Chapter 14: Success, but…

“Aim higher! You gotta get its neck!” 

 

My sword, which was a monster-costume garbed baby a moment ago, instructed me. 

 

To my amazement, I was fighting. I was actually fighting the enormous goblin for real for the first time I entered the chamber. 

 

At the beginning of the test, I was basically just flailing my child’s sword around. My mind knew what to do, but my body refused to follow my orders. 

 

But now, somehow, things were looking up. I didn’t know why or how, but I felt stronger and lighter. My left hand was still grossly useless, but the new sword in my right hand was doing far better than what I could do with both of my arms earlier. 

 

Oh my sword! 

 

This new weapon of mine was slicing up the goblin like an experienced butcher with a newly sharpened knife. I bitterly remembered the dollar store sword that almost killed me earlier. 

 

What a difference a good weapon could make! It was so good that somehow, it made me faster and more accurate. It was literally going to make the biggest difference in my LIFE! 

 

The sword ordered, “Duck! Duck again! Lower your body, and try to get closer!”  

 

I obeyed, and I snuck up behind the goblin again just like before. But this time, my aim was much truer when I managed to stick my sword into its neck. The sensation of the razor sharp blade cutting through its flesh and bone was heavenly. 

 

Thud.

Rolllll….

 

Panting heavily, I looked down at the disoriented expression on my enemy’s face. For the first time in my life, I was able to successfully behead a goblin. I was even more impressed with myself because this happened to be the biggest beast I have ever seen. 

 

Many different thoughts swarmed my head. Still inside the forest I thought was going to be my grave, I breathed in the scent of blood. 

My left hand still dangling, my right hand holding a sword that used to be a baby (I know, it sounds ridiculous), and my body covered in nasty wounds, I realized what had happened. 

 

Despite all odds and my own skepticism, I had passed the first floor test. 

 

***

 

Once my breathing normalized to provide more oxygen to my brain, the first emotion I felt wasn’t relief that I had survived the impossible. It also wasn't the shock or pride that I passed the test I thought I never could. And it definitely wasn’t curiosity about the inexplicable appearance of this puzzling baby/sword. 

 

The adrenaline rush still remained with me, thank goodness, which had to be why I wasn’t screaming bloody murder in pain. But all the adrenaline in the world was not going to be enough to numb the devastation I felt as I looked down at the ground right beside me.

 

On the dirty ground caked with mine and the dead goblin’s blood was my left hand. 

 

Somehow, my poor left paw managed to stick with me during the entire fight. I was so proud of the little guy hanging onto his mama so bravely.

 

But while I watched the goblin’s body glowing to form a gem, it finally gave in.  

 

My left hand had completely come off from my arm. I can tell you the exact second it happened because I clearly felt the last chunk of skin rip off and my left side suddenly feeling lighter. 

 

I refused to look at my left arm. I just couldn’t. 

 

Listen, I’m not some squeamish child who needs to cover my eyes whenever a gruesome scene is playing in a movie. I enjoyed horror and gore just like any normal red-blooded young woman living in Canada.

 

But I wasn’t ready to see the mutilation my own body suffered. Just looking at my hand lying limp on the ground was enough for me to realize that despite having passed the dreaded test, my war was over. 

 

I was a quarter of a Rhombic to begin with when I had both hands, so how was I supposed to fight with just one hand? 

 

“Maybe get a hook. I think you would look smashing with a nice silver one. I might know a guy.” 

 

My mind went blank when I heard her voice. It was coming from the sword I was still holding, and it was the same voice as that strange baby I saw earlier. My head jerked,  reminded again that the baby TURNED into a sword to help me win.

 

I had a million and one questions that suddenly exploded in my head, and I blurted out the very first thing I could think of. 

 

“...W…what are you?” I asked. 

 

“I’m…” 

 

The sword (or the baby?) sounded confused. It went quiet as if this was the hardest question it had ever been asked. It was odd how long it had to think about the answer before replying. 

 

“I’m with you.” 

 

That wasn’t exactly the question I asked, but her answer did confirm the fact that she was here for me. But of course, this only led to another million and two questions on my end. 

 

“Okay. So… can you tell me who you are?” 

 

“...I’m Gomi. That’s my name.”

 

Again, I wasn’t asking about her name. You guys heard my question, right? Am I going crazy, or did this sword have a hearing problem? 

