4

With imposing steps, a guard approached Leo cautiously, then untied his restraints and dragged him forward without a word of greeting or any hint of what awaited him, Leo felt the weight of the world pressing on his shoulders; he knew his fate was uncertain, and that this test could very well be his final judgment, But he had no choice now but to face whatever awaited him.

They led him through long, dark corridors until they reached a wide arena encircled by ancient stone walls, where a group of people stood, They wore black cloaks and held gleaming weapons, Some watched Leo with curiosity, while others regarded him with suspicion, as though they were already anticipating his failure.

A burly man stepped forward, his gravelly voice commanding attention: "Listen here, outsider, This test isn't for the faint-hearted, and you'll need to prove your worth to survive here, If you succeed, you may get a chance at a new life, And if you fail..." He left the sentence unfinished, letting Leo's mind fill in the end with thoughts of death.

The man raised his hand, gesturing to the iron gate, which began to creak open slowly, signaling the beginning of the test.

As the gate opened, the hulking guard stepped forward, pulling Leo roughly and binding him to a metal chair, Leo, completely resigned, offered no resistance, The guard exited, only for another man to enter shortly after, His desk bore an engraved nameplate: *Christopher*, He took out a small vial and a syringe from a drawer, then lifted his gaze to Leo, studying him with a cold look.

With a mocking smile, Christopher said: "So, you're here for the test, aren't you? You can back out, if that's what you prefer."

Leo looked at him with a mix of sarcasm and resignation: "As if backing out is a real option. I'd probably lose my head."

Christopher chuckled softly, "True, But it might be a gentler end than this test, I won't give away too much, but just know, it's a test of endurance to see if you're fit to join us."

Leo shuddered, feeling cold sweat trickling down his forehead, Christopher continued in a nonchalant tone:

"We've all survived this test, but many failed and died in the process, And in your case..."he paused, casting Leo a cryptic glance, "death might actually be kinder."

Leo clenched his fists, his voice barely a whisper, "I want to live, I have to live."

Christopher's interest sparked slightly, "So, you have a reason to keep going. Alright then, let's begin."

With an exaggerated calmness, Christopher injected the syringe into Leo's neck, Leo felt a sharp sting and asked in a panic, "What did you just inject me with?"**

Christopher looked at him indifferently, "Poison," He tossed the syringe into the trash and walked toward the door,Just before leaving, he turned back, "You have twenty-four hours to survive, One piece of advice: don't sleep, Not everything you'll see is real."**

The door closed, leaving Leo alone, restrained in a silent room.

Hours dragged by with nothing happening. The ticking clock marked time, and Leo stared into the darkness, anxiety rising, Then, a searing pain ignited in his chest, At first, he thought he was imagining it, but as the pain grew, his vision began to blur and blood pooled in his eyes, His screams pierced the stillness, his mind drifted between agony and hallucinations, slipping further from reality, Drowsiness began to tempt him, memories returning like haunting phantoms: the fire that had once consumed him, He clenched his eyes shut, attempting to banish the nightmare that resurfaced, but the pain surged as if his feet were once again engulfed in flames.

And then everything vanished, leaving him in a different place, A woman sat beside him, gently touching his forehead and singing a lullaby, It was his mother, He felt the warmth of her presence, but Christopher's words echoed in his mind: **"Not everything you see is real."**

In a strained whisper, almost trying to convince himself, he muttered, "You're not my mother, You're gone.... I buried you with my own hands."

The vision looked at him sorrowfully, then slowly faded away, When he opened his eyes, Christopher stood before him, smiling coldly.

"Congratulations, twenty-four hours have passed." He announced with a sly smile, moving to adjust Leo's chair before administering another injection, The pain was sharp, but clarity soon washed over Leo, and he could breathe freely again.

"This is the antidote to the poison, You've passed the first test." Christopher's tone was indifferent as he continued, "Now, we move on to the second test."

Leo, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and the desperate need for sleep, looked at him and muttered, "Wasn't… that enough?"

As his eyelids closed, he surrendered to an overwhelming desire to sleep.