John sat by the fire, staring at the fish he had caught earlier. He had never seen anything like it before - it was a shimmering goldfish that lived in magma. It had taken a lot out of him to catch his imbecile, this childish monster. Did it know its pranks had almost taken his life? Well, now he would eat it and have his revenge.

The only fly on the wall was that the fish couldn’t be cooked.

He had tried to roast it over the fire, but that didn’t work. The fish hadn’t gotten any hotter; so roasting it felt like an impossible task.

Frustrated, John pulled the spike out of the fire and examined it closely. It wasn't even smoking - the fire had no effect on it. He touched it tentatively, and it was only slightly warm to the touch, like a living creature.

He thought about what to do with the fish. He had never tasted anything like it before, and he was curious to see what it would be like to eat when cooked. Seeing no reprise, he did what any hell-bent man, humiliated by a dead fish could do. He opened his mouth wide and took a small bite out of its flesh.

The moment he put the fish into his mouth, it started to melt. It was like he had drunk boiled water, but the taste was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was sweet and savory at the same time, and it seemed to coat his mouth with a strange sensation.

As he swallowed, he realized that the pill he had taken earlier must have changed more than just his digestion. It must have made all his organs less susceptible to damage from food because however hot the melted soup felt in his mouth, it didn’t bring him any pain. He smiled to himself, then took a gulp engulfing the fish.

As John's body absorbed the nutrients from the fish, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his veins. His muscles felt stronger and more flexible, and he could sense a newfound agility in his movements. He couldn't help but grin in amazement at the sensation.

But it wasn't just his muscles that were getting stronger. As he touched his skin, he could feel it becoming thicker and more resilient. It was almost as if his skin was becoming armor, capable of withstanding more than it ever had before.

Curious, John approached the fire and tentatively held his hand out towards the flames. To his surprise, he felt no pain or discomfort, only a gentle warmth spreading throughout his hand. He gradually increased the intensity of the flames, testing his newfound resistance to heat.

Emboldened, John decided to push the limits of his new ability. He thrust his hand directly into the flames, feeling the heat wash over him without any pain or discomfort. He even went so far as to stick his entire arm into the fire, feeling the warmth spread through his body but still not causing him any harm.

It gave him a reason to be happy if nothing else.

John looked at the wall in the dim light of the bonfire. The mural on the wall had remained the same, just like the last time he had seen it in the previous safe zone. A dark hole that seemed to swallow everything came near it. Only, now it covered the entire wall, stretching out like a void. He searched for any signs of the luminous moss that had guided him through the previous safe zones, but there was none to be found.

The only source of light in the chamber was the bonfire that burned in the middle of the room. The flames flickered and danced, casting long shadows on the walls. John shivered as a gust of cold wind blew into the chamber, extinguishing a small part of the fire. The sudden darkness made him realize how vulnerable he was in this place.

He tried to calm himself down, but the darkness seemed to be closing in on him, suffocating him with its emptiness. John couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him from the darkness.

As he sat there, huddled next to the warmth of the flames, John began to feel suffocated by the darkness. It seemed to press in on him from all sides, threatening to swallow him up if he dared to venture out of the safety of the light. He tried to calm himself down, reminding himself that he was safe as long as he stayed in the light, but the feeling of unease refused to go away.

John knew that he couldn't stay there forever. He needed to find a way out of the chamber and continue on his journey, but the darkness made it seem like an impossible task. He tried to steel himself, to gather his courage and take that first step into the unknown, but his feet remained rooted to the spot.

Finally, after what felt like hours, John forced himself to stand up and take a step forward. The darkness loomed before him, but he refused to let it intimidate him. He took another step, then another, and soon he was walking confidently through the darkness.

As he made his way through the darkness, John realized that the darkness wasn't as impenetrable as it had seemed at first. In fact, there were faint glimmers of light in the distance, like stars twinkling in the night sky. The altar was just up ahead. That was where the real danger lay -- danger and opportunity, both. Encouraged by the thought, John pressed on, determined to find his way out of the chamber and continue on his journey.

