As the white light faded away, I felt my vision fading too.

The darkness was creeping closer and closer to me and my breath was getting weaker and weaker.

I tried to speak, but the words were stuck in my throat.

My hands shivered as I lay, but the gummy blood stuck on them meant that they didn’t twitch as much as they would have.

The air smelled pungent from the stink of metal, sweat, and despair - a mixture that spoke of the dead and dying.

I was the latter.

Then I heard the sound of feet scampering over.

Suddenly new strength filled me and I gasped out the word, “Hel-p.”

Then a voice that sounded like it belonged to a distinguished gentleman sounded out,

“Hmm, very badly wounded. Probably will die. But rules are rules, and so boy! What is your wish?”

Blinking my eyes, I tried to see the figure, but it remained blurry and indistinct.

“Mmh, can’t hear me. This is problematic.” Clapping his hands, he murmured a few words and then exclaimed, “Let me try again,” and saying so, the voice thundered out, “Boy! What is your wish!”

Wish… the word swam in my mind.

I wish to see Sia.

I wish to see everyone.

But for that, I have to live.

Even more than that, I remembered what Sia had said. I had to be an immortal and so I croaked out, “Immo-Immortal, I wan-t to be an Immortal”

“Immortality?!” the voice cried out.

“Difficult, so difficult. But rules are rules. What do I do, oh what do I do? I can’t give you immortality, boy, but I can start you off with healing. However, the price is the most priceless thing you possess.”

Almost unconscious, I managed to nod slightly, and then the voice whispered words I could not understand and a searing pain flowed through every part of my body, igniting it into fire.

I screamed out, and I screamed until my voice turned hoarse.

Then I screamed out again until blood started coming out of my mouth.

But my screams didn’t stop.

For as the blood flowed, the damage was being undone.

My body shone with a bright red light, which surrounded me like a cocoon, and it pulsed as though it was a heart.

Inside the cocoon, black and gold lines began running up my wrists, my hands, my shoulders, my legs, my chest, and my back - until it covered my entire body, and then it changed into red lines that were as dark as black ink which seared into my body yet again.

By now, my world was one of pain. Unimaginable pain. The likes of which I had never, ever felt in my life.

And I had to endure it for what seemed like an eternity.

At some point, the pain had become a constant companion of mine and my mind was numb to it.

After some more time, it almost felt pleasant, like something that you treasure and keep beside you all the time.

However, I must have jinxed myself, for if the pain before was a gentle stream, then right now it was a raging sea with a thunderous storm.

The cocoon violently expanded as the red lines became thicker and thicker until they covered every part of my skin.

The pain was as though lightning was striking into me repeatedly without pause and the interval between the strikes - even though it was almost nothing - seemed to shorten even further until there was only suffering and torture every single moment that passed.

Quivering and head jerking about, my tongue lolled out and my eyes were shaking in their sockets erratically while my limbs spasmed inside the cocoon.

Then, finally, the cocoon receded into my body and I collapsed onto the floor bonelessly.

I heard the sound of soft footsteps come near, and then a hairy hand reached down and lifted my head up before raising my eyelid and examining it closely.

I knew none of that, however, as my eyes rolled up in their sockets and I lost consciousness.

I awoke to bright light streaming in and lifting my head. I gazed at a vast horizon.

Awed, I looked at the strange grass that coated the scenery as it danced in the wind and then, horrified; I clutched my bed as it shook and looking down; I realized I was on top of a very tall tree.

Not moving a muscle, I stayed motionless, waiting for the tree to stop swaying and then with a rustle of what I now understood were leaves and not grass, the foliage was thrust apart and a diminutive human...oid creature with hair...no, fur, which coming out from everywhere - including its face - stood in front me.

Then the voice of the distinguished gentleman I had heard before sounded out.

“You seem to be doing quite well. It didn’t take you more than two months to wake up. Quite impressive really, considering what you purchased.”

“Purchased?” I asked slowly as I gazed at the beast that I was sure was called a monkey, though why I knew that I did not know.

“Indeed. You traded your most priceless thing to me and in exchange, you have obtained healing.”

“Most precious thing? Healing? I don’t remember?” I said, confused.

“Naturally you don’t! After all, the most precious thing to you were your memories, and I have taken them all away.”

“Memories?” I asked dully.

“Memories,” the monkey replied casually.

“What!” I roared out.

“You took what away from me!” I cried out again.

