Chapter 523 - Switch (2)

I found myself facing the ceiling of a familiar infirmary inside a grand room. There was no mana in this room, showing the others had made it to the mansion. My head throbbed as I tried to sit down, wanting to rise from my current position. I eventually gave up when the pain in my stomach returned, making it impossible to move.

Instead, I decided to check if my mana recovered, inhaling a deep breath in the process. However, I was disappointed when I felt less mana in my body. Finding around one quarter swirling and responding to my calls while the rest stayed silent. I was stunned, realizing that Luke had actually sealed three quarters of my mana while I was unconscious. He was too cruel when I had bought them extra time to escape.

I couldn't stay in this place anymore, pushing myself to move. Ignoring the pain inside my head, I started to roll out of the bed, tugging out all the machines attached to me. Although I dropped out the bed, it was a start to my escape. I covered my mouth when hearing footsteps coming towards the door, choosing to roll under the bed to hide from them. I didn't want to face these monsters anymore, touching my precious mana supply.

Since I knew the sounds of my breathing would reveal my location, I began to hold my breath once they opened the door. I lived such a pitiful life, always inside the infirmary for a card that would be effective two years from now. My fourteenth birthday passed by with bȧrėly any changes from the previous years. I didn't receive any presents, except for a longer study session than usual.

"Rika should be inside the room, none of the alarms went off," Luke started to search for me.

"What is she even thinking?" Alex helped him.

My eyes widened, not believing the amount of their distrust towards me. How could they actually put alarms in the room? If I had opened the windows, it was likely they would have rushed here sooner. Maybe I should have stayed inside the bed, being possible that they placed a tracker to see when I left it. I squeezed my eyes after noticing someone was beginning to check under the bed. I was helpless when that person pulled me out, sighing while placing me back.

"She was under the bed?" Alex's voice was full of surprise.

Luke nodded his head when I slightly opened one of my eyes. It was better to pretend to sleep to escape from this whole mess. I didn't want to talk to them, bȧrėly seeing them as human beings anymore. Going through the entire fight again, I found Charlotte to be a better person than anyone in Luke's family. While she tried to kill me with her attacks, she never took my mana away.

"I know you're awake Rika," Luke stared at me.

"I don't mind if you don't answer me, but I don't want you leaving the bed again," he sat down on a chair beside the bed.

"Should we chain her to the bed?" Alex suggested.

"Are you serious?" I immediately opened my eyes.

"I'd rather die than being chained to the bed," I struggled to rise.

"Rika won't be able to move anyways if we decrease the ratio of the painkillers mixed in," Luke started to adjust the machines.

"How could you?" I found them being extremely cruel.

"You already sealed three quarters of my mana and it isn't enough?" I started to shout.

"You're still alive thanks to us," Alex had no guilt in his eyes.

"You should've left me to die!" I felt it would be better.

"We can always decrease the ratio further," Luke began to threaten me.

"I'm sorry for being reckless. I know you did your best to save me," I instantly muttered, not wanting more pain.

Immediately after my prayer, I began to cough, my heart feeling like it was being crushed. My head throbbed like a drum being hit, eventually shattering into many pieces before it crushed back together again. A bright light started to fill me, expanding into the rest of the room. Luke's eyes widened, unable to do anything as the light temporarily blinded him. I screamed as everything in my body was tearing apart and merging simultaneously.

Why did everything have to be so painful? I gasped for more air, finding my lungs being constricted. Kicking the blankets to help with the pain, I wanted everything to end. My vision was filtered by red, the whole room dripping into the same shades. The person I met wasn't God, but a demon in disguise. With my voice almost lost from the desperate screaming, I struggled to mentally cope as the torture continued for hours.

"If there is anyone out there listening to me, please save me. I want to live without any pain," I whispered out my last words.