Laying there in a yet known place the winds whiplash the dust of the ground into his nose against his lungs. This same dirt has coated his lower body which has been in the same position for what looked like days, not unlike an unfinished cocoon in the slow process of consuming its vessel. However this process remains unfinished as consciousness struck into his body like a bolt of lightning, reverberating internally to the tips of his fingers, regaining control of his body he lays there. Ocean is awake.
"Hkkk!!" Ocean, now awake, wishes he could revert time as hunger, thirst, pain and all the limits of the living stab his now aware body into an uncontrollable fit of suffering as both body and mind desperately try to adapt. "..." Still laying there gazing at the dark endless void of the ceiling roughly four metres above him in wherever he has ended up, he now adapted to his surroundings but not circumstances Ocean reviews his memories.
…It's dark… A cave? So it actually did happen, but rather I have no idea how or how I got here… The floor is damp and there is sand everywhere, or at least I think it's sand. It really is too dark to distinguish. I would say I knew this would happen all along but I had my suspicions, all the others in the orphanage including mum disappeared one by one, day by day. You know when I think about it, it's rather odd it happened in specific intervals with an intake of people, this would mean rather obviously someone or something did this with mal intent…
Unmoving Ocean's thoughts echo throughout his mind in an attempt to piece together a subtable answer, satisfied for now he lifts his aching upper body manoeuvring his stiff spine into a sitting position to scout his immediate surroundings. At all angles was the similar sight
of cold overpowering darkness, the lack of light lit a sense of insecurity under Ocean as he stared into the abyss now fully comprehending the uncertainty of the situation, as if his brain had only now just fully turned on. Like the battery of a phone but only he had only just hit a percent that allowed it to turn on, working but one hundred percent seemingly an eternity away.
"Hhurrgkk" trying to voice his impressions immediately backfires as his unused vocal chords strains, and the taste of luke-warm metallic blood fills his mouth invading his senses, as the crunchy texture of sand grinds against his teeth.
Ah. I might be in danger.
Apprehension now prominent, Ocean shakily failed to stand as he hunched against the freezing interior of the pitch colour-less space he is in, colour-less as black would be too bright of a word to describe what he could not see. Maybe due to his tired eyes he could not see correctly as he trotted along with the previous strain in his body now non-existent. With the process of walking feeling foreign each step in irregular intervals reassured him it was no dream, as the sensation of foot to ground acted as evidence if the now gone pain wasn't enough.
But seriously… I normally would be in pain still from something like this but I feel good… actually better then normal. Anyway… this seems to be underground ancient ruins, at least I think from the indents I feel on the tips of my fingers, they follow a recurring pattern and have the consistency of some sort of language.
Normally people would be freaking out right about now, completely secluded from life and possibly in danger in a foreign land. Speaking of land, how big is thi-!!
A light. Evil and hard. Blood red.
It was a glow, nothing so foreboding should occupy space with the concept of light. Light suggested hope and positivity. This fired a disgustingly creepy level of hollow animosity paired with a feeling of observation.
Watching. Gazing.
A floating eye in the far distance of the now blood tinged structure did two things to the mind of Ocean. It first allowed him to see a still unclear but more refined view of his surroundings, with him noting the mossy stone-like material that enveloped the interior. It would be a mental tug of war for the average person if they preferred darkness, of light with the presence of the eye.
The second thing was the reason that all things now visible in the environment was rendered completely irrelevant. It was watching and Ocean immediately deduced this.
For the first time since he woke up Ocean's mind tasted an extract of the feeling of pure danger in the form of the unknown.
What… is that? Was it here from the beginning?... Did it send me here?
Okay. I am extremely used to the feeling of being watched, as in my upbringing the distinguishing between predator and prey was essential for prosperity. To outline the weak and strong, danger and safety, human and animals. However, the orb ahead I can confirm with all my soul felt like neither… but this presence did not feel completely foreign. One thing was certain, it did not feel like it belonged in this world.
"Cough… Did you send me here?, if you did were you the reason behind the orphanages disappearanc-!!"
It was still as if scrutinising me.
