The morning didn't rise_it attacked a cold blade of sunlight stabbed through the forest and dragged Satomo awake. His scar pulsed once, then twice, then burned like something alive beneath his skin. The campfire was ash. The traveler was gone. And Satomo knew instantly... Something had changed in the night, Satomo stood up, his head shaking , hands trembling,his breath fading. He stood up and walked toward the ashes . He observed the ash what he saw is beyond words, he stared into the ashes and saw flames spikes still lingering like a undying force of nature. His scar pulsed again but this time even more alive than usual before he could react, he saw the traveler in front of him stearing at his scar like someone who knew something. But Satomo didn't shake, he didn't move, he didn't even breathe.
he did nothing. he just stared. nothing more. his scar pulsed almost like an heart beat. the traveler's gaze widened at the scar staring at the scar like he knew something, then he grabbed his arm and asked. " Do you know what this is? " ( the travelers said, a chuckle formed on his face ) " who are you...?" Satomo's voice trembled. "what do you want from me tell me...? tell me... please!." ( Satomo said with a tone of horror). the traveler laughed . not loudly... not wildly... but like someone who had just found exactly what he was looking for). "you are crying?".he said tilting his head. you are really crying wait why. why really are you crying..oh! I'm sorry did I hit a spot.(the traveler said with a mocking tone). you thought you were a regular being, you thought you were normal. well sorry to pop your bubble you. are. not.and I'm not here to mock you... and I'm certainly not here to pity you. I'm here to test you, I'm here to test your skills, I'm here to test your faith. the traveler's voice shifted_ from calm and gentle... to something cold, something chaotic, something uncontrollably to control. black mist covered the camp site, the air froze like dry ice, the environment shifted as if the world knew the test as begun. Satomo's scar pulsed fast like an electric charge. his scar burning almost like volcanic fire. Satomo's knees kissed the ground as he screamed in agony. his voice echoed through the endless void of his mind. the traveller lifted the hood of his cloak. what Satomo saw was unexpected, eyes as blue as the sky, skin white as moonlight, lips pouches like a bunch of roses. Satomo still on the ground, still gasping for breath, still lost in his mind. " what he said_ was it true?. everything I believed was a lie!. ( Satomo's fist clenched in anger), no! I won't give in!.
I won't... become what everyone wants me to, you said you want to test me?... why?. and for what?. ( as Satomo cried the wind cried with him. as he shed a tear his voice trembles. as he spoke the world heard his miss_Shapunde voice). if I told you the answer it wouldn't be fun... now would it. ( the traveller counties to mock him). (LET THE TEST BEGIN the traveler said). suddenly the entire ground shattered beneath Satomo's feet. black ink arose from beneath the shattered ground, forming a giant monster almost immediately. " this is your first test. defeat My monster before time runs out failure to do so, well you know". the traveler magically crafted an hourglass in his hands, "time is ticking Satomo... better Hurry up". (the traveler tone didn't sound pitiful, didn't reek of sympathy, didn't sound merciful... his tone sounded focused. almost like he was enjoying the pain... the Suffering, the agony. and truly he did). " but I don't have a weapon how the heck I'm I suppose to defeat this monstrosity". ( Satomo said with a aggravated tone). the traveler said nothing just observed the chaos). suddenly the monster charge towards Satomo. Satomo's scar pulsed as if alerting him, he jumped out of the way. "how did I do that?" (he was confused). but he was distracted... giving the monster an opportunity. the monster grabbed his head, and shoved his face in the flowing ink. Satomo's face was covered in blood... the monster continued to beat him brutally. the monster grabbed Satomo's arm and swung him around like a chain. and toss him away like a pile of bones. Satomo's arm broke like a bunch of sticks. Satomo fell to his knees. the traveler places his hand on his chin as he said to himself. " could I have been wrong?..." ( a shimmer of doubt crawled in his mind). Satomo's scar pulsed once. then his arm twitched. then the scar pulsed twice. his heart pounded. the air changed. the traveler felt it instantly. that presence... it wasn't the same. " so you are finally waking up," he whispered. the monster roared and charged again_ but this time. faster. deadlier. but Satomo didn't move. he knelt there... head lowered... body trembling. then_ he stood. slowly. the broken arm shitted. A sharp crack echoed. Bone resigned. flesh pulled Itself back together. Satomo exhaled. " so this is it," he muttered. The scar burned. Not painfully. But powerfully. the monster lunged_ Satomo moved. Not fast. Not wild. precise. he stepped forward_ and drove his fist straight through the creature's chest. The ink-like body froze. Then_ collapsed. silence. the ground stilled. The mist faded. The hourglass in the travelers hand... stopped. for the first time_ The traveler didn't smile or laughed. he stared. " interesting." Satomo stood there breathing heavily. his eyes_ faintly glowing crimson. " what... was that?" Satomo whispered. the traveler stepped forward. slow. measured. "That," he said, " was only the beginning." Satomo clenched his fist. " you said this was a test..." The traveler stopped in front of him. " yes." his eyes darkened. "And you've only passed the first stage." The air grew heavy again. but this time_ Different. darker. "Tell me, Satomo... " the traveler said Sorftly, " when your body breaks again... when your mind begins to crack... when the thing inside you start to speak_" he leaned closer. " will you still be able to call yourself human?" The scar pulsed again. stronger. for a brief moment_ a voice echoed in his mind. low. cold. familiar. " feed me." Satomo eyes widened. the traveler smiled. "... Ah." so you heard it too." Satomo shrugged back. " No... no that wasn't me..." The wind howled. The trees trembled. and deep within him_ something shifted. something ancient. something hungry. The traveler turned away. " The next test will be harder," he said calmly. then he began to walk. " much harder." Satomo looked up. " wait_ who are you?" the traveler stopped. for a moment_ silence. Then he spoke. "I am the one who watches." a pause. " the one who will decide whether you will become a weapon..." the wind rose violently. " or a disaster." and just like that_ he vanished. Satomo stood alone. the forest returned silence. but it wasn't peaceful. Not anymore. Satomo looked down at his hand. it trembled. the scar glowed faintly. and beneath his skin_ something moved. That voice... still whispering. " I remember all" Satomo closed his eyes. for the first_ time he was scared of himself. ( TO CONTINUED).