Transporting to the white room doesn't help this time. I can't feel any pain, but I also can't move my legs. Or my arm. Or my neck. I don't want to imagine what my body looks like, and I'm not insane enough to look.

  Congratulations, Competitor Foreman! You are one of 814,902 human Competitors who survived the second Proving!

  A lot less of us died this time. Judging by my trials, that seems impossible. Unless most of the ones chosen were actually I don't know, warriors? Ninjas and soldiers and athletes? Even then, if a human soldier came across Cuddles… Kora did say that what's happening to me is abnormal. What level creature am I supposed to be fighting? What even is a level?

  “A level is a rough estimate of the physical, mental, and spiritual capabilities of a particular life form. The first Proving is nearly always against a level one creature, perhaps level two if the Competitor is capable. The second Proving generally never eclipses level five, and that's with a weapon and the first Boon. I've never heard of something higher than level ten.”

  And for what? Not getting Dean Hannah's arm off my shoulder? That's petty, even for a god.

  “Abnormal, as I said. The first Proving is as much to see if a Competitor will fight as if they can fight. Many perish because they just won't—”

  Reward: Choose one of three Boons to apply before the final Proving! Due to your Achievements, your choices have been upgraded!

  (A Boon is a permanent, positive benefit that you will carry with you throughout the Tournament)

  The expected blue circles appear, though I have to peer up at the symbols from the ground. The first is a similar picture to my first Boon, but the fire that was in the figure’s chest looks like it's spread into a shield around the figure’s body.

  Identification: Soul Absorption (Mythic Boon, Soul Evolution)

  Evolve your soul to gain the ability to not only resist, but absorb the soul expression of foes. Portions of enemy attacks utilizing soul energy empower you rather than harm you. Evolve to gain additional benefits.

  That seems really fucking good, though I guess it doesn't give me any defense from some asshole sticking me with a sword. Or a giant centipede giving me a truckload of lethal poison. Kora feels distinctly conflicted in the back of my thoughts, and I get a general understanding why. Yes, it is an amazing Boon that is worthy of heroes, something that will be powerful and useful now and into the future. But I can't take it. My body is ruined, and I'll certainly die in the third Proving before it ever matters.

  Mindful of the annoyingly short timeframes to decide, I force my eyes onto the next one. The second looks like the same figure as before, but the fire has grown to fill its interior completely.

  Identification: Psychic Telos (Legendary Boon, Soul Evolution)

  Evolve your soul to more completely know and recall your spiritual and physical form. Allows your soul to autonomously spend energy to return you to your proper form as your soul understands it. Evolve to gain additional benefits.

  What the hell does that mean? What form? ‘As your soul understands it’? Kora shifts in the back of my mind.

  “We don't have time for a deep explanation, but this may be it. Quickly, to the third.”

  Identification: Carapace of the Ice Centipede (Legendary Boon, Species Evolution)

  Evolve your physiology to gain the armored carapace of one of the Twelve’s fiercest natural predators. Also gain a moderate boost to Strength and Agility. Evolve to gain additional benefits.

  Well at least discarding the third option is an easy choice. Even if I was healthy, I can't imagine I'd want iron plates growing out of my fucking skin.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “I… You are being offered a lifeline in the second choice, and you have to take it, though I'd demand you take the first in nearly any other situation. I can count the number of Mythic Boons offered prior to the end of the Provings on one hand, and each of them won or were finalists in the entire Tournament.”

  What does Telos mean?

  “Your soul knows what you're supposed to be.”

  “Not really helpful,” I say aloud. My pulse quickens as a little timer appears at the edge of my vision, ticking down from three minutes.

  “Each living being has an intended end, a conclusion to draw, a silhouette to fill. Your proper form. The perfect representation of yourself. This Boon will allow your soul to spend its energy to attempt to return you to the form it believes is your Telos.”

  “So it’ll fix… this? My body?”

