Omnipresent Watcher: The Eye Of The Multiverse

CH1XIX: Whispers Of Ease

XIX. Whispers Of Ease

Now that Caerus and Heid had finally broken through the oppressive darkness, the atmosphere lightened. They rested by a calm stream, grateful for a brief respite after the chaos. But they both knew this was only a temporary pause. The Collis Fides was far from finished with them.

As they sat in silence, Heid broke the calm. “You know, this place isn’t just full of creatures or tricks. It feels like it’s alive.”

Caerus, still catching his breath, nodded. “Yeah… like it's testing us. Each challenge we face seems tailored, like it's measuring our limits. It's not just throwing random obstacles at us.”

They both looked at the distant peak of the mountain, still far off, shrouded in a faint mist. What could possibly be waiting for them next?

Heid, who had been fiddling with a pebble, tossed it aside and stood up. “Whatever it is, I think it’s going to be more mental than physical. These challenges are wearing us down, forcing us to question ourselves.”

Caerus leaned back on his hands, staring up at the sky. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. We’ve fought monsters, broke through illusions, and even faced the darkness of our own doubts. But it feels like it’s building up to something bigger.”

Heid shot him a sideways glance. “You mean the Tree of Truth?”

Caerus nodded, but his expression grew more serious. “Yeah… but I wonder if it’s really the tree that’s the challenge. What if it’s the truth itself that we’re not prepared for?”

Heid fell silent, pondering Caerus’ words. “You think… we might not like what we find?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Caerus replied softly. “The tree reveals the truth, but not all truths are comforting. Some truths can break us.”

They sat quietly for a moment longer, both considering the weight of what lay ahead. They had already faced battles and illusions, but the deeper they ventured into the Collis Fides, the clearer it became that their greatest challenge would be confronting the truth about Caerus’ destiny—about Caerus Divinus-Celeste.

Suddenly, a faint rumbling echoed in the distance, breaking their moment of peace. The ground beneath them began to tremble lightly, and the waters of the stream rippled unnaturally. They both jumped to their feet, instincts kicking in.

“What now?” Heid muttered, scanning their surroundings.

From the forest surrounding them, a faint but eerie whisper seemed to emerge. The trees themselves began to sway, though there was no wind. The air grew heavy, thick with an ominous presence.

Caerus narrowed his eyes, his celestial senses alert. “Something’s coming. But it’s not like before.”

Just as he spoke, the ground ahead of them split open, revealing a glowing fissure. From within, a strange, ethereal figure began to rise—a creature neither fully material nor entirely spirit. It shimmered with an almost translucent form, and its eyes burned with an ancient, knowing light.

Heid took a step back. “What... is that?”

Caerus tensed, his wings flickering with energy again, ready to defend. “It’s not just any creature. I think... it’s a guardian.”

The figure, floating just above the ground, spoke in a voice that was both hollow and commanding. “You who seek the Tree of Truth… must face the final trial. The truth is not given freely. It is earned.”

Caerus and Heid exchanged a look. This was it—what they had sensed all along. The real challenge wasn’t the monsters or illusions. It was coming face to face with what they feared most.

The guardian continued, “Before you can touch the truth, you must relinquish your defenses. The truth requires vulnerability. Only when you have shed your fears, doubts, and masks will the Tree reveal what you seek.”

Heid clenched his fists. “Relinquish our defenses? That sounds like walking straight into danger.”

Caerus, however, was thinking deeply. “I think that’s the point, Heid. The truth isn’t something you can fight or protect yourself from. You have to be willing to face it fully, without armor.”

The guardian’s eyes flared once more. “Only one of you may approach the tree. The other must wait at the mountain’s base, lest the balance be disrupted.”

This brought a heavy silence between Caerus and Heid. They knew this moment would come, but now that it was here, it felt more daunting than ever.

Caerus, the one meant to uncover the truth, took a deep breath. He turned to Heid. “Well.”

Heid didn’t argue, but his concern was evident. “Just... be careful, okay? The truth can be heavier than anything we’ve faced.”

Caerus smiled, though there was a seriousness behind it. “I know. But I have to know. I have to understand what it means to be Caerus Divinus-Celeste.”

With that, the guardian raised its hand, and the fissure widened, revealing a path that led deeper into the heart of the mountain. The final trial was waiting, and beyond that, the Tree of Truth.

Caerus turned to Heid one last time. “I’ll come back. I promise.”

Heid gave him a firm nod. “I’ll be here.”

And with that, Caerus stepped forward, walking the path that would lead him to the truth—whatever it may be.