Until it wasn't. Moving out of view as Ocean stood in a trance. The world felt like it was moving again.
It's leaving… no it wants me to follow, is it trying to show me something. Normally I would choose the smart option and ignore, but something about that… Anyway, just what was that, some sort of preternatural being, are these ruins haunted or something?
As if hypnotised by curiosity, Ocean traversed along the monochrome rough ground in the direction of the glow was previously in. with each crunch of the rocks under foot he could feel in his soul he was getting closer to something.
The further he went on the intricate ruin, the groundwork was replaced with vegetation, as he approached an unnatural grass cave, as if not supposed to be here. Levitating in front about ten metres ahead and two metres ahead the cave was the orb.
Radiating a now obvious evil Ocean was stunned in place. His mind, body, soul and mental processes halted in petrification, like a mental aftertaste confusion took its grasp as he looked on. The light expanded, consuming the innards of the cave in an intensely thick crazed feeling, blinding his sight he could now see nothing, his eyes were violated by light as each ray felt like prickling needles that pierced through the pupil. Closing his eyes he remained a statue on guard.
"Arrghh!!!" What is it doing? Attacking? An ambush maybe? Was I foolish enough to fall into a trap. Was this disappearing situation all one big way to attack the orphanage one by one? But why like this? Surely attacking a simple orphanage if you are capable of this would be easy, although we are not dealing with people, so the way of attacking would be non-standar-!!
Noticing the light gone closed eyelids and lack of activity through he opened to see…
Himself? His light greyish falling hair that had a tinge of blue dishevelled, standing directly opposite him in a natural stance in his grey robe and dark grey pants. what a vibrant individual. Ocean on second examination realised that the him that wasn't him was floating, no he was indeed standing but on what looked like a reflection, a naturally occurring version of himself. But nothing about this was natural, looking around he felt no breeze as he stood on what could only be interpreted as a salt flat, mimicking all that stood above it creating an appealing view, like a sickening case of imposter syndrome.
I am no longer in the cave where the hell I am? It teleported me again? It's night… no breeze. The real question is why am I in front of me? After he thought these words in his head a serious feeling of caution flowed through his body like the blood pumping through his veins as he checked his own body. Looking into his reflection and touching his body he found he was himself.
"Hey… what did you do? You are the light, right?"
"..."
Slowly its eyes opened to display the void, blackness much darker than any cave, a world without light was shown. Ocean once again was still, however this only lasted an instant quickly adapting to this recurring sense of shock, he looked on unwavering.
"Yes, I am the light that lead you here"
"!!" It can speak and understand me, so it is now able to speak with my body. So It couldn't communicate before.
"Yes, before I couldn't interact. You must possess a strong character and will to live, normally I cannot appear in front of the living."
It read my thoughts.. "... so you… took my appearance to converse, If you wanted to attack you would've already. You are obviously not human, are you the reason for me being here, and the orphanage?"
"Yes, I am not a human like you, I do not know what I am nor does anyone actually, including you. I have no involvement with your situation, to me you simply appeared here. Is it fate?"
Simply? Fate? So it wasn't involved?... "Wait, where are we right now? How do I get out"
"You are trapped, the moment you approached me, me and you synchronised. The only way out is through mutual agreement"
Well, this is not good… I am trapped apparently, is it lying… no why would it.
"What if I kill myself, could I escape?"
"... That would not work, your being would be forever trapped in this realm"
So it's inevitable then… fate, the word annoys me for some illogical reason, or no reason at all.
"Fine… what do I do then?"
"That's it, acceptance is all that was needed"
In that instant in its reflection held a figure or beast its lack of colour made it impossible to distinguish. Devilish, dangerous and heart-stoppingly terrifying; The morphing beast loomed over him with malition.
Reality warped whilst it also struck into Ocean like a blade through the head.
I am now in danger.
"Wait, what did we just even agree to!!"
The reflection in the salt flat reverberated as the fabric of space and time bent and twisted, fusing with the ambiguous being ahead, consuming all. Sound was distorted into a ripping screech that clawed one's psyche. Ocean was overwhelmed immediately as the world sped toward him like a tsunami, and then all was gone.
