Cycle of Ruin - Book One
They say Arrivals choose to come here, but Leo has no recollection of ever choosing such a fate. Thrust into the harsh wilds of a world where one's strength is measured and recorded, a single mistake here can cost him his li...
Returning to the cave, he was greeted with the same ghostly notification as last time.
You have entered the Garden of Erreth.
Not knowing what to expect, Leo cautiously headed towards the passageway on the other end of the cavern. His hands were sweaty as he nervously unsheathed his new weapon, finding comfort in the fact that he wouldn't have to face his next foe unarmed. The passage gently sloped downward, growing dimmer until the light from the entrance was blocked from view entirely, blanketing his eyes in black.
He walked as carefully as one could in almost pure darkness, with one hand outstretched against the rough mountain wall to avoid getting turned around. It took about fifteen minutes of slowly trudging along before a faint light pierced his black world. The ground started to level out and the light from the upcoming exit quickly became blinding. He threw up a hand to save his eyes from the sun's wrath, blinking rapidly to bring the blurred imagery in front of him into focus.
The cavern he had entered was so immense, he could barely spot the far wall where it ended a few miles away. The whole place was lit up like a spring morning and covered in a layer of light mist from a roaring waterfall that poured in through a large hole in the ceiling far above. The combination of water and sunlight had allowed for a thick forest of plants of every shape and variety to spread out and dominate the floor.
The sheer volume of different flora in this place was mind-numbing, and he took a moment just to admire the myriad of colors before his stomach reminded him of more important priorities. The entrance of the tunnel morphed into a scattering of worn chiseled stone that formed a pathway leading into the thicket. Just as he was about to go see where the ancient walkway led, a nearby tree caught his attention.
Itreminded him of a pomegranate tree, but replacing the cherry red seeded fruit nestledsmall, bulb-shaped blue ones that radiated an azure light. Entranced by thestrange yet tantalizing food stashed away in the tree's branches, he walkedover to the base of the trunk and plucked one hanging at head height.
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If the effect of the fruit was truly random, there was an equal chance he would receive a blessing as there was a curse from consuming it. He considered the potentially perilous item, trying to decide if it was worth taking such a blatant risk. The alluring glow of the fruit seemed to draw him in the same way the scent of a bakery might sway a passerby.
Whether it was the hypnotic glow of the Pandorian or just plain curiosity, Leo brought the item to his lips and sank his teeth through the fruit's rough outer skin and into the golden juice-filled flesh within. The moment the nectar landed on his tongue, a shiver ran down his body. It was divine. A rich sweetness that stood at the pinnacle of anything he had ever tasted back on Earth.
The fruit's juice ran down his throat and into his stomach, where it settled with a satisfying wonderous warmth. He tore off another bite, unable and unwilling to stop himself from devouring the piece of heaven in his hands. With each bite the warm sensation at the pit of his stomach grew, trickling out from his center down the length of his limbs and pulling him deeper into the blissful experience.
