Thread: The Distant Lands -- Ascension

Preface -- This is the final entry in the series, and I see no possibility or need for further focus. There has yet to be a single comment on any of the stories so you can still take the honor of being first. Leave any comments/suggestions below.
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February 14th, 2011

My dream begins,

There was no true land in this last dream. I snapped into consciousness while standing in the middle of a large platform, floating in the middle of an ocean of the black tar that had once afflicted me. Blobs of tar slowly floated upward around me, as though this world was unstable. Only when I dug my claw-like toes into the ground did I feel that this last pinnacle was a large tree trunk, remaining valiant in a dead world. The gauntlet on my hand shook in this broken reality, pushing my movements into the center of the circle. I was mesmerized by singularity that opened in the sky; it was as though the galaxy overlooked this single stage, as though it was the turning point in history. The sounds of deathly wails could be heard from the wall of tar in front of me. A single black claw ripped open the barriers, followed by the creature itself.

From the blackness of the void came a creature: my doppelganger; it was a manifestation of my transgressions. Its color was that of the darkest black hue, with neon green eyes that tracked my movements. On its chest appeared symbols, each being foreign to me, yet it they spoke to me in my mind: Superbia. Smoke and shadows fell off the beast, coating the ground near it. There was silence, as the stars and heavens watched upon a final battle.

The beast dug its heel into the ground before making a rush towards me. I watched as it leaped straight toward me. My body froze as the attacker swung a crushing blow against me. My gauntlet absorbed a portion of the hit but I was knocked away harshly. The creature rushed once more towards me, grabbing at my throat; I responded with a kick to the chest and a concise stomp into the gut. There was no effect against the monster, as its aura had granted it immunity to my rage.

I recoiled in shock and it grabbed me by the leg and tore the flesh with its claws. I yelped, but my scream was interrupted when I was slung halfway across the platform. The world collapsed in around me as the demon marched forward. I could only attempt to shield myself with the bracer as its slashes ruptured my body. It finally was able to seize my throat, as inevitability broke my defenses. The creature’s cold stare caused the world around me to darken as its garrote tightened; numbness once again entered my body. The twilight encroached ever so slowly around me, but I felt a new force drive me.

The gauntlet I wore on my hand transmuted to gold, changing shape to fit around the majority of my arm; its power surged through me like a hurricane. I bashed the creature away from me, but my energy was already fading. On my knees, I made a last glance at the inscription; it had faded. In its place, a socket formed… a socket that matched the shape of the gems I had protected. I yanked the quartz from my mane and stuck it into the socket, gripping hard in some last hope that it would grant me strength. A faint gray cloud formed around the glove, as it bestowed upon me the energy for an aggressive assault. I turned to my nemesis, ready to take my stand.

I sprinted forward and slid under the enemies reach. After passing by the creature, I flipped as to dig my feet into the earth. The kinetic energy transferred to my moving arm, as my fist crashed into the demon’s spine. The impact shattered the gem inside, freezing the world around me as it formed into a new illusion. I could detect that I was again in the streets that so coldly taken Hope’s life. The Mannequin, which sat in the center of the pavement, was once again pointing to me, multiplying at every blink. I looked upon the army of faceless ghouls. It was in their blankness that I could identify their motive: the condemnation of the mind – the cult of materialism. Hundreds and hundreds of ragdolls pointed at the exception, the unit outside of the cell.

I watched them surround me slowly, as they had once did to Hope; forcing out accusations from their silence. I swung wildly at one in order to end the insanity, but where one would fall, two would regenerate. This was no test of strength. I gathered my thoughts and desperately searched for my target. Time was wearing thin, as they slowly crowded around me, nearly sealing the paths of escape. In the middle of the crowd of figured I spotted my mark, the second exception. It was a mannequin, similar to all the others, except for one small detail; its forehead bore a mark—a gold star. I threw my paws up and pointed to this one single doll, even through the torrent of surrounding indictments.

