The Original Me Part 1

The pain didn't dissipate; instead, it grew more intense, wrapping around him.

He clenched his teeth and dug his fingers into the earth, his nails leaving furrows in the soil.

A strained laugh escaped him. 

"Is that all you've got?" he muttered, almost welcoming the pain.

This didn't worry him in the slightest. The pain was just a distraction, something he could push past.

Then, through the haze, a vision emerged. It started as a flicker, then solidified into a tree—no, not just any tree.

It was the Tree of Life, a giant that stood tall and proud, its branches stretching out to the heavens.

And there, nestled within its trunk, was the seed. The very essence of creation itself, now a part of him.

He could feel it, pulsating with power, merging with his soul.

"Fuck," he exclaimed, the word torn from his throat with a mix of amazement and exhilaration.