Chapter 28: Trial of Will

The silence followed me as I traveled down the empty passage. I found that the walls and floor were composed of a mucus-covered veiny membranous substance that occasionally emitted a blue light.

 

My nerves were strung taut like piano wire. I was constantly flinching from the slightest sound I may or may not have heard. I had the strange feeling that something was standing behind me the entire time, but there would be no one there once I turned around. Luckily, I still had my sword on me, but anything in my inventory was not accessible.

 

As I continued further on, I started to notice some movement in the corners of my eyes. My surroundings changed just ever so slightly. The walls had masses of tentacles that slithered along the walls and pulsed in time with the glowing light. My foot splashed in the occasional puddle, my sword was drawn and ready as I continued down the passage.

 

A noise from the front drew my attention as I peered into the fathomless darkness. I raised my sword into my combat stance with both hands holding it, ready to strike at any given notice. With slow and deliberate steps, I inched forward, eyes darting around with paranoia. I strained my ears as hard as I could muster, absorbing any sounds that came.

 

I did this for what seemed like an eternity. Not hearing any other sounds, I lower my sword, still holding on to it. I took one more step, and that’s when I felt it. A searing pain ran across my back and lower leg as if something had struck me at high speeds. I fell over briefly but rolled back onto my feet.

 

Out of the darkness lumbered a large creature standing at about 3m. It had two heads that looked like someone took a gorilla and a rat and combined them. Its torso was more like a gorilla with rippling solid muscles. Both of its arms split in half from the elbow down into two long tentacles on each. Its lower body was a bipedal reptilian with fur from the upper body, ending in two powerful clawed feet. Behind it waved a prehensile tail that ended in a jagged spike.

 

I stood there in pure unadulterated fear as this massive thing approached me. Suddenly I could hear and see flashes of images and words flow in my mind again, this time with a voice. Was it coming from the creature?

 

G̷̦̈́͆̈́̍͂͗̑̀͂̅̽̌͐̓̂o̶̩̻͊́̆́͒̐k̸̖͕̬̼̎́́͋̔́͑̃̓̈́̋͘̚ͅả̶͙̟̬̭̣̬̝̣͎̗̺͆͂̎̌͒̅̅̊̅̍̚ ̶̟͖̐̈́͂̍́̿b̵̢̛̲̖͙͎̫̊͂̄͋̏͗͌͛́̀̆͘ē̷̯͈͚̐̔̓̋̔̂͌̄̾͋͠͠l̶̳͐̑̊͒͌̕͠͝͝ä̶̛̳̣͎́̏̈́̾͆́͌̆̎̐̏͐̚͝k̵̤̜̰̝̱̖͎̦͔̋͌̔̇͝ ̸̛̖̤͓̰͈̖̭̬̠̥̰͓͍̐̈́̀̃͂̆́́̈́͜͝ļ̸͙̲͇̲͑͆̐̂̍̌̈́͗͗̾̀͘͝'̶̨͈͈̮͍̠͍̮̱̱̼͔̖̽̈́͆̿̕͘ ̸͓̩̅̄̆͜͠s̶̡̛̛̥̖̭̗̞̖͊̋̿͂͑͂́̉͂̚͝͠h̷͚͔̟̩͇͈̀̃̃̊͂̈́̂̔͆̆͜ͅo̸̲̰͓̤̳̎̄̊̾͑͗͂̑͆̔g̷̪͈̘̯̼̎̕ͅg̶̣̼̃̇̈́̒̉̂̅̔̚͝ ̷̭̱͎̲̣̝̥̭̌̍͌͗̍̈͂͘̕̕͠͝ń̴̢̰̜̩͇͔͇͈͖̤̮̰̔̑̆͝g̶̹̿̀̇͒͗͝n̶̨̡̡̛̠̼̱̘̱̩̟̈̋̈́̈͆̿͗͗͌͗̀̚̕͠ḁ̴͔̱̹̬͙͙̫̥̐h̴̡̤̳̗̘̩̙̞̹̜͌ ̴̢̧̥͖̼̗͎̀̏͋̓̑̈̿̑̈́̉̏̑̾͘͝ͅͅą̷̢͔̪̝̪͕̖̫̿̔͒̑̊̽̀̄̈̕̕͜ḧ̶̠́̿͜'̷̩͈̤͚̫̜̹͇̞̣͖̯͆̄͆̓ṁ̶̧̯̝̞̙̠͔͐̉͝g̷͓̜̳̉́̓́̇̍̿̄̐̈́͜l̴̨̢̡̛͖̬͍͙̥̹̙͇̖̘̲̂̈́̈́̒̆̿͂͑͌̔͗͊͝w̵͈̝̳̟̿͋̇̈̓́͌̿̓͐̉̎̏̀̇'̶̫͍̭͕̠̀́͑̃̈̐̂̊͂̉̓͌̂̑͘n̵̢̧̬͎̰̻̝̝͓̺͎̈͆̊̾̓͆͝a̵͕̦̯͔̩̪̮̞͋̇̀͛͒͑̇̉̄̐͊͝͠f̶̧̬͕̬͔͔̟̪̪́̓̔͌̽h̶̛̻̤̜̞̽͌̋͂̍͆́̑͆̈́̕͝

 

“Damnit! Stop. It hurts I don’t know what you are saying.”

 

The creature looked confused, then angry at my response. It charged towards me at a speed that didn’t match its size. It then swung at me with one of its double-ended whip arms. Without a way to counterattack, I dodged out of the way. I was met with a sharp pain in my shoulder as I then noticed its tail had swung at me, grazing me and embedding into the wall. It looked at me, and the same images flashed in my mind.

 

G̷̦̈́͆̈́̍͂͗̑̀͂̅̽̌͐̓̂o̶̩̻͊́̆́͒̐k̸̖͕̬̼̎́́͋̔́͑̃̓̈́̋͘̚ͅả̶͙̟̬̭̣̬̝̣͎̗̺͆͂̎̌͒̅̅̊̅̍̚ ̶̟͖̐̈́͂̍́̿b̵̢̛̲̖͙͎̫̊͂̄͋̏͗͌͛́̀̆͘ē̷̯͈͚̐̔̓̋̔̂͌̄̾͋͠͠l̶̳͐̑̊͒͌̕͠͝͝ä̶̛̳̣͎́̏̈́̾͆́͌̆̎̐̏͐̚͝k̵̤̜̰̝̱̖͎̦͔̋͌̔̇͝ ̸̛̖̤͓̰͈̖̭̬̠̥̰͓͍̐̈́̀̃͂̆́́̈́͜͝ļ̸͙̲͇̲͑͆̐̂̍̌̈́͗͗̾̀͘͝'̶̨͈͈̮͍̠͍̮̱̱̼͔̖̽̈́͆̿̕͘ ̸͓̩̅̄̆͜͠s̶̡̛̛̥̖̭̗̞̖͊̋̿͂͑͂́̉͂̚͝͠h̷͚͔̟̩͇͈̀̃̃̊͂̈́̂̔͆̆͜ͅo̸̲̰͓̤̳̎̄̊̾͑͗͂̑͆̔g̷̪͈̘̯̼̎̕ͅg̶̣̼̃̇̈́̒̉̂̅̔̚͝ ̷̭̱͎̲̣̝̥̭̌̍͌͗̍̈͂͘̕̕͠͝ń̴̢̰̜̩͇͔͇͈͖̤̮̰̔̑̆͝g̶̹̿̀̇͒͗͝n̶̨̡̡̛̠̼̱̘̱̩̟̈̋̈́̈͆̿͗͗͌͗̀̚̕͠ḁ̴͔̱̹̬͙͙̫̥̐h̴̡̤̳̗̘̩̙̞̹̜͌ ̴̢̧̥͖̼̗͎̀̏͋̓̑̈̿̑̈́̉̏̑̾͘͝ͅͅą̷̢͔̪̝̪͕̖̫̿̔͒̑̊̽̀̄̈̕̕͜ḧ̶̠́̿͜'̷̩͈̤͚̫̜̹͇̞̣͖̯͆̄͆̓ṁ̶̧̯̝̞̙̠͔͐̉͝g̷͓̜̳̉́̓́̇̍̿̄̐̈́͜l̴̨̢̡̛͖̬͍͙̥̹̙͇̖̘̲̂̈́̈́̒̆̿͂͑͌̔͗͊͝w̵͈̝̳̟̿͋̇̈̓́͌̿̓͐̉̎̏̀̇'̶̫͍̭͕̠̀́͑̃̈̐̂̊͂̉̓͌̂̑͘n̵̢̧̬͎̰̻̝̝͓̺͎̈͆̊̾̓͆͝a̵͕̦̯͔̩̪̮̞͋̇̀͛͒͑̇̉̄̐͊͝͠f̶̧̬͕̬͔͔̟̪̪́̓̔͌̽h̶̛̻̤̜̞̽͌̋͂̍͆́̑͆̈́̕͝!

