章 28: Chapter 11: Heart Rate
Sarah stood up and left the room. "Sarah, are you alright?" Min Li asked.
"Yes... Just trying to focus my mind..." She said.
"The alchemist said that people who remember their past lives could have a personality change, do you think you've changed any?" Min Li asked. Sarah shook her head. "Well, enough about that, what were you saying before you collapsed?" Min Li asked.
"... I'd rather not say... It was a private conversation..." Sarah said as she looked around at the room.
"If something is wrong with either of you I have to know, as the two that were sponsored by the leader himself if either of you are perceived as lazy it reflects badly on him." Min Li said. An expression of uncertainty slowly crept onto Sarah's face.
"Our argument got pretty loud... I was too angry at the time so I didn't listen properly but thinking about the argument now... I was being insensitive. His past seems to be riddled with landmines and anything can trip them." Sarah said.
"I'm not sure I follow. What's a 'landmine'?" Min Li asked. (Landmine was said in English and not Chinese which confused Min Li further.)
"It's a hidden explosive that is buried just below the surface, I used it as a metaphor of sorts meaning that anything we say or do could cause an emotional response for seemingly no reason." Sarah explained. "Thing like certain names, or words, or attack patterns." Sarah said.
"Why attack patterns?" Min Li asked with visible confusion.
"It was just an example, don't think too deeply on it." Sarah said. "Now that I think about it, I think I changed a little like my mind is able to process things in a more objective way, at least in hindsight." Sarah said lightly as she looked at Min Li.
'I still have so many questions, but I should probably leave them for later...' Min Li thought to herself. "Well, you should get back to your training, in the meantime, I'll wait for Alphonse to finish whatever it is he's doing." Min Li said as she left the alchemist building.
...
"Child, are you in there?" Xiao Shi asked after he knocked lightly. "If you do not answer I will enter." Xiao Shi said. No response came. After a few extra moments, Xiao Shi used a technique to unlock the door and open it.
Xiao Shi entered slowly and looked around the room, it only took him a few seconds to spot Alphonse. Alphonse is sat in a corner facing the wall. Xiao Shi walked over to him. "Go away." Alphonse said with a hoarse voice.
"Is something wrong?" Xiao shi asked.
"It doesn't matter..." Alphonse said quietly.
"If it doesn't matter why do you try to drive everyone away?" Xiao Shi asked.
"Go away! I... I don't want to talk!" Alphonse said as his breathing became heavy.
"Sometimes what we want doesn't matter and is in fact detrimental to our health." Xiao Shi said.
{The best course of action is likely to talk to him.} Prism said.
'I don't want to, I just want to make these memories go away!' Alphonse responded to Prism.
{You already have many repressed memories, you will just be adding to the list.} Prism pointed out.
"Get out of my head!" Alphonse yelled.
{Disabling mental link.} Prism stated apathetically.
"Child, did something happen? Why did you yell so suddenly?" Xiao Shi asked.
"It doesn't matter." Alphonse repeated as he fell over. Alphonse slowly curled into a ball as he repeated the same words over and over. Xiao Shi moved to in front of Alphonse. Xiao Shi looked at his face and saw streams of tears tinted red flow from Alphonse's eyes.
Alphonse continued to repeat himself as images and sensations flowed in and out of his mind. Images and sensations from the heating room and the pain that was endured, from when he was taught swordsmanship and how the cuts on his body bled, and from when Cedra died.
Her body parts piled below her head and torso, the blood and how it had started to turn brown on the wall behind her dangling corpse, the tears that continued to stream from her eyes even after death and how it turned to blood, the cuts on her face and the misshapen skin.
"Make it stop!" Alphonse yelled with a shaky voice as his tears flowed ever faster.
"Child, you are dehydrated, you need to drink water before you cause yourself to bleed anymore." Xiao Shi said. Alphonse began to hyperventilate as his heart began to beat rapidly.
{Warning: Heartbeat has reached 178 bpm, going any higher may cause a heart attack.} Prism warned. {Warning: Breathing has become unsteady, hyperventilation is imminent.} Prism warned further. {Warning: Emotional state can cause an aneurysm.} Prism continued with warnings.
Alphonse began to feel more and more uneasiness in his stomach as he pushed himself up onto all fours. He looked at Xiao Shi who is worried about Alphonse's current state. As Alphonse tried to move his arm he threw up.
{Warning: Any further vomiting may cause massive internal damage. Warning: Dehydration will cause death in the next three days. Warning: Starvation in effect in one week. Warning: Heartrate has somehow exceeded 194 bpm, a heart attack will occur in roughly 15 seconds.} Prism warned.
Alphonse began to grapple his chest as he collapsed on to the ground while intense palpitations occurred. Alphonse laid there on his back as he continued vomit. {10.} Prism said. {9.} Prism stated.
"Alphonse, what's happening?" Xiao Shi asked as he turned Alphonse on to his side. As Xiao Shi moved Alphonse he felt his irregular heartbeat and began to realize what is happening.
{6.} Prism said.
"Fei Jing!" Xiao Shi yelled. quickly a man entered the building.
{4.} Prism said.
"Yes?" Fei Jing asked.
