Checking the lake in reality

Adrian finally reached the familiar lake, a place he had visited countless times during those 23 years in the dream.

Stopping by the bank, Adrian noticed that the sound of another set of footsteps also ceased. Turning to the side, he saw the heels standing beside him, providing some comfort.

Despite the adrenaline rush, Adrian wasn't foolish enough to venture through the forest alone. He didn't want to risk getting killed by some random passing monster.

What used to be a lake was now just a crater—a deep black pit whose depth Adrian couldn't see from up above.

"Should we go in to see?"

Turning towards the heels, Adrian asked, hoping to gauge if it knew anything, considering it was the heels that had brought him to that tree in the first place.

The heels remained motionless for some time, suggesting to Adrian that the decision was now up to him.

Adrian hesitated to touch the heels, wary of the various relics out there, some with the ability to curse through mere contact.

Although the heels didn't appear to be of a harmful nature, just like a rose can cause pain without intending to, Adrian wanted to exercise caution.

Standing there, Adrian wasn't sure what he should do.

Adrian found himself torn between the desire to plunge into the shadows and check if the door was still there, and the hesitation that held him back.

Adrian was haunted by memories of the mysterious occurrences beyond that door, and the insatiable curiosity within him urged him to explore its secrets further.

Vyrtalis, also being coreless, had transformed into something unimaginable through that door, and Adrian could only glimpse his life up to his own present age.

'What bigger things did he achieve after that?'

This thought couldn't help but take root in his mind, as the mystery of what he had learned after that remained unsolved for him.

He wanted to know.

Adrian yearned for the knowledge concealed behind that door; its allure was simply irresistible.

Born with striking similarities, they diverged onto separate life paths.

'He couldn't have remained unknown like that or perhaps he died before making his mark on the annals of history?'

The allure of such knowledge was enticing, but Adrian couldn't shake the rational realization that someone possessing such profound insights wouldn't stay hidden.

'I wouldn't call myself a history enthusiast but I have read my share of books and there is no mention of someone with that name.'

Adrian took a deep breath and decided to dive into the shadows to explore the depths of the crater and uncover the truth that lay beneath.

As Adrian descended into the depths of the crater, the air grew colder and the surroundings darker. The walls of the crater seemed to close in on him as he moved further down.

The descent felt both familiar and unsettling, reminiscent of the dream that he had spent 23 years in.

As he continued his descent, the sense of déjà vu intensified, and Adrian wondered if he would find the same door that had led him to that place.

The uncertainty of what lay ahead fueled a mix of anxiety and curiosity within him, pushing him to venture deeper into the shadows.

Adrian, scrutinizing his surroundings, was increasingly convinced of the reality of the situation. However, the definitive proof he sought rested in the confirmation of that elusive door from his dreams.

Descending into the crater, Adrian found himself compelled to revisit the spot where Vyrtalis had left the rock containing the key in his dream.

The rock was a relic, and so was the key.

Relics made by a coreless human.

A human through and through.

Adrian found himself questioning the boundary between reality and the dream, feeling almost as if he were the one who had crafted those relics during his extended sojourn in the dream.

But he was sober enough to say that it was surely a dream.

'Still, where did She send me? What's the point of sending me here?' Adrian pondered the reason why the Mother gaze had sent him here.

First, she turned him into a shadow. Then, without asking, she guided him to visit the temple, a journey seemingly dictated by fate rather than his own choices.

He was put in such places that he had no other choice but to visit the temple.

He discovered a shard there, but unlike other relics that usually conveyed information about themselves and their capabilities upon touch, this particular shard remained silent, providing no insights. Yet it was now linked to his core.

And then there were the heels, emerging seemingly out of nowhere, guiding him to the tree that unfolded mysteries beyond his wildest imagination.

'All the knowledge that I possess now is something that I can use to earn money.' 

Adrian couldn't help but chuckle to himself. If he wanted to navigate this situation successfully, he had to find a way to make it out alive.

Standing in front of the rock, Adrian hesitated for a moment. The rock seemed ordinary, but it held a significance that echoed through the dreams he had experienced.

The rock stood steadfast, an unmistakable presence that Adrian couldn't overlook. It retained it's place as an unchanging constant in his life throughout the years.

The prospect of exploring that place in his physical form sent Adrian's heart racing, the anticipation building within him.

Adrian inspected the rock, his heart pounding audibly in the quiet surroundings, echoing the excitement and trepidation building up within him.

'So I'm supposed to send my aura into it? Will it work though?'

The aura enveloped the rock, and Adrian's anticipation grew as he awaited any sign of response from the object that held the key to his dream.

'Kachaw'

A sound of opening was heard that almost stopped Adrian's heart. 

As he parted the rock, a wave of disappointment engulfed him upon finding nothing within.

The key that once resided here was now conspicuously absent; the intricately crafted creation, fashioned by Vyrtalis himself, was no longer nestled within the rock.

'I believe I may have set my expectations too high. Surely, he wouldn't have left such a key here for someone else, would he?'