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Prologue Part 1: Dive into the Essence of Oneself
I should probably start at the beginning. Well, the closest thing to a beginning that makes sense.
We've all had these thoughts. "Is any of this real or not? Is there more to this existence than this planet?" I myself indulged in them as part of a hobby, but they'd recently become the dominant part of this hobby. And by that I mean they now took up nearly all of this hobby.
My name, to whoever it concerns, is Amiel Zweilicht. Don't ask me about the spelling. I was just an ordinary student when this all began. And truth be told, I wasn't really all that much to look at - pale skin, blue eyes (nearsighted and annoyingly sensitive to natural light and glare), short brown hair (which formed spikes when wet), a little tall for my age of twelve. Anyways…
It all started while I was asleep, but it wasn't like most other times I slept. See, I didn't get into my dreams all that often, and the dreams I would get into were usually the ones that made little to no sense no matter how much I tried to shape them. Here, I felt like I was physically in the Dreamworld itself, as lucid as if I was awake. I recalled several interactions with my family, a couple friends, pleasant memories, as I fell through an inky blackness and strange music, haunting but beautiful played in the background. My choice of dress could be summed up as a very long-sleeved tan shirt (some parts pink from exposure to soap), dark blue jeans, a black hoodie with a smooth exterior and a green interior, and my usual grey shoes. However, my fall was not eternal.
*Ost – Dive into the Heart*
Eventually, I was somehow flipped onto my feet and landed on a peculiar platform. It was circular, with the appearance of stained glass, and seemed to generate its own light – just enough that I could see. Its design was of something I did not recognize – it was split into eight pieces, each containing an unfamiliar silhouette of the color on its edges.
Two shared a common pink, purple and black color scheme on the edges, and that the beings who occupied the areas not taken by these colors looked demonic. One was female, and basically looked like the tomboy nerd daughter of a lust demon, that's the best way I could describe her (bat-wing horns, leathery eye-covered wings, snake for a tail, and I couldn't tell if her head was shaped like that or it was just a weird hairdo). Her partner was most peculiar, even with his sharp teeth (visible due to his lazy grin) and two extra arms tipped with hybrids between shark heads and crab claws, in that he was protruding from a staff she held. They held the background of day and night, the sun being a spiky orange thing with a grinning face while the moon was a yellow crescent with a perpetually crazed grin, while the image of a cartoonish skull was all over the place and in constant conflict with a strange three-eyed symbol.
Another two had green and brown on the edges. In its design was a boy with an abnormally large head and other unusual features – his eyes were like those of a fly's while he had four insectoid legs supporting his torso, clamped mouths on several parts of his body, and fly wings. At his side was a robotic dog and a couple other elementary school age boys, and in the background a myriad of machines I had never seen before. And that was just one half – the other contained a young girl with a single horn and other strange features: her hair had a leafy quality to it while she had a mass of root-like tentacles for legs, not to mention that her shoulders had such an appearance as to make it seem as though her head was sticking out of a mouth. At her side stood a strange blue creature with four arms, while she was surrounded by a series of bubbles with various three-digit numbers.
Another two with blue and gold at the rims. On one side was a female figure, clearly quite young, with birdlike features and tentacle hair. Surrounding her was a set of twelve octagonal stone coins, each with a symbol I recognized as an animal of the Chinese Zodiac. Conversely, the boy on the other side had feathers for hair, four arms (each having an eye on the palm), mostly-armored skin, several extra eyes, and a pair of twisted serpents coming off his shoulders. He also appeared to be inside a bisected triangular symbol I knew from somewhere.
The last quarter had red and bronze at the rims. The boy had a gentle look that ran counter to his appearance – thick armor, clawed hands and feet, sword and shield in both arms, with his head having messy yellow hair (which somehow appeared to be made of fire), and tall horns. The female appeared to be a teenager wearing a black Lolita costume and combat skirt with red highlights. While her hair (which also somehow appeared to be made of fire) and large silver eyes were unusual enough, the eight scythe-like bug legs sticking out of her torso and dress-like shell around her hips and legs were even more so. Her cheerful and innocent expression didn't match the massive scythe she carried in clawed hands. They stood between eight symbols, including a rose and a snowflake and a yellow arc.
At the center of the platform was a black-and-white symbol I couldn't describe. Or maybe it kind of looked like two symbols overlapping. It was so complex I really couldn't tell. Now that I thought about it, I could see elaborate designs hidden in the quarters.
