Trudging across this wasteland, heading opposite of where I was thrown was about as boring as you would expect. I mean, it's just endless rocks that look and feel similar to glass shards, slowly destroying my poor feet. I had fallen a couple of times when I had lost concentration on my mana, losing balancing act. I never lose my balance with the amazing skill, but I can’t keep it activated for hours at a time. Let me tell you, falling on your butt has never hurt more.

I wiped at my teary eyes with a chubby hand, focussing on putting one foot in front of the other. I had begun meditating while walking, distracting myself. I still haven't really looked over my skill level-ups from the training spree I had been on just 12 hours or such ago. Might as well do that now.

*You have begun trekking the path of mastery over oneself, centering your consciousness even in the most dire of circumstances. Meditation IV becomes Meditation VI*

*After observing tens of magical phenomena, you have become more accustomed to its workings. Mana Sense X becomes Mana Sense XI*

*The minds of your allies and foes alike reveal themselves to you! Psychic Perception V becomes Psychic Perception VI*

*You have kept your balance after battles, traumatic events, and even the wastelands of the scarred Bethemose! Balancing Act VIII becomes Balancing Act X*

*You may now stay upright for hours at a time with little mana expendige. Weight reduction efficiency improved!*

*You have braved the complex attacks of a Psychic user! Mental Expansion III becomes Mental Expansion V*

*Manipulating magic itself has never been easier! Elementary Mana Control III becomes Elementary Control IV*

Oh, well that's cool I guess? I can’t really analyze my new levels right now with the whole trial thing and all. The thing that caught my attention though, was the skill advancement for balancing act. Guess I can keep it going for hours at a time now. It was convenient, and it was exactly what I needed.

The sun bore down on my tender flesh, the dozens of tiny scratches having stopped bleeding after an hour. Maybe that's why I feel so out of it? I have been leaving a tiny blood trail that predators would pick up in an instant. If there even are any predators in this damn wasteland.

I concentrated, my walking meditation steadily improving.

*You continue to trek on! Your perseverance knows no bounds! Or you're simply stupid. Either way, Meditation VI becomes Meditation VII*

Huh. Back to balancing act. I circled the wind mana, trying to get it through my sluggish body. I felt my mana begin to decrease sharply as my entire body was tugged upwards, lightening the weight of my body, and relieving some of the pressure on my feet. Now it feels like I'm walking on legos instead of sharp steel spikes. Hooray.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, squinting as the cloudless sky continued to torment me, it's endless blue stretching itself in an ever vaster proportion. Not even these endless grey hills could compare to the majesty of space.

I kept walking, falling into another trance as my feet continued kept on keeping on. My mana dwindled faster, faster than it should have. Maybe it has something to do with it being connected to my heart and blood? Or is this hellish landscape sapping my strength? Maybe my new skill that just has more upkeep than I thought?

I sighed, releasing the hold my mana had on my weight. I felt the burden on my body instantly return as my feet dug back into the stones, making me wince sharply. The only reason I hadn’t already fallen was because I hadn’t completely removed its effects. I swear, if this skill got out on earth, half the women on the planet would do anything to get instant weight reduction.

My mana was being lost at a slower rate, but still too much for my liking. I had been going for what- 2 hours? I had done nothing but use balancing act which had very little impact on my mana. Maybe 20% an hour? I was at around 30%, and it was still declining.

I furrowed my brow and thought back for a second. Viralya had said I had to find my own path. I can check that off the list, considering I had been just... Walking my path… I guess? There was literally a trail of blood behind me forming a kind of pseudo path. She had also said that knowledge of this test would hurt me. So…

I scratched my bare head, looking back for the first time. Maybe I could see the bloody footprints?

The moment I did, I felt my surroundings blur, the shadow of some kind of massive behemoth forming from the shadows beneath each hill. A huge hulking goopy mess condensed itself, forming the vague outline of a snake.

