Darkness.
I could hear someone calling.
"Kid… kid…"
I was suddenly jerked awake.
My body was lying in the swamp. Fire was still burning around us, spreading across the swamp water.
Pain exploded through the left side of my body.
My ribs.
My shoulder.
My hands.
Everything hurt.
My ears were ringing so badly that I couldn't even make out the words being spoken near me.
I tried to move my head, but the trembling wouldn't stop.
My eyes searched desperately for Rusty.
I found him lying nearby.
He had fallen onto his side.
Slowly, I pushed myself up.
My legs almost gave out.
Then—
Slap!
Something struck my face.
My eyes snapped open.
Black Snake was staring at me.
"Kid. Let's move before they regain."
I blinked several times, trying to clear my vision.
Before I could respond, Rusty came toward me.
I immediately noticed his left side.
A large wound ran across it, blood still flowing from the injury.
"Rusty…"
I tried to reach for him.
"Not now."
Black Snake grabbed me before I could move.
He threw me onto Rusty's back and pulled the reins toward himself.
Then he picked up my spear and handed it to me.
I tried to grip it.
My hand was trembling violently.
I couldn't even tell if I was holding it properly.
The pain wasn't stopping.
Black Snake struck the back of Rusty.
Rusty raised his front legs.
Then he started running.
The lizardmen around us were in chaos.
Some were injured.
Others were still trying to understand what had happened.
Rusty charged through them.
Black Snake moved behind us.
Then—
He suddenly moved forward.
He didn't stop.
Slowly, more lizardmen began chasing us.
But none of them managed to attack.
Rusty kept running.
I wasn't even really riding him anymore.
My entire body had gone limp.
I simply slumped over his back.
Black Snake moved from tree to tree ahead of us, using the forest as cover.
I forced myself to keep my eyes open.
My entire body was screaming at me.
I had felt pain before.
But now…
I finally understood what real exhaustion felt like.
We had been running for more than an hour.
Eventually, Black Snake stopped.
"Kid."
"You did good."
I couldn't hear him clearly.
My ears were still ringing.
I tried to hold out the reins with my trembling hand.
But my strength suddenly disappeared.
I was still holding my spear in my right hand.
The reins slipped from my other hand.
My body fell from Rusty's back.
I landed heavily on my right side.
Rusty collapsed as well, gasping desperately for air.
I tried to open my mouth.
Only a cough came out.
Then blood spilled from my mouth.
I looked toward Black Snake.
Then I pointed out towards the saddle with my shaking left hand
H e understood.
He was already reaching into Rusty saddle.
He pulled out two remaining healing potions, I saved.
Black Snake opened one potion and carefully poured it into my mouth.
I swallowed slowly, coughing several times as the potion went down.
The second potion was given to Rusty.
I watched as Black Snake treated his wounds.
Then everything became dark again.
When I opened my eyes again, I could see the sky.
Small stars were scattered across it.
I turned my head.
Rusty was nearby.
A makeshift bandage had been wrapped around his wounds.
A small fire burned beside him.
Black Snake was sitting nearby.
He looked toward me.
"You're alive, kid."
I tried to open my mouth.
Nothing came out.
"Rest."
"I'll keep watch."
I closed my eyes again.
When I opened them once more, the sun was already above us.
For a moment, I simply stared at the sky.
It felt strange.
We weren't in the same place anymore.
The ground beneath me was dry.
We had moved away from the swamp and onto more solid land.
I tried to move my hand.
Pain immediately shot through my entire body.
Especially the left side.
Even the slightest movement sent sharp pain through my ribs.
My hands were still shaking.
My legs felt almost useless.
I wanted to stop the trembling.
But I couldn't.
So I continued using the beast-breathing technique.
Even though every breath caused more pain.
I didn't stop.
If I stopped now, I might not be able to recover quickly enough.
Black Snake suddenly spoke.
"You did good, kid."
I turned toward him.
He was sitting against a tree.
Now that I could see him clearly, I noticed something I hadn't seen before.
His left sleeve was burned away.
Several leaves and strips of green cloth were wrapped around his arm.
His right leg was also injured and partially wrapped.
I blinked.
"You're… injured too?"
Black Snake looked at me.
I stared at him for a moment.
Then I finally asked—
"What is your name?"