The Regressed NoBody

I looked down at the monstrosity, the black substance kept spewing from its mouth and plunge to the floor as it desperately wailed and shrieked in a pitiful act of preserving itself, as the deformed state its body had taken tried to restore itself which was getting splattered and more deformed as it didn’t stabilise after receiving my attack.

The pain and numbness lingered on my arm—which was caused by the aftereffects of the lightning attribute of when I used the paths, the charge of static which coiled around my arm, felt unlike any lightning spell I had wielded before, its power was far stronger than any simple lightning and something peculiar which left me in awe—as I looked at the two blurry, deformed eyes looking up at me with desperation, fear and fragility; as if they could break right this instant.

My face an emotionless slab of solemnity eased ever-so-slightly, as my indifferent eyes seemed to look straight into the monstrosity’s dull ones—as if I was seeing and understanding it on a fundamental level—, as it shuddered and wailed back in fear, as if the disdainful and self-right demeanour of it’s had turned to dust.

It was right. I had always allowed my emotions to control me. Take the better of me. And this ‘thing’ had used that very weakness against me today with its vehement actions. But...these emotions were a part of me. Made me who I was. Created the core of the person named Shun and now Jiwoo.

I took a deep breath as I felt my connection with all of skills re-establish as the state of dormancy which they had fallen into resigned, so did the awareness of the system, I could now feel it again, as the veil shrouding them vanished. The subtle changes which were occurring inside my mind, I felt, as I fell more deeper into the clutches of Ruler Authority as if lightning prickled and jolted through my veins as a subtle warmth spread through to me, making me comforted but feel odd but genuine, but this time I was neither going out of control or feeling an exasperated amount of emotions, my emotions were ample within me, each emotion, I realised, which I possessed held a different meaning and characteristic of its own and created who I was as a whole, it gave form to the person named Shun and Jiwoo, I didn’t reject them neither discarded them anymore.

I was both Shun and Jiwoo.

I had finally realised it...

I just accepted them, all together. I felt anxiousness and doubt arouse from within me, causing my heart to stir from experiencing the dread and pain I always ran from. It was always a hard task for me accept my own emotions—sequentially, the failures caused by my actions, I was always afraid to accept them or even tried to understand them. I always deemed emotions more complicated than magic and fighting, I couldn’t seem to get better at it by just training. So, instead of that, I always tried to lock these emotions away and never bat an eye at them ever again, to not face the repercussion of my actions. And that caused the start of my downfall.

But now I understood—if even it was a fraction, like the very first of steps, the beginning after a very long and ardours end. Like waking up from a nightmare. Because that just meant merely running from all my problems and failures until I am driven into a corner just like I had in my past life, when after a certain point in time everything became worthless to me.

But this new life, my experiences now, and my convictions were all built upon the countless sacrifices made by the people I cared for, or had fought together with on the battlefield. They provided me with a chance to better myself and to learn to accept my shortcomings.

But now, I wanted it all to end. This long journey, this burden, those pains and deaths weighing me down. I knew I couldn’t fully let go of them, but keeping them on me like a shackle was only foolish.

I balefully looked down at the black quagmire starting to take form again. Its body, nonetheless, wobbled and stirred as it fixed itself, but the hole in it’s sternum was taking time to heal where the static had struck it.

“Everything you said is true. My mistakes, my failures...,” I took a steady breath to calm myself, “My convictions in the past. I don’t think there was someone alive even back then or is now, who could have understood me better than you do right now,” I remarked as I felt each word leave my mouth with a strain and dark edge to them. “But even you fail to understand me fully. You only scorned and condemned me for the things I am not good at—or failed at. What about the good my actions had brought, I know it can’t be even compared to the bad I had done, but it gave me a chance to understand.” Unexpectedly, I shrugged as a frown creased my face. “But in spite of all of that, I fully agree with everything you said. Not one word I disagree with. I am not the best person there is, neither am I a righteous hero out to save the world. And my convictions in the past were just a way for me to escape from my responsibilities and I can’t right the wrongs which I had done in the past as Shun, all I can do is make amends and atone for them as Jiwoo. I was indeed a shallow person, who was merely driven into battle after battle, to try to make certain amends in order to exist and survive. To find forgiveness through my rough actions.”

