The man destined to become the Fox God

The Witch's Request

[Marissa],” I hope you all slept well, now as I said I would help you all but it does come from a price, Alan would need to do me a favor.” Alan asked Marissa, “ What kind of favor are you asking from me?” Marissa smiled ever so slightly and said, “ You will be visiting my old realm that I created a few years ago, sadly I don’t have any control over it anymore since I haven’t visited it in so long.” Everyone grew curious about what she was talking about but Guardian felt a bit worried about what she had planned, Alan asked, “ What will I have to do in your realm?” Marissa said embarrassingly, “ I’m not quite sure, you will find out when you’re there,” Everyone grew disappointed while she laughed about it. [Alan],” When do I begin,” Those spoken words that Alan said made everyone feel confident and made Guardian proud. Marissa said, “ I’ll go get the items you will need.” While she was gone, the group sat near their campgrounds and had a chat. [Man],” You both helped save our village from a burning reckoning and now you’re helping us get to our destination and yet, I don’t think we mentioned our names even once,” Guardian said,” We do intend to have a fair traveling experience so we don’t mind helping people on the way, although it would be easier if we did know your names.” The older sibling chuckled and said,” Forgive us for our rudeness, my name is Sal and my younger brother's name is Luca.” Guardian and Alan exchanged greetings. [Guardian],” Is there a reason why you both are focused on going to the port besides selling your goods?” [Sal],” Well you see, our village is in poverty because of our new king,” Guardian and Alan were both surprised, Alan asked,” We heard a bit about your king, what has he done and what is he like?” Luca said to them,” He’s a terrible man, he killed his own father just to be the king and take control of our lands, he used to be a strong prince who led soldiers into winning victories but that soon changed after an evil coward of a king rivaled against our king and provoked him into a treaty that was unfair to our way of living, luckily our wise king refused to sign it, but once the prince found out that his father gave up power, wealth, and a united kingdom which would have benefited him...the prince...he killed his own father and signed the cowards treaty, so naturally we have to suffer because of what he has done to us and our village.” Guardian responded,” Don’t worry Luca, one day someone will take those terrible kings off their thrones and separate their kingdoms,” Luca said,” Thank you Guardian, We will all be waiting for that day to come.” [Marissa],” Did I interrupt something? No? Good, Alan and Guardian follow me,” The brothers stayed back at the campgrounds while the three left into a small room inside the witch's house, which was filled with lit candles in a circular pattern. [Marissa],” Alan sit in the middle of the candles and meditate, once you fall asleep your adventure in my uncontrollable realm begins, me and Guardian will talk outside, come out once you’re done.” Marissa and Guardian left while Alan sat inside the circle of candles and meditated. Alan said to himself,” Everyone is counting on me to pass, no matter what happens, I’ll succeed. After a few minutes of meditating, Alan began to feel drowsy and fell asleep…….. [Alan] *gasp*. Alan woke up in a puddle of water, in a strange forest, all he heard was the happy chirping of birds but he couldn’t see any animals, all the trees blocked his view. Forced to get up and travel through the giant trees, he wasn’t sure of what he would find to pass his objective, he didn’t know if this realm was a puzzle or a search for living creatures, or perhaps the witch had damned him into a world that would lock him away forever. Alan said to himself out loud,” Where am I heading? I can’t see anything through these thick trees.” The ground begins to shake. [Alan],” What’s happening?!” Alan falls to his knees while trees begin to fall, it opens a path for Alan and shows him a temple, the ground stops shaking for Alan to get up and he realizes the path. [Alan],” What luck, I guess I am going to the right place.” Alan walks through the path that the earthquake opened, he arrives halfway to the temple and sees something in the ground that looks like a footprint, not like a human or an animal, so he shrugs it off and continues. [Voice],” Where do you think you’re going human?” Alan turns around and sees nothing like a human or an animal, it was unexplainable, it looked like an abomination that was forgotten into the void. [Alan],” Wh-Who or what are you?” [Voice],” I am an anomaly to this world, I am the sinner of the temple, I am your judgement, and you will be judged.” [Alan],” What are you talking about? Why will I be judged by a-a beast of the darkness?!” [Judge],” I am to judge your worth, if the temple accepts your presence and gives you its inheritance then you may live and leave this realm.” [Alan],” What if it does not accept me?” [Judge],” Then you die from my hands.” Alan was frightened, it was a life or death situation built on luck. [Alan],”I accept, I will make sure I leave with Its inheritance,” [Judge],” Human, turn around,” Alan turns around, his eyes open wide from fear, the temple is gone and all of the fallen trees are up again. [Alan],” What happened..?” Alan turns around to face his judge but he’s disappeared. [Alan],” Where are you?!” [Judge’s voice],” You have five minutes, once those minutes are gone, I will begin my hunt and I will kill you unless you manage to find the temple and enter it, good luck human.”