“Hey! Wait. What the heck just..”


    I blink disoriented, suddenly more than alive.


    “Markus! Where are you! Acid! Now!” Old man yells and his voice gets stronger as he approaches me closer.


    Ah, crap.


    My immobile arms are quickly sweeping the ground, trying to locate the gun. I turn my head back a few times to check if anyone is approaching.


    Fuck! Where is it? It clanged against the tower wall or not? At least I think so.


    I do two or three huge steps towards the bushes in front of the tower it was yoinked in.


    <hr>


    “Do you need any help?”


    Turning around quickly I see that Harald is already standing behind me, watching me, but keeping his distance.


    “N-no. I’m all done."


    "Thank you.” I answer.


    Shit, I must not forget where it was. Dragging my foot deep in the ground while turning I make a deep scratch pointing to the probable gun location. It may or may not help, but this is the best I can do to not raise suspicion.


    I have a feeling he would not like me killing myself.


    "Come boy, we need to hurry. Astrid''s time is about ten minutes." He rushes while looking at his old digital watch, pressing a button turning on blue backlight.


    <hr>


    "Ugh, ugh."


    *Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale* Astrid hyperventilates as Mike is holding her tight, Harald carefully drips the acid.


    *Hiss*


    *Muffled screams*


    <hr>


    She is doing very well, the screams are done and Mike wipes sweat from her forehead.


    Then he lets her rest in his arms and the old man prepares for another procedure.


    “Do you want to bite into something?” He asks and offers me a piece of rag.


    I nod worriedly and open my mouth.


    Yuck! That dry cloth sucks all the liquid from my mouth quickly, extremely unpleasant, but the following would be even worse.


    *Drop, drop*


    *Loud hissing*


    "Tschk!" I try to hold it together, avoiding screams.


    The tremendous pain from my hands quickly shoots to my brain and all I can do is silently roar with the rag on. A lot of saliva is released and the dry cloth is fully soaked now.


    My eyes are closed tightly and I count seconds till it finally wears off.


    <hr>


    I let out an exhausted sigh, my gaze shifting to Harald and Astrid.


    “Are we going to do this shit every day?” I ask breathing heavily.


    Mike looks disgusted, yet I know he is glad he is not in the same boat with us.


    I look old man in the eye with another wave of desperation after seeing my hands.


    “Just shoot me." I whisper.


    After a short silence, a heavily breathing girl adds.


    "Me too!"


    “No!"


    "We can’t afford to waste our lives! I’ve wasted more than enough of mine!"


    "I’d rather crawl with only one arm left and still fight!” He looks in the distance, flames illuminating his slightly longer moustache than the rest of the stubble, looking like an experienced war general.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Gazing upon him from the ground, quite impressed, that he indeed inherited the gamer''s spirit.


    Grind as efficiently as you can and boost your numbers.


    <hr>


    We sit there quietly around the fire and I keep gazing in the flames and think.


    After all, maybe there is a treatment for my hands?


    I should probably push it till it’s indeed unbearable and then act.


    I''m gonna take the green berry before I sleep and maybe there will be some help in the settlement.


    Who or what threw the dagger?


    Again this would be a long night, full of thinking.


    I notice that even Mike is looking at me and he feels bad for me, not to mention Astrid and Harald.


    “Wanna help with drink or food?” They ask me with caution.


    “No, I’m all set. I’ll be going to rest now.”


    I end my time near the fire, walk towards my makeshift bed and tediously slip into the pile of leaves from before.


    Quick sleep now and I hope I will get up soon enough and go to retrieve my gun.


    <hr>


    My eyes open abruptly as I wake up from a bad dream; The dream of a humanoid hiding in the bushes behind the tower. Pink flesh, empty eyes.


    A shiver runs down my spine.


    Breathing heavily with a sweaty forehead I check the camp. Only the glowing charcoal is what’s left and the rest of the group is sleeping.


    That annoying snoring must be the old man, apparently since he has this hole in his cheek his snoring is even louder.


    The light provided by charcoal is barely able to illuminate my feet, but I try it anyway.


    Looking at my arms I acknowledge how terrible they are. They are swollen beyond recognition, almost all purple and dark blue. I guess the berry is doing something, but if this is right I''m not sure.


    With this pace I won’t be even able to fit my finger over the trigger.


    *Grrrr*


    Astrid wakes up and rolls over towards the fire. She opens her eyes and looks at me.


    “Mark?” She asks sleepy.


    “Astrid?” I whisper back at her.


    *Snap*


    She snaps her fingers and Pocco appears under her arm, she rests her hand on his fluffy head and continues to sleep.


    I tilt my head and look at the ghost cat which is completely ignoring everything, knowing why he was summoned.


    *Puff*


    After he''s gone I quietly get up and sneak out to retrieve my gun.


    I could’ve waited till the morning, but what if someone or something is planning on taking it?


    Frightened from the dream I keep turning back towards the sleeping party. I could''ve taken the black berry, but the effect would wear off somewhere around noon and my sleep would be inexistent.


    Few steps here and there and I’m finally at the location.


    I crouch and look on the ground searching for my mark. From a certain angle stars illuminate enough ground, so the smudge I made before is visible.


    Good.


    Panting and tapping on the ground and through the bushes I wait for the cold touch of metal.


    <hr>


    After a few dozens of seconds I’m able to retrieve it.


    Bingo!


    My glock, covered in mud, as it almost slips away from me again.


    I hide it tediously inside the inventory and walk quietly back to the camp.


    Throwing a bunch of sticks into the firepit I go to tug myself in my pile.


    Finally unbothered by the missing gun I begin to think about my situation.


    Fire starts to crackle and I feel cozy after a long time.


    If it wanted my gun it would’ve taken it already. It was definitely some metal object, it pushed the gun out of my hands and yoinked it in the distance, without a scratch on me or my hands.


    Why save me from a suicide if I will respawn anyway.


    Must be not aware of the system, maybe someone local?


    So little answers and new questions arrive every single day.


    All this chaos and thoughts is not any help for my sleep schedule and possible healing.


    There is probably one way to force it.


    Two birds with one stone.


    I need to find out if using all my powers at once drains my energy to zero even faster, then where is the limit of hardening vs focus and finally if I can call for the well of power somehow.


    Few deep breaths and I manually release a small amount of power from my core to my right forearm, pumping and swelling my veins and muscles. The fire starts to burn and I can see my arm well, aiming it against the flames.


    I know it works well by the looks and I’m starting to get heated up from within.


    Now the power of hardening. I activate the second power while focusing on my forearm.


    It goes a bit numb again and by that I know it has been successfully activated.


    Well, I’m kinda starting to feel exhausted, or is it a placebo? At least now I can faint freely and fall asleep.


    How dumb I was testing this while lifting the damn Hummer. I shake my head over my own stupid decision.


    Now, back to the inner power. It’s time to release more!


    I gaze at the forearm and release more power manually.


    Nothing.


    Maybe even more? I focus as hard as possible, my eyes are starting to slowly close.


    “No! Stay awake!” I grunt and if it wasn’t for the crackling fire and snoring Harald I would’ve woken up everyone.


    “More power!” My forearm is getting extremely hot and I can feel the heat radiating from it towards my face.


    No swelling, nothing is happening. How is that even possible? Hardening cannot be that overpowered! Where is the limit?!


    “More!”


    I feel the stamina draining from my body and the world starts to get darker.


    In a rush I whisper for the last trick to test.


    "Well of power, activate!"


    <hr>


    “Glorious lord! What a beauty.”


    I close my eyes as the light shining at my face is too strong.


    I faint at that moment.