“I did it and I failed...miserably!” The last words left me with a deep emphasis which dug right from the depths of my being, making certain emotions to surface inside me.

I closed my eyes for a split second, as my mind returned to my time in the past. I recalled each moment I had lived in that short time as my brows knitted and mind squirmed and face contorted into a frown, which soon turned into a soft, warm expression.

“But I have finally realised this one thing even if I don’t the others; I can’t keep living in the past forever.” My tone was laced with guilt which caused a bad taste at the back of my mouth. “The guilt I carried with me from my last life, I thought, was a reason and burden which I needed to carry on in this new life as well. That I can’t forsake it or lock it away inside my heart, forever. But now...I have decided to let go of that past.” I said with my eyes calm and displaying as much emotion I could convey along with my words. “I want to forgive myself. I want to ‘right my wrong’ in this life.”

“N-...N-No...Kherrr..No you can’t. Think abo—ut the lives y..ou fai—led. Do you think...t—they forgive you.” The monstrosity said, its words incoherent and broken as its mouth formed and the canines menacingly bared to me.

My brows frowned as a look of disdain appeared across my face. This time the monstrosity slowly started taking the form of my past self—of Shun.

It's figure still distorted, made an effort to morph it’s body into something relatively close to my past visage.

Locks of hair which reached slightly below the shoulders, having a dull and dirt-blondish brown shade, with two dark eyes, which glowed emerald and balefully at me. It's physical attributes took a form which I was vividly familiar with. It was my own body which I had constructed after countless battles and challenges, which it had taken form of.

It's height exceeded mine and its black skin took a vibrant shade of white as a sharp chiselled jawline, along with a face which lacked any imperfections appeared before me, which had a twisted frown creased over it. That was someone I once used to be.

This man was me...yet at the same time not me. This was only a reflection of what I used to look, an imitation—a shadow—of my past failures, weakness and vulnerability.

But at the same time, a genuine part of me which created and moulded me into who I am. There was no doubt that my existence had become a convergence of Shun and Jiwoo. And that allowed me to widen my mind which I had shackled on my own to avoid the weakness from engulfing me and leaving me shallow.

My face broke into a condescending snicker when I felt myself thinking as such. ‘Who could have thought that one day I will talk like this and think of such thoughts.’

‘Change does occurs, but albeit, as slowly as it does.’ I remarked inwardly.

But just as the body of Shun was constructed, the sludge from below wobbled and staggered as the monstrosity lost its shape once again as it’s face and arms, torso and hind began to melt back into the pit as it desperately tried to cling on to anything.

I moved, covering a slow and steady stride as I walked in the direction of where the monstrosity was wriggling and wailing.

Very slowly, I reached out and held the distorted black arm which felt alien to touch. But at the same time something human. Ever since I had entered this cut of space, I had felt odd about the entire idea of what might this place and this thing could be...and I think I understood what it was.

The monstrosity clung to me, gripping and squeezing my forearm. It looked up at me with the same emotionless and indifferent eyes which I used to possess once. They looked hollow and dead, as if I was gazing into the depths of a never ending pit; the despair of a man who had lost everything and held no hopes, dreams or even the will to continue living.

“Do you think...you deserve forgiveness?” It spat like poison dousing a blade. “Even if you do forgive yourself, do you think the people you let die would have the same wishful thinking? Would they forgive you? Would they?” It shouted with a half human, half demonic voice as it took grasp of my collar.

It’s visage shifted as the face which I had now grown accustomed to, no, the face which I had first seen when I had regressed several months ago. The same dark eyes with dark circles under them, the sunken cheeks and the malnutritioned body with sickly pale skin.

It was Jiwoo! The one standing in front of me was a mirror image, but with the difference in our physical appearances palpably visible.

