The Regressed NoBody

My throat constricted from the heaviness my body felt from the discharge of suddenly releasing myself from the memory Uito had released into my mind. The breath I had kept stuck in my lungs released, as I felt my mind squirm and stir, disoriented.

I felt as if something had pierced my brain through my temples. It hurt. The pain wasn’t unbearable but it was like being pierced by some sharp object in the most sensitive spot in the brain. A splitting headache had made it’s way toward me. It took me a good minute to get a hold of myself, catching my breath and allowing my mind to calm itself.

Even then, under the effects of the vertigo, I did my outmost to tend to the thalassalithion whose body had collapsed to the floor of the sapphire water and back faced against the boulder, with his complexion looking extremely pale and sickly. His eyes were shut closed, the skin over it turned completely white from the way he was pressing them shut.

His breathing coming in several big huffs, he was having a hard time passing the air to his lungs, as if the breath was caught in his lungs and not released.

It took him several minutes to recover and catch his breath, but he soon did so and his face returned to its original colour. With more vigour in each one. He straightened and leaned his head back.

Slowly opening his eyes, a pair of clear sapphire rubies caught my attention, I saw my reflection in them which were as clear as the liquid below us.

“Uito, you alright?” I then asked. Kneeling down to come to eyes level with the thalassalithion. His breathing had gotten better, but he still looked as if he had been deprived from all the energy in his body.

Considering the backlash which I felt when releasing myself from those chains of memories. Just how painful would it have been to the one who was showing me those memories. The strain this ability placed over the user was worse than I had thought.

Even he had said in our previous conversation that it placed a very big burden and strain over the user when releasing their memories and matching the wavelength and path of another person’s mind. And yet again, of another species.

The backlash might have been this time far worse than he could have ever experienced. His heaving chest settled and the vigour slowly returned to his aged face.

I felt a sense of guilt surface in my heart, but Uito put a smile over his face and spoke.

“I'm fine...it’s just I couldn’t have thought the backlash would be this severe—far worse, unlike any other time I could have experienced.” He put more vigour into each word he spoke but the strain in his voice was palpably visible and felt.

I manoeuvred my body beside Uito, and slowly leaned against the boulder and rested my head on its uneven surface.

After relaxing my mind and body, I began to reminisce about the memories that Uito had shown me and tried to link them together with the things he had shown me and told me so far.

Despite the strain my mind had taken, I quickly realised that it had only taken Uito a bit over a minute or two to show me his entire collage of memories—his life. I was in the prospect that it had been more than an hour at most because I felt like I was reliving those moments he had shown me through himself. They just felt too real and subtle, yet their was always that nudge and awareness that separated our conscious, like a barrier to protect the mind.

This ability had quite the complications and risk factors when manipulating it, but it was useful for extracting or giving information to someone. But learning it was another matter. Or I guess it was unique only to the thalassalithions.

My mind slightly squirmed again from the aftereffects, but I withdrew a translucent flask from the inside of the system inventory and held it in my palm. Noticing and giving a quick glance to the contents within, I removed the top and with slow sips consumed the potion. Just as the contents entered my body, I felt a lukewarm sensation fill my mouth and felt my nerves relaxing. My mind relaxed from the squirming from the headache I was experiencing and my insides soothed. My body cleared up and the sudden pain disappeared.

Well it was a simple healing potion containing the properties to relax fatigue and heal the body. But it was no way close to the elixir I had consumed a short while ago. It’s potent effects were on a completely different scale of comparison contrast to any potion I had consumed created by humans.

And currently I had that built up a lot, considering I haven’t properly rested ever since I learned of Jihye’s condition, as well as all the things which needed my attention and needed to be taken care of before I initiated the dungeon trials. So I had several sleepless nights taking care of the important tasks as well as the stuff I needed to purchase before leaving, and taking the fact that I also pushed Salvador around a lot in the last few weeks.

My icy facade crumbled for a short moment as a thin smile pulled at my lips as I remembered Salvador's annoying banter all of a sudden. He had complained nonstop when I had asked him to take care of the things I assigned to him before leaving. Well his complaining had just went deaf ears, but considering the risks and hardships of the tasks given to him it was only right that I put my outmost trust in him for the best results.

Only Salvador was capable enough to do what he had been assigned despite the difficulties along the way.

Well I do hope by the time I return to earth he is able to successfully recruit the few I have given him data about and done what he wants to accomplish.

