(4 years ago, Earth)
The sun began to peek above the horizon as Isaac was finishing his daily laps around the yard.
The air was cool but not too chilly for the early fall season.
The leaves had turned into their sweet colored variants.
The sound of crunching beneath Isaac's feet was satisfying as he completed his final lap around his family's large plot of land.
Standing at a modest height of 6'2, he had hit a sudden growth spurt after his 15th birthday in the spring.
He gulped down a prepared water bottle and approached a shed near the main property of their farmhouse.
Inside the shabby shed was all the luxurious, premium equipment that he had received from sponsors.
Rummaging through the horde, he grabbed a saber and cleaned off the muck that had grimed up the blade.
For the next 30 minutes, he practiced and honed his skills. Similar to shadow boxing, he imagined an opponent in front of him to battle.
Exactly at the 30-minute mark, he stopped.
Two weeks ago, he had been invited to a conference to spar with other world-class fencers, and, much to his dismay, he had out skilled all of his opponents easily.
Even though no gold medal was on the line, he was able to easily outmaneuver and command the entire tempo of the match.
At the young age of 12, he had already proved himself to be world-class, but now, as he grew more developed and had more time to improve, he had surpassed his competition.
Isaac frowned at the notion.
Three years ago in Rio de Janeiro, he had barely scraped the gold medal in the épée category.
It was challenging but incredibly rewarding for the young boy.
To now lose the prospect of a challenge was disheartening.
But even then, he didn't mind too much, because, unlike his previous Olympic performance, it wouldn't only be his grandpa watching from the crowd.
Thanks to the reward money from earning a gold medal and the countless sponsors he had secured, the Miracle family had enough money for all to go to the Olympics.
After finishing his daily workout, he entered back into the main house to the sound of nothing.
For a moment, he grew worried before realizing that today was the day the new workers were coming to help around the farm.
He had specifically asked his grandparents to rest easy today, as it was the start of their retirement.
After taking a quick shower, he decided to surprise his grandparents with breakfast.
He began frying eggs and bacon in a pan while mixing flour, milk, baking powder, and the rest to make some pancake batter.
This specific breakfast was something his grandma had prepared for him for many years. It was his comfort food, the taste of home.
It was only after months of begging her for the recipe that she eventually relented and shared the secret with him.
He hadn't learned all of his grandma's recipes, but he felt that with enough persistence, she would eventually spill.
As he walked toward their room, he noticed the picture they had framed after he returned with the eight gold medals.
He smiled before knocking on their door.
There was no response.
***
(Foggy Area, Present)
Isaac was dazed, confused, but above all else afraid.
All around him was a gray fog that limited his vision to only what was directly in front of him.
He wondered if he had been transported to a world of Eldritch gods and pathways, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
He remained on guard, wary of anything that might enter from beyond his sight.
Paranoia drove him as the instant the fog stirred, he snapped into motion delivering a sluggish roundhouse kick on instinct.
Muscle memory carried the motion, but his neglected body betrayed the ghost of his former self
He felt a solid connection, he was certain that he had struck not the back of someone's head but rather an arm.
"You're slow. Why are you so slow?" someone asked.
Emerging from the fog stood a calm youth with black hair and eyes.
He stood at a height of 6'2", only two inches shorter than Isaac.
His smooth, light brown skin caused him to stand out against the gray fog around him.
Isaac was directly staring at his younger self, more specifically one who hadn't experienced the death of his grandparents.
He looked at his own reflection in the young man's eyes. They were only a few years apart, yet they were so different.
He was much paler; his body was stiff and unathletic. His sharp features had softened from years of lazing around.
Just as the current Isaac stared at his past self, the other did the same.
He was disappointed in his future self, but he felt more sadness than anything else.
There had to have been something in the future that broke his future self, and clearly, he was still suffering from it.
Isaac's past self opened his arms for a hug. He didn't know if it would help, but he knew better than anyone what a good hug could do.
Isaac accepted the embrace.
He smiled bitterly at the fact that his past self was actually more mature than he was now.
"I don't know what happened, but I know we'll be able to handle it," Past Isaac comforted.
As he pulled away from the hug, the fire burning brightly in his past self's eyes sparked a small ember in his own.
The figure of his past self began to dissipate as the fog around him began to clear.
His past self gave only a cheeky smile before fully disappearing.
As the fog cleared completely, Isaac found himself in the middle of a large grassy pasture, sparsely filled with other people.
"Congratulations on having defeated your heart demons, young cultivators," a voice boomed."
"As many of you have noticed, your cultivation base has regressed to nothing. That is no mistake."
"To put it simply, the technique you practice is inadequate . Instead, you will rebuild your foundations from the ground up."
"This pocket realm will be your home. Scattered throughout it you will find hidden tomes, buried elixirs, and even more hidden trials to help perfect your body."
"To advance to the next stage, find and defeat the puppet at the center of the world."
"You have five years at your disposal. Should you fail to complete the challenge within the time frame you will return to your home world."
"I wish you luck, young cultivators." The voice dissipated.
The trial had begun, but one thing left him puzzled.
Wasn't this a small sect consisting of only ten or so members?
Why was he inside a secret realm created by an Immortal?