The Inner Odyssey

A thunderous impact.

A three-beat pace.

A pause.

Then another clatter.

And... another pause.

It was like the rhythmic beat of a distant drum.

Alden blinked.

His eyelids slowly fluttered open.

Immediately, he realised he was no longer inside the dim cell.

…And what he saw made him pause.

In front of him, a vast, rocky plain stretched forth endlessly. The firmament rumbled from above, glowing behind a dense mass of black clouds. Rain fell from the sky and the wind was razor-sharp.

However, that wasn't what caught Alden's eye.

No, it was the rider... in front of him.

They sat atop a beautiful steed - a dark, matte, lustrous coat covering the creature's body - with broad shoulders accentuating a stalwart frame. Alden had never seen - or heard of - such a good-looking steed, and not just because horses were very rare to come by in Arkanis. The Great Collision had culled their numbers to a great degree, with only a few left in the employ of the Four Clans.

The fabulous steed aside, the rider wore a cloak, so Alden couldn't get a good look at their features. However, there was no denying that they were powerful. Their burly frame and unwavering aura were clear signs of that for all to see.

That was not all.

For some reason, when he looked at the rider, a warmth spread through Alden's chest.

Which was peculiar…

Especially because he noticed it was the type of warmth that denoted a familial bond.

'In that case, we're probably related then.'

Alden's mind whirred as he rode.

It seemed that the Trial was placing him in different scenarios filled with different pains, based on what he had experienced so far. The encounter with the inquisitor was one of torture, he was sure. That begged the question, then… What type of pain he would have to experience in this scenario?

Alden unconsciously raised his guard, his body tense and mind alert.

Time slowly passed.

Thunder rumbled in the background and his cloak became even more drenched. Alden was beginning to feel a little miserable. He wondered where exactly they were heading, and why exactly they were travelling through a storm.

Couldn't they have travelled at any other time?

What was so pressing that they had to be soaked in a mighty deluge?

Alden soon received his answer.

And when he did, his whole body went cold - different from the lack of warmth inside the storm.

Rather, this cold…

Was born from a sense of primal fear.

An earth-shattering roar suddenly split the skies.

A moment later, the world itself shook.

In its wake, an incredible shockwave spread.

Alden wobbled in his saddle, and for a brief moment, he recalled that this was his first time riding a steed. The young man froze, his face going white with fear. However, luckily for him, his body instinctively righted itself at the last moment.

It seemed the previous inhabitant of this body possessed a wealth of experience in riding.

'Thank the Key for that.'

Alden breathed a sigh of relief.

He saw the rider in front of him turn around, gazing back at the source of the roar.

Alden thought he saw a hint of dread, as well as a mixture of determination and fear, flash across their cloaked features.

"Hurry!"

The storm drowned out the rider's voice, but Alden got the gist of what they wanted to convey. His body instinctively dug into the steed's side, and the noble creature responded in kind. The speed of its gallop increased, dislodging more than a few pebbles along the way.

One or two times, it almost skidded and keeled over on the rough plain.

…Such was the perilous nature of their journey.

Alden had to hold on to the reins desperately whenever that happened. Thankfully, those instances were few and far between, so he didn't have to worry about breaking any of his bones. Perhaps even death was a possibility if the speed of their gallop was anything to go by - would death count as losing his mind?

In any case, Alden made haste… and wondered what type of creature could affect the world so much. Doubtless, the storm was of its own making. The young man sucked in a cold breath as a great shiver crawled down his spine.

More time passed.

Unfortunately for Alden, he began to lag.

Slowly, at first.

…Then the distance became more pronounced.

The gap between him and the rider increased with every second.

Alden tried to catch up, but his steed was nearing its limits - its breath was very laboured and its heartbeat raced like a drum. He wasn't faring any better, the exertion of the ride causing his chest to rise and fall. Alden struggled to catch his breath.

He pressed his wet cloak tighter against his body and shivered. The storm above slowly grew in intensity. Both the wind and the rain picked up. The former howled, while the latter opened its gates and flooded the earth.

Alden cursed.

Just how much more miserable could this get?

'Blasted Asterons!'

He shivered again, teeth chattering in the backdrop of thunder and the furious squall. He bit the inside of his mouth as the stalwart rider slowed down for the umpteenth time. Alden could tell they were frustrated, though that expression was masked under the cloak. Luckily for them both , it wasn't long before the landscape transformed.

No longer was it just a rocky plain, valleys, ravines, and hills dotting the horizon.

Galvanised, the duo increased their pace for the final leg of travelling.

At least that's what it felt like to Alden - because he and his steed desperately needed some rest.

A quarter of an hour later, they came to a halt outside the mouth of a cave nestled in a secluded corner of a ravine. Their horses whinnied, shifting uneasily. The stalwart rider lifted his fist, and Alden froze and held his breath.

Then, he listened.

At first, there was nothing.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, two wolves roared and lunged towards them from the cave, fangs glistening. The horses reared back, startled. Alden had to do everything in his power to ensure he did not fall.

He cursed.

At the same time, he saw the rider remain utterly unfazed, nonchalantly waving their hand.

In the next moment, a slash of compressed mana tore through the rabid wolves.

Blood splattered through the air.

With another wave, the stalwart rider disposed of the evidence.

Alden whistled to himself, impressed by his travelling companion's display. He probably would have had a much harder time dealing with these creatures himself - did his Magic Class even work inside the Trial?

Alden tried to feel for his core but was distracted by his skittish steed.

After a few attempts to calm it, the noble creature finally stilled.

Alden released a turbid breath.

His horse broke into a slow trot, following after the stalwart rider as they entered the cave.

'Shelter at last.'

Alden was finally glad to escape the miserable weather. Outside, the storm continued with its furious rampage, several ear-piercing booms signalling thunder's wrath.

A seed of unease bloomed in his heart.