The spear struck the ground, ravaging the dirt and rock resulting in ash rising into a thick cloud. Though the spear did not strike true, as it was forcefully altered in its trajectory.
The boy looked back, his face caught in inquisitive curiosity as even he could surmise that something was wrong, and his assumption would be correct.
The boy would then fully turn, as the dust cleared he realised the extent of what had occurred, as did Aaron who unknowingly caused the strange outcome.
“No way. Already? That’s got to be a record.” The boy delightfully assumed, with a shaky excitement hindering his voice. He would turn back to Aaron in a jump, a spark of energy.
“Just two days. Two days!” The boy proudly emphasised.
He looked up into the endless sky with his arms open, and he would periodically chuckle to himself as he turned back to the remarkably living 028.
“Well, it looks like I’ll carry your wish on Aaron.” The boy unexpectedly proclaimed. His arms folded as he turned away from 028 again to Aaron who was utterly dumbfounded.
“Conceptual causation. In such a short amount of time, which means my idea will work out after all!” The boy affirmed with a raising of his voice, and an arm and enclosed fist raised into the air.
The boy's hands curled around his mouth to project his voice further into the distance, “Come out already, we don’t have much time!” The boy loudly voiced past Aaron.
In response a strong sudden movement which could be heard behind Aaron took his attention as well. Out came the beast which had saved Aaron beforehand, 017 walked sluggishly toward the grouping, upon his shoulder was an unsettlingly familiar figure. Dead, wrapped in a familiar black attire, which Aaron had been accustomed to outside of the real world.
“Now it’s not what you think.” The boy quickly assured Aaron. He then walked past where Aaron knelt. “It’s someone else, our good friend we see so often in our dreams is already very much dead, buried, or maybe burned.” The boy revealed with leisurely passing.
His folded arms would convert into a stretch as he walked toward 017. With a passing notice the spear of flame would dissipate into a feeble fading light, before completely disappearing into the charred ground.
017 walked toward Aaron with silent steps that held so much weight, that held so much sound and yet Aaron couldn’t help but freeze in place. 017 would finish his wary walk toward Aaron, with an agonisingly irritating slowness, the predator would finish crouching down toward Aaron’s level.
“Looks like I desire something from you after all.” 017 cleaved the message into Aaron’s mind with no warning.
But his presence alone was enough to make Aaron expect it. The beast would lay his hand upon Aaron’s sternum, and with a vibratory prerequisite, the strange ink-like substance which made up 017’s skin would then spread across Aaron’s body, inflicting an uncomfortably lingering movement as if roots were growing through his body.
Though strangely enough the process would cause little pain, just a constant rhythm of taps which circulated throughout his body. It was then Aaron realised his fingers had been forcefully reconfigured back into place, as if they had suffered through nothing at all.
Similarly the great wound which tore across the side of his abdomen had been sealed with the strange black rubber substance, which also made up a considerable part of his skull.
It was then 017 would forcefully grab Aaron under his arm, with a push forcing Aaron to his feet as 017 too ascended to his complete height, and then he let go of Aaron’s arm with little struggle. The giant’s arm felt as if a thick liquid had coiled around him, it felt like he had drained the heat from his arm.
Aaron began to step back, his heart couldn’t help but continue its sprint, beat after beat. He hadn’t expected the feeling, it was revoltingly intrusive. The uncomfortably silence that followed each one of Aaron’s retreating steps was suddenly broken.
“Hey, hey, as I said we aren’t here to murder you.” The boy told, with his arms mimicking a pushing motion, as the boy then turned to 017 and seemingly whispered something to the inky giant.
“Look, I can prove to you that this isn’t who you think it is.” The boy softly advertised to Aaron. As if beckoning him to come back the boy's hand outstretched with four of his fingers raising up and down.
“How can I trust you? Who even are you?” Aaron questioned, his voice carrying a lingering fear, but also a potent anger underlined his questioning.
