Everything basked in light leaves a shadow behind.

The Void. Every ounce of my being was convinced that this place is The Void.

I felt nothing, I saw nothing… there was nothing. I was nothing.

I had long lost track of time. It could've been a second, a minute, or an eternity of me fighting the urge to sleep.

Because I knew if I did, then it will be forever.

And it paid off.

-HUK!

A sorrowful sob resounded and I felt it kicking in.

-HUAFFFU…

The nothingness faded away as my eyes sprung open only to reveal suffocating darkness while a gut-rending pain squeezed my throat as I gasped for air, my arms and legs limply thrashed inside the thick blanket. My palms opening and closing, desperately wanting to hold something… someone.

"Huh? Master Argus! You're okay! GOD! You're okay!" A crying voice came as a warm hand reached out to my cold one from the darkness.

"Li-Lili…" I stifled the name that brought me the little sense of warmth my cold body desperately sought.

Clutching my hand in both of her's, she fought the quivering hick-ups and said,

"I-I here-I'm here! … I'm sorry... please, I'm sorry! It's all my fault. I should've come sooner. Just please stay here-Please don't move." Lili spoke in a voice so broken.

But, how could I have not moved after hearing that voice?

Every sob escaping her, cut a deep wound in my heart. Lili warned me time and time again, yet I drowned myself in the little success I achieved and even then I became greedy for more.

Resisting the ravaging pain and dizziness, I gathered the strength I never knew I had as my trembling body slowly sat up.

"Just please listen to me this one time! Please don't move… you've lost so much blood!" Lili begged desperately.

My shallow breath ragged, slowly raising my shaking hand I grabbed her by the shoulder and gently pulled her into a hug.

Lili's small shoulders were trembling more than mine, her body was colder than mine.

Brushing my fingers through her hair as gently as I could, I said in a hoarse voice,

"No, Lili… I am sorry. And thank you. You saved me once again."

Lili's frame began trembling even more as she clutched my shirt, continuously whispering, "I'm sorry- I'm sorry-I'm sorry…"

Ignoring the pain waving out of my stomach I held her close then spoke the words I always dreamt someone would say to me,

"It's okay, Lili. It's alright. Just let it out… let it all out."

Her frame shook even harder as she went silent and then a few seconds later she cried aloud with all her might.

"AHHHAAA! I was so scared, Master Argus! So scared…"

Giving her a shoulder to vent was the least I could've done for her. Even more so because no one even did it for either me or her.

If someone had, then maybe… just maybe I wouldn't be here.

So, even at the death of me, I will never allow anyone close to me go through that. Even at the end of the world, my shoulder will always be there. I promised myself that a long time ago.

Lili's cries soon became softer and softer as her body slowly relaxed.

Her tear-stained eyes gently closed as all the stress and fatigue left her. Lili drifted into a much-deserved sleep.

Holding on to her a little while longer, I forced my body and laid her sleeping frame away from the blood. My blood.

[You there?]

/When was the last time I wasn't /

[Well, you've been awfully quiet.]

/Busy noticing things you didn't... /

[And for starters…?]

/How fast you recovered… all that's left is just some leftover pain and weakness from losing so much blood. /

[Indeed…] I conveyed while activating Dark Vision.

I was shirtless and all there was left of the gaping wounds were 5 big ugly scars.

/So... Do you remember what Lili told us about the workings of Healing Potions? /

[Not exactly in the condition to recite, and I thought you would so, I just kind' a listened.]

/Figured… First of all, potions will leave scars but this will only happen till you get a Falna. And second, the body tends to reject Healing Potions for reasons unknown… Even more so in conjunction with the Falna. The stronger the individual, the more resistant to healing he or she will be. That's why they are classified into Grades. /

[So?]

/Lili only had 3 Grade-1 healing potions and assuming she used two... and with you being a Non-Leveler, your body is too weak to resist. The wounds you suffered were still far too severe, not to mention your intestines were out. On your right, you can even see some parts of your innards lying around.

Lili seemed to have cut what came out and then used the Healing Potions. That means despite her prior denial on the matter, it was able to repair or maybe even regrow your organs in a really short span. Your blood on the ground is still not dry.

So, my conclusion is that your body either has no resistance or it has an unnatural ability to absorb intakes magical in nature. /

[Damn Sherlock… Aren't both the same thing?]

/They are similar but not the same. If your body has no resistance then you'll easily fall prey to poisons and such. But, on the other hand, you're either highly… magic conductive, let's say. /

[My bet is mana conductivity… I was able to feel the mana inside the Mana Potions. So I'd say, I'm potion friendly.]

/But I believe it'll be wise to keep the other possibility in mind as well. /

[Yeah… I think I've had my fill of recklessness.]

/About time… Can you get up? /

[I can certainly try… but what for?]

/ I suggest you search for the pain killers she carries in her bag… and a healing potion if there's still one. Do not forget we're in the dungeon, a monster can jump on us at any given moment… or worse an adventurer. You do remember what awaits the dead here, right? /

[Yeah…]

Mustering all my resolve and strength, I took a deep breath and tried to stand up while doing my best to ignore the piercing pain and the heavy dizziness.

Every movement brought a new level of hurt while I slowly got up.

That mere action alone made my breath ragged as I sucked all the air my lungs could hold.

Lili's bag was just right beside her slumbering frame.

But, I guess fate wasn't having any of it. Lili always said- Adventurers are even more disgusting than the monsters and I always laughed it off. That ugly side of them just reared its head in my direction.

