"Well, that's...something!" Sarah curiously examined the words and numbers that apparently represented her own limits. 'Feels like I should have more than ten points in each one though? Especially if that +5 to all is anything to go off. That would mean I had even less to begin with!' Complaining to no one other than herself, Sarah finally looked around and took in her new surroundings.

There was only one exit to the small, empty room she had found herself in, but it still beat her last location hands down. Even if it did have a horror movie vibe about it. Before she decided to find out what was on the opposite side of the decaying door, Sarah removed what was left of her uniform. It could only be described as ripped cloth and wasn't helping hide her modesty in the slightest. Even her undergarments had burnt away.

After a few failed attempts, mainly due to lack of material to work with, Sarah managed to wrap the cloth around herself the best she could. 'Both areas secure. Time to move out.' As she made her way towards the door, however, there was only one thought present in the woman's mind.

'My mouth tastes like shit! I need to find something to drink.'

The door to her room looked older than Carol's mum. Splintered and cracked, with a few screws loose. Because of damaged sections, Sarah was able to see into the darkness beyond without having to open the door. 'Why does this feel like some type of Wrong Turn shit?'

The deep silence didn't help to ease her nerves as she took hold of the handle. Neither did the door as it slowly creaked open under her touch. The only thing it did was cause Sarah's racing heart to beat even faster than it was.

'I need to get the fuck out of here! I'm already on edge.' She stepped through and made her way down the corridor. The only sounds were her heart beating like a drum and her feet shuffling along the stone floor. The only direction was forward through the darkness. Fortunately, it wasn't as dark as the place she had been after the grenade and shadows danced up ahead at the place where the corridor turned.

'I would have to go that way, wouldn't I? There's no where else to go!'

As she pushed on down the scarcely-lit path, Sarah kept one hand on the cold surface of the stone wall. Watching the flickering of flames, her heart beat faster and faster the closer she got. 'I really don't like this.' With no other way to go, other than back the way she came, Sarah realised that she had been trapped in the same scenario as the one prior to her death. 'Shit! What sort of bullshit is this? I feel pinned down all over again.'

Taking a deep breath, Sarah tried to gather whatever courage she could muster.

'I can do it. Just gotta push through the fear...right?'

[You have acquired the skill - Fear Resistance]

Actually getting a response, Sarah stood motionless for a moment as she was caught off guard.

'Are you fucking joking me?' Gritting her teeth and scowling at the words portrayed before her, Sarah decided to ignore them and pushed on. A little less worried than before. Her heart had calmed itself somewhat, but still beat fast enough to keep her alert. As she reached the corner, she slowly leaned out to scout the area. 'What's that!'

[Mana Crystal Level 1: Fire]

Less than 20 feet from her position was a well-lit octagonal room. The light that Sarah had mistook for fire was actually radiating from crystal torches that hung between the four entrances to the almost-circular room. The universe had decided to kindly inform her of what the torches were after she had asked. 'Why do you tell me some answers but not others?'

Waiting for a response, no more words showed themselves to the curious woman and after deliberating with herself, Sarah edged around the corner and slowly moved closer to the new room, still hugging the wall all the way.

'Is anyone here?' She wondered, too afraid to call out incase she was correct. 'Come on Sarah, get a fucking grip!'

Instead, Sarah stepped towards the centre of the room. A small fountain, - the only feature, save for the four torches illuminating with their light, was beckoning her to near. 'I wonder if that water's drinkable? I mean, it's sketchy at best seeing how this place is kind of empty, but my mouth tastes like shit and I really need a drink. I'll just try a little sip first. It'll be fine.' Talking herself into it, Sarah took a small drink from the fountain. The water was clear, but looked a few shades bluer than it should do.

[You have drank from the water of sin. HP, MP and Stamina recovery are increased by 500% for the next 2 hours.]

