Rayen and old man reached the old shrine, this time the old man was holding a red cloth with a symbol on it, rayen had seen that before. It had a trident in it, yellow in colour with sharp edges.
Rayen asked the old man, "what is this?" Old man looks at the red cloth and said, "this symbol? It is called Trishul. In the next step evil spirits have high chances to catch your body but this symbol repels them."
Oh, I remember this quest. We had to wrap some red cloth with a symbol on our head—but I always thought it was just some aesthetic detail. I didn't know it had actual lore. I blamed it on my potato PC back then… couldn't even render shadows, let alone ancient symbols.
Then nods to himself as he was thinking something, hmm... if I'm right, the next step should be—
"The next training is Visualization, you have to imagine a castle in our mind. Not just from outside, but from inside too. It's furniture and walls, it's all elements and most importantly...a throne for you." Old man started explaining the next training with a drawing in ground with stick.
Throne, huh? Finally! My royal arc begins. Hope I can sneak in a gaming setup beside that throne—who needs guards when you have top-tier reflexes and godlike ping?
"but it is not as easy as it sounds. Visualization is one of the hardest part of the cultivation training. Many peoples take decades for completing this step only."
Rayen raised his hand, "What connects this training to evil spirits? And what's the purpose of it anyway?"
The old man nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Good question. When you start visualizing, your outer self goes unconscious, but your inner self stays conscious — only it gets disturbed by the process. Because of the stress, many people start fearing they'll fail or get frustrated asking 'Why can't I do this?' And that fear gives birth to wrong visualizations called evil spirits. They're like a bad version of you who shows up uninvited to fight inside your mind. And the worst part? You have zero control over them. If you lose, they take over your body."
Rayen nodded slowly, So basically, I get to fight my inner demons. Great, just what I needed — a fight club in my head.
The old man continued, "The purpose of this training is to strengthen your visualization so well that you can create any weapon with your life force. Like I made that flame trident you saw earlier — that's a perfect example of what this training can achieve."
Rayen's mind went to work, So if I mess this up, I might end up wielding something embarrassing… like a rubber chicken or a giant foam finger? Let's hope not.
Old man looked at Rayen intently, "Now that you understand the stakes, the next step is to accept this." He held out the red cloth with the sharp yellow trident symbol.
Rayen took the cloth in his hands, feeling the weight of its significance. The symbol wasn't just a mark—it was a shield, a protection against the forces that threatened to invade the mind during visualization.
"I understand what it means," Rayen said quietly, eyes fixed on the cloth. "But I won't wear it."
The old man's brow furrowed. "Why not? It repels evil spirits. It will keep you safe."
Rayen shook his head, voice steady. "If I'm going to face the darkness inside me, I want to face it head-on. Not hide behind a symbol or a shield. I need to fight my inner demon with my own strength."
The old man studied him, a flicker of respect passing through his gaze. "That will make this training all the more difficult… but perhaps also all the more powerful."
Rayen nodded, determination hardening his features. "Then let's begin."
The old man nodded slowly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Very well. You have the spirit of a true cultivator. Most would rather cling to their protections and never confront what lurks inside."
Rayen's grip tightened on the cloth. "I'm not most people."
The old man crouched down and traced the symbol with his finger. "Remember, the battle within is not just about strength—it's about understanding. You must learn to see your inner demon, not just as an enemy, but as a part of yourself. Only then can you hope to control it, or even turn its power to your advantage."
Rayen's eyes met the old man's, unwavering. "I'm ready to face it. Whatever comes, I won't back down."
A heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the faint rustle of wind through the shrine's ancient trees. The air seemed charged with expectation.
"Good," the old man said at last, standing tall. "Then begin your meditation here. Visualize the castle. Make it real in your mind. But know this—when the darkness rises, do not fear it. Stand firm. Fight."
Rayen took a deep breath, folded the cloth carefully, and set it aside. With steady steps, he sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, closing his eyes.
Rayen opened his eyes, only to find himself no longer in the shrine—but suspended in an endless void. A dark, infinite stretch surrounded him, without sky or ground, horizon or depth. He turned in every direction, but there was no end in sight.
"So this is my imagination world…" he muttered. "Thought I've reached this place before in the game, but that time and this… they're nothing alike."
He stretched his limbs with a casual ease, as if preparing for a workout. "Alright then. Time to start building my castle."
Raising one hand high, he focused. A thick stone pillar shot up from beneath his feet, forming a platform for him to stand on. Then, with both arms raised, two more pillars rose at equal heights, followed by a fourth to complete the square foundation.
The structures were raw and blank—lifeless. With a snap of his fingers, the stone gained detail, shifting into a textured pattern of rough cobblestone. A moment later, a wall formed at one side, then another, enclosing the space slowly.
Rayen exhaled sharply. "Man… this feels like I'm building in Minecraft."
Rayen walked across the cobblestone floor, each step echoing softly in the empty void. He waved his hand, and two more walls emerged, completing the four sides. Then, with a slow upward gesture, he began forming the frame of a grand entrance—arched and tall, like the gates of an ancient fortress.
With a flick of his fingers, iron-bound doors materialized, massive and imposing. They groaned into place with a deep clang, sealing the castle from the outside that didn't exist.
He focused again, but slowly, his imagination power was going down.
"What is happening? Why can't I complete my castle?"
He tried harder to visualise something else, but nothing formed in his mind. He tried harder, and even harder, but still—nothing.
Instead of visualising the castle—A king's castle. A king! A king?—he mistakenly visualised the face of the old wolf who had eaten him, making him remember all of it.
The deaths.
The cries.
The screams.
Everything.
Only one dark image—and the trouble activated. His castle started falling apart. The foundation pillars cracked into pieces.
"What is happening?!"
And the only thing he saw after it was—
A wolf?
Is it a wolf?