Having made up his mind, he said to the dragon, "I'll do it."
The dragon replied, saying, "Good. Now, let's begin."
As soon as he heard this, the darkness that had been sealing him was torn asunder, and the world beyond was revealed to him. The pain of being eaten alive also went with the darkness, so it was as if he was born anew.
For a while, he lay on the ground, exhaling and inhaling and feeling the weird purple grass beneath him. All of the things he had taken for granted since the first time he saw them when he came to the second heaven now looked like treasures to him.
All the sights, smells, and sounds stimulated him until he felt euphoria. His entire existence rejoiced at being alive and being able to feel things again.
While he was enjoying his freedom, a nonchalant voice came from above him, saying, "You're smart, so don't try anything. If I could take you down before, I can do so now. So don't mess around."
