Chapter 2: Precarious Circumstances
Stepping out of the prison cell, Jamond strode into what seemed like an underground tunnel. Feeling perturbed, he glanced around, and all he could see was total darkness that made the location so eerie to the point of choking everything in its wake. The dreadfulness of the place was definitely on another level, and even the cloaked guard's flame torch could only illuminate a tiny area with a radius of about three meters.
"Follow me," the cloaked man said as he began leading the way. "Remember not to fall back and don't step outside the radius of the light. Otherwise, you will be in for a hell of a suffering if the darkness envelopes you."
Damn it! Why didn't you say all that before you started moving?
Jamond let out a few inward curses and quickly followed after the cloaked man. They walked for quite a while, traversing a stony passage covered with moss. But what surprised Jamond was that he could hear agonized screams from beyond the radius illuminated by the guard's flame torch, yet his eyes couldn't make out anything beyond the darkness. He couldn't even see a slight glimmer of light as they continued walking forward to who knows where. His emotions went into turmoil, and he couldn't suppress his racing heart. He was slowly beginning to understand that there was something terribly disturbing about the seemingly eternal darkness within the Forsaken Temple of Merciless Nightmares.
"We are here."
The cloaked guard finally croaked after what seemed like hours of walking. Without even turning to ascertain whether Jamond was still following behind him, he stepped forward and mumbled a few words while pointing a long stick that seemed to be a wand to various spots before him.
Could this be the infamous casting of a psionic spell?
Despite his precarious circumstances, Jamond's eyes lit up as he noticed the actions of the cloaked guard. From the other Jamond's memories, he'd learned that psionics could cast psionic spells with various psionic artifacts. They could utilize magical wands, bows and arrows, swords, axes, and many other engraved weapons to launch psionic attacks that could blast their enemies to smithereens. With those artifacts, the might of a psionic would increase, and they would easily overwhelm others at the same level.
But why is he casting a spell at this time? Jamond opened his eyes wide, trying to understand the actions of the cloaked man.
Additionally, Jamond knew that learning a psionic spell would significantly increase his survivability within the Forsaken Temple of Merciless Nightmares. And following that line of thinking, he was also straining to comprehend some of the guard's actions.
However, before Jamond could achieve his wish, a mysterious change manifested in the space ahead of the cloaked guard. With the sound of rocks scraping against each other, the darkness in front slowly opened up to reveal a well-lit passage. It seemed like it was the way leading out of the prison as it continued all the way up to what seemed like a place with infinite light.
"Follow me," the cloaked man hurriedly said and stepped forward to enter the passage beyond.
Jamond, of course, didn't need to be told twice. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his shock and followed after the guard to step into the well-lit passage. He then turned around only to notice that the guard was already casting the spell to close an enormous sliding stone door that led into what seemed like a bottomless abyss. The guard's actions were pretty quick, and within a few seconds, the entrance leading to the holding cells of the Forsaken Temple of Merciless Nightmares closed shut with a bang, thus sealing off what was within.
"Well, well..." The guard said, sounding more relaxed. He gave Jamond a once over and exclaimed, "You're one tough guy. You even survived after receiving three injections of that stuff. Truly surprising! Let's hope you can survive the fourth. That will be a miracle."
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Jamond shuddered as he comprehended the guard's meaning. From the new memories within his mind, he had already learned that what led to the demise of the other Jamond were injections filled with a bizarre liquid. Immediately after receiving them, the other Jamond's body had experienced mind-numbing misery that had tortured him for days. But even knowing he was in pain; the head warden had continued injecting him with more of the mysterious liquid until he succumbed to its effects.
"Let's go and see the head warden," the cloaked man said with a sigh after carefully setting his flame torch in a sconce on the wall. But that time, he didn't lead the way but escorted Jamond from behind. With a slight shove, he pushed Jamond forward, and off they went, heading upwards towards the light.
They moved quickly, and after climbing the stairs, they arrived in a large and brightly lit hallway. On glancing around, Jamond was once again stunned by the sights around him.
The hallway was akin to something out of Star Trek, the classic film from Planet Earth. And for Jamond, who had just left the gloomy Forsaken Temple of Merciless Nightmares below, it was as if he had just escaped primitive medieval Earth without technology and time-traveled to a futuristic Earth.
What grandeur! The contrast between the prison below and this hall is really huge. Jamond exclaimed again as he continued moving forward under the prodding of the cloaked guard behind.
Sweeping his gaze around, he quickly took in the stainless-steel paneling, polished doors, sleek floors that gave the place a futuristic feel, and the art on the walls that were all natural images in colors as bright as glacier meltwater or spring flowers. Jamond's nasal senses also picked up the pure fragrance of the air that was not sterile but just clean, and his ears welcomed the instrumental music playing in the background at just the right level to give even the most depressed souls an emotional lift. But the best part was the ceiling, just clear and high-arched. It was like walking out in the open without the risk of rain and nothing like the gloomy prison covered by darkness below.
"We’ve arrived. Stop!"
Another command came from the guard as they arrived before a large door. Then, placing a hand on Jamond's shoulder, the guard stepped forward and knocked a couple of times before waiting.
A few seconds passed, and with a whooshing sound, the door opened, presenting what was beyond it to Jamond's eyes. It was an expansive rectangular room of white with benches and a long table on one side. To the right and back were shelves with books and what seemed like hospital beds, connected to incomprehensible ultra-modern equipment. And surprisingly, there was a girl in what seemed like a blue hospital gown strapped to one of the beds.
At first glance, Jamond noticed that the girl was quite beautiful, with a slender figure, a gorgeous face, and all the curves in the right places. But at that moment, she appeared to be in great pain. Her legs were kicking in the air, clearing the top of the bed by several inches as they swung back and forth, while her eyes were open wide, staring at nothing on the ceiling.
What the hell? This is really messed up.
Jamond's back broke out in cold sweat. At that moment, he immediately deduced that the girl had just received one of the mysterious injections that had taken the other Jamond's life. She was obviously in great agony as she endured the heart-wrenching effects of the injection.
"You brought the subject? Enter."
Suddenly, a deep voice sounded from the room to attract Jamond's attention. Cocking his head slightly, his eyes landed on a man in a white lab coat sitting behind a tall stack of books on an L-shaped desk.
Is this the head prison warden? Why does he seem like a refined medic or a scientist instead? Jamond wondered with a shudder.
The man exuded an outstanding presence. He had broad shoulders, an enormous body, a handsome face without any blemishes, and a head with long white hair. He also had piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold an entire world within them, and his smile was cold and distant, like that of professional and unfeeling medics from Jamond's previous life.
This is also another terrifying individual. He should also be a powerful psionic. Jamond quickly placed the label - Terrifying on the individual before him.
"Strap him on the bed," the man ordered while maintaining his smile. "We'll begin the experiment soon."
On hearing the verdict, Jamond's mind blanked out for a moment as his body trembled slightly. Then, regaining his senses, he quickly reacted and took off towards the door. Of course, as a person who had just reincarnated, he wouldn't allow himself to be experimented on without putting up a fight.
"Where do you think you're going?"
With a slight raise of a wand, the cloaked individual that had escorted Jamond out of his prison cell cast out a glowing light. It streaked across the air like a lightning bolt, and before Jamond could react, the seemingly harmless glow collided with his forehead. It made him feel listless, and within a few seconds, he grew weaker and weaker until the world around him started turning dark. He was, of course, slowly losing consciousness after having experienced a taste of a psionic spell.
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