Blair sat inside the high-speed train. His gaze directed outside, seeing the landscape swipe past him as swirly shadows. The darkness of the night made him feel an odd sense of wholesomeness. It even comforted him, and that was something he needed. The decision to leave his home was colossal, as it meant throwing away everything. His father must be fuming as he scurried into an unknown future.

Blair took a deep breath. The stuffy air of the compartment made him cough a couple of times. However, it didn’t bother him as much as his father’s stubbornness. All the worries made him tired, and his eyes kept on closing and opening. Only for him to finally fall into the sweet embrace of sleep.

He had a dream about him becoming a cultivator’s disciple. His master was an upright man in blue robes, teaching him how to walk in the air, heal every illness, and resist firearms. In the end, Blair worked all kinds of wonders. Azure qi radiated from him, giving him a valiant aura. It was unfathomable to Blair how anyone could become a being so close to god.

 But, the dream ended abruptly as a man sat down beside Blair. Subsequently bumping the seats up, and awakening Blair in the process. He looked at the stranger. It was a man in his forties with a potbelly. His short hairline couldn´t mask his bolding. The stranger's face turned to Blair. He showed a grand smile, flashing his brown teeth. The amiable smile of the stranger managed to irritate Blair, who in return nodded and averted his seatmate´s eyes.

After a while, the fine odor of sweat and worn-out clothes drifted into Blair´s nostrils. Well, that just became a long train ride. He glimpsed at the man to his side one more time, who read something on his phone. An old phone model, Blair noted. The stranger had not a care in the world.

It took a few more hours, but the train ride finally ended. “We arrive at Port Bright shortly. That is our final destination.” The speaker announced. The compartment got bustling. The people started to shove for no reason. Everyone wanted to be the first to get out, squishing the people even tighter.

Blair relaxed and bit his time. As a reward, he received the fresh air, flavored like salt and coast, once he was outside. Blair sought out the nearest taxi. The owner lowered the window, giving him a short stare.

 “I want to get to San Chapalga,” Blair said. To which the owner shut the windows without uttering another word. Blair was somewhat confused and the taxi owner was obviously annoyed.

 Blair tried the same a few more times until he found a female taxi owner. “Young man, you shouldn´t ask. Let me give you an honest warning. Go there quietly.”

 “What if I pay you 500 extra?” Blair asked confidently.

  “A no remains a no. You can’t drive there” She smiled compassionately. “Good luck but don´t waste your youth.”

 “Thanks, I will keep that in mind,” Blair said.

Since when was the road closed? He didn’t know, but apparently, his father did something without informing him. That wasn’t the first time. He bit the bullet, purchased some rations and a rucksack, and left for a long march.

His path led him up the highway. The streets were deserted. The coast's unhindered wind runs through Blair´s clothes, making him shiver. The flavor of salt rubbed against his tongue.

He noted something glistering on the distant street. He couldn't make out what it was but suspected something fishy. Something moved in the distance, and Blair decided to run for it, just in case. The entire situation was iffy, and the words of the taxi owner rang in his ears.

He hid in the wilderness. Craggy hills gave him enough hiding spots to feel safe. He moved along the withered trees until he was far away.

It didn't take long for a police car to arrive where Blair had been minutes ago. The car's door shut with a bang. Blair saw them from his cover.

 “Get me that dirty traitor,” An officer yelled. 

 “Yes commandant,” The other replied sternly and rushed off.

That was the signal for Blair to run. He sped up, his heart pumping. He used every rock formation as cover he could find. The voices and rumbles of the officers remained behind him for a long while. He was drenched in sweat as the noises slowly faded.

It might have resulted from him relaxing, but Blair slipped and slid down a slope. In the process, he created a lot of noise. He barely caught on to a rock to stop his fall. His hands were scratched, and blood and dust mixed in his palm.

The sounds must have alarmed the pursuer. His fear reinvigorated his body, and he kept him running until dusk set in. The darkness brought serenity to his mind. However, the sudden drop in temperature caused another problem. It was terribly cold. Transparent vapor came out of his mouth with every breath. All that made the recipe for a terrible night. Blair tried his best, snuggling up against his rucksack, but that helped fairly little. He woke up a couple of times in the night, trembling.

His fingers had become blue as the sun rose. His arms were clenched tightly in front of his chest. He was grateful for surviving the night. He started moving, heating his body up.

