Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare-Chapter 35: The Poison’s Toll

The group had continued the journey now, the rhythmic clatter of hooves echoed through the dense woodland, the soft rustling of leaves above creating a tranquil backdrop to their journey. Sunlight filtered through the towering trees, casting dappled shadows over the uneven dirt path. The air carried the earthy scent of damp moss and pine, a stark contrast to the unease creeping into Liam’s body.

He shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, his fingers tightening around the reins as a wave of dizziness washed over him. His limbs felt heavier than before, and a dull throbbing pulsed behind his temples. He exhaled slowly, hoping to shake off the growing discomfort, but it only seemed to deepen.

Maybe it’s just fatigue... he thought, trying to rationalize the sudden weakness. They had fought hard, after all. The battle had drained them, but he was no stranger to exhaustion. He just needed a bit of rest, that’s all.

Sophia, who had been riding beside him, had been stealing glances at him for the past few minutes. At first, she had thought it was just her imagination, but now, seeing the way he slumped slightly in his saddle, how his skin was losing its usual vibrancy, she knew something was wrong. His face had paled considerably, and faint shadows had begun forming under his eyes. Even his lips, which were usually full of life, were now turning an unsettling shade of bluish-gray.

Her brows furrowed in concern. "Liam... are you okay?" Her voice was soft, but there was a clear edge of worry in it.

Liam blinked slowly, forcing a faint smile onto his lips. "Yeah... I just need some rest," he muttered, though even speaking seemed to take more effort than it should. His breath was slightly labored, as if every word drained him further.

Sophia’s frown deepened. That didn’t sound normal. "Are you sure?"

Before he could answer, the dizziness intensified. The world around him blurred, and suddenly, his grip on the reins faltered. His head spun violently, his vision darkened, and within seconds, the strength in his body vanished completely.

His body slumped to his left side—then he fell.

"Liam!" Sophia’s scream pierced the air as his limp body tumbled off the horse.

The others whipped their heads around, eyes wide with shock as they watched him hit the ground with a sickening thud. The horses neighed in alarm, their hooves stamping restlessly against the dirt as if sensing the distress of their riders.

"Shit! Liam!" Marcus shouted, instantly jumping off his horse. Jason was right behind him, both of them sprinting toward their fallen friend.

Liam lay motionless on the ground, his breathing shallow and unsteady. His once strong and steady heartbeat was now weak, his body eerily still except for the slow, uneven rise and fall of his chest.

"What the hell happened?" Jason asked, kneeling beside Liam and pressing his fingers to his neck. "His pulse... it’s weak as hell!"

Sophia scrambled off her horse and rushed to his side, panic flashing across her face. Eleanor wasn’t far behind, her usually composed expression now tinged with worry.

"Get him under the shade of that tree," Eleanor commanded, her voice sharper than usual.

Without hesitation, Marcus hooked his arms under Liam’s shoulders while Jason grabbed his legs. They lifted him with care, his body unnervingly limp in their hold, and carried him toward a large oak tree just off the side of the path. The thick branches overhead provided some relief from the sun as they set him down against the rough bark.

Sophia knelt beside him immediately, her hand hovering uncertainly over his face before finally brushing against his forehead. "He’s burning up..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Eleanor’s sharp eyes scanned him, her tactical mind racing. "This isn’t just exhaustion," she muttered. "Something’s wrong—really wrong."

Sophia clenched her fists, trying to suppress the rising panic in her chest. "What do we do?"

Eleanor exhaled, keeping her composure despite the uncertainty of the situation. "First, we need to bring his temperature down before it gets worse." She turned to Jason. "Go get some water from the cart. Hurry."

Jason gave a quick nod and sprinted toward the merchant’s cart.

Meanwhile, Marcus stood nearby, hands balled into fists. He hated feeling helpless. "Damn it, this shit came out of nowhere! He was fine after the fight, wasn’t he?"

Sophia swallowed hard. "No... I noticed something was off, but I didn’t think it would get this bad so fast..."

Eleanor pursed her lips. "This might not be normal exhaustion," she said grimly. "It could be poison... or worse."

Her words sent a shiver down Sophia’s spine. If it was poison, then they needed to act fast. Time was running out.

The merchant stood a few feet away, nervously shifting from foot to foot. His eyes darted between the unconscious Liam and the darkening forest around them, anxiety clearly growing with each passing second. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and cleared his throat.

