Shadows of the Past and the Light of Hope

Juan woke up early. The sun has just begun to rise above the horizon, painting the earth in muted shades of pink and gold. He was lying in a small hut, on a rough straw mattress, and felt a strange feeling of heaviness in his chest. It was a short sleep, and although he wasn't used to waking up so early, an inner voice made him get up.

The room was quiet. The noise of animals and birds coming from outside indicated that the world continued to exist, despite everything that had happened to it. It was strange, as if he was a part of something much bigger than his little life in this body.

He sat on the edge of the bed, slowly gathering his thoughts. Last night had left more questions than answers in his mind. The woman, her words, the amulet… It was a world that was completely foreign to him. He didn't know what was coming. He was an orphan, and he always did everything by himself before. But now? Right now, his life was tied up with something he couldn't understand. Couldn't control it.

He glanced at the amulet that was still lying on the table next to him. He didn't know exactly what to do with it. Everything that was happening was so alien that he couldn't find the strength to make decisions. The woman didn't even explain the basics to him—she only gave him the opportunity. Something important and uncertain.

Juan got out of bed and went to the window, opening it to let in the fresh morning air. He wasn't sure if he could get used to the new world. Everything was so far from what he knew. He was a stranger here, and he didn't know what to do with this knowledge.

Suddenly, before she could catch her breath, the door opened and a woman entered the room. She was dressed in formal clothes, she was wearing something resembling the uniform of local craftsmen. Her whole demeanor betrayed confidence, and her gaze was calm but attentive.

"Are you ready?" "What is it?" she asked without any preliminaries, as if she knew that the answer to this question should already be clear.

Juan slowly turned around, meeting her gaze. He didn't know what it meant to be prepared. He was just trying to survive.

"I... don't know what to do," he confessed, feeling completely vulnerable for the first time in a long time.

The woman watched him without saying a word. Without a word, she went up to him, took his hand and led him out of the room.

"You don't have a choice. You were born for this. This will be your test. Your life, your path, your actions — they will determine who you are.

Juan couldn't answer. He felt like everything around him was changing, like his life was being filled with new meaning. He could only move forward, hoping that at least one of the roads would lead him to understanding.

They walked through the village, and despite the fact that Juan still did not feel like a part of this place, he had to get used to it. He held back his anxiety and knew that this road would lead him somewhere. He didn't know where to go.

And then his gaze fell on several people passing by. They were like a part of the life of this world, and their faces seemed familiar, even if he didn't know their names. It was a world in which everyone lived their own lives, fulfilled their roles. And now he, Juan, had to become a part of this game too.

He realized that his life here would not be easy. But if he learns to be strong, if he's smart enough, then maybe he can get through everything. Even through the trials that lie ahead.

The woman next to him was silently heading towards the main square. Juan did not know what awaited him, but he felt that the choice had already been made for him. The path he had to take had already begun.

Huang and the woman approached the main square of the village. It was quiet here, with only a few passersby hurrying about their business. But despite the apparent calmness, Juan felt as if something huge and merciless was hiding behind this world. Everything seemed small and inconspicuous, and he was in the middle of it, just a part of some great game.

The woman walked confidently without turning around. Juan followed her, feeling the heavy gaze from her side, as if she was checking his every step, every movement. Deep down, he understood that she wasn't just talking to him, but studying him. I was trying to figure out what would happen to him, how he would react to what was happening around him.

"You're going to be tested," she said, without slowing down. — If you pass it, you can enter our clan. If you don't get through, you'll stay here and your life won't change. But you won't be alone. This test will give you a chance to get out.

Juan thought about it. He remembered how his life ended in the previous world, when it seemed that everything was already lost. But now he found himself in a new reality, in the body of a child, and now he had a chance. At some point, he was overcome with anxiety. He seemed to be on the verge of something much bigger. But what if he fails?

—I'm... not sure I'm ready,— he said, knowing that her words weren't just verbal encouragement. It was more than that. It was a choice.

The woman stopped and looked at him with some interest. There was no judgment in her eyes, just a quiet curiosity, as if she was waiting for him to take the next step. Juan felt a fire of determination ignite in his chest, even if his mind was full of doubts.

"You don't have to be ready, Juan. You have to be brave. This is not a game. This is a test that will separate those who are able to survive and those who will perish in the dark. In this world, power decides everything.

She paused and continued, her voice becoming serious, almost threatening.:

— Do you think that everything could be different? That you can sit and wait until everything gets better? No. There is no place for the weak in this world.

Huang felt his heart beat faster. He was weak, he knew that. But also in his previous life, in his body, he felt that he was much more than just mediocre. Here, in this new world, he felt that he might have a chance. He had to try.

"I won't wait," he said, feeling his fear recede, replaced by curiosity. "I'll try." I will pass this test.

The woman nodded, as if she had predicted his answer. She turned and stepped forward, pointing to the path that was in front of him.

