Summoning every ounce of strength within me, I struggled to my feet, despite the throbbing pain coursing through my body and the venomous snakes still viciously biting at my flesh. Driven by sheer willpower, I sprinted toward the door, my heart pounding in my chest. The gargantuan snake, sensing my escape, slithered menacingly in my direction, its eyes fixed on its prey. But I was too quick for it. I leaped across the door slamming it shut and shortly collapsed onto the ground, my body wracked with pain and exhaustion.
After regaining consciousness, I realized that some time had passed. My body felt completely drained as if all the energy had been sucked out of me. I tried to move my arms but they felt like they were made of lead, too heavy to be lifted, I forgot I had broken bones in the fight with the snake.
I looked around I was in a different place, everything around me just seemed peaceful. I was lying on a stone bed with a fresh wind landing on my body, as I slowly sat up and took in my surroundings, I realized I had been transported to a serene and beautiful forest. The sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting a warm glow on the vibrant green leaves and colorful flowers that surrounded me. Birds chirped melodiously in the distance, and a nearby stream babbled softly as it made its way over smooth rocks.
I felt a sense of calm wash over me as I breathed in the fresh, clean air and listened to the soothing sounds of nature. It was as if all my worries and stresses had melted away, replaced by a profound sense of peace and tranquility.
Wow, this is incredible! Just moments ago, I was on the brink of death as deadly venom coursed through my entire body. My left arm had even begun to crystalize! But now, I don't feel the excruciating pain felt before and I'm feeling much better than before - the pain has subsided and my arm is back to normal.
I noticed that I'd been cleaned, even though I was wearing the same clothes. I quickly searched for the necklace my parents gave me.
"it was gone!…"
I am confident that the necklace given to me by my parents was not lost during my fight with the serpent, nor was it destroyed. Its resilience is unparalleled as it has withstood blows from my fellow mates and elders during sparring sessions and training. Therefore, my only logical conclusion is that the item was taken by whoever or whatever brought me to this place.
A few moments ago
As Akpobor stumbled and fell to the ground in the dimly lit area beyond the door, all sound seemed to vanish in an instant, leaving behind a deafening silence. The darkness was so absolute that not even the serpent, which had been struggling to open the door just moments before, dared to venture further into this eerie realm. It quickly retreated to the safety of its own habitat, leaving Akpobor alone in this mysterious, foreboding place.
Oh, what's this?" an old voice resounded through the darkness. "A fascinating specimen, I see. His body is filled with the curse of the forest, causing it to crystallize. The curse has spread deeper into his body, and now his heart is semi-crystalized. The poison from the snakes is the only thing keeping him alive.
"Hmmm, what's that I see on his neck, a blue pearl on a circular surface glimmered in the darkness." the voice moved closer to the Akpobor and held the object in his neck, it was stunned, the blue pearl in the necklace was a sign of authority, to whoever it's considered worthy that person is considered royalty not of the forest alone but the whole of Nigeria.
Whenever this object was brought out the whole country landed in bloodshed just to earn it and here it was in the hands of an unknown little boy that's half dead already.
Since he has been chosen I can't leave him here to die like this, the only way to save him is for the pearl to be implanted in his heart to clear out the curse of crystallization and the deadly poison from his body, it also has to be removed quickly to stop his body from imploding from too much energy.
The old voice tore the dress from his heart area and made a cut in his chest with his fingernails only, this shows how strong the person was, Just the fingernails of the person could cut the part of the chest that is Crystallized but the full-power whip from the large snake's tail couldn't even scratch it.
His chest was opened like a knife slicing through tofu, and the pearl was embedded in his heart. The voice waited for minutes, but nothing happened, it continued waiting, and slowly the poison and the crystallization left the body all flowing in the direction of the heart.
"Finally it's done, the voice said as it saw the purple veins diminished and the poison going to the heart. But something else happened, instead of the poison and curse to flow into the pearl they all flowed into his heart.
His heart was crystallized completely, not the color of purple that it was, but of blue-grey, the purple color mixed with the venom which was green then mixed with the color of the pearl giving that color.
The voice was startled, 'this isn't possible' it said, if the pearl was known to be able to fuse with a person it would have long been the secret treasure of the royal family or it would have been taken from Nigeria. People had tried to connect it to themselves the chosen ones, by dropping blood on it, putting it in their skins but none of them succeeded but here and now the pearl has merged with this boy's heart.
I don't know if he's lucky or not, if the pearl hadn't merged with his heart and it was found out it would bring a bloody calamity upon Nigeria, but now it's merged in his heart and wouldn't be found unless his heart was cut open.
While the voice was speaking to itself, all the injuries Akpobor obtained in the fight were being healed, his bones being reforged like steel, his skin being refined glowing like a newly born child, unconscious Akpobor had crossed the second threshold of strength.