"The string of Fate started to move... it's unknown how this will end... But I cannot let go of this opportunity. He must survive in this world lost in space and time... He must grow stronger for the future ahead..."
Somewhere in a separate dimension, a lonely silhouette was looking inside a golden pond with rapt attention.
"My dear... a tortuous journey awaited you ahead, but I won't let you cross those dangers alone..."
The thin fingers of the figure stroked the surface of the water inside the pond, and the image reflected on it changed instantly.
The scenes inside were not for a mortal to observe, but it was still possible to glimpse inside if you were brave enough, and naturally, that existence started looking inside without much ado.
"In the end, you chose this path and started polluting this safe heaven... It's a pity. Hmm?!"
Suddenly, the surface of the water fluctuated. This peculiar phenomenon forced the figure to move his attention to another part of the world that was not too far from where he was looking.
Soon, the surface showed the cause of that turbulent change, and a brutal battle appeared right before his eyes. People were dying like small flies, and it lasted until only a single person was left.
"This little girl... to think that such an unholy physique has appeared in her young and frail body... Oh?!"
The figure was enjoying the world from afar, but when he thought that such a priceless gem was going to disappear from the universe, the same injured and trapped young woman took out a small talisman.
"Well... where would your destiny lay then?"
Intrigued by the event, an obscure and invisible tread attached the figure and the young woman. The figure's actions were limited by the restrictions imposed by the world over the other creatures not connected to him. Still, thanks to that slim tie, the figure saw and then followed the young woman who had just activated a lifesaving talisman called the Greater Teleportation Talisman.
It could be used to rapidly flee from one position and reappear randomly toward another point of the world in any direction. It is simply a wonderous treasure that even Atlas didn't possess.
Soon, the young woman reappeared in the world, but she was unconscious and exhausted by the terrible battle.
The figure's gaze roamed the immense cave where the girl had happened and couldn't help but exclaim in wonder: "So... he is still alive... and he is hiding right under his nose... hehe... truly a marvel..."
Looking at the glowing lake from a higher position, the figure pierced its blazing layer and observed the depth in wonder.
A long sigh escaped his old lips: "What a strange destiny... it's worth it to use a bit of my power to help her... Maybe I can use this situation to clean up a bit of negative karma that has descended in this world..."
The figure sent a strike of light inside the pond, and surprisingly, an emerald barrier enveloped the frail body that had just delved into the deepest part of the dream world.
The pond flashed a few times, and some words escaped from his mouth. Unfortunately, the sound was so feeble that no one except his ears could hear what he was saying.
"Well, it's done. Let's see what happens when their paths cross."
The water kept changing, showing different parts of the world until it stopped abruptly.
"This is..."
Nihilir had a power that only a few could hold in the world, and it was currently using it to observe the world after long years of absence. The figure was searching for something, and something surprised the mysterious figure so much that it couldn't help but halt its movements.
"Whoa... So I wasn't wrong..." Nihilir exclaimed, somewhat surprised by the scene in front of his eyes: "Ahi... this little human holds the power of one of them... truly pure energy... There is only a possibility for this result... it should be him... Sulestia."
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The entrance to the underground cave was hidden below a dense coating of verdant leaves and bushes, and at some point, a young adventurer strode out from the narrow entrance with his head held high.
"Ah... some clean air, finally. Venturing inside a damned cave for my first expedition wasn't the best, but, well... it was still exciting. Hmm... Next time, I'll choose one in a cleaner and warmer place, maybe a nicer place."
Atlas had emerged triumphant from his first adventure, but instead of enjoying that moment, he was already thinking about his next journey.
It was an inevitable reflection since his heart was still beating excitedly from before, but soon, the warm light from the sun brought him back to reality. After all, his spirit, exhausted by the long and continuous battles, needed a bit of peace, and that placid sensation was just the perfect medicine to cure it.
He kept breathing and inhaling deeply, cleansing his lungs with the fresh air flowing across the verdant trees that populated every angle of the forest until a nauseating stench struck the young man's nostrils like a vicious dagger bathed in the most horrible poison.
"Bah! ... I still have that stench of Solifuranus and blood from those disgusting goblins on me. I need a bath, absolutely..."
Perhaps that stench was somehow acceptable to him when he was in the stronghold, but under the sunlight, it was reeking more potent than ever. So Atlas looked around to find the way back to the small pond he had seen along the road.
"Hmm... it should be in that direction..."
Finding the right path, the adventurer set out quickly and, about half an hour later, stood right a few steps from the crystal-clear water of a small pond.
The water was so clear that Atlas was hesitant to dive with that putrid blood on him. So before jumping inside and polluting those immaculate waters irreparably, he opted for a better idea and took out a tub large enough to contain his lower body.
It didn't take him much time, and soon, he quickly removed the equipment and jumped inside, enjoying a calm bath.
"What a crap... the blood of the goblins is easy to remove, but the one from the Solifuranus is so sticky that it makes me go crazy. However, given its strange composition, it should have many applications in the field of alchemy. I have to collect every little component of that head..."
Finally, after a few minutes and two more rounds of clean water, Atlas threw all his equipment inside the tub and then plunged into that sacred pond.
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By now, the task assigned by Nihilir was over, so he ate to satiety and rested until the next day, enjoying the cool air of the forest and the beautiful view that surrounded that pleasant pond.
"Mmm... it was the best night of the last few days. I slept so well that my body was screaming excitedly this morning. Yet, it's time to return..."
After a long day immersed in hot water and mixed with a particular fragrant powder, the equipment was finally released from that stench.
Of course, the holes and scratches caused by all those battles were still there, marking every angle of those artifacts. After all, the expert hand of a blacksmith and tailor was needed to bring them back to an acceptable condition.
During his childhood, he had made contact with the side world ruled by those experts, so Atlas understood the value of the objects in the World of Oblivion very well. For that reason, he wisely diverged his free time toward those mysterious and abstruse paths, learning the concepts and secrets from the knowledgeable mind of his Grandparents' old friend.
This old fellow was the best craftsman and blacksmith he had ever met. His name was Mold, and, like Grandma River, he was one of the founders of the small village of Nevery.
Mold was an extravagant old fellow and a long-time friend of his grandparents, so he had no qualms and taught him everything he knew through practice and with the help of ancient tomes from their native land.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the young man has dedicated all his time to satisfying his thirst for adventure, neglecting all the other small paths he has embarked on.
"Hmm... but if that old fellow finds out that I didn't ask him for better equipment, then I would be in trouble."
Indeed, with old Mold's skill, Atlas could have gained something better than those lousy artifacts he was currently wearing. But he didn't do it because he wanted to show them that he could survive alone and fight against his obscure destiny with his own hands. Clearly, his stubbornness and pridefulness couldn't stop him from asking others for help in times of need, but he was still far from that point.
He was still unsure of what to do about that matter, but he had hours to think about that problem, so the young man wore the equipment and then resumed his journey at a slow pace.
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