"Here soon you will need to heal this boy, you can't prevent an injury, but you can stop its growth, so I need you to do that for this boy." Xiao Shi said.
{1: Heart attack imminent, I suggest preparing yourself for extreme discomfort. Heart rate has exceeded 202 bpm.} prism said.
"Yes." Fei Jing said as he walked over to Alphonse and began the healing process. "I can sense where his injuries are, he appears to be having a heart attack, his brain is also taking significant damage, I don't think I can stop it from getting larger, I can only slow it and hope it stops soon." Fei Jing said.
...
Sarah continued walking as a terrible smell hit her. She looked around to check and find out if she can see where it came from, though she couldn't see it. She continued to ignore it as she walked. As she continued towards her house the smell got stronger and stronger.
When she reached Alphonse's house she saw that the door was open and heard a man's voice. "I can only slow it and hope it stops soon." The man said. Sarah walked up to the door and peeked inside to check and see what is happening.
Sarah was shocked at what she saw. Alphonse on the ground with one hand holding his chest and the other his head as he continued to cry vermillion tears, his eyes closed tight as if he was trying to keep his sanity.
Sarah covered her mouth with both her hands as she took a few steps back. 'Is this because of our argument? I mean, if it was it should've happened sooner, right? Did he bottle his emotions?' Sarah continued to ask herself similar questions as she took a few more steps backward.
"Do you know something about this?" Xiao Shi asked. Sarah looked behind her and saw Xiao Shi, despite him having been inside just moments before.
"I have theories, but nothing concrete." Sarah said.
"Alright, leave, for now, he will likely be fine." Xiao Shi said. Sarah did so and went back to her house.
'I should probably fully comprehend my memories...' Sarah thought to herself as she entered her house.
{Heart attack over, rest is recommended.} Prism said. {Stomach is empty, recovery is recommended before the consumption of any food or liquid.} Prism said. {Aneurysm avoided, avoiding stress is recommended, meditating is recommended, relaxation is recommended.} Prism advised. {I am glad that you have managed to pull through.} Prism said.
Alphonse slowly stood up, then looked at Xiao Shi, who is still in the doorway. "I... Apologize for acting selfishly, I will clean this room as soon as possible." Alphonse said as his balance swayed. 'If I fail to prove myself then everything is for naught.' Alphonse thought to himself.
Xiao Shi sighed. "You don't have to prove anything by acting tough you know. Just focus on your training, I heard from the receptionist that you cannot read, so I will have someone teach you and someone else clean this room, in the meantime, follow me, I will bring you to the alchemist district, they can check for abnormalities." Xiao Shi said.
Xiao Shi walked over to Alphonse. "I'm fine now, there is no need to bring me to an alchemist." Alphonse said.
"That was an order, not a request." Xiao Shi said as he went to put his left hand on Alphonse's shoulder. Alphonse instinctively moved his right hand to deflect his arm. After a full second Alphonse realized what he did.
"S-sorry..." Alphonse said as he looked away from Xiao Shi.
"Alright, follow me." Xiao Shi said. Alphonse did as he was told and followed Xiao Shi. After a little while, they reached the alchemist district. They continued walking and entered a small building. "Huang Xiang, I have someone for you to take a look at." Xiao Shi said.
"Alright, just give me a minute." Huang Xiang said.
"Enable mental link." Alphonse whispered.
{Enabled.} Prism said. After a few seconds, an alchemist came out.
"Oh, another man-beast, looks like the same species." Huang Xiang said.
"Beast-man." Alphonse corrected.
"What's the difference?" Huang Xiang asked.
"A lot." Alphonse stated.
"I need you to take a look at his body and look for any abnormalities." Xiao Shi said.
"Right, I do have a beast specialist in today." The alchemist said. "Fei mei!" Huang Xiang said. (According to google mei [妹] is how you say younger sister in Chinese, specifically Mandarin.)
"What Xiang ge?" Huang Fei responded. (According to an article I read ge is older brother, oftentimes the word would be repeated 'ge ge' to refer to the older sibling, but I decided against it to make it a little easier to follow for English speakers.)
"We have a beast-kin, think you could take a look?" Huang Xiang asked.
"Sure, but it depends on the type, I'm best with beast-men, so if you are talking about a man-beast my skills will only be so useful." Huang Fei said as she walked to the front.
"Hello Huang Fei, it has been a while." Xiao Shi said.
"It has. Where is the patient and what am I doing?" She asked.
"Right there." Xiao Shi said as he pointed towards Alphonse. Huang Fei looked over the counter.
"How old is he, six or seven?" She asked.
"Nine." Alphonse said.
"Aren't you a bit small to be nine?" Huang Fei asked.
"I was underfed a lot..." Alphonse said as he looked towards the ground.
"I need you to take a look at his physique and check for abnormalities." Xiao Shi said.
"Well I can spot one already, he's short." Huang Fei said jokingly. "Alright come on to the room back here." She said as she went to the back room.
クリエイターの想い 
EldurJaalind
EldurJaalind Why do I torture myself with long names? Like seriously, why did I name someone Huang Xiang!? I could've changed it, but I didn't!? Sometimes I wonder if something is wrong with me, but whatever.
I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット