Was this the afterlife? Aziz wondered, his thoughts muddled and disoriented.
The darkness around him felt all too familiar, like the pit he had been thrown into. Slowly, he brought his hands up to his face, feeling the warmth of his skin.
Alive?
He was alive.
The realization sent a jolt through his foggy mind, but confusion quickly followed.
His hands scrambled down to his leg, tracing the area where the snake bite should have been. Yet, there was nothing—not exactly nothing.
Two tiny indentations marked his calf, the only remnants of what should have been a fatal wound, as if it had already scarred.
"How is this possible?" Aziz whispered shakily, his voice barely audible.
Had he survived the poison? Or was his mind playing cruel tricks on him?
It had to be the latter—he was still in the pit, and it was driving him mad, eating away at his sanity.
His thoughts spun in circles until a sudden burst of light shredded the darkness, flooding the pit.
Aziz recoiled, scuffling back into the corner, shielding his eyes from the blinding light.
Nervously, Aziz squinted up at the figures standing above him. The same two men, their black masks and robes making them indistinguishable shadows even in the sun's light.
Something was off—Aziz's gaze darted to the sun's position.
Surely enough time had passed for the sun to have moved, or was it already a new day? But no, something in the back of his mind screamed that wasn't the case.
Something was terribly wrong, and he couldn't quite grasp it. The men remained unchanged, their masks concealing their identities, their forms dark and unilluminated.
"He's probably the weakest of all the batch, Captain. The boy won't last long," one of them said, the shorter of the two, his tone detached, echoing in Aziz's mind like a bad dream.
A lump formed in Aziz's throat, a powerful sense of déjà vu washing over him, almost sending his mind reeling.
"Then soon enough, we will have to retrieve a carcass, won't we? Come, let us check the other recruits."
Aziz's heart pounded as the light began to fade, just as it had before. Panic seized him, and he scrambled forward, standing abruptly as the darkness threatened to envelop him again.
He stared up at the man in the mask, unable to comprehend what was happening.
What is this? Am I going mad? He was certain this wasn't the first time hearing those words.
"Look at that, Captain. The boy is already broken. Useless village mutts," the subordinate sighed, his words biting into Aziz's confusion.
"Show your worth, boy, if you want to live," the masked, blue-eyed man commanded, dropping a satchel into the pit.
It landed on the floor with a dull thud. Aziz froze as the light vanished once more, the oppressive darkness swallowing him whole.
He stood there, alone in the void, his mind racing.
What is going on? The same question spun around in his head like a relentless storm.
Something had changed, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Slowly, he knelt down, feeling around for the satchel.
Dread settled in his stomach as he opened it—stale bread. The same smell, the same texture.
I'm going mad, he muttered, his voice trembling.
This was becoming a habit—talking to himself, trying to cling to some semblance of reality.
He bit into the bread again, chewing slowly, deliberately.
It felt real, tasted real, just as it had before. But as he replayed the events in his mind, his blood ran cold.
If this was all happening again, then wouldn't that snake come back?
The thought sent him scrambling back to the wall, heart pounding in his chest.
It can't be. This is impossible.
Hiss.
"Curses."
The word slipped from his lips.
It was real alright.
It was all happening again.
Aziz blinked, trying to focus on his surroundings. Slowly, he began to make out two dim, purple orbs low to the ground, slithering toward him.
Hiss.
It took a moment for the realization to sink in—he could see. The pit was no longer an impenetrable black void. He could faintly make out the contours of his cube-like prison, the shapes and shadows that defined it. And the threat looming ever closer, the snake's eyes glowing in the darkness.
Hiss.
Aziz stared back into those merciless eyes, now able to see the snake clearly as it moved toward him, its intent unmistakable. If he didn't act, he would die.
But this time, he had an advantage. He could see it coming.
Maybe he could use the pouch to cover its head? No.
That wouldn't work, the pouch was far too small to cover it, Aziz needed to think of something.
He nodded to himself, steeling his nerves. He would have to grab it by the neck. Fang Mountain Village had its fair share of dangers, and handling snakes was a necessary skill for survival. He moved slowly, inching closer to the snake, estimating where its neck would be.
If only Pa was here, saddened at the thought Aziz tried to shake it off.
This snake was unlike anything he had ever seen. The purple eyes that saw the soul of any man. The black scales forged in the nether-realm.
A mistake now would be fatal.
The snake hissed louder, sensing that its prey wasn't as helpless as it had first thought. The hunt would not be easy this time.
Without warning, Aziz pounced, his hands aiming for the snake's neck.
"You're mine!" he roared, leaping forward.
In his desperation, he had misjudged his own condition. The surge of adrenaline had blinded him to his body's protests.
His ribs screamed in agony at the sudden movement, causing him to stumble and cry out in pain.
Fool.
He had exposed himself.
The snake didn't hesitate, striking with lightning speed. Its fangs sank into his neck, and Aziz's eyes bulged as the venom flooded his system, now dangerously close to his vital organs.
He gasped for air, his hands clawing at the wound as the snake quickly retreated, its work done.
The torturous pain returned, searing through his body like wildfire. This time, Aziz was certain he was dying as he writhed on the ground, every nerve screaming in agony.
His vision blurred, the dark outlines of the pit fading into oblivion. This time, he was sure of it. This time, he was dead.
Aziz's vision wavered as he teetered on the edge of consciousness, his body convulsing violently.
Not again.
Not this nightmare of death and pain repeating.
Before he could slip away, before the final breath left his body, those deep purple eyes appeared again, glowing in the dark, staring at him unblinking.
Hiss.
The dark mist returned, curling around his thoughts, suffocating him in its embrace. Aziz gasped, his eyes snapping open as the darkness swallowed him whole once more, dragging him down into its depths.
The cycle beginning again.