Darkened Daylight

The Beginning (3)

A****N FOREST

It is known as the world's largest forest. It is also the largest wildlife ecosystem. It is a huge environment that occupies almost two billion acres of square kilometres. It may sound wonderful but, that ain't the case here. The huge forest is overloaded with creatures that will attack if we let our guard down. Witnessing of jaguars, alligators, anacondas and piranhas come to mind when thinking of the most formidable animals in the A****n. What's more, the forest shelters many species of small, venomous creatures like snakes and frogs. For adventurers, it is hell. Trying to survive is the most impossible task when it comes to taking the challenge of A****n. This is the place that I chose for my next venturing schedule.

[Actually, dark reigner said I might be out of my homeland for atleast a month. So, announcing such news would decrease my burden. Once I enter and go deep into the forest, even drones would have hard time in catching me. Satellites are hopeless for such cases. I myself won't be able to use technology after two days due to lack of electricity. That would be my chance to jump inbetween the dimensions.]

---vrooom---

Sam was driving my jeep on the outskirts of A****n. Ram was checking all equipment required for the adventure. The jeep was moving in max speed. It was already the time of sunset. If night arrives, both Ram and Sam would end up in danger. So, I ordered them to drop me at the entrance and drive back immediately without looking back at me before nightfall.

---creek---

The jeep came into a halt. Sam spoke, "Si-sir, we have ar-arrived at your d-de-destination point!"

[This guy is shivering for sure. Ram is no different from him.]

Even Ram's face became wet. I had nothing to say but chuckle. I took my equipment and got out of the jeep. Usually, I wear leather jacket, jogging pants for my adventures and trekking shoes. But this time, I wore a zip-up hoodie, a black track pant and black-and-white sneakers. Ram responded, "Your new dresscode is not bad either, sir. Infact, it looks better than your former dresscode!"

I chuckled and said to them, "You better return to your guest houses before nightfall!"

---vrooom---

The jeep took a u-turn and drove forward. Ram yelled, "We wish you best of luck, sir. Come back safely!"

[Safely, huh? This journey might be the death of me. But, that is most important word I must hold on to for now.]

I turned towards the woods. The whole environment was filled with long trees and thorn bushes. The sounds of bats, insects, frogs, toads, scavengers and monkeys echoed throughout the surroundings. I took a deep breadth and began to move deeper into the woods. As I reached deeper and deeper into the forest, the sounds of creatures turned more unpleasant. Soon it became nightfall. Everything turned dark. I couldn't use a torch in that hellish forest. It would attract the nearby wild animals. Making campfire would attract even more creatures of the environment that are faraway from me. So, I climbed a tall tree and sat on the topmost branch. I enjoyed the view of the nature that was being reflected by the moonlight. It was a full moon day.

[The beauty of life sure is something that every human should be fond of. I hope my future would be as beautiful as the view infront of my eyes.]

...

---thud---drip---drip(x2)---drip(x5)---drip(x9)---drip(x15)---drip(x_)---

It started to rain with a headstart of lightning from the sky. The reflecting view of moonlight vanished and the sky was brimming with dark clouds. Large amounts of water droplets reigned from the clouds fiercely. The dripping sounds became more and more fierce.

---whoosh---

The wind began to push me backwards. I held on tightly to the tree branch. The colour of lightning and the whole sky slowly turned into crimson. The clouds became darker and the leaves of the trees in the surrounding began to fly along the wind from their branches. The sounds of thunder became more clear.

---thud---thud---thud(x_)---

[Guess it is about to begin.]

---whooooosh---

A dark hole encircled by darkened crimson flames appeared on the sky. I stood on the tree branch and began to jump from one tree to another tree. And then came the edge of a cliff. I stood on the corner of the edge, covered my head with my hoody and tightened my backpack's shoulder straps. I looked at the dark hole wrapped by darkened crimson flames.

---thud---

A thunder struck at the spot where I was standing. I began to fall from the height. But, I still didn't falter. My distance kept on nearing to the bottom of the cliff. As my body was inches away from the ground,

---flip---

Darkened crimson flames wrapped me like a quilt and I was teleported to a dark room. Everything happened in split seconds. I recognised myself in a dark room and I was hardly able to see a thing.

[Dark reigner is testing me, huh? Fine, I will wait and see what is about to happen.]

The whole environment was tranquil.

---flick---

All of a sudden, I was standing at the place where I used to live when I was a scientist. My'scientist'self was standing right infront of me. I saw my wife's photo hanging on the wall. She died during her delivery period. The baby inside the womb died along with her.

