5% mana…

Things were… My fate was… This entire adventure is… ⁠Insanity. It all was. I was insane. I knew that, all my logical senses told me that; they told me to give up; to run; to look for another way. I, however, also knew that this was the only way, and so I gave it my everything to make it work. I wanted to get out and I also wanted to fulfill the expectations that had been placed on me.

I was an artist, then named a hero, but more importantly, I was Arc.

I was a human being, with emotions and ambitions, and I couldn't let it all end here. The ground cracked and I moved to the side as a slash of darkness narrowly missed me. It exploded everything in its path with a single touch, empowered by a plague that consumed things and enhanced them.

[Ancient Blow]. The spear blew a hole through the monster.

And it was that very same plague that I was trying to conquer. It constantly nibbled at my body, at my existence at myself and even what drove my powers ⁠— my mana.

I didn’t know if I was going about things in the right way, or if I was going about things in a way I shouldn’t. I had fused Sol’as’ Spear and Alfina’s Spear together with corrupted ice, it felt more sturdy than ever, but at the same time, I didn’t know if it was the right thing or not⁠— and maybe, it didn’t matter⁠— it definitely didn’t matter.

All that mattered was that I survive.

A tendril of corruption tore part of my arm, instantly tainting it with darkness.

The only thing that mattered was ascending my mana.

[Frenzied Whirlwind]. The spear tip blurred, Alfina’s Sword punctured multiple holes through the monster as it screeched.

Which was why, I had to⁠—

And a tendril hit me.

I was sent flying as I felt multiple bones nearly break within my body, the ground around me burst open as it caught me. My entire body felt⁠— misshapen, it felt⁠— I coughed blood as I felt my bones begin to re-arrange, maybe it was due to how corrupted I was at this point but it quickly healed enough for me to slowly stand up⁠—

[God Step].

The tentacles exploded the spot where I had just been, I appeared right behind the monster as I used two skills in succession.

[Haunting Sharpness] and [Death Rend]!

The spear made a crescent flash of corruption that sliced through the monster and went past⁠— tearing a ravine through the ground as the landscape malformed. Parts of the monster splattered as it was cut but it immediately reattached itself together as I frowned.

Now 4%...

I sigh left me as I evaded, then I jumped away. For a moment, everything felt so distant as I thought back on my life so far.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Hm…” I stared at the white piece of paper. “That’s right, this is my canvas.”

With a smile and a crayon in hand I began to draw, my tiny arms going over the page in the middle of a class in kindergarten. Other kids too would draw, but unlike them I wouldn’t get distracted and of course I had a goal in mind. This drew the attention of others but not something I paid it mind. They asked what I was drawing, and I answered that it was a tiny part of my grand project.

“What project?” a girl asked.

“The project to draw an entire world, of course.”

In response they laughed, but little did they know I was serious in my endeavor.

◇ ◇ ◇

Back then, things were simpler, and yet my ambitions were grander. Of course, there was a kid like illusion of belief, but even then, I wanted that back. I wanted grander ambitions. I wanted to get out of here, but I wanted something… more.

My breathing was rough, and that was to be expected⁠ given I was absolutely exhausted and my mana was essentially useless. But even then, I dodged and attacked back, pushing the Corrupted Eternal Lion back even if it was just a tiny bit. Even though I was fighting actively, my mind was still elsewhere.

Where had that spark gone…?

◇ ◇ ◇

“To create a world I need a plan.”

I sat on the grass beneath a tree, watching other kids play during their recess time. While others at the age of thirteen worried about making friends, I had my own agenda. I pondered, feeling the grass against my legs.

“Writing is a great way to do that, but I want to paint it, I want to see it; of course I do love books but it’s just not the same,” I spoke to myself. “However, should I use a single canvas to paint the whole picture, or small ones that can capture snippets of its essence?”

I tilted my head. “Well not like it matters, I have plenty of time to figure it out. And once they see it…”

I thought of my parents.

“They will be blown away.”

◇ ◇ ◇

They weren’t… but even then⁠— ignoring that hangup⁠— where had that spark gone?

With a terrible frown, I charged forward. Tentacles of corruption shot my way like a volley of arrows. I made myself as small as possible as I sprinted forward, lightly shifting my posture with each passing attack. Some missed and some lightly brushed me, drawing blood upon contact and yet I charged on.

My senses were sharp, but I still thought, I thought about what I had lost, I thought about what I was missing and finally, more memories came to me.

◇ ◇ ◇

I modified the clay sculpture before me, it was past midnight; the only time I could really work. I was trying to make it as detailed as possible. I imagined how the inhabitants in another world would look, and in the end I chose humans that were taller and slimmer; the gravity in my world wasn’t as strong after all.