Opening her eyes wide to the news of exponential increases and a word that's never related to anything good, Sarah questioned why she drank the water in the first place. 'I don't feel bad though. In fact, I actually feel pretty good. Really fucking good. That's some kickass H²O.'

As she looked around, Sarah noticed that there were three new corridors. Each one pitch-black compared to her current location with the mana crystals. "I'm taking one of them then." Sarah declared and immediately began trying to dislodge the wall fixture.

They were sturdier than they looked, however, and Sarah could only manage to loosen one before she gave up feeling exhausted and out of breath. 'Why do I feel so tired all of a sudden? That's some seriously strong light fixing right there,' she thought while taking another drink from the waters of sin. 'It's got a terrible name, but damn that water tastes good!'

As she looked at the wall, Sarah remembered something about unspent points. 'Is it like the games I play on my phone? Sarah brought up her status screen once again to confirm her theory.

Name: Sarah-Jane Kemp

-Unspent Points: 25

Class: None

Titles: What Death?

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Skills:

- Cirian Language MAX

- Identify Level 1

- Fear Resistance Level 1

Specialised Skills:

- Immortality

Status:

Vitality: 10

Strength: 10

Endurance: 10

Dexterity: 10

Intelligence: 10

Wisdom: 10

Health: 200/200

Mana: 200/200

Stamina: 12/200

'I do. Ok then. Let's see how this works.' As her stamina refilled, thanks to the waters of sin, Sarah placed three points into her strength. It took just under seven minutes for her stamina to refill. It was rising five points every second thanks to the 500% boost she had recieved. Finally full, Sarah tried once again to rip the mana crystal off the wall. This time she managed to loosen it significantly and, another two points later, she managed to rip it from the wall completely.

"Yes! That's what I'm talking about." Forgetting her place, Sarah congratulates her own ingenuity. 'Shit. Shush, me. OK, now that I've got light, I should try another tunnel, I suppose. I can look at my stats on the way.'

Two tunnels later and after earning another level in fear resistance, Sarah's worries had all but subsided. 'What's this place supposed to be anyway?' The smooth stone walls showed no signs of damage or even erosion from time, whereas the wooden objects gave off the impression that they'd been in that place for the last thousand years. The two tunnels she had tried so far had led her to rooms that were identical to the first one she had arrived in. Empty, dark and creepy as fuck. 'This place sucks! At first it was a bit creepy and kind of like a horror movie but now…it's like I'm trapped in my own personal fucking dungeon. I might have more than one room but there's fuck all to do in here so far… and it's freezing…' Looking at the last corridor yet to explore from her place at the fountain, Sarah crossed her fingers. 'Gotta be this one then, right? Gotta be!'

As she made her way around the now familiar bend and down the corridor, Sarah's eyes sparkled with a renewed determination. Before her was an exquisitely-decorated set of doors. Golden patterns criss-crossed down them before forming spirals at both the top and bottom. Red runes ran down the centre of each door glowing ever so slightly. Even though Sarah didn't know what the runes were, or what they meant, or what was behind the door, or even if it would be safe, she was hoping and praying that they would lead her outside.

Placing her hand on the door, however, left her feeling conflicted and she removed it almost instantly. Staring at the golden design, the words in front of her were still visible even though she was no longer touching the door.

[The price for entrance is high, will you pay it?]

'What do I have to pay?' Was the first question that came to her mind. She didn't actually have any money on her, or even a bank card for that matter. 'I'm gonna be so screwed when I get out of here.' As she thought it over, Sarah realised that she didn't have any other choice and placed both her hands on the beautiful door.

[The price for entrance is high, can you pay it?]

Sarah didn't fail to notice the slight difference in wording from the first time she heard the question.

"What's the price?" She asked the door, feeling more than a little awkward in the strange scenario she was now part of. 'People only talk to doors in movies,' she chuckles.

[Death]

The solitary response was enough to remind Sarah that she hadn't found a toilet yet. 'That's a bit bullshit.'

