This chapter does not contain graphic material the chapters to come will please if you are sensitive stop here but if you wanna continue it's up to you.
In this darkness we call reality, everything will be taken; only the meaningless will fade. But does that mean we must endure the trial of death only to be consumed? No, I can't accept it.
I will not let death devour me. I will become something more. But who am I but a fading will, destined to become nothing but dirt? I beg myself the question of meaning; I plead for purpose. But who am I but a man who will die? Oh, how I seek eternity.
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As Tristan fell from the sky, a green flash emitted from between his forehead. With a sudden display of strength, a little beast took to the skies, leaving a meter-wide crater on the ground.
In the surrounding tapestry and brush, a thousand pairs of eyes stared up at the sky, curiosity overflowing.
In moments, the little beast reached Tristan's side. Its voice transcended sound, piercing his thoughts.
"What an interesting traveler you are!"
"Huh?" Tristan gasped, confusion flooding his mind. "Am I having auditory hallucinations?"
But the little beast continued, undeterred. "Listen here, traveler, I have a proposal to offer!"
Tristan's thoughts quieted, and the voice persisted. "I bestow upon you a trial, but you will receive something in return."
"What's that?" he asked, curiosity mingling with trepidation.
"You see, the moment you were thrown onto this planet, a seal was placed upon you. This seal made the gravity of this world almost null and the atmosphere light for you."
Stunned, Tristan realized he had thought he had overcome it naturally. A child-like laugh echoed in his mind before the voice continued.
"My trial is to place upon you the curse of eternal drain and weakness, gradually lifting the seal. Will you accept?"
Tristan contemplated. This trial was forced upon him, just like the last. "What if I refuse?" he asked, a hint of defiance in his voice.
A light chuckle resounded again. "Then you fall to your death."
His body stiffened as realization dawned. After a moment of thought, he replied, "I accept." The little beast's eyes shone with a holy light, and a massive symbol covered the sky.
In the next instant, Tristan was on the ground, his mind a mess.
**Budup! Budup!**
He felt it almost immediately: his body became heavier by a factor of three, but he didn't feel his energy dipping. He thought it was a mild effect. Standing up, he stumbled forward and slammed his head into something solid.
Rolling about on the ground in pain, he rubbed his head furiously. Sitting up, his expression unreadable, he realized his main issue was navigating this forest.
His sight, hearing, and voice were gone.
"What to do, what to do?" he muttered, panic creeping in.
"Aha!" he exclaimed, determination sparking in his chest. "This great being shall crawl forth."
With the pride of a roach, Tristan crawled about the forest floor, resembling a slimy rat. As he moved, he crashed into several trees, cursing under his breath. Strangely, this caused a vague sense of space to emerge, a very faint outline that dissipated the moment he charged headfirst into another tree.
His nose bled as he lay sprawled on the forest floor, taking in the thick, viscous atmosphere of Ultaria.
*Despite being cursed by two beings, I have to survive.*
**(Narrator)**
Which was true: for the ultimate test of this life is survival, and the only purpose we have is to dream of the impossible.
With newfound resolve, Tristan clenched his fist, sat up, and continued crawling. Days flew by, and a month passed.
During this time, Tristan grasped that vague sense of space and became adept at moving about like a roach. But something felt off; despite his newfound skills, his energy began to drain more rapidly, though it was still manageable.
In the following days, Tristan could be seen sitting cross-legged atop a moss-covered boulder, doing something quite strange. Within his mind, a gray mass swirled, and with a thought, it vanished into the surroundings.
Moments later, the gray mass returned, transformed into an image. He wanted to link this gray mass with the outside world; if he could do that, he could sense everything around him and move freely.
A week passed, and Tristan was seen meditating in his mental world, the only place where he could see color. He took a deep breath at the summit, which was covered in green.
Looking around, he saw vast greenery stretching into the distance, with a massive lake at the center and hundreds of streams of flowing water branching outward, carving the land as they pleased.
It was as if new worlds were forming, introducing liquid life to the barren earth.
The level Tristan had reached was branching into an unforeseen realm. Unbeknownst to him, his body had become nearly transparent, almost like an apparition in this world. As he gradually exited this state, he began to reform into the tangible world.
As he did, he saw nothing but black and gray, and anger surged through him. He bit the rock he was sitting on, almost breaking his teeth in the process.
Taking a deep breath, he thought to himself, "If this doesn't work, I'm gonna lose my shit."
The next day, Tristan stood upright, his posture straight. Instead of sending the gray essence out into the world, he began to infuse it into his body.
As time passed, he became acutely aware of his entire being—every detail from his heart to his blood, even the very atoms that made him up. This overwhelming sensation amazed him but also filled him with disgust.
He soon threw up on the forest floor, his mind a chaotic mix of thoughts, his body overwhelmed by the sensations.
Finding a staff-like branch was a stroke of luck. While exploring a nearby grove one day, he had stumbled upon an ancient tree, its gnarled roots exposed and twisted. The tree seemed to hum with energy, and as he approached, he noticed a sturdy branch lying on the ground, partially embedded in the earth. It was as if the tree had offered him a gift.
With determination, he pulled the branch free, feeling its weight in his hands. It was rough and weathered, but he sensed its potential as a weapon. Little did he know, this branch would become his lifeline in the trials to come.