But I don’t think negotiations will go as easily with Emily Osbern out of all the others, as Salvador might think; considering the risk factors she will have to take to join us while her parent’s murderer was still roaming free in society like any other person. Emily had gone into perfect hiding; since the incident involving her family, and no one knew if she was even alive after all these years. But I knew about her existence because she had revealed her identity to the public in my past life, that was how I came to know of her, and remembering the achievements she had made which even the several world leaders had taken notice of which were extraordinary. Emily was yet another indispensable person in the group I wanted to create in the future.

But I was confident in Salvador’s abilities, that he will somehow be able bring her along and change her mind.

He had many means in his arsenal to take care of his tasks, and that’s what I liked about him.

But I also need to clear these trials and return to my world. Again a wave of guilt washed over my heart which caused a bad taste to appear at the back of my mouth, as I remembered Jihye. Just how was she doing? Her condition hadn’t deteriorated further, had it? I wanna see her!

The guilt ate away at me, but I simply bottled it up and locked these unnecessary emotions away at the moment. What I needed to do was something which only possibly I could do and that was to give my outmost for the sake of those I had left behind to come here.

My attention went to Uito whom had slightly turned his head in my direction, observing me—rather my palm—with keen and curious eyes. His eyes were on the half empty flask as his brows knitted more in question than pain now.

I withdrew another from my stock and handed it to him. Slowly he dragged his hand forward and took it in his palm. I didn’t know if it would have any effects on him, but the healing potion worked just fine that time for Imeru, it should probably work.

He brought it close to his mouth and quickly took a big sip, soon his breathing relaxed and his complexion returned to normal as the potion took it’s effects almost instantly.

“I didn’t know Jiwoo also had elixir,” he looked like a child dumbfounded by some sudden discovery. “And it’s quite good. The taste I mean.” He finished as he drank the entire flask empty.

“Yeah,” I said with a slow breath. “It's a consumable item created in my world. They’re made from the blend of several different herbs and plants found in the wild and different places. There is quite a variety of them available, and many of them having many different effects to the body; ranging from ones that healed the body and those used for detoxifying poison or other aliments,” I honestly answered as I fiddled with the empty flask in my palm. Many thoughts crossed my mind in that short exchange, about how much I should tell him. “But it isn’t as effective as the elixir produced here. That thing’s effects are just tremendous and extraordinary compared to this consumable.”

Uito looked at me with surprise as if I had told him something amazing. “So Jiwoo’s world has the technique to make elixir, without having any tree like ours?”

I nodded in response. “Well yeah. When our world became subject to mana and all sort of different phenomenon, we also had to adapt to those changes in an appropriate manner. And that’s when someone came up with the idea of making these things.” I pointed out as I played with the flask and showed it to Uito. “Isn’t that great?”

“Amazing,” he said in wonder. His bright eyes gleamed from my explanation. “Jiwoo’s people must be really intelligent. And so are you.”

I giggled all of a sudden.

“Heh! Well there are quite a lot of intelligent folks that are hailed as geniuses and prodigies back in my world, but we also have a lot of the idiotic kind among us back home. More so if I say arrogant.”

When I finished my sentence, I suddenly had Ryuya's stupid face resurface inside my mind which made me slightly grin.

Well he was indeed dumb!

“I see!” He replied with an understanding nod, chuckling a few times.

We went on with our conversation steady like that for a while longer. I told Uito a few things about myself, how I had came here and about my world. Omitting several things along the way. He asked a few question here and there to appease his growing curiosity.

The longer I spoke the more surprised his face became. Hearing some information he frowned, laughed, made a serious expression of understanding from time to time and sometimes an odd and studious expression.

We kept on talking like this for more than an hour as I felt more comfortable around the thalassalithion. I let my guard down a little as I relaxed and exchanged glances with Uito from time to time. I guess my wariness was one thing but he was truly curious about me the entire time. I could tell from his expression and his way of listening that he truly wanted to learn about my world. The more I spoke, I felt somewhat relieved for some reason.

That I could trust Uito.

Afterwards I finished explaining my circumstances to him why and how I had come here and I was looking to clear the trial to leave this place, while on a conquest to find a cure for my sister who had founded a disease, which was currently incurable in my world.

Uito had a troubled look over his face as he peered at me. His eyes heavy with emotion as he held my eyes.

