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[Floor 2 – Day 41]

[Total Days in Trial: 82]

In my mind’s eye, I could see the quests presented by the menu screens, and I could see all the failures. Each city that was gone, all the potential tasks that might have granted me some unknown rewards.

And beyond the screen in my vision, all around my pond: I could see the demons.

Strange and wicked creatures, they seemed content to continue waiting, none trying to approach. I watched their strange forms, no two quite the same. Some with many limbs, some without. Among them, some were just serpents with skin of dripping oil, while others seemed to be in the form of insects. Or, perhaps a mockery of the form... none of them looked natural.

The strange stalemate continued, and I was uncertain as to why.

Perhaps, it was my own ignorance to the Miracles I cast, which kept them at bay. My desperate fumbling, summoning healing after healing in an effort to keep myself alive, saturating the boulder I was seated on. Sinking into the pond around me. It was plausible, I considered, that I now sat on holy ground- if only barely.

I could think of no other reason why they didn't simply wade in, and tear me apart. And I could think of no way to escape, either.

The sword and bow seemed laughable.

Who in their right mind would try to fight one of these with a sword? Just getting close enough to one, and I could imagine a dozen ways they would destroy me. Even if I was in perfect shape, I doubted I would be able to land more than a single swing, before they had me in their jaws. And the bow was little better. Saying I had time to shoot just one of the demons, with every arrow I possessed, and I still had my doubts it would be harmed in any true way.

Besides: If I could barely keep myself breathing, I doubted I could use the bow. I wasn’t even confident I could even lift it properly. My arms felt as if they were made of lead, my chest and heart were made of iron. Each ritualized breath seemed to only come at the cost of more strength and willpower. The pain of summoning them, only eased only by the miracles I called down. Now, twice a day.

I was sure the Priest would be proud of that accomplishment. For I had finally surpassed what he had been capable of, in my quest for progress. His Miracle might still have been stronger than mine, but he had never shown to been able to use it more than once in a day. I felt it was a shame I would never get to show him.

And yet, even that progress would never have been enough.

Not in a thousand years, could I have imagined finding a way to fight what faced me now. Trapped on my boulder, centered in my pond, surrounded on all sides along its shore. Those empty eyes watched me, waiting in silence. Each demon, alone, would be a terrible threat. But now... now there had to be over a thousand. Crowding in around the pond, layering back into the forest.

All staring ahead, at the center of the pond.

Death.

It reminded me of a book I once read, what felt like so many years ago. One that spoke of death as a constant companion, carried everywhere, always hiding just beyond where our eyes reached. Perhaps, I wondered, if I could finally see my own.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

There was surprisingly little emotion, in recognizing this. If anything, I felt a small sense of pride, in place of where I would have once imagined fear. Had I not had fought my best, in my own way? Had I not done everything I could do? My limits had been reached, then surpassed. I pressed on, and I kept going. All for just one more day.

One more hour.

One more moment.

One more breath...

As I was, my body was barely a skeleton. I was just bones, wearing skin, waiting on a stone that would mark my grave. My fat reserves were gone, my muscles had long been cannibalized, broken down by my body's metabolism to feed my organs, as they too struggled to keep my tied to the mortal plane. Given much more time, and surely those too would fail, even with the Miracle running through them.

I looked up, as something in the crow of demons, changed.

Staring ahead, I could see the demons parting. Their bodies flowed, almost like water. Supernatural grace carried in their every, terrible, step. Claws lightly dancing atop the sands and stone...

Then, they began to bow. Their flesh, of tar and shadows, sunk towards the ground, as something else walked among them. Stepping closer, and closer still.

Soon, a new form stood before me. One that rose a dozen paces tall, with eyes of red flames, which stared out across the water to fix upon me. Clawed hands held a wicked sword of bone, coated red with the noxious scent of blood. Jagged and rotten teeth bared at me, in a low growl that slowly formed to words.

“You are the last.” It spoke, voice twisting, as if layered by whispers and screams of a hundred damned souls. “You are the final life to be extinguished. You are the final human to ever touch this plane. Never again, will mankind see this world.”

I did not reply.

The Demon Lord growled in anger, as it spoke again.

"Your people screamed in agony, as we took them. Your warriors begged for their lives, as we devoured them, piece by piece. Your Priests cried out to their Gods, as we burned them alive."

Still, I did not reply.

"Do you recognize what comes for you, human? What horrors await you now?"

Demon Lord's lips curled down in displeasure. It seemed to want something from me. Perhaps, one last scream of fear, or one last call for mercy.

Maybe, if I had been healthier, I could have provided those things. If I'd been well enough to speak, or shout, or cry, I might have done so. But as I was, I could only breathe. I could only take in, just one more breath.

"End in silence, then." The Demon Lord commanded at last, patience run dry as it plunged the bloody sword into my pond. "Die, and be forgotten."

I watched as the crystal clear waters boiled to black sludge, and the horde that had waited so patiently, finally began their approach. Each demon wading into the depths, like dogs set loose of their leashes.

I did not blink as they came for me, rapidly closing the distance.

I did not react.

Not as they began to climb up my humble boulder, teeth gnashing for blood.

Not as they came closer still, and their claws approached my bare skin.

I did not cry out.

I did not scream.

Instead, I stared ahead, at the words that greeted me at last.

[Floor 2 – Task Completed] [Criteria: Final Survivor] [No Bonus awarded] [Secondary Tasks – Reviewed] [DEFEND THE CITIES: PROGRESS 0/5] [FAILED] [SLAY 10,000 DEMONS: PROGRESS 0/10,000] [FAILED] [DEFEAT THE DEMON LORD: PROGRESS 0/1] [FAILED] [No Bonuses awarded]

[Floor 2 – End] [Floor 3 – Beginning]

Then, once again: My vision slipped into darkness.