Thomas will be addressed as Jolthar.
Jolthar pov:
Months passed, and I was starting to see the effects of my training. I changed my diet, eating fried meat. I have to say, they have the best cooking in the Keep.
My muscles started to swell, my stamina improved, and I moved with a newfound grace. But physical preparation was only the first step.
The staff at the keep were friendly. They were sympathetic towards me. And few of them even encouraged me to keep doing what I believe.
So far, everything is working out well for me. I guess the goddess did some work, thought whoever sent me here, doing the patchwork for me.
The book spoke at length about the importance of mental discipline and cultivating a calm and focused mind.
I took up meditation, spending hours each day in solitude.
At first, it was maddening—my thoughts were all over the place, and I couldn't sit still for more than a few minutes, with my eyes closed.
But gradually, I learned to quiet the storm in my mind. Slowly, I calmed myself and my thoughts. The meditation helped me, to keep myself sane and poised. I learnt to control my emotions.
Right now, I was sitting in my room, meditating.
That's when I heard the voice again.
[Soul stabilized]
[Power of VOIDWRATH in effect]
Suddenly I could feel different, and my body started to radiate a purple smoke-like flame. It was coming from the pores of my skin.
I was in a daze, looking at what was happening to me.
Suddenly I felt something pressed upon me, like an invisible tonne of weight dropped on me. I tried to resist, but it only made my body shudder and ache all over.
I was alone; there was nobody in the room right now. I couldn't even think properly or find out what was happening to me. I was stuck there, not even able to move a single muscle.
The purple flame-like energy was increasing, and it suddenly flared up.
And then, out of nowhere, a figure dropped in front of me.
Gritting my teeth, I could see that it was a woman dressed in a black gown flowing around her.
As soon as she entered the room, the pain subsided, but not entirely. She was hovering before me and she was smiling at me.
FUCK!!
"This was all I could restrict. I will talk and you listen, so that you can be relieved of your pain," she said. Her voice was different than any woman he heard until now.
I could only nod.
A small smile crept onto the woman's face.
"Yes, I am the one who gave you a second chance. The reason you are like this is because you are extremely weak." The being stated directly.
"So grow stronger, and we will meet again."
"If I stay any longer, you will be fried into nothingness."
She was speaking as if I were just like an ant. Like I didn't matter. I wanted to speak, but I barely held myself. And she said that she restricted her power, and what if she fully unleashed it? I could only imagine.
Then I saw her move her hand towards my head, and a small golden light energy flowed from her fingertip towards my glabella.
[Power of Blessed One obtained.]
Then she said, "I already gave you something to make things simpler for you. It will help you in times of danger and with your growth."
"I will take my leave now." With that, she disappeared. Puff, she was gone in an instant, leaving me there in shock.
AHHHH!!
Right after she left, air rushed into my lungs, and I was panting really hard, sweating profusely.
Stretching my legs and leaning back, I just stared at the space where she just disappeared.
Fuck! What just happened? She came, talked, and left. And the only thing my brain registered was the word weak. She said that I was too weak to endure her presence. Just how powerful was she?
*SIGH*
The purple energy was still radiating from me. Is it mana? No, it wasn't Mana. Whatever it was, I could only use it for now to grow stronger and meet her again.