Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 58: Awakening (3)

"Oh, you’re finally here..." The voice echoed through the vast emptiness, startling Magnus. He spun around, straining to pinpoint the source, but the oppressive darkness prevented him from seeing anything. The voice seemed to emanate from every direction at once, making it impossible to locate.

Just as Magnus was about to call out, a circle of light abruptly bloomed around him. Standing before him was a man cloaked in a dark robe. His face was completely concealed by a strange, smooth wooden mask. There were no openings for eyes, nose, or mouth – just a seamless, skin-like surface. It was as if the wood had molded itself to the contours of the man’s head.

’Strange,’ Magnus thought, his eyes scrutinizing the figure. He realized the man seemed to be the source of the light illuminating their small circle. The man wasn’t glowing, nor did he carry any visible light source, yet the light emanated from him, defying explanation.

A peculiar feeling washed over Magnus. The man felt strangely familiar, as if they had known each other for a lifetime. It was a deeply unsettling sensation.

"Who are you?" Magnus asked, his brow furrowing.

"You," the man replied casually.

"What? What do you mean by that?" Magnus asked, shock lacing his voice.

"I said I’m you from the future," the man clarified, reaching up and removing the mask. Beneath it was a familiar face – Magnus’s own, but older, etched with the passage of time. Dark, tendril-like cracks filled his face, as if filled with some inky, viscous substance.

One word flashed through Magnus’s mind: ’Corrupted.’

The man, his future self, appeared to be tainted by a malevolent force. Magnus could feel the corruption reaching out, touching him merely through eye contact. He felt a cold dread seep into his bones.

Luckily for him his future self quickly replaced the mask, which, upon leaving his face, had transformed into a simple carved piece of wood. However, the moment it touched his corrupted face, tendrils snaked out from the mask, clinging to his skin. As soon as the mask was fully in place, the creeping corruption vanished.

"You see what I mean now?" his future self muttered.

Magnus frowned, confusion swirling within him. How was this possible? How had he ended up in such a state?

As if sensing his thoughts, his future self explained, "Well, to put it clearly, I’m not exactly what you will become, but what you could become." He paused, searching for the right words.

"Let’s put it this way. When a person is born, they begin a path. This path leads them forward until it splits into multiple ways. Each split represents a decision you make in any given situation. This continues on and on, each path branching into more paths with each decision. It goes on until the end... well, not really the end, but you get what I mean."

"For every person, every living creature, that single initial path is their fate, but it leads to multiple endings, some short, some long, depending on your decisions. Sometimes, other people’s fates can interfere with yours, causing a drift in your path, or sometimes even shortening it," future Magnus explained.

Magnus’s brow furrowed as he stared at his future self, understanding where this was leading.

"So, you are from one of these many paths?" Magnus asked.

"Yes," his future self replied. "To put it into clearer perspective, I represent one of the very few good endings out of billions of possibilities."

Magnus’s mind reeled. ’What the hell?’ he thought.

If this corrupted version of himself was a good ending, what did a bad ending look like? A shiver ran down his spine. According to his future self, the chances of reaching even this relatively positive outcome were incredibly slim. The thought was terrifying, but Magnus steeled himself. It didn’t matter. He was going to reach a good ending, an even better one than the one standing before him, and that was final. No second thoughts, no doubts. He was determined.

Just then, his future self burst into laughter, startling Magnus. What was so funny?

As if answering his unspoken question, the laughter abruptly stopped. His future self turned to him, a single word escaping his lips: "Pathetic."

Magnus frowned, bewildered. What was going on?

"Truly pathetic," his future self muttered again, his gaze fixed intently on Magnus.

A sudden surge of energy exploded from his future self, slamming Magnus to his knees. He grunted in pain and anger, glaring up at the figure before him. "What are yo..." he started, but his mouth snapped shut, unwillingly sealed. He struggled, but couldn’t utter a sound. His entire body was paralyzed.

"Weak and pathetic. You disgust me," future Magnus continued, his voice dripping with disdain. Magnus tried to retort, but no words came out.

"I sense determination in your heart, the will to reach the apex, the will to never bow to anybody or anything, the will to be aloof and unyielding, like an emperor. How pathetic of you to combine determination with such pride."

"How dare you think one gets to the top with pride? Even emperors were once subjects, bowing and scraping at the boots of those above them. Why do you think you are different?"

"Do you believe you are truly special? How pathetic. Do you have any idea what’s out there? The entities you’ll have to overcome to reach the top? What you’ll have to do to even get there? What makes you think you can reach the pinnacle without bowing, without being a subject? What!" His future self’s voice boomed like thunder, filling the empty space.

Magnus knelt, his body trembling as the words resonated within him, a flurry of questions arose in his mind.

What did make him so special? Was it the system? Being a transmigrator to the world of Aetherium? What truly made him believe he could reach the apex without bowing to anyone or anything? What about the gods? Was he powerful enough to defy them if they decided to subdue him? What about entities that might exist above the gods? What about his corrupted future self standing before him? Faced with all this, how could he not bow?

His body shivered as an internal battle raged. A voice in his head echoed the words of his future self, mocking him for his delusion, for even entertaining the thought of reaching the top without compromise.

"Have you seen it? Have you recognized your delusion? Are you really going to allow that pride to be your driving force, your determination?" his future self pressed.

Magnus’s thoughts paused. The internal voice continued its tirade, but amidst the storm, a calmness settled over his mind.

What did it matter if he wasn’t strong enough yet? What did it matter if there were countless entities out there ready to crush him? What did it matter if he was special or not? What did any of it matter? His drive, his determination, remained unshaken.

He would continue to forge his path forward. He would never break, under any circumstance, under pressure from anyone. Nothing mattered except his unwavering resolve. He was determined to forge his own destiny, and no one, human or otherwise, could tell him or make him do otherwise.

Unbeknownst to Magnus, a mental shackle within his mind shattered, washing over him with a sense of renewed clarity, silencing the internal voice of doubt.

’He really did it. He’s truly talented. I mean, I am very talented,’ his future self murmured, a smile forming beneath the mask as he watched Magnus kneel.

Unaware of this, Magnus felt the paralyzing force vanish as the internal shackle broke. He stood, finally able to speak again.

"Thank you," he said to his future self. "You made me finally realize the final piece of the puzzle."

"Good, good," his future self replied, beaming. "You see, drive, determination without proper guidance ends up useless, like a lump of unrefined gold. You have to refine it, guide it through many processes, to create something valuable." The smile faded, replaced by a serious expression;

"I don’t know why we were brought together in this space, but I want to ask you this question: what do you truly want? I know you crave power, the power to stand above all, but why? What is the purpose of wanting this power instead of leading a normal life? What reason do you have to walk down this hard path instead of a simple, calm one? What do you intend to do with this power you seek?" His future self’s voice, though calm, resonated with a profound intensity.