"How do I get in if I have to die to do just that?" Hoping for some type of detailed explanation, the one she was given was lacking and no in any helpful at all.

[That is the one rule]

'Well that's just a shitty rule. That's what that is.' Sarah considered her options. On one hand there was death by starvation, she hadn't come across a single source of food on her exploration or an exit to the prison other than the deathly door. On the other hand, there was death by said door. Sarah assumed that death by door would probably be more painful than starvation, but less drawn out.

'That Immortality skill better damn well work like it says it does. Please help me with this because I don't want to die! Plus, there's nowhere else to go and literally nothing else here!' She resigned herself. 'I really, really, really don't wanna do this.' Reading over her Immortality skill one more time, Sarah set her spawn point directly in front of the door.

As she stood there, Sarah's hands were trembling. It would be foolish to think anyone could face this situation without feeling a certain degree of fear. The inevitability of death itself is not something that's so easily overcome or suppressed.

Her hands slowly reached out toward the slightly-illuminated wood, shaking more vigorously as the distance decreased. As soon as they touched, Sarah released a breath she didn't realise she was holding.

[You have heard the price. The only rule. Will you still enter?]

'In a way, I suppose I died on top of that grenade. Trying to give Miller the opportunity to see his daughter again and the rest a second chance.'

"Yea, I suppose so." In the next moment, Sarah's body was riddled with indescribable pain. From the tip of her toes to the top of her head, sparks of red lighting exploded out of every pour charring her skin black. Her hair went up in flames, melting to her scalp and smoke covered her body. What had felt like eternity to her had in fact been less than five seconds and Sarah's lifeless body collapsed to the ground signalling the end of her second life. She was right in the end, it had been much quicker than starvation.

[You have acquired the skill - Lightning Resistance.]

[You have been awarded a new title: The Unkillable]

[The Unkillable]

-You have died again in an act of unknown foolery, but for certain reasons fate has managed to help you survive against the odds. +5 to all stats. You have earned a specialist skill - Second Chance.

[Second Chance]

-In a situation that would otherwise lead to your immediate death, time will slow down for everyone except you for five seconds. This skill can only be used once a day. Don't waste it because we all know you need it.

Sarah wouldn't know what had happened whilst she was dead, but a white light was emitting from her. Brought on by her Immortality skill, the splendiferous aura encapsulated her entire body. The light repaired any and all damage done in the mere moments before releasing and disappearing back inside of her. She would, however, go on to complain about the skills descriptions when she got around to reading them.

The sound of wood scraping over stone could be heard as Sarah's refreshed corpse sat up straight at terrifying speed. 'That was fucking horrible! I think I can still taste my tongue burning.' Shaking her head and sticking out her tongue, the sight of the open door was a welcome relief. Even if she did have to die for it to happen. 'That's a shitty rule. Shitty, shitty, shitty rule. I didn't like that at all! And fucking yes Immortality, that's the shit right there! What a thing to have. I can't belive I can't die! Well, I can die and it isn't very nice, but I can come back to life. How fucking awesome am I?'

Looking inside her hard won victory, Sarah glimpsed a lit fireplace inside. 'People!' As she got up from the floor, ready to explore the new area, the large doors suddenly began to close at a rather alarming speed. Grabbing her ears due to the sound threatening to deafen her and knowing full well that she's been tricked by an inanimate talking object, Sarah did the only thing she could think of. She quickly placed her spawn point right in front of the fireplace before the doors slammed shut with a might boom. After a minute, the ringing in her ears subsided and the golden patterns on the door began to move around before eventually forming a face.

"Hahaha. I did not expect you to be so foolish as to offer your life so easily, but I will accept any power I can get these days. Times are hard, now begone cursed creature. I have no more need of you unless you wish to die again that is?" The door asked, though its mouth movements and vocal sounds were completely out of sync. Sarah thought it akin to watching foreign movies with subtitles.

'Stupid door. We'll see who's laughing tomorrow.'