Chapter 15: Escaping the Frying Pan
Ren was alone again. Well, physically alone, because in his head, it was a full-blown party: guilt, frustration, and a dash of "what am I even doing with my life?" He stared at the now silent cabin, with the Codex glowing faintly, and sighed.
— "So... the inner flame. Sounds more like an excuse to set me on fire, but okay." He glanced at the book, hoping for a response that, obviously, wouldn't come. After all, books don't talk. Well, this one sort of did, but... you get the idea.
Outside, the wind seemed to invite him to move on. Or maybe it was just mocking him. Ren grabbed his pack and looked around. Nothing useful in the cabin, aside from a bed that looked like it was hosting its own ecosystem.
— "Great. My first test is surviving bedbugs." He kicked the door open dramatically, but it didn't cooperate. He had to push it open with his hands instead. Less epic, but effective.
---
Outside, the world seemed determined to make things harder. The rain hadn't stopped, turning the ground into a slippery mess. Ren took two steps and nearly faceplanted into the mud.
— "Of course, why not? As if Vorath wasn't trouble enough."
Walking cautiously, he began descending a steep trail that seemed to lead to a more open valley. The Codex pulsed faintly, which he interpreted as a "we're going the right way." Or maybe the book was just laughing at him. Honestly, it could be either.
Ren trudged on for hours, the landscape shifting between dense forests and waterlogged clearings. With every step, the tension grew. And because the universe has perfect timing, that's when he heard the sound of footsteps.
Not his own. These were heavier. More threatening. The kind that makes you question why you even got out of bed (or off the floor of a bug-infested cabin) that morning.
---
Out of the mist, three figures emerged. Cultists. Not the "let's have a peaceful discussion about the Chains" kind. These were the "let's play chop-chop" kind. Ren dropped his pack on the ground, the Codex starting to pulse more intensely.
— "Oh, great. Another test. Because, yeah, I was bored."
The cultists approached slowly, their weapons glowing with a sinister energy. Ren grabbed the pack's strap, trying to remember how to summon that light blade the Codex had shown him before.
— "It's just focus, right? Like meditating, but without the incense."
The Codex responded with a stronger glow. A chain of light began to form in his hand. He smiled confidently.
— "Ha! It worked!"
Of course, the chain disappeared two seconds later.
— "Or not."
The cultists laughed, which Ren found incredibly rude. He took a step back, trying to buy time.
— "Listen, guys. I know you've got this whole 'world domination' thing going on, but what if we took a break? Tea, maybe? No? Nothing?"
They advanced. Ren knew he had no choice. He grabbed the Codex and held it like an improvised shield.
— "Codex, any ideas? Because mine involves running and screaming."
The book answered with a flash of light. The cultists staggered, momentarily blinded. Ren seized the opportunity, picked up a rock from the ground, and threw it at the nearest cultist's face.
— "That's for laughing at me!"
He started running, ignoring the protests of his tired muscles. The Codex's light seemed to guide him along a path winding through the trees. Behind him, the cultists regained their vision and began the chase.
Ren stumbled several times but managed to keep going. Finally, he saw an old bridge spanning a raging river. He dashed across it without thinking twice.
— "Please don't collapse now," he muttered as the wooden planks creaked ominously with each step.
When he reached the other side, he turned to face the cultists, who had stopped at the bridge's edge. They hesitated, eyeing the unstable structure.
Ren put his hands on his hips, trying to look like he had planned this all along.
— "That's right! Stay there! You think you can—"
Before he could finish, the bridge collapsed on its own, taking half the planks into the river. Ren stared at the gaping hole, then at the cultists now stranded on the other side.
— "Yeah... exactly as I planned."
---
His heart still racing, Ren walked away from the destroyed bridge, laughing nervously. When he found a fallen tree, he decided it was safe to stop and catch his breath. He pulled the Codex out of his pack and stared at it.
— "That was all your idea, wasn't it? That 'heroic moment.' Planned, right?"
The Codex, as usual, stayed silent.
Ren sighed, putting it back in the pack.
— "You know, I should start charging for these shows. The Fleeing Bearer: A Tragic Comedy."
And so, he continued his journey, every step filled with uncertainty, danger, and, of course, the occasional comedic mishap. After all, not every hero needs to take themselves seriously all the time.