His body felt so full of vitality, that for a moment he thought his body started to produce ki and his ki increased by a lot. But as he focused on his ki, examining it carefully, he was disappointed. The quantity of the ki was same, his body hadn't started producing his own ki. The elixir failed to increase it. Nox was hoping this batch of elixirs would work because they looked expensive than the previous elixirs he drank, their glass bottles alone were of superior craftsmanship.
This particular elixir he just drank had far more energy than the previous ones he drank, the difference was substantial. He was fully focused on absorbing the elixir but it still hadn't been absorbed completely. It looks like his father went all out with these elixirs, sparing no expense. Discovering this, his hope increased even more. 'It seems they will work,' Nox thought, a smile forming on his lips.
Nox was smiling as he was absorbing the rest of the elixir, feeling the energy spread through his body. He was feeling grateful to his father, for giving him such expensive elixirs despite his earlier words. Nox can count a lot of people who outcasted their own children because of their low talent, abandoning them to fend for themselves. His father is not like them, despite his terrible flaw, his father still supported him. Even his siblings have shown their support without hesitation. All of his siblings knew about his condition. His father told them after discussing it with him, wanting to be honest with the family.
After some time, the first elixir was fully absorbed. After completely absorbing the elixir, Nox's body was full of energy, humming with power. Every single part of his body was filled with vitality, from his fingertips to his toes.
Feeling satisfied by the elixir's effects, Nox picked up the second elixir. The second elixir was blue in color, the liquid swirling with an almost ethereal quality.
He also drank this one in one gulp, not hesitating. This elixir was cold and sweet to the taste, like frozen honey. His throat and stomach felt really cold, as if he had swallowed ice. He focused again on his ki, guiding it with practiced movements. The elixir started to get absorbed as he circulated his ki through his whole body. His blood vessels felt like they were freezing, the coldness spreading rapidly. He felt so cold that he thought his blood will freeze solid. But oddly, the cold didn't feel uncomfortable at all, it felt more comfortable as time passed, like a cool breeze on a hot day.
As more of the elixir gets absorbed, his vitality started rising through the roofs. He never felt this energized in his life before, not even after his most intense training sessions. He felt like he could fight at his full strength for days without even breaking a sweat. Nox was smiling, he was so happy that his heart felt like it would burst. He couldn't even describe in words how happy he was at this point. 'Maybe today is the day, I will finally be free from this terrible curse.'
He consumed so many elixirs in his life but he never felt this way. No elixirs he consumed in the past can come close to these elixirs in quality or potency. 'Oh gods, this is it, I can feel it.'
Nox can feel that the whole energy is gathering inside him, building up to something momentous. It feels like it will erupt like a volcano, pressure mounting with each passing second.
'No, its not enough,' Nox can feel that this elixir will fall short. It won't lead to eruption, he will need to consume one more elixir. He still has two left in the wooden box. He thanked his father in his mind for giving him four elixirs. 'Maybe he knew, yes he definitely knew these elixirs will work, that's why he gave me four.' Nox was already thinking that he had succeeded, victory within his grasp.
Soon, he fully absorbed the blue elixir. His body felt full of energy, vibrating with power, but he knew its not enough. He needs more energy to break through. He looked at the wooden box, there lay two more elixirs waiting for him.
He remembered the warnings of his teachers and his brother, their stern voices echoing in his mind. They often warned him and other children to never take this level of elixirs more than two times, back to back. Taking these elixirs so full of energy, more than two in a single day can lead to internal injuries, they had said with grave expressions.
But he is this close to his goal, he can feel it coursing through his veins. One more elixir and he might succeed. He hates this weakness of his, he wants to get rid of it, no matter the cost to his body.
Nox was now torn between the warnings of his seniors and his goal. He hated these kinds of situations where he had to choose between caution and ambition. 'I am so close, one more elixir won't hurt. My body is strong, I can take this risk. I need to take this risk,' thought Nox, trying to convince himself.
Filled with determination to get rid of this weakness of his, he picked up the next elixir with steady hands. This elixir was green in color, glowing faintly in the lamplight. Nox took a long breath and gulped the whole elixir without giving himself time to reconsider.
As soon as he took the elixir, a strong mint like taste spread in his mouth and throat, sharp and overwhelming.
He started circulating his ki with haste, faster than before. Soon the elixir mixed with ki spread in his veins, flowing through every channel. This elixir was not cold nor was it hot, the feeling was different from those two, more neutral but equally powerful.
As Nox refined one third of the elixir, he started feeling a prickling sensation in his veins. Nox ignored the feeling, he kept refining the elixir with determination. After some time his veins started to bulge, pressing against his skin. He started feeling pain all over his body, sharp and insistent.
Nox became troubled after feeling pain, should he keep going or should he stop now before it gets worse. But the desire of becoming strong overwhelmed the caution. 'I am so close, I can feel it, just a bit more,' thought Nox through gritted teeth.
He gritted his teeth until his jaw ached, he continued refining the elixir. He can feel it, the volcano inside him was almost ready to erupt. Sensing this proximity to success, his pain became somewhat less noticeable.
At this point he almost refined the elixir completely. The energy inside him was rampaging, his veins were bulging and they were turning red like hot iron. Even his eyes became red, bloodshot from the strain. He was sweating all over his body, his tunic becoming damp. The pain was becoming unbearable but he gritted his teeth and continued, refusing to give up.
The energy inside him was reaching the eruption point but something was blocking it from erupting, an invisible barrier. He was feeling a blockage, it was keeping him from his goal like a wall. He gritted his teeth to almost bleeding, tasting copper in his mouth. He sped up the cycling process of his ki inside his body as fast as he can, pushing his limits.
But the invisible and formless wall didn't even show signs of moving or cracking. 'Why it is so difficult, why something doesn't resolve easily for once,' thought Nox with frustration and anger building inside him.
As the elixir was nearing its refining process, Nox circulated his ki even faster, desperately. He circulated his ki inside his body with all his might, every ounce of strength he possessed. His blood vessels started hurting, burning with the intensity, but he didn't stop.
He can clearly sense that something is blocking his way, an obstruction he cannot see but definitely feels, but no matter what he does that blockage didn't move. 'This is my only chance, I won't get these high quality elixirs again for a long time, I can't wait that long, I have to break through,' thought Nox as the whole elixir was absorbed, filling his veins with dangerous amount of energy. His body was absorbing the energy, but it can't keep up for long with this overwhelming influx.
Nox was circulating his ki dangerously fast, so fast that it was hurting him with each rotation. He was going all out, giving everything he had, but the invisible wall was not breaking. 'Why, WHY?' Nox was beyond angry, his frustration reaching a peak. His eyes were red, his body was covered with sweat dripping down his face, his veins were bulging and turned red in color, visible beneath his skin.
Finally, he couldn't keep up and stopped circulating ki. His ki's rotation slowed down to a crawl. He was breathing heavily and was dead tired, his chest heaving with exertion. "No no, this can't happen, I can't fail. Why is this happening to me, why?" Nox was so angry that he didn't even notice that he was speaking out loud, his voice echoing in the empty room.
Nox's red eyes landed on the wooden box, where one remaining elixir was placed like a final temptation. "Should I take it or not," asked Nox to no one, his voice hoarse.
"Seniors have warned me against it, but without ki I am nothing, I am no one without my own ki. Should I take this risk or not," Nox was murmuring like he lost his mind, rocking slightly where he sat.
Now there are two choices before Nox, two dangerous choices with vastly different outcomes. Choice one, he could walk out of this room, abandoning the red elixir. He can live his life carefree, under the protection of his parents and siblings. He won't have to face any struggles in his life, sheltered from hardship. He can live happily and die of old age, forgotten but safe.
Second choice, he can take the risk and drink the last remaining elixir. If he succeeded he will live the life of his dreams and become a mighty swordmaster like his parents and grandparents. He will become famous and he will become strong and stand among the people at the pinnacle of power. Or he could fail and damage his body severely and but he can still live a peaceful life under the protection of his family and his loved ones, though diminished.
'Well, if you think of it like this it is an easy choice,' Nox started laughing, the sound slightly unhinged. "I don't want to live a mediocre life, I want to become strong, I want to stand at the pinnacle and even beyond," Nox said it out loud, his voice filled with conviction.
While laughing with wild abandon, he picked up the last remaining elixir, the red liquid seeming to glow ominously, and gulped it down his throat.