I watched in fascination as it began slithering in my direction, pulling itself forward in a goopy mess. My instincts were like a distant alarm clock you can’t hear because you're asleep, telling me to run away. But I paid no attention. I had to think.

This was a trial. Something where you have to literally earn a name for yourself. I don’t think the answer would be to turn back around and run away from that thing, but neither would charging forth like you just spotted a taco stand mirage in the distance. Fleeing would be cowardliness, but also a display of rational thought, a sense of survival. Charging ahead would just be courageous, but stupid. I could also try something else like what Viralya had done and break the rules. Hiding maybe?

I’m pretty sure when she said the only way to leave this place was to reach the god pillar, she wasn’t exaggerating, but that clearly didn’t apply to her. So. The question is, what is this trial testing me on?

I think the better question is, what do I want to be tested on? Names are a diverse and complex thing, and I suspect there's more than one way to pass this trial. I was far too tired and exhausted to panic now.

The shadowy goopy snake thing was coming closer rapidly, covering a quarter of the distance in just a couple of seconds. I looked up into its gaping maw, seeing the reflection of my dead body within its abyssal stomach.

What do I want to be named for…?

I sighed, my breath slowly exhaling. Screw this thinking thing. I may have the potential to be great in mind, evident by my potent Psychic corruption, but it wasn’t all I was. If I was going to be named, I wanted it to be the sum of all of my parts.

I did the unthinkable. I turned around and kept walking the same as I had before. Giant goopy snake thing? Endless rocky wastelands? Demonic foxes? I wanted none of that. What can I say? I’m just too stubborn for my own good.

I strolled along at a leisurely pace, wind mana picking up, whispering of freedom and distant worlds. I felt the all-consuming wrath of my fire mana perk up, begging me to charge forth. My Psychic mana actually responded for once, urging me to run, to escape.

I did none of that. I sat there like a rock, trudging on like I had been before. I ignored the monstrosity behind me, the blazing sun on my back, the pull of my mana. I delved into myself, plunging into the rivers of my mindscape, keeping my eyes wide open as I felt my mana regen pick up.

I was a rock, walking on even as battle, cowardice, greed, and pride tried to wash me away. I was human at my core. I had faults, and I knew this well. I knew I had delved deep into my subconscious with meditation in my ‘previous life’ and I knew how it had saved me from emotional oblivion.

Maybe I didn’t have earth corruption, but I didn’t need it. I would continue walking until I couldn’t. That's what the sum of my character represents. My sense of freedom, my fiery wrath, my superhuman rationality.

*You have advanced your meditation without skill evolution! You have learned to walk along the tightrope of battle, going forward even in the most dire of circumstances! Battle Meditation can now be activated as a subskill of Meditation!*

And just like that, I felt myself swallowed by that disgusting goopy shadow snake.

The next time I had woken up, I was in the same place. I groaned as I felt my mana sluggishly cycle as I surveyed my surroundings. Same barren hills, same ever-burning sun that hadn’t moved an inch regardless of the hours that had passed.

I was alive. I was… Still alive.

A tired grin broke out on my face as I let out a short husky Psychic laugh, that seemed to reverberate off the whole landscape. I winced as I stood up, looking upon my hands and feet, the hundreds of tiny scratches dripping fresh blood. Half of my body had them now, the blood dripping down my sides. I frowned as I felt light-headed, my hunger surfacing for the first time in ages.

I actually was hungry, my stomach rumbling, and my muscles aching for some kind of energy, physical or intangible in nature. I was about to brush the shards off them with my hands before I thought better of it. That would make my hands hurt like hell.

I guess… I could use gluttonous creation… But I really don’t want to.

It's hard enough for me with my revulsion of fire, but it also takes hours and intense focus. I can’t afford that right now, as my mana is already far too low. The ambient mana was helping, but I needed some kind of Neutral mana soon, else I would starve.

Sighing, I pulled myself up, not stopping the tears from falling from my face. What? It’s a reflexive reaction, and I can’t help it at the moment. I had to spend the energy on other things, like walking.

