The third floor (2)

These zones were exceptional spaces within the trial's world, territories separate from the main reality governing it. Their rarity was legendary; in some trials, they didn't even exist, making them all the more valuable when found.

I inhaled deeply before collapsing onto the cave's cold floor. My body, which had obeyed every command until then, now refused to heed my will. The poison advanced relentlessly through my bloodstream, attacking every system in my body. My nerves and internal organs succumbed one by one to the toxic onslaught.

Despite the unspeakable suffering consuming me, I didn't allow a single cry to escape my lips. My entire body tensed like a bowstring about to snap, turning me into a living statue of pain and resilience.

My eyes opened wide, bloodshot, as if the vital fluid had surged to them seeking an escape in the form of crimson tears that never fell.

The poison continued its merciless assault as the heat intensified to unbearable limits. I never imagined a mere poison could unleash such torment in a human body.

I couldn't scream. All I could do was endure the ordeal in sepulchral silence. It would have been more merciful to lose consciousness, to succumb to the blessed darkness of a faint, but the poison, with cruel irony, kept my mind painfully lucid, forcing me to experience each wave of agony with clarity.

The suffering seized every corner of my being. Teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness, I felt every cell in my body burn as if enveloped in a devouring fire that never consumed itself.

I lost all sense of time in that cave. Perhaps only minutes passed, maybe seconds, but for me, experiencing the sensation of being burned alive, those moments stretched into an eternity of torment.

A rational part of my mind whispered that I should stop, cease all activity, eliminate any sensory stimulus, and curl up within myself. It was the smartest, most logical thing to do. As time seemed to stand still, my instincts spoke: If I surrendered to the embrace of eternal sleep, my torment would end forever.

My body was paralyzed, rigid as a log, unable to escape the death stalking me. A bitter resignation toward my fate filled me with rage.

If I died here, what meaning would my mother's death have? What purpose would the sacrifice of all those children I couldn't save have served, only to prolong my existence one more day? What value did the mountain of corpses weighing on me hold?

Why didn't I die back then? I should have perished alongside her under the star beast's attack, letting my body surrender in solitude.

Suddenly, the image of my mother's beautiful smile materialized before me. They say that at the brink of death, life flashes before your eyes like a zoetrope, a parade of memories the brain desperately records in search of an escape. Yet, there was something ironic, almost ridiculous, in the fact that the last thing I'd see was my dear mother's smile.

I saw her clearly, smiling with that warmth I so loved. What would happen if she learned of my death? Would that smile fade, eclipsed like the sun behind a veil of clouds?

—Is this a joke?! —I screamed within myself.

A searing fury roared in my chest. She had given her life for me, with absolute faith that I would carry on. That meant my life no longer belonged to me: I lived for her, to give her a glimmer of joy in the afterlife, however small. Something awakened deep within me, rebelling with feral ferocity against the idea of giving up. My face transformed into that of a cornered beast as I realized that surrendering would mean forfeiting my life without a fight.

I bared my teeth like a wounded predator, my veins throbbing violently beneath my skin, writhing like snakes seeking to break free from my body.

For three endless days, I endured pain that defied all human description. The final hours were the most harrowing, stretching longer than all the years I spent captive in that infernal underground orphanage. Parts of my body fragmented as I suffered, and I clenched my teeth so hard they seemed on the verge of splintering under the pressure.

After more than seventy-two hours of uninterrupted torment, the paralysis began to relent. The numbness that had enslaved my limbs gradually dissipated, and the feverish heat consuming me vanished like morning mist under the sun.

Finally, I emerged victorious from the battle against the poison. I had managed to survive, but the price I paid was extraordinarily high.

Though I had overcome the poisoning, most of my internal organs, muscles, and nerves had suffered severe damage. I trusted that, with time, I would recover my original condition, but for now, I was in a state of extreme weakness.

The energy to move was nonexistent, but I forced myself to do so despite the pain. I dragged myself painfully toward the only exit leading outside. My mouth was so dry it felt like old paper, and I had lost all ability to discern flavors, but I needed to find food to stay alive. I moved with the sinuous motion of a venomous snake.

—I won't die, no matter what! —I roared in the cave's solitude, though my voice sounded more like a hoarse croak than a declaration of war.

I continued my agonizing progress through the forest, my senses hyperactive from the adrenaline still coursing through my system. My anticipation grew with each second that passed without detecting enemies nearby.

After covering roughly fifty meters, I decided to slightly alter my route. I didn't deviate much, just three to five meters to the right of the main path. My intention was to observe where the path led without exposing myself to potential danger lurking ahead.