A sudden gong resounded across the underground cavern that vibrated the entire structure from top to bottom. The reason for the noise became apparent as soon as I focused on the invisible timer counting down, I had roughly one minute left before I would be forced out of this lucid dream and sent back to my body in that cold shack still likely being ravaged by some sort of spiritual stone.

“I despise the idea of letting fate decide anything for me at this point, but you are the only thing that has spoken a sentence to me in this whole graveyard of weeds and that has to count for something.” speaking my mind I gently grazed one of the leaves of the crystalline plant and felt a cool sensation ride up my arm before settling right above my naval. Then the tree itself began to dissipate into tiny motes of pure white dust.

‘You have chosen the soul line of Ruromor the Oath-breaker, Last of the Frunar, Conqueror of Realms, and Refuser of God-hood. May fate look kindly upon your soul.’

It may have been my imagination, but when the original voice returned it sounded far more human, exhibiting some emotion with each syllable. The most prevalent one was uncomfortable to hear from an emotionless space entity, fear. The next moment a strange haze began to envelop the surrounding branches until it settled over everything in sight. That was when the same gravely voice sounded out once again in my mind. Though the proximity felt far closer as if he was speaking from my chest.

“Well, this will be interesting no doubt. I have wondered for millennia what the purpose of all those died-out husks was in that dirt-filled cave. I would suggest you close your eyes human. What will soon occur could break your fragile mind.” Taking his words seriously as I closed my eyes as the haze began to thicken and I began seeing similar images to when I had been launched through that dreadful black portal.

It took a moment longer for the familiar sensation of being weightless to hit me once more. I then opened my eyes to see a lone man sitting underneath a strikingly similar tree to the one I had touched mere seconds ago. He lounged without a care in the world simply staring off into the red dunes that covered this strange world. They went on for miles and miles seeming to be as large as mountains with nothing to separate the monotone landscape except the very tree he sat below. Like a beckon of light, it shone with brilliance every time a sunbeam graced its surface.

I willed myself to get closer to the tree and man accordingly, to my surprise I found feet underneath me once more and the sand being pressed down from their advance.

“I'm never going to get used to that,” I spoke aloud while continuing my small trek.

“The body and soul are far more intertwined than you may think mortal, A simple thought in my realm can see you once again as an apparition or flesh and blood. Now we have little time here before you are returned to your true form. I must know, what type of pathways have you forged so far before your essence shard was solidified?” I stared at him for a moment taking in the hulking figure. His height had to be somewhere around eight feet tall and his shoulders broader than double mine. Deeply tanned skin with striking deep blue eyes that shone with power. His features almost seemed greek but with pointed ears that did not belong to a human, along, with white hair cut short laying atop his head.

“What type of pathways are you referring to, and how bad of a position am I in if zero is the answer?” I felt the air ripple as he looked down at me with such intensity it made the stars in the sky seem to dim.

“Are you playing games with me child? Having no pathways, but still achieving an essence shard is impossible… unless. Do not tell me. You didn’t eat a goddess-cursed shard you fool!” His thundering exclamation was not making me feel any better about my decision in eating the stone that was for sure.

“Hey look here you pointy-eared bastard I didn't have a lot of options! I didn't ask to be sent off to this world and be forced into whatever fucked up power game all you mystical shits are baking up! I'd never used or even heard of essence before a couple of hours ago and all I was told was to get as much as I could. There was no instruction manual on how to gain it so eating it was the only step I had! And it seems to have fucking worked so you can hop off my ass buddy!” Ending up with my finger pointed in the much larger man's face was likely not a smart decision but I was fed up with being some sort of cosmic mishap to everything around me. His face lit up with surprise after I finished my rant. He slowly placed his hand atop my own lowering it away from his nose.

“You mean to say you were sent to another Realm with the only direction being to gain more essence? And you have never carved or practiced with essence at all? Who sent you to the Realm in the first place? Better yet let us forge a soul link quickly and you relay the memories from there, we do not have enough time to converse casually. Especially so if you truly did devour the essence shard whole.” His rush of questions ended as he reached out his hand and placed it on my head. I debated telling him to piss off with all the soul-talk crap and just speak plainly, but if my life was indeed in danger from eating the essence shard then I couldn't afford to be difficult.

I opened my mind like I had when Demios requested a similar action and suddenly I was reliving the interactions with all the individuals since the beginning of that cold night in the city. Strangely when it got to the time when Demios had pulled me into his Realm of stars and the giant moon the replay of memories became fuzzy like I had moved the antenna the wrong way for a TV channel. The section of time in which he transported me through space to C’moria was almost unrecognizable with the last moments completely blurred out where I remembered him telling me his name. It then progressed into my awakening as Antone and the resulting day or so until it ended back at the moment I had chosen the present Ruromor’s little tree.

