Laid in front of me was my past. If I turned backwards, I would see the growing flames of hell that whipped me from behind. The flames that urged me forward along the spiralling path - the path of purification.
"Repent."
'Another soul that had been lost.'
"Repent."
'Another death. I'm sorry. I will take your pain.'
"Repent."
'Repent.' I said to myself.
"Repent."
'...'
I felt the flames behind me singe my skin as I continued upwards on the path ahead of me. Was it painful? Yes, it was. What made it worse was that the flames weren't really that bad. The deaths... the countless deaths that I had to experience was even worse.
Guts splattering all over the ground. The feeling of being cut to shreds and crushed by thousands of jagged teeth.
'Life is fragile, huh.' I thought to myself after I lost count of the number of times I had "died".
The microscopic world that I lived in was plagued with dangers. The danger of falling. The dangers of being eaten. It wasn't just me, but every creature that I had interacted with.
"Repent."
With each death, I became more complacent about life and death. With each death, I started to reconcile with myself about my actions. Each snail that I couldn't save, each creature that I had eaten.
Life was about choices. Each choice I made took a life who also struggled to live.
"Repent."
'I'm sorry. I will repent and take on my sins.'
"Repent."
'I'm repenting.'
"Repent."
'...'
As I relived their deaths one by one, my body got just a bit hotter. It got just a bit stronger, as it seemed like the souls of the dead had accepted my diligence and sacrifice and blessed me for it. With every soul, I felt just a bit lighter - like the guilt that continued to plague my mind was being chipped away bit by bit.
My soul was being purified by the trial. My debts to the dead were being paid. My actions were being forgiven and my Karma was being reset back to neutral.
"Repent."
'Yes.'
"Repent."
'I am.'
"Repent."
'Yes. I will repent and grow.'
"Repent."
'...'
As I continued my arduous journey, my senses began to melt away and the pain seemed to lessen as I got used to the feeling of dying. Splattering of guts from a fall? Only momentary pain. Starvation? A prolonged but bearable death.
"Repent."
'Repent.' I repeated.
"Repent."
'...'
My sense of time started to slip as my mind went numb and I just didn't care anymore. Like an emotionless machine, I continued to slide upwards.
"Repent, child."
'...'
I touched the ancient snail, whose shell blocked the exit of the pit, without even thinking. It was the last soul, yet I didn't celebrate as its gigantic body instantly fused with mine was I felt a familiar heat enter in my body.
And I was instantly brought back outside. Laying on the floor with my broken shell against a lonesome tree, I stared up at the tiny snail upon my branch.
I felt tired. My whole body was tired. Just so tired. But I felt grateful like I continued to look upward. I felt satisfied. What was I even satisfied with? Then I began to speak to the snail above me... what was I even saying?
I felt a pang of pain within my body as a sadness welled up deep within me and my heart pounded.
'I don't want to die, but I'd rather die on my own terms.' I thought to myself as I tore out a piece of myself.
It hurt and instantly, I was powerless. I couldn't hold up my body anymore as I was just so tired and it took to much energy.
I knew that my time was up.
"I've been waiting for you arrival snail. Come and repay your sins in the pits of hell." I managed to hear from a powerful and stern voice.
'God of ...' I managed to think before darkness descended upon my world and my body once more.
...
[Trials of the rainbow coloured seed: 2/7] (Completed)
+ [Repenting Orange] (Unlocked)
+ [Orange] (Locked)
Please increase [Mastery: rainbow coloured seed] to unlock skills.
[Trials of the rainbow coloured seed initiated: 3/7]
...