Crap! Quin jumped back right away, however he only crashed into the wall behind him.

“Did I startle you, child?” The creature asked and moved a bit back.

Now that he was a bit more composed, he was able to take a look at it. The first thing to note was that it had no body, it was only a face that hovered in front of him. What’s more, it was no ordinary face, but a black cloud of dense smoke -- filled with purple dots --, in the shape of a human’s head and with a single horn on top of it. Its two big, scarlet eyes and its inhumanely wide mouth, with those razor sharp teeth, were placed where a human’s would be. Lastly, although it was a mere face, its size was at least five times bigger than an adult’s head.

“You know, it’s quite rude to stare, even if you had great results in the fourth and fifth room,” the creature said.

“Forgive me, senior,” he apologized. So it’s just like that old ghost, but more creepy. I’ll just have to put up with these weirdos, I guess. At least that old ghost seemed to be quite helpfu-.

“What? A fourth and fifth room?” Quin asked shocked, he remembered no such thing! “I’ve only been to two rooms!”

“Do you think my words are untrue? Do you really think that I would dirty my honor to speak such lies to a lowly creature as you?” it questioned mockingly.

“No, senior, I wouldn’t think such a thing,” Quin answered.

“Well, then you’re foolish and wrong,” it said while snickering, “Honestly, I would do that without a second thought, but you can rest assured, as I am obliged to tell you the truth.”

What’s with this weird, eccentric personality? First I thought that I offended it and then it just laughs it off... He was quite puzzled by the creature's behavior.

“Then may I know what happened at those rooms or why I have no memory of them, senior?” Quin asked.

“You’re fortunate, I like that you speak to me with the proper respect, unlike some other lowly one before, who thought I was just a lowly servant, meant to be fulfilling its wishes! But it got what it deserved! I punished him so that it will remember it forever! HAHA!” As the creature was reminiscing about the punishment, it started to laugh more and more loudly. After about the third minute it was so loud that it literally hurt Quin.

I just have endure for a bit longer! He encouraged himself, but in truth he wanted nothing more than to release a couple of bolts at the creature. However he did not think that would be a good idea, as both this creature and the old man seemed to be significantly stronger than him. Although he did not feel any kind of cultivation or energy emanating out of them, this in fact could indicate that they are on a different level. Furthermore, looking at them all of his instincts screamed to him to be careful, and he did listen to his instincts.

The mad laugh fortunately ended before another minute has passed and Quin could breath a sigh of relief. Then the creature looked at him confused for a moment.

“Oh, right, you asked me something,” it said. “So what happened at those room? Sorry, but I’m not allowed to tell you, it’s not by chance that you do not remember it. Haha! All I can say is that your overall physical and mental strength was tested and compared to the other lowly ones you did in fact great. This is why you were granted entry to the second stage, sadly though you’re strong compared to your generation -- just as I said before -- , you are still pretty weak. But don’t worry! In a hundred years or so you can come back to take on the second stage!”

Come back to here? Who in their right mind would do something like that! Quin thought.

“Does that mean that I’m free now?” he asked, filled with hope.

“So you want to leave right now? Aren’t you even interested in the rewards?” The creature asked with an expression of shock.

“What? There are rewards for the tests?” Quin asked surprised. Though they were tiresome, if he got something valuable for his efforts, he could at least say that all of this was not in vain.

“Of course there are! Ancient artifacts with immense power, secret cultivation methods, mighty, forbidden spell and anything you can imagine!”

“Then what might my reward be, senior?” Quin asked with anticipation.

“This seed, catch it!” The creature threw a small, green seed at him.

“What?” catching it, Quin asked. There’s no way it’d be a simple seed right? “Senior, what is this seed?”

“That is a simple bamboo seed,” it told Quin expressionlessly.

“A normal seed? Just that for all my efforts?” Quin asked flabbergasted. He felt that he was scammed! Maybe he was not worth for something really extraordinary, however even the creature praised his abilities previously! At least he should have gotten a decent weapon or something like that, but a mere bamboo seed? He could have gotten something like that from picking it up from the ground.

“What is it? Are you saying that you are dissatisfied with that, that you’re feeling that you deserve more?” it asked disapprovingly. “The reward scales with your performance and the difficulty of the tests. You, who have merely finished the first stage dare to behave like that!”

“It wasn’t like that, senior, I was just surprised!” Quin said. At the outside he looked regretful and obedient however on the inside he was furious. You just wait damn smoke ball! You’ll regret that you’ve spoken to me like that, and you will beg for mercy one day! I really hope I could finally leave this hellhole, being so submissive all the time feels disgusting!

“Oh, really? Than there is no problem,” it said. “More importantly you weren’t just brought here to talk about these things, but I have been instructed to test your soul and destiny! Stay still for a bit, it won’t take long.”

Without giving Quin the opportunity to decline, the creature started to cast some kind of spell. Honestly, he would not have been able to move, even if he had wanted to, as he was completely paralyzed in one place.

“Hmm, great foundation, spirit and soul. A legendary spirit? That’s excellent, as well,” The creature murmured, his eyes shut and concentrating. “Your fate... Interesting, you should’ve died few years ago, but something changed it, something happened when you were still a child. Ah, that was the cause! However tricking fate is not that easy, death will come back searching for you, to take you with itself. Haha, who would have thought!” the creature let out an eerie laugh and Quin felt a shiver down his spine. “Tomorrow will be your greatest day but as well as your last!”

Quin felt spooked at what the creature said. I will die tomorrow? There’s no way that’ll happen! He did not believe those word, but he just could not get it out of his head.

“Why? How? The Devourer again! In front of it, fate is no more; it is free from the shackles that bound others to their path,” The creature said, its voice filled with hesitation and even dread. “Well, child, your fate has been already altered once and it might be a second time as well. Although you may live through tomorrow, the price you will have to pay will be costly. You will live your whole life in desperation, hopelessness and agony, wishing that you would have died that day!”

Quin took a deep breath, and calmed himself, thinking that these were just lies, false prophecies from a crazy ball of smoke.

“Enough of this bullshit! Can’t I just finally leave?” Quin asked. There was not a single positive thought in his mind regarding this creature.

It snorted, and then said, “Hmph, I was kind and told you all of this, but instead of being grateful you’re just rude! Do as you wish, and leave!”

The creature disappeared and Quin soon felt the sensation of the transportation spell before the world blacked out.

It was different this time, as while he was unconscious he had a dream... Or more accurately a nightmare. He was wandering in the forest but then, as he turned his head back he saw the fabric of space splitting, revealing an ever growing tear of darkness, of void. It got rapidly closer and closer and he could not flee. He tried to run but his whole body was immovable, and he felt an immense, irresistible gravitational force, drawing him into the void.

Just before he was swallowed he awoke, drenched in sweat and cowering.