In a world of nothing, no brain to think existed a conscious, maybe? Or at least I think so, where am I now? No body or sight… actually I can't feel anything, can I call myself "I" if I can't feel myself? What did that thing do to me… I know I am still alive… I am not dead.
I am not dead.
Move.
Like his body manifested, or he manifested reality he could tell he was standing in the same position as before. Luke-warm dry winds smothered his body.
Power.
He had always been a powerful individual but this feeling was so powerful it made all other feelings of physical satisfaction of power seem fake. He thought this as he opened his eyes.
To view what could be described as an endless dead world.
What the hell… has happened?
Growing up in an orphanage I've always been inside the accompanied stigma of being alone to a degree, not physically but mentally, spiritually so to speak. Actually, it's more how I grew up than where I grew up. Anyway, due to this factor I had time to think, think to myself about a lot of things, almost everything, like conversing. I eventually thought about this status of being they put me in. "lonely" or rather "alone", see the two are very different, the former suggests sadness, whilst the latter implies indifference, at least to me.
From my thinking I found that considering all knowledge that is known is built upon language, a human construct, does this entail there is no absolute truth that is not fabricated in the slightest? As language is just sound given meaning by humans who are not omniscient to escape the unknown. Inturn there is no true right or wrong, just what is morally correct based on experience, then if nothing can be truly perceived as right or wrong then negativity as a concept perhaps blurred the lines of meta-physics, and is solely based on the feelings of an individual that is living being threatened. However inversely positivity also does not truly and consistently exist in the same form in the minds of all, as that same feeling felt from being threatened may be comfort to another.
This concept, relationship and my thoughts on the matter have been raised since I could remember the voice of my internal thoughts became just as strong as my own. You could call me facetious as the negativity of being alone doesn't affect me greatly, I mean it's a little disheartening but I know I can still meet others.
I thought that was the case.
But this view and ending world, dead.
An endless desert at his feet and beyond was now not just in front of Ocean but everywhere. Sand that looked like ocean waves mimicked the might of mountains, what seemed to be the horizon merged with the rest of the far off sand. The murky, dark, golden, thick clouds blocked the sky like a door to heaven.
Clouds… in a desert?
It would be a case of putting the clues together, but the biggest helper rather than the dreamlike previous events in the ruins, and the insane weather constantly lashing his eyes and dirtying his clothing, it was a new feeling.
Power.
Ocean was no stranger to power. He was if anything not weak. Living the way he does he's seen warriors and creatures alike harness power to fight, but nothing he has seen has been out of reach to him, all seemed do-able. But this feeling of power felt like it filled him so much it was leaking out his soul. Overloading his brain with new information and senses that kicked him into hypersensitivity to his surroundings.
I am no fool, I know the orb… no that creature has something to do with this feeling of power, I would go back but it seems there is no "back" as all is sand.
His thoughts were interrupted by a small vibration in that ground that soon morphed into a small quake.
A jolt bounced through his brain, no... his mind.
He turned his head up so fast Ocean heard his neck make a cracking noise. Like stomping on a branch.
The clouds lit up, as a highlighted yellow colour shone through like a message from God.
Something is coming.
This message was screamed by his sub-conscious until it forced his body to move.
His eyes registered seven spears of light miscellaneous in position but violent in nature. They looked about the size of a small cloud, unnaturally big. As the suspicion of some sort of attack was quickly confirmed as the closest beam honed in on its target below almost amiably.
Ocean's body exploded into motion as he kicked off the sinking sand, barely getting enough footing to jump, as his foot had to sink about five inches to push off. Sand was propelled outward as he jumped.
"What!"... No, with this feeling of power this is to be expected, but still it can't help but feel like a dream, some sort of hallucination when in the matter of an instant I launch myself about five stories skyward with ease.
It feels like the shackles of reality that governs all have been lifted as I'm zooming up, free from life itself. The air resistance soon strikes against my face and body, whipping my head back slightly as I strain the muscles in my neck and above to withstand the onslaught.
