With the cold night wind of the desert biting into his body, Enel finally woke and gasped. He was genuinely happy to have reached the pool of water, but now he had the cold night to battle. "My troubles are never over... Wait, my throat doesn't hurt—I can speak!" he whispered, surprised at the ease in his voice. Shivering from the cold, he stood up and looked at the sky. The moonlight wasn't too bright, casting a faint glow that made everything barely visible. He looked around and saw nothing but the desert. He sighed and turned around, noticing that the crater was at a safe distance away from him. The pile of bones he had seen earlier still didn't sit well with him.
The cold was biting into his skin, making him feel as if he would freeze at any moment if he didn't find shelter. But there was nothing but a desolate plain surrounding him. He recalled seeing some scattered dry twigs near the pile of bones. That meant a creature used the crater as a feeding ground. Something didn't feel right, and it bugged him. His thoughts wandered to what happened while he was asleep and why he was still alive. Why didn't that monster simply go around the crater? It wouldn't take much time to get to the pool... unless...
It all clicked together in Enel's mind. He realized that everywhere, including where he stood and the pool, was the territory of whatever used the crater as a feeding ground. That's why the monster that chased him refused to go after him when he crossed the crater. And if his guess was correct, he was truly in danger. "Crap, crap, crap, this is bullcrap! I'm screwed if I don't get out of this hellish desert soon... But I'm still alive, which means the crater monster isn't here, or it's probably dead." He smiled to himself, deciding to tread with caution. He got close enough to the crater to observe it, but not too close in case he needed to bolt. The option of running seemed better than dying in the hands of whatever monster resided there.
He observed the crater for a long period, shivering in the cold. He didn't know how far into the night it was, but it was getting colder by the moment. He finally felt it was safe to enter the crater.
Reaching the edge of the crater, he stood for some time, scanning the surroundings. He saw the monster that chased him earlier, far away, wandering in the desert. He sighed, slid down the crater, and searched for the pile of bones. After locating it, he gathered the scattered dry twigs. Once he had enough, he used some stones to start a fire.
A few minutes later, he was sitting and enjoying the warmth of the fire, though he was sprawled away at one corner of the crater. "Even if the monsters don't kill me, I bet the desert itself and hunger will finish me off before anything else." He lamented his current situation, hungry and cold. He sighed and said to himself, "I don't think the owner of this hole will be coming today, so I might as well stop worrying and fall asleep. Let tomorrow's problem take care of itself."
He tried to fall asleep but could not, his eyes darting around the crater, trying to catch any signs of danger. The fire crackled softly, providing a small comfort in the vast, unforgiving desert. He knew he couldn't afford to fall asleep; his survival depended on staying alert.
As the night wore on, the temperature dropped further. Enel huddled by the fire, trying to stay warm. He thought about his journey ahead, the challenges he would face, and the secrets he needed to uncover. The pool, and the creatures of the desert were all pieces of a larger puzzle he needed to solve.
Waking up to the first rays of sunlight, Enel stood up and stretched. His body ached all over from sleeping on hard rocks, and sand was stuck in his hair. Sighing, he climbed up the crater to drink some water from the pool. Upon reaching it, he felt something was slightly wrong with his surroundings. He looked behind and noticed the monster wasn't where it had been. A chill ran down his spine. Double-checking to see if it was hiding anywhere, he found nothing. "Where could it be?" he thought.
It was then he noticed something strange. A few feet away from the pool stood a huge tree that stretched far into the sky. He was in awe of the tree's majestic presence in the desert. It had green leaves and fruits growing everywhere—on its bark, branches, and even downwards-carrying branches. The fruits looked appetizing and pleasing to the eye, but that was the problem. "How is this tree present here? I was sure there wasn't any tree near the pool."
The tree's sudden appearance and ability to grow in the desert puzzled him. He was about to take a fruit when he had a rethink. "There's no way I could have missed a tree this huge, even during the night. I was aware of my surroundings, so the tree must have appeared out of nowhere."
"Oh no. First, the monster disappeared, and now this strange tree appears with fruits while I'm hungry." Frustrated, he decided to take a fruit and eat it. Even if the fruit was dangerous, starvation would kill him either way. He took a bite, not noticing any changes in his body. The fruit was tasty. He took another bite, and soon he had finished the first fruit and was reaching for another.