--drip---drip---

A tear dripped from my left eye and then from my right eye. Remembering about the tragedy sure was unbearable.

[Why is dark reigner showing me all these?]

---flip---

Within an instant, I was teleported to another location.

---slash---

A woman wearing ancient clothes got slashed on the back and fell on another woman's corpse. She stretched her lefthand towards the left direction saying, "Save me, father!"

I looked at that direction.

"!!!!"

[This can't be.]

My second life figure was lying on the floor filled with blood allover him. I was backstabbed at the end of my second life by my own servants. My wife and daughter were killed infront of me during my final breadth. I didn't want to remember this either. My second reincarnation yelled, "You filthy low lives, how dare you betray me!"

I witnessed my'past'self trying to reach his hands to his daughter who streched her hands previously. She was lying on her mother's corpse.

---clench---

My'past'self and his daughter held their hands. The daughter said, "Thank you for everything you have done to me until now, father!"

He said, "Daddy is gonna be with you until the end, sweety!"

That was when I and my daughter took our final breadth. This time, the tears from my eyes became intense. I was unable to bare it. I yelled out loudly, "Dark reigner, are you playing games with me? Stop reminding me of my past life tragedies. I want to see no more!!!!"

---flip---

The environment flipped around. I was in a room filled with dead bodies. There was a golden figure in the middle of the room.

"!!!!"

[Why I am being reminded of this?]

It was my'past'self. My third reincarnation. He was standing inbetween the room in his golden armour. He took a huge sword with golden hilt and began to walk past the large doors. He was stopped by a short figure. She was at the level of his shoulders. She spoke, "Dear, please don't go. You will die!"

[Huh?]

It was my third reincarnation's wife. My former reincarnation just ignored her and moved forward.

In my third life, I never gave priority to my wife or the word family due to the trauma of my first and second life. I was also an orphan in this life. I hardly visited my son or wife while battling all the time. But, my son and all my servants were killed when I was away from my castle, battling the enemies head-on. My wife was a war strategist. So, she too was on the battlefield. The sight of witnessing the corpse of my son and loyal servants, brought back my trauma. I wasn't myself anymore.

"You should not give in to the dark. You should hold it in the clutches of your palm!", said my wife.

"!!!!"

[That's right. I let my dark impulse get the best of me. I ignored my wife's warning and went out there to fight a hundred thousand enemies and died...

I just need to hold on to the dark impulse and should not let them overpower me.]

---flip---

The environment turned into a battlefield.

---boom---clash---crash---crash---slash---___

I saw my'Demon-god'self fighting a hundred divine gods together. I knew what was about to happen next.

"Demon god Adrona... Stand down. Or else, your wife will die in my hands!!!!", it was one of the divine gods who kidnapped my wife. At that time, the one and only family I had was my wife.

[In every life, wife was the only family I had. I never even had someone to call as my parents.]

My'Demon-god'self restrained himself while gritting his teeth. Taking advantage of the situation, all the divine gods attacked him together.

---smack---thud---boom---slash---thud---___

Witnessing this sight, his wife yelled in agony, "No... My lord, there is no need to suffer anymore for me!"

She then transformed into a bat and got out of the divine god's grip. But, the demon god was already injured from the series of attacks. One of the divine gods was about to pierce a lightning bolt into his heart.

---pierce---

...

It was the demon god's wife who took the piercing while protecting him. The demon god exploded his mana. Every divine god flew away while the person who sacrificed herself was in mid-air.

---tap---

The demon god held her in his arms and put her down on a rock in a leaning position. The demon god smiled and said in tears, "It is okay... Everything is going to be fine, okay? Just hold on for a few minutes. I will finish everything, take you back to our castle and have the healers heal you. Don't go anywhere. Don't leave me!"

She smiled and replied, "You were lured here because of me. I have never been any kind of help to you. Now, I am atleast happy that I did something for you!"

She slowly closed her eyes and the demon god kissed her on the forehead. He turned towards the divine gods and began to release all of his energy. The divine gods faltered with the domineering aura.

...

Soon, all the divine gods were lying dead on the ground. The demon god reached his wife and fell on her lap. Through the whole scene, I didn't give off any kind of negative emotions. I just had to let it go.

[I should never give in to the dark, but hold it in clutches of my palm. That is the only way I can hold-in 'Darkened Daylight'. That was a nice lecture, Mr.Madrona. Thank you for enlightening me of my true purpose and resolve.]