The visage of Jiwoo held onto my battle robes like a child, its grip tight and firm as it looked at me with a desperate frown. My heart stirred with pain, but my face remained impassive.

But unexpectedly, I saw tears running down the sides of its face, as it lowered its head and barked. “What gives you the right? You took everything from me. My life, my dreams, my family, my everything. So what gives you the right to find peace? To forgive yourself!!”

The despair so thick in it’s voice that it clawed at my heart. And for a moment, I forgot the one standing in front of me was just an impersonation. But it no doubt possessed the ability to mimic the emotions and memories of the individuals I knew.

The stream of tears kept running down its face, as it clenched hard on my collar, it was getting harder for me to breathe but I just kept looking down at the imitation of the boy I wanted to understand.

I truly wanted to...

“I wanted to help my sister. I wanted her to live a comfortable life. I wanted her to rely on me, even if it was a little. Shouldn’t it have been me, who should have received this second chance and not you?” It’s head unbent, as the bottomless, hollow eyes looked into mine. I steadied my breathing as my mind further calmed and solidified as I finally arrived at my final conclusion. “I should have consumed your soul and become stronger with your abilities. Even after your regression, just what was it, that you were able to change so far. You were strong, then why did you let that happen to Jihye? You don’t have the right to forgiveness and start anew.” It wailed, the voice resembling mine hammered into my ears laced with pain and desperation.

“I'm not strong!” I said without preamble. “I may have shrouded myself in this calloused sense of superiority, but I was the most hurt even back then. Because as the others disappeared...I alone remained.”

I didn’t avoid Jiwoo’s gaze and looked at him with a complex, conflicting expression over my face.

The boy wailing and shouting flinched back slightly as my arm moved, but I gently placed it over his and took a firm hold of it.

Despite knowing that this thing was just an impersonation of Jiwoo, it felt too real to just discern it as a fake. The emotions and desperation it projected was too human to think otherwise.

“I agree that I don’t deserve forgiveness for the actions I have performed in the past. I was a dreadful man. But...” I said with a warmth and gentleness which brushed past the boy as the dead and hollow eyes slightly regained their clarity. “But, all I wish for is to protect the people I love, even Jihye, she might be your sister, your family, but I now cherish her like my own. And all I want is to protect them and give them a comfortable life, and for that I will continue to struggle, for their sake and my own. Even if I’m not forgiven by the people I let down in the past, I will keep moving forward.” I said in my piece. I felt a burden from my mind release the moment those words left my mouth.

“And for that I need your help! As long as I am able to accomplish my goal, I am willing to do anything. And after if I am able to accomplish it, you can drag me even to the depths of hell if you want, because I know I am your malefactor, and I won’t turn my gaze away anymore. But please...” my voice turned gentle as my eyes softened.

“Please...help me! I want to make amends; to right my wrong!” I said in my ultimatum. “I want to exist as Jiwoo, but keeping Shun with me. I want to do what I couldn’t in the past.”

The monstrosity’s eyes dilated as it jerked back and pried itself free of my grip.

“What you speak of is just a delusion you want to believe in. Your sins can’t be forgiven that easily. You are just a miserable wretch who still wants to wrap himself in a bubble to find an escape. You’re entire existence is an anomaly and mistake.” The monstrosity took a hold of my battle robes again, but as if its life span had come to an end, its body began to melt away as it started to plummet to the floor like slime.

“Heed my words, even if you were to save the world, protect the people you wanted to, and accomplish whatever you needed to, you won’t be saved.” It’s voice turned completely beast-like, like some monster’s spun out of a child’s nightmare.

“You can only exist as one. You can only exist either as Shun or Jiwoo.”

“Either Shun or Jiwoo!”

It’s body shuddered as it stirred to the floor. It’s dark and grotesque voice made me wary, but I quietly listened to every word it spat.

What mattered was my conclusion and decision. This was merely a trial to test my convictions. And until the end, I was being tested.

“Shun or Jiwoo—"

“Shun—!!”

The sound of its voice disappeared as the black void rippled and warped, like glass shattering, the blackness floated in the air like motes, as their shrapnel shrouded the white void, making this space look subtle but odd. But slowly the black motes doused and were ultimately absorbed into the white.

I took a deep breath, contemplating over my conversation with the monstrosity and each word it had spoken.

Shun or Jiwoo... I remarked inwardly, but I had finally accepted who I was now. There was not one speck of doubt shrouding my mind. Or one word left by that mimic that could stir my heart. Ruler’s Authority fell dormant in its place and I felt myself relax.

But...

I had left behind the persona of Jiwoo back in my world. I thought I needed to bring back my old detached and calloused self which had allowed me to fight and survive in that harsh reality.

Shun...I needed him. Unknowingly, I had come to realize, despite me being given a second chance, a new life, a new beginning, the shadow of Shun always followed me from behind at arms length, never disappearing completely. He was me. The real me.

The persona that I had built to propose in front of the people as Jiwoo, a facade to hide my true self, to not show them who or what I used to be. Because I was afraid.

But, I was always Shun. I still didn’t truly understand who Jiwoo was. What he acted like. What actions he had taken. What kind of life he had led until I came into the possession of his body. Even with the fragmented memories, it was a blur.

But deep down I knew...I knew even if I tried to let go of Shun, even if I wanted to let go of him and start anew, he would never entirely leave me.

Like a bloody shackle which obstructed me from moving forward, from forgetting about him.

He was my curse.

But a curse I needed to bare. It was only right. But I didn’t want to take the personality of someone else. I was me. I didn’t need to copy someone else's life.

And I didn’t need to forget about anything. Acceptance. I repeated inside my mind.

The white void warped and dimmed as my mind squirmed and I felt some suction pull me toward itself. I allowed it and didn’t fight against it as my vision was dyed by a bright shade of white and I appeared back inside the ancient cobblestone chamber.

I blinked my eyes a few times as I removed my hand from over the multifaceted keystone, as the golden sheen it radiated died down as it fell dormant.

I calmly observed my body and there was not one wound over it, or were my battle robes ripped from my fierce battle with the monstrosity.

Then did all of that happen inside a separate space? Like in my mind or something. A separate space inside this keystone. I quipped as I gave a side look to the stone cut jewel which had a clear glass like surface.

“Your thoughts are correct.” I spun as the mana inside me bolted and a flame conjured from the tips of my fingers and engulfed my right hand which burned fiercely and illuminated the chamber in a cluster of cool blue flames, mixing with the amethyst, as a cool and ethereal voice reverberated through the old dusty room.

My eyes shot wide as I looked at the four onyx horns, which jutted out from the side of the individual’s head which curled back like a crown with another two intersecting with the initial ones to cover the top and sides.

A demon...I thought with apprehension as wariness laced my actions. But the mimic was already dead. So it was something else. And I had escaped the space inside the keystone. I didn’t feel the sinister pulsation of the element.

No...I followed below the horns and saw a pair of two mature and wisdomous charcoal black eyes with a tint of blood mixed together which exuded power and authority.

Sickly pale skin without any imperfections on the face, as I laid eyes on its masculine athletic physique. The man before me was wearing a rather simple and casual robe made of silk which was auburn and charcoal in colour and adorned his body. The clothing was rather simple, but this air of authority around him and his perfect demeanour was something which made me think otherwise.

As if I stood in the presence of an ancient being.

“Congratulations on clearing the trial. Shun.” He said, his voice leaving me in a kind of trance as I looked at the otherworldly face of this existence. It was unlike any face I had seen. The bone structure, the features of his face, they looked so perfectly well crafted, as if some craftsman had taken centuries and his outmost concentrated effort to give shape to that face.

I calmed myself and looked straight in the two dark eyes which studied me with curiosity.

“Who are you?” I asked.

The man made an obvious face, like he already knew what I was going to say. “Yes, yes. I will tell you who I am shortly.” His nonchalant behaviour left me questioning just who this man was.

