John kept his eyes closed for several seconds, expecting excruciating pain before darkness overtook him, but much to his surprise, the pain never came.
His eyes slowly opened, and he was surprised to find himself back in the Lightning Temple, exactly where he had been when he touched the egg.
"Whaa? What just happened?"
John couldn't make sense of what had happened. One second he was in that hellish world, about to die, and the next second, he was back in the Lightning Temple.
"Congratulations. You are the first and only person to have successfully passed the final trial."
The artifact spirit's voice boomed within the temple, rousing John out of his thoughts.
"Trial? What trial? Just what the hell happened? And what was that nightmarish creature?"
"The last trial was an illusion formation, meant to test the will and true character of the trial taker. Only those with the firmest wills, and unflinching resolves are worthy. Anyone who falters in the face of death, or takes the option of slavery over dignity, are unworthy of this reward."
"Illusion formation?" John interrupted. "How the hell could an illusion formation feel so real?"
Although John had never been in an illusion formation before, he had read about them, and knew they were nothing like the one he had experienced. There was always a way to eventually realize that the illusion was fake, but John did not doubt for a second that what he had experienced was real.
Everything, from the aura of that place, the feel of death lingering in the air, and even the malevolent feeling and overwhelming power emanating from the creature, made John one hundred percent convinced that it was real.
"This illusion formation was created by someone so far above your power you couldn't even begin to imagine. Just know that it was indeed an illusion formation, and you passed the trial within."
John's mind raced as he processed all the new information. After some time, he eventually calmed down.
"Then what was that creature? Was that creature based on something real, or was it fake as well?" he couldn't help but ask.
The voice was silent for a long time before it responded, as if unsure of how to answer.
"I can't reveal too much, but let's just say that if you accept this trials reward, you will eventually find out the truth regarding that creature. That creature has a certain fate with the egg, one that cannot be avoided."
John furrowed his brows at the vague answer from the artifact spirit.
"Every time I ask a question, you give me a completely vague answer that says nothing. Why can't you just tell me the truth?" John yelled out in anger. He had become sick and tired of hearing nothing but vague answers from the voice.
"I am unable to say too much, due to the instructions of my master who created me. These questions involve some of the greatest secrets of this universe. Learning of these secrets invokes karma, and this karma is something you are unable to bear at your current strength. The truth would only get you killed at this point."
John scrunched his face in confusion.
"Karma? Karma is an idea, it's not actually real. How could karma kill me?"
The voice took a while to answer.
"Karma is very much real. And it's far more profound and terrifying than you could ever imagine. Invoking too much karma will only draw disaster to yourself, and without the strength to protect yourself, you will have no choice but to resign yourself to fate."
John wanted to ask more, but he knew from experience that the artifact spirit would tell him nothing further. After calming his rage down, John looked back towards the egg sitting on the pedestal. He reached out and brushed his fingertips on the egg, and was surprised to receive an electric shock.
Despite his tempered lightning body, which had now fully transformed into an initial lightning attribute body, John was still hurt. He quickly retracted his hand.
"What type of egg is this?" John asked the voice.
"You will find out soon enough. Take a drop of your blood and drip it on the egg. The creature within has deemed you as worthy, and is willing to form a companion pact with you."
John had heard of companion pacts before while reading through the trove of books in his clan's library. Companion pacts were blood pacts between two living beings. By agreeing to a companion pact, the souls of the two beings would be forever intertwined. It was one of the two methods that beast tamers used to control their beasts, the other being a slave contract.
With companion pacts, neither party would be in control, but it was instead a lifelong mutual agreement of equal standing. Grown beasts almost never allowed a companion pact to be formed, and so most were formed when the beast was young and its will less independent.
John took out his scythe and used the tip of it to cut open a small wound on his hand. Blood dripped down his hand, and John raised his hand over the egg and let a drop of blood fall on top of it.
The blood drop was slowly absorbed by the egg, and John eventually shielded his eyes from the bright light that began to emanate from it. After several seconds of shining, the egg began to dim and returned to normal once more.
During this process, John felt as though his mind and soul were being linked to something else. As the egg grew brighter, the feeling intensified until his own soul could feel the soul of the creature within the egg.
'How bizarre!'
John had never experienced anything like this before. When the egg finally returned to his normal state, John expected something, but nothing else happened.
"The companion pact process takes quite the toll on the one absorbing the blood. The creature within has retreated into a deep slumber, and will awaken once more in the future." The voice suddenly spoke up, answering his doubts.
John nodded his head in understanding.
"Is that the entire reward, or is there something else?"
The artifact spirit was caught unprepared by John's question.
"Young man, you may not know exactly what this egg is, but let me tell you something. If the powers of this universe were to find out about this egg, they would start wars more apocalyptic than you can imagine to obtain it. Heavenly geniuses have died for the chance of obtaining this item. Count yourself lucky at having not died, let alone obtaining this egg."
John blushed in embarrassment at having asked the question, and felt much better after being berated by the voice. Clearly this reward was something far greater than he could imagine.
"How long until it hatches then?"
Although this reward was amazing, it was useless until the creature inside hatched.
"It depends. The creature inside, as I'm sure you can tell, is a lightning based elemental creature. Having it absorb lightning based things will speed up its growth. The more profound and powerful the lightning source, the better. However, something as simple as regular lightning cannot even be considered as a snack for this creature, so don't insult it by trying"
John nodded his head as his face once again flushed red. He truly did think of trying to place it within a lightning storm, but his hopes had been squashed right away.
'Seems I'll have to be on the lookout for lightning based things from now on.'
John sent his divine sense over the egg, and quickly absorbed it into his soul space. Unlike regular objects, this egg had formed a companion pact with him, and their souls were connected. Because of this, he was able to directly absorb it into his soul space, instead of putting it in his cold and dreary palace realm.
Just as he was about to ask the voice another question, he felt the world around him start to shake violently. Parts of the temple started to collapse, and John felt as if the world was ending.
"What's going on?" John couldn't help but panic.
"This lightning world contains many trials and opportunities, but you happened to stumble on its core inheritance right away. This entire world was created to nurture this egg, and also provide the opportunity for one worthy junior to obtain it. Now that this has been achieved, the core of the word, the egg, is no longer, and the world itself is collapsing. I will send you out."
John nodded his head in understanding.
"Thank you for your help." Although the voice had pissed John off quite a lot, it had helped him as well. Without its warnings and information, John would most likely have died in the trial.
John felt his body grow lighter as a bright aura enveloped him.
"Make sure to take good care of it."
Just as John heard the last line from the artifact spirit, the world collapsed, and he felt himself be transported away.