I tried to absorb the hits, but they landed deeper than I expected. Through the ether. Into the muscle. Into the bone.
Then one hit landed clean.
And everything went black.
Someone slapped me hard across the face, but I couldn't see who, there was a cover over my head.
Someone was standing in front of me. He lifted the bag off my face.
It was the same guy who knocked me out—No.13.
I asked him why he brought me here.
He replied, "It was willed by the one who's going to bring salvation to this world. The one who's going to stop all suffering."
I told him he was crazy.
He laughed at me and walked out of the room. A few moments later, he came back, with Suhee.
He took off her mask, leaned in, and started licking her face. Then he pulled out a knife and played with it near her cheek. Suddenly, he dropped it, and punched her in the gut.
Suhee vomited blood.
He didn't stop. Blow after blow landed, and I was forced to watch, knowing I couldn't do anything.
All I could do was scream. I was restrained.
Rage started building up. My blood boiled.
It was happening again.
And again, I didn't have enough power to save anyone.
Then suddenly,
Nothing.
Darkness again.
I woke up in a place filled with light.
Blinding, endless light.
Someone stood there. A figure appeared before me and asked, "Do you want power?"
Confused, I kept asking where I was, but he didn't respond.
The place felt familiar, yet so distant. I didn't know what to make of it.
I started walking, but no matter which direction I turned, it was all the same, endless light.
Then that figure appeared again.
"Sorry," he said. "I thought you understood me. I've been trying to communicate with you telepathically."
"I guess you don't know how to do that."
This time, I understood him.
I asked again where I was.
"You're here," he said.
"Where's here?"
"Inside," he replied. "Your mind."
I didn't understand. How could I be inside my mind? Where was my real body?
He told me that my desire for strength had been so overwhelming. It forced me to bring you here, to calm you down.
If I hadn't,
another tragedy would've happened.
Just like the one that made your parents abandon you."
Then he asked me again, "Do you want power?"
And without thinking, I replied, "Yes. Give me all the power you can, so I can protect the ones close to me."
He looked at me.
"Everything has a price," he said. "Even this."
To be continued...