"Quite a tough cookie, aren'chya!" Came husky voice of a man, starling my dizziness awake.

My eyes opened wide as an orange silhouette of a hulking man stepped into the Dark Vision's detection range.

"Dat lil'runt too… she'eld on the urge for hours… now it's all thanks to you, boy… she now won't be a hurdle. So ya see? Fate has brought us together!" Said the man while his eyes flickered in emotion I couldn't comprehend.

Snickering he continued,

"I can see them scars yellin, you a Non-Leveler… and ya still'avent fainted…she did. So tell me boy… What'da fuck?"

Even at my finest, I couldn't have fought a full-fledged adventurer much less now.

And judging by what he just said, Lili was not sleeping due to fatigue. It was him.

As to why he did it, his reason couldn't have been clearer.

My first instinct was to link with my storage, and a second later, all the chaos broke loose in my mind.

[Fuck! The swords aren't in…]

The dizziness had begun crawling in my head again, just standing still was an endeavor.

"Lookin for these?" the man said with a disgusting smirk plastered on his face.

In his hands were my swords.

The Corvo's Blade had gotten as dull as it could be.

"Aren'tya just cute, bringin a toy in here…" he said, waving it around before tossing it away.

All hope seemed lost to me. I was on the brink of fainting again.

Bringing my trembling hands together I pled in a bleak voice, "Please sir… Just take what you want and leave us be."

"Great! I was goin to anyway… Now! Strip'n bend over… you said yourself, I can take anything I want." He said as a long, utterly nauseating smirk stretched on his face.

[This fuckin' animal!] I thought with a churning stomach.

/Calling him an animal would be an insult to them… You still have your Karambit. Play smart. Diplomacy is no longer an option. /

[I know…]

With my hands still joined together, I plead once more, "Please sir! Show mercy… Just take our stuff and spare us!"

"O' course, why not! Such a curse ain't it? Being a gentleman like me… just can't refuse a beauty. I'll just take' ya stuff. Ya' know what they say… best comes first! NOW STRIP! Or I'll strip the skin outta that lil'bitch first!"

The blood that ran cold in me boiled like a raging inferno the moment he finished his words.

/Calm yourself! /

"Okay! Okay! Just don't hurt her!" I said with tears swelling in my eyes. A fate worse than death awaited me.

"Now we talkin… or fuckin should I say?" he laughed as he looked down, his free hand began flicking his belt.

[NOW!]

My world lost colors and everything stopped as I activated Re-Directive Blink.

[I'm so gonna murder this son of a bitch! Even if it's the last thing I do!] I swore.

Aiming the Exit Point right in front of that rapist, I initiated Blink.

-SLIRDCH!

-GLK!

His eyes opened wide in utter disbelief as I reappeared right in front of him and plunged my Karambit into his throat with all my might.

But he was still… an adventurer.

-SLIRDCH!

-AAAAHHHH!

Even with a stabbed throat, he japed the Gladius into my stomach, thrusting the blade through me, multiplying the pain and dizziness by thousands.

Fresh blood flooded my throat once again. The shock of the sudden stab almost took my consciousness again.

/Not now, Argus! FINISH HIM! /

-AAHHHHHAA!

With a desperate war-cry, I 'Flickered-Out' the Cross-Bow handgun and shot a bolt right into his eye at point-blank range while at the same time, I twisted the Karambit to my right before swinging it out of his throat.

That was my last straw, whatever strength I had, was used now.

That rapist's limp-dead body fell on the floor alongside mine.

Fresh Blood gushed out my sword stuck stomach.

My eyelids now weighed tons.

I wanted to sleep. I needed to sleep.

/Get up now, Argus! If you faint now… You'll never get up! /

I struggled... but in the end, i still lost and my eyes slowly closed.

And that's when it happened again.

The same feeling I got when I almost pierced Lili's head with that spear.

But this time it was also different.

Unlike last time, my body was taken over by the absolute need to survive and a crack opened somewhere deep within me.

/Argus! It's all becoming dark again! Whatever it is just don't let it consume you! And- / 'HER' voice cut off before going silent.

The only thing that remained in my head was survival.

Survival no matter what it took.

No matter what I had to do.

-AHHGHAA!

With a shout, I somehow managed to get up.

I knew I didn't have much time. I had just recovered from 5 stabs in the same spot I now have a sword stuck in. This kind of blood loss is enough for anyone to...

Dragging my lead-filled feet I struggled my way towards Lili's bag, leaving a trail of fresh blood with every step i took.

Smearing blood on it, I zipped open the bag's first chain and took out a glimmering green veil along with a small container with white pills in it.

Limping beside the bag I then gripped the hilt of the sword plunged into my stomach, with a heart begging to stop beating.

-LKIRRRRRRCH!

-AHHHH!

Horrifying screams filled the quiet darkroom as I slowly pulled the blade out while blood began gushing out at an alarming rate.

Letting go of the sword, I hurriedly opened the lid of the potion and the pain killers.

A mouthful of blood poured out my mouth as I opened my lips in order to drink the potion along with three blood-stained pills.

Gulping half of it with some blood, I poured the rest directly on the gaping hole in my stomach, hoping for the best. I had done all I could've.

And a second later, my body returned to me and I almost immediately lost consciousness again. But, not before hearing some strange incomprehensible whispers coming out of the 2nd floor's entrance.