. . . Void. I used to think that the black one from back then was the only void.
But here I am, atop a glistening and bright void, where no dark color are seen anywhere.
I turn to the back of me, and there's some kind of floating mirror, in the form of a modern monitor.
It displays... Nothing. Not a reflection of me, nor going beyond the mirror. It's just... White.
*Whoom*
The surrounding starts to dim the light around us, and they all manifests into a trail that is absorbed by the mirror and somehow, Me. 'Heck's going on?!'
~... - yeah, I'll need some quiet... ~. This voice... It reminds me, of who I used to be : Alan Hassani.
I'm watching him from the sidelines, and I'm kind of proud to say that I'm a bit good-looking, if I say so myself.
He is an above-average built one with buzz cut and eyeglasses, and a dark office attire to accompany the brooding mood, as we are at a place where none best speak to themselves, whatever the cause.
[https://i.imgur.com/TO2WDiE.png]
*Rattling*
The man goes to kneel as he clasps on his hand a pair of charm, a belonging of my former saviour, a soldier serving the country and with it bears a flag of red and white I knew of: Indonesia.
Alan (Past Me): ~... -ey there… it's been quite some time now, has it no- ...?~. His voice isn't all that stable, or rather this side of the monitor is the unstable one.
He goes to look beyond my view, possibly the other that is now six feet under like I am.
Alan (Past Me) : ~... -can't thank you enough for… getting us all out of that plac- ...~. Place that I was glad to be out of? Surely it's not my workplace inside New Zealand, but there's something that happened from my country... Is there a cause concerning the reason why I'm abroad?
[https://i.imgur.com/sDZT6FP.png]
After he gets to show his face not moving the lips, my guess of his thoughts reaching out to me is proven correct.
Alan (Past Me): ~*Sigh*... -I was just finishing my college before being kidnapped by those nasty folks-... ~. Saviour... There was someone, and I used to try and make up by trying to be them, but their identity... I don't remember... Not even their faces.
The guy, that is formerly me, walks around while touching the grave, and in the place where there should be names etched on it... There's no engraving at it from all sides.
Alan (Past Me): ~... -the breaking news about the otherworldly phenomenons- ... -oating mass of land in the middle of the- ... -rmhole in outer space that shows port- ... -tonic activities of Hell's Gat-...~. There was a lot cut off, and I can't think straight because this is happening inside... Well... MY head.
He goes on to rest his body at the spot, heads down while standing.
Alan (Past Me): ~... -lad you're not here to see the terror it brings to all of- ... ~. This one is left for further interpretation, whatever this 'terror' my past self talked about is.
He soon looks behind, and there stands some figures I can't quite grasp the clear image of.
Alan (Past Me) :~… -oing out of this country. The air is filled with uncertainty of wa-... ~. He waves at some figures standing just far away behind him, as if signalling him to speed this up.
[https://i.imgur.com/xIrST4y.png]
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
He dangles the charm, inspecting its texture for any kind of impurity, but it's safe to say that its still sparkling like a fresh golden egg.
Alan (Past Me) :~ -ay you find your own peace, here and there, before and after~. He puts his right hand on top of it, and I - who's standing behind him - somehow felt connected with my chest pounding, and it feels... Warm.
*Ba-dump*
My eyes are disorientated, all is blurry, even when the memory is still playing in front of me.
[https://i.imgur.com/ZBXZjrt.png]
Alan (Past Me) :~And as I pray for both your family and mine to be brought salvation by the Almighty One… ~. The surrounding of my view is lighting up with some glint of blue 'wind' seeping into me.
*Whoosh*
He stands up, and turns to where his accomplices are before glancing at me one final time.
The monitor vanishes away before me like woods turning to cinders, before the view warps around everywhere, and envelopes me to absolute blinding lights.
[Welcome, Possessor of Arlan Gritt, Alan Hassani]
There's a streak of blue lights, similar to the many modern interfaces of Altarhys' technology.
I know what's up, and I ain't liking it so far.
'Who are you?'
[It matters not.
I have come to notice your presence, and let me tell you this:
It won't be easy]
'That I already know, but yeah, little to no reference on what kind of life I'll be living from then on. Father Garvin and Mother Fiona won't give me access to the network 'less they're the ones doing the surfing. The babysitters - Tio and Liyan - is basically told the same by my parents'
[Indeed,if it isn't frustrati-]
'Get to the chase. What's in it for me?'
[. . . An Offering.
But you may know of it as:
System]
I stayed put, just waiting for this 'being' to say out more stuff.
[You know of it, don't you?
Where insignificant bugs like you are given a chance to rise from the bottom to the top with the aids of them]
'I do. What of it?'
[Otherworlders like you are defined to not be able to manifest Mana without some consequences, I'm sure this is the first you heard of it.
The Limiter, basically.
But, it doesn't have to be that way, you know?
What if... You were to obtain... Enlightenment?]
I contemplate on all this, what it'll benefit me... and how it won't.
'I'll be able to take advantage of Mana, won't I?'
[Yes. You can be a Mage, Knight, heck, a Mage Knight, if you were to work on it
And that's not all, You can achieve the most invincible of them all:
GODHOOD]
The second he mentioned the last word, everything inside me juet screams out to not make a Deal with the Devil.
[So, will You abide?
It won't cost you much. Not even a petty penny.
All you need, is to pick YES.]
«YES/NO»
It said that it won't cost me much... Now I remember why I went abroad.
Some online scam, what was supposed to be a resort vacation for my college, almost making the most of my colleagues into a pool of blood for some damned blood sacrifice down underground.
This... All This... I Ain't Too Keen In Knowing All This.
«NO»
[... I apologize, it seems there was a mistake with the display.
Here, try that again, you should be able to see it again]
«YES/NO»
It seems to be confused that I tapped out NO, which isn't encouraged at all. And the You turns to you when he's possibly in a bad attitude.
Good, I just know I did something Good.
«NO»
[. . . I'm sorry, but I fail to understand what the fuck is going wrong at the inside of you]
Going verbal, this is it. The Breaking Point of it's patience.
'What's not to understand? I don't want it, so I don't abide'
[Do you not realize that this is A Chance of A Lifetime?
I won't be able to reach out to you, ever again.
Even when you're in contact alongside your other... KINS
The Blights]
'Yeah, but it's better. Better than with you'
[Aha... It seems you're the blockhead of the century.
No, the whole two worlds, even.
You Don't Get It.
You Ain't SHIT Without ME!
You. Need. ME-]
The screen was punched, giving out somehow physical representation of glasses cracked.
And by none other than yours truly, Arlan Gritt.
I was wondering whether or not the messages will come to a stop when I punch it.
So I did, and it too, did.
Out of the cracks, there's still some pending message to be seen.
It reads :
[https://i.imgur.com/r6bjWFG.png]
[ . . . YOUR CHOICE. . . ]
The whole void seems to turn into a dark blue, and onto a pit black solace.
Nothing to be seen, not even the stars... except for me.
The only thing I'll make out of this world is with what I always own:
My Own Self.
.
.
.
.