"Neph, do you sense anything?" I asked Neph, who continued to hover up my shoulders.
Neph was usually much more sensitive about these things, yet even she had some trouble.
She looked down and shook her head, dejected, "Neph...sorry...can't, help."
It seems her senses, too, were blocked by something, just like mine.
I searched and searched but came out empty-handed. But I was not about to give up.
I continued the search no matter how hopeless.
An hour passed, and the shifting started once again.
The world shook, and things started to change, I tried to avoid the walls as much as I could possibly do, Neph hid under my clothes and held tight. I had to keep Neph as close as possible. The chances of getting separated was high with the changing environment.
I continued to search, going around the paths to see if it contained any clues, but nothing came out.
It really bothered me that my senses were being hindered. Because of it, I couldn't tell how long I had walked, which direction I came, and which path I previously took.
It was like I was walking on circles.
It was really frustrating how I had not found even a single clue on how to leave this maze. It was getting on my nerves.
Am I really gonna get stuck here?
I gnashed my teeth and punched on the wall with my hands coated in lightning. It didn't even leave a dent, I used the lightning sword and slashed to the wall to make an opening but nothing.
It was unscathed.
Even though my magic was here unlike the second trial, it was ultimately useless, there were no monsters to fight, it also didn't seem to be much of use to escape, at least it didn't show that it was at the moment.
I shook my head and got focused. The shifting once again occurred.
However, this time. I tried to do something else other than just running, I stood my ground. I observed as the walls moved and changed. There I saw something in the far back, I saw an opening, leading to somewhere where the maze did not reach — the exit! The place beyond the maze!
Hope ignited in my heart. However, I only saw a glimpse of it. It soon got baracaded by walls. Wall after wall blocked my sight till it was all I could see.
I don't even know if what I saw was real or if it was just a figment of my imagination, but I would be able to confirm it after another hour.
In the meantime, I relaxed my body and got a hold of my mind. I've realized that recently, my emotions have been bursting wild. This became even more so when I started to climb the mountain in the last trial.
I had to relearn how to properly control them. Keep my head cool and my emotions in check.
It seemed that my desperation on leaving the forest is fueling my emotions to burst forth.
Anyway, I shook my head and looked around. My eyes opened wide.
Wha-
Around me was walls. In front, in my back, to my sides, I was encased?
This was possible?
I was shook, if it was possible being trapped in a room without even an opening, then it was really scary. But nothing too urgent, after all, I could just wait an hour and wait for the walls to shift, but then again, if in the next shift, the wall converge and flatten me, then I am dead.
The thought was scary, but nothing I could really do about it, not until the shifting starts.
I sat on the ground and leaned my back on the wall, waiting here, an hour seemed like a long time.
I looked at Neph who peeked out of my clothes.
"Hey Neph, have you ever seen the outside world?" Neph shook her head.
"Hahaha, of course, it wasn't just days ago that you were born, after all." I chuckled.
I raised my head into the dark ceiling above, and I sighed.
"I, too, have not seen the world outside, I want to, though. That's why I want to pass these troublesome trials and get out of this forest. I'll consider growing stronger as a bonus." I showed a smile.
Maybe I was a bit driven, maybe I was a bit too impatient, maybe I was both. But clearly, I have to get a hold of my emotions. I had to control my desire to leave the forest in haste as it may result in my death.
They say it is recklessness that drives a man to their death.
I was not gonna be a subject to that. Though controlling my drive didn't mean that I would give up on it. It only meant that I was gonna control it and not let it take over my mind and will.
I still had every intention to leave the forest, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much it takes, no matter what I have to do.
I was determined to leave this forest.