  “It will try. But there are real risks to this Boon. You may not currently be in tune with the Telos your soul believes in. In attempting to return you to form, it may make… changes. In the end, who you think you are and what your soul believes you should be may not coincide.”

  God, there is so much philosophical heaviness to what she's saying. Or claiming. My soul thinks I should be one thing, but I may not agree? My soul exists and has a will of its own in the first place? Do I have a say in the matter?

  “That is the other risk. Once taken, this Boon is not controllable. Once you accept it, your soul will have the authority to spend its energy without your knowledge or agreement. In battle…”

  “No time,” I say quickly. The timer shows less than two minutes. “This is my only option, right?”

  “Unless you think you can survive the final Proving without the use of your legs. Or your left arm. And with a concussion. And with a broken—”

  “Yup, okay,” I say, shifting my weight towards the center circle. Really gotta work on your communication skills, Kora.

  “I feel like I'm communicating quite clearly.”

  A little too clearly. I could use a few less details sometimes, especially about my many weaknesses and injuries. She doesn't answer, her silence a bit confused. That's fine. I can't spare the concentration to explain it to her, too busy forcing my broken body to grind towards the circle.

  It is slow, laborious work, but at least I started early enough that I'm not racing the clock this time. If there really are twelve gods, I thank every one of them for turning pain off in the white room, because there's no fucking way I'd get to the circle feeling whatever's happening to my body.

  My arm breaks the edge of the blue light. I didn't get a chance to see if anything happened last time since my time was up right when I stepped in. Come to think of it, I didn't notice any change at all after taking my first Boon.

  Blue light flashes. I slam my eyes closed, but the light burns straight through my eyelids. Something in my chest shifts, and the light blazes brighter. It swirls in a complex pattern, a symbol that speaks of truths I can only feel the edges of, like I lack the language to understand a distant conversation. Something speaks, but I can’t… quite… listen…

  The light spins faster, then plunges into my chest. I flinch, though I don’t feel anything. It fades after a few seconds. Lying on the perfect white of the invisible floor, I wait.

  What happened? Did anything happen?

  A pleasant warmth kindles somewhere beneath my heart, like I've held my hands close to a fire. It burns quietly, a candle content to flicker in the center of my being. Well, that's nice. It feels—

  Fire. My chest is exploding. Flame races along every vein, twisting with every sinew, tracing every bone, filling every inch of me with heat. Searing heat. An involuntary scream rips from my throat.

  God, make it stop.

  My chest, my bones, my eyes—

  Distantly, I register the world flickering, the endless white replaced with shining blue. How my eyes can see when they're on fire doesn't make any fucking—

  It ends as suddenly as it began. My body is adrift, floating on a cloud of ice and nothingness and relief. My back presses uncomfortably against a knobby stone. I relish the feeling; I'll take discomfort a thousand times over whatever hell I just survived.

  Hey. Why did I feel that? Isn’t the pain off?

  “Unfortunately, it seems that your soul now rejects the direct influence of others. Even the basic protections of the gods.” Kora offers a silent, frustrated sigh. “I'll not be able to help you as I have before. I can offer knowledge, and nothing else.”

  I mean, that's okay. You saved my life twice, and I'm sure your knowledge will do so again in the future.

  If I survive whatever the hell Dickhead has ready for me.

  Slowly, terrified of what I'll see, I lift my head to look at my body. And stare. The graduation robes I was transported in are shredded, revealing far more skin than I ever willingly would. That skin, though, is clean. Pristine. Too pristine. I shift my weight, trying to get a look at the scar over my right hip. I got it jumping a fence on Halloween in the 7th grade, trying to keep up with Katie as she ran. But no. The scar is gone.

  I think it, and I'm sitting. Effortless. I think, and I'm on my feet. I feel great. Exhaustion clings to my every pore, but my body answers my mental commands like it never has before. Whatever damage the lion and my fight with Cuddles did to my body is gone entirely. It almost makes it worth that pain. Almost.

  Well. Let's see what the petty little shit in charge of all this has in store for me this time.