On his way, he saw people flashing past rocks. However, they whizzed away like ghosts. It was a creepy sight to behold. Everyone was scared, and the difficult terrain made the journey even worse. By the end of the day Blair’s feet had become concrete. He stopped at a mountain foot.

The descending sun soon heralded of the night, and the wolf howls heralded of the terror that would follow. Their cries came at a time when Blair was snuggled up against a rock and his rucksack, but he quickly sobered up from the sweet Ambrosia of sleepiness. Shivers down his spine.

It was a mess. The howls came from every direction. Soon they closed in on his position. Their voices even became scarier. It happened lightning fast. Then a shadowy figure flashed by. Blair instantly run up the hill. Dead branches cut into his skin, but he kept going.

He hadn´t expected his journey to take such a dramatic turn. He was unarmed and had no fire. The wolves must have seen him as diner served on a silver tablet. By now their howls had surrounded the mountain, and he kept on running. The night was young and much could happen.

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Fear dripped down his bones, as he climbed the hill. Then a rather sturdy tree appeared under the moon lit darkness. Blair didn’t hesitate and climbed it. The branches cracked and the crusty bark ripped off, but Blair managed to climb up a couple of meters. His beating heart finally calmed down.

The howls turned into eerie growls, and then human screams mixed into them. Someone got caught. Blair felt the temperature drop. The sounds of the man getting torn apart vanished with the sunrise. They had burned themselves into his mind.

Blair kept watch for a while until he was absolutely sure that the wolves had runoff. Only then did he return to his camp. The way down was a lot harder than it appeared to be in the darkness. However, his adrenaline flooded body must not have cared about anything but escaping.

He grabbed a snack and swung his rucksack on his back. After that, his curiosity drove him to the murder scene. It actually wasn't that far away from his camp. Merely on the other side of the hill. The first thing he saw was a phone laying on the ground, splattered with blood. Shortly after that, he discovered the remains. An urge to puke overcame him. The beast had left little. Some shreds of clothes and a shoe with its foot remained. Blair recognized the remains. It was the man from the train, now dead, lying there, having lost everything. That made him gasp.

Blair felt dead tired that day. The stress and sleep deficit of the last two nights drained him. However, his spirit remained determined. He hiked for two more excruciating days before the landscape became lusher, and the hills vanished. The Azure Ocean appeared on the horizon and a city lay right on its edge. That was San Chapalga.

The Promised Land. Blair's heart skipped a beat. Off in the distance and above the stormy sea hang the entrance to the immortal world. The reality around it seemed broken. It was a rift of complete darkness, making the clouds shiver. Even Blair started to get goosebumps after looking at it.

Then he moved to the city. All paths were littered with people. A giant tent city outside the actual city had been erected. Blair had never seen something like that. The place was loaded with hope and at the same time underlying despair. He walked wide-eyed towards the city.

Many people shouted, preaching. It was a bustling place. Blair was fascinated and stopped in front of one zealous preacher. “Praise the messiahs. The cultivator, the lords, and their domain. We the ignorant and weak must humble ourselves. Have we not sinned, destroyed earth, our mother? Only by serving them to our utmost can we receive their blessing. If we are worthy then, they shall take us to their land to learn, to become a god ourselves and return.”

The man was clearly bonkers. However, his fiery conviction was intriguing. His waterfall like preaching continued until somebody from the crowd shouted. “Useless twerp shut up. You are a joke.”

“Watch your mouth young sheep as the shepherds will judge you, as I am their follower.” The preacher retorted.

The man started laughing. “No sect wanted you. So better shut up.” The preacher ignored this comment and continued his work with no less fervor. That fella was thick skinned.

Blair left there shortly, continuing on to his real destination, the headquarters of the Heaven Fall Sect. Since first seeing their cultivators on the news, Blair dreamed of joining them. They are humble and full of magnanimity, having helped pacify troublesome places and groups, resolving conflicts all over the world, while showing their immense prowess.

Blair followed a queue of people to a shopping mall. The building had been repurposed by Heaven Fall Sect. A giant wooden sign hangs in front of the entrance. Blair queued up after checking the place.

He fiddled with his fingers, his heart beating profoundly, as he waited. The queue moved often but it were so many people. With every time he came closer to the entrance. After a long, while he saw it, nearly stood in front of it. In the end, the queue moved one more time. A chosen from earth directed him inside.