John wondered if there was another way of using the empty potion bottle. He had already used his current wish to ask for a strengthening potion, which had some though little effect on his physique. His muscles weren’t bulging by any means. He still had a lot of fat. Only, now there seemed to be a layer of thin muscles underneath all the fat.

John wished he could wish for more than one potion from the empty bottle. But alas, he was stuck with what he had. He could feel the effects of the potion already taking place in his body.

As he looked around the chamber, his eyes caught sight of an altar. It was in the shape of a golden carp leaping out of the water. Three artifacts were being held on top of its head - a red hairpin, leather armor with a fish on the front, and an axe. John couldn't help but stare at the artifacts with awe and wonder.

The hairpin was a beautiful red, with a delicate curve to its shape. The leather armor was made of tough material, with intricate fish scales adorning the front of it. The axe was a formidable weapon, with a sharp blade and a sturdy handle. John could feel his heart racing as he imagined what he could do with these artifacts.

Suddenly, a voice spoke to him, telling him the properties of each artifact. The hairpin could protect him against mental disturbances. The chest armor could not only protect him from damage but also allow him to adjust the temperature around his body. This could be useful if he encountered extreme temperatures in future chambers. The axe could increase his fire damage by 25%, which made John excited at the prospect of using it to his advantage.

John knew he had to choose wisely, as he could only take one artifact with him. He looked at each one carefully, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. He eventually decided on the chest armor, as it would offer him the most versatility in the challenges that lay ahead. He picked it up from the altar, feeling its weight and admiring its beauty. He then put it on, feeling its protective power envelop him. With the chest armor on his body, he felt ready… ready to run.

John was one third the way toward the exit when the altar descended into the ground behind him. As John continued to run, the temperature around him dropped quickly, causing the moisture in the air to freeze into tiny ice crystals. The rocks beneath his feet became slick with a thin layer of frost and the sound of his footsteps echoed off the now-hardened walls. He could feel the cold seeping into his bones, making it difficult to move as his muscles tightened and his breathing became shallow.

The temperature dropped so suddenly, John thought that even the molten river of magma would have solidified into a glittering field of ice if it was flowing through the chamber.

As he continued to move, John noticed that his breaths were forming visible puffs of vapor. Even the air was thick with tiny ice particles that shimmered in the light of his torch.

His armor was working hard to keep his body temperature up, but he knew he needed to get out of the chamber before it was too late. He could only imagine what would happen if he stayed in the frozen wasteland for too long.

He quickly gathered his senses and rushed forward, exiting the chamber through the light barrier that covered the exit just in time as the chamber froze into an ice coffin behind him. Immediately, he found himself in an arctic tundra, with snow swirling around him in a blizzard. The sudden change in temperature and surroundings made him shiver, despite the warmth of the leather armor.

He looked around and saw nothing but white. The snow was falling so heavily that visibility was almost zero. He knew he had to find shelter soon or he would freeze to death. John took a deep breath and started running. The snow was deep, making each step harder, but he pushed through it, determined to find safety.

As he ran, he searched for any signs of life or shelter. He noticed a large rock formation in the distance and headed toward it. As he approached, he saw a small opening between the rocks. Without hesitation, he squeezed through the opening and found himself in a small cave.

Inside the cave, John took a moment to catch his breath. He was safe from the storm for now, but he knew he had to find a way out of the tundra. He looked around and saw some animal furs and a fire pit. He quickly gathered the furs and started a fire, warming his hands over the flames.

John sat there for a while, thinking about his next move. He knew he had to keep moving to find a way out, but he couldn't see anything beyond the swirling snow. He decided to wait for the storm to pass before continuing his journey.

Hours passed, and the storm eventually subsided. John emerged from the cave, ready to face whatever lay ahead. The tundra stretched out before him, but he could see a faint glow in the distance. He knew it was his only chance, so he set off toward the light, hoping it would lead him to safety.