NEITH [Completed]

Chapter 50: Victory

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will.

-Mahatma Gandhi

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Naoki's Pov

Darkness, it swirled around me, slowly eating away my vision. My muscles became heavy, my breathing was off and I could feel my blood still leaving my body. At this rate I would be dead in about twenty to thirty minutes.

I clutched my fists. Bleeding slowly to death was not something I looked forward to. I still had so much more to do. Dying was not an option.

With a renewed sense of vigour I gathered all the strength I could to muster and stood up. I had to create fire fast. I gathered any burnable material I could find and started a fire outside the tent by reflecting the sunlight off my sword, a technique my father had taught me when I was a kid.

After I got the fire going I placed my dagger on it and waited till it glowed like the burning sun. I looked down at my cut. It stretched from my left rib nd went right across for 6-7 inches. If I hadn't dodged when I had my insides would probably be on the ground right now.

Once the dagger was hot enough I picked it up using a torn cloth. I held my breath. This was going to hurt, badly. Without looking at my wound I placed the hot dagger on it.

An unknown scream made it's way out of my mouth. The pain of the wound mixed with the burning pain of my flesh was more than I could bear to handle. I bit down my teeth to stop anymore screams from erupting. I continued the process again and again till I burned my entire cut. No matter how much I tried to control my screams they managed to slip out every single time, louder than the one before. Zen must have heard me and came galloping to where I sat. The stench of burnt flesh seemed to agitate him.

"It's alright boy. Calm down," I whispered. I seemed to have used up all my energy yet again. I felt sleep start to take over me but I punched myself in the face. I had to stay awake at all costs.

I forced myself to get up with the help of my sword and made my way to Zen.

"Zen please sit down. I can't climb you," I said. I wasn't sure if he would understand but I didn't have any energy to speak horse at the moment.

Somehow he seemed to get what I said and sat down. I climbed onto the saddle and he rose up but he almost threw me off his back in the process.

"Let's get back to camp," I said as I stroked his soft mane and he immediately set off, soreing through the sand like a cheetah on fire. When did he get so much energy from?

I was beginning to lose my consciousness again. I slapped myself to stay awake but this time it didn't seem to work. I slapped myself even harder but I couldn't stop the blackness from devouring my vision yet again.

No.. I had to stay awake. If I sleep now I might not wake up. I fought with all my might not to give in but unfortunately the darkness seemed to have won this time and I plundered onto the depth of darkness wondering if this truly was the end.

**********

Numb.

The first thing I felt was an odd numbness on the left side of my body. I also felt something cool and soothing there. Um.. I wondered what it could be. I tried to open my eyes but my head seemed to hurt when I moved my eyelids.

Why was my head hurting? Did I fall down and hit it or something? I tried to open them again very slowly this time and my head did hurt but it was bearable.