“First and foremost, I would like to tell you is, you have done an excellent and praiseworthy job for reaching here and clearing the trial which even I thought would have been too much for your feeble, human mind.” He voiced with sarcasm laced in his words. “No, seriously, the trials you have faced so far wouldn’t have been any easy.”

“Now...” He continued as his figure slightly blurred and I realized that I could see through his figure as light was passing through to him. “You asked who I was Shun, or should I just call you Jiwoo. Meh, does it matter.” He crossed his arms. “You’re just a human, you guys have always been at the bottom of the food-chain.” He shrugged with an air of nonchalance around him.

But suddenly, his posture straightened as the once aloof atmosphere around him disappeared and now one which was exuding authority shrouded him. His eyes seemed to age rapidly as I blinked and felt each hair on my body stand.

“My name is, ‘Indra Arudecarus’.” He said as my brows knitted. “You might think seeing my horns that I am one of those lesser loathsome beings who proclaim themselves as demons, but you can’t be any wrong. I'm from the proud and mighty race of the ancients. My race is of the mighty basilisks and I am the progenitor and first Lord of the Arudecarus clan, the strongest clan of basilisks among the other ancient races."

“But now...Ahh, I'm merely just a ghost of the past, a remnant left in time retaining a part of my memories and personality and left imprisoned in here to fulfil my purpose. And I think the time has arrived finally.”

I felt short for words—as I hanged on each word he exclaimed—as the hollow figure said with poise and oozing ostentation. His face turned solemn and the aura of superiority rose from him.

I took a breath, trying to digest the things I had just learned or things I was still processing in my mind as our conversation continued. ‘The basilisk race: Arudecarus clan...’ I made a mental note.

Didn’t I fight against a basilisk before. Then could it have been a part of this so called race?

I made up my mind and decided to ask the basilisk. “Then shouldn’t it be about time I received some answers, Remnant!” I said, matter-of-factly, not flinching away one bit.

“I do believe that you have been kept in the dark for far too long, and deserve some answers. Don’t you?” The remnant raised a brow as he gave me a friendly smirk.

“Oh, the one who defies the order of the world, you have proven your worth and those conquests and trials have finally brought you to my lair. I have deemed your worthiness and you have proven yourself time yet again, by eliminating and overcoming that mental trial by defeating that mimic, by accepting your fears and weaknesses.”

“You have been tested more than you should have. And each time you exceeded expectations by triumphing on each battlefield—each challenge thrown in your way.

“Then tell me, what are these trials and what is the reason behind my regression.?.” I said to the projection as he carried himself with solemnity and looked me in my eyes.

“Very well. These trial are constructed in order to test you. For you to gain certain levels of control and understanding of your abilities. And to also learn of the things which have been buried by the enormous span and length of time; the real reason of the Exciduim race’s invasion and who you are.”

“Exciduim...”I whispered, but the remnant seemed to have heard me. “That name was mentioned on that red book's cover before it flew away.” I said as I pursed my jaw and brows furrowed in thought.

“Yes...because that crypt library was my mind which you ventured into.” He said. “You must have already figured it out by now, but this place is something which is cut of from the flow of the outside world. Tell me, you felt odd when you were inside the keystone realm right?” He pointed out as I nodded my head.

Wait...I think something like this also happened to me once before, back in the basilisk dungeon. When I was floating through that white void and after waking up I found a keystone inside my palm from which I gained the Ruler’s Authority’s skill.

“The keystone realm is a cut of space which has been stored inside that jewel, which is made to provide some insight into some aspect of reality or some strength. The workability of mana and demonic energy is no different inside there, but with your perception, you must have figured that there was something odd about the place.”

“Then what about the Daemon Exciduim which was written on the book’s cover?” I quickly said and the basilisk nodded his head.

“The section you ventured into had stored the compilations of the physiology and biological traits of the different races which I had studied in my long life. And the Daemon Exciduim race consists of the demons. Like the basilisk race, there are several other races out there. But the Exciduim and the basilisk race are a part of the ancient races which have existed since the dawn of world.”

