I stared across from me to find a mirror image looking back. We were surrounding by a pitch black void, if you could even call it we.
Just me and my mysterious doppelganger.
He suddenly smiled at me and I have to admit, it was unnerving, but I didn't let it show. I may not be some genius but I know better then to show weakness in completely unfamiliar territory.
The silence continued and that continuance bred uncomfortableness, so I felt obliged to say at least, something. "Hi, my name is Vanitas Valentine, an aspiring ascender. What's your name, what do you do, and why do you look like me?"
It responded shaking its matching monocle, "Name foretell? You said it yourself, didn't you? My name should be obvious when utilizing the corresponding clues."
"You mean to say your name is also Vanitas Valentine?" I asked puzzledly
He made an gesture I attributed to confirmation.
"As for why I look like you, I believe you already possess such an answer."
"The Ascension Ritual!" I exclaimed in eureka
He smiled gently at me again, although this time is was too gentle, his eyes shined too deep, almost to the point of mockery.
I should have caught onto that hint and normally I would have, but I was just so excited about actually being in my ascension ritual that I failed to notice his ever so abnormal expressions.
I mean the ascension ritual, My Ascension Ritual! It's actually happening! The gateway to the arcana, to the divine. My gateway to my arcana, my gateway to my divine! I couldn't believe it even though I felt like it was always going to happen.
Although I know that every ascender's ascension ritual is unique, most times there are general guidelines, such as a somewhat clear objective from the start and instructions that can be discerned about how to accomplish said objective. The clues for the instructions can be found in either the people around you or the environment around you.
Which is why I consider my current predictment strange. Since I'm in a void and all, with only a version of myself to discern my instructions from. Since a physical material analysis of my objective isn't working for I should try to figure out what this all means in a symbolic sense, but I've never been particularly good at that kind of analysis.
Amidst my thinking I realized that his expression was gradually becoming relaxed, in an almost hypnotic fashion. In the next moment his gaze snapped back to reality as he began to talk, "Don't fret about it, this isn't the main area the ritual will take place."
He knows what I'm thinking! Mind reading? "What! Who are you?" I stammered like an idiot.
"I believe we already went over my name. My purpose in this ritual on the other hand, is to be the seeker of your ascension, a guide of sorts."
"Oh, so your my guide." I said happily, finally getting a clue to my objective here.
"We should probably get going. Although I suppose it doesn't matter that much, after all this type of ascension ritual happens completely in an instant." He got up and started walking so I followed.
We continued wading in the silent abyss for an immeasurable amount of time, since I don't think time can be measured here.
After what I felt was an extremely long time I spoke up, "Are we there yet?"
"No." He replied curtly, with a hint of surprising anger at my wording.
"Then, how much longer will it be?" I comprised
"Listen, if I told you how much longer it would take and if you counted every single second of the time I gave you we would not reach the site by the time you finished counting, yet both of us would be factually correct in every feasible way. That's just how distance works here."
"Oh, so quantum spatial tunneling is on a XY quarter vector here?" I pretended to understand
He then gave me a dubious look, like I was some sort of fraud.
"Suit yourself." He said monotonally
At this point we've been traveling for so long that I'm starting to question if the point we're traveling to even exists, or if…that's it! Of course, it was so obvious! The traveling is the objective!
In a void of absolute nothingness find an objective!
The objective in this case is the very concept of a goal. The ritual's trick is that if I just follow the guide we'll never reach it.
It was hinted to all along, the guide says that time doesn't exist here, as in the ritual all happens in a single moment. Therefore, simply waiting is not nearly enough to actually reach the goal.
But then what to do? I need to find an objective in nothingness. No, not nothingness, I have a guide. Maybe I need to trick him into revealing key information.
"Hey um, guide?" I asked
"That's not my name." He responded
"Alright, Vanitas. The place we're going, it doesn't exist, does it." I questioned
"No, it's real. As real as things here are anyway." He said
A clue! Things here aren't real in the normal sense. So could it be said that this place is similiar to a dream or mindscape? If I imagine the ritual's objective, will it then exist? Both this ritual's environment and my imagination are things which aren't real, so in this false reality created by the ritual, both should be able to exist in one another.
I clenched my fists and closed my eyes, "MHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" I was trying to imagine.
"What are you doing?" the other vanitas asked slightly humorously
"Imagining the objective of this ritual so that I can get out of here." I told him
"And why do you think that simply imagining it will be enough?"
"Oh, that's because this place isn't real and my imagination also isn't real, therefore in a place that isn't real my imagination should become real."
He laughed as his expression turned lively "Cool concept, which meth lab did you cook it up in? I do somewhat admire leaps of logic like that. I just never expect people to be so goddamn stupid. Aww, don't make that face, that was a compliment, I assure you. I inherently dislike your kind of people, since you people possess a unique kind of natural stupidity that makes it hard to predict your actions, or your thoughts for that matter, so as much as I dislike idiots, I do hold a hint of admiration for them. Moreover, I aim to enlighten you. Your idea will never work because it seems that you misunderstood an important detail, this place may be apart from reality but that description is not the same as being not real."
I was flabbergasted, did he just insult me? I was being nice and courteous and he just insulted me for no definable reason. I must admit, that shit pissed me off. What the fuck's his problem! What did I say for him to drop his detached attitude and immediately become a condescending asshole. I took a deep breath, fine then, I'll drop the anger for a second and think, he is the guide so his every action has a concrete purpose.
He's annoying, but he first said something about a 'meth lab' whatever that is. Then he started insulting me, which just makes me mad to even think about, to the point of making me want to punch his smug face in. Then finally, he said that I misunderstood something, I believe his last quote is the thing worth paying attention to and I believe I understand what he was saying, that this place isn't real, yet it is more real then my imagination, hence why my plan won't work, which I can fully understand.
I mean, I've met people way smarter then this egotistical bozo that wouldn't dare call me an idiot, since they respect their own advice that much. Respect, something a smug asshole like him won't be able to understand.
"No you haven't." the mean vanitas said
"Haven't what!" I spoke without thinking
"Met anyone smarter then me."
"And how the fuck do you know that." I said defensibly
And no joking this time, but can he actually read my mind?
"That's simple, they don't exist and no, I can't read something that doesn't exist."
I was at the edge of my allowed curtesy, "Ok, what the fuck is your problem! I haven't done anything to warrant your insults! Your mocking is completely and utterly unprovoked! All I've been is nice and kind to you and what do you do? Not only did you take my name but you also forced me to walk in an abyss for an incalculable amount of time, constantly shot down my theories with purely destructive criticism, went on villainous monologues on how I'm just some moron whose intelligence deserves only your pity, THEN you go talking about some 'erm..Achuselly, that's factsully incorrect, erm…they don't aschully exist.' LIKE SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
He started laughing, laughing, LAUGHING!
At this point, I'd lost it.
"Fuck you laughing at bitchass!"
"I'm sorry, your outburst caught me a little unprepared. You should take pride in that. After all, catching me unprepared even by such an insignificant margin," He stopped walking and turned around, fiddling with his monocle as he smiled ear-to-ear, "Is deserving of praise."
We stopped, we actually stopped. I am actually getting through this rage inducing ascension ritual. My anger subsided that moment, being replaced with accomplishment.
"I see it in your eyes." He said, "Why have we stopped? You're right on your deduction, we've finally reached it. The objective." He put his hands up in the air and grinned maliciously down at me even though we were the same height.
It finally clicked, the objective was right in front of me the entire time, this vanitas is the monster to by slain.