55 Horror (1/2)

After jumping through the broken bridge, Shesmu made his way through the other side of the jungle. His next goal was the valley. He glanced at his minimap and found out that he was close—barely a kilometer away from it.

Shesmu passed through the shrubs, trees, and grass. As he inched closer to the valley, the density of the trees lessened, while that of the shrubs and grass grew. All the while, a fog permeated the air. The damp and hot climate of the jungle changed with a chilly, frosty breeze.

The fog grew even further, turning into an all-encompassing mist. Soon, Shesmu could no longer see farther than three meters past his nose. There was no way Shesmu could fight in such a climate. He coated his eyes with Ki and his field of vision grew. His eyes could then pierce through the thick veil of the mist ever so slightly.

”Papa!”

A voice screamed next to his ear. Shesmu turned around, his heart pounding in his chest. That voice, he knew it—it was Eva. Shocked, scared, and unbelieving, Shesmu's mind turned into high alert mode. Deep down he knew, he knew that there was no way for his daughter to be there, that it was only a part of some sick trial. However, while his mind understood that concept, his body didn't.

The mist contorted in various ways as if the threads of fog were the limbs of an abyssal creature. Those threads soon took shape, horrifying ones. Skulls, hands, bodies, and limbs made of mist all danced within the fog. They screamed and howled, and their cries only turned sharper when they passed next to Shesmu.

A body of mist, small and short, much like that of Eva, stood in front of him. He couldn't help but look with intent at her face, as her eyes, ears, and nose formed, as she gave him the same smile she did a thousand times before. But that was a time long gone, her face contorted into an unnamed shape. Multiple eyes gouged out of her cute little face before the latter split open too. Threads of mist emerged from her skull like barbed tentacles, before they pierced Shesmu's heart.

The world blacked out. Shesmu lifted his heavy eyelids with all of his might. The world around him was blurred. Orange, yellow, and grey merged into an abstract art-like scenery. Shesmu blinked a couple of times to get used to the new light. He could feel through his hands the coarse texture of the sand. As he stood up, Shesmu realized he was back in a very familiar place. This was the land of dreams—no, of the cruelest nightmares.

”Omega Nine!” His scream shook the realm. The wrath that flared within Shesmu's heart could burn gods to ashes. Shesmu knew what the trial was trying to do, and he didn't like it one bit. He closed his eyes and summoned the ki within his core. He then pushed it through his paths and into his brain.

”Huh?”

It didn't work. The ki stopped dead in its track, right as it reached Shesmu's brain. It was as if there was a barrier standing between it and Shesmu's mind, blocking it from ever entering.

Shesmu clenched his jaw and fists. He walked through the ruined city in silence. He no longer cursed neither the gods nor the devs. He walked steadfastly towards his inescapable destiny.

Shesmu made his way towards the cathedral that stood tall above the city. He didn't know why, but something told him that his goal lied there.