Chapter 19: The Name on Your Lips
The first thing was a jolt. It was followed by a gasp, and soon, Val's whole body was trembling. The sound coming out of his throat was the struggle of airways desperately calling for oxygen.
Val remembered it was hot the first time he took the Amrita. But this time...this time was different.
It was scorching.
And it was painful beyond belief.
It was like the entirety of his veins were blazed by ancient fire and being hammered by a spectral blacksmith.
It was so scorching hot that every time he tried to inhale, his lungs felt like it was licked by fire and filled with ashes.
Why? How was it possible to feel this kind of pain? His mind registered the way his circuit was being reconstructed and it burned. It burned so bad that his mind whited out for a while.
Until a sound called out for him.
"Val," a soft voice, a gentle caress; a cold that he sought. "Val, come back to me,"
Where did he hear it before? The cold reminded him of winter, of snow, of sneaking out and touching the coldness he wasn't supposed to enjoy.
And the voice. Who was it? His mind was so blurry, but he remembered that sweet, gentle voice. He remembered that he liked it, he liked it so much. The voice that was calling out to him when he fainted amidst the cold snow.