NOVEL WEB Chapter 8: Penalty (2)
The hospital was quiet as the night shift nurses moved from room to room, their footsteps soft against the polished floors. Each patient they checked on was accounted for, their vitals stable. When they reached Room 217, however, something was amiss.
One nurse frowned as she opened the door. "He's not here," she said, scanning the room.
"Maybe he went to the bathroom?" suggested another.
But the bathroom light was off, and there was no sound of running water. The first nurse's concern deepened. "He's not supposed to be up and moving. He's still recovering."
They exchanged worried glances before one of them said, "We should tell the doctor."
…..
Mud clung to Xavier's legs as he sprinted through the dense swamp of the penalty zone. His chest heaved, his lungs felt like they were on fire, and his legs threatened to give out.
The Raging Golems roared behind him, their massive arms swinging with devastating force. A single missed strike from one of the golems obliterated a cluster of rotting trees nearby, the gust of wind from the impact sending splinters and debris flying.
"Why does this feel like I pissed off a god or something?!" Xavier cursed, dodging another swing. He glanced at the timer floating in the corner of his vision:
[Time Remaining: 03:01:12]
"Three more hours of this? You've got to be kidding me!" he groaned, sweat pouring down his face as he pushed himself harder.
….
Back at the hospital, the nurses were scouring the halls for any sign of Xavier. "This doesn't make any sense," one muttered, frustration in her tone.
They checked with other patients, but no one had seen him. One nurse hesitated before saying, "Maybe we should check the cameras."
"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"
"Do you have a better idea? He didn't just vanish."
Reluctantly, they made their way to the security office and began reviewing the footage.
…..
Xavier crouched behind a cluster of Joleen Trees, their twisted roots and dark bark offering meager cover. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath.
His body was screaming at him to stop. Every muscle burned, every joint ached, and his mind raced with regrets.
"Maybe I really will die here," he muttered bitterly. His gaze flicked to the system timer again:
[Time Remaining: 02:01:47]
He groaned, cursing himself for not doing the daily quest. "I mean, seriously," he whispered. "Who in their right mind would believe a floating screen telling them to do push-ups?"
The ground trembled, and Xavier froze. The footsteps of the golems grew louder. He pressed a hand over his mouth, willing himself to stay silent as fear clawed at his chest.
The silence stretched, and Xavier dared to hope they'd left. But that hope was shattered when the trees around him exploded, sent flying by a massive stone arm.
As the debris settled, Xavier turned his head slowly, his heart sinking. One of the golems was standing over him, its molten eyes glaring.
"Oh, come on!" Xavier screamed, scrambling to his feet and sprinting away as the golem roared and gave chase.
...
After nearly three hours of searching, the nurses were no closer to finding Xavier. They had combed through the halls, reviewed the camera footage, and even checked with the front desk. No one had seen him leave the building.
"We're out of options," one nurse said. "Let's check his room again. Maybe he came back while we were looking."
With heavy sighs, they made their way back to Room 217.
....
Xavier's body was at its limit. His legs wobbled with every step, and his vision blurred. He tripped over a rotten tree stump, landing face-first in the mud.
"Get up!" he yelled at himself, but his body refused to cooperate.
The ground trembled as the golems approached. Turning his head, Xavier saw one of them raising its massive fist, ready to crush him.
"No, no, no—"
The fist came down with blinding speed.
A sudden chime echoed through the air, cutting through the chaos.
[Quest Completed: Survive For 5 Hours]
[Returning to Reality…]
Xavier felt the ground give way beneath him. He was falling again, the void enveloping him for what felt like seconds before he landed with a wet THUD.
Xavier lay sprawled on the floor of Room 217, covered in mud and murky water from the penalty zone. He let out a weak, dry laugh before exhaustion claimed him, and he passed out.
The nurses entered moments later, gasping at the sight. "What the—?!"
One of them rushed to his side, checking his pulse. "He's alive, but barely. Get the doctor, now!"
….
Deep within the city of New York. Ellis sat in a sleek, modern office bathed in sunlight, Ellis sat on a plush leather chair, her legs crossed. She wore casual clothes, her white cap pulled low over her face as she tapped at her phone.
Her gaze lingered on a text message:
Congrats, You've Been Approved!
"Finally," she muttered under her breath.
A woman in a tailored suit approached, calling her name. Ellis sighed, standing and sliding her phone into her pocket. As she followed the woman, her thoughts drifted to what was ahead.