“I had to know and understand every detail, after all, as the creator I should be able to represent each of its inhabitants,” I grabbed a sketchbook and flipped through its pages, “every, single, one.”

The pages contained animals, they had people, creatures of fantasy, even plants. Some were rough but as the pages went on the more detailed they became.

“Once I’m done, I should be able to make my visions come to life, no matter the medium. Mom and dad gave me an earful not too long ago and said it was a fruitless endeavor, but they’ll change their mind once they see my vision. I’m sure of it.”

◇ ◇ ◇

Even after I was beaten down, time and time again I didn’t give up. Even after I was disowned I didn’t give up, I showed my teachers my vision, the few friends I had, even strangers on the internet ⁠— some found it odd, some loved it, and some said that I was being delusional, but it didn’t matter for I focused on what mattered.

Maybe it was a mechanism to forget about the abandonment from my family, but I never strayed from my goals. Not until I had no choice but to mostly forget about things during training, when I had to fight for my life, so had training robbed me of that spark?

Of course not.

More gashes were torn on my body as I rapidly approached the Corrupted Eternal Lion, and with a powerful roar, corruption exploded around me as I used [God Step] at the perfect time. My figure vanished and the ground behind me exploded.

I appeared mid air, holding my weapon up high as I slashed down, two skills at the same time once more. The slash of corruption tore down and the monster shielded itself with tendrils⁠— they tore apart as the slash reached its body, carving into it. The monster screamed from the impact and I landed past it as a deep breath left me.

3%...

The hellish training, the tutorial, the world of frost; it hadn’t robbed me of the spark. Blaming it for it would’ve been stupidity; wallowing in my misery. I had more than enough time to work on my project, and yet while at first I kind of did, I also trailed off and slowly lost that spark. Eventually, my thoughts wandered to other things.

I didn’t know if it was because I deemed it no longer a priority or something else, but matter of fact was that I had strayed, I had moved away from that dream. And perhaps, after this I would too, but for now, I wanted that spark back. I wanted to reach for impossibility. I wanted to regain what I had lost, and in order to do it I had to… give it my all.

Just like back then, when I staked it all on my dream. Now I too would stake everything and it was all for the same dream. I still wanted to create a world, however now I was taking a different approach.

In order to create I had to destroy first.

A small memory came back to my mind but I quickly dismissed it. I wanted to destroy the Forgotten Places, it was an impossible feat⁠— it was impossibility, but once I did⁠— once that was done, I was sure I’d be able to create the world I envisioned.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

I turned towards the monster and immediately tilted my head. A tentacle narrowly missed me and struck behind me. I flipped the spear and cut through the tentacles. They flew across my vision as the Corrupted Eternal Lion roared in anger, but I was unfazed as I simply looked at it.

It was such a small opponent compared to my goals.

And yet I was struggling…

I felt a small amount of anger as the injuries on my body became nothing but a hindrance in my eyes. My mentality did a rapid shift as I began to think of the incarnation of corruption before me as nothing more than a stepping stone.

My mana was essentially non-existent, but did that really matter?

Not having the support of my parents certainly didn’t matter to me in the past. Any rejection went from one ear and out the other. And right now, low mana was nothing more than a rejection, in the end, just like when I was young I felt that no matter what happened I’d achieve my goal.

To aim for impossibility.

That’s what I wanted. The beast was nothing but an obstacle in my eyes for my greater goal. It was just a setback, akin to accidentally tearing the paper when erasing or spilling water on my watercolor drawing. It was just a small nuisance to me. And like a nuisance, I swatted and cut its tentacles away.

I moved forth and the monster let out another roar; I used [Quick Step] and the ground where I previously stood exploded with a pillar of corruption. It shattered as it was consumed by the plague that infected this land, but I didn’t pay it more than a single glance as I used [Quick Step] again.

I immediately landed right next to the beast and one of its tentacles⁠— hit⁠— punctured through my stomach but even as my blood splattered I raised my spear and I used [Ancient Blow] into [Frenzied Whirlwind]. The spear stabbed dozens of times, blowing holes through the beast as it roared, and then with the final hit I used [Repulse].

The Eternal Corrupted Lion went flying like a ragdoll, it rolled across the ground splattering corruption as it let out an indignant cry. It came to a stop when its claws dug into the ground and it looked back at me. My steps had a light shamble, and I clearly was quite injured, but I paid it no mind.