"Then go." You will be on a path where many others are being taught how to be strong. But be careful. You have to be prepared for every step to be a challenge.

She gestured towards the large structure in the center of the square. It was a huge temple surrounded by strict stone walls. Shrines could be seen on top of it, their silhouettes seemed mystical and majestic from a distance.

Juan realized that this was the place where he had to go. The time has come.

They reached the entrance to the temple, and Huang felt his breathing getting heavier. It was a real challenge. He knew he couldn't stop, couldn't turn back. He took a step forward and entered the temple, following the woman. Everything around him became darker and darker, and Juan felt his anxiety begin to grow.

The woman stopped at one of the large stone tables surrounded by several local people. Juan noticed that they didn't look friendly. They just stood there, watching, not expressing any emotions.

"Come here," the woman said to Juan, pointing to an empty seat in front of the table. "This is where your ordeal begins. Show me what you can do.

Juan stopped in place, looking around. He was in the center. His senses began to sharpen. Everything was too serious, too important. There was no turning back now.

The woman turned and smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile. It was the smile of an observer who was preparing to see how someone would either manage or fall.

Huang stepped forward, feeling his heart beat faster. He couldn't believe he was in such a place, in such a situation. But his inner voice whispered that this was his chance, his only chance to change his life, despite the fear that he might not be able to cope.

The room he entered was dark, and the air was filled with the thick smell of wet stone and something old that had been lost in time. Several people stood against the walls, showing no emotion, their gazes were empty, as if they had become a part of this place, and their lives had long ceased to mean anything. But Juan knew that their silence was just a cover. There was something alien and dangerous in their eyes. These were people who had been through a lot, and each of them might have stood in Juan's place once, but he did not have this experience, this knowledge.

The woman who brought him here walked over to the stone table and pointed at a small stone lying on its surface.

"You have to take this stone and go through the gate," she said, her voice flat, but there was a hint of hidden pressure in it. — There will be many traps on your way, but they exist so that you can understand what you are capable of. Everything depends on your decisions.

Juan, not fully understanding what awaits him, but feeling the gravity of the moment, took the stone. He was cold to the touch, and immediately his hand felt a kind of strength, something he couldn't explain. It wasn't just a stone product, it was something alive, as if there was a will of its own hidden inside it.

The woman, seeing his reaction, chuckled softly.

"Don't worry, you won't go crazy over him. For now. She paused. — Just follow your feeling and everything will be fine. But if you turn out to be weak, you won't be able to stand it.

Juan didn't know what exactly she meant, but he could already feel his heart sinking. He couldn't afford not to pass this test. He knew that if he failed, then his path in this world would end.

Looking around, he saw a huge gate in front of him that seemed impassable. The carved stone blocks, covered with a dark patina, created the feeling that this was not just a gate, but something more, something ancient and powerful. This gate was a symbol of separation, and Juan immediately realized that after passing through it, he would no longer be who he was.

He walked up to the gate, and as soon as his hand touched the surface of the stone, the gate began to open with a loud screech. A dark corridor opened up in front of him, and there were no sounds or lights inside. Only the deepest darkness that swallowed everything around.

—You have to go through this corridor," the woman said, her voice still coming from behind her. — This is the only way you can prove your determination.

Juan, finding no other way, took a step forward. And as soon as he crossed the threshold, darkness engulfed him, and the world around him changed.

The dark corridor was much longer than he had expected. He could feel his footsteps echoing off the walls, and a sense of unease began to grow inside him. All his instincts told him that he shouldn't have come here, that this ordeal wasn't as easy as he imagined. Thoughts were spinning in his head that he needed to turn back, but his mind stubbornly refused. He couldn't and shouldn't back down.

Every step made him feel like the tension was building up, and the air around him was getting thicker. Then he noticed how the walls began to change their shape, as the stone under his feet became less solid. Juan bent down and felt the ground. What he felt made him freeze.

It wasn't a rock. It was liquid. Dark, viscous, like resin.

His heart began to beat faster. He immediately realized that it was a poison that could consume him if he made a careless move. He felt his throat constrict. He knew that now he had to go through this ordeal without making a single mistake. If he falls, if he loses his guard, he will stay here forever.

He took a step back, trying not to catch the liquid that was leaking out of the cracks in the floor. But the further he went, the more these dark spots became, filling the entire corridor. They didn't move, but Juan knew it wasn't just liquid. It was a poisonous stream that could devour him if he was in the right place.

Suddenly, a fire broke out in the darkness in front of him. Sparks began to curl smoothly in the air, creating cracks of light, and Juan could make out the walls of the corridor. These fiery sparks seemed to be playing with him, as if someone invisible had decided to test his endurance.

And suddenly he realized that the test wasn't just about walking through this corridor. It was about staying calm and not panicking. If he makes a mistake, if he lets fear take over him, he will die.

