Rebound In Time

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Mitchell stumbled backward, clutching his head as waves of dizziness hit him. The visions still burned in his mind: the regal yet alien presence of the Purple God, its form radiating a silent power, and the terrifying, chaotic energy of the Crimson Nightmare, its very existence a harbinger of destruction.

Then came the flood. Techniques—complex movements, incantations, and strategies—poured into his brain, as if a dam had broken. They were vivid and detailed, yet completely unfamiliar.

"Mitchell! Snap out of it!" Jack's voice rang in his head, sharp and urgent. It wasn't external—Mitchell could feel the words forming within his own mind, like echoes in an empty chamber.

"I... I don't know what just happened, Jack," Mitchell muttered aloud, his voice trembling. He pressed his hands to his temples. "It's like my head's been cracked open and stuffed with things I've never learned."

"Start from the beginning. What did you see?" Jack's tone was steady but tinged with unease.

Mitchell closed his eyes, steadying his breath. "The Purple God... it was... watching me. Teaching me something. And then the Crimson Nightmare—it felt like it wanted to rip me apart. But it didn't just feel distant—it was personal. Like it knows me."

Jack's voice turned grim. "The Crimson Nightmare... Mitchell, do you understand what that means? If it's aware of you—of us—it could mean that--"

"Wait, Jack." Mitchell's eyes snapped open. "You know about it? About all of this?"

There was a pause, as if Jack were hesitating. "I don't know everything. Just fragments. Memories that aren't fully mine. But the Crimson Nightmare is. . . . "

Mitchell staggered toward a tree and leaned against it for support. "What about the techniques? They're just... in my head now. Fighting styles, spells, things I couldn't even imagine before today. How do I even know they'll work?"

"You're going to have to trust them. They're part of you now, like I am."

Mitchell grimaced. "So, what do I do now?" 

Jack's voice softened, though the concern remained. "No. You learn. Just focus on cultivation for now my friend 

Mitchell looked at his hands, which now tingled faintly with energy he didn't understand. The world around him seemed darker, the air heavier. "Then I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No," Jack replied quietly. "But you're not alone. Remember that."

Mitchell straightened, his resolve hardening. Whatever this new reality was, whatever challenges lay ahead, he would face them head-on. For now, that was all he could do. Besides he could feel them coming since the moment he stepped into the spirit realm.