CHAPTER 2: BORN FROM DARKNESS

“Hello! HELLO! Anybody here?”

Nothing, only silence answered me, endless silence and darkness which was enveloping me like a cloak. I was slowly going forward, but there was nothing I could recognize here.

“Where am I? How did I get here? I don’t remember.” I thought as I tried to remember what happened to me.

Then suddenly I could feel a presence. It appeared suddenly as if it came to existence right at that exact moment. I don’t know how, I just knew it was there, somewhere in front of me.

“There is something, I can feel it.” I quietly reassured myself as I carefully approached the strong presence I could feel. I slowly went after it. A minute passed, then two. But it felt weird, like eternity. Every second was long as day, every minute as week. Then at one point I recognized a shape before me, a large shadow, darker than darkness around. I stopped not really sure what I should do.

“Come closer, little one. I won’t harm you.” Large shadow spoke to me and its calm, deep voice filled the dark void around.

I don’t know why but I believed it. As I approached, I could slowly recognize a shape. Then I finally realized: “You are the dragon.” I stared at majestic creature in pure amazement and awe.

The dragon was huge. I tried to look at its whole body but it wasn’t possible. Creature before me was simply too humongous. It was darker than black. The only thing I could see clearly were the dragon’s crimson red eyes, which intensely observed me.

“No, I was in the past, but not anymore.” The dragon said with deep sorrow in its voice. “Now I’m just a shadow, a fragment of what I once was, the last piece. Even if my body is long dead, my soul can’t die. It isn’t allowed to die.” As dragon spoke the white chains appeared over its whole body. They started to emit the white light so strong, it was blinding.

“What is that? What’s happening?” I asked the dragon as I tried to hastily shield myself from the intense light.

“My prison, but don’t worry little one, it won’t harm you.”

“Who did this to you? Can I help you somehow?”

“HAHAHAHAHA” Dragon started laughing, sounding more mad than sane. “An unborn soul is asking if it can help me. HAHAHAHAHA”

“Unborn? But I remember…” I paused as I realized I can’t remember clearly. “Hmm, it’s all foggy but I definitely remember being alive. I remember feeling pain and then… AH I don’t know.” I shouted nervously, clutching my head.

“Strange.” Dragon said thoughtfully. “I can feel that you aren’t lying to me. But souls shouldn’t be able to remember their previous life, especially the souls of lesser creatures.  But maybe…, yes, that may be a possibility…” Dragon thought loudly to himself, fascinated by this small miracle.

“What happened to me? Do you know something?” I asked, already frightened from answer.

Dragon stayed silent for a minute as it studied me very closely.

“If I’m guessing correctly then something must have happened to you in your world. That something must have brought part of your soul here. Hmm, interesting.”

“What does that mean?” I asked now more confused than frightened.

Dragon, speaking in half riddles, was not really helping me.

“It means that you are either very lucky or very unlucky. It means that you will stand before a difficult choice in your future.”

As I heard the dragon spoke, I became even more confused. Dragon could see it as it said: “Don’t worry about it now, it’s pointless.”

“But what should I do? I don’t remember who I am, or what happened to me.”

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“That’s an easy one. Just go and live your life anew. Create a new path for yourself. Then, after some time, everything should come back to you and after that you will have to choose. The real question here is: Will you be ready for that choice?”

Then silence returned as dragon observed me again. He could see I was carefully thinking about everything he said to me.

“I started to like you little one.” Dragon said abruptly, more relaxed now. “You asked if you can help me, so I have a proposition for you.”

“I’m listening.” I said much more calmly now.

“Soon you will leave this place. You probably won’t remember me. I don’t know where you will go from here and what you will have to do. It will be very difficult but try and find me again. When you do, kill me, so I can be finally freed from this endless nothingness. If you manage to succeed I will grant you all of my remaining power. It’s only a fragment of what it used to be, but it is still enough for you to live as a god. What do you say little one, do we have a deal?”

“Yes.” A straight, clear answer came from me. Even I don’t know why I didn’t hesitate with it. But I know it’s the right answer, I feel it with all my being.

