CHAPTER 3

Awareness crept back into Ryu's psyche as if through the thick fog of a dream. It was like emerging from the depths of a dark, mysterious ocean, into a world both familiar and alien. His body was awash with a dull, persistent ache, like an incessant drumbeat resonating through his very marrow. He allowed himself the comfort of keeping his eyes closed, hesitant to face the reality that waited beyond his eyelids. Memories splintered into his mind, like shards of broken glass. Images of the tempestuous storm, the lightning that cleaved through him with ruthless efficiency, and his limp fall into the chilling embrace of the mud returned with striking clarity. But what was most compelling was the echo of the voice he'd heard just before the oblivion claimed him.

Finally, like peeling a band-aid off a tender wound, Ryu opened his eyes. A cascade of golden light flooded his vision, causing him to wince. He allowed his eyes to adjust incrementally, acclimating to the radiance before him. When his vision finally cleared, Ryu found himself ensnared by a wave of confusion. He was sprawled on an opulent, gilded bed large enough to accommodate a small family. His body was enveloped by silken sheets as soft as the summer clouds. Bronze walls intricately wrought with ornate details towered around him, culminating in a high, vaulted ceiling. Painted onto its surface was a dazzling tableau of winged warriors locked in celestial battles with fantastic beasts.

Underneath him, the mattress felt indulgently plush, accommodating the curves of his body with an eerie familiarity. Four poster bedposts soared upwards, cradling a canopy of translucent drapes that billowed gently in the unseen breeze, filling the air with a scent he couldn't quite place.

With careful determination, Ryu summoned the strength to rise. As he maneuvered himself off the gigantic bed, he felt a jolt of pain shoot through his protesting muscles. His legs were unsteady under him, reminding him of a newborn deer taking its first steps.

Undeterred, Ryu made his way towards an arched opening across the expanse of gleaming marble floor. Beyond the archway was a terrace, embraced by a colonnade that cradled potted plants sporting a riot of colors and fragrances. The unfamiliar varieties seemed as if plucked straight from an explorer's diary.

Venturing further, Ryu was met with a sprawling courtyard. Serene fountains bubbled in tranquil harmony, delicate songbirds twittered in golden cages, and an array of flora blanketed the space. Yet, despite the breathtaking beauty, the courtyard was strangely devoid of human life.

Ryu felt the silence close around him like an unseen shroud. Summoning his voice, he called out, a note of uncertainty coloring his tone. "Hello?" His voice echoed back to him, a stark reminder of the strange solitude he found himself in.

His plea was answered only by the ethereal tinkle of windchimes, their soft melody fluttering in the silence like a spectral whisper. A sense of unease slithered its way up Ryu's spine, causing him to withdraw to the sanctuary of the enigmatic chamber from which he had emerged.

Once back within the room, he noticed another arched entrance, its beckoning darkness a stark contrast to the luminous spectacle he'd just left behind. With a blend of curiosity and apprehension, Ryu ventured through this doorway, drawn to the unknown like a moth to a flame.

His steps led him into an expansive, elegant corridor, its length dotted with bronze lanterns that threw a warm, mellow light onto the polished floor. At the corridor's end, an imposing set of double doors, emblazoned with an intricate seal, loomed like silent guardians to the secrets beyond. Intrigued yet cautious, Ryu strode down the hallway, each step echoing in the quiet grandeur of the place.

Reaching the doors, Ryu felt dwarfed by their monumental size, their towering presence commanding the awe of those who dared approach. He extended a tentative hand, laying it against the cool surface. With a careful nudge, he pushed the doors open, just enough to slip through.

What greeted him on the other side was a panorama so stunning, it left him breathless. Ryu had stepped onto a vast terrace overlooking an impossibly beautiful landscape that sprawled endlessly beneath a radiant, golden sky. Verdant valleys, crisscrossed by ribbons of silvery rivers, undulated towards majestic, crimson-hued mountains.

Floating islands hovered like gigantic celestial balloons in the sky, their isolation bridged by gossamer structures that seemed to defy the laws of physics. Waterfalls plunged from towering heights into the abyss, their existence erased by veils of fluffy mist. The entire vista shimmered with a surreal beauty, each element contributing to the dreamlike tableau. It was an alien spectacle, yet there was an underlying sense of ethereal allure that was almost heartbreaking in its magnificence.

In an awe-stricken whisper, Ryu asked the question that echoed through his mind, "Where am I?" He pivoted on the spot, trying to take in the entirety of the overwhelming scene. This Eden-like place was a testament to the power of the impossible, shattering the constraints of rational understanding.

"Welcome to the crux of my divine realm," the words rolled forth from the abyss, encapsulating mystery and authority in equal measures. They echoed through the ethereal plane with such power that Ryu's heart missed a beat, startled by the sudden audibility.

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Swiftly, he turned on his heel to see a gargantuan figure, materializing out of thin air at the heart of the terrace. Twice the height of Ryu, the figure's aura sparked and flickered with untamed energy. In the blink of an eye, Ryu knew who this being was. How he knew this, he wasn’t quite sure.