“Well that’s my story.” I said planting my hand over my knee as I rested my back against the boulder.

“Jiwoo has also went through a lot.” Uito spoke with his head bent down.

“Well, we each have a pain and memory that is a reminder of some loss or defeat which we can’t forget about, despite how hard we try the deeper it imprints itself, leaving a mark.” I added as Uito slowly stood from his spot.

“That maybe true!” His expression returned to it’s original solemnness and wisdom as he regarded me again. His eyes seemed to age rapidly as I looked at him again.

I also stood but still leaning against the boulder for support.

“But my father taught me a lesson a very long time ago which I vividly remember till this day.” Uito’s eyes looked serene and full of emotion as he spoke. “Despite how cruel and cold hearted he may have been from time, he was one of the most respected individuals in the tribe; respected by all and every thalassalithion. Yet at his dying bed he told me one thing, Jiwoo.”

Uito stepped forward and brought his hands forward and wrapped them around my right hand. His grip firm and eased around my hand but with a subtle gentleness. He looked straight at me, his face pulled into a thin smile which displayed something subtle and his eyes looking full of wisdom and experience, conveying more through his demeanour than any spoken words.

“That only you can truly come to forgive yourself. You maybe able to gain the forgiveness that you have been desperately seeking for, to appease yourself of some guilt or pain, but...” a pause, his eyes holding firm to his words, “that as long as you don’t come to term with the conflict within you,” he pressed a finger against my chest, the coldness of his fingers felt vividly through my bare skin. “And learn to move on, then you can’t forgive yourself or learn from that experience, to correct your methods.”

Uito went silent for a good minute as I pondered and grappled and over the weight of his sentence. His words left me in a state of deep contemplation. I felt my heart pinch at his words.

To forgive oneself, huh! I said in my mind.

Even to this day I had countless things and regrets I was seeking forgiveness for. The wrong decisions I had made in the past, the lives I had failed, the several people I let down and hurt.

There was a mountain of things pining me down. And there was nothing I could do except for carry that weight which weighed heavily on my shoulders as I moved forward, correcting my ways.

“And my father,” he spoke again, this time he looked down at our hands his lips quivered suddenly. “The only thing he couldn’t come to forgive himself for was not being able to save his son.”

My brows furrowed upon the sudden mention. But Uito continued.

“He showed me on his death bed what he had to do in order to protect the tribe, and the hatred I held for him slowly vanished; it took time but it did. Now that I have become the chief of the tribe I know well enough just why he took that decision back then. To give up on his own son!” His eyes showed signs of sorrow and hurt; incidentally showing signs of anger, with each word his grip tightened around my hand. “I’m not acknowledging his actions to be correct, but saving the entire tribe or saving his son, he took the logical and harder decision as the chief should have.”

“Ever since I have been appointed as the next chief, the decision I have taken are no different from his. To safeguard the many lives who depend over me and look up to me, I need to be firm and strong in front of them. I know yet...I can’t seem to be,” a tear ran down the side of his face, causing a ripple to form over the surface of the sapphire liquid.

His grip loosened as he looked up at me. His expression was nothing like before. Tears streaming down his face as the solemnness over his face crumbled and an expression laced with desperation and pain engulfed his face. “It's more difficult than I thought. The lives I lost, the ones I could have saved but didn’t. Even taking care of my late brother’s child and Rio, whilst all the others who rely on me as the chief, I need to put an example for all of them.”

My mind returned to the time I was witnessing Uito’s memories. Indeed, the female thalassalithion I had seen before inside the ancient hut was Ito’s—Uito’s late brother’s—wife and the youngling his nephew. And since his death he took that responsibility to look after them both in a form of redemption.

His voice deepened with emotion as he wept releasing his pent up emotions and worries, and I accepted them all.

His agony was similar to what I had to experience in the past. So I somewhat understood and gave him my shoulder to lean on.

“I am afraid that Ito’s son would also have to go through this pain and frustration when he grows up and becomes the next chief.”

He then went silent not uttering a single word. It took him time but he quickly regained his old composure and looked at me with a slight smile.

“Sorry to have show Jiwoo such a sight. I guess, I balled out quite a bit.”

I gave him a quick tap over his shoulder and spoke. “Don’t worry about it. Sometimes it’s better to release those things which are gnawing away at you than to keep them locked up.”

