My Last Chance [Made in Abyss Fanfiction]

12| Life Seeker

Thud!

I sit on the floor after my legs have given out, slumped against the wall as my head spins wildly. I can hardly comprehend the blood leaking from my nose while utter exhaustion has flooded me. The blurry, black shape of Bondrewd leans down to me, my eyes barely able to fix on the hazy purple line down his mask.

"Oh dear, I may have pushed you a tad harder than I intended... My most sincere apologies, young Sovereign. Perhaps it would be for the best that we stop for the day, lest your brain or another part of you begins to hemorrhage." I grit my teeth and nod, hardly able to bring myself to move with how much everything's spinning around me.

Bondrewd helps me up into a chair, where he gives me a damp cloth to wipe my nose along with a cup of water. I don't doubt the chunk of ice floating in it has been sourced from somewhere outside, and drinking the water somewhat brings my wits back to me. Still, I hold my head in my hands, rubbing my aching temples.

"It seems you have lasted longer than your first few attempts at this exercise..." Bondrewd looks over a pad of paper he's been writing on for the past few days since we started this. "However, you weren't disabled for as long either, so I'm unsure whether to classify this as an improvement or not."

"I-it's a different development, at least," I groan. Bondrewd nods and makes a few more notes before setting the papers aside.

"How are you feeling now? Headache, weakness, numbness or tingling in your limbs, nausea?"

I shake my head, lifting my head. "Just a headache, but I always get one after pushing myself during this." Saying "always" seems hyperbolic, but I've been working at this with Bondrewd for almost a week now, and the nosebleeds and headaches are present every time.

"Then there seems to be no reason to examine you for brain hemorrhage, but of course alert Enri or Scirorocco if something feels off at any point." Bondrewd crosses the room to open the door. "Now, I've kept you from your mentor for long enough. Or would that also include Iann if you're speaking to him today as well?"

"That would be tomorrow, but th-thank you, though the apology isn't needed." I'd worry for Melva being left alone even more since I've been in a session once a day, but Bondrewd has tasked Enri with giving my mentor therapy for her ankle. Therapy isn't exactly needed for a minor fracture, but she's been off it for nearly a month now. She did insist on strengthening herself again, though I have a sneaking suspicion for why she wanted to extend our stay here.

"Very well. Do you need help walking?" I turn down his offer for help and manage to get to my feet without much issue, following him out into the hall and bidding him farewell for the afternoon. I only need to glance at my map once before successfully navigating my way back to the room, having finally started to memorize my usual routes.

I can hardly believe we've been here a few days shy of a month. At this rate, we'll indeed be here for over that time. How long would a month equate to on the surface? A month on the Fourth Layer equaled about two on the surface with the Second Layer about halving that, so... Could it have already been four months? That possibility makes my head spin. I can't help but wonder what the others are doing up in Orth, but I push the thoughts away. Thinking about them only makes me miss them more.