Returning to the present I stood in the same location breathing heavily feeling like I'd just run ten miles. Ruromor himself was looking deeply into the sand with his hand holding his chin. He lifted his head after a few moments to address me with a far less accusatory tone than before.

“This… situation is not common or even heard of for that fact. The ones who cast you into the essence seep are enemies I am familiar with. ‘The Coven’ they spoke of is an order of deeply disturbed individuals seeking to grow their power through ‘Syphoning’ all other awakened essence. They are heinous in every action. Yet, the creature you met upon that Spacial Realm is a far more terrifying prospect, I don't know what or who it was but their strength would have exceeded even my own. He seems to have placed a soul contract upon you so exposing anything about him is impossible. I digress, there is nothing to be done for it now, we must prepare for the repercussions of your essence shard consumption. Only when we return to the mortal plain will I be able to sense your pathways, from there we have little time as the essence will already be ravaging your body, you must guide the rampant energy the way I show you now, or you will be lost. Whether even this will work is completely dependent on your existing pathway… in other words… It was a pleasure making your acquaintance no matter how long it shall be young Antone.” He held out his arm and I understood enough to return the gesture and shake the giant's hand. His words terrified me to no end, the idea of returning to a body that was on the verge of detonating was not inviting whatsoever.

“I can imagine this isn't usually how this process would play out, but I am willing to learn what you have to teach and I will try my best to stay living as long as possible.” He nodded at that with a speck of respect gracing his eyes.

“Let us begin we have perhaps an hour before this soul realm will collapse. Quickly emulate what you see me do.” He then began moving his body in motions I could equate to some sort of Chinese kung fu, but far slower. The more I watched the more mesmerized I became as I could almost taste the essence being churned in the air as he continued the forms.

“Your physical movements do not need to be perfect but listen to my words as you begin the mental aspect. With each inhale you pull the essence from your core out into the rest of your limbs, as you feel it permeate, then focus solely on the essence inside your head. Do not attempt to move it, but simply watch it circulate. Next, once it feels as if you've now more essence to add while observing your mind, you will, on each exhale, visualize the essence filling thin roots across your cranium like a dried stream being filled with water. The more roots the better. This is where the difference between my people and the rest of the awakened lies. So if this cannot be accomplished…as I've said, I am not sure what will occur.” All through the explanation, he continued his movements and I'd begun to try and copy the flow.

It was incredibly difficult with some one-legged stances held at a variety of angles that seemed to defy gravity. I persevered while listening to his words and visualizing what he described. I felt no essence whatsoever inside of me currently so there was a large gap of understanding with that key aspect missing. With no way of knowing whether I was completing the process correctly my frustration began to mount, but knowing how vital this teaching would be for my continued survival I wouldn't allow myself to succumb to that distraction.

“Good, your movements resemble a babe just learning its extremities but there is little to be done with the scant few minutes we have remaining.” He spoke while still shifting seamlessly from motion to motion.

“As it turns out your words of encouragement are similar to a baby screaming in my ear, so the feeling is mutual.” I snapped back not out of true anger but more of the stress of the situation weighing down on me. I could see the small smile play on his lips at my remark although it did nothing to inhibit the smoothness of his movements.

“Truly it wasn't meant as mockery, not entirely that is, but you would do well to breathe from your stomach and push your breath out with each shift until no air is left in your lungs. Let your mind meld with the flow of your body.” I grit my teeth slightly but took his words to heart allowing my breathing to slow and begin to shift the air in and out like bellows in a forge. I felt steadier as I continued growing slightly more confident in following along with his instruction.

Time flew by as I practiced with the strange man in front of me. There were moments I almost enjoyed the experience if there had not been so much riding on this small training session. Soon enough I felt the edges of the mystical landscape warble with an unnerving amount of force that I knew was no simple coincidence. My time here was coming to an end and whether I was prepared or not no longer mattered.

Ruromor stopped his dance suddenly and opened his eyes full of seriousness. “It seems our time here has come to an end. I wish there was more I could impart to you. Given the circumstances I cannot imagine attempting to over-teach would do you any favors. In the end, your fate lies within your own hands, just as everyone else lives, to survive is to struggle, and to struggle is to live. The question is, how much do you desire to live young Antone?” The question held far more gravity than I would have liked. How much did I want to live? Having never been in the position to answer such a simple query before startled me. ‘A lot did not seem all that sufficient as an answer.

During my internal thoughts, the world around us had begun to slowly encroach as though the borders of reality were being blown away by the wind. Soon there were just a few feet left around me and the giant of a man I had met only hours ago, with the winds ruffling my threadbare clothes I felt a deep well of anger sink into the bottom of my stomach, the cold rage frosting across my body like a physical force.

I looked up into the burning gaze of a creature with power so far above my own with the intensity of a man who had everything taken from him on a whim. “I'll let you know after.” The last thing I heard was a deep rumbling laugh before everything once again went dark.