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Our conversation was going nowhere. We haven’t even been talking for a long time, but I was already beginning to feel frustrated. Pardon my impatience, but  I was covered in wounds that were sure to get infected, and my hand was rolling on the ground looking all grimy. 

 

It looked just like the piece of dirt-covered rawhide I found in the backyard when I was little. My old dog, a gorgeous yellow lab, used to enjoy hiding his snacks so he could enjoy them later. 

 

I needed to get out of here. I needed to get to a healing center as soon as possible. All they could probably do was just provide the most basic treatments, but if I got there quick enough, I would still live. 

 

At this point, I had to be realistic. I wasn’t even entertaining the hopeless possibility that I would get my hand back. It was beyond depressing that I couldn’t afford those healing potions, which would have been my best bet. Although I didn’t even think even these liquids of gold could reattach my severed hand, I knew that they could still heal my battered body in the most effective way possible. 

 

So, the only option this impoverished girl had was to go to a free public healing center. 

 

This wasn’t the time to be chatting with a sword. 

 

I looked around in panic to see if I could find an exit. This was the very first time I had passed a test inside the Door, so I had no idea what was supposed to happen after you passed. 

 

Oh, wait! 

 

Suddenly, I remembered the RAC training. Yes, they did tell me something about this before. I shuffled through my memories, ignoring the headache and dizziness hammering my head, when I remembered RM’s instructions.

 

“The tests are different for every Rhombic, so I can’t tell you what you’ll face. But you will know what to do once you’re inside. Most of the time, it’s killing something. Now, when you’ve passed it, you will receive a Gift. You’ve all heard about the Gift, right? It comes in a box, and after you take it, you will be transferred out of the test chamber.”

 

Oh, that’s right! The Gift! Duh! 

 

I had forgotten all about it. 

 

I felt strange. Despite my muddled brain, I was still aware enough to realize how I was acting sloppy. I think the shock was finally getting to me. It had to be the physical and psychological trauma of what just happened that was making me panicked and giddy at the same time.  

 

And this thought made me feel even more hysterical. 

 

I looked around again in alarm, and this time, I searched for a box. 

 

“What are you looking for?” 

 

The sword asked me curiously, but I ignored her. It seemed like she didn’t even know what she was, so talking to her wasn’t going to help me at all. Time was of the essence, because I needed help. 

 

When I didn’t reply, the sword seemed a little peeved. Its voice turned a little irate as it asked, “Are you ignoring me? Hey! I’m right here! Hey! Pay attention to me!” 

 

Ugh. My ears were ringing badly, making things so much worse. I needed some quiet so that I could think. My body was quickly failing me, and soon, I knew I would faint. Only death awaited me after that. 

 

Where was this damn box?!

 

At this point, I didn’t even care about the Gift unless it was going to be the Miracle Potion. But this was highly unlikely as all the previous Miracle Potions were found in the 80th floor test or the Gamma-Class Pockets.

 

Based on what I have heard, the most I could expect was a nice gem or two at best. 

 

I look, and look, and look… This was not a large space, so why the hell couldn’t I see it? Was receiving the Gift supposed to be like a fucking hide-and-seek? 

 

I was searching frantically with my quickly-deteriorating eyes when the infuriating sword yelled. 

 

“Don’t you think you should reattach that hand of yours? I was obviously only joking about the hook thing. You should go get it now and put it back on.” 

 

“And how the hell am I supposed to ‘put it back on’? With some dirt? Goblin blood?!” 

 

I finally exploded. I don’t know where I was getting the energy to scream like this, but I did. I had to be nearing my end, yet here was a sword who was not only hindering my last chance at survival, but also doing its very best to make my last moment miserable. 

 

The sword gasped indignantly, well as indignantly as a sword could. 

 

“How dare you speak to me in that tone, young lady?! Just for that, I might attach your hand backward. That’ll teach you a lesson!” 

 

Young lady? And reattach it backward…? What? 

 

It took me a moment to process what I had just heard. But when I finally did, I yelled, “Did you just say you can reattach my hand?!” 

 

But before the annoying sword could respond, I suddenly caught a glimpse of  something coming down from above. 

 

The sword must have seen it too because it murmured, “Hey, was that what you were looking for so impatiently?”

 

Yes, it was. 

 

I was definitely looking for that gleaming box that was floating down toward me.

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