He entered a place of profound silence, yet it was a different kind of silence than the void. This was the absence of sound in a world that should have been alive with it. A beautiful landscape stretched before him rolling hills under a golden sky, bathed in an eternal, soft twilight. Lush, vibrant flora grew in abundance, and a gentle breeze rustled through unseen leaves. Yet, despite its apparent beauty, it felt... empty. Lifeless. There were no birds singing, no insects buzzing, no distant sounds of life. It was a perfectly rendered, exquisitely detailed, utterly desolate painting.
A few steps ahead, stark against the serene backdrop, he noticed a massive, featureless box-like structure, towering perhaps fifty feet high. It was made of a smooth, dark material that seemed to absorb the golden light, making it appear even more imposing. Drawn to it by an unseen force, or perhaps just the sheer lack of any other direction, Daniel walked forward.
Inside the box, a maze awaited him.
Endless corridors, stretching into a dizzying infinity. Narrow walls, smooth and unyielding, rose high above him, blocking any view of the sky or the world beyond. There was no clear path, no discernible pattern, just an oppressive sense of repetition and confinement.
At first, Daniel thought he could simply find an exit, a logical solution to a spatial puzzle. He walked, turning left, then right, then left again, trying to map his progress, to find a pattern. But as he walked, a terrifying sensation began to creep in. The walls seemed to subtly, imperceptibly, close in on him. Tighter and tighter. The air grew heavy, thick, pressing in.
Panic set in, cold and sharp. His breath hitched. "Wait! How do I get out of here? Help!" His voice cracked, swallowed by the oppressive silence of the maze, echoing back at him, mocking his desperation.
No answer. Only the growing sense of claustrophobia.
He pressed his hands against the smooth, unyielding walls. They wouldn't budge, cold and indifferent to his terror. He tried pushing, then pounding, but it was useless. The space was shrinking. He felt trapped, his chest tightening, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs.
"Think... think, Daniel. Why am I here? What's the purpose?" He forced himself to breathe, to calm the rising tide of fear. This wasn't just a maze; it was a trial. A test of his mind, his spirit. What was Limbo, if not a place of uncertainty, of being caught between worlds? He needed to find his center, his reason.
The maze thickened, the walls now visibly closer, the air growing thin. He could almost feel the pressure on his skin. Despair threatened to overwhelm him.
Then a flash of memory. Not a painful one, but a vibrant, living image. His students. Their bright, eager faces. Their innocent laughter echoing in the classroom."Teacher Daniel!" a child calling his name with joy and innocent face. Their joy when they learned something new, when a complex concept finally clicked into place. The spark of understanding in their eyes.
His reason for living. His dedication. His purpose.
"Ah... yes. I've been devoted to teaching ever since we broke up," he murmured, the words a quiet revelation. It wasn't about Lissa, or his parents, or even his own survival anymore. It was about the impact he had made, the purpose he had found in guiding young minds, in nurturing their growth. That devotion, that unwavering commitment to his students, had been his anchor, his true north. It was the one thing that had kept him from truly falling apart.
As this realization solidified, a beam of brilliant, pure light appeared ahead, piercing through the oppressive gloom of the shrinking maze. It wasn't just light; it was an opening, a path.
Daniel rushed toward it, a surge of renewed hope propelling him forward. He squeezed through the shrinking space, the walls brushing against his sides, a desperate, final push.
He emerged, gasping for air, collapsing onto soft, glowing grass. The oppressive silence was gone, replaced by a gentle, resonant hum.
[MABUHAY! YOU HAVE PASSED THE FIRST CIRCLE.]
The System's voice boomed, no longer cryptic, but triumphant.
[YOU HAVE UNLOCKED THE POWER OF WISDOM — RAPHAEL.]
A shimmering, ethereal light enveloped him, warm and comforting. He felt a subtle shift within his very being, as if a new chamber had opened in his mind, filled with an ancient, quiet energy.
[Power of Wisdom — Raphael]
Grants access to vast knowledge, though understanding feels just out of reach. (A curious limitation, he noted, but intriguing.)Passive aura: weakens illusions, fear, or confusion. (This explained the sudden clarity in the maze.)Grants calm and clarity in chaos. (A much-needed gift, he thought, given his recent experiences.)
Daniel wiped sweat from his brow, his hands still trembling slightly, but his mind felt remarkably clear, the lingering panic replaced by a strange, almost serene calm.
"Ha... so this is what I get for passing these circles. What's next?" He pushed himself to his feet, feeling a newfound lightness, a subtle strength he hadn't possessed before. The power of wisdom, Raphael. It felt less like a raw force and more like an inner compass, a guiding light.
Another door appeared before him, shimmering into existence just as the first had. Beyond it, lightning flashed, illuminating a swirling vortex of dark clouds. The air crackled with unseen energy, hinting at the tempestuous challenges that lay ahead.
With a resigned breath, a flicker of apprehension, but also a growing spark of determination, Daniel stepped through again. The journey had only just begun.