The blast collided with the ground ripping through it like it wasn't there, light piercing through the ground as it expanded then eventually combusted creating a unrelenting wave of destruction the size of the large sand dunes it landed on. A bellowing shockwave soon followed that lifted the ground, almost like it flipped the ground and sky from Oceans perspective.
The dunes were gone… no, rather there was a stupidly big hollow crater in their place about five times their height in depth. Ocean had no time to think as the others identical in power rapidly approached, screaming through the air.
The process of dodge and impact repeated until no projectiles remained visible. The surrounding land in the vicinity had been utterly demolished, not that there was anything of value there.
Midair. He frantically scanned the area for the perpetrator. Twisting his contorted body from its odd positioning it had taken to deviate from the direction of the last blast had taken.
Nothing… where the hell. Looking to the clouds from his falling position he saw nothing. The same pinging feeling he felt from those spears had dissipated along with its source.
That is until it reappeared below him. The ground parted and opened up to flesh… no a mouth?
Are those teeth? or...
NO!! Think, rather JUMP!!
The sound it released was alien, loud and sounded as it scratched it out of the bottom of it's throat. It was both high and low simultaneously, akin to an auditory hallucination, which almost threw Ocean off momentarily.
Ocean, utilising the momentum built from both the residing shockwave of the blast and air resistance, spun just out the way to narrowly avoid the clenched teeth of the beast, as it slammed its circular mouth shut.
Ocean, barely avoiding the bite, lands on the pointed razor teeth-like parts. In a flash Ocean's consciousness makes the direct command to kick off the teeth, the force that erupted from his toes shattered the tooth as he propelled himself away at a sideward angle.
Landing with his feet dragging and digging into the sand leaving a trail he looks up to meet something had never before. About two ball throws away held a cylindrical creature that looked not too far off from a worm if one stretched the imagination, its skin or shell looked like it was composed of a dense rocky material, so thick it might end at the internals or not.
The rocky skin was smooth but had large irregularities in the way it rose and dipped in the size differences of the rocks and resulting creases. The unidentified creature had gills that were akin to wings, vein-like patterns that glowed a highlighted green slightly bulged from its exterior from the bottom to top of its thirty-ish metre long body, and a gaping hole of a mouth that was coated in sharp sickles that could tear the body from the soul whilst it swallows you whole.
"Who let their pet off its leash… no I need to focus… If it wants to kill me, then I will kill it first."
Ocean, reaching back into his memory to replicate that feeling of power from before readies himself.
Like when adrenaline rushes through your body… Focus … Focus. Harness that feeling of before, it's right here in my hands…
Not waiting, or perhaps not having the concept in its mind, or the need to wait. The deadly thing flicked its large tail toward the figure at a ridiculous speed and split the sand into separate segments.
The tail blow first connected, stopped then was sent flying back, like it was deflected. The figure of Ocean when the sand cleared, was left standing in a small indent in the sand with his fist raised in a punching stance.
For an instant both were stunned…
This power… it feels so familiar yet foreign. Like it's been everywhere yet I haven't noticed it, like when you find something in a place you thought you searched already. Whilst he bounced and traversed the desert at incredible speeds to avoid the following lash of blows he thought this.
The creature swept the mountain of sand with ease only for when it was clear to no longer be in the periphery of Ocean, instead an underground tunnel was present.
*RUMBLE
The sound was picked up in his ear and reverberated inside his head until he spun to the source almost by instinct.
The green veins of the creature quickly transitioned to a light blue colour as it arched its top back and strained.
"...what's it doing?"
Blue cold heat.
A violent breeze that carried a tinge of charcoal smashed directly into his nose burning the inner hairs, the smell shooting into his brain. The dazzling pale blue light blocked most of his view and grew bigger as it grew closer.
A massive ray of blue flames was ejected out of the mouth of the creature. He quickly raised his arms and clenched his fists in a 'x' stance, which blocked his face and parts of his neck.