“I’d appreciate one question at a time. But, the simple answer to your first is, well, you can’t.” The boy flatly answered. His voice was now carrying little emotion behind his words, then with a roll of his eyes the boy looked again to 017.
“Looks like you were right, name by name basis is a good idea. Even though it gives them the wrong idea.” The boy confirmed, seemingly annoyed to the coal pile which had taken human form.
Then his grey eyes would focus again on Aaron. With his arms now gliding down to his hips the boy let out a sigh from the side of his mouth.
“If you must know, that is 017, or as he has decided to name himself ‘Abel’. Though I don’t know why, he kind of gets murdered.” The boy awkwardly told with a hand gracing the back of his head, though once again Aaron simply didn’t understand.
“You can just call me Seth, but I personally hate the name. Mostly because I didn’t give it to myself.” Seth snarkily complained.
His statement which only drew a raised eyebrow from Aaron. As if to ask another question Aaron’s mouth would open, but before he could, Seth looked back and pointed to the body which lay on Abel’s massive shoulder.
“That is 021, and he’s dead. If anything we did him a favour, and he’s a big part of what’s going to be happening. He’s also the one who will give you the perfect corridor Aaron.” Seth suddenly spouted, a statement which held no explanation.
Seth began to pace around, with his arms folded behind his back and his hands clasped together, “I’m here to make you an offer you can’t refuse.” Seth began, but stopped himself with a snicker under his voice. “With your help we can all get what we want. Retribution. Isolation.” Seth slowly blabbered toward Aaron, words which didn’t grab him as well as he’d expect until, “Truth.” Seth shot with an extreme emphasis.
His head glided to Aaron with an almost devious glee held in his eyes, his mouth now holding the usual sly smile which he had held many times before at this point.
“No strings attached either, unlike that fucking parasite 004. So, what do you say?” Seth questions Aaron, then his hand flew outward as if he had physically battered the question toward Aaron.
“I…” Aaron began.
Suddenly interrupting his answer, all of their attention was caught to a sudden green light launching into the sky, leaving an enchanting pillar rising into the black abyss above.
“Well, that’s our que. Any moment those two groups of imbeciles will collapse on this place, solving their unique little squabble.” Seth casually confirmed, looking toward Abel, and afterward he’d look back toward Aaron. All Aaron could do was nod, a confirmation of his now rushed answer.
“Then let's move. We’re lucky for 078, convincing someone to do anything has never been easier.” Seth slyly remarked, which drew a look filled with suspicious ire from Aaron to him.
“Well then follow along, we’ll talk more later.” Seth concluded, climbing upon Abel’s free shoulder, and then the giant began to leave. Aaron could do nothing more, but follow.
The eye of the sky in all its luminosity was now in full view, with dancing skylights glittering on the black canvas, a lingering uneasiness permeated the surroundings as the unusual grouping continued onward. Aaron couldn’t help but look upward, the sky was calming, almost soothing to the eye, unlike the fraught sight before him which took his ire with each glance.
All that was heard over the heavy footsteps of Abel, and the swaying body of the false dream-boy which dragged against every fleeting brush or branch, was an almost visible mist which dragged across the world around them.
The world had gone cold, or perhaps he himself had after the intensity of the situation which had occurred at the mass grave which was once his prison, in such cold he had to distract himself. His mind couldn’t afford to indulge in the environment again, so to relieve his strain he had decided to use what was ahead as a faucet.
“Who are you?” Aaron warily questioned, directed toward Seth who had been whimsically looking diagonally upward toward the glowing eye in the dark abyss above.
Though the question would cause a sudden tremor in Seth’s position, and he would turn toward Aaron but not completely leaving one of his eyes obscured. No answer would come, leaving the question ancient before a reply finally broke the silence,
“I’m surprised.” Seth sarcastically replied, his eyes holding an arrogant glare to them. “You’re not asking where we’re going, what we’re doing, or how we’re going to do it.” Seth stated with mild irritation, “You continue to ask the same question. Consistently. It’s so boring!” Seth proclaimed.