My injuries didn’t really matter. For as long as I could move I knew nothing would stop me. And so, my unsteady steps turned steady as I ran towards the corrupted beast. It stared at me for a moment, I didn’t know if it was amused, judging me, or planning its next move⁠, but a moment later it charged at me. Each of its meaty steps breaking through the ground, and I too charged towards it.

It was something that I would’ve considered a suicidal charge not too long ago, but now nothing of the sort even crossed my mind. My feet broke through the ground with each of my steps, corruption empowering my body and essentially the only thing keeping me alive. And with it, I would tear it apart until nothing of the Forgotten Places places remained.

In a second, we met each other and I slid below the Corrupted Eternal Lion before stabbing into its belly and using [Repulse] the monster screamed as it was thrown into the air and I jumped, landing a fury of cuts and blows as I kept my mana usage to a maximum efficiency, I didn’t have much so I had to make it count⁠—

My foot touched its body mid-air and with the use of [Quick Step] I appeared above it, my other leg raised up-high as I did a downwards kick. [Titanic Strength] made the monster immediately launch towards the ground with an explosion of dust and debris. Then, wielding my spear, I shifted it within my grip and pulsed my mana.

“[Haunting Sharpness] into [Death Rend]…”

And I fell down, slashing with a flash of white light.

2%...

The light consumed the beast, destroying it apart as it let out a scream but I didn’t stop there. As soon as I landed I turned towards its regenerating figure and used [Frenzied Whirlwind] stabbing multiple times throughout its body, puncturing it multiple times in a single second as I felt the ice around Alfina’s Sword and Sol’as’ Spear begin to crack.

The monster roared in pain and spikes of corruption exploded all around it. One nicked my shoulder, another tore part of my side and a different one went straight up through my thigh. My blood trickled down as I used [Repulse], sending the monster away. It was a useful skill for running, but this time, I wasn’t using it to run.

I held the spear, craning it behind me as I prepared for a throw. Understanding how much I could do with it came as naturally as breathing water, and so⁠— numerous skills went off in a single moment before I called⁠—

“[Throw of Death]!”

The spear left my hand and with a burst of corruption it hit the Corrupted Eternal Lion, tearing it apart with a burst of corruption and magical ice. Then, I raised my arm.

[Armament Recall].

The spear flew through the air, spinning and when I caught it, my mana dropped.

1%...

I gripped my spear as I saw the Corrupted Eternal Lion reform once more, except this time its form was unstable and the corruption around its body seemed to be flickering as if threatening to fade out of existence. Then I readied myself for one more exchange and I⁠— stumbled.

I blinked, getting brought back to reality as I realized my vision was nothing but a blur, and my hands were incredibly shaky, and judging by how weak I felt I had a realization.

I’m dying…

I turned to the monster that was beginning to prepare a charge, and readied myself anyway. The memory from before coming back to me in full force.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Do it Arc,” my mother whispered into my ear.

“I don't. I can't…”

Today was my fifteenth birthday, and I was shaking. My hands were trembling holding a kitchen lighter, its small flame already lit and threatening to extinguish at any moment.

“Didn't you say you wanted to be the best? My parents made me do it with my reports, books, and even calculators too,” my mother said, holding my arms and slowly moving them down.

“They said: ‘In order to appreciate anything we must understand loss, we must destroy what we hold dear, only then will we be able to truly make something to be treasured,’” my mother explained. “I'm not doing this to hurt you but to teach you something.”

“B-But how can I trust you!” I stammered, the lighter in my hands shaking. “Every time I try to open about this you-you, dad and you destroy it.” I held back tears.

“I won't disagree, but.” She hugged me. “Not once have we mistreated you on your birthday, in fact last year we got you an expensive watercolor set with the promise we'd never see it.”

I gulped. She was right in the sense that they supported me to some extent on my birthdays but that was their only exception. Today was my birthday but still…

“Arc,” she began softly, “it will be worth it I promise. If it's not, I will always support you, right now I just want to teach you something. Nothing else, nothing more.”

I nodded, somehow her sincere words pushing me over the edge as I slowly moved the lit lighter down towards the pile of drawings and art supplies. Then as soon as the fire touched it, it was set ablaze by the alcohol coating it.

I screamed throwing the lighter away and I tried to run towards the pile to save something but instead my mother pulled me into a tight embrace and soothed me.

I never questioned her weird lesson, since for the first time in years I felt that I received the motherly loved that I so craved. And when we returned home my dad handed me three bags with a smile, he said playfully to not let them see the contents after today.

And later that night upon opening the bags I realized they had replaced everything that had been burned, some of my sketchbooks that I thought were in the pile were actually in the bag.

As for the lesson?

It did work, just as she said it would.