I wondered what this could mean. I'd never seen even a fraction of this before in my life, and I spent a lot of my time web-trawling. So, what was this doing in my dream world? And why was I seeing everything in third-person? You have no idea how strange it feels to do this for the first time. But then my contemplating was interrupted.
"So much to do, so little time. Take your time and don't be afraid."
Out of nowhere and everywhere, I heard a phantom voice with no identifiable accents, tones or undertones. I looked around, but saw absolutely nothing it could have come from.
"The door is still shut. Now step forward," the voice instructed me again.
I did take a few steps forward, at which point several pedestals appeared at equidistant points on the platform, each with a different object floating above it. One a gem-shaped shield, another a cartoonish sword, and the last a staff whose end appeared to be a blue mouse-ears hat. Many more appeared as well, bearing a scythe, a whip, a gauntlet, and many more objects.
"There is power sleeping within you. If you give it form… it shall give you strength. Choose well."
That voice again. But how was I to choose? As if to answer my question, another pedestal appeared in the center of the platform, at the point where the strange scenes met. And this one bore a strange cube (or was it a sphere?) covered in runic designs and fluctuating between forms. It was this object that I chose. It just seemed to hover around me, awaiting future use.
"So, you have chosen all paths. Invincible courage. Kindness to aid others. Inner strength. Unbreakable discipline. Deceptive grace. Unstoppable might. Unquestionable instinct. Keen perception. Unending vigilance. Your path has been set."
And, with that, all the pedestals and their items sank back into the darkness. I didn't even ask myself how this was possible – this was a dream world after all. And that's when the platform shattered, and both me and my new object fell.
As I fell, I found myself confronted by a bound being resembled a twelve-winged angel wrapped in every sort of binding you could think of. "So, you are the one who wields me," it said in a raspy, nonchalant tone. "And you are?" I asked them. "I am ******," it said and yet was cut off there before continuing, "A fraction of your soul." "I didn't get your name," I pointed out. "Then the time isn't right. Not yet," was all it said before it began to decelerate, "But know that I will always be with you." I then landed on the next platform.
This next platform held seven silhouettes, these ones depicting seven females ranging from mere children to young women. Each silhouette was a different color of the rainbow and had a slice of the platform colored a slightly darker shade of their color. I could scarcely make out the features of any of the depicted silhouettes, but it was probably better this way. At the center of the platform was the symbol of a heart.
"You have obtained the ability to protect yourself and others. Use this power any way you choose, but know that there will always be times where you must fight."
Materializing in a way that looked like they were glitching into existence out of the surface, a series of monstrous beings appeared. They were basically barely humanoid thin grey torsos covered in scratched film marks, scribbles and glitches with no discernable features to set them apart from each other, lacking facial features of any sort other than a single lopsided x-shaped solid grey eye, or any features from the waist down – just a tail of cubes fading in and out of sight. Low to the ground, they weren't terribly intimidating, but they still appeared hostile.
"Keep your heart, will and soul strong."
One of them lunged forward and attempted to attack, but my cube formed into a futuristic shield to block its strike before I finished it off with a strike from a similar sword that also appeared from the cube. It just collapsed and faded out of existence in dark smoke and glitches.
The others just pressed themselves to the ground, flattening themselves against it before vanishing from sight.
I looked at my new shield. It resembled fragments of the cube containing a mass of pale energy within the rim in the shape of the shield from before, and the sword was essentially the sword from before with a similar appearance. But then…
"Behind you!"
I had to swivel around to strike down another that popped up behind me. And yet more glitched out of the ground, but I cut them all down. I also found I could now focus on a single opponent from a third-person perspective. At least I could switch between that and first-person on a whim – I'd never be able to work on puzzles again if I couldn't.
But, when only one of the phantoms remained, said phantom sank into the ground. The spot it sank into began to glitch and blur, and three more spots occurred. I, unfortunately, was right in the middle, and soon sunk into the ground as the strange effect expanded.
When I came to, I found myself on yet another platform, this one holding silhouettes of thirteen boys similarly diverse in age to the last one. This platform also had the same color scheme as the last one, but the symbol at the center of the platform was that of a soul.
There was a door at the end of the platform opposite me, but it appeared to be slightly see-through. I even tried opening it, but my hand passed right through the handles like they weren't even there.