As he would then arch backward, resulting in him seemingly like he was going to fall off Abel’s shoulder, although stabilised himself with ease. Both of his eyes hung upside down focused on Aaron’s single eye.
“Who are you?” Seth asked in a mocking imitation of Aaron’s tone, and an inaccurate change of voice pitch to hammer home his annoyance.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Curiosity kills, but I also admire it. I can assure you, my good mouse, I will tell you much, I will show you more, then I will give you exactly what you want.” Seth threateningly assured, although Aaron wouldn’t let this answer satisfy nor intimidate him.
“Then when?” Aaron questioned, determined and desperate for a clear conclusion.“You’re stalling, you want to continue stringing me along?”
An anger which had been boiling ever since Seth had so mercilessly attempted to kill 028, though at this point he could be dead. Seth’s mouth would coil for a moment before letting out a breath of visible air, and his eyes would roll to the side for a moment.
“Are you not hurt, little mouse?” Seth happily questioned, “I like it when my mice are nice and healthy, that is one of my policies. I will string you along for as long as you’re injured, and that at this rate will be forever.”
It was a rising realisation to Aaron, that his injuries from the time he’d woken up nearly two days ago had only progressed in an unfavourable direction, to say the least. His head was pounding endlessly, which wasn’t helped by the constant chorus of ringing that occurred in the presence of danger.
His fingertips were not exempt either, despite being moved back into position, they were irritatingly numb, and endlessly twitched particularly when heat would finally reach them. His stomach, which had been horrifically lacerated, was sealed, though it didn’t prevent it from feeling as if blood was seeping further into his body.
“Then where are we going?” Aaron asked, his hand now drifting over the side of his stomach as if it could change anything.
Seth swung himself upward, back properly upon Abel’s shoulder, and would spin himself around to be facing Aaron. Despite the constant movement upon his shoulder, Abel had continued walking without even noticing Seth’s use of his shoulder like some climbing frame.
“I’m so glad you asked!” Seth loudly exclaimed “We’re going on a nice, give or take a few days, journey toward the more rocky parts of this battlefield.”
“Which should give you more than enough time to recover, or not, I don’t have a metric for this stuff.” He said, pointing toward Aaron, and then his finger converted to a thumb pointing at himself. “I will make sure you have a nice time my mouse, and then you will get what you want. Ask all the questions you want, indulge further, entertain me, and annoy Abel as much as possible if you wish.”
It was only a few hours of walking, though Aaron was only feeling the weight of fatigue resting on his shoulders, back, legs, and head the entire way through. The blackened sky still persisted, it was as long as the journey itself, and the environment began to shift.
Aaron only began to notice, but it all seemed too fast to him, the environment seemed to shift itself constantly and far too quickly. It was indistinguishable and unnatural in its feeling, but he knew little better, as a white cage isn’t a good gauge for environmental realism.
To him it seemed that he was either extremely tired, not paying attention, or something else was at play. But it seemed irrelevant to press the issue at the current moment. Until finally Abel suddenly ceased movement, resulting in Aaron crashing into his back. Though his speed was so unremarkable that it hadn’t even flinched the giant, only Aaron suffered from the impact.
“We will stop here for now, I’m tired, and bored of walking.” Seth proclaimed, as he hopped off Abel’s shoulder. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask more questions, is nothing troubling you little mouse? Well, maybe you’re just a bit exhausted?”
They had stopped upon a flat grassy circle, which was surrounded by scarce trees and rocks which seemed almost jagged. It hadn’t rained in previous days it seemed, so it was all dry, and Aaron would make himself comfortable upon the grass by falling backward upon it.
It was then his eye opened again, now greeted by a sudden flame bursting before him upon a pile of wood. He had managed to fall asleep, but not for long as the night was still very much young. The stars still glittered in the sky, and the eye was still in full view in the sky.