"Look, I don’t mean to sound heartless," he said hesitantly, "but we’re sitting ducks here. If those bandits have reinforcements, they could be watching us right now, waiting for a chance to strike again. We need to keep moving."

Jason shot him a glare, his patience already razor-thin. "And leave Liam like this? Not a fucking chance." His voice was sharp, his stance tense as he hovered near Liam’s side. "If you’re that scared, then leave. But we’re not abandoning our friend."

The merchant exhaled sharply, frustrated but unwilling to push the argument further. He wasn’t foolish enough to venture into the forest alone, so he had no choice but to stay put and hope this wouldn’t cost them all their lives.

Meanwhile, Eleanor was carefully examining Liam’s right arm, her fingers trailing along the skin. A deep frown creased her brow as she noticed something alarming—the veins beneath his skin had darkened, branching out like sinister roots from the point where the arrow had struck him. The arm itself had taken on an unhealthy purplish tint, and faint traces of swelling were beginning to show.

"Shit..." she muttered under her breath.

Sophia, who had been anxiously watching, immediately caught on to her concern. "What is it?" she asked, her voice almost trembling.

Eleanor clenched her jaw before answering. "Poison." She exhaled, shaking her head. "The arrow that hit him—it wasn’t just a regular shot. The wound’s infected, and whatever was on that arrow is spreading through his bloodstream."

Sophia’s breath hitched. "Poison? Are you sure?"

Eleanor gave her a sharp look. "Look at his arm. His veins are turning black, and the infection is spreading fast." She turned to Marcus and Jason, her tone urgent. "We don’t have time to waste. If we don’t do something now, this poison will kill him."

Eleanor wasted no time. She immediately dug into her small pouch, pulling out a few medical supplies she had, but it wasn’t enough. She needed fresh herbs—ones that could counteract the poison before it spread too far.

"We need to act fast," she said, her voice calm but firm. "If we delay, this could get worse."

Sophia nodded, her worry evident, but she trusted Eleanor’s medical knowledge. "What do you need us to do?"

Eleanor quickly listed off a few herbs, describing their appearance. "I need Bloodroot, Silverleaf, and Iron Moss. They should be growing around this area. We don’t have time to waste—Marcus, Jason, you two are the fastest. Go find them."

Marcus groaned but didn’t argue. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Come on, Jason."

Jason rolled his eyes but followed without question. "If I get bitten by something, I’m blaming you," he muttered.

Eleanor ignored him and turned her attention back to Liam, whose breathing had become more labored. She placed a damp cloth on his forehead, then began preparing a makeshift antidote using the limited ingredients she had.

"Hurry up," she muttered under her breath, grinding dried herbs into powder. "We don’t have much time."

Marcus and Jason returned quickly, their clothes slightly torn from running through the dense underbrush. Marcus had a few scratches on his arms, but he grinned as he held up a handful of herbs.

"Found ’em," Marcus said, dropping down beside Eleanor. "And almost got mauled by a damn boar in the process."

Jason tossed his share of herbs onto Eleanor’s lap and stretched. "He’s exaggerating. It was a baby boar."

Marcus shot him a glare. "Still had tusks."

Eleanor ignored their bickering and immediately got to work. She crushed the Bloodroot first, releasing a dark red sap that smelled faintly of iron. She then ground the Silverleaf into a fine powder and mixed it with water from her flask. The Iron Moss was the trickiest—it needed to be boiled to extract its healing properties.

Sophia quickly gathered some dry twigs and lit a small fire, while Eleanor placed a small pot over it. She worked fast, knowing that every second counted.

Liam stirred slightly, a soft groan escaping his lips. His skin was paler now, and sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Hang in there, Liam," Eleanor murmured, stirring the mixture as it began to thicken.

After a few minutes, she poured the antidote into a small cup. "Help me sit him up," she instructed.

Sophia and Marcus lifted Liam carefully, supporting his back as Eleanor brought the cup to his lips. "Drink," she said softly.

Liam coughed but swallowed, his throat bobbing as the bitter liquid went down. Eleanor made sure he drank every last drop before easing him back against the tree.

"Now we wait," she sighed, wiping her forehead. "If it works, he should start improving in an hour."

The group sat around him, their earlier tension still lingering. The merchant, who had been anxiously standing by, finally spoke.

"Can we move soon? We’re still in dangerous territory," he said.

Sophia shot him a glare. "We’ll move when Liam is stable."

Jason stretched his arms, keeping an eye on the forest. "Let’s just hope we don’t get any more surprise guests before then."