The entity, known as Thorak, the Thunder God, made his way towards Ryu, each footfall reverberating through the solid ground like a rhythmic pulse. As he spoke again, his voice boomed through the air, undulating like a roll of thunder.

"Ryu, you stand before Thorak, the sovereign of tempests," he intoned. "You have been chosen by divine providence to be my earthly emissary."

Like a maelstrom of thoughts, Ryu's mind whirled, grappling to comprehend Thorak's disclosure. Undeterred by his silence, the towering figure began to spin the intricate threads of Ryu's fate, his voice laced with gravity.

In the realm beyond mortal comprehension existed an ethereal battlefield known as Wulin. This mystical plane was where the forces of good and evil were locked in an eternal struggle. Mortals of this plane pursued ascendance into divinity, cultivating their bodies and spirits with the essence of cosmos.

At present, Wulin teetered on the precipice of a chaotic cataclysm. The delicate cosmic equilibrium was under threat. Ryu, selected by divine decree, was poised to intervene. As Thorak's champion, he was endowed with control over thunder and lightning, destined to be the foretold savior of Wulin.

Wulin’s destiny was now on Ryu. It was he who could restore the universal balance by steering it towards righteousness. Yet the path was an intricate labyrinth of trials and tribulations designed to test his mental strength, physical endurance, and spiritual determination. Fulfillment of this divine quest was only possible through transcendent wisdom and an indomitable will.

Reeling from this revelation, Ryu found it hard to process the enormity of the situation. Was it possible for him, an ordinary guy whose life until a few days ago revolved around an office cubicle, to be the beacon of hope for a mystical realm?

Thorak's sonorous voice resonated within Ryu's mind. "Ryu, you have been gifted with powers that surpass mortal understanding. In due time, your path will become clear. Until then, make peace with the fact that our destinies are now intertwined."

Struggling to reconcile his skepticism with the surreal reality enveloping him, Ryu grappled with a wave of emotions. He was in the throes of denial, fear, and uncertainty. How could he, a mere mortal, shoulder the gargantuan responsibility of a divine quest? The prospect was as daunting as it was ludicrous. Yet, a quiet voice within him resonated with the inevitability of this encounter. The mighty Thorak would not have unveiled his divine visage for a trifle. This was a moment of predestined significance.

Steeling himself, Ryu bowed his head with a gravity he hadn't known he was capable of. His heart pounded in his chest as he found the resolve to commit himself to this otherworldly path. "Thorak, I stand before you humbled yet resolute. I pledge to bear this burden to the very best of my abilities. I vow to fulfill my duty to the furthest reaches of my potential."

The solemnity in Ryu's voice imbued his words with a profound sense of truth, echoing in the depths of his own spirit. His life as he knew it was irrevocably altered. The trappings of his hitherto ordinary existence seemed to fall away, leaving him standing on the precipice of a destiny beyond comprehension. A purpose of unimaginable magnitude beckoned him.

Thorak drew closer, his imposing figure dwarfing Ryu. The deity placed a massive hand, sparking with primal energy, on Ryu's shoulder. Ryu felt a surge of electricity pulsating through his veins, seeping into every cell of his body, shaking him to his core. As the tingling sensations ebbed away, he felt a profound shift within himself. The change was subtle but undeniable, leaving him fundamentally altered at his very essence.

Thorak's voice reverberated within Ryu's psyche, as if spoken from within his own heart. "Arise and journey towards the gateway forged for you. The path to your Becoming unfurls. Harness my power, make it your own. Step into the shoes of the being you were preordained to become. You will have to learn the ways of the cultivator to reach your true potential. I have blessed you of course but I will not give you everything. You will put the work in."

“I understand. I won’t let you down.”

“Some of my champions will and some will not. I have others throughout the universe. You are only 1 of 5,128,303,444. I speak to those champions and you all at once.”

Ryu blinked and shook his head. “There are five billion champions like me all over the universe?”

“No, there are 5,128,303,444 champions like you all over the universe at this point in time.”

“There are that many planets? Realms? Whatever?”

“Yes, however, I’ve started small with this tiny amount of champions,” Thorack replied nonchalantly.

“You think 5 billion is tiny?” Ryu scoffed.

“No, 5,128,303,444 champions is tiny.”

“Right,” Ryu gave a quick and shallow shrug. How was he to understand the ways of the gods?”

“Now, rise and get to it. Take my Word,” the God said as a radiant book floated in front of Ryu’s face. Ryu held out his hands and the book slowly descended into them.

“This is like a… Bible?”

“Yes, that is my Word. The people that worship me on Wulin call it Stormscroll. You must learn it if you intend on succeeding in your task. You must go now.”

Ryu felt a rush of awakening, as though he'd been roused from a deep slumber to face a reality brimming with new dimensions. He was suffused with a blend of apprehension and acceptance, realizing the immensity of the journey that awaited him. He turned, his gaze falling on an unseen path that beckoned him like a lodestone. Uncertainty swirled around the unknown terrain that lay ahead, but the call of his fated journey in Wulin was irresistible. It was time to embark on this celestial odyssey.