Trials of the Self: [Understanding OneSelf]

What would you feel upon discovering that all the sufferings of your life were orchestrated by an entity called "Fate"?

Anger would be a natural reaction, wouldn't it? Yet, Maximus did not feel rage but rather an unexpected relief.

Until now, he had always believed that life, in its cruelty, was merely a matter of chance. He had feared battling a phantom. But now, he had a tangible goal, a reason to fight and to persevere.

The existential record spoke of cursing Fate, but for him, it was simpler. His being was now calm, and his path lay clear before him.

He was set to confront this entity to attain his freedom.

As he continued to reaffirm his convictions, a message flashed in his mind:

[You, beings who aspire to freedom, to the unity of your being, and to fight for the hegemony of your story, face the Tower of the 6 Trials to test your qualifications for evolution, lay the foundation of your divinity, and awaken.]

[Do you accept?]

Despite the uncertainty and doubts that engulfed him, Maximus accepted. Suddenly, a violet light enveloped him.

The next instant, he found himself facing a colossal tower, soaring through the sky. The doors, made for a titan, opened with a majestic rumble.

Maximus approached, observing the interior. A vast, empty expanse surrounded him.

Darkness assailed him, his senses seemed to be extinguished, and he felt drained. A window appeared before him:

[The Trials of the Being]

[Before you seek to shape your story through legends and exploits, you must understand yourself.]

[Divinity is the pinnacle of your being that you must comprehend before evolving it.]

[1st Trial: Understanding OneSelf]

[Confront your being by revisiting your past.]

The messages vanished before he could fully grasp them.

He suddenly fainted. What seemed like an eternity later, he awoke with a throbbing migraine.

Struggling to rise, he saw his younger self, at the age of five, in the orphanage. The sight of his young face with short black hair and deep blue eyes, scolded by a staff member, unsettled him.

An elderly woman, visibly exhausted, unleashed her frustration on him, beating his fragile body. Maximus fell to the ground, crying, as she continued to strike him with a broom, hurling insults:

— "Useless bastard! Impudent, do you really think you're better than me? Always with those eyes full of intelligence and superiority, you think you are."

She spat:

— "Even your parents abandoned you. You're worthless, despised, rejected. No one wants you."

The scene continued relentlessly. Maximus, a silent observer, clenched his fists, his frustration morphing into a simmering rage.

His life had always been marked by contempt, hatred, and injustice. He couldn't understand why he deserved such treatment.

Overcome by indignation and frustration, the vision shifted. He found himself at eight years old, a time when children began to exhibit darker traits. Harassment, segregation, and rejection were commonplace.

Maximus witnessed a scene where he tried to socialize with other children. They, far from the expected innocence, exhibited disconcerting cruelty. A red-haired child threw Maximus's tray to the ground and shouted:

— "Stay away from us, you filthy idiot. We don't want your crap!"

The other children joined in the taunts, casting looks full of disdain. As a child, Maximus burst into tears and fled to the dormitory.

The scenes continued, from middle school to high school, and eventually to university, filling his mind with the same relentless insults: "Filthy trash," "Useless bastard," "Homeless," "Rejected, hated by your parents."

The torrent of curses never ceased. Maximus, unable to endure these torturous memories any longer, fell to his knees, hands on his head, crying bitterly.

— "No… No… No, no, no, Nooo!"

As he lost himself in his suffering, he did not notice that darkness was closing in, gradually engulfing his being.

Dark, illusory chains began to form around his ankles, wrists, and neck, intensifying his pain. The figures of those who had traumatized him appeared before him, while the scenes continued to unfold.

However, a peculiar scene emerged from among the shadows: a university library, where a young man, wounded but paradoxically serene, devoured books on mythological heroes.

Maximus's gaze fell upon a quote from Achilles, drawn from Homer's Iliad:

"The sufferings of the soul forge the strength of the hero, for only one who endures pain with courage may hope to find freedom."

It was as if a star, having extinguished itself, reignited. Maximus's spirit, imbued with despair, was rejuvenated. His will strengthened.

He gathered his strength to fight, persevere, and surpass his past. The chains that imprisoned him, symbols of his painful history, began to shatter. With a powerful roar, he declared:

— "No one will hold me back now, no one will prevent me from following my path!"

He roared louder:

— "FATE WILL NOT BIND ME, THE HEAVENS WILL NOT CONTROL ME! I WILL BE THE ONE TO BRING MY LIGHT AND FREEDOM INTO THE DARKNESS, NO MATTER THE CURSE THEY SEND ME!"

The chains shattered and vanished into the void. A shimmering light seemed to illuminate the darkness.

It emanated from the eyes of a young man who had liberated himself from an aspect his being had long rejected.

Now, he felt freer, more himself than ever before. It was a sensation he had never experienced before.

Thus, the room brightened with the appearance of a new message:

[The one whose past has been obscured by the will of 'Fate.' The one who lived a thousand words in a single life. The one whom the world rejected.]

[In those shadows that enveloped your past, you managed to assert your being.]

[You have brought your light into the world.]

[Your being is synonymous with freedom.]

[You are The Morning star who will illuminate the world and guide others with your will.]

[You have understood your being and used that understanding to influence the world.]

[End of the 1st Trial.]

[Beginning of the 2nd Trial.]

[The Trials of the Being.]

[2nd Trial: Understanding the World.]

Maximus rose, his muscles tense, his breath ragged. The darkness had receded, giving way to a soft but persistent light.

As he advanced through this light, the walls of the tower seemed alive, pulsing like a gigantic heart, each beat resonating like a distant bell. Ancient doors marked with mystical symbols revealed themselves before him.