The price of life(end)

[Author:The chapter is shorter than usual, since I wanted to merge it with another part, but considering that I'm already late to what I promised, I thought it was better to release something anyway.]

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[Host, we need to talk about something.]

'Hm? Is something wrong?'

Mark was puzzled by the Guide's words. During the time they had spent together, the Guide had only responded to his questions and had never been the one to initiate a conversation.

[Do you remember the pact you made with Origon?]

'Of course, how could I forget? He would allow me to have a new life and save Selene, in exchange, he would absorb energy from me, although I still don't understand how. Does this have to do with that?'

[Exactly. This event will occur every seven days, and today will be the first time.]

'Oh... but I seem to recall that when I asked what I had to do, you simply told me to live.' - Mark clarified.

[And that's the truth. You won't have to do anything; it will all be an automatic process, but you better be prepared.]

'Ready for what?'

[For the pain.]

"...Pft."

A half-laugh escaped from Mark, but he forced himself to stop and become serious again.

'/cough/ Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you, but how should I put it... after what I've been through, I shouldn't have any problems dealing with a bit of pain.'

Mark wasn't boasting but rather sharing an incredibly hard reality. He had been adrift in the ocean for a month, under such extreme conditions that the desire to die seemed like a reasonable option. He had even been stabbed in the liver, feeling his life slip away. After all that, it was understandable that Mark had developed confidence in his mental resilience.

[I warn you: my inability to feel emotions makes it difficult to fully understand how painful an experience can be. However, based on the testimonies inherited from my predecessors and their contractors, I predict it won't be an easy trial.

These people were warriors, heroes, or even inhuman monsters, individuals who had integrated pain into their very essence. Yet, each of them succumbed to this process, defining it as the worst torture ever faced. Some even lost their mental sanity during these challenges.]

The more Mark listened to the Guide's words, the more hardened his expression became. He, who considered himself nothing special, couldn't even imagine what it took to bring such existences to their knees, reminding him once again that he couldn't afford to be arrogant.

'The price for living, huh.'

[That was the pact. Origon also said there would be a price.]

'I know, and I'm not complaining. So, what do you advise me to do?' - He asked with a sigh.

[This time I don't know. No kind of medicine has any effect in reducing the pain; even fainting doesn't help. The only way to lessen the effects is to become stronger, and the most I can advise you now is to prepare mentally and physically.]

'...Great. So, when will this thing start?'

[As I said, it will happen every seven days at midnight, but if you want, I can make it happen before that time but still on the 7th day.]

'Okay, let me start preparing.'

Mark began thinking about how to arrange things. First, he removed the blankets from the bed and laid them on the floor, fearing that if he fell out of bed, he would attract the attention of others, who were already sleeping. Then, he carefully arranged the few pieces of furniture in the room to avoid colliding with them. He continued arranging the room until he was certain it would shield him from potential damage.

'I don't think I can do more.'

Initially, he wanted to tie himself to something, but realizing how easily he could break things, he gave up on that idea. He also found something to block his mouth, and after several tests to confirm that the sound was limited, he felt a bit more prepared.

[Midnight is approaching.]

Upon hearing the Guide's notification, Mark decided it was better to regulate his state. After ensuring that the fabric around his mouth was secure, he lay down on the blankets on the floor and closed his eyes.

He didn't know exactly what to do or how it would be, which made him increasingly uneasy. To try to calm his nerves, he began to take deep breaths.

[The process will start any moment now; good luck.]

After the Guide's words, Mark was ready for anything, but nothing happened. Time continued to pass, second by second, but still, nothing, increasing Mark's impatience. Suddenly, however, he began to feel a strange tingling. It was very similar to when a part of your body itched, annoying but still bearable, but this was just the beginning.

That tingling quickly started to spread throughout his body, and the intensity gradually increased. What seemed like a simple tingling transformed into blades running under his skin.

"GHHHAHHH!" (muffled)

Inhuman growls emanated from Mark's mouth as he writhed. It was as if his inner self was imploding, an emotional storm tearing apart every part of him.

The pain manifested as a searing burn as if an invisible fire was devouring every fiber of his being. Mark clutched his chest as if trying to physically block the sensation of torment emanating from within. His hands, clenched in tight fists, seemed to seek a grip on something slipping away, to the point that his nails had started to dig into his flesh.

Every single breath was a stifled groan, an unheard lament in the vastness of darkness. Every movement of Mark was accompanied by spasms of agony as if the pain spread through him like a corrosive poison.

His face was a mask of torment, with every line betraying inner discomfort. The eyes, dull and glassy, reflected a suffering so intense it could break anyone's heart. Tears flowed silently down his cheeks, bearing witness to the anguish that consumed him.

Every sense was now replaced by pain. No matter how many times he passed out, that torture forced him to wake up. In this scenario of intense suffering, Mark was alone, surrounded by a void that amplified his pain.

Every second was an eternity, and his thoughts could no longer make sense. When everything was about to end, consumed by the abyss within him, it ended.

Mark's body slumped like that of a puppet whose strings had been cut, and that small thread of consciousness remaining to him was engulfed by the darkness, finally allowing him to rest.

(The following morning...)

/knock-knock/

"Brother Mark, are you awake?"

A young voice could be heard knocking on the door, but the other side showed no signs of response, and after several attempts, it gave up.

Meanwhile, Mark, who was on the other side of the door, seemed to show a reaction after the continuous knocking. His eyes opened weakly, struggling to focus on what he saw. With his arm, he tried to lift himself, only to lose strength and fall like dead weight, eliciting a painful groan.

"Ghhh... I feel... like crap."

If Mark were to compare his state, he would say it felt like he had been put in a blender, not a pleasant sensation.

His limbs still felt numb, but he used all his strength and the structure of the room to remain standing and look around.

"What a disaster..."

Looking at the splatters of blood around, Mark recalled the experience he had lived through, immediately giving him goosebumps and causing him to break out in a cold sweat. That sensation couldn't even be defined as pain; it was in a category of its own. It felt as if his entire being was being torn apart.

"Mark, are you still sleeping?"

Agata's voice brought him back to reality, only to give him another headache because of the situation he was in.

'It's going to be a long day.'