‘Unlike me!’ A small thought as I delivered.

“But I must confess,” Uito said suddenly. “When our minds connected and we both were in sync, I felt some enormous sorrow inside Jiwoo. Something very deep and old; like wounds. I only felt a fraction of it, merely it’s presence on the surface. But I trust Jiwoo, and I know you are a kind person. We thalassalithions are very vulnerable to the perception of an individual’s emotions and ourselves or how we perceive them. Just by interacting with them we get a grasp.” He paused, his eyes glimmered as he gazed at me. “And just by interacting with Jiwoo I know that you may try to appear cold and detached on the outside, but deep inside you are one of the most warm hearted people I have met.”

I felt short for words for a brief moment. So far I understood that this race of thalassalithions were pretty adept at understanding emotions and behaviour patterns.

They were indeed intelligent. I thought with a smile tucked to my smile.

“I may not be as kind-hearted as much as you might think of me to be.” I said without preamble. My face taking a sharp turn to intimidate Uito for some reason. His words for some reason invoked some kind of emotion within me. More from irritation.

“But it’s true.” He said with an innocent smile with his face looking aloof again. “Even if Jiwoo deny it, I know you are a kind person. Just by the way you listened to my stories, I can tell you are a very kind person. And you understand pain better than any other, having experienced it yourself.”

I yet again felt for a loss of words in front of the thalassalithion.

A thin, barely recognisable smile replaced my cold face as I spoke, pondering over the words for a second.

“It’s up to you to think of me as however you want. But only truly ‘you’ can know what you really are like deep within. And like you said how you can be the only one who can truly forgive yourself, I do agree with your thinking and ideology. But...that is merely a kind of self-assurance in it’s own way.” I shot him a knowing look as if to tease him, but he still had a calm face.

“Indeed!” Uito jabbed. His expression changed to seriousness and he spoke. “But taking one step at a time is important. May it only be one, but it should be taken. That one step starts everything.”

But from our conversation and listening to Uito I had realised what I needed to do now. I knew it would take time, but I would someday come to forgive myself.

I couldn’t just forget about that misery and agony overnight. Those deaths still haunted me till this day.

Even when I knew Master and the others were alive and well now, my mistakes kept themselves attached to me like a shadow, reminding me each time to not forget what I had done.

But I guess to achieve that there was always a process which took time.

But I needed to move on. I had a new life. New goals. New bonds. I was no longer Shun, and everyone was still alive.

I was Seo Jiwoo.

With renowned determination I made up my mind and looked at Uito with a solemn face and asked.

“Uito if you don’t mind, can I use this place to train?”

There was a good reason behind my sudden request.

Uito made a complicated expression for a second, but after thinking about it for a few more seconds, his lips parted and he spoke.

“As you know how important this place is to my people, it is even prohibited to enter under normal circumstances, but I guess I can make an exception this once.” He gave me a wink with a toothy grin, his face refreshing, the vigour returned to it.

“But I must tell you,” his face turned in the direction of the crystal tree and he continued. “I trust Jiwoo, but please me careful of the tree and the sanctuary, try not to damage or ruin it.”

His time I flashed him a grin and answered.

“I’ll try my best!”

Uito gave me a genuine smile and with a nod he walked closer to the depression from before and soon stood just right beneath it.

His arms moved slowly in an elegant form as the mana in the atmosphere rushed around him and reacted to his command. The slight rippling his actions caused caught my intrigue as I saw the sapphire liquid ripple as shocks were sent through the entirety of the cavern. The liquid around Uito being to bubble up and stagger as it lifted him up, his feet gently touching the surface of the sapphire liquid as if he was now standing on a platform created through the manipulation of water mana. His body touched against the mirror-like depression which sparkled and shimmered and his figure vanished through the depression in the ceiling almost instantly as soon as it came into contact.

Well they can use the water element. I acknowledged as I slowly twirled and readied myself.

First of all, the biggest problem I was facing was with the paths, which obstructed my ability to use my skill, stripping me from utilising the most strongest ability available in my arsenal considering how reliant I was on this one ability in dire times. And being deprived of it’s use was a big hindrance to me.

Something needed to be done about it and this was the perfect time for that. I had all the time I needed to train the abilities I had neglected since a long time.

