30 DAYS TO LIVE

CHAPTER 3

EPISODE ONE

(THE BARGAIN AND TEST)

The dragon lord Demian walked closer to me... I could feel her heart racing. I had been locked away for weeks, and i this was the moment I had been dreading...why did he suddenly need to talk to me.i thought, he gazed at her with a look of cold, calculating interest. "So, Sarah," he said, his voice like a loud rumble of thunder. "I have come to make you a proposition. Marry me, and I will give you back your freedom." I swallowed hard, my mind racing...why the sudden proposal "I... I don't know what to say," I stammered.

"So you wish me to become your wife?" I asked, her voice trembling. The dragon lord Demian nodded, a cold smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Yes," he said, "but first you must undergo training on how to survive in this world and what it takes to be my wife. Only then will you be worthy of being my bride." My mind was reeling. I had never thought of myself as a someone's wife, let alone a dragon lord. Was I really capable of what he's asking? "I... don't know what to say I stammered. If you really want to leave here you must "You must undergo a test of your worthiness," he said, his voice like a roll of thunder. "You must pass through the Path of Shadows, and emerge unscathed. Only then will you be ready to join me as my queen." My heart was racing, and I felt a knot of fear forming in my stomach. The Path of Shadows? What was that? "What is the Path of Shadows?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "It is a journey through the darkest corners of your mind, where you will confront your deepest fears.

"I... I don't know if I can do that," I stammered. "It sounds terrifying." The dragon lord's expression did not change. "You must," he said, his voice like steel. "Only then will you be worthy. You have three days to make your decision." With that, he turned and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Three days to decide my fate. Three days to decide if I was willing to face the unknown, to risk everything would I even make it alive...it felt like a trap, a snare laid for me by the dragon lord. Could I really trust him? Could I trust myself? The questions swirled in my mind, and I felt more lost and alone than ever before. I paced the room, my mind racing, my heart pounding in my chest. What was I to do? I had never felt more uncertain, more afraid. Yet, I also felt a spark of something else. Was it possible that this journey could lead to something greater? Something I had never imagined?but I was determined to see my family and friends again... I was willing to go through all this Even if it's to become his slave.

"I am willing to undergo the test but on a condition that when I pass the test and serve you won't force me or he intimate with me and I'd be free from my diagnosis, I said, my voice strong and clear. The dragon lord's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly recovered. "Very well," he chuckled. "Prepare yourself. The test will begin at dawn." I nodded, and spent the rest of the night preparing myself for the unknown. When the first rays of light shone through the window, I knew it was time. I took a deep breath and followed the dragon lord out of the castle. We walked for what seemed like hours, until we came to a vast and desolate plain.

The ground was covered in black sand, and the sky was a foreboding shade of gray. "This is the Path of Shadows," the dragon lord said. "You must walk to the end, and face whatever trials await you." I looked into the distance, and saw only darkness. My heart began to race, but I took a deep breath and took the first step. As I walked, I noticed that the ground seemed to shift beneath my feet, as if it were alive. The wind began to howl, and the sky grew darker still. I kept walking, even as fear and doubt crept into my mind. And as I continued on, I saw shadows in the corner of my vision. I turned, but there was nothing there. But then, as I looked back at the path ahead, I saw a figure standing in my way. It was a man, dressed in black robes, his face shrouded in shadows. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice shaking. "I am the first trial," the figure said, his voice deep and ominous. "To pass, you must answer my riddle." I felt a sense of dread, but I knew I had to try.

"What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?" the figure asked. I wracked my brain, and an answer came up...it's a man I stuttered.

The figure seemed angry "The answer is man," he said. "When a man is born, he crawls on all fours. As he grows, he walks on two legs. And in old age, he uses a cane, or a third leg." ...if you had failed you'd have been devoured a wild beast. I breathed a sigh of relief thank goodness and took another step forward. As I did, the ground beneath my feet began to crumble, and I started to fall. I clutched at the black sand, but it slipped through my fingers like water. I screamed as I fell into the darkness, my body plummeting through the void. But then, I landed on something solid. I looked around, and saw that I was standing on a stone bridge. The path continued on the other side, and I took a step forward. As I did, the bridge began to shake, and I heard a low rumbling sound. I looked down, and saw that the bridge was spanning a great chasm, filled with fire and lava. I took another step, and the bridge shook even more violently. The rumbling grew louder, and I knew that the bridge was about to collapse. I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. "You must take a leap of faith," a voice said from behind me. I turned, and saw the figure of a woman, dressed in white. "What?" I asked, my voice trembling. "If you want to continue on this path, you must take a leap of faith," she said, her voice kind and reassuring. "Trust in yourself, and jump." I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. Then, I took a step back, and leapt into the void. I felt myself falling, the wind rushing past me. But then, I felt something catch me. I opened my eyes, and saw that I was floating in the air, held aloft by the woman's hand. "Well done," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You have passed the second trial." With that, she released her hold on me, and I began to fall again. But this time, I landed on solid ground. I looked around, and saw that I was standing in a vast, dark forest. The trees were taller than any I had ever seen, and their branches were covered and more treacherous tress with roots and rocks jutting out from the ground. I had to watch my every step, or I would have fallen. And yet, even as I struggled to navigate the path, I felt a strange sense of calm come over me. I felt as though I were being guided by some unseen force, leading me on. Then, I heard a voice. It was soft and whispery, like the rustling of leaves. "Didn't be afraid it said "Believe in yourself" I kept walking. Soon I came to a clearing in the woods. It was a small, sunlit glade, with a sparkling brook running through it. I stopped and knelt by the brook, drinking in its cool, clear water. As I did, I felt a wave of peace wash over me. It was as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Then, a figure appeared in the clearing. It was an old woman, dressed in a simple robe. Her hair was white, and her eyes were as blue as the sky. She smiled at me, and I felt a bit nervous

"Do not be afraid "You have passed the first test," she said. "You have conquered your fear, and found peace within yourself. Now, you must face the next challenge." she Said and vanished.