The Path of Secrets

In the modern era's race to evolve via the means of otherworldly knowledge and technology from the Spirit World, the poor, unfortunate areas of society remained in its gruelling cycle of desperation.

Amongst a small huddle of messy, old vagrants sat a tall, thin young man who slowly brushed his wavy black fringe from his jade eyes with a scarred pale hand.

Alista had been cast aside to this forgotten fraction of the city, tucked away in a corner of darkness and decay, by his powerful family. As an illegitimate child, Alista's unknown father chose not to risk revealing his affair, and rather dismissed both the woman and her child, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Alista's mother's heartless decision to toss him aside was understandable from a woman in her position - one less mouth to feed - but dwelling on it still caused Alista a pang of sorrow, despite it being countless years ago. The only parenthood he received since a young age was the band of vagrants who had discovered him hours later.

Their support had provided the boy with enough knowledge to steal and fight for himself and his survival, as well as how to read local newspapers and communicate fluently with the little locals who paid him any mind.

Alista's life had consisted of struggle since the day it commenced, and sat around the small campfire set up by his group, he turned his gaze to the cosmos above, ruminating on his dire situation. His green eyes mirrored the dark yet shining night sky, illuminated by the moon's cool radiance, and the light of numerous distant stars.

An unknown mystical phenomenon had plagued society since the beginning of time, occasionally snatching people from reality and sending them to a realm unknown. Few have been said to return, but should they do, gain powerful standing in society by entering an oath with the government not to use their powers in exchange for wealth and freedom.

The Spirit World was something humanity knew very little about, yet insisted on evolving its society around it. Since humans have recorded, the Spirit World has been 'abducting' people seemingly at random in an instant without any sign of warning. This sudden transportation had taken hundreds of thousands of people through history, with few thousands ever returning home, and none unscathed.

Alista had often wondered if a new start in a completely new world was what he needed, but quickly dismissed the thought, as the potential for even further danger and suffering was high.

Shaking slightly in the freezing cold, Alista's ripped white shirt and thin black pants failed to efficiently protect his body from the icy winter breeze. Suddenly, a warmth spread from his hands and feet, slowly enveloping his flesh as it spread towards his centre. 

Shocked by the sudden strange feeling of heat, Alista examined his hands closely. At the very tips of his fingers, a healthy glow returned to his skin.

Scanning around, Alista found no source of the sudden warmth in the consuming darkness, before he heard a muted, deranged cry for help that resounded from an unknown distance. Alista clutched his head as veins began to pop under the skin of his face. His eyes trickled a few slow drops of dark red blood, leaving a warm wet trail down his cheeks.

"Help me!.... Don't save me!... Please!... Save me!"

The echoing voice inside Alista's head shouted in desperation, seemingly unable to choose whether it wished to be saved or not as if having to argue with itself.

Alista's vision was painted with swirls and patterns of impossible colours melding with resplendent starlight to comprise a vast expanse of thin mist. A majestic yellow light formed an almost tangible beam across the cloudy void, and a blood-red moon hung in the sky, seemingly even more unfathomably distant.

With his head no longer feeling as though it would split apart, Alista stood and viewed his surroundings. The same unbelievable displays of colour and light extended infinitely in all possible and impossible directions. As he turned, he felt as though he was being spun mid-air, seemingly struggling to control his movements. As he took an experimental step left, his body and mind portrayed the sensation of stepping to the right.

With no tangible ground, it was impossible to tell if he was upright or upturned mid-air, and he felt a distinct lack of gravity.

Suddenly, a platform with 7 small stone pillars in the centre manifested beneath his feet.

Just a second ago, I was back home on Earth, now, it appears I've been transported to the Spirit World.

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind before he arrived at a despairing conclusion.

I have been chosen by the Spirit World...

The mysterious void known as the spirit world was exactly as indescribable as Alista had heard. This was the strange world of unknown origins that had fueled humanity's greedy race to comprehend and master its power, creating wars that shook the very foundations of his home.

Gazing across at the pillars that had appeared in front of him, Alista noted that each had a different odd symbol carved into the stone construct face. At the bottom of each pillar, a small bird pond of water awaited him, each differing greatly in colour and substance.

The 7 pathways of the Spirit World - the mystical magic granted by the spirit realm, given to the selected challengers to protect themselves.

With some difficulty, Alista walked toward the seven pillars, recounting the little information he had overheard about the pathways.

Unfortunately, Alista only knew the names of 4 of these 7. In no particular order, they were:

The Pathways of Time, Space, Life and Entropy.

As he approached closer, he could now make out the strange runic symbols carved into each pillar. As he gazed at each, information was injected into his brain with a slight sharp pain.

These symbols, left to right, read:

Time; Space; Life; Death; Order; Entropy; Fate.

Stopping quietly beneath the symbol corresponding to entropy, Alista took a deep, steadying breath in before closing his eyes.

Before each trial, the spirit world grants its challengers the power to defend themselves. So far, I only know a little about entropy and absolutely nothing about the rest. Unfortunately, information about the spirit realm is hard to access, at least, using the means privy to a vagrant.

Alista's choice of pathway was obvious to him. Naturally, he would choose the pathway he knew most about!

Cupping his palms together and submerging them within the dark, swirling purple liquid within the bird pond beneath the sixth pillar, Alista brought the light and scentless liquid to his mouth, before taking a loud gulp.

A sickly heat spread throughout his body the second the warm liquid hit his stomach. Immediately, his body temperature began to rapidly rise, as he fell to his hands and knees, tugging at his hair.

He doubled over, losing sight slightly before his vision was replaced with a scene of purple-ish black flames dancing violently over a stormy shore of chaos. Countless figures clashed with disgusting sea creatures along a barren beach.

A distant, pained voice shot through the silence of the spirit world, begging a contradictory prayer.

"Don't save me!.. Don't save me...Aargh! Help me, please.." 

Clutching his heart, Alista coughed repeatedly, desperately trying to regain his breath. Before he had time to process what had just happened, the scene changed again.

He stood beneath a raging storm of clouds, thunder and lightning shaking the soaked barren dirt under his feet. Little sunlight penetrated the thick, grey clouds teeming with blue sparks, and there was little insight to be seen bar numerous large rocky crags. A small, blown village lay directly ahead, with no clear path laid in the ground, but a main gate slightly discernable from the distance. Gazing up slightly, Alista saw a magnificent stone pillar almost piercing through the clouds above, ensnared by two thin, illusory yellow arms with fingertips extended away from the pillar's peak, forming countless branches and tendrils of physical light.

Lightning struck the rocks and dirt around him in a chaotic, random display of destruction.

With a shaky breath, Alista took in the environment around him.

"The Spirit World's trial..."