Pulling himself together, Juan continued on his way.

When Juan, unable to look at his insignificance anymore, finally decided to give up trying to find solace in people, he found himself in deep thought. There was only one question in his mind.: **How to survive in this world?* This world, soaked in blood and violence, was incomprehensible to him. He was weak, and this worry wouldn't let go of him. However, every day he felt his mind becoming sharper, as he began to look at people differently — not as a source of pain, but as potential teachers.

Huang believed that perhaps there was a way to survive in this world without becoming violent, without stooping to the level of those around him. But with every step it became more and more obvious that gentleness and kindheartedness would not lead him to victory. The world he found himself in was not forgiving of the weak. And this thought did not leave him for a minute.

Every day he felt his body wear out. Working in the fields under the scorching sun was agony, but even more agonizing was the fact that he had to restrain himself and not show weakness. The village boys, unlike him, were endowed with strength and determination. They might not have thought about how their actions would affect others. They were strong, and they controlled everything around them.

"You can't do anything until you become strong," the thought in his head sounded like a ruthless response to his every move. But there was also something else that made him move on, despite the fact that his body literally betrayed him at every step.

He couldn't believe what was happening in his body. Working in the field, his muscles ached, and a simple movement turned into a struggle with himself. Sometimes he could barely get up from the ground, not feeling that his strength was leaving him. But there was something more to him, something that made him go forward without giving up.

"If I can't do this, I won't be able to survive. But if I can, then I have a chance," he thought, as he once again got to his feet, out of breath, after another fall. Every step, every movement, it was agony, but it wasn't hopeless. It was a path where he could become stronger. But more importantly, it was a path where he could finally get a chance.

In the evening, when the last rays of the sun were disappearing below the horizon, Juan, exhausted and exhausted, came home. But there was something unusual about this return. He didn't feel tired as usual. He felt as if every effort, every movement was bringing him closer to his goal. A goal that he himself did not yet understand, but which attracted him more and more.

Every year, every day, his path became more desperate, but there was something more in him that kept him moving. Perhaps it was something as simple as the desire to survive, but at the same time, perhaps it was some kind of inner force that he could not yet comprehend. Juan realized that every step brought him closer to answering the question that had been tormenting him for a long time.: **How to become strong?**

The days dragged by, and despite his best efforts, Juan continued to feel the weight of this endless struggle. Every day in the field, every sweat, every drop of blood shed in a ruthless struggle with reality, seemed so small, so insignificant. But it was the only way for him to exist. He couldn't afford to give up. He was weak, but his mind was developing. That was his only advantage.

His body's muscles ached, but his mind wouldn't give up. At times, Juan found himself thinking about things that hadn't caught his attention before. About how the world works, about what forces drive it, about what needs to be done to survive.

He was standing on the field, taking a deep breath, when he noticed a group of village boys who, as always, looked at him mockingly. One of them, tall and muscular as usual, came up and asked:

— Well, Juan, how are you, ugly?

Juan only slowly turned his head in his direction. He didn't react. His face was blank, and his gaze was emotionless. He knew that these words were nothing more than an attempt to provoke him into a quarrel. He knew that words were nothing in this world. But looks and actions are what matter.

"Isn't that right?" The guy continued. "You're still... weak."

Juan stood silently, looking at him. All attempts to confront or prove something always ended with the same words, the same mocking expression on the faces of these people. And it didn't bother him. He wasn't stupid enough to waste his energy answering. Why waste time and energy when there are much more important things to think about?

"You still don't get it, do you?" The guy asked with a grin, waiting for a reaction, but getting it in the form of speechless silence.

This moment was not something painful for Juan. On the contrary, it was a kind of revelation. He realized that these people, with their ridicule and superiority, meant nothing to him. To them, it was empty, but it could be something else. Maybe even something more.

And so, standing on the field, peering into their perky faces, he realized that his path was not the path of revenge. His path is a path of overcoming, a path of understanding himself. He knew he couldn't change the world overnight, but he could change himself. And if he was strong enough, he might even be able to influence those who now seemed to him only a mockery.

"Why answer these nonsense questions if the answer is always the same? If they're not interested in my answer, then they're not interested in me. But I must not forget that. I have to be careful and calculate my every step, every moment," Juan thought.

In the evening, when the sun was already sinking below the horizon, Juan returned to his squalid hut again. He sat down on the ground and wiped the sweat off his face. Every muscle ached, but there was determination in his eyes. He knew that here, in this place, he would not be able to find salvation. He won't be able to find help. But maybe he can find himself. And that was enough.

He closed his eyes and fell into thought. The path would be long, difficult, and dark, but it was his path. Even if he didn't know where it would lead, even if he wasn't sure of his future, but he was ready to go through it, step by step, despite everything that might come along the way.

The world was cruel, but Juan knew that there was a place in this world for those who did not give up.