“HAHAHA, you answered without hesitation. I seriously like your resolve, so before your departing let me give you a present.” As dragon spoke the white chains around its body started to emit that strange, bright light again. Black mist started to rise from dragon’s body and with great effort seep through the chains. Then, slowly, a small part of black mist broke free from dragon’s body and quickly flew to me. I could feel as I was enveloped in it and my body happily absorbed it. As this happened, chains around the dragon furiously zapped with white lightning.

“Now you must leave little one. My guardian surely felt part of my power escaping the prison. If he finds you here he will destroy you without hesitation.” Dragon spoke hurriedly.

“Please wait! At least tell me where should I start looking for you?” I asked in panic as my body started to disappear.

“Your new power will guide you little one, just listen to its whispers. It’s the only thing that won’t betray you.”

“Name, at least tell me your name.” I shouted desperately as my body disappeared almost completely now.

“Tenebris, the Shadow God of Orbis.”

That was the last thing I heard before I definitely vanished.

*  *  *

*CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP*

Quick steps could be heard in an empty hallway as Sarah hurriedly walked through a hospital. It was early in the morning and in this hour, night still dominated the world. She came as quickly as she could after she received a worrisome phone call from her mother. At first she wondered what her mother wanted so early in the morning but when she told her that Tom, her younger brother, is in the hospital she immediately hurried over there.

“How is he?” Sarah asked visibly worried as soon as she found her father standing before closed door in the hallway.

“I don’t really know. Doctors are still with him right now.” Peter answered her nervously waiting for any news about his son.

“Where is mom?” Sarah wanted to know as she couldn’t see her mother anywhere.

“She is with little Elisa. When she accidentally spotted Tom while we waited for an ambulance she started crying and cried herself to sleep.” Peter explained in hurry.

“Dad what happened? Mom didn’t have a chance to tell me anything only that Tom is in hospitalized.” Sarah asked as she stared at closed door.

“I don’t really know myself.” Peter said. “When I came back from you, I put Elisa to sleep and wanted to speak with him. But before I had a chance I heard him shouting. When I came to look he lost consciousness in that RW machine. He was burned and wasn’t breathing.”

“It’s my fault. I should have bought a new machine for him, not just leave him with my old one.” Sarah was starting to blame herself with tears shoving in her eyes.

“That’s stupid. Then you would have been in his place now probably. It’s the machine and machines tend to broke at some point, so stop blaming yourself.” Peter told to her, trying to ease her guilt. “Don’t worry, your brother is strong, so everything will be ok.”

As he said it doors to Tom’s room opened and nurse peaked out.

“Are you his family?” She asked politely and after they nodded she called them inside. “Doctor wants to speak to you so please come inside.”

As they stepped in they could see Tom lying on the bed. Except for bandages over his burns, everything looked as if he was just sleeping. Doctor was patiently waiting for them beside the bed.

“Are you Mr Triman?”

“Yes. It’s my pleasure doctor. This is my oldest daughter Sarah.” Peter quickly introduced Sarah, still nervous about whole situation.

“Ok, so I can speak before her?” Doctor reassured himself with Peter’s quick nod. “So Mr Triman, good news is that Tom’s life isn’t in danger for now. The small burns he received are not a big problem and they should heal with little time without leaving any visible scars. We also checked his body quickly and for now we didn’t find any visible problem.” After doctor’s reassuring words Peter and Sarah felt calmer. “The bigger problem is that he is in coma and he isn’t reacting to us. We don’t know when he will wake up. There is high possibility that the electric shock he received somehow damaged his brain. As we are not entirely sure about extent of damage we will know more once we run some tests.”

“But he will wake up eventually, right doctor?” Peter asked hopingly.

“As I told you before there is a possibility that his brain is damaged. In these cases I can’t really make any promises to you. We must do some examinations, otherwise I can only speculate.”

“I don’t care doctor. Please tell me your honest opinion.” Peter demanded, worried over Tom.

Doctor sighted as he continued: “It’s possible that he can wake up tomorrow, a week from now, or a few years. I really can’t make an estimate and I don’t want to give you some empty promises.” Doctor explained as he told them honestly. “Now if you will excuse me.”

“Thank you, doctor.” Peter said as he watched him leave the room.

Both, Sarah and Peter, were standing there silently as they watched Tom. They didn’t know what to do, or what to say. At one side they were both relieved that his life wasn’t in danger and on other they were worried about doctor’s words.