Chapter 38 - Growth - V
Seven days had passed since I woke up from my awakening and began my training routine. I had learned many new things, including the moment when a man should retreat in the face of temptation.
Two days were enough for me to experience near-death sensations three times. Each one left deep marks, not just on my body, but on my mind and soul.
The first time, Lesley pierced me with a spear between my ribs. The pain was instant, sharp, and penetrating, as if a fiery saw had been driven into my torso. I felt the cold tip of the metal tearing through my flesh, cutting through muscles and tissues until it reached my internal organs.
The warmth of my blood gushing out was almost comforting, paradoxically, as if it were proof that I was still alive. But soon came the cold, an icy sensation spreading from the wound, as if death were extending its fingers to pull me in. My vision darkened, the sounds grew distant, and the world seemed to spin slower and slower.
Until Dália appeared, her soft, warm hands glowing with the light of healing magic. The pain subsided, the warmth returned, and I took a deep breath, as if I had emerged from a dark abyss. In that moment, I realized that life was a fragile thread, and I was dancing on it.
The second time was different. Lesley hit me with a sledgehammer to the skull.
Yes, that crazy woman is out of control!
The impact was like thunder inside my head, a burst of white light that erased all my thoughts. I felt my skull give way, as if it were about to collapse under the pressure. The pain was so intense that it almost wasn't pain, but rather an absence of everything, as if my brain had been shut off for an instant.
Dizziness, nausea, and overwhelming confusion took over. My limbs wouldn't respond, and I fell to the ground, unable to move. The darkness came quickly, but with it came a strange peace, as if I were floating in a silent void.
Once again, Dália was there, her magic enveloping my head like a warm embrace, rebuilding what had been broken. This time, she actually looked at me with concern in her eyes. When I opened my eyes, I felt immense gratitude, but also a deep fear that, next time, she might not arrive in time.
The third time was the subtlest, but perhaps the most frightening. Lesley pierced my back with two throwing daggers. The pain was sharp, but not as immediate as with the spear or the sledgehammer.