Beyond Mortals
Episode 3 Chapter 3: The struggle Begins
A blinding flash. A rush of wind. The moment Alex blinked, the world had changed.
He stood on solid ground, but it didn't feel like Earth. The sky stretched endlessly, painted with golden clouds, and floating islands drifted like ancient sentinels above a shimmering river of light. The air itself felt alive, humming with unseen energy.
"This....isn't real, " Alex muttered, turning in disbelief.
Leannah stepped forward, arms crossed. "This is the immortal world," she said. "And this is where your training begins."
Alex glanced at his hands. He felt.....different. Lighter. As if the air carried him. But something was off--his ring, the thing that had allowed him to come here, remained silent. No glow, no energy. Just a cold band of metal.
--
The first lesson: Control
"Close your eyes," Leannah instructed." Focus. The ring is connected to you. Feel it"
Alex obeyed. inhaling deeply. He searched for something--anything--inside himself.
He furrowed his brow, trying harder. His hands tightened into fists. He could hear the wind, the distant hum of energy in the world itself--but the ring remained still.
Leannah watched him, unimpressed. " Your thinking too much," She said, " You need to connect, not force it."
Alex exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "This isn't working."
Leannah sighed. "Then we start from the basics."
--
The struggle Begins
She stepped back and took a stance. "Fighting comes First. If you can't use energy, you at least need to defend yourself."
Alex frowned. "Wait, fighting? I thought we were doing magic training or something--"
Leannah lunged.
Before he could react, her foot hooked behind his ankle. One swift movement Alexx's world flipped, and he slammed onto his back.
Pain shot through him. "Ow! What was that for?"
"You're too slow"
She extended a hand, pulling him up. " Footwork, balance, reaction. If you can't handle this, you'll never survive when real enemies come for you"
Alex scowled. "Great. More reasons to get punched today."
Leannah tossed him a wooden staff. "Defend yourself."
Alex caught it, adjusting his grip awkwardly. "Against what?"
She swung at him
He barely lifted his staff in time. The impact jolted through his arms> Another strike--he stumbled back.
"Use the ring!" Leannah shouted.
Alex grifted his teeth. He focused--just like before. "Come on, do something!"
A flicker. A faint golden glow traced his fingers--then vanished.
The distraction cost him Leannah swept his legs, and Alex hit the ground hard. Again.--
First Failure
He groaned, staring up at the endless sky. " I can't do this."
Leannah watched him for a moment, unreadable. She had seen many warriors train, struggle, and rise again. But Alex...he was different. He was chosen yet so far from ready.
She extended a hand. "We'll try again later."
Alex hesitated before taking it. As she helped him up, a gust of wind whispered through the air. But it wasn't the wind.
Far beyond the floating Islands, a shadow moved Watching. Waiting.
A voice, cold and ancient, whispered, "Weak, Untrained not a threat....yet."
Alex and Leannah couldn't see the shadow as it was behind them in the bushes.
Return to the mortal world
Leannah stood still for a long moment, then placed a hand on Alex's shoulder.
"Rest for now," She said
Before he could ask what she meant, a golden shimmer surrounded him. The world blurred--light folded in on itself--And Alex found himself back in his room.
He staggered, gripping his desk for balance. His breath was unsteady, The immortal world was gone. But his ring....it pulsed faintly.
Something had changed.
A knock at his window startled him.
"Alex!"
It was Nate, eyes wide, staring at him through the glass.
Alex rushed over and unlatched the window. "What are you doing here?"
"What am i doing here?" Nate climbed in, looking furious. "Dude, where the hell were you? You just vanished!"
Alex hesitated. His mind was still spinning from the immortal world. He wanted to explain, but...how?
"I..uh--'
Nate crossed his arms. "And don't lie. One second you were walking with that crazy girl...and then poof ...gone. I checked everywhere. You weren't answering your phone. Yu disappeared for hours!"
Alex looked at the clock. Midnight.
Had he really gone that long?
He swallowed hard, forcing a weak smile. "It's complicated."
Nate groaned. "You better start uncomplicating it. Because whatever's going on with that wrist ring of yours, its not normal."
Alex glanced down at the ring, still glowing faintly on his finger.
Nate was right
And this was just the beginning.
--
Meanwhile
In the immortal world, Leannah approached an old warrior standing beneath a tree. Her father's closest friend.
"He's not ready," She admitted.
The old man nodded. "Then he must fail again. And again. nly through failure he will grow."
Leannah said nothing. She turned her gaze to the sky, where distant shadows loomed.
She knew the truth--Alex's journey was only beginning. And it would not be an easy one.
--
To be continued