The fire was not natural evidently, shining a strange mixture of yellow and brown, at its centre it seemed a solid clump of molten fire had been haphazardly tossed upon the pile of wood and ignited it. Compared to the fire at Kira’s camp, this radiated a strangely intense flame.
“Had a nice nap, little mouse?” Seth semi-sarcastically asked, “Or should I say Aaron, my apologies, I should be kinder to my newest friend.”
Seth was uncomfortably close to his face, to the point where if Aaron had been startled enough to jump outward he would’ve collided with him. Though Seth had quickly jumped backward as a response to Aaron’s awakening, and would remain in a squat nearby.
“Now that I think about it, you’re probably confused.” Seth deviously presumed, “You wouldn’t even know what question to ask for this. Mess, to be properly explained, I believe.”
Aaron brought himself upward, now able to face Seth properly, but he hadn’t failed to notice the giant of black tar standing across from them both, on the other side of the unnatural flame. Aaron’s eye unintentionally drifted toward him, which drew a jutting of Abel’s head toward him.
Aaron expected the creature to lunge toward him, or to outstretch its arm in some hatred, but instead the beast simply stood idly. Until in a sudden crash he fell downward onto his backside, he was waiting for something it seemed.
After the predator fell downward, the fire obscured his vision, though the light seemed to curve around the figure. Aaron would bring his attention back around to Seth, who had managed to make his way even closer, which nearly made Aaron jump.
“Well Aaron, am I right?” Seth confidently asked, “Just ask, and I will give you the rundown little mouse, we all need to be on the same page after all.”
“You just don’t make any sense.” Aaron answered, clearly frustrated. “Someone your age shouldn’t be like this right? You can’t be real.”
“I’m acting exactly my age, the mice scurry, and I play.” Seth quickly replied, “It just broke my heart, you know. Though to be fair I should’ve expected it.”
“Broke your heart?” Aaron questioned.
The fire seemed to flare at Aaron’s question, and it caught his attention for a brief second, only to turn back to an unsettlingly complete view of Seth’s eyes. He seemed to chuckle briefly under his breath, though his face seemed to be forcefully contorted into a more sombre form.
“Oh, you weren’t there. Well you were, but not really.” Seth slowly answered, his head tilting to the left momentarily. “It’s just terrible to realise. My mice are cannibals.”
Aaron’s breath would be halted within his throat, and he seemed to choke on it for a couple of seconds. Though the answer was fairly understandable, it had caught him within a moment of weakness, as he now knew this was the person he had reserved himself to.
“But now the dream team is together!” Seth loudly proclaimed, raising his arms upward. “We can get what we all need now. All I need is your complete cooperation, and I will explain.”
“No. You’re disgusting, the only reason I’m with you is because I have nowhere else to go.” Aaron hurriedly justified.
“Really?” Seth teasingly challenged, waving his finger at Aaron. “Didn’t know the truth was so capable of lying to itself, well I suppose it is the truth. After all, you probably know you just lied.”
Aaron would remain silent, his eye was constantly drifting. He was attempting to rationalise his decision internally, and justify them externally. Yet even he didn’t believe his own mind or words, a fact which was so obvious that even a child could see it. But, that also is false.
“Desperation, maybe? But I have forced you to do nothing, little mouse.” Seth joyfully explained, “Now if you’ll allow me to ramble a bit, before I close my eyes, let me tell you something neat.”
Seth fell from his squat position, and now sat cross legged and swivelled himself toward the fire. He slid across the floor even closer to where Aaron sat, which only made Aaron’s lack of comfort even more evident.
“What? Too close?” Seth casually questioned, “Sorry, sorry, I have little experience with people who aren’t black blobs, or dead.”
Despite his apologies, Seth did not move. His care truly was skin deep it seemed. He spent some time breathing in the fumes of the abhorrent flames before him before turning back to Aaron once more.
“I’ll tell you a story.” Seth happily whispered, “There was a temple, held up by four pillars, and each one was more withered and decrepit than the next. One pillar was built by a bitch. Another, fashioned out of lies. The one after that, was made partly by one which had already collapsed. The last, well, that’s the one that collapsed.”