 

“I told you! I don’t understand!”

 

Frustrated, I swing my sword at the hulking monster. It made no attempt to avoid it and soon realized why. My sword just bounced off its skin as if I was a child swinging a bat against a tire. I soon felt my body lift off the ground as if I was floating in mid-air and was hurled against the nearby wall. The wind was knocked out of me, and I struggled to breathe.

 

I could hear its footsteps coming closer, but my body wouldn’t move with the lack of oxygen. I felt a tentacle wrap around my neck and waist as I was lifted and held against the wet wall.

 

G̷̦̈́͆̈́̍͂͗̑̀͂̅̽̌͐̓̂o̶̩̻͊́̆́͒̐k̸̖͕̬̼̎́́͋̔́͑̃̓̈́̋͘̚ͅả̶͙̟̬̭̣̬̝̣͎̗̺͆͂̎̌͒̅̅̊̅̍̚ ̶̟͖̐̈́͂̍́̿b̵̢̛̲̖͙͎̫̊͂̄͋̏͗͌͛́̀̆͘ē̷̯͈͚̐̔̓̋̔̂͌̄̾͋͠͠l̶̳͐̑̊͒͌̕͠͝͝ä̶̛̳̣͎́̏̈́̾͆́͌̆̎̐̏͐̚͝k̵̤̜̰̝̱̖͎̦͔̋͌̔̇͝ ̸̛̖̤͓̰͈̖̭̬̠̥̰͓͍̐̈́̀̃͂̆́́̈́͜͝ļ̸͙̲͇̲͑͆̐̂̍̌̈́͗͗̾̀͘͝'̶̨͈͈̮͍̠͍̮̱̱̼͔̖̽̈́͆̿̕͘ ̸͓̩̅̄̆͜͠s̶̡̛̛̥̖̭̗̞̖͊̋̿͂͑͂́̉͂̚͝͠h̷͚͔̟̩͇͈̀̃̃̊͂̈́̂̔͆̆͜ͅo̸̲̰͓̤̳̎̄̊̾͑͗͂̑͆̔g̷̪͈̘̯̼̎̕ͅg̶̣̼̃̇̈́̒̉̂̅̔̚͝ ̷̭̱͎̲̣̝̥̭̌̍͌͗̍̈͂͘̕̕͠͝ń̴̢̰̜̩͇͔͇͈͖̤̮̰̔̑̆͝g̶̹̿̀̇͒͗͝n̶̨̡̡̛̠̼̱̘̱̩̟̈̋̈́̈͆̿͗͗͌͗̀̚̕͠ḁ̴͔̱̹̬͙͙̫̥̐h̴̡̤̳̗̘̩̙̞̹̜͌ ̴̢̧̥͖̼̗͎̀̏͋̓̑̈̿̑̈́̉̏̑̾͘͝ͅͅą̷̢͔̪̝̪͕̖̫̿̔͒̑̊̽̀̄̈̕̕͜ḧ̶̠́̿͜'̷̩͈̤͚̫̜̹͇̞̣͖̯͆̄͆̓ṁ̶̧̯̝̞̙̠͔͐̉͝g̷͓̜̳̉́̓́̇̍̿̄̐̈́͜l̴̨̢̡̛͖̬͍͙̥̹̙͇̖̘̲̂̈́̈́̒̆̿͂͑͌̔͗͊͝w̵͈̝̳̟̿͋̇̈̓́͌̿̓͐̉̎̏̀̇'̶̫͍̭͕̠̀́͑̃̈̐̂̊͂̉̓͌̂̑͘n̵̢̧̬͎̰̻̝̝͓̺͎̈͆̊̾̓͆͝a̵͕̦̯͔̩̪̮̞͋̇̀͛͒͑̇̉̄̐͊͝͠f̶̧̬͕̬͔͔̟̪̪́̓̔͌̽h̶̛̻̤̜̞̽͌̋͂̍͆́̑͆̈́̕͝

 

It spoke again into my mind then it stared at me as the iris of its eyes started to glow a dim yellow. I found myself staring back into those eyes. Then everything went black.

