A ghostly breeze washed through the dead forest. Aside from the occasional rustling from the wind hitting contact with fallen logs, there was nothing but silence.
Moving through the shadows, Nox traversed through the swamp at an alarming speed. The trees made for great camouflage as they allowed him to blend in with the darkness, and the puddles of water wrapped around his body, further enhancing his movement.
'It's peaceful…'
With nothing to do or worry about, the boy turned to train his Divinity.
During the First Challenge, every encounter felt rushed and deadly. There were only brief moments of respite between battles and he had to constantly be aware of his surroundings.
But now…
He was free to practice as much as he wanted to. Summoning his Divinity, he first dove into the world of strings. The entire forest was built up of ominous black lines, with no signs of life.
Ripping off a handful of string, the boy shuddered as the entire lifeform came crashing down. Then, something caught his eye.
Hidden within the innermost part of the trunk, was a gleaming white orb.
Its bright glow was like a warm fire in the dreary night, inviting him to get closer. Slowly, Nox placed his fingers on the object.
'Warm.'
[You have discovered a life fragment.]
[Your abilities have been temporarily enhanced.]
Swirls of yellow strings drifted into his body, filling him with a sense of strength. The light in the orb eventually diminished, leaving behind nothing but an empty glass ball.
His senses seemed to be heightened as he felt less strain from using his Divinity. Activating 'Rain', he carried the nearby water onto his body and propelled himself into the sky.
Branches broke apart as he ripped past the lifeless canopy. Then, he attempted to suspend himself in the air.
Waving his hand, he meticulously shaped the murky water, hardening it with energy. After a few seconds, Nox had created a makeshift platform.
It was poorly made… but it did the trick.
He stared into the distance.
There was nothing but miles of the same endless, forgotten forest.
10 miles.
Straining his eyes, he supplied it with energy until he felt his eyeballs were about to burst.
20 miles.
Nox knew he should stop there, but he felt a voice speaking to him. Somehow, the Mythmaker felt that everything would be okay. He was going to push himself to his limits.
'Extend.'
The Divinity that he had only been used for combat, the boy wanted to try something out. Grey strings extended from his chest.
Mythmaker. He was destined to create miracles. If he broadened the interpretation of his Divinities, could he create something new?
It moved towards his hands, aiming to empower a weapon. However, Nox had other plans.
Grabbing the lines of fate, he guided it to his eyes. The power was chaotic and uncontainable, slicing apart his fingers.
Quickly wrapping around his hands instead, the strings started to elongate his bloody fingers. Dispersing the energy, Nox clenched his chest as he suffered one failure after another.
'One last time.' he thought, wiping away the blood.
His blood hardened, tearing into his skin.
More. He needed more. The boy felt all the power beginning to leave his body, he was at his limit.
'I'm close… I can feel it… I can do it.'
The Mythmaker let out a scream. For a brief moment, the unstable energy stayed still. Quickly shoving it into his eyes, his pupils shook and turned into slits.
100 miles. It was like the world was frozen in time. Stretching as far as the eyes can see, there was nothing but darkness.
Nox's face paled at the revelation. His Divinity crumbled apart as his eyes burst.
[You have suffered a fatal blow.]
[You have died.]
———————————————————————————————————
"Back off!"
A uniformed man lifted his hand, blowing back a row of civilians.
Behind him, a portal was being formed. With green particles swirling around the perimeter, it was the signal that a Challenge had been successfully completed.
The crowd gathered around in hushed excitement, eager to welcome the next defenders of their planet.
A black-haired girl stepped out. With a dark cloak draped over her body, her figure was hidden from the crowd of people. It seemed to be engraved with the power of the night, hiding her features.
Elysia glanced at the group of cheering civilians. She should be happy, but she wasn't.
Gazing at the sky, the radiant sunlight contrasted with her bleak eyes.
The uniformed man hesitantly stepped up.
"Please take off your cloak, miss. We need to identify you and all of the successful awakeners." He spoke in a rehearsed manner.
"There is no one but me." The mage replied.
"What do you mean-"
Right after he opened his mouth, the green portal froze. Everyone except Elysia watched in shock as it slowly closed, after only letting out a single individual.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Where is everyone else-"
"Who is she?"
"What happened to everyone?"
Amidst the gasps and shouts, an elderly woman pushed past the crowd. Awkwardly stepping out, she grasped the girl's hands, catching her off guard.
"Awakener, have you seen my child? She had red hair and was around your height… a-and she was a little older-" Her legs wobbled as she almost fell over, on the verge of tears.
A powerful gust of wind held the old woman up.
"She was a hero, ma'am. A hero."
Dispersing her divinity, Elysia hugged the woman as the latter burst into tears, crying into her arms.
The awakener couldn't help but remember a quote her father told her.
'A hero's journey is paved with the echoes of goodbye, for they sacrifice their happiness to protect those they love.'
The mage took out a necklace. Adorned with a beautiful ruby, it was one of the rewards she had received from the Challenge.
Leaving the relic in the hands of the fragile woman, Elysia recited a silent prayer for the hopeful challengers who had lost their lives.
She then disappeared into the wind, leaving behind the screams of the bystanders.
'Nox, are you alive?'