As the days turned into weeks, Tristan honed his skills, practicing his movements and becoming more attuned to the vibrations of the forest. He learned to navigate the thick underbrush and avoid hidden dangers. His spatial awareness expanded, allowing him to sense creatures nearby before they approached.
Two weeks later, as the sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground, Tristan felt a shift in the atmosphere. A low rumble echoed beneath him, vibrating through the roots of the trees. He knew he was not alone.
His heart raced as he crouched low, instinctively gripping his branch tightly. Suddenly, a strange worm monster emerged from the ground, its slimy body glistening in the filtered light. It was massive, writhing and pulsating, with countless smaller worms trailing behind it.
Tristan's instincts kicked in. He had trained for this moment, and he was ready. He attacked, killing the creature in a single blow.
But its blood seemed to be a magnet of sorts. As the ground shook ever so slightly, thousands of these worms locked onto him.
He dashed off, running along a fallen ancient tree, but the worms ate through it like butter. With the movements of an adept forest master, he wove and bobbed through the surroundings.
Sensing a massive ancient tree nearby, he dashed toward it like a speeding bullet, leaping upward and running up the trunk like an ant. But the worm monsters dove underground, gnawing at the roots. In moments, the massive tree—a hundred stories tall—began to fall.
As it did, the worm monsters rushed Tristan. With a skilled hand, the wooden staff twirled, turning the worms into chunks of meat. He turned, ready to face the surge, but sensing vibrations from below, he rushed to the top of the falling tree. He slammed into a massive branch, almost breaking his nose, and cursed internally.
As he went around the branch, he shook his fist at it, but when the worm monsters saw this, they screeched in rage. An unsettling urgency flooded his senses. Without thought, he moved upward, feeling the instinct to jump forward.
Unbeknownst to him, the gap between him and the ground was fifty floors of empty air. He grabbed onto a branch for dear life and eventually pulled himself up. Though he couldn't see, his spatial sense gave him an idea of what was down there. He then leaped away, putting great distance between himself and the threat.
He grabbed onto a branch for dear life and eventually pulled himself up. Though he couldn't see, Tristan looked down. His spatial sense gave him an idea of what lay below. With determination, he leapt away, putting great distance between himself and the threat.
### Training Arc
In the days following his encounter with the worm monsters, Tristan focused on survival. The forest was a labyrinth of dangers, but it also held secrets. He spent his time observing the movements of creatures, learning to anticipate their actions. Each day was a test of his adaptability and cunning.
He scavenged for food, teaching himself to identify edible plants and fruits. As he grew more comfortable in his environment, he began to experiment with his newfound abilities. He would sit for hours, meditating to strengthen his spatial awareness, pushing the limits of his mind.
Over time, he discovered that by concentrating, he could create a black-and-white space around him, an outline of sorts that helped him navigate the forest. This ability became essential as he practiced moving silently through the underbrush, honing his reflexes.
One Earth year passed, and Tristan became adept at navigating the forest. Although he couldn't see, his increasing spatial awareness allowed his mind to create a black-and-white space about three meters across.
Within this radius, Tristan's mind outlined whatever entered this space. In this world of black and white, vibrations determined if something was beyond his three-meter zone. This created a second layer of awareness, expanding to encompass an area of fifteen meters.
Tristan trained in the treetops, leaping from branch to branch with reflexes that had become monstrous.
"My trial is to place upon you the curse of eternal drain and weakness, gradually lifting the seal. Will you accept?"
Tristan clenched his teeth in anger as those words echoed in his mind. During this time, the trial of the angel weighed heavily on him, manifesting as an exhausting drain on his energy. Each day felt like a battle against an unseen force, sapping his strength and clouding his thoughts. Simple tasks became monumental challenges, and he often found himself gasping for breath as fatigue settled deep in his bones.
The vibrant forest, once a source of wonder, began to feel oppressive. The lush greenery turned into a blur of muted colors, and the sounds of nature felt distant, as if mocking his plight. He struggled to maintain his focus, often losing track of time as he fought against the overwhelming weariness.
Yet, amidst this struggle, he discovered flickers of hope. Determined to break free from the curse, he delved deeper into his training. He spent hours meditating, learning to draw energy from the earth itself. By attuning himself to the vibrations of the forest, he slowly learned to channel its essence, replenishing his strength in fleeting moments.
Every time he felt the drain intensify, he would pause, grounding himself in the moment. He learned to listen to the whispers of the trees and the rustle of the leaves, allowing their energy to flow through him. Gradually, he found ways to manage the weakness, crafting techniques that turned his burden into a source of power.
As the months went by, Tristan's body adapted. He became leaner and more agile, his movements fluid as he navigated the treetops with newfound grace. His spatial awareness sharpened, allowing him to sense the world around him with greater clarity. The once oppressive atmosphere began to feel less suffocating, and he embraced the forest as both an ally and a mentor.
Now, in the current time, Tristan could be seen moving through the forest like a specter—silent, fluid, and almost ethereal. His mastery of spatial awareness allowed him to blend seamlessly into the shadows, a guardian of the woods, ever watchful and prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead.
He had transformed from a frightened wanderer into a formidable force, ready to confront the trials that awaited him.
But there was a small detail he forgot and that was the seal.
Suddenly and abruptly it began to crack sending the unsuspecting Tristan into a world of hurt.