I started my trek once again, not planning on stopping until I reached the god pillar. I had figured out what I wanted to prove, and by golly, I would do it.

So, I did just that. I kept on walking.

And walking…

And walking…

And walking-

There! In the distance, I spotted a hazy shimmer, a black dot in a sea of grey. I didn’t care if it was a hallucination, I had been walking again for 3 hours, and despite my earlier speech, I uh… Was getting tired, bored, and even more hungry.

My pace picked up slightly as I adjusted my angle, heading toward the hazy and tall towering silhouette. I was almost panting like a dog, images of water and food coming to mind when I would touch the god pillar and receive my name. Maybe Viralya would take us out to eat at a restaurant? Maybe they have pancakes and strawberry milkshakes in this world… She did say she would be a better mentor. There could even be… Tacos... It's a possibility!

With even more determination found in tacos, I broke out in a light jog, my eyes wide as saucers. The bits of wispy hair on my head shifting in the dry wind, my skin as red as a tomato from the sun. Each step left a bloody footprint, my constant use of meditation negating balancing acts upkeep.

When I finally crested the next hill, I could see the structure in greater clarity. There, in my way, was a massive city. And it wasn’t some medieval oversized village, no, this was a metropolis. A metropolis from my old world. That made me stop in my tracks.

Now that I was listening closely, I could hear the distant horns of cars, the slight overhang of smog in the air, and even the deep rumble of a train below my feet, miles underground.

I could feel black foreign magic creeping up my body, covering my eyes in a flash.

All at once, I found myself walking along a sidewalk, the boiling sun a distant memory as I hefted my backpack.

Today was my first day at work for a real corporation! No more burglary and sketchy jobs to survive! I could finally take myself up in the big leagues and have everyone recognize my architectural prowess for what it was!

I beamed, a grin on my face as I walked towards the high glass building, hearing nearby street vendors shout their merchandise. I tugged at my nice suit, going through the slider doors with the gold metal handles.

I walked up to the counters, my shoes clacking on the marble floors, chandeliers of fine glass twinkling above my head.

The man in the front sported a charming smile and fine tuxedo, speaking to me with a polite greeting

“Hello, sir! Welcome to Lenchent corp! Do you have business with our fine establishment here or are you here to place an order?” He said as he spoke into my mind, his lips not moving.

I frowned as I felt something wrong, but brushed it off just as quickly as it came. It was just nerves. I spoke into him with a grin.

“Actually, I’m here because the job interview went well and the staff gave me a call and said I was hired, so here I am!” I said with pride as I projected the feeling of joy.

A spark of realization flickered across his face as his polite smile returned. I glanced at his name tag, reading Timmy.

“Oh yes! You must be the famed @^#*> We have been hearing so much about! I can’t tell you what an honor it is to meet you, sir, your builds have been passed around to the higher-ups and they were very impressed with your work. We are very excited to have you in employment!” Timmy said.

I nodded as he took out a pen and wrote on a sticky note and then gave it to me. I checked it over quickly as I walked to one of the elevators. It was hastily jotted down instructions pointing to somewhere on the 29th floor in the basement, directing me to the labs and research sector. I had no idea what that meant, but he probably knew what he was talking about!

I bit my lip in nervousness as I punched in the buttons, a bit intimidated when I noticed the 156 upper floors and 30 lower floors.

I descended, tapping my foot to the simple elevator music until I heard the all too familiar delightful ding! The doors opened to a white hallway with some people walking in masks, goggles, and a white lab coat. I looked wholly out of place as I followed the dotted line tracing to the near back of the facility, detailing a distant office. Nobody gave me odd looks at my more business attire, my black tie, and suit stretching uncomfortably as my black shiny shoes padded on the tiled floor. The halls were stark white, with multiple doors and hallways detailing a large expanse beyond what I could see from here.

Eventually, I reached an office titling ‘prototype testing and storage’. No idea what I was doing here, but it was okay!

