I felt my lungs burn in my chest, my breathing pulling and pushing so hard my ribs ached. My legs ran numb, the pounding of my heels on stone shocking waves of pressure through my whole body. My teeth ground together in a blinding anger, my spite being the only source of energy I had left.

"Those.... Those bastards...!"

12 years ago, the world was dipped into chaos. The best way to describe it would be an apocalypse from the heavens. Beings called Divine Idols appeared, claiming that our world had earned the right to host something called the Divine Gallery. Which in reality was nothing but hell.

'Divine my ass!'

The Divine Idols opened our world up to the Esther Stream, a source of power and a network of collective laws and rules. The best way to describe it would be a code for a program, and that program was downloaded onto our world like a virus. It gave people powers beyond their wildest dreams, items of divine power, and more importantly brought monsters that ravaged the world into an apocalypse.

We were told that there were 93 divine trials that would happen during the Gallery, each of them raising in difficulty than the one before. From disease all the way to purges. These happened in rapid succession over the course of 12 years. The human population dwindled on the line of extinction and only the strong were able to make it to the end.

'But im not strong, am I?'

No, instead I decided to rely on others. To give my trust and hope to another person and let them lead me all the way here. Im paying the price.

'Please don't be a dead end...'

My luck had already ran out along with my options, the wall before me giving my palms a cool surface to touch. I was good as dead.

'Just one, I just wanted to kill one of them....'

I had lost everything, everyone I loved, all of my trust, everything. I put my hope in that man and now I was at deaths door, along with 7000 other people. Used like sacrificial lambs.

'Maya....'

I felt heat on my cheek, and if it were any other situation id feel ashamed to cry. But no one else was here, no one but me and my anger.

"Just one more chance..."

The sound of baying hounds were behind me, coming closer. My head hit the stone wall and I anticipated the sharp pain that would assist me with my death.

"Just one more chance and Id be able to do it..."

I felt the presence stiffen, the hellhound readied itself to lunge with me as its target. They were awfully cautious for a pack of hellhounds against one feeble man.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Just give me one more chance and id wipe those smug faces off all of them!!"

My yell echoes down the hall, it was stronger than I anticipated. It erupted from my resentment only to be cut off by a strong stab of pain from my shoulder. Fangs clamped down and I felt blood spill. I was going to die and there was nothing I could do.

'At least now ill be able to see Maya again...'

My eyes shut tightly and I waited for death to take me....  A bit longer, any moment now..... Strangely enough though its not as painful as I had anticipated. Actually all the pain in body is gone...

I crack a peak, only to find myself in a black space. My limbs intact, no more blood, not even the ache in my legs. Was this death? Limbo? It didnt matter, it was relaxing. 

"It seems you finally made it here."

My head whipped around and locked eyes with a silver cloaked individual. It could be described as translucent but there was nothing to be translucent for.  They seemed small, almost like that of a child. But I knew better, my body tensed as I was ready to be played with like a puppet, as most Divine Idols tend to do with humans.

"Who are you."

"Do not worry, I seek no harm to you. Instead I would like to make a deal."

Man they had a soft voice, but I know better than that. Making a deal with a Divine Idol is-

"Im not a divine idol, I have no name nor no person."

Trusting this, thing, was as bad of an idea as any. But how it stands im dead anyways. To fret over something like this when my end is (has?) already happened would make me a fool in denial. So I relaxed myself, and realigned my thoughts so that I could better look at the situation given to me.

"I knew it wasn't wrong of me to give this task to you." A smile almost seemed to appear on the beings face, but quickly vanished as fast as it appeared. "I have a deal I would like to make with you, I promise no ill intent. I merely wish to acquire something that can only be obtained from earth. More specifically, in the 56th Divine Trial."

What? But this was the 93rd FINAL trial? I passed the 56th trial a long while ago? To ask now would be redundant. Also, to ask something of me like that would be. Well what I mean to say is that, I am not the strongest card in the deck.

"I know that, do not worry I understand that greatly. Which is why I waited this long to ask." The small figure smiled again, but this time it sent shivers down my spine. "After all, I don't think anyone would be strong enough to attain what I desire. Which is why I would ask for you to obtain this item for me, and in return I will send you back to the beginning."

I jolted in shock, my eyes widening a bit. This deal, seemed a bit too unreal. Go back to the beginning, as in the very beginning? This was a bit too in my favor, the terms and conditions had to be something out of bounds. But the being before me just laughed softly.

"Please don't think that the item I desire is so easily obtainable just because its in one of the earlier trials. Theres a lot more to it than just that."

My brows furrowed a bit. All I could really remember from the 56th trial was a lot of water and a new fear of the ocean. What item was so special that would need me to go back in time?

"You will know when the time comes. Now, will you take this deal?"

The beings hand stretched out to me, and I looked at it with burning eyes. It would be stupid of me to grab it, to throw away the death I had accepted.

'But did I really accept it?"

My teeth pressed into my lip as I bit down. There was too much unknown to simply accept a deal like this. I know that.

'Is there a choice?'

No, there wasn't. I had begged for another chance and this was it. The next time, I wouldn't make the same mistake. I wouldn't trust my heart and my family with someone else as easily again. Ive already made so many mistakes and regrets, so.

"Why not make another one."

I smiled and grabbed the smaller hand before me. It was cold, and yet burning hot. It made my bones scream in a rage and I felt something tear out of me and twist. My vision swirled before crashing into black. The final image in my eyes being the cloaked figure giving me a warm smile.