Consumed by the flames a freezing temperature and pain rushed through his body invading his lungs, cold air burning his chest and piercing his throat. Breathing for an instant felt like a blade to the chest. His consciousness was fighting to hold on. His skin felt numb with frost as the flames seemingly travelled from hair to hair across his body, like little miniature bugs biting at the skin relentlessly pain jolted through the boy.
"... ARrgghkk!"
It is ridiculously cold… it feels as hot as flames… is my mind freezing… my thoughts are getting slower...
His clothes were coated in a white tint as a second passed he made the executive decision to stop focusing on the pain for trying to prevent it. Suddenly, an idea sprung into mind.
He gathered all the power and energy he could muster and encircled himself with the sensation of this power. His physical body was emitting a glow of a similar colour that covered him, slightly shielding him
The pain carved into his soul by the time the attack was over, and his feet were frozen into the snowy sand. As he looked around he saw the remnants of blue flames in a crater 15 metres wide made of sand frozen solid.
"Haa… haa… what… was tha- gahhh!"
Pain still resided in his body as the skin of his arms glowed in a bloody red colour, his legs and arms had wounds that would have leaked blood if it wasn't frozen solid.
"EERRIIGGHHH!!!"
The beast rushed towards him finding the immobility has an opportunity to strike, for what reason is unknown.
"You crafty… I can't move, so I need to attack without moving"
An attack without moving, so long range. Pictures of the recent blast flashed in his mind… If I can use that… remake this feeling of pain and reflect it like a mirror.
In a movement it swallowed the sand below his feet and encompassed him in its grotesque innards. Right as the hole of its circular mouth closed a blue ray of flaming plasma shot and screamed out its back into the cloudy sky, grazing the sand on its way making a frozen trail.
He jumped out of the dead carcass and toppled over on his back staring at the sky.
"Haah… I need to get to a place with water and food… Hah… but who is all the way out here… where even am I… and that power"
Reflecting back he had never seen or heard of a beast like that. Deciding to think later he stood up with a battered body and decided to walk forward, with no real goal but to survive.
The concept of pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. It is something so universally understood and relatable it is innate across all conscious life forms.
Pain is present to protect life from death.
A warning given by the body, your unconscious, the you that is not you to prevent death by any means.
The will to live is innate and unconscious, made by pain. This idea is then flipped when pain can cause the conscious mind to lose that will of living.
The same pain made via evolution can make you want to end it.
Which leads to the questioning of sanity.
The border between here and there. Life and death. Take it as you will.
Here and there although, was blurred as the immense sharp sensation stabbed across Oceans dripping, walking body paired with the immersive freezing numbness embedded in his wounds and soul.
The still harsh winds got harsher as it carried the sands, slapping it across his face and clothes. Now a 20 minute stumble away from the colossal corpse of the creature, his constant cold pain at his heart and chest lead him on a trail of thought that resulted in a reflection of his attack.
If I am correct, back there I replicated its attack… although the projectile itself was thinner and more dense. As a last minute way of defence I harnessed as much of this power I could and unleashed it… I guess it took the form of that attack because that was all that was on my mind at the time. This power it's… everywhere?
I feel it…
Heart slowing due to the negative temperatures, Ocean forces his body in unsteady motion over the towering dunes in a single unspecified direction. As he trotted his mind blurred his surroundings creating a tunnel vision in the direction, whether this was the result of injury, temperature or intention was irrelevant and unclear.
All features of the land merged, with its content and position disappearing. Brain slowing down one that took his attention.
The silhouette of a tiny mountain… a rock in the desert… no that's a tent!!!
As he approached closer the foreign something at the end of the invisible tunnel was identified. A camp, meaning people which results in aid. I need to make it there.
His aching body once again pushed to its limits he now quickly stumbles toward the camp, his mind blocking the idea of a potential mirage.
The rough journey comes to a halt 3 minutes away from the camp as he hears muffled shouting.
"Hey guys!, is that a human over there!" "he looks horrible… I think I can see blood!!"
"Hurry someone who can heal, go ASTRIDA!!"
The next couple of moments Ocean could recall via the flashes of times he was conscious, as over the next hour and a half he was brought to the camp and healed.
