Death

I’m not certain which one of us said it or if it was said at all but the word resounded within my mind with that same sense of familiarity as the voice that spoke to me in the void.

I could feel the comforting darkness wrap around me as if assuring me of its constant presence.

And then it was all gone and I was back in the forest, sitting opposite The Gentleman.

The man was sipping at a cup of tea as he watched me with apparent amusement.

“What the hell just happened?” I ask as I try to get my bearings.

“You entered a short trance, nothing to worry about. As long as your abilities are locked away, this is the only way for Death to communicate with you.” The man replied, sipping at his tea cup which still looked full no matter how much he drank from it.

I just stare blankly at the man for a second before finally speaking. “Where do I even start with all that?! First of all, what the fuck do you mean ‘death’?! Like the deity? Or the concept?! Also, locked abilities? I thought my power was immortality!” I rant, hands waving around wildly as I pelt question after question at the man.

The man laughs uproariously as my rant slows to a halt. “Alright, alright, calm down my boy. I’ll answer all your questions or at least most of them.”

I settle down and look at the man expectantly as he begins to explain. “The first thing you need to know is that gods do not exist, at the very least not in this world. When I say ‘death’, I very much mean the Natural Law of Death. It is not a mere concept but the law that governs the dead, undead and everything in between. It is one of the foundational Laws that every universe requires to operate. I cannot really tell you why Death chose you as even I do not know but your first ‘death’ was not meant to be so....gruesome. Unfortunately, there was some interference from.....a third party, I guess you could say, during your summoning and Death may have gotten a tad bit too...passionate...in ensuring that the summoning succeeded. As for your abilities, I find it laughable that you think immortality is a power. It’s merely a by-product of your actual powers which you have yet to access.”

That’s a lot to take in but there are still too many questions left so i soldier on. “Why was I summoned to this forest? It’s literally the worst possible choice for someone with no ability to fight and if I’m supposed to have abilities to help me then why can’t I already use them?”

“This forests ancient name is Il’mote. Care to guess what it means?” Asked the man amusedly.

“Wait, that sounds like...”

“Yes, it’s similar to a language from your old world. The rough translation is ‘The Death’, that’s why most normal people just call it The Forest of Death. This forest is only a shadow of what it once was. The beasts that used to roam through it were the favored children of Death and could slaughter any so-called ‘god’. Unfortunately, time is a cruel mistress that even those behemoths are powerless against. Now, this forest is used as a sort of training ground by a nearby human kingdom.”

I could almost imagine the massive beasts roaming in between the vibrant mega trees that dot this forest, a majestic sight to be sure. As I look around at the surrounding trees, the once vibrant leaves almost seem to dim as if in sadness and a melancholic sigh echoes faintly through my mind.

Shaking my head, I return my attention to The Gentleman. “That still doesn’t explain why I’m here though. I can’t do anything except keep dying.”

“And yet this remains the safest place for you in your current state. This world is not a peaceful one. I don’t think I need to tell you how humans usually deal with unknown variables and they’re the least of your problems. If any of the races, including humans, find out you are immortal then your fated to become a test subject for the power hungry. Unless, of course, you have the power to stop them and this forest is the best place to unlock such powers, to unleash your true nature.” The man explained patiently.

“And how am I supposed to do that?”

The man shrugs. “I have no idea.”

I just stare at him speechless before he starts laughing again. “I can still make an educated guess so I might have an idea of what’s needed.”

“Well? Stop keeping me in suspense.” I urge the man.

He just looks at me and utters one word. “Kill”

“Kill?”

“You need to kill a living creature, possibly more than one.” The man simply states.

We stare at each other for what feels like an hour before he starts laughing again as I rant. “If I could kill any of these fucking monsters then I wouldn’t be in this position to start with! What the fuck do you mean I need to kill one of them to get my powers?! I NEED POWERS TO KILL THEM!”

“I could be wrong. Death should have already given you a sign or communicated to you the requirements somehow.” Shrugged the man after he was done laughing.

“A sign...” I don’t even need to think about it.

There is No Flux, There is Only Death

Through Victory, Your Chains Are Broken

Death Shall Set You Free

The words echo through my mind once again.

“So that’s what that was....yeah, I think your right about what I need to do.” I mutter before looking at the man once again and tell him about the words.

“Interesting. It seems like Death dotes on you quite a bit. Usually the signs are a lot more....abstract.” The man looks away thoughtfully as if reminiscing about something.

“I don’t understand what Flux is though. Do you know what it is?” I ask.

“It is a type of energy. You can think of it like mana or other types of magical energy. It exists in everything including even inanimate objects. Well, heh, almost everything. There are certain exceptions.”

“Such as?”

“You, among other things. If anyone with even a novice comprehension of Flux were to meet you in your current state, they would immediately notice the abnormality. This is another reason why you need to unlock your abilities before leaving the forest. They’ll be able to mask the fact that you lack Flux.”

“Wait, why don’t I have Flux? Isn’t that a bad thing?” I ask curiously. If Flux is similar to mana then don’t you need it to use special abilities or powers?

For the first time since I started talking with The Gentleman, the smile on his face vanishes, replaced by a sneer of disdain as he glances at the sky. “Flux is an inferior and impure type of energy. It’s a shackle used to stop anything in this universe from truly ascending.”

The change in demeanor was so jarring that for a second I didn’t know what to say. A second later, The Gentleman was smiling again. “That being said, even Flux has its uses and shouldn’t be entirely discounted. For those truly talented, it’s possible to use the shackle to break itself. You don’t have to worry about all this for now. Just focus on getting stronger and improving your comprehension of this world.”

“Ugh, this is getting so complicated.” I rub my temples in exasperation as I try to remember and understand all this.

The man chortles. “Life usually is. I’m sure you have more questions but you can find the answers to those yourself. I must be on my way now.” The man said as he stood up from the table.

“Wait, why are you helping me so much? I still don’t even know who you are.” I hastily asked, also standing up.

“You can consider me a friend. I went through a similar situation as yours when I was young but I had no one to guide me. I assisted Death in summoning you because there are some things that even I can’t accomplish alone. There will come a time when I will need your assistance but for now, just have fun and get stronger.” The Gentleman replied before vanishing along with the table.

Looking around the clearing, there was no trace whatsoever of what just transpired.

“Well, that was...an experience.”

I don’t think he was lying to me and I really can’t think of a reason for someone who seems so powerful to lie in this situation. Either way, I don’t really have any other information to go on so I’ll just have to hope he was honest with me.

A lot was said in that conversation but the main point is that I need to get stronger by killing one of the beasts in this forest.

“I’m going to have to get creative and really fucking lucky.” I mutter as I start walking.