 

~~~

 

I awoke and found myself in complete darkness. I tried to move but found that I was unable to, or well, I could move, but it was like I was in…water? It was a strange sensation; I felt like I was floating, but I had no control over any type of movement aside from moving my limbs.

 

The darkness around me had a sensation of familiarity to it. I just floated here, taking in the feeling. I could see a small light in the distance drawing closer towards me. I was curious as to what this would be.

 

I enjoyed the feeling of my surroundings as I journeyed closer to the light as I assumed I was somehow moving to it. As I got closer, I could start to make out a spherical shape. As the object loomed nearer, I realized it was a planet similar to earth, but the continents looked off. I turned my vision towards the light and realized it was a yellow star.

 

“Wait? Am I in space?!”

 

There was enough light reflecting off the planet that I could, for the most part, see my hands, which I am still glad I have. But it was then I noticed that I was completely naked as my game character…floating in space…not freezing. Rather than freezing, I felt hot. I was not sure if it was because of my weird state or because I was on the side of the planet that faced the sun.

 

Suddenly I felt my body being pulled through the void at impossible speeds as everything started to look like warp speeds from various sci-fi shows and movies. I enjoyed the flashing scenery around me before I finally stopped.

 

In front of me was the most awe-inspiring view I had ever seen in my life. I drew closer to a colossal colorful nebula. Which now that I think about would most likely be impossible to see like this up close, let alone see anything from inside it. But contrary to reality, as I entered the nebula, I still saw it as if I just entered a brightly lit, multicolored cloud.

 

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I finally stopped moving once I came within range of a bright white/blue star that seemed to pull in some of the nebulae in its orbit, giving it an accretion disk. It was a breathtaking view; I didn’t want to leave. This was making me homesick for a place I’ve never been. Lost in thought, a single word escaped my mouth.

 

“Wgah’nagl.” [Home.]

 

~~~

 

I found myself waking up lying on the cold floor of the hall I was in. Suddenly I remembered the monster I was fighting earlier and looked around. Sitting at the opposite wall, I found the creature just staring at me as if it were waiting for something.

 

“Ymg’ nafl’fhtagn.” [You have awoken.]

 

The words floated in my mind, and I understood their meaning and did not suffer any kind of headache.

 

“Ahf’ ymg’ mgepah ah?” [What did you do?]

 

I found those same words coming from me, but they didn’t come from my mouth. They came from somewhere deeper.

 

“Y' ymg' mgepmgnnn lloig.” [I opened your mind.]

 

“Mgepmgnnn ya lloig?” [Opened my mind?]

 

I once again felt the same feeling as if I was putting my thoughts into the creature’s head. Was that even possible?

 

“You have passed the second trial.”

 

The creature had spoken as it stood up. Its words were no longer that weird language but were instead in English. It offered me a tentacle and helped me to my feet.

 

“Wait?! You can speak English? Why didn’t you speak in that before?”

 

My words were once again not coming from my mouth.

 

“I can speak all languages ever spoken. But for the trial, I could only talk to you in the Eldritch tongue until you learned Elder Speak or went insane from trying. I have now confirmed you can speak it, so now I am not required to speak it.”

 

“So, this whole thing was a test? Also, how am I speaking to you without using my mouth?”

 

“You are using telepathy. Normally you would gain this ability in the next trial, but it seems you picked up on early.”

 

“Next trial? Wait, how many do I have to do? How do I leave this place?”

 

“This place has five trials that must be completed before you can leave. You have completed the first one, Trial of Blood, and mine, Trial of Will. The next trials will be revealed once you complete them.”

 

“So I just need to complete these trials, and then I can leave. Where’s the next one?”

 

“I will guide you to the next trial.”

 

The creature lumbered off ahead of me, and I quickly followed behind, walking into the darkness.

 

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