The figures turned, staring at one of their own kind. Soon, I was clean of their antagonism; the condemnation was turned. Uproar ensued, as hands were being pointed in each direction, and with each new target, new differences were being created in their wake. The cell was like a bubble that had grown to be too large; it was unstable and prone to deformation. The ever-multiplying masses were becoming undone, becoming increasingly aggressive and forceful. The flash of light that came was similar to that of a nuclear explosion, rendering me blind for a solid ten seconds. The illusion began to fade, and I was returned to the frozen impact of my gauntlet into the beast.

Time resumed as normal, and the demon was slammed forward with the force of ten thousand earthquakes. I jumped back, removing the second gem from my mane – the sapphire. Mip had sacrificed herself in order to protect us, and the gem was bursting with the energy of a rampaging ocean. The gem slid into the gauntlet, which jolted with new power. The beast was still recuperating, shaking itself off from the devastating blow it had just received. The black shell that protected it was beginning to fade; it was squirming.

The next rush was enraged, aimed straight into my enemy’s rib cage, where a black pearl sat affixed in its dark heart. I could tell it was learning from its mistakes, as it attempted to leap into the air. I yet had enough to time to follow suit, so I pounded off the ground to meet it midair. My gauntlet cracked into its chest, creating the next illusion – the bane of Mip. It was time to bring honor to Mip’s sacrifice.

A foundry materialized around me; large ceiling lights illuminated the gray building. I was inside of the collapsing tower that ended my friend’s life, and as if on cue, the glass of the room shattered. Puddles coagulated into the arachnid horrors, bending lights through their pristine, delicate bodies. Swarms began to arise, as they slowly proceeded towards their prey. They were beautiful creatures, but it was in their beauty— their frailty— that they forged ruin. They were the incarnation of the superficial, decimating inspiration with denial and contempt. This realization brought me to understand the weakness of it all.

I sprinted to my right, leaping as high as possible. The lights which hung by the ceiling were just in reach of my claws, suspending me in midair as I hung by their cables. One fell slice separated the current, causing both the light and me to plummet downward. I grabbed the falling metal and used it as a weight to align my feet with the ground. The immediate shockwave of metal slammed into the walls of the room, bringing forth a sonic boom that rattled me as I landed. The spiders, not slowed by the massive crash, now ventured into the darkness. Their translucent eyes grew red in the darkness, telling me their location. True as it may be that I was nearly blind, it was a battle that was now even. My crimson claws produced a red glow in the desperation, I was preparing for either a painful end, or perhaps a decisive victory.

As the beasts crawled closer and closer, I could hear whispers in the wind. They were faint at first, but they soon gained in volume. The spiders were chattering out evil, cold and remorseless, attempting to discourage me. The statement that “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me” was quickly debunked. Their little phrases were small in comparison to the pain I would feel if my plan were to fail, but their continuance would soon disrupt my focus. I jolted forward and impaled one between the eyes; it was not of glass anymore, but of simple chitin. I continued to break them down, bit by bit, piece by piece, until I was alone in a room of lifeless pests. The frenzy was soon calmed, as I felt a glimmer of satisfaction. Mip was avenged.

The world faded once more, bringing me back to the second of impact with the doppelganger. The force crashed into its barrier, propelling it into the sludge from whence it came. I did not think I would be done, as the tar churned at each moment, slowly being unveiled by the creature. I removed the last gem from my mane—Valor’s gift. The diamond was pristine, even through the many years of anguish. I slapped it into the socket, preparing for the final assault. Seconds passed with no movement from the abyss.

The world grew quiet, as though it had been soothed by the pain of this malevolence fiend. My ear twitched, as a disturbance came from behind me. I turned to greet the attack with full force, but a shadow rushed into me. The creature had impaled me with a single claw, staring at me as my body went into shock. I was numb once more; the wind was knocked from my lungs. I fell to my knees, watching as the demon prepared for a final execution. As world slowed down, I went deaf to all but the sound of my own racing heart. In this silence, came a push. The gauntlet buzzed with the essence of Valor, of heroism. My battered, bloody body pumped with adrenaline; I was not going to let myself fall now.

I threw my open arm to grab the demon’s lifted arm, surprising it with my second wind. It flinched, giving me a second to throw it backwards. It shuffled back, still bewildered by the new strength. My plated claw came upward, slamming the beast in the lower jaw; its neck whipped backwards just before the last illusion formed.

