Stress

Gold. That was the primary colour that filled Richard’s vision as he shook off the darkness, eyes slowly opening up. The golden bed he was in was large enough to fit an elephant, giving way to glittering furniture that was carved from gold embedded with gems. He wasn’t small by any means, but this room made him feel like an ant. Just the pillows and blankets on this bed were large enough to drown him entirely.

His body felt like jelly as he tried to move, so lacking for strength it took excruciating effort to even prop himself up. His head started throbbing immediately as he tried to make sense of the situation, but when he called upon his secondary consciousness the sudden rush of simulations about the Church’s martial arts threatened to split his head apart.

His mouth opened up in a silent scream as he punched his own head...