After going through 3 attempts in the Test of Mind, I was nearly starting to lose my sanity. I never expected a test like this would be so difficult. Well, the sages in the story were naturally born with their abilities. They didn't suffer though this trial like me so I never actually wrote anything about it. As far as I can tell it got implemented by itself to fill up the gaps in my explanation.
"It seems that you are having trouble comprehending the Sage Force. Say, how about a game of chess? It would calm you down a bit... Perhaps even answer the question you are looking for," grandpa Ben said, teleporting a chessboard on the table with all the pieces placed on their respective spots. The white pieces were on his side while the black pieces were on mine.
"Chess? Yes... Maybe I will recover from the mental fatigue if I do that. Thank you for suggesting that, grandpa Ben. But you never actually had a reason to help me out... From your perspective, I am just a baby throwing a tantrum to get something for myself. Why are you helping me anyways?" I asked, massaging my head with my left hand.
"Think of that as a liability for being a hero... You are right, in the perspective of a normal old man you... you are just a child throwing a tantrum. But in my eyes you are a lost soul searching for a path to walk on. You are someone who cannot change your destiny even after knowing what is about to happen... You are someone who just wants to live a normal life but... To reach that goal you will have to do something that you never wanted to. Son, I may be old but I am not stupid," grandpa Ben answered with his arms folded. He then proceeded to move the knight piece on the left two and a half steps ahead to the left. "But that doesn't mean that I will turn away from you, no! Heroes help people no matter who they are... We don't distinguish them based on who they are. You are just a child... you have a choice, a choice to be what you want to be and I will fully respect it because... I believe that there is a lot of good inside of you. I believe that the Speed Force is not blind, it choose you for a reason. So, what reason do I have to not help a child?"
"..." I couldn't answer him, simply because I couldn't meet his expectations. I just can't... The path that I have decided to walk on is full of surprises, one wrong step and everything would be over. I am sorry but I can't swayed by something like that.
I moved the right most soldier piece and moved it two steps forward without uttering a single word.
Grandpa Ben did the same as he realised that his words didn't have any effect on me.
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Ten rounds later
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After losing ten rounds of chess to grandpa Ben I began to recount my mistakes one by one bringing our game to a halt.
'I was wrong, this kid is more patient than I imagined. I expected him to give up after the fifth round but instead he is recounting his mistakes instead of asking for tips or showing signs of anger. Is it because of the attribute he got after comprehending the Still Force? Maybe he is using it without knowing what it is. It's about time I helped him out...' Grandpa Ben thought. "In-"
"In a game of chess, the main goal is not to kill the king but to capture him, which means it won't matter how many chess pieces you have as long a you capture him," I interrupted him to finish his words, following up by placing my rook in the left line of the king's path blocking his escape. "Checkmate."
"Wow... I certainly didn't expect you to do that. You are a quick learner... However, it's not a checkmate yet. I can kill your rook with my bishop-"
"I have a soldier aligned perfectly with the rook, if I move it forward by a single step I can turn it into a queen. I have already calculated the outcome in my brain over a million times. You can't win this one," I replied.
"You have comprehended the Sage Force?" Grandpa Ben asked, stunned by my answer.
"No, I didn't but now I know what I have to do to comprehend it. Overcoming something doesn't always mean to leave it behind... It can also mean to hold on to it and move forward. To comprehend the Sage Force, I need to cage my fear. I don't have to be fearless... I have to be brave enough to withstand my fear," I explained. "Please help me one last time, grandpa Ben."
"Hah... I was about to anyways." Grandpa Ben snapped his fingers causing me to fall into an illusion once again. 'Freaky child...'
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Inside the nightmare
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As I fell inside the nightmare once again, I found myself in a similar situation, trapped in the same circus with the same clown. However, this time things were different, I was not trying to run away from it but capture it.
The clown could feel it, that fear I had was locked away deep inside of me. I didn't get rid of it... I simply caged it. This time it was the clown who was starting to get scared.
It's clown like laughter was long gone, it was replaced with panting and groaning noises.
Tap tap
As I slowly walked towards it step by step, it kept running away until it couldn't anymore.
Tap tap
It was now crawling on four limbs while panting heavily. The sweat on his forehead had blured it's vision but it still ran out of pure survival instinct.
Tap tap tap
As moments turned into hours in my dream space, the clown looked back to see the face it's been running away from, standing still one metre away from him.
Tap tap
The clown was already at his limit, his clothes soaked in red, his eyes about to pop out and his palms and feet revealing their bones.
Tap tap
At it's last efforts it tried to open his mouth, revealing his shark like teeth and leaping one last time towards me. I effortlessly dodged his bad excuse of an attack while delivering a punch in his face as it fell down on the ground lifelessly.
Splat
I watched as the lifeless body of the clown got dragged away with metal chains that locked it away inside a cage. A cage from a nightmare to lock up another nightmare.