For a bit, I just spent my time figuring out that I could open peculiar treasure chests that appeared by tapping them with the cube's constructs, and that I could push around boxes a little over my height. And it was only after I smashed a barrel in boredom that the door became tangible. I opened it, was blinded for a moment… and found myself in the living room of my current residence, some of my family members present.
"Hold on. The door won't open just yet. First, tell me more about yourself."
Come to think of it, those people weren't really doing anything. And, as my sister once said, the train of conversation in our household had no direction whatsoever.
I recalled the tutorial level of the first of a certain video game series, and this was looking an awful lot like that so far. I just hoped in part that this didn't mean what I thought it would.
I began with my little sister, with nearsighted eyes and a habit of changing her hair, and her question was: "What's most important to you?"
That was a question I usually didn't put much thought into, so I thought about it for a moment before mentally replying, "Those who are close to me."
"Are those closest to you really that important?" the sister manifestation asked me. "They are my sole anchor to reality," I replied.
Then was my mom, also nearsighted with brown hair and a never-aging look, whose question was: "What're you most afraid of?"
Yet another question with more answers than I was comfortable with. But, if I had to pick one… "Losing what gives me purpose."
"Is losing your purpose really so scary?" the mother manifestation asked. "Without purpose, my very existence is hollow," I replied.
And, finally, was my father, a tall, balding guy with a goatee, whose question was: "What do you want out of life?"
That had to be the question I'd put the least thought into. Still, if I had to…, "To be able to live without worries."
"Living without worries, huh?" the father manifestation mused. "It's an ordinary but worthy goal," I replied.
"You want to protect the people closest to you. You're afraid of losing your purpose. You want to be able to live without worries," the voice summed up, "Your adventure begins at dawn. So long as the sun or moon shine, your journey should be a pleasant one." I just hoped that last comment wasn't situational. "The day you will open the door is both far off and very near."
And then, a blinding flash, after which I stood upon yet another platform, this one depicting twenty crystals, each bearing a different color and the form of a different symbol. There was also a most peculiar being sitting at a desk there.
He was clearly quite old, with a very long nose, ruff of grey hair, and bulging eyes. He also appeared to have an eternal grin wider than I'd ever seen in real life. He looked almost like a human mosquito in a rather fine suit.
"Greetings, Worldshaker. I am Igor," he introduced himself in a surprisingly melodious voice, his lips moving only slightly. A chair then appeared, and I cautiously sat down. "You might be wondering whatever I am doing here," Igor said, "This is not my usual setting, but I still have a role to play." "And what is that role?" I asked. "I am here, like many others, to prepare you for a most arduous journey," Igor said, "But first, what you call a sneak peek. Tell me, what do you know of tarot?" "Bits and pieces," I admitted, "Why?"
Igor then produced a pack and spread out several cards. "Few two readings are the same, and the same can be said of life, no?" he asked me before he picked up the first card.
This one was numbered 0, and depicted a silhouette holding a bag attached to a stick. "Ah, The Fool," Igor said, "So many meanings and yet none. Waiting for a fresh start. This represents your current state." That was surprisingly accurate.
He then selected another card, this one numbered 12 and depicting a silhouette dangling upside down in the vague shape of a 4. "Oh, The Hanged Man," Igor said wearily as he selected the next card, numbered 16 and depicting a crumbling tower, "Combined with The Tower, this represents almost imminent disaster in addition to possible self-sacrifice." I didn't like the sound of that.
The next card was numbered 13 and depicted a cloaked skeleton bearing a scythe. "However, your journey does not end there," Igor said, "The Death represents renewal, change, metamorphosis," selecting the fifth card, numbered 21 and depicting an androgyne surrounded by four figures, "And much awaits you beyond that, so says The World."
"Well, that was… interesting," was all I had to say, "And what did you mean when you said that a most arduous journey awaits me?" Igor chuckled, "That is not my place to say. But know that what you learn in this place is far from useless. And remember that your actions are yours alone." I could only hope he was right as I signed something before he vanished, desk and all, revealing the mind symbol beneath it. A path to the next platform then appeared.
This next platform had a white and black rim. One figure was male, with black armor, while the other was female with an equally angelic look. I recognized these two as friends of mine, unusual clothes aside. Truth be told, they were the only people outside my family I regarded as friends. They and they alone could provide me with meaningful conversation out of my classmates.
"Remember that you are never alone," the voice spoke again, "When your own strength is not enough, there will be others to aid you."
