[Chapter 13 - Sapientia Potentia Est : Wisdom is Power Pt. 2]

As I lay on my back struggling to catch my breath my side was consumed in a layer of searing hot pain. I had only managed to hit 3 of the golems before one slammed its fist into my right side. As I coughed and whined I reached to grab at touch the area only flaring the pain even more, some of my ribs were definitely broken.

Rolling slightly on the ground I tried desperately to fight through the pain. With every wince and groan it felt more and more like I was choking on the tears and sobs I had been fighting to hold back. My throat began to tighten as a shadowed figure came into view and loomed over me blocking the blinding rays of the sun.

"Do you think you can cast?" she spoke calmly

Fighting through the pain I struggled to get the words out "Are you joking? Of course not! How could you seriously ask me to use a skill right now?!" as I finished speaking with a cut to my words a sputter of coughs began. With each one it felt like I was being winded and my vision reduced to an increasingly smaller pinhole.

"Mend"

When my mother uttered the words I suddenly felt the muscles around my ribs begin to tighten. Soon after an array of cracking and popping sounds could be heard though they quickly got drowned out as I could no longer hold back my cries. After what felt like eternity, even if it was only a few seconds, the blinding pain began to quickly subside into a warm radiating soreness which I could once again bear to couch.

Lying stretched out I panted heavily as my hazy vision tried desperately to focus itself.

"If you are going to lie around and wait to die after the first hit, what point is there in surviving it to begin with? Take the rest of the day to yourself. Tomorrow we will start physical training. In one week from today you will repeat the golem test to check your progress. Be sure to return by sundown.".

With that said she took her leave and began to walk back in the direction of the camp. My breathing had steadied and my vision had finally restored. The soreness was still vivid in presence but I was able to once again have a clear mind that could be filled with thoughts other than agony. Conveniently while my mother had been talking an array of scattered clouds filled the sky turning the once blinding rays of sunshine into a soft radiating light.

Over the course of around an hour I reviewed. Going over all of the different events of the past few days in an attempt to try to cope. The system and what it entails, my family, the way my mother seems to have completely changed. It's like she has-

My mind blanked for a minute before recalling the term bipolar disorder. While bed bound I often chatted with the nurses as they were my only human interaction. Over time a few of them got comfortable around me and would often gossip about other patients and their issues. Though I never really cared I always listened since it was the closest to friendship I would get. It seems weird I would struggle to remember that.

As that thought came and went my mind began to trail off watching the clouds slowly shift above me. Unknowingly, I drifted into sleep.

In front of the mirror in my room I stood completely still dressed only in my underwear with my lifeless reflection looking back at me. As my gaze slowly lowered it became locked to the center of my chest. Soon two small lines appeared and began to form the outline of a palm sized tree in the center of my chest. As the parallel lines connected a black ooze began to seep. It eventually filled the entire tree, shading it in a black abyss that seemed to mimic the night sky with swirling blues and purples.

I raised my head to once again meet the eyes of my reflection. The scenery behind me had now changed to a vast and endless grass plains. My expression remained emotionless as a loud wooden creaking sound echoed throughout. In the reflection the roots of the black tree began to move in a slow wiggle from side to side extending slightly as the glass of the mirror began to splinter with various cracks. The roots stopped after only a slight extension and when they did the mirror shattered into pieces in its entirety, frame and glass alike.

As I stared at the pile a warm drop landed on my cheek breaking into a small splatter. I quickly wiped my cheek with the back of my hand and looked to see a smear of thick deep red liquid. One after another the red drops began to fall, turning into a sudden downpour. Lifting my head I could see the once vibrant green grass was now covered in a layer of thick red, on top of it was a sea of corpses. It was a mixture of man and beast races alike piled on top one another in what could only be described as an endless field of death. The air vibrated from the swarm of flies that plagued the bodies. While Staring into the abyss of carnage my eyes burst open.

The previously illuminated area was now covered under a layer of dense gray clouds. Marble sized raindrops pelted down from above as I hurriedly tried to get on my feet in a dazed panic. In my frantic arm flailing I managed to grab hold of a hard rough surface and pull myself up while lifting my now drenched hair against the screaming winds of an oncoming storm.

As I pushed it back my eyes met the shape of a helmet made from stone. It was the once again lifeless golem from earlier. I had unknowingly used its arm, which was still frozen in an extended reach, to pull myself up. It deactivated immediately after striking me causing it to be stuck in an action pose that seemed to mock my pain.

Soon the dream that once filled my mind when I woke had quickly been overtaken by panic and shock. After getting to my feet and steadying myself I broke into a hurried sprint towards camp. With the objective of getting back now consuming me the memory of the dream now faded entirely. I made my return ignorant to the warning I had been given.