Tsszt!
"Uhk."
Alex scoffed as his squinted his eyelids to protect his eyes from the familiar yet still alien light of the window screens that appeared before him.
[Would you like to commence with the final phase of the 1st dream?]
[Yes!] or [No!]
The window. That once presented him with the necessary stairs that he needed to climb on in order to be one step closer. Closer to home. Freedom. And a comfort he couldn't allow himself to harbor here. Not now not ever. Well, at least. Not until he clearly knew that there was a chance that he might to see them again.
But when looked at the screen... he stretched his hand towards it and his finger towards the 'yes' icon. But...
"Ffffff."
He let out a soft yet deep breathe from his nose. What was it now? Uncertainty? Fear? Desperation that was stopped in it tracks by fear?
No, it was something else. Something he never knew thar he bore in him ever since ge stepped foot into this place. This place... that one that gave him strength, warmth, satisfaction, energy... and all other good things and yet...
"Haaaaah."
Beep, tsszt!
He didn't want it all. Because it confused him. His thoughts. His heart. His mind. And his body. He didn't want to feel all these complex emotions,but...
Tsszt!
[Master Alex(Autax) has accepted for the commencing of the final phase of the first dream.]
[Final confirmation is required....]
[<<□>>]
'Hm?'
He couldn't help but whole heartedly accept what his mind to him refuse. And what was this new emotion? That his mind and body both constructedly refused and yet...
His heart and blood welcomed without permission.
This feeling... common to many. Teenagers who've most actually feel this more than they should... and yet... instead of being ready for it in their youths... preparing for it... and learning how to deal with it. They often turn a blind eye to it.
And it was...
"Huh? What's this? Final confirmation required...."
"Uhhh guys? What's with the box?"
[In order for you to commence to the final phase, you'll need to put your palm of any hand on the box on the screen.]
[We'd like to call it our 'insurance'.]
Alex's eyes squinted as he examined the orbs profusely. And his examination ended as soon as it had started due to the fact that he was trying to read the face expressions of faceless objects amd yet...
That emotion.
"Mch!"
It hit him again. A bit harder... and faster this time too.
"Well, c-can you at least explain why I have to weird stuff? I mean I already pressed yes like I did the other times before.... so why now?"
[....] [....] [....]
The orbs remained silent as they faced Akex. Their master... or their father... or their owner... or even... their creator?
For this was a mystery that he would only be able to solve as he went deeper into this dream. This deep, deep and unfathomable dream.
[Well, Master Alex. Once again, we will apologise and kindly remind you that this kind of information is restricted.]
"Restricted...then why... why call me Master if the Master cannot know what his creations know and ge does not?"
Alex said. Not with fury nor frustration which both soubd the same but soeak and feel different. Rather, he spoke with control and... dominance if one might call it that.
His eyes were empty and so was his gaze. His breathes controlled as he stood up straight with his hands resting in the pockets of his partially bloodied pants.
It seemed as if... he was actually trying to assert dominion over the orbs. Was he wrong? Or was he mad? But how could he?
For he was lost child. In a lost dream. In a lost place. In a pathless darkness that was seemingly... a path itself in the making. And besides, for he was a child who deemed a master by talking objects that answered most of his thoughts with accuracy.
Yet they refused to share their complete knowledge of what ge didn't. For this was like a child cutting themselves out of the bits of a story they told their parents for the sake of bonding with them.
But... if were going to be real here? Was that really case or... was he too blinded by curiosity that he forgot that...
"Hmmm?"
There were others ways to get the kinds of info he needed.
And so he looked back up at the orbs and asked, "Why can't I know right now?"
[Because you are not yet at the level to.]
"Why would my level occur to the need of such information that could help me grow and maybe even advance even further in this journey?"
[Because it would be irrelevant.]
"How?"
[...When the information you wished to acquire is above your need of it. It will hinder your required and expected progression into this journey?]
"Why would it hinder my... progression?"
[Because... when one's knowledge of something is greater than judgement of that thing, their confidence can simply blind the true wisdom hidden behind it.]
"But what if... I judged after I got the-"
[No, master Alex. You are smart. Truly you are.]
"..."
[But... the state your in now... can barely allow to do so?]
"And who said it had to?"
[Your heart... your mind... and your body... they are in conflict with each other.]
Alex flinched and his eyes shot open slightly as fast as he flinched.
[You... must know it to... Master Alex.]
The orbs mentioned their unified systematic voice sounding more human than an Ai's could ever be.
And after a long... soft yet sickening silence.
[And even you know... as you experience it even know. That is one of the many reasons that you will never be able to receive the information you want now... yet need later.]
"Then... is there a time... when I'll... be able to achieve it."
"You know... a state when I'll be able to receive the information I want instead of need at the time..."
[...Master Alex...]
"Yes."
He said as he gazed upon the orbs with desperation.
[We see what your trying to do. And that is why we have truly deemed you smart or cunning as you might call it, but... no.]
[That decision... will be up to you.]
He eyes fell as fast as he clenched his hands from the inside of his pants' pockets.
'Dammit! Is this date trying to toy with me? Me?'