I opened the door, finding myself in front of a control panel surrounded by thick glass that covered the wall on all sides, showcasing a view of a warehouse-sized room with what appeared to be dozens of wooden and steel crates. We were currently in a high-rise observation deck, looking out over the whole warehouse. No idea what any of it was, but it sparked familiarity in me. I walked up to a lone woman standing in front of the panel, punching buttons with a laptop next to her, taking notes of something. She was muttering to herself as she scratched her head, sharp complexion, and blonde hair giving me a full-on stereotypical scientist feel.

I waved to her, clearing my throat as she gave a jump, turning around with a startled face. I gave her a smile. Was I allowed to just walk in here…? Ah, it was probably fine. She returned my smile.

“Oh! You must me ^@*<#, the one I’ve been hearing so much about!” I nodded.

“Ah, hold on a second let me-” She shuffled some papers that I hadn’t seen behind her, catching a glimpse of the details of the current floor, with two specific spots leading to a cracked wall. I frowned at the report, looking at it closely for a second before the women caught me staring.

“Oh, uh, I’m sorry about that! I’ll be with you in a second.” She hid the papers and went back to the laptop, pulling up a new tab.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“Sorry, you had to come all the way down here!” She sighed. “I just have to pull this up... there we go!” She turned back around, showing me an image of myself, a small profile decorating my information. My face was blurred out for some reason, but I didn’t focus on it.

“So, um, my boss asked me to ask a couple of questions for some security reasons. Someone recently broke into our establishment and set fire to a lot of our stuff, and now I have to interview anyone who's being recruited, for a second time.”

“Ah, geez that's horrible! I’m so sorry…”

She nodded sighing in annoyance.

“Yes, it was terrible. But anyways, questions?” She asked while holding up her laptop, the report of me flashing in the lights overhead.

Just another obstacle in the way to a real job. I could feel how close I was to employment!

“Alright, I’ll just pull up the rest of these questions… Aaaand there we go!” A slew of text popped up before she pulled a chair out of seemingly thin air, a pair of glasses, and sat down, urging me to sit. I found myself in a plastic and metal chair, leaned back up against the wall next to the door.

“Okay! So! First quick question! Where were you last night!” She said.

Things were a bit hazy, and I swear I could feel my feet starting to act up, blood and rock sliding down my flesh. But those were probably just more nervous hallucinations.

“I was… In my house?” I said in a questioning tone, a confused frown on my face as I tried to recall.

I had… Definitely been in my house at one point. I remember something about blaring a power outage and fire…

I shook it off. No, that was crazy. I had been in my home the whole time after I had picked up Max from a bar.

“I had just picked my friend up from a bar while he was drunk, and I went home and went to sleep!” I proclaimed happily.

It felt wrong, that was okay. I had no time to worry about the buzzing in my ear whispering something or the feeling of hot fire in my veins.

“Okay… Yep! That checks out from the security cams we placed on your house!”

Wait, what?

“Alright, 2 more questions. How do you feel right now?” She asked, a clipboard appearing from thin air.

“Well, I’m feeling… Uh…” Weird? Not fine? I couldn’t say that in a professional questionnaire!

“I’m feeling right as rain!” The wrong feeling increased.

She nodded, turning back to her clipboard and typing something on her computer.

“That checks out from what our monitors say. You’re good so far! Now, for the third… Hmm… Let me see… Oh! What's your name…?” Her voice seemed to trail off a bit there as I squinted at her.

My name…? It's… What was my name again? Aw damn! These nerves are getting to me! I can’t even remember my own name!

“My name is… Uh…. I don’t remember?” She seemed to freeze for a second before she did a half double-take, the same hazy smile on her face. Things flickered as reality shifted, the entire glass deck suddenly turning foggy with multicolored soot.

“Excellent! It seems our reports and gathered data all add up! Please put in a good word for the boss if you can! Kankaar knows I need it.” She snorted as she handed me a slip of paper.

