9. Red Light

**

Before he knew it, the sun had set beyond the window and risen again. Day and night, day and night, day and night. Until now, the time Tarmin had experienced had been sequential, absolute, and unchanging. But facing death, Tarmin had finally become divorced from time.

Alchin had said he passed the trial.

‘The blessing of the trial’ had, until then, meant little more to Tarmin than that he had grown a little stronger and sturdier, or that his senses had sharpened.

Reviving lands dying of plague, burning forests that killed humans, and lifting ancient curses—all of that was the Hero’s role.

And through some coincidence or miracle, that incredible power had been bestowed upon a foolish hunter from a small city.

Had it all been the will of some great being, from accepting Elenora’s commission to leaving the city and reaching the Labyrinth of Trials? He couldn’t know.

Before the cosmic cycle, he was infinitely small, foolish, and powerless. But with an infinite amount of time to think, he finally managed to recall memories of the past.

When Enya—or the great heroes and kings who came before her—performed miracles, they had all seen the same sight he was seeing now.

And now, ‘I’ had received some great miracle I had no right to receive. If so, the miracle had come to the wrong person...