Uncertainty

'Gasp'

Adrian awoke from his dream, soaked in sweat and gasping for breath, his trembling hands betraying the lingering effects of intense fear. The sensation of imminent danger cloaked him, leaving a profound impact.

'I am the one born during the lunar eclipse.'

Adrian desperately wished for the reality of the situation to be different, as he discerned that whoever it was, dealing with them would prove to be a formidable challenge.

Observing how effortlessly Vyrtalis was handled, even while restrained, Adrian couldn't deny the obvious: the mysterious figure was vastly more powerful than anyone he had encountered or witnessed before.

A thought couldn't help but take root in his mind.

'Is He stronger than Mother gaze?'

This thought was rooted in his experiences, comparing the encounter with the Mother's gaze to meeting the one-eyed man.

The fear induced by this man far surpassed that elicited by the Mother's gaze. It wasn't because the Mother gaze hadn't revealed her true nature, but rather an inherent quality in this one-eyed man.

Adrian recognized Vyrtalis's strength in this memory. Observing his confidence and the way he confronted the one-eyed man, Adrian deduced that Vyrtalis was likely a 9-core bearer or at least close to reaching that level of power.

However, in the presence of the one-eyed man, Vyrtalis appeared as nothing more than a small fry. The man went so far as to claim that merely knowing his name could be lethal for Vyrtalis, a stark contrast to the dynamics with the Mother gaze.

'Perhaps it's because they possess powers in different domains?'

Adrian was consumed by terror because he lacked knowledge about the timeline of this memory and whether the one-eyed man remained chained on that island. The uncertainty left him in the dark about the ongoing events.

Was he meant to see this memory?

Was he sent here so he could see these memories?

Did mother gaze know about this tree and Vyrtalis?

What was the connection between Her and Vyrtalis?

'Where the hell am i?'

"Okay, let's calm down first. I can't be the only one born on a lunar eclipse. He probably meant someone else. I shouldn't think too highly of myself. I'm nothing but an ant in front of these people," Adrian reasoned, attempting to soothe his anxious thoughts.

Finally calming down a bit, Adrian attempted to make sense of his own situation and concluded that he was overthinking the matter.

"I came to this tree because of..." Adrian trailed off, casting a glance at the heels standing outside the sphere of the tree and the light emanating from its fruits.

Rising from his position, Adrian approached the heels and bent down, scrutinizing them closely.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"..."

"I know you can understand me. You know something that you are not telling me."

"...."

"Did the Mother gaze send you here to be a guide for me?"

"...."

Just as Adrian was about to speak again, rays of sunlight interrupted him, causing him to squint his eyes.

"Finally a new morning." 

The intrusion of sunlight wasn't a significant concern for Adrian, as he had no intention of leaving this place until he unravelled the mysteries surrounding Vyrtalis and the unfolding events.

Observing the heels, a sudden realization struck Adrian. "That hairy being was very similar to the hairy man present in our procession," he thought.

"Well gawddamn." 

The hairy man remained unharmed by the skinwalker and even ventured to the temple, which suggested that the creature was specifically after him.

"Don't tell me he's the same hairy being as the one in the memory?" Sweat started to appear on Adrian's forehead as he realized there was at least some connection between the two.

They were of the same kin. 

"Heels, I have pondered enough. Tell me if it's worth heading south. I know you are familiar with this place."

"..."

"Just draw an arrow on the ground indicating the direction I should move. Use writing if you can't speak," Adrian requested, attempting to communicate with the heels.

Adrian was growing increasingly frustrated. First, he was killed for a key, and now he found himself in a situation where he was being informed that a powerful entity was after his life even before he came into existence.

Even though he assumed the one-eyed man meant him, Adrian chose to be cautious. He didn't want to dismiss this information as a passing moment, considering the gravity of the situation in case he faced another death encounter.

As he entertained these thoughts, Adrian noticed the heels moving and creating something that resembled an arrow on the ground.

Anticipating the heels' guidance, Adrian waited patiently. Soon, the heels finished crafting the arrow, and it pointed in his direction.

'What was I thinking?'

Just as he was about to voice his frustration, Adrian realized that the arrow wasn't pointing at him but at the tree behind him.

"So, this tree is the answer to why I'm here?" 

Adrian asked, realizing he wasn't expecting any further answers from the heels. Returning to the tree, he scanned the area for any more fallen fruits but found none.

Looking up at the tree, Adrian saw it filled with a variety of apples, each displaying a different color.

"Golden was about knowledge and opportunity."

"Red was about danger or facing some threat."

Drawing conclusions from his observations, Adrian scanned the surroundings for any fruits that appeared to be falling or were ripe enough.

Every apple appeared ripe to Adrian, as they all emitted the same intensity of light. "I should wait for some to fall down," he decided.

With folded arms, Adrian sat down, leaning his back against the tree. Uncertain whether he should wait there or explore elsewhere and return later, he pondered his next move.

Despite not encountering any monsters, Adrian remained apprehensive about the creatures in the forest. Glancing at the woods, he noticed the lingering presence of the purple mist.

The sight of the purple mist brought to Adrian's mind the memory of Vyrtalis conjuring a similar mist with a wave of his hand, a spectacle that had left a lasting impression on him.

"Why is this forest filled with it? To keep gazes away from this place?" Adrian speculated, contemplating the purpose of the pervasive mist in the forest.

He didn't know. 

Uncertain of what to do, Adrian picked up a branch from the tree and waved it around while sitting, feeling a sense of absence without his cane. Suddenly, an idea struck him—one he wasn't sure would work, but he felt compelled to test it out.