“But-”

Before I had a chance to say anything more I was outside her office, back among the shuffling people who were walking stiffly… Robotically? I couldn’t see the edges of my vision. Everything was so blurry and my feet stung. Wow, I must be sweating bullets right now! I’m still super nervous but I can’t wait to get this job!

Note in hand, I headed back to the elevator, somehow knowing I needed to head to the top floor to shake hands with the CEO and receive my job. Who else but the CEO herself to receive me!

But… Regardless… As I headed up the elevator, listening to the same note over and over again in the elevator music, I couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

The elevator gave out another ding and I was quickly thrust into an office, full of books and the smell of vanilla. It was mostly silent, fine-looking people typing on computers mindlessly, punching in numbers over and over again as they wrote on their keyboards. I was tempted to look over and see what they were all writing, but I suppressed the urge.

A good employee knows privacy is a big deal! I could violate my terms of service if I did anything bad. And it was my first day on the job! But, a frown was stuck in my face as I read a name covering in front of an office door, reading ‘Tomahawk; CEO of Lenchent corps’.

I breathed in deeply as I entered, the woman in front of the desk surrounded by glass walls catching my eyes as she smiled at me. Next to her was a finely dressed man with a lopsided smile as well, friendliness and energy oozing off of him. His name tag read ‘Max’.

“Oh hello there young spirit @^*##(! ” She said, the wind seeming to carry her voice. I smiled back, looking at her with an odd expression.

What had she called me? I couldn’t quite make it out…

“I see you have been interviewed by Trista, I apologize for the unexpected interrogation, but it was necessary.” I nodded along, keeping my mouth shut.

I knew I had to be careful about what I say around Viralya. She would kick my butt in an instant if I messed up!

Wait… Who’s Viralya?

“I’m so glad you could make it, and I would like to say, I love your architectural work! I mean, what you did with some of your customers' homes? Just astounding! I’m honored to be here, standing in front of the presence of a potential legend in the making!” I grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of my head as I smiled. Thoughts of Viralya fled my mind

Maybe I did deserve such praise! I mean, I was great after all!

“Ah, well, I appreciate the um, honesty! I’m glad you liked my work! I really put my heart and soul into all my projects and builds, and I’m so happy you saw that in me.” The feeling of wrongness increased drastically.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead for a second, looking outside at the view of the city. I turned my head to look with her, noticing the grey hills beyond the roads and sidewalks that seemed to be cloaked in mist. I looked out, frowning in concentration.

“Well!” She said with a clap of her hands, jerking me back to the present. “Now that you're here, I just need you to sign, here, here and… Here and you will be all set up! I'll give you an office number and you can go out and start your career!” I nodded my head, taking the pen that appeared out of thin air from her hands.

I looked down, twirling the pen with unnatural dexterity as I wrote down my blurred signature in each pointed space, signing myself off without bothering to look at the fine print. They were a trustworthy lot! How could they get this big without consumer trust anyway?

I did as I asked and handed her the completed form, watching as it evaporated. She nodded to Max by her side who I had forgotten, and he handed me an ID card, as well as another sticky note with a series of numbers and letters pointing to the 3rd floor.

Suddenly, the woma-Viralya leaned forward and winked at me, an unprofessional smile on her face.

“Just between you and me though?” She whispered. “I think your infiltration into our office building and the quick thinking you displayed while escaping a lot of my guard regime was a brilliant move!” My blood ran cold.

The smile faded from my face as Max spoke up for the first time.

“Yeah, bro! The only part of your plan I didn’t like was when I had to play bait for that Tomahawk guy. That sucked. But I’m glad it all turned out okay in the end though, didn’t it?”

My breathing hitched as I backed up quickly, my ID and paper slip forgotten as I bumped into the door, quickly going for the handle, panicking the whole time. I just had to get out and tell the cops- they could help. I just had to… I just… It’s locked…

I slowly turned back around, seeing the sharp teeth and foxy ears of Viralya as she grinned at me, silver eyes sparkling.