Despite my initial thinking, even if I returned right now that wouldn’t make a change in the thinks that might happen in the far future. Like Laurena had said, my regression had instigated a chain of irregular events in the world, and I was by then already aware of that fact. My presence might have caused a rippling effect in the events of the world when I went back in time. Tearing that very delicate and hollow fabric which barely held the constant and time together.

Time! I indeed had an ability to manipulate it and bend it to my will, but just the simple power to flow and it’s complexity was something even I didn’t dare to understand.

The more I thought the more I was caught in that intricate web of questions.

Even my existence was an anomaly to the flow of the world. Like an imbalance.

But yet again, I still had some time until the real forces of the demon king appeared on earth. But why did it took him a total of ten years to arrive on earth? Why didn’t he arrive himself when his subordinates were already in our world in ranks?

It was as if something was stopping him. He was the strongest entity in existence, yet, what could stop such an individual?

Those question were always on the back of my head, these were important question, but first of all what I needed to do was to correct and learn to better use my abilities until I can go back to the pinnacle of my power that I had in the past.

I clenched my fist as tightly as I could.

I remembered that accursed face of that demon king claw all away at my insides as those striking and cold crimson eyes kept looking down at me. I felt myself gnash my teeth as the result of the sudden recollection.

My arms trembled at my sides as I clenched them hard.

His arrival would bring the inevitable end of the world. And this time I will be prepared to strike back and win.

I relaxed myself and with a breath I felt the boiling anger flat down. Anger was indeed something which helped in all my life until my death, but I needed a change. Just being controlled blindly by rage was not going to take me far anymore. It was not the answer I was looking for.

My vision turned around over the cavern as I felt for the compressed mana flooding this place. It was enriched and so very much pure filling the space which it existed within.

I had all the time I needed. I reassured myself; almost like a plea but directed to no one. My mind became as calm as still water.

The reason I had asked Uito for the approval to train here was because the mana density here was extraordinary and I thought I could gain some kind of insight in some way allowing me to make some sort of breakthrough in my ability to wield mana.

And taking into account I needed to understand what was causing me to not to be able to utilise the ability to manipulate the paths.

With a spark of my mana, I ignited Leap, as the interconnecting web of power began to burn and become bare to my eyes, overlaying the entire structure of the cavern and enveloping itself all around me.

The wormholes shimmered with power, connecting every point to every other. While each stream intervened and branching from each other, had a beginning and end. They acted as a highway for me to travel through.

I slowly focused my mind to the wormholes—paths—looking around and sensing each and every possible location I could possibly access and reach this time.

They were still distorted, cut to a minimal range but I felt I could do it now.

I looked between the open spaces connecting each path and began to sense that highway which I needed to navigate through. My vision was growing more dim as I focused on activating Leap and holding it in place. Like drinking a pint of warm elixir I felt my insides filled with warmth.

The web fluctuated and rippled as if acknowledging me as the paths sparked and the information nestled in my mind, I focused my senses as I felt my mind squirm suddenly, sharp currents of lightning coiled all around me as if to strike anything down in it’s path, as I disappeared into the stream, the information being fed to me by the paths as I rode their intense intricate points to reach my destination. I could feel the veins over my head bulge under the stress as if I had been struck by some heavy object.

I felt my being connecting to each and every point around me, as if the space was opening itself to me and beckoning me forward. Like a long and clear highway, I kept on riding the path, but as I reached near the end of the path, I felt the clear inconsistencies from before, hindering my connection and senses. I felt my mind overlap with the information of another path, I felt like screaming under the unbearable headache I felt. Extreme amounts of information flooded my mind. The stream I was looking at dimmed as I reached forward.

Not being able to bare with the agony, I discarded the path I was following which almost collapsed on itself as if I wasn’t permitted any further than I could have gone, as I almost released my grasp over the skill.

The inconsistencies kept growing with the constant flow of information being fed to me, overlapping the exact point I needed to reach with the information which was being given to me as I was paved forward into that path. My heart was thumping so fast I thought it could burst. Unable to bare any longer, I released the skill as I was expelled from those currents with a sudden jolt of crackle which slammed into my ears like the space itself had torn apart.

As the abyssal lightning cracked all around me, I found my body crash against the hard soil of the cavern as the water around me splashed high up in the air reaching up to the ceiling causing a crater to be formed on my first impact. My body stumbled and rolled with dangerous speed over and over again as I soon crashed into the sturdy wall.

