The logic of my strategy was simple yet effective: faced with the rain of arrows falling from all directions, maintaining a high speed of advance minimized my exposure to projectiles from behind and the sides. I knew perfectly well, a single precise hit to the waist or legs would be fatal, limiting my mobility and condemning me to a swift and certain death.
A whistle cut through the air like a lament.
While I blocked an arrow aimed at the left side of my face with my dagger, I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye of another arrow hurtling toward my unprotected stomach.
Momentary panic clouded my usual judgment. I ended up blocking the projectile with my right arm.
The impact was devastating. The arrow pierced my muscles with a dull sound, penetrating near previous wounds and exponentially multiplying the pain. I felt the muscle fibers tearing, the cold metal forcing its way through tendons and blood vessels.
I tried to maintain my speed without stopping, but the shock and pain betrayed my determination for a fraction of a second. That brief moment of weakness cost me dearly.
¡POOK! ¡POOK! ¡POOK!
Several arrows sliced through the air from behind. Though I tried to dodge them by leaning to one side, my reduced speed made me an easy target, and an arrow embedded itself into my back with an impact that shook me to my bones.
—¡ARRrrrghghhhhh! —The scream escaped my throat before I could contain it, tearing through the air like a wounded animal.
Damn it, there were no more options. I would have to press forward like a frenzied berserker, blocking the arrows I could see and absorbing the rest as if my body were a living suit of armor. My golden hair with reddish tones billowed as I ran, and my red eyes burned with feverish resolve.
Forward!
An instinctive tilt of my head allowed me to dodge by mere millimeters an arrow I hadn't even seen coming, feeling it graze a few strands of my hair.
¡Pook, puk!
More arrows targeted my body with deadly precision. I ignored the piercing pain and continued. Each step I took was an indescribable agony; the arrow lodged in my back seemed to tear my muscles with every movement, as if invisible hands were twisting a knife in the wound.
—I'm not going to die here —I muttered through gritted teeth—. It can't end like this.
As if fate had heard my defiance and sought to test me, another arrow pierced my left calf, embedding deeply into the muscle and causing my leg to falter momentarily.
My rhythm broke completely, and I fell to my knees, but the vision of death that flashed before my eyes served as a powerful motivator. The image of my lifeless body, abandoned in this godforsaken place, was unacceptable to me.
I stood instantly with a grunt of pain and resumed my run, though it was now more of a desperate hobble than a proper run. Blood poured from my wounds, leaving a scarlet trail on the dusty floor.
I noticed the arrows had stopped falling from behind… Forward! My concentration faltered for a fatal instant, and while trying to dodge a frontal arrow by tilting my head, it ended up piercing my ear with a sharp, burning pain.
—¡Arrrgrgh! —The pain was unbearable, as if a red-hot needle had been driven into me.
My vision began to fail, tinged with black and red spots dancing before my eyes. My balance deteriorated rapidly, the world spinning around me like a whirlwind of blurred colors. To make matters worse, an arrow struck my right heel with diabolical precision, leaving both my legs practically useless.
Even so, I launched my body forward with the last of my strength. Giving up wasn't in my vocabulary, and a graceful landing was a luxury I couldn't afford in these desperate circumstances.
The sound of water reached my ears like a promise of salvation; I had overcome the deadly trap. Next to a rocky hollow stretched a pond of crystalline waters that shimmered with a soft blue glow.
The dizziness began to intensify due to the alarming blood loss. My superior constitution was the only thing keeping me conscious, but even so, I was at the limit of my capabilities.
I coughed violently, and blood dripped between the fingers of the hand covering my mouth. The metallic taste flooded my throat. The pain spread like liquid fire through the nerves of my left arm and across my entire body, causing more gagging that wracked my battered frame.
Fainting threatened me with its dark embrace, my body vehemently protesting the abuse I had subjected it to. It was madness to have endured so much punishment, and if I didn't rest immediately, I would collapse without remedy.
But I gritted my teeth once more, ignoring the excruciating pain. If I couldn't endure this trial, what hope would I have of facing the future challenges awaiting me?
With determination born of desperation, I yanked the yellow arrow from my left arm with a dry, brutal pull. My body had reached the extreme limit of its endurance, but I had achieved my goal against all odds.
[Healing Pond.]
[Description: Heals when ingested or applied. May also be useful for baldness…]
I crawled slowly toward the healing well, leaving a crimson trail in my wake. With the last of my strength, I threw my battered body into the curative waters, feeling the cool liquid begin to envelop my wounds.
And then, darkness claimed me in its relentless embrace.
[You have cleared the second floor.]
[You have received 10 soul fragments.]
[Innate ability activated: Spiritual Vision]