“You just had to get in and out without making a ruckus! That was the plan! You could have been rich! But no, you had to go and get yourself killed!” She screamed.

I clenched my ears shut, her mental voice screaming into my head, an unfamiliar bloodlust and anger radiating off her. My eyes were squinted in fear as the feeling of wrongness made my head want to explode.

“I… No! It was an accident! I was going to die! I had to… I… It was an accident…” I said in a faint whisper.

“Because of you, hundreds died!” she roared. Tears streamed from my cheeks as the city and office faded, Max dissipating with a scowl on his face, and I returned to the grey hills, a mishmash of people walking around, chatting like nothing was wrong. Illusion and reality elapsed and my eyes grew wide in horror at the ‘glitches’ in reality as people continued to go about their daily lives, walking across the harsh stone that was this cursed land with big smiles on their faces.

“You killed hundreds of people from that fire, hundreds of refugees that couldn't make it out in time! And you failed Max too! All because of your stupidity! Do you want to know what happened after you left here? What happened after you set fire to the whole facility? Do you want to know how the Molasses gang abandoned you because you were stupid? Do you want to know all the chaos and pain you caused among the families of those dead? No, of course, you don’t, you COWARD!” Her voice boomed into my mind, my screams doing nothing to drown out the guilt and shame that washed over me.

“N… No! You're wrong! You have to be… I couldn’t… I wouldn’t have…” I sobbed, my tears adding to the blood at my feet.

My form shrunk until I was just a small thing, powerless, and weak.

“Listen to yourself, fool! You're not even certain yourself! You're breaking down from shouting alone, sobbing like a pathetic crybaby! Oh wait, that's exactly what you are” The shadowy Viralya clucked their tongue.

“You were given a second chance, and you have just been wasting time! Training uselessly to match a future you will never reach! You don’t deserve your second chance at life, you miserable and utter fool!”

Something inside me ignited. Okay, yes, I had killed a lot of people. Yes, perhaps I was a horrible person with a terrible track record for burglarizing homes and stealing tacos, but… What would have any other person done in my position? Willingly die at gunpoint for a cause you barely understand? No!

“You're pathetic.” The thing spat. “And now, you even justify your crimes with misplaced comfort! Your nothing! Do you hear me? NOTHING!”

The air stilled. I had to remind myself. This was a trial. It was testing my character. It was testing my resolve, my metal, my patience, and how I had changed in adversity.

My expression hardened. I stood up on bleeding knees, mana roaring through my veins, responding to my will. I looked into the dead eyes of the being who didn’t even try to imitate my poor excuse of a mentor anymore.

“Okay. I think I get it.” I said.

The monster sneered.

“You get nothing! You will die here like the rest who have dared to set foot upon my land!” The stones trembled, the roaming people all at once disappeared as the illusion evaporated, a hulking mess of shadow remaining. It raised two tentacles to the sky, sharp rocks suddenly bursting into the sky.

“I understand that I made a mistake. I will not justify my actions. I did indeed cause the death of hundreds.” And just like that, an unknown weight I hadn’t noticed lifted itself off my shoulders, my acceptance of the guilt and shame making it paradoxically fade. I remembered everything now. My past, my faults, my hurts. The only thing I still couldn’t recall was my arrival, but I’m pretty sure that's not a matter of memory. But I could tell the sudden lucidity was temporary, something coming back into my mind, suppressing my memories. I had no time to ponder this, as the goopy snake monster flexed its tentacles.

The rocks seemed to freeze in their formations for a second, before breaking apart to form a funnel, connecting in both heaven and earth as a cyclone formed with us at its eye.

The monster screamed in rage and the rocks sped back up again, picking up as they closed in. They were a little slower than before though. I observed the change, a bit of panic rising into my voice as I continued speaking.

