DEATH REALM – FIRST PATH
As dawn had only just broken, Ysabella carefully studied the map Yoreru had left behind.The man had been gone for some time now, yet his traces—and above all, his potential lies—still lingered.
Her eyes scanned the parchment, analyzing every detail.
— After careful analysis… this map shows only three distinct paths, she finally said.Each one leads to a shelter Yoreru claims to have built himself, hidden from sight.There's no connection between them, which means we'll likely have to make several back-and-forth trips.
She folded the map with care.
— Our priority is to understand how this world works so we can adapt to it.You'll also take this opportunity to better understand your power and try to use it consciously.And most importantly… don't be afraid to make mistakes. They're necessary to grow.
She looked at Nakid.
— Anything you want to add?
Nakid clenched his fists. His gaze was steady, yet filled with conflicting emotions.
— Even if we have leads now… even if we're less lost than before…
I'm still afraid.
— Of this world. Of what could happen to us.
He took a deep breath.
— But there's something inside me that refuses to break.
No matter the obstacles… I want to become stronger so I can find my mother.
Ysabella slowly nodded.
— It's normal to be afraid, young boy. Without fear, we'd already be dead. It keeps us alive in hostile environments. What matters isn't running from fear, but accepting it… without letting it consume you.
She gave a faint smile.
— I'm afraid too.
Nakid's eyes widened.
— Really?! Even you?
— Of course, she replied with a smirk.
Fear shouldn't paralyze you—it should keep you alert.
Enough talking. Let's move.
At Dawn
Daylight slowly settled in, revealing a world far more alive than they had imagined.
A vast violet sky stretched endlessly above them, shifting hues over time—from purple to red, then to other unreal shades.The vegetation defied all logic: green, blue, and violet plants intertwined with deep purple flora, some bearing distinctly threatening shapes.
All the trees looked the same—blue trunks, orange leaves.
The fauna was no less strange.
Skeletal birds glided through the sky, their exposed bones visible beneath a few colorful feathers on their skulls.Some sang to greet the day, others fed their young or migrated in groups.
On the ground, skeletal squirrels dug through the soil, rabbits wandered peacefully, and hares drank from turquoise pools.
Every creature followed its own routine.
Nakid watched this ecosystem in awe.A former farmer, he couldn't understand how flora and fauna could thrive in a world born from desolation.
After about thirty minutes of walking, they reached the first location marked on the map.
The Piranha Waterfall.
Nakid wiped sweat from his brow.
— A waterfall… Do you think we could drink some water?
— Absolutely not, Ysabella replied sharply.This water is infested with piranhas capable of launching their bones at any foreign body. If you put even a toe in there… don't expect to get it back intact.
Nakid clenched his teeth.
— This time… I want to try on my own.
— Wait—what are you talking abou—
Too late.
With a leap, Nakid dove into the turquoise water.
—Nakid!
A few seconds later—
— AAAAAAAGH!!!It hurts! It hurts so bad!Get me out! Please!
Ysabella rushed forward, grabbed his arm, and violently pulled him out.His body was riddled with bone shards.
Barely had he caught his breath—
SLAP.
The slap echoed through the air.
— Have you lost your mind?! Does your life mean nothing to you?!Are you really going to waste your mother's sacrifice like that?!
Nakid trembled.
— I… I thought I could rely on my healing power…You said I could make mistakes…
— Not fatal ones!You don't even control that ability yet!Never think you're invincible!
Tears welled up in Nakid's eyes.
— I'm scared…If I always stay behind you, I'll be useless…I just wanted to try…
Ysabella took a deep breath, then spoke more calmly.
— Those who relied only on their innate talents were always the first to die.An exceptional power doesn't make you a survivor.
— From now on, you'll follow my orders.
She examined his wounds.
— Because of this, we'll be slowed down.Mandatory rest. One week.
In the end, it only took three to four days.
— You're already healed…? Ysabella murmured, surprised.
— Yes! I feel brand new.
His power works unconsciously… she thought.
— Very well. But listen carefully.From today on, you will not use your healing power.
Nakid turned pale.
— You'll train physically.
Objective : fifty male skeletal boars.
— FIFTY?!
— I've already eliminated the most dangerous ones.You won't die. Worst case, you'll go back into recovery.
A month passed.
Nakid had changed.Stronger. Tougher. Calmer.
A boar charged.
Nakid remained still… then pivoted at the last second.His fist slammed violently into the beast's flank.
The boar collapsed, unconscious.
— Well done, Ysabella applauded.
You're ready for what comes next.
She lifted her gaze toward the waterfall—and the trial awaiting Nakid.