Seth drifted ever closer to Aaron, it was strangely endearing, though still managed to be increasingly uncomfortable. It was a strange conflict between the curiosity of a child, and the studious eyes of some predator. It was mildly disgusting.
“Can you guess which pillar is which group Aaron? No, you can’t.” Seth quietly elaborated, his head going ever closer to Aaron’s. “The first pillar is Eve’s horses. The second, what was once Caesar’s army. The third is Kira’s little camp. The last, well that one doesn’t matter now. Though despite it having no wings, the angel will still attempt to fly unfortunately.”
“That’s a terrible story.” Aaron accidentally commented.
“Well I never said I was good at telling stories.” Seth happily replied, “After all it’s less of a story and more of an explanation, but I think everything needs a little mystic, don’t you think?”
“I would prefer it if you told me everything in simpler terms.” Aaron nervously explained, “I think that would be the best way.”
“Your preference is irrelevant, besides, this is anything but simple.” Seth gleefully said, “I am one man, or a boy currently, and I only see through my pair of eyes. You will learn more with time.”
Seth would suddenly jump up to his feet, and would look down toward Aaron with a face which could only be described as a combination of confusion and happiness. He then would look over toward the giant which sat on the other side of the false flame.
“Who-” Aaron began.
“Before you ask, know that Caesar is dead, it was certainly a hilarious affair.” Seth suddenly answered. “You know who Kira is, and you will know who Eve is. We’re going to be meeting her soon, though it won’t be a bloodless one.”
“I’m not trying to get myself killed.” Aaron angrily replied, “I don’t want to fight. I’ve never wanted to fight.”
“Then you’re damned to die before you achieve much Aaron.” Seth quickly replied, his eyes seemingly flashing in anger if only for a moment.
“Don’t worry, you don’t need to know how to fight, just how to use your power as a crutch.” Seth joyfully informed, his face contorting back into his sadistic happiness. “Abel can tell you all about that, after all you’ve already witnessed an anchor, not to mention you’re able to-”
The fire suddenly dimmed for a brief moment, condensing into a much thicker mixture of flame and liquid. Seth abruptly cut himself off from saying anything further. His hand quickly went to his mouth as if he had discovered some shocking revelation, and his head shot toward Aaron.
“Wait a second, you haven’t got an external representation do you?” Seth quickly questioned, his eyes sharply focused on Aaron’s singular.
“An external- what?” Aaron replied, perplexed.
The flames burst immediately after Aaron’s comment, completely engulfing the surrounding wood and stone which made up its territory. The fire glowed a magnificent gold, before descending once again into a fierce orange, until finally condensing into a thick brown.
“Oh shit, now that’s very interesting.” Seth excitedly commented, “Well, looks like your work is cut out for you Abel.”
“I don’t understand.” Aaron interrupted, “Everything you just said doesn’t make any sense.”
There would be silence around the fire for an extended period of time, allowing Aaron’s confusion to increase further, causing him to look to both of the individuals with him. It was like there had been an extremely thick veil over his eyes, which turned out to be covered by another.
“I need to go somewhere, but don’t worry I'll be back. Abel will make you food, teach you how to exist, and make sure you don’t die. Besides, you need to get comfortable with him.” Seth sporadically explained, “You guys can go wherever you want, for the next two-ish days. But we will meet back here! Got it? Cool.”
“Wha-” Aaron began.
“If everything goes to plan, we will bump into Eve’s little party and after we dispose of them there will be only him left to stop it.” Seth hurriedly interrupted, “Well I'm off to speak to a parasite, good luck!”
His sudden and quick explanation left Aaron dumbfounded to say the least, and it almost caused him to open his mouth in a combination of horror and amazement. Just as quickly as he spoke, Seth jumped across to the other side of the fire and made his way into the deep shadow of the sky. He was gone. Left before him was the false flame, spitting at him with red dancing lights.