Fate´s Bloody Path

I stopped for a moment and said, "What does this mean?" If that entrance was still active, then I was going back to the same place where I had lost my life. "I don’t want to relive that moment," I murmured, fear chilling my blood, but at the same time, I knew I had no other choice.

"This is the deal I accepted... and now I have to face it."

The transfer was instantaneous. I felt the cold stones under my body as I woke up in the exact spot where I had died, only this time, there was no one around.

The excessive silence was unsettling, and the only thing left were the traces of the battle that had taken place. I quickly stood up, touching my body in search of wounds, but I found none.

I was completely fine—even my clothes were in perfect condition, as if nothing had happened. I looked around; it was already night. Darkness covered everything, and only the light of the moon allowed me to glimpse the remains of the fight.

My thoughts immediately turned to the ogre. I said quietly, "Did he survive? Or maybe his remains are scattered throughout the forest?" However, no matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find any trace of him.

The idea of returning to the town to meet with Grimmor crossed my mind, but the shadow-covered path back filled me with doubt. At night, there would surely be all kinds of creatures lurking in the forest.

As I pondered my options, I said, "How does this whole rebirth thing actually work?"

"That enigmatic being mentioned time jumps... but he didn’t explain how or when I can use them," I said out loud, trying to recall every detail of our conversation.

What would happen if I decided to jump from one era to another?

"I have a limited number of jumps... how many do I have left?" I whispered. The uncertainty was eating at me.

I longed to meet that being again to ask all these questions. I needed answers. But for now, the only thing I could do was keep going.

"Entering the cave where the giant came from seems like the safest option..." I said, though doubt still surrounded me. "Aah! Damn it, I don’t know how he’ll react, but it’s the least risky option."

Before entering the cave, I desperately searched for something to use as a torch. I didn’t want to face any other creatures in the dark.

I managed to gather some dry branches, and with the help of a couple of stones, I managed to light a fire. With the torch in hand, I quickly entered the cave, hoping the giant wasn’t in a bad mood.

The entrance was wide, and the echo of my footsteps reverberated off the stone walls. As I walked further in, I remembered what the giant had said the last time I saw him: that he knew me from somewhere. That statement kept nagging at my mind. What had he meant by that? Was there something I didn’t know about my own past?

I shook my head. I reflected that before solving all these questions, I first had to survive the night.

The air in the cave was cold and damp, but at least I was safe from the creatures that might lurk outside.

I walked cautiously through the cave, keeping the torch low. After a while, I noticed a faint light at the end of the tunnel.

As I approached, I saw a lit furnace, its glow illuminating a large space. The place was empty, but it was evident that someone had been working there recently. The heat was intense, and the air was heavy with the smell of hot metal and burning coal.

"Hello?" I said in a low, timid voice.

Around the furnace were shelves full of weapons of all kinds, as well as metal blocks that hadn’t yet been forged. The feeling of being in a place of creation, where raw materials were transformed into tools, made me think about the weight those objects carried in such a dangerous world.

Looking around, I realized the giant must have been some kind of blacksmith. I wondered if the package I had received earlier had actually been a weapon forged by him.

"How stupid of me—if I had known, I could’ve used that weapon to defend myself against those horrible harpies... although I doubt it would have changed the outcome," I muttered.

On one side, I noticed another entrance leading to a different part of the cave. I hesitated to go through; I didn’t know how I’d be received if I did. Instead, I decided to announce my presence more clearly this time, hoping to avoid any sudden reaction from the giant.

I don’t want to die again. "Hello?..."

Shortly after, I heard heavy footsteps approaching. I stood still, and finally, the giant appeared in front of me with a calm expression. He looked me over carefully, and with a somewhat shy posture, I murmured, "I don’t want to bother you... but I’m stuck here in the forest and need a place to stay for the night before heading back in the morning."

The giant, with an unreadable expression, invited me in.