… Wow a camp in the middle of a desert, huh. As ocean recovered from his half conscious state he immediately noticed the pain was a shadow of its former self, looking around alertly he took in his new surroundings.
It was heaven in hell, or hell in heaven either worked.
The interior of the travellers camp held a musky invisible scent of heat, and a pungent smell of blood that screamed death and echoed sadness, a slight sadness that bathed the faces of those surrounding the covered dead bodies on the floor to the left of me seven-ish metres away.
The ground was decorated in wooden floorboards stained a pale colour from its dryness that were coated in powdery sand from the outside. The tent itself on first inspection seems to be roughly forty metres in diameter, with a stylish reception desk in the middle connected with the embellished wooden pillar with carvings holding up the Dark green but patterned cloak of a roof.
People of all sorts littered the space, some interacting as if fully acquainted, some clearly not. Most dressed in a type of cloak that would probably shield them from the sand.
So they helped me. Why are there so many people in the desert? They don't look too strong? That thing would kill most of these people here… looks like it already has
His eyes gilded across the dead bodies, some were covered but all were fresh and probably still warm. Some leaked body fluids, others housed the bugs of the desert.
Some here might stand a chance against that thing...
"Hey there, you finally snapped out of it huh"
A slick female voice interrupted Ocean's thoughts, he snapped his head in its direction.
"Hmm, indeed, you definitely seemed to regain conscious"
Piercing gold eyes blocked his vision. She got close.
Immediately as if never injured, Ocean's back shot to make a right angle with his upper body, deciding to put effort into caution.
The girl stumbled back, as she barely dodged his forehead colliding with the bridge of her nose.
The girl with the hair colour not too far off the clouds, stretching from dark grey to light grey in shade, with long length tied to the top back of her scalp, more practical than stylish.
So… she looks to be some sort of explorer from her appearance and light gear. If she were a threat it would have been easy to strike me before, so I guess this act of kindness has no ulterior motive… at least for now anyway..
"What you guys doing in the middle of the desert?, it's pretty weird for all these people to be out here I would say, and it seems the death around us would reinforce this"
To this question the girl wore a look of surprise.
He is not going to ask what I was doing… and what was that just now, he is pretty tense huh.
"We help you and that's the first thing you say… no thank you? or because I feel indebted to you I will therefore do something for you in return?"
The girl asked as if half joking, one eye shone through the open crevice of her eye lid gazing at him.
"That last one was awfully convenient.... Well I'm confident I've pieced together what you've laid down. with all these people in the middle of the desert, that creature and your gear, not to mention the casualties.... You guys are either on a mission of some sort, on the run from something or you are chasing something… although the first and last are kinda one in the same."
Presenting his thoughts the girl looked at him in a gaping shock. It held both admiration and horror.
"YOU!!... I found it strange you kept on calling this the middle of the desert, and why you haven't asked the most important question… Why did we help you?"
Unexpectedly she has a contradicting expression and hasn't confirmed if I am right or wrong.
"So you expect something?"
"I knew you looked competent, but I guess as crazy as it sounds maybe some people don't know… well you are pretty weird being alone and all"
?
Questions just spawned the more she spoke
Seeing this she concluded. "I'll tell you why we are here, but please answer, do you know the state of the world right now?"
Huh, the state of the world?… some sort of political question, are they a political party… no if that was the case they wouldn't be in a desert… no this power, that orb and that creature… not to mention the orphanage disappearances and me being here… does it relate to the state of the world…
As he pondered this the gravity of the situation seemed to be realised.
"Something negative happened didn't it" he responded to her question inadvertently wanting her to elaborate.
"It's almost unbelievable, you really don't know where you have been all this time… I will inform you this might be the most shocking thing you will hear in your life… or you could ever hear, I almost don't want to tell you… your ignorance is a paradise that can save you from this hell."
The girl looks guilty as if she was a culprit of petty theft and was forced to apologise to the victim. Heart reverberated, shooting hot blood through her veins which raised her internal temperature making her sweat visible if close.
"You can stop deviating from the explanation… Are you trying to shield me from reality or yourself?"