I gave him a serious look of acknowledgement as I ushered for him to continue, and he did. There were some parts I highlighted as he spoke and some which still took me a moment to understand fully.

“Now for your second question, unfortunately...the second I am not so aware of.” Indra looked at me with a frown as if some deep contemplation was occurring inside his mind which I could never come to understand, for now. I realized that I wore a frown myself. “Your act of regression defies the laws of this world; or what the universe is built upon. And to say that I understand about this subtle phenomenon would be to lie. It is something that not even the ancients who proclaimed to have understood the edict of time better than anyone, could give a coherent answer with ease. Time is a peculiar subject of power. With just a simple change in its flow the reality of the world and the existences within it can be changed and altered; sequentially, their mundane lives and ways of living can be effected on a fundamental, physical and spiritual scale. And to even start to understand it, one has to first understand its span and complexity. Time is infinite. It's rigid and can only be influenced by an equal amount of force. A subject which forces a person to question the very existence of life itself."

Indra Arudecarus pointed his slender finger at me and spoke. “But you are someone that has broken the tapestry which is woven by the edict of time.”

My brows knitted as an astound expression creased my face. “That doesn’t answer my question. You're just giving me a well thought answer to how time might work and flow." I grunted. "What I want to know is the reason behind my regression. To learn what exactly is my role in all of this?”

The basilisk frowned as if I had asked a very hard and complex question which even he didn’t have an answer for.

“That even I am not aware of what exactly is the role you're supposed to play in all of this. But what I can say for sure is, you play a very important and significant role in this war and changes that are occurring right as we speak. You’re a force of change, Jiwoo. Your existence and nature is a catalyst which is making the world flow in a certain direction, and you always seem to be at the centre of it all. You must have realised the changes after your regression. Like the butterfly effect.”

“Yes.” I voiced in acknowledgement as I went through the information of the past and my current life. After making a consideration, I decided to ask the remnant about that cryptic message.

“Indra Arudecarus, can you tell me anything about this...I don’t how to explain it but, I saw this fragmented memory or some message where I saw a battlefield filled with death and there were two individuals before and after I saw it again there were three."

The basilisk’s brows arched in surprise as his eyes widened for the shortest of second as if he understood my vague explanation. The mature look returned to his eyes as his eyes closed for a moment in thought.

He sighed as he spoke. With a smirk, but something which conveyed an emotion akin to pain and hurt surfaced over his face. “What you saw was the forgotten war and history which happened millennials ago. Something which the demons tried to erase from the face of the world. Only a few people remember about it now in this day and age..” He said, his voice took a sharp turn and was lacked with anger, causing me to instinctively take a step back, but the emotion smothered away as quickly as it had came.

“Even I participated and fought in that war with my fellow brethren of the ancient races. It was the start of a new era, a nightmare. As if hell had been released on to the world.” Indra looked saddened as a sombre expression appeared on his face, conveying centuries, no millennials worth of pain which I couldn’t come to comprehend just my listening. “And I lost so many of my brethren, my children and my brothers is arm.”

“But that is something that I can’t tell you about yet. What I have told you so far is already breaching what I can and cannot tell you.”

“What?” I asked, slightly annoyed by his sudden refusal. “Why??”

“It is not my place to tell you. These trials are based upon a structure, for you to learn and gain experiences as you venture forward one at a time. You can’t hope to leap, when you don't even know how to walk. And learning too much at once can only arouse more questions, than answers. Causing you to stray from your actual path. But I assure you, Seo Jiwoo, at the end of this journey every secret will be revealed to you."

I took a breath to calm myself. What he said was right. So far the things he had told me answered some of the questions which I had always contemplated about. But my curiosity and greed of wanting to understand these phenomenon were intriguing me to push him.