As it spoke, four more creatures appeared. One was a small purple dog-like creature with yellow eyes. Another was a similarly-sized, six-legged blue cat creature with bells on its ears and a music note for a tail. Yet another was a grey gerbil-like creature with very strong legs. The last was a tyrannosaurid dragon that had to be at least twice my size.
More of the phantoms appeared out of the ground, but the creatures fought beside me. I shifted the cube to a whip and scythe for maximum melee range; with the dog getting fierce up close with the phantoms, the cat using music, the gerbil using leap attacks, and the dragon rampaging. So, I'm no good at describing these sort of hectic encounters, who is? But we beat them all. The phantom voice then returned.
"These Spirits will be by your side no matter what so long as you exist. But you also hold the capacity to create new ones."
A useful ability, but how was I supposed to use it?
"Look within thyself and give form to the placeless figments and fancies and fantasies you have reclaimed."
Come to think of it, those phantoms we'd fought had dropped some weird-looking objects. It took a while for me to focus, even without the interference of those phantoms, for dreaming did not come easily to me. But I managed to find those objects, and thus began a tutorial.
I recall using some of those to make a light green & blue cobra-like spirit called a Hebby Ven, who I named Snap, and some more to make a large alien lizard-like beast called a Roller Lizard, who I named Gasmask. Yet more went into the making of an owl-like spirit called a Peepsta Hoo, name of Stolas, a mishmash of dinosaur skeletons called a Skelterwild I named Skelton, and a mole-like bird called a Burrow Beak, name of Digger.
I also learned that the ones I'd already gotten were a Snip Doggy I went ahead and called Yapper, Necho Cat I named Music, Silence Mouse dubbed Bounce and Vorpal Bain dubbed Jabber respectively.
When my work was done, and all my figments, fancies, and fantasies exhausted, we gained a pathway to the next platform.
A circle of light also appeared on the ground. I guessed this was a save point, and hoped it worked the same way it did in video games. After a brief but not blinding flash, another path appeared. Stolas just flew overhead and Digger made a portal to the other side, but most of my Spirits had to move in single file with Snap and Bounce carpooling on Gasmask while Yapper and Music were carried by Jabber. We made it to the other side, though some of us wished we hadn't.
This platform depicted a massive door covered in the elaborate symbols I'd seen on the first platform, all the focal figures of the second, third, and fourth platforms somehow connected to it. However, I got the feeling that this was a door that was not to be opened.
"The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes."
Something began to glitch out of my shadow, and it was big – it took up a good deal of the platform. Like the phantoms from before it was grey, covered in scratched film marks, scribbles and glitches. Unlike them, though, it was muscular and actually had legs, albeit ones skirted by a cloak of fading and reappearing cubes. There was a massive circular hole in the place of its forehead (which made its eyeless head look like a crescent moon covered in tentacles), a heart-shaped hole in its chest, and another circular hole in its gut. We tried to retreat from it, but the path back had vanished half a minute ago, and there was pretty much nowhere else to go.
The giant slammed a hand at us, but we dodged only for the ground it struck to glitch. According to Stolas, this thing had no specific weakness – so I just switched to a gauntlet and sword and climbed up its arm to attack the head while the spirits dealt with phantoms that emerged from the glitching spot before joining in on the assault; Digger throwing rocks at them while Snap bit and constricted, Stolas swooping, Yapper making noises and biting, Music using musical attacks, Gasmask whipping with its tail, biting, clawing and using smokescreens, Bounce using leaping and shockwave attacks, Jabber breathing fire and mauling whatever got too close and Skelton splitting its head off to breath ice while its body rampaged. Eventually the giant started firing ball-shaped projectiles at us from its many holes, but we still beat it.
It was a bittersweet victory, though, as the ground began to glitch and pull us in.
"But don't be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all." That voice again. "So don't forget: You are the one who will open the door."
That was the last thing I heard before I got sucked in completely.
So, what do you think of the first of (spoiler alert) four parts of the prologue? Let me know in the reviews.
Can anyone guess the references I made there? If you can, good for you. If not, you'll find out what they are in later chapters.
Oh, and the Dream Eaters Vorpal Bain, Hebby Ven, Roller Lizard, Snip Doggy, Burrow Beak, and Silence Mouse belong to Deviantart Artist Xelku9. I suggest you check them out - their artwork's really quite good.
Oh, and the images in the second, third, fourth, and last platforms will be relevant to the main story. The first image is basically an imprint of sorts.