I woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. My head felt like it had been run over by a bulldozer, and my entire body felt weak and achy. I tried to move, but I couldn't. It was like I was trapped in my own body, and every movement only made me feel more helpless. As the fog gradually lifted from my mind, I realized that something was very wrong. I had been poisoned. A neurotoxin, according to the message I received. It was slowly paralyzing me, hence the weakness and the inability to move. The only way to stop it was a special antidote, which I would only receive if I revealed Mysterik's true identity. I couldn't believe it. Someone had actually managed to get to me, after all these years of being Mysterik's accomplice and lover. And they were using me as a bargaining chip to get to him. But did they really think I would betray the man I loved, just to save my own skin? I tried to shake off the grogginess and focus. The poisoner had given me a few weeks to live, but the effects would only intensify with each passing day. I had to find a way to get the antidote, and fast. But where would I even begin? I knew Mysterik's true identity was his most guarded secret. He had never revealed it to anyone, not even me. And yet, I had to choose between him and my own life. Was it really worth it? The frustration was building up inside me. I wasn't convinced that the poison was as dangerous as it was made out to be, or that the antidote even existed. Maybe it was all just a clever ruse by someone who wanted to take down Mysterik. But then again, what if it wasn't? The thought of being completely paralyzed forever, unable to even breathe for myself, was too horrifying to even contemplate. I had to act, but I didn't know how. I mulled over my options, and every one of them seemed like a dead end. I considered acting against Mysterik, revealing his identity to the poisoner, but I couldn't bring myself to even think about it. Mysterik was resourceful and cunning. If he found out that someone was after him, he would do everything in his power to strike back. I was trapped in a stalemate, my mind racing but my body completely helpless. And as the days passed by, I could feel the poison coursing through my veins, little by little, paralyzing me with each passing moment. It was then that I decided. I would do everything in my power to find the antidote, even if it meant going against Mysterik. I had to take the chance, no matter how slim it was. I was Patricia Bertier, after all. And I wasn't about to let anyone take me down, without a fight.