Is she traumatised? Or is she only acting amenable and graceful to gain social desirability?, she did say she wanted my help.
"N-no i'll tell you… well hope you're ready. The world is ending… or it would be better to say it has ended but it has not finished the process of ending." She says this with new found vigour slowly being obtained with each syllable that passed through her teeth, like speaking it into reality killed her imagination, both dreams and nightmares.
… so it's something like that… well I mean obviously the world is ending… it is alive itself, conscious or not. All life in it dies, so eventually it will die too. Life dies to live… We all know we are going to die, so why when death approaches do we become shadows of ourselves and act dead with depression. Death has always been with us since birth, but at death it is closest... Or am I just being a reductionist to find comfort?
The girl saw no outside reaction to her claims, and wondered if she seemed like someone whose word couldn't be trusted.
Do I look like I'm joking? I thought he would be shocked but he is just staring…
"Well how has the world ended… It seems okay, I mean outside was a little weird but not traumatising…"
Astrida gazed at him with a hurricane of thoughts swirling in her head which morphed into curiosity. Curiosity for this facetious weirdo.
"O-oh yeah, I guess we still don't know eachothers names. My name is Astrida, the explanation for the events are long so your attention needs to be paid, so ask as much as possible… and you might have figured it out but we… or should I say the residents of the world have an understanding that we might be able to defeat the end."
She said as hope, expectancy and determination merged to mark the light in her golden eyes.
"I figured, that's why these guys aren't insane, but it also is technically the reason these guys are dead. I have the name Ocean, explain to me the reason for the end and I Will explain my ignorance."
Gathering her thoughts, failing to load a response she decided to digress and progress the explanation.
"The world as we have come to find is fundamentally conceived upon a metaphysical force that sustains the ability of existence… well that's what we can interpret anyway."
"Hmmm"
"To sum it up, the vital energy has spiralled out of control and order in its natural flow..."
As she began to formulate a coherent explanation with what she assumed to be common sense and phrasing, Ocean's mind began to race and re-trace.
That phrase "vital energy" I've heard before… "this might sound strange based on the way you dropped it so casually but can you tell me what vital energy is, is it some sort of form of power… wait a min-"
Looking at his brain clicking she decided to speed up the pace of the conversing and would just tell him "your line of thinking is correct, It lies in the people, land, observable universe and theoretically in other dimensions, in some places more than others and acts as a force and flow that can take infinite forms. Being signed affinities- light, dark, fire, charge, nature and Unclassified.
In humans it acts as a life force that lays mostly dormant with exceptions and is fully activated if the metaphysical receptors are forced open by either an internal or external shock and experience. All humans have their own limitations that can both grow, expand and deplete."
She began the explanation, making note to simplify and leave out superficial details only focusing on the vitals. Still in the positions previously in, with her standing and him sitting on the makeshift but well put together bed within the campers tent.
"Well the thing… or should I say word is something has ripped into this planets vital energy making it expel everywhere, physically affecting the dimensions in incomprehensible ways"
"Ways? Physical? How? like this desert?"
"Yes, the land is even hostile in many areas, sometimes even sentient. One thing led to another due to the status quo of things and now places and nations of all sorts have split, amalgamated and new land creatures like the one you probably faced have appeared."
"Oh… so u guys also have come across similar things to that worm?"
"... Not a worm, but the known creatures of the world are vastly different. Plus the only upside has a downside in the energy within the air has become so present that we have learnt to fully utilise it to fend off these things, but those same things thrive off of vital energy, and some people sin, are evil and way worse… so you can guess what is happening."
As the information solidified, so did the reality of the situation. Their situation. All's situation.
The conversing echoed throughout the interior in a regular volume, the inhabitants present who could hear, on an outward interpretation, looking as they either already knew the contents of Astrida's informing, via it by the mouths of others but most clearly by uncounterable happenings of the physical life.
"People have been reported to be disappearing like crazy, families have been separated… those with no means of protection are not safe…"
This along with many lines stood out and resonated instantly with Ocean, even among the constant backdrop of the cries of sand it reverberated and rehearsed in his psyche but only for an instance.
