke softly, a sense of dread washing over me. 

"Huff..huff.. its bad, enemy...huff...got our position and they have snipers with them, run... get to meeting point ..huff..huff."

My stomach dropped, a pit of fear welling up inside me. I knew it was true - I had felt it before - but now it was confirmed. Something bad was going to happen and I was the one responsible. Suddenly, a loud bang and the sound of gunfire echoed in my ear. 

"C3 ...C3 ....C3" ... followed by a click. 

The line had gone dead. Dread filled my body as I realized I had screwed up. Big time.

I can feel the sweat dripping down my face as I crouch on the ground, bullets whizzing past me in a flurry of sound and fury. Adrenaline surges through me as I hear the heavy thud of rifles and the distant screams of men in battle. Taking a deep breath, I squeeze my eyes shut and reach for the detonator in my pocket, my fingers trembling with fear.

"Go to hell, you fuckers," I whisper as I press down on the trigger. There's a loud bang, followed by an earth-shattering explosion that sends me flying through the air. I'm surrounded by a wall of heat and dust, and for a few seconds my world is engulfed in chaos.

When the smoke clears, I open my eyes to find myself lying in a pile of rubble, surrounded by the remains of what used to be my enemies. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the cool breeze blowing against my skin, and I'm overcome with relief.

I've escaped death this time, but I know that I'll soon be back in the same situation, surrounded by the same dangers. This moment of relief is only temporary, and I must remain vigilant if I want to survive.

My heart was pounding as I raced across the riverbank, desperately searching for a way to escape. I could hear the enemy hot on my heels and I knew I didn't have much time. Taking a deep breath, I leapt into the river, feeling the force of the water crashing around me as I sunk down to the bottom. 

The water was cold and dark, and I could feel the life draining out of me as I fought to keep my head above the surface. I knew I had to find something to hold onto or I'd be carried away and never be found. So I frantically searched the riverbed, my hands grasping at anything they could find. Suddenly, I felt something solid, and I latched on to it with all my strength.

I had tied myself to a large rock that was heavy enough to keep me from floating downstream but light enough to be carried with the flow. I knew it was a longshot, but I had sent out a distress signal before I jumped in, so I clung to the hope that my location would be discovered before the enemy found me. As I drifted off into unconsciousness, my final thoughts were of regret, but also of peace, knowing that soon I would find solace in death.

.......

Unknown amount of time later,

I felt disoriented, and almost dreamlike, as I drifted in the inky blackness. I had been certain I had died, yet here I was, still breathing. My head throbbed painfully, reminding me how real this was.

I felt completely powerless; unable to move, see, or even feel my own body. In the depths of my confusion, I wondered how I could even be feeling a headache. I had, after all, just drowned myself to death, an embarrassing demise that I'd soon have to confront.

I don't know where I am, but I'm pretty sure I'm not in Kansas anymore! This place is making me go a bit bonkers, talking to myself like I'm some sort of crazy person. But I think I'm just tired, so I'm going to do what any sane person would do in a situation like this - sleep! As I drift off, my last thought is 'Where am I, and what kind of exciting adventures await me when I wake up? Zzzz...zzzz...zzz...'

////// JAK POV END \\\\\

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/////// Unknown Entity POV \\\\\\

She was an ancient being, born in an age long forgotten by most. In the silence of the void, she had witnessed the birth of countless universes and the emergence of life within them. For millions of years, she had watched in awe, learning all she could from these curious forms of existence. The entity had attained a great deal of knowledge and wisdom, but with it came a certain boredom. She had seen it all before, and the same cycle of birth and death, of moments of joy and pain, had become ingrained in her mind. It was then that she decided to break away from the path of the dignified sage and become something less dignified: an otaku.

 She found solace in the culture of a certain world, and filled her days with entertainment and frivolity. But soon, even this was not enough and the entity grew bored. And so, in a moment of impulse, she spun a huge wheel of fortune, plucked from the cultures of the multiverses. At first, she was excited by the prospect of entertaining an unfortunate soul, and when the wheel stopped, she eagerly awaited to see who would be chosen. Little did she know that this simple act would be the start of a great journey, one that would forever shape her life.

The ancient being was delighted when the wheel stopped on her. She had never been so entertained in all of her long existence. She began to visit the person's universe regularly, watching as they struggled to make a life for themselves in a hostile world. The being found great joy in watching the person fall in love, get married, and have children. When the universe ended and the person died, she was saddened but not surprised. The being had learned that life is full of pain and sorrow, but also beauty and hope. And so she continued to visit other universes, finding new ways to give happiness and laughter to those who needed it most.

She had been wandering through the infinite void when she stumbled upon a soul that seemed on the brink of oblivion. She became intrigued by this mysterious creature, and, in a sudden whim, decided to save it and take it to the realm she had created in one of her other whims. As the soul descended into her realm, she watched entranced as a myriad of vibrant colors, sounds, and sensations enveloped it. Every detail of the realm seemed to be crafted with exquisite care, as if it had been sculpted with the finest brush strokes. She could feel the soul invigorated, its essence growing in strength and intensity until it seemed to be a part of the realm itself, an integral part of its beauty and allure.

Although she had saved the soul, she knew that it would never be the same again. It had been exposed to something greater than it could ever imagine, and now it was forever changed. She smiled as she watched the soul disappear into the realm, knowing that it would never be alone again.

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