'How.... dare it?! How dare something as less trivial as breathing try to toy with me?! Some who's thoughts and choices have proven it's authority weak!'
He wanted to scream. To rage. To destroy. To leave. To cry. To fall and rest. But yet...
His gaze softened. His furrowed face relaxed and let out a sigh. It was laced with an emotion... one that made him calm and pity rather calm and accept.
He stretched his hand out towards the box icon. And just as his palm was about an inch away...
"Uhhh."
A soft exhausted groan escaped his throat and mouth. As veins grew from the corners of his eyes.
The memories...
"Uhhh."
The pain.
"Huhhh."
The endurance.
"Guhhh."
The fear.
"Hooh."
The worries and wonders.
"Uhhhh."
The uncertainties and experiences.
"Haaah."
All flooding back into his mind like an actual flood. The flood he held against long ago. The flood he ignored when the orbs came back for him. The flooded that disappeared when he was reassured that everything was okay. But was everything really okay?
Could he handle it?
"Huh?" He gasps.
Could they be... right? About him. His condition. About his being fighting with different parts of itself?
[But despite all that Master Alex.]
The orbs said as Alex's head snapped towards them.
[You will make it. Why? Its simple really. You are the 'son' of the one who bends the will of ■■■■■ and ■■■■■■■.]
[Sorry the last parts couldn't be-]
Wuuup!
BOOOOO!
The orbs were interrupted by the a thunderous humming and gentle bursting sound as seemingly millions of tiny lights exploded into the sky and all around them.
Kkrrr!
A rusty forced movement echoed.
The atmosphere brightened and so did the its flow.
Kkrrrk!
As the sound echoed once more.
The millions of tiny lights expanded just by a bit as strings stretched out of their bodies and attached themselves to one another. Like heat spread in a metal uniformly yet rapidly at the same time the strings binded and binded and binded and binded and binded until their continuous stretching and attachments could no longer be seen by Alex.
Akex who stood and watch this unfold. Not amazement nor curiosity of what was to happen next. But with clarity.
A strong clarity that he failed to find as he faced issues with his other emotions during this whole journey.
"Its okay... guys."
Kkrrrk!
Kerry, krk, krkkk!
The statues that once hid their faces from Alex now bowed theor whole heads and bodies as they faced him complete submission.
Alex did not what this meant? Were the statues alive? Or was it the orbs that did this? Or could be recognition?
Recognition that it was not the time to accept their master's presence, but rather his ascension.
Wuuuuu!
The orbs above him hummed harmoniously and unified with a steady raise in their pitch.
Shing, shing, shing, shing.
The tiny spherical orbs of light jingle as if they were prasing something... an event of the sort. But what was this event?
And soon after.
Tsszt!
The window disappeared.
Swuuuu!
Another hum blared into the air as the physical embodiments of the statues began to glow and ecstatically evaporate.
Ecstatic. Was this the feeling that he felt? That he fought to refuse byt heart mad blood accepted?
No.
Wuuuuu!
Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!
The humming and the shingling intensified like a gigantic weapon energising with relentless progress.
Everything began to blur.
Was it lights? Yes.
"Hm hm hm."
As well as everything began to deafen all around the environment.
WuuuU!
Shing! SHING! Shing! SHING!
WuuUUU!
SHING, SHING, SHING, Shing!
WuUUUU!
And the intensity of everything was rising and rising... but it never really bothered Alex nor did it really occur to him in a way that he could really bothered to even pay attention to.
His attention. Though hazed and blurred. Was solely focused on the orbs.
He couldn't really see them and then...
"Huh?"
He felt it. His body... was lightening. His weight was reducing faster than he could think. And right there and then he saud, "Guys!"
"I really didn't give you proper names... did I?"
He said as his eyes weld up with tears. But they did not fall. For the heavy. Large. And yet... they never fell despite the environment he was in. Could it be because of the condition of his body?
No, it was simply because he willed it. And with will he said, "So I'm gonna give you guys proper meaning to your names...."
"Obsidia, your name shall mean the fall of night. You shall embody the shadow of the right wing who protect and brings prosperity to cities and nations."
"Willow, your name shall mean the word of triumph. You shall embody the mouth of the true perfect being.Who will spread the good news and bring hope to fated and bring courage to the dead to stand up against death itself."
"Pyxlus...., your name shall mean the fog child of cold war. Who will fight and defeat titans and nightmares alike. You shall embody the silvery shadow of the left wing that will lead against wars that could as well last eons and end them in mere days."
"And as one, you shall all know as three heavenly embodiments."
He said finally as the tears finally fell from his eyes as his body wavered and transparefied slowly by slowly and in that instant.
He realised that the feeling he felt... was a longing. A deep and exotic one.
That he tried not to define, but...
"Hahhhh."
Simply let be.
"See you guys.... on the other side."
And with that he fully faded into nothing as his body dematerialised into nothing but mere lights that scattered like fire flies on a heavenly night.
And with that...
Swuuuuuu!
The journey, no, the dream.
No. His dream. His real dream was finally beginning as he finally rested at last.
"AAAAHHHAAAAAH!"
END OF 1ST ARC- THE FIRST DREAM