“There is nothing that can excuse my actions and nothing will change that, but that does not mean I am unworthy! I did all these things, yes, but I do have the capacity to change.” The rocks slowed further, the monster seemed to recoil.

This is it! I thought. I narrowed my eyes and shouted with mana laced into my voice, screaming with as much power as I dared.

“I found a place here! I left behind all of who I was before! Maybe it still stains my soul, and maybe I’ll never wash it out, but I’ll bear these scars anyways! Screw you and your test, if this is really all a test to judge my character, then I'll tell you right now that I’ll get through this and turn out for the better! I will learn from my mistakes and do better the next time!” I screamed with clenched eyes, my rage bubbling beneath, materializing as fire mana, coming out of my body in sparks.

Even with my newfound control, I struggled to rein it in. My clenched eyes opened back up suddenly, staring at the open skies and empty plains. The grey hills still rolled endlessly, the monster thing gone like it was never there, to begin with.

I stood still for a second, wind tickling my ears before I fell to the ground, disregarding the scratches on my body, shivering and crying.

What had I done?

I woke up later, tears staining my face, sat up, dead tired. There was so much blood and pain. It hurt. It hurt so much. I stood up on my feet, gasping as I wobbled. My mana was sparse, very little keeping me upright as I stumbled forward.

What the hell had happened? I… Can’t remember. I just remember a lot of pain and hurt. Had I passed the second trial? I hoped so because I was totally ready to go home.

Forward. I just have to keep going forward. I don’t care about the test anymore, I just want to find that god pillar and head home. I don’t want to be here. It hurts.

I shook as I stumbled in a zigzag, walking by on a thread of mana as I focussed on putting one foot in front of the other. Thought left my mind as I grit my teeth. I walked and kept walking.

Why the hell was there so many of these damn grey hills? The island was not this big when I had seen it from above! Why the hell did I even need a name anyway? For an ancient legend long ago that may or may not be true? This much suffering for a chance?

There was nothing. No matter how long I traveled, or how far, It was just more rocky hills. There was just more pain and the same sun bearing down on my back.

It was maddening.

But I couldn’t break. For as much as I wanted to complain, shout, and curse, some small part of me knew this was necessary. It was right.

Thoughts of a big vast open-world I could venture out in filled my mind, as I kept walking. I breathed in, a distant notification going off that was soundly ignored. I submerged deeper into meditation and kept walking.

My own path huh…? Forged in not the blood of my enemies, but also my own. Heh. This entire thing would have been totally unthinkable to me just a few months ago.

I stopped thinking altogether. There was only walking. One bloody foot in front of another, slowly advancing across this hellish landscape.

But after hours of walking, I felt something give. My mana ran out, my thread of balance cutting off as all at once, the wind tickling my ear went silent as I collapsed. I felt numb to the pain, relishing in the rest. My meditation wasn’t working anymore. I was so hungry, and I just couldn’t keep walking.

Sleep… I need to sleep… I’m a baby, aren’t I? How the hell did I even stay awake this long?

I drifted off, not completely falling unconscious as the sun continued to beat down on my skin.

I just… Couldn’t. I didn’t want to quit. What? I’m stubborn. It would be overwhelmingly satisfying to fall asleep but I wasn’t giving up!

I pulled myself from unconsciousness as I sat up slowly, seeing the unrecognizable lumps of flesh I called my feet.

I looked back up, seeing the empty hills still stretching on endlessly… Wait…

My eyes refocused as I saw a lump of shadowy flesh in front of me, staring at me without eyes. I looked back, my exhaustion and determined mindset not recognizing danger. A Psychic Tendril broke through my mind.

“Why?” The thing rumbled, its distant and alien voice echoing in my mind. It sounded almost bewildered, confused.

“Your kind should be gone. You should not be here, and you are one of a great many faults. Why do you continue to try?” They said.

I tried to chuckle, but what came out was a dry wheeze.

“I don’t know.” I said.