Clutching his hands over his large ears, the monkey looked at me with a displeased expression before saying, “I do wish you didn’t shout. I’m right next to you and I can hear perfectly well, thank you very much.”

Ignoring his words, I suppressed the growing panic within me along with the desire to strangle the monkey and, gritting my teeth, forced out the words, “You-took-my-memories?”

Speaking carefully and slowly as though he was talking to an idiot, the monkey replied, “I-took-your-memories.”

Then, nodding in satisfaction, he was about to turn when I grabbed him.

The next second I froze as a blade appeared at my throat and the monkey gazed at me with anger.

“One. Do not touch me. Two, I highly suggest you calm down or I will be forced to test my blade against your healing.”

Mutely, I blinked my eyes in affirmation and the monkey relaxed his grip before taking the blade away.

Raising a hand and rubbing my throat, I found a thin line that even as I touched it, disappeared as new skin formed.

Awed, I looked at the monkey.

“My healing?” I questioned.

“Yes. You traded your memories for that, after all. I had to start you somewhere, didn’t I.” The monkey said impatiently before continuing with a groan, “Oh, these rules shall be the death of me!”

Silently, I looked at him while my thoughts churned.

Then I said, “I remember how to speak and I remember things from before, so what memories did you take from me?”

Waving his hand, the monkey muttered, “Why would I take those useless things? What I wanted were the things that you valued. So I took them.”

Slowly, I spoke, “Can you give them back?”

The monkey immediately shook its head and said, “Once exchanged, it cannot be taken back. No exceptions. If anything, I am the most respectable trader you will find in this forsaken place.”

Face darkening, I glared at the monkey, who clapped his hands and said.

“Oh look, you’re almost about to reach your destination. But time is running out, so shouldn’t you be getting along?”

Startled, I looked at him pleadingly to explain what he meant.

Relenting, he said, “Your trials are not yet over. Your memories were more precious than I expected and so you have one more choice to make.”

Saying so, he conjured a piece of paper on which names of animals and their traits were written.

Taking the paper and slowly reading it, I said aloud,

“Rat - Charming and witty.

Tiger - Courageous and dignified

Rabbit: compassionate and sincere

Dragon: fearless and ferocious.

Snake: generous and charming.

Horse: independent and energetic.

Sheep: Kind and peaceful.

Monkey: fun, suave, incredibly charismatic, and the most trustworthy of them all.

Rooster: hardworking and communicative.

Dog: patient and diligent

Pig: Loving and tolerant

Ox: strong and stubborn.”

Eyes twitching as I read the description describing the monkey - I looked at the monkey in front of me, who looked back innocently.

Then I kept reading and when I reached the pig, I winced, thinking back to how I was beaten into a pig’s head by... that’s strange... who did it? Why can’t I remember?

Then slapping my head, I glared at the monkey, who looked away and began whistling.

Shaking my head, I read through the list one more time and then asked the monkey, “are there more?”

Seeming to consider something, the monkey then shook his head decisively as it said, “No, these are the only choices available to you and in fact, it has come to my attention that a mistake has been made,” and leaning forward, he struck off the dragon from the list.

Speechlessly, I stared at him as the Dragon was what I was going to select, given that I was a scion of... wait.. why did I want to select the Dragon again?

Then I read over the list again and then I said, “the traits are there, but how does that help me in my selection?”

Peering at me, the monkey put on spectacles and assumed the role of a professor before smoothly launching into an explanation. “It doesn’t help you in the slightest. The choice you make is just your selection of a path. As for what you get?” Here the monkey shrugged before continuing, “What you get is up to what you want the most.”

Lecture over, the monkey took off his spectacles and looked at me expectantly.

Hesitantly, I asked, “Any further information?”

“None!” the monkey replied immediately.

“What about any tips?”

“Do not waste my time,” the monkey said frankly.

Eyes bulging, I glared at him, and the monkey continued speaking and clarified, “Or your time, for that matter. You’re anyway running out of it.”

Scanning the list one more time, I gritted my teeth and shouted out, “The ox!”

Looking at me severely, the monkey shouted back, “Will you stop shouting! Also, are you sure you want the ox?”

I nodded resolutely.

Grinning with schadenfreude, the monkey snapped his fingers, and the paper disappeared from my hands.

Then he said, “Do try to live, won't you?”

Confused, I was about to ask him what he meant when he kicked me in the stomach and I went flying off the tree and toward the ground, insides churning in panic.

Screaming out, I was about to crash into the ground when a white light similar to the one that brought me here enveloped me, and I vanished the same way I came.