“Yeah and...even if you wanted answers, I can only tell you certain things which I can remember. Remember, I’m a remnant and a ghost kind of projection. I only have certain fragments of my memories, and waiting here for an extended period of time has made me exhaust a lot of my power in sustaining this place." He jabbed as an aloof, sly expression was palpable over his face.

But all of a sudden, the chamber started to quake violently and grind against the old floors as cracks started to run through the floors and walls.

The projection of the basilisk remnant staggered as if all the energy inside him had disappeared suddenly. His already blurry and hollow figure started to distort further as the ethereal light around him hummed and dimmed. He looked at me with his brows slightly knitted and spoke.

“It seems like we don’t have much time left.” He exclaimed. I tried to ask but he cut me off almost immediately and continued.

“Now that I have answered some of your questions, I think it is about time I told you the real reason for my stay here.” Indra said as his gaze pointed at the altar, at the multifaceted keystone which lied dead over the stone cut altar. It wasn’t projecting any glow like it did before.

“One race among the ancients contemplated that there is a force of nature which exhibits enough power and dominance to change the very aspect of reality. A kind of power which creates and shapes and can change the fate of this world."

"What do you mean, some force? Do you mean there is another element or something which exists beside the mana and demonic energy?" I asked in a hurry.

He simply nodded his head. "There could be." His words sounded more like a question than an answer.

I looked at him as we both took a step closer to the altar as the walls started to crack further and dust and stone crashed to the floor.

“This world is constructed on the basis of three aspects: The edict of time, the edict of space and the edict of life. These three accepts form and create the world.” He brought his hand forward and ushered me to do the same. I did and from each side, we brought our palms close to the keystone. “Jiwoo, you already possess two abilities that allow you to influence two out of the three aspects. But you lack the insight and perspective. First being the time based skill you have and the other the space manipulating one. The potential of these powers are exponential, and what you have acquired so far in their use is just the tip of the iceberg."

A crack ran through the altar as I took hold of the keystone and felt its cold surface over my skin. The room turned into a ruined state as dust rose in the air.

“These keystone are similar to tests, which you need to pass in order to gain some insight provided by the intended aspect, or to unravel some mystery regarding the specified nature you will be facing in the future. They’re similar to a mystery box, and upon their release you will gain a certain reward, but their construction and natrue is completely different from the skills only you humans have access to."

“Then what insight is this keystone supposed to give me, and on what aspect?” I asked immediately as I dodged a cracked piece of cobblestone crash down and shatter the floor.

“That is something I don’t know about myself. My job was to test you first and give you the keystone after. That is your job to figure out what you want do with this keystone. Because learning something, and encountering new experiences are the purpose which leads to the blossom of insight and knowledge. And that is what ‘he' intended from you when he constructed these trials. To understand something from zero and by your own perspective and knowledge and if I were to tell you anything, it might alter or distort that path or result.”

From the side, I felt the air spilt apart as a dim light sparkled in the room and a portal conjured in front of me which caused a breeze to blow inside the chamber as the dark tendrils shook the air and a oval shaped crack appeared in the air.

“Go now or you will be trapped in here forever. With my remaining strength I can only keep this place steady for a few more seconds.” Indra said sternly as he ushered me toward the portal.

“But I still have so many questions? Who are these other ancient races and who is this ‘he’ that created these trials? Where do these skills come from and why am I being tested?" I hurriedly voiced, out of breath.

“I apologise, but those answers are not mine to give. You will surely learn of them sooner or later. There are other remnants as well, we remnants are guides to help you along your journey."

I clenched my teeth and in the end stored the keystone inside my inventory and moved.

I turned to take a final look at the chamber, where the basilisk’s projection had almost sparked out, making him truly look like a hollow ghost now.

“Be careful. Your next opponents might not be as easy as I was.” He warned as he shot me a smirk. “Trust in yourself.”

With a slight gratifying expression over my face I took a step inside the portal, the chamber from behind me wobbled like a bubble about to burst and then completely collapsed. I heard Indra say something from behind, and what I made out of his words was ‘—rdial’ as I vanished into the portal and moved to my next destination.