Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

The harsh, golden dune sloped gently toward a small pond of crystal clear water. Tall, slender palm trees stood in clusters at the banks of this water body.

A gust of cool wind blew by, causing the vibrant green leaves of the palm trees to sway gently. Surrounding the palm trees were verdant bushes dotted with brightly colored flowers and fruits.

It was a striking contrast with the otherwise barren landscape.

Adam, who was standing atop the dune, gazing at this little paradise, couldn't stop his body from trembling in joy. His eyes teared up involuntarily.

Is this... my reward for having endured for so many months? He thought to himself.

His legs erupted with strength he didn't know he had as he shot down the dune, heading for the beautiful oasis in front of him.

The air was tinged with the rejuvenating scent of fresh water and damp earth. The ground underneath the palm trees was soft, cool sand, mixed with patches of grass.

"Ha... Haha... Hahahaha!" The youth burst into laughter.

He knelt down at the banks of the pond, his mind raging with emotions. He caught a glimpse of himself on the surface of the pond, and for a moment, he couldn't even recognize himself.

But none of that mattered. Without waiting a moment longer, he put his hands inside the water, cupped his palms, and scooped out a large handful to drink.

However, his happiness was short-lived.

Instead of drinking water, he had actually consumed the hot sands of the grueling desert!

At once, he started violently coughing. The feeling of sand touching, or rather grating against the dry insides of his mouth was extremely torturous.

Tears streamed down his face as he tried to reel in from this pit of desperation. He tightly clutched at the sands underneath him and spat through gritted teeth, "Of course...

"Of course, it's an illusion!!"

This chamber weaved an intricate illusion where time felt distorted, and the feeling of hunger, thirst, and exhaustion was heightened.

The only way forward was to remain steadfast, accepting the discomfort and hardship that the trial presented.

But that was easier said than done.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" He screamed at the top of his lungs while continuing to madly punch the ground.

He screamed till his voice gave out and he limply fell face first. Through the slit in his eyes, he saw that the desert stretched on endlessly with no sign of landmarks or an end to the trial.

The psychological weight of feeling lost and trapped in an infinite expanse of sand and time heavily weighed down on Adam's shoulders.

Unbeknownst to him, at some point, his eyelids started feeling heavy and he gradually lost consciousness.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in the same place. Except, he didn't know how much time had passed.

But what he did know was that the feeling of hunger and thirst had intensified.

Should I... use it? He thought to himself.

He knew that once he willed the white lotus to clear his mind, the illusion of space and time he found himself in would instantly be countered and everything would return to normal.

Furthermore, even the feeling of hunger, thirst, and exhaustion would subside significantly, for he knew that they too were an illusion. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

Adam's patience and mental fortitude had never been tested to such a degree. Moreover, he knew that if he didn't use the white lotus, he would be tested even further.

He was close to succumbing to despair and hopelessness. When no progress was visible, it was difficult to continue to persist.

His eyes flashed with a ruthless glint and he slowly got to his feet.

Endure! Endure! Endure!

One step at a time, he continued to move forward. He continued to persist.

No matter what life threw his way, he would never yield. And even if he stumbled, he would carry the fight on upon his knees.

For this was his Way of Magic!

Adam continued to move through the boundless desert. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and now it had been more than a year!

For more than a year, all Adam did was continue to walk. By now, he had already realized that the time dilation here was no joke.

He was only supposed to be in the chamber for sixty days, but inside the illusion, the time had already crossed a year.

During this time, he faced several other obstacles. The desert wind would carry faint voices- whispers of doubt, fear, and self-criticism.

These voices grew louder as Adam felt more fatigued, filling his mind with thoughts of inadequacy, regret, and failure.

'You are not enough!'

'You will not succeed!'

'This trial will never end!'

But Adam kept moving forward. By now, he had already lost track of time. He had grown numb to everything around him.

Occasionally, powerful sandstorms whipped across the desert, blinding him and battering him with harsh winds. These storms came without warning and left him disoriented.

But he kept moving forward. One step at a time.

The concept of time became a blur in the desert. With no sense of how far he'd come or how much further he had to go, the passage of time became a torment in itself.

Days and nights blended together, each more grueling than the last.

He bore the marks of his taxing journey in every aspect of his appearance. His skin, once smooth, was now weathered and rough. It was deeply tanned and cracked from relentless exposure to the sun.

His face was gaunt, hollowed by fatigue and hunger, with a thick beard that grew unevenly. His clothes, once whole, now hung in tattered shreds.

He wore makeshift wraps around his feet and hands to shield himself from the scorching heat

of the sand and sun.

His body was coated in a layer of fine sand, clinging to his sweaty skin, while his hair was matted and tangled from months of windblown grit.

Adam's body was merely a husk at this point. His muscles had long since degenerated, making

him appear extremely emaciated.

Despite all that, his dark pupils flashed with an uncanny light.

It was the light of perseverance!

He knew deep in his heart, that even if his physical body broke down, he would continue to

walk forward.

After another few days of travel, a peculiar scenery unfolded before him.

In front of him, emerged a cave right in the middle of the desert. Inside the cave was a soft

bed made from straw.

Adam walked toward the entrance of the cave, however, unlike the time he had found the

mirage, his face now was devoid of any emotions.

He was now faced with the temptation to lie down and give in to rest and comfort after having

walked for more than a year.

Finally, he could escape the suffering.

The final test of endurance!

Adam's eyes were calm as a still lake, not a ripple of sentiment found in them. He took a step

forward, but instead of entering the cave, he walked right past it.

More than the seeker's physical strength, the Trial of Endurance tested their mental fortitude, patience, and the ability to withstand life's most overwhelming obstacles with calm

persistence.

The moment Adam walked past the cave, his surroundings distorted and the illusion dissipated. Once again, the androgynous voice sounded inside the chamber.

"You have passed the Trial of Endurance!"