"IF YOU WANT TO LEVEL UP, YOU HAVE TO LEVEL DOWN!"
A terrifying, booming voice had been hammering this exact phrase into his consciousness for longer than he could comprehend.
The very instant Isiah forced his eyelids open, a wave of agonizing pain ripped through his entire body. The torment would briefly subside for a few seconds, only to flare back up with seemingly exponentially greater intensity.
Isiah's head felt impossibly heavy. He was parched, completely exhausted, and utterly drained of every drop of energy. Something horrific must have happened to his physical body, leaving him so depleted that even the simple act of keeping his eyes open demanded a monumental effort.
"IF YOU WANT TO LEVEL UP, YOU MUST LEVEL DOWN!"
