| Tachigami |
08-31-2012 06:04 PM |
Zane sat on the edge of the hole and lowered himself in, trusting that there wouldn't be a drop more than ten feet below him. In fact, it was less than that, and the suddenness of the jolt sent a shock of pain up his legs. Stifling a growl of pain, he stepped forward, keeping his hands and arms out in front of him and dragging his left foot to make sure yet another drop or slick spot that would send him forward and down again. Yet for some reason he trusted that there wouldn't be another trap. Though the image of a deep pit, complete with long, rusted spikes at the bottom, filled Zane's mind, and he paused, shuddering. The pain of the previous encounter with such a pit, though the spikes weren't real, felt all too fresh in his mind. The pain was definitely real.
As he stopped, gathering what little bravery he had left, a light flashed to life in front of him. It filled the space, revealing gray stone walls that mirrored the ceiling and floor, as if the place were built into the side of a mountain. The source of the light died down and as Zane could focus on it a bit better, he saw the outline of a human, perhaps a woman, with pale white robes that caught the light and reflected it as if they were made of a liquid mirror. Her hair was pale golden blonde, falling past her sharply pointed face, her lips red, and her eyes very pale blue. "Zane." Her light voice seemed to echo eerily in the narrow corridor. "You don't have to go on. You can stay with me, and I can take you away from this place." She opened her arms, draped with silvery strands of silk. "I can give you your old life back, or I can give you anything you like."
Zane moved his tongue, which felt heavy and dry in his mouth. "A-are you the... the one I've been hearing?"
"No." The woman shook her head lightly. "But now, you don't have to meet him. He's caused you pain, fear, and he's taken away your entire life."
The voice spoke on a breeze flowing past the woman: "My tests set you free. Your previous life was riddled with pain, flowing with tears and blood. Do you want that back?"
Zane shook his head, but kept his eyes glued to the woman. Her face grew dark for a moment. "You must come with me." She said, almost sternly. "You have no choice in the matter."
"You do have a choice." The male voice hissed. "You've had a choice the entire time. However, your own fears of pain, the dark, the unknown, placed in your head every illusion you've seen. The stone statues in the garden were the omens of your past willing to bring you back to the abusive, painful life I've allowed you to leave behind."
Zane shook his head hard. This woman had suddenly appeared, when he was so close to figuring out who had brought him here, as if she'd followed him the entire time. But she never gave any direction like the other voice had. She was like a vulture, ready to swoop in easily for what little doubt was left in Zane's mind. "I can't do it. I won't go with you." He said, glaring at the woman. "I don't want anything you have to offer!"
His sure tone sent the woman reeling. The light emanating from her flickered, and in a moment, she screeched, the light growing to a blinding degree and flashing again, forcing Zane's eyes closed and arms up to protect them. It faded, allowing Zane to see what was left. The remnants of the woman's light clung to the air, and gave light to the rest of his way. As he squinted, he could see what looked like a door very slightly open quite a ways down the hall. He moved forward, quicker this time, almost at a slight jog.
"Run." The voice passed him, like a breeze, and for a moment, Zane halted, looking behind him. The corridor had become black, as if a living shadow were pressing toward him. A high-pitched squeal pierced the otherwise hush, and a familiar sound, like millions of insects crawling, hit his ears. The darkness was moving toward him quickly, like some massive living thing. His breath caught as he looked on it, and saw a strangely female head begin to peel away from the center. Without quite realizing it, Zane's feet began moving as quickly as they could, flying over the slightly uneven floor. He didn't look back even as loud, earth-shattering bangs shuddered the corridor. Panting noticeably, he lunged for the open door, forcing it inward as he flew into a round room.
The door slammed shut as quickly as Zane entered, and as he struggled to catch his breath and remain standing, he became eerily aware of the form in the center of the room. He looked up. The room was a complete circle, with wooden floors and walls tall windows lining here and there, showing a blackness outside that seemed to go on forever. Not much else was in the room other than what looked like a round table, and on it, every location Zane had been to made out in a small model.
The owner of the voice was tall and thin, elegant in various ways. As he moved, it was as though he were gliding. His hair was extremely long, resembling raven feathers, his eyes so dark one would assume they were black, but they flashed in the lights of various littered candles. His clothes almost resembled that of the woman Zane had left behind, long robes flowing as he walked, but this time, black and dark purple. They dragged the floor and seemed to move out of his way when he took a step. His pale face was softly angled, his hands long and carefully made, as if he were a statue someone had worked on for years. He moved forward, stopping in front of Zane and putting his hands on his face. "You're mine, now." He said, in a voice low and soft that resembled the tone of the disembodied one that seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Zane wasn't afraid for what felt like the first time in quite a while. He smiled, and went forward, putting his arms around the owner of the voice. He was only somewhat surprised when the voice returned the gesture and tightened his grip. "You'll never be alone again." He said, in a tone so reassuring Zane felt tears run down his face. When he looked over to the windows, he saw them brighten somewhat, and for the first time could see a real sky, painted with violet and navy blue, and swatches of pink and red, signaling sunrise.
|