◇ ◇ ◇

It was the only memory that I truly treasured with my family, because it showed me that they too were human, even if weird. Unfortunately, I never saw eye to eye with them. Though I did wonder…

What would they think of my current situation?

I smiled.

I was about to die after all.

Though, well, no matter what, I’d achieve what I set out to achieve, that was my resolution and confidence, others would think it was delusional but I didn’t care as I used all of the body enhancing skills I knew and adjusted my stance⁠— in a single moment the small sliver of mana that I had was consumed⁠—

0%...

All of my mana became corrupted as the skills within my body remained active, and even in spite of that I gripped my spear tightly as I prepared myself for the end.

In the end, I knew it wasn’t possible for me to destroy the Forgotten Places, no matter how many lives, or how many attempts I had, but…

“I think I can paint its destruction,” I said, raising my spear. “Just like this.”

Alfina’s Sword at the tip slowly tore into space, my corrupted mana going into the two weapons with nothing but an instinctual feeling. Meanwhile in the background, the corruption tore through everything as the world itself became shrouded in a pitch black darkness. I felt my life slowly draining from me as the being of corruption began its charge.

A memory came.

“Sol’as? That’s a silly name, mine is Alfina, love to make your acquaintance.” Alfina said, extending her hand towards a blue-skinned man as the corruption tore their world.

Then another.

“Spear is what I live for…” Sol’as’ said as he faced a gigantic being of corruption, an Eternal of some kind.

And another.

“I’m called the Golden Researcher, and in the end I couldn’t even stop this…” Asok wept as he saw his world being torn apart by the darkness.

A myriad of memories from the three individuals came to me, the path of research, the path of the sword, the path of the spear⁠— I saw it all in a blink as I simply smiled. In the end, each and every one of them offered me a path forward, the crystal from Asok’s collar shining before my eyes.

[C̷r̴y̴s̶t̶a̷l̸ ̴o̶f̶ ̵R̵e̷v̵e̴l̶a̸t̶i̴o̶n̸s̵ and Return. Tier: Unknown].

That had been his gift to me.

Salvation.

“But I want to forge my own path.” I smiled as the sword tore another hole through reality with a fast stroke. My arms felt so weak, but they danced, painting what I saw to be a masterpiece. I could see it.

I really truly could see it.

The end of the world was right before my eyes.

The strokes sped up as the monster roared coming for me, and then⁠— from the walls of darkness, a corrupted figure flew hitting the ground nearby. I immediately recognized it as Asok. Though I did not stop my movements.

“Arc?” he called in his corrupted voice.

I smiled now having an audience. “Witness my greatness. This is my masterpiece.”

My muscles tensed and I stabbed forward tearing reality itself, all my corrupted mana flowing into the two weapons as the ice on them broke apart.

“World Ender.”

And a torrent of white burst forth. The corrupted mana within me shattered. Reality itself shattered. Everything in front of me shattered.

Like broken glass it exploded in a mixture of distortion and white flashes. The Corrupted Eternal Lion died without a sound as the corruption before me was erased. I saw the Eternal in the distance fall, missing half of its body, I saw a blue sky, I saw grass and I saw the world I dreamed of for a second.

Then it all disappeared as I was left staring at a barren land with nothing but a black abyss as far as the eye could see. I stared for a moment in surprise before I collapsed to the ground, the battle raging around me.

Then, from the border of my vision I saw the corrupted Asok get up and walk towards me. Without words he knelt before me and grabbed the small crystal on the necklace then, I sensed a smile in his voice as he spoke.

“This is my final gift to you, Arc.”

He shattered it and I⁠— we found ourselves in a cave.

“Welcome back to your world.”

[You have entered the world of Arlas].

I blinked as he stood back. “Your body is no longer corrupted and I can’t overstay so I’ll be leaving now.”

He plunged his hand into space and tore a hole of darkness into it.

I blinked and looked down⁠— I was all bloodied but he was right. Then, I realized⁠— the entirety of everything that had happened as I immediately called.

“So you’re just leaving?”

He paused. “I do have unfinished business after all, I’m not done with my Ascension.” He gestured.

“Will you come back?” I asked.

“No, I’ll remain down there and fight the corruption.” I immediately tried to stand up but my exhausted body did not allow me. “When your legs allow you to, you can stand proud, that was the strongest attack that I have ever seen; you’re strong. That is all, farewell Arc, I’ll remember you even if my life comes to an end shortly after this.”

With those words, he entered into the rift of darkness and corruption as it slowly closed, though his voice echoed in the air.

“Use the power you’ve attained for your happiness, you deserve it.”

And the rift closed as I just stared at it, a mixture of relief and grief washing over me.

It was over.