And I didn’t. Not really. Why did I refuse to give up? For freedom? Revenge? My lopsided foxy family? No. I had no idea why I was doing this. It's funny because I’ve been making up reasons to venture forth this whole time, but I never really had a concrete reason.

“Maybe for survival? Some unknown compelling force? Or… Maybe that's just who I am. Who I have always been.” I let out a gasp as blood seeped through the ground.

“I still bleed. I still struggle. I guess, I just have too much to live for.” I said with a finalizing tone like I was realizing it for the first time.

The beings flesh pulsed and writhed with… Amusement? I couldn’t tell. Reading fox expressions was hard enough. Weird shadow flesh things? No chance.

“I see. That is a rather ridiculous reason. But I can see it... Very well. I shall permit you to pass, and please tell that wretched traitor you call your mentor that if she continues to break the rules, she will be forcefully evicted of her privileges.” The being faded away as I stared at in confusion. The hell? Viralya is a traitor? I shook my head.

“Wait!”

The being paused, turning its attention back to me.

“What do you mean? What are you talking about? What happened earlier? Why can’t I remember anything? Why is Viralya a traitor?” I asked. It may not be the best time to ask questions, but I just got a clue on Viralya’s identity! I have to ask more before I lose my chance.

The thing continued to pulse and writhe, its amusement carried across by telepathy, as it completely faded, disappearing like it was never there. I was silent for a minute, staring where the thing had just been, thinking back as hard as I could. Was that the third trial?

I… Had no idea. I feel different though. Clearer. Better. More defined.

I sighed deeply, clearing the bitterness and frustration of being kept in the dark as I looked to my left. And there it was. A massive metal obelisk-type structure that towered in the distance, at least a couple of miles away.

I saw the distant sea as the endless rocky hills actually seemed to end. The island sun slowly trudged along the sky, Its motion back in full force.

I was finally about to complete this damn trial thing and return home! I was almost there! I raised my arm, feeling its sharp protest before it fell back to my side. I looked down at myself, turning my head with great difficulty as I stared at my broken and battered body.

Well… Maybe after a short nap…

I woke up later under a furry body as my bloody form was carried upon by my new favorite fox, a tired smile greeting me as Junior padded along slowly to the distant god pillar.

“Hey there… How are you doing? You certainly… Woke up fast.” His quick and fast pants matched my heavy wheezes as his red fur felt dry and cracked with similar colored red blood, hundreds of scratches on his body matching mine.

I cracked a small smile as well.

“Oh, you know… Just sunbathing in this glorious… weather…” I said.

I felt his wobbly knees carrying me forth and I checked my mana. About 10%. I groaned as I slid off his back, drawing winces from both of us as blood splattered our flesh. I landed on the ground with a crack, clenching my eyes as I fed my sparse mana into my legs and core, the balancing effect from the muscle in my ear providing me with the skill balancing act.

He gave me a grateful nod.

“I don’t know about you…” He said with a slur. “But I could go for the bed in Viralya’s room… Or even just soft dirt and a nice bloody squirrel… Yeah… That sounds nice” I grunted in agreement, which just sounded like a high-pitched squeak.

We continued walking in silence after that, stepping forward as we approached the god pillar.

Nothing stopped us. Nothing even happened. I hoped this still wasn’t part of the trial, because if it was, I would flip out.

We soon reached it, its massive hulking stone form decorated in stone runes that glittered in the sunlight. I sighed heavily, turning to my companion.

“You… Ready?” I asked faintly, eyelids drooping.

He bobbed his head.

“Hell… Yes… Let's get out of this giant rock of an island…” And with that, both of us slammed our respective paws/hands onto the stone, an excited glimmer in our eyes.

We waited, the hope of going home slowly dwindling into dread as I stared up at the pillar. We looked at each other, crimson and silver-grey eyes meeting as frustration crossed my face.

“Dammit! Why the hell does nothing ever-” My mana exploded from my palm in a shockwave of sparking red-purple-silver power as the runes lit up. I barely had time to mouth an O on my face before everything went white.