Inside the cave, the space was large, with a big bed in one corner, a handcrafted table with two enormous chairs, and a tree trunk he motioned for me to sit on. He offered me some tea, and we began to talk.

I thanked him for his hospitality, to which he responded that he wouldn’t have done it if he wasn’t almost sure that he knew me from before. The giant asked my name, and when I told him it was Darius, his eyes opened slightly—a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by me. I murmured quietly to myself, "What’s going through his mind?"

Then the giant stated that he was now certain: it was me. His expression changed completely, breaking into a sincere smile.

"My name is Eldrek," he finally said, with a tone that mixed certainty with nostalgia.

"We met during the Era of the Lost Star, which was hundreds of seasonal cycles ago."

I couldn’t contain my surprise at hearing those words. "Hundreds of cycles? How is that possible?" I muttered, reflecting on how impressive Eldrek’s age must be—far beyond what I could imagine. I felt the need to know more.

"Can you tell me more about that?" I hinted, trying to remain calm despite my growing curiosity. Eldrek nodded, picking up the teapot now that the water had boiled. As he poured the tea, he began to speak, his words full of memories.

"Back then, I was very young. I didn’t even have a beard yet, and I was smaller than I am now. Even though giants are usually very reserved, especially with those outside our race, we managed to form a good friendship. Something rare, considering our nature."

He paused, offering me a cup of tea before continuing.

"I remember that at some point, you entrusted me with something important, Darius," he said, looking at me intently.

"You told me you were a human from another world with the ability to travel between different eras. A secret you didn’t share with anyone else."

My thoughts raced as I tried to comprehend what Eldrek was telling me. "How is that possible...?" I whispered in confusion. If Eldrek was right, at some point, I would travel to that past era, where I would meet a younger version of him. It was too much information to take in at once.

Eldrek, noticing my confusion, calmly said, "In the past era, you ordered me not to tell you too much about the events of that time if we ever met again. You said it could influence decisions that had already been made, and that could trigger an irreversible change in this era."

The confusion and bewilderment intensified. I hadn’t considered the weight of the power I had been granted with that pact. "I just want to find the person I lost..." I murmured. "I never thought I’d be trapped in something as complex as this."

"This is all... too much," I told Eldrek, my voice trembling slightly. "I don’t know how to handle all of this. I came to this world to find someone I lost, but now I’m trapped in something I don’t even understand."

Eldrek, sensing my confusion and worry, nodded with understanding.

"Let events unfold naturally, Darius. Don’t lose sight of your goal. The answers will come in due time. What matters is that you stay focused on what you came here to do."

Eldrek stood from his seat and walked toward one of the shelves filled with weapons.

"I have something for you," he said as he pulled out a sword wrapped in thick cloth. He slowly unwrapped it, revealing a gleaming blade that seemed to shine with its own light.

"This is yours. I forged it myself for you in the past era. It’s a magical sword."

I carefully took hold of the hilt, and as I did, I felt a strange sensation, as if something invisible was being absorbed through the sword and into my body. I couldn’t quite identify what it was, but I felt as if it made me stronger, an unknown energy flowing through my veins.

Intrigued, I told Eldrek what I had felt.

He nodded as if he already knew.

"I knew this would happen," he said calmly.

"Your past self and I worked together to imbue this sword with your mana... or should I say with yours. This magic would only resonate with you once you came into contact with it again." I frowned, not fully understanding what he meant.

Eldrek quickly picked up on my confusion and explained in simpler terms, "Mana is your inner power. It’s what allows us to create magic, and with training, you can work on it, developing and perfecting unique abilities."

I held the sword firmly, feeling its energy resonate within me. Though the confusion remained, something inside me was beginning to make sense.

Eldrek had mentioned that I shouldn’t worry about the details of the past, but I knew I couldn’t just leave it at that. I needed to understand more about this era, about time jumps, and most importantly, how to find the reincarnation of my beloved.

The sword in my hand was a reminder that my mission was just beginning. With new allies and a power I didn’t yet fully understand, I prepared myself for what was to come.