Elias sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his trembling hands. A faint tingling sensation crept up his arms, spreading like fire under his skin. He winced, trying to ignore the sensation, but it grew stronger until his muscles stiffened entirely.
"Warning: poison flare detected," the system's monotonous voice echoed in his mind. "Avoid physical strain. Attempting to counteract effects... ineffective."
"I know!" Elias snapped aloud, his voice cracking in frustration. He doubled over, clutching his chest as pain radiated through his body. Each flare was worse than the last, leaving him gasping for breath and drenched in cold sweat.
It had been a week since he had awakened in this dark, isolated chamber. A week of battling his own body as it rebelled against him.
The poison coursing through his veins felt like a living entity, one that flared up unpredictably, forcing him to his knees in agony.