"So my situation is linked to this after all, huh. Meaning the others are also linked… oh I came from an orphanage that is in a similar situation you just explained."
When hearing this remark Astrida's expression was one of shock that flickered to sadness then confusion. Like a flame on a candle, it seems she was never unfazed by external forces.
That… that must have been hard for him. Life knows everyone's weak points… I would say this but his face... I don't know how long he has been separated but, it looks like he has fully accepted reality without a struggle... I'm not sure if he is really good at hiding emotions but nevertheless, it is impressive.
"Uh… enough with the private analysis of me, I'm not blind do your gaze… what's up with you?"
Looking into Astrida's eyes that were dilated in the thought that blocked her vision, Ocean figured out her intentions and decided to structure a plan for the present and beyond.
"Whoa- y-yeah um…
Eyes suddenly outlined with determination for the unknown-th time, she brandashes a smile with the stretch of her lips. An overlay of muscles that can alter the overall mood of the proximity.
Like the end of a mental tough war she has the decision.
"Yes, we are going toward a small established city north west of here to recruit new members. And I believe you should join us, from the judging you spotted me doing I think you have what it takes"
The invitation was heard crisp and clear. Premature? Or desperate?
Ocean, already having processed the information, stagnated in hopes she would continue.
Astrida in response stretched a meek smirk below her symmetrical nose.
"I guess this may sound sudden, especially for you… ever since I was young I made it a ritual to worship the flame, with authority giving a fraction of its energy for warmth as we feed it sought wood, however in this cold reality with the flame gone the only one left to see is ourselves, so with this coldness as a new form of energy, it's time to take matters into our on hands."
It seems as though some of the people residing there- well the ones alive- heard this as the background noise of humanity seemed to stop for a brief moment. In that fragment in time it seemed like it was possible… but what was possible? All that was were sounds exiting the lips of a stranger. Too fragile to be called ideals. But all knew from passion alone that something was so alive in those words, that to call it a lie would be the words of a liar.
"This drive you have is emitted well, but firstly wouldn't it be better for you to tell me the goal and how to achieve it before I join, and I guess why I should join is a good question."
By the time Ocean said these words the sounds of time resuming were already unpaused.
The reply opened a slight insecurity in her approach, it may have been by many causes like the state of the world, personal life or maybe just personality but she had forgotten to notify him of the group's actual striving point.
A purpose.
"Well, our group's objective is as you would guess… or at least I thought it was easy to guess, to at least stop this universal crisis… as for how, we have little information on the resolving of the situation but that could be the reason why you should join…"
Ocean was silent again waiting for her to finish…
"I'm sure we won't be the only group trying to do this. I'm sure if we are serious we can at least prevent a worst case scenario." As she said this her voice contained an undertone of wariness to it, which directly contrasted the light that was chopped up and scattered into her retinas, emitting a golden tone of determination.
As if finishing observing he opened his mouth.
"You must be what the world considers a kind person, not wanting to save the world as that would be too optimistic, but prevent the end… I would still say your optimism is shallow, no offence. And yeah i'll join, you don't have to convince me with morals, i was kinda lost anyway, so i guess i am part of the team now."
Said in such a way as if obvious he voices a flaw in her defence, almost like a tip for the information along with his joining of the group.
Astrida was juggling various emotions. Mind interwoven in golden guilt and red gratitude, even though it was not the first time she recruited someone, she couldn't ignore the fact she just threw someone who had experienced a traumatising event back into certain danger, with the fact he accepted with no bargaining only reimbursing that weird feeling. Astrida also made note on his evaluation of her resolve, she was well aware how shallow her optimism was, a remnant of the flame? The guilt she felt could kill but hypocrisy could drive her insane. Either which she decided on the margins of sanity not to ponder.
As this slight conflict of morals spawned a whirl in her head, the foreground of her mind was a picture of relief and gratitude. The combination of all turned to confusion, then interest in the source of this clash looking at her with the same expression as he started with.
Happening in an instant she welcomed. "Thank you, your decision is a big one… let's make sure the negative implications of this does not come to fruition".