I stood alone in a grassy field, seeing the gauntlet lying before me on the ground. As I approached, the earth shook and tore open. A pile of obsidian shards grew from the ground, lifting the gauntlet high into the air. The column grew outwards, forcing me to step back in order to avoid being lifted. When the earth calmed, an immense hill of black rock stood before me. I walked before the mountain now stood, placing my claw into the stones. A shocking pain reverberated through my body, becoming unbearable to maintain. I yanked my hand out of the solid torture. It was not simple stone; it was corruption in a physical form—a parasite that always has a body to afflict. As it passes from one body to another, the failures of the last empowering the next holder. The mountain of failure before me makes direct action impossible; climbing would lead to certain death. There is only one solution to such a manifestation of wickedness: solidity— truth.

The work was slow, but I was generating momentum. The chamber grew larger and larger with each slash. The cavern was now complete; a large central body with a single column supporting the world above it. The race to the exit would consume my remaining energy. I took my breath, and prayed to god that I may see the light of the day once more. The column of sediment collapsed instantly, and the world above was sinking in. my feet spent far more time in the air than on the ground, as the limitless shards fell behind me. The air became warmer, and the light was coming into visibility. The exit was not twelve feet in front of me when the obsidian fell in. I collided with the rock; its force blistered my nerves as I burst into the daytime sun.

I crawled through the grass for a second, shaking off the impact of the rock. The gauntlet now lay on the open ground once more, beckoning at me to claim it. My body slowly regained its strength, but it was broken badly to say the least. I struggled to limp forward as the bracer sat in a patch of grass. Its reclaim melted the fields and sky, the black tar soon took its place. The beast was still feeling the shake of the uppercut when time resumed. Its barrier was broken— its body was wounded. When it returned to its feet, I dreaded my weakness. My eyes were then opened to the final truth.

I lifted my arm to my ribcage—the final piece to the puzzle that haunted my dreams. I ripped the ruby out of its socket; the earth cracked under our feet, while the winds tore at my skin. The red jewel slid into the gauntlet, producing the red flames that once erupted from my claws. It was the accumulation of all gifts—the human spirit. I limped towards the stunned demon. Its eyes were emotionless and cold; its presence was fading with the world around us. I was not three feet in front of it when my knee had given in to exhaustion. I picked myself up, but I was afraid I would not have any life left in me to spare.

I pulled my arm back, focusing all of my remaining will into my final strike. My claws stabbed into the pearl in the center of the beast; the pearl and ruby exploded with a force that knocked us away. The abomination staggered back, attempting to hold onto its unstable body. The ruby dust that filled the skies latched onto the beasts pelt, driving the demon backwards. A column of crimson fire erupted around it as the shrieking demon collapsed— razed by the conflagration. The world began to quake rampantly as the trunk was beginning to fall apart in the volatility. All around me, the tar that had once risen to the black skies now pulsated at with the beats of my struggling heart. I fell to my knees—releasing a scream of feral rage, purging the torments that had scarred such a beautiful world; I passed out on the dissipating platform. The world was engulfed by the void.




Conclusion…

The leaves comforted my body like a pillow. Autumn was on its way and the colors sprung out like fallen stars. I found myself outside of the forest cave, once again in a human body. I sat up to regain my thoughts, but as I rubbed my eyes, I felt the touch of a soft paw on my shoulder. I turned to find the trio staring down at me. Mip pulled me up from the ground; her coat had returned to its bright blue color. She giggled.

They walked me to the cave entrance, keeping close. There was little conversation, as there was nothing to say. When we arrived, I turned to say goodbye to my allies; they just smiled, as though they had finally reached peace. As I removed the gauntlet to return to Valor, the trio disappeared. The gauntlet fell apart in my hands; I felt the haze descend over my mind and began to relax. I turned to the last gateway, staring into the infinite solitude. Although this would be the last time I would see this new world, I was at ease. There was no place for a human in this beautiful new dawn. I took my last stride into the dark cave air…

The world of sleep had welcomed me back into open arms…