At first, Blair couldn't believe his luck. He was one step away from joining the Heaven Fall Sect. Nearly a thousand people were inside with him on the ground floor. Everyone waited with increasing anticipation.

The tension in the air ignited as a booming voice echoed through the mall. It seemed to come from every direction as if dozens of people spoke with the same voice. “I greet all of you who want to become a disciple of the Heaven Fall Sect. Those with the proper constitution will join today. You will need a righteous and obstinate soul. People from earth stand tall underneath the eminent Heaven. The test will commence, and I Immortal Evergreen will be your judge.”

Suddenly a person from the highest floor walked into the air. His blue garment gave his identity away. The Elder. He gradually raised his hand. Blair's eyes were glued to his every move. A brilliant light rushed forwards as his arm was outstretched. Blair got dazzled. For a moment Blair felt naked as the light grazed him. After that, he felt nothing. A minute passed, and then without prior notice, it ended. The light vanished.

He wondered what just happened, looking at his own hands. Nothing changed, and that was bad. Others had more luck, their bodies glowed white. Certain people had an intense, obvious shimmer while some had a faint one. Those people soon moved, but why? Blair didn't understand. Did they dare move without the cultivators order?

Then Immortal Evergreen spoke. “The chosen ones have been selected. Thanks to everyone, but I am sorry to all those not fated. Please go and have a fruitful day.”

That struck Blair´s heart. He felt a heavy weight pull it down. How can that be? He asked himself. Was he unrighteous, was he not talented? His hopes crumbled to the size of a walnut. His throat dried up.

His remaining chance was small. It was unlikely that another sect would take him, but hope remained as a tiny spark in his heart. The sword sect would be next, but failed. Well no, the beast sect was suited for him, definitely. He tried, and it was a failure, once more.

Two days had gone by in a flash. He had visited all sects in the city. His heart bleed after getting a rejection every time. The world was cruel. The new era was ahead. He saw it, but had no entry ticket. His ego cracked. A tear ran down his face, which he swiped away the second the warm salty liquid touched his face.

His gaze had become dreadful as he moved along the clustered alleyways. He needed some time to thing. One more day passed. The streets appeared darker than usual as he went to his sleeping spot. It was a place between a couple of houses and an antique city wall. Tucked in between the gap he awaited the next day and slept.

His dream was horrific. The worst he ever experienced, and strangest of all he didn't wake up. It was a battlefield. Comrades screamed. He rushed to them, his first instinct was to help, but the enemies engaged him. He barely survived, fumbling around. Then valor got a hold of his body, and he fought back without any second thought. It didn't take long, and he got cut. That was the moment he should have woken up, but he didn't.

Fear overwhelmed him. Was that all real? That would mean he had to survive, no matter the cost. The enemy was still in front of him. With one powerful charge, he skewered the man. The stranger managed to spit blood onto Blair's face and then died, staring into Blair’s eyes. He saw the life leaving the man’s body. That was so real.

The battle continued, and very soon Blair died. An enemy hit him with an axe in the back. Blair screamed in anguish, just shortly, as he died. In the end, he had suspected everything to still be a dream, but he wasn’t sure.

He opened his eyes again, back on the battlefield. That night the dream would repeat itself four more times. It was a terrific experience. Every time his eyes opened after death, he still remembered the fear and pain from dying.

Then suddenly he was back in the real world. The nightmares ended as unfathomably as they appeared. He needed a tea to calm his nerves. Something stronger would be great, but tea was the best he could muster. He paid quadruple the average price, but what did money matter right now? He found a vacant spot on the street, the café completely overrun except for a narrow path. A man stopped next to him, Blair gazed at him for a moment but minded his own business.

“The world is an unfair place, isn't it?” the stranger asked. Blair wasn't in the mood to talk. The man chuckled and suddenly punched him. Blair couldn't even react, he merely saw the flash of an arm. Extreme pain paralyzed Blair's body. It was worse than dying. The pain was abnormal.

His last gaze caught a glimpse of the man. Cold indifferent eyes stared down on him. For some reason it was the scariest face he had ever seen.

“Unfair and even cruel,” The stranger repeated. Then the intense pain and a mind-boggling fear overwhelmed Blair as he fell unconscious.