The side of the cavern shook on contact, as I staggered down on the water floor, trying to assimilate with the pain clawing away at my body.

My body felt like it had been struck by lightning, as each muscle and tissue in my body cried out in agony.

I laid there, trying to fight with the extreme pain. I clenched my teeth as I took deep breaths. My chest was on fire as my mind was unable to grasp my condition.

I felt the left side of my torso hurt. Must have been due to a broken rib.

But I felt my body beginning to recover as the pain resistance stat lessened the effects of the pain. My mana reacted, reaching the point of damage and allowing the injuries to heal as my regeneration stat kicked in. My breathing relaxed and my mind calmed. But I realised as my body was naturally healing itself, the sapphire liquid all around me was also providing a slight helping hand in the process. With the strong mana found here the healing property of this liquid had mutated from that tree as well as the compacted mana.

It took me a total of thirty minutes to recover as I stood up, limping and taking support against the wall I had crashed into.

My body still felt shaken and stiff by the experience.

“Damn it.” I hissed looking at my rippling and unsteady reflection in the water.

“What the hell happened back there?” I spoke in an irritated and jagged voice as I clenched my chest. My heart was still beating fast as I recalled the sensation.

Just what happened at the end? I was confident that I reached the end of the path, I had perfectly navigated myself through those intertwined streams.

Then why?

It felt like I had missed a very important detail which caused this to happen.

As I was recovering I had pondered over a few theories which came to mind. When I was hearing the path and sensing them I felt a overlap between the information of the intricate currents of energy as I had felt the path distorting.

I had tried to change the direction at the end when I feared the collapse of the stream when it had distorted. So I took a limited point near me which could expel me from those currents.

But I couldn’t do anything for the next hour and half due to the cool down on the skill.

I sat down cross legged as I utilised the breathing technique and allowed my body to actively heal itself, as I pulled in the ambient mana around me and filtered it.

***

After the cool down had ended I tried using leap several times but failed miserably each time in all my attempts.

I again ignited Leap and observed the paths. After looking at them for five minutes, I took in every last detail.

I was nervous for some reason. With a deep breath, I allowed my focus to once again fall over the paths. In the meantime I had been recovering I had thought of many ways of correcting any mistakes I had made in my previous attempts. I wasn’t entirely sure, but I think I had gotten an understanding or an idea.

There was something important I lacked which was the cause of it all.

"Just what is it I was lacking still?" I grunted observing and sensing the pathways.

As I ignited Leap, I concentrated on the streams of energy all around me, focusing as hard as I could to understand. But just as I was about to take a step and disappear into those currents again I held myself back.

Some realisation finally dawned upon me in that moment and I was able to see and feel that change after many failed attempts. It had taken me several attempts but I finally realised it. I let my gaze unfocus, and this time I went a step beyond. Instead of concentrating so hard on limiting the pathways through my eyes as I had always done; which I was still doing subconsciously. I expanded my focus on to the other senses. I was able to expand my intent towards the paths around me.

The answer was always with me. Even when I had received insight into Leap in the inhabitant dungeon.

It was a form of awareness which I still lacked.

However with my intent fully focused on the paths, I didn’t try to read these intricate and complicated routes anymore.

Instead I fully focused, as this time I truly did and I felt something bloom inside me. Something which was always ready to be mine.

I felt a charge of insight coursing through my mind, making a soothing tingling in my body.

I cracked a grin. I coated my body with a thin layer of mana as I opened my mind and sensed the space around me. The streams were actively giving me the information, as I allowed my body to work as an anchor for the pathways to send me the information for teleporting and navigating me.

What I did was, I focused my mind on the most immediate routes which were available to be at this moment. The range may have been cut short, so the distance, but that didn’t bother me anymore. It might have been a blessing in disguise. I was finally able to realise my problem.

I didn’t let my senses go any further than a range of twenty meters with the torrent of information being fed to me. While it was the case, when I used Leap the paths fed me with extreme amounts of information and to filter them to find the correct paths among them.

That was why I only allowed my sense and intent to reach that distance for now.

I was only able to properly perceive the information in that specific range for now. That was my limit. Any further and I felt hot rods were being shoved into my brain continuously.

Suddenly I remembered the old thalassalithion’s words which rang inside my head which caused me to crack a grin.

“One step at a time.”

Then with a steady breath I disappeared into the streams of current.

But this time...I succeeded!

I had done it!