9 Drugged

"Alright Karma, now that we're here, let's explain some things," Father said. "Think of the stage one as a game. Since you passed stage one, you're now moving onto stage two. And of course the higher stages will become increasingly difficult as game levels do… Alright then, with that out of the way, I'll explain what stage two actually is…"

"Wait a minute daddy," Yui interrupted. "Instead of explaining, let me play with him. He'll understand it better if he experiences it."

"Darling… I know you want to play but can't it wait for another day? The guests will arrive tomorrow. You'll be able to start then…"

"No!!! I wanna play now!!! I already waited soooo long. I can't wait anymore. I promise I won't kill him dad."

Father sighed. "Well… The problem is, you may not kill him but in the past… you got somewhat carried away. We can't let that happen again."

"Pretty pwease?"

"I can't allow it sweetie. Just wa-"

"Please!?!?"

Unable to argue further, Father gave in.

"Alright then. I'll allow it. But, at the very least, we must guarantee his life for another day. It seems I have no choice then…"

Father promptly left a room and within time came back. His hands held a sinister looking cart filled to the brim with a variety of instruments with which one could inflict immeasurable amounts of pain and torture. As Father got closer to Karma, the sound of the tools brushing against each other got louder and louder. The thought of what those tools would be used for made Karma shiver.

"What's that for!?" Karma asked frightened.

"Nothing to worry about… Although it might hurt a little," Father replied with a slight smile.

He then reached for a syringe that was filled with some sort of black substance. Upon seeing the syringe, Karma moved back.

"I asked… WHAT'S THAT FOR!?!?"

"Yes, you certainly did," Father replied as he slowly walked toward Karma. "And I believe the answer was… nothing to worry about. Correct…? Now, please be a good child and stand still. It'll make this a whole lot easier."

That was, of course, a lie. Karma knew that if that syringe made contact with him, it would the complete opposite of good. In a state of fear and confusion, he backed up further yelling, "STAY BACK!"

"Really… it's no big deal Karma. Trust me, it'll be over within seconds."

As an attempt to escape, Karma ran to the other corner of the room, opposite to the gates that he had came from. He looked around his surrounding for any possible exit but, unfortunately, there were no other doors of any sort within his range. Although there were four large entrances located at the spectators area, it was simply impossible to reach as the walls that stood before him were far too high.

His only option left was the gates that he had came from. The only problem was that they were currently blocked by Father. In a desperate attempt, he charged directly toward the gates.

"Stop this futile attempt Karma…"

Ignoring his words, Karma continued his dash to the gates. All the while, no one in the room did anything. At a certain point, Karma and Father were right next to one another. In that split second where they were merely a foot away from the other, their eyes made contact. Father gave a ghastly smile and simply stood still as Karma passed him.

This act in it of itself was extremely confusing. It was not too long ago when Father had brutally smashed him into the wall. But, in the end, Karma brushed aside the thought focusing on his one goal.

To escape.

Eventually, Karma stood was at a centerpoint between Father, Mother, and Yui. He was in a triangular like position with Father being behind him and the other two located the the right and left corners respectively. Once again, he made eye contact; this time with both Mother, and Yui.

The looks on their faces were completely calm. As if to say no matter what Karma did, it would amount to nothing.

Willingly, they let Karma pass by. Now all that stood before him was his escape route. Although he didn't know where he would run to after entering the dungeon again, it was better than allowing himself to be drugged. He just needed to get past those doors. Only a few more steps and he could escape this room.

But, right before reaching the gates, a wall of fire suddenly emerged. It gave off fierce unrelentless flames which mockingly danced in front of Karma. These flames moved with no care in the world, constantly bursting out every now and then. Their only purpose was simply to belittle Karma and show him just how powerless he was.

These flames were his last obstacle but passing through them was simply impossible. He now had two options remaining: to be burned alive or to be drugged willingly. He was utterly defeated.

"Do you understand now?" Mother asked. "Even after, we did absolutely nothing, you still couldn't escape. Those flames that I generated were the only thing that you had to overcome. But, nevertheless, it's impossible for those who are crippled. This is how life works Karma. You were born cripple and so you're bound to live a life of compliance. A life meant to be used by others."

Those words struck him directly. Words that he didn't want to believe in. Yet deep down, he knew they held some value. At that moment, he was in a state of awe. He was just another person who would be engulfed by such flames. But was it so wrong to believe he could one day destroy these flames that ate on the weak. These flames that were created by the very constructs of this world.

Will I ever become strong? He asked himself.

Unable to retaliate, he gave in and slowly walked back to Father with his head lowered. He didn't want to see the look of triumph on Father's face. Seeing anymore would only hurt him.

"Show me your arm," Father said sternly.

Quietly, Karma extended his arm. On the bare part of the skin, Father then inserted the syringe. What came next was an unbearable pain almost identical to what he faced in the dungeon. But this was far greater than before. Most likely, the food was drugged as well which lead to the pain in the past but the dosage only came in small quantities.

This time, he was faced with enduring the entire dosage of the drug. The pain he felt was almost 10 times greater than the last. Not even a second after given the drug, he became paralyzed from the pain.

"Why are you enduring it?" Father asked rather confused. "Just let the pain take over. Once you faint, you won't feel anything anymore."

The answer was simple. This was Karma's fight with his own resolve. His resolve to grow stronger. Whether he was weak now, or even 10 years later, if he gave in at this very moment and let himself lose consciousness, it meant he lost. It would mean that he could never become strong. But surviving this, to him, meant it was possible. If he was able to endure it all, he could continue living looking forward.

In his last encounter with the pain, he had fainted within an hour. This time, with it being 10 times stronger than the last, he endured the entire ordeal.

-Current time, four hours after drug intake.

Karma was seen laying on the ground breathing heavily.