After eating enough of the fruit, he felt as if he had eaten a full meal. Sighing, he ate some more. "At least nothing bad happened... yet." He wasn't completely convinced the fruit was safe, but he didn't care anymore. After finishing, he went to the pool to quench his thirst and wash his body. Feeling relieved and rested, he sat near the water and thought about everything that had happened so far.
This was his second day in the desert, and he had only seen one creature. Another one might be out there, probably dead, but he couldn't be too sure. Then, the mysterious tree appeared with fruits that seemed strange. "Ahhh!" he yelled out of frustration, rubbing his face. He was overwhelmed by everything. He remembered his village and the happy times he spent there before sadness hit him.
He didn't know what really happened to his village because he was taken out of the village by someone. He also didn't know why the people who came were after him. The village head's last words to him were to not let them get him and to survive no matter what. She was the closest thing to family he had, as he didn't remember his past too well. Only a vague sense of it remained, gradually fading away. He had been in the village for five years and felt worried about its people.
His friends, well, he didn't have many. Most of his age mates seemed to dislike him, but that didn't mean he hated them. In fact, he felt worried that they might be hurt as well. He felt like shedding a few tears but remembered the village head's words. He went to check out the tree when he suddenly felt dizzy. Everything seemed blurry. Leaning forward, he vomited and coughed up blood. He managed to walk towards the pool, but it felt like a mile away.
After a few steps, everything began to spin, and he bled from his nose, eyes, ears, and mouth. He suddenly blacked out. Waking up from unbearable pain, Enel screamed. It felt as if his bones were constantly being broken and reconstructed countless times. After what felt like an eternity, the pain subsided slowly. Reeling from the pain, everything was still dark and blurry. He tried to stand up but was struck by another pain, this one feeling as if his eyes were on fire. He shouted, unable to bear it.
After a moment, he couldn't see anything—everything was still dark. He felt an urge to walk in a certain direction but couldn't see anything. His body moved on its own towards the direction. Feeling the bark of the tree, he instinctively took a fruit and ate it. He wasn't in control of his body, but the pain in his eyes slowly receded as he ate the fruit. He ate some more willingly, and his vision gradually returned.
He saw it was still daytime, or at least it felt like daytime. In actuality, it was night. How he knew was because when he looked up, he didn't see the sun. Instead, there was nothing in the sky, which meant it was night without the moonlight. He also saw some wisps in the air, glowing in blue and purple. He tried to touch them but soon realized they were either an illusion or something else entirely.
As he tried to walk away, a migraine hit him, and he fell, clutching his head. Exhausted, he closed his eyes for a few seconds, feeling the pain gradually subside. When he opened them again, his vision seemed normal, and the world around him was dark again and he was barely able to see in the dark, 'wait how long was i out'.
Enel looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The tree still stood majestically, its fruits seemingly glowing in the dark night . He approached it cautiously, examining the bark and leaves. They felt real, but there was something otherworldly about them. He plucked another fruit and took a bite, feeling the energy course through his body. This time, he was more aware of the changes happening within him.
He sat down by the pool, reflecting on the events of the past two days. The desert had been relentless, testing his endurance and will to survive. He thought about his village, the people who had been his family for the past five years, and the mysteries surrounding his past. The village head's words echoed in his mind, reminding him to survive at all costs.
As he rested, he noticed the pool's water was unusually clear, almost sparkling. He reached out and touched it, feeling a slight tingling sensation. It was refreshing, unlike any water he had ever tasted. He drank deeply, feeling revitalized with each gulp.
Enel's thoughts wandered to the creature that had chased him. He wondered if it was still out there, lurking in the desert. The memory of its terrifying appearance sent shivers down his spine. He knew he couldn't let his guard down, not even for a moment.
Despite the uncertainty and danger, Enel felt a newfound determination. He wasn't just fighting for his survival; he was fighting for answers, why he was being chased by those strange people,why he was told to survive no matter what and the truth about his past . He knew the journey ahead would be arduous, but he was ready to face whatever came his way, afterall he was already preparing to seek answers about his past but he didn't plan to end up in a desert and especially not this one, "well fate says otherwise i... guess"
He noticed something peculiar inside the the pool. It seemed like a shimmering gateway, almost like a mirage, but more tangible. Curiosity piqued, he wondered how he didn't notice it before and he felt a sort of apprehension for things that glowed because of his experience with the tree. Sighing he decided to approached it cautiously. The air around it felt different, charged with energy. He reached out, hesitating for a moment before stepping through.