Chapter 6: Revelation
The TV then plays various clips of the previous Dynasty Warriors games, causing confusion from the five.
Guo Jia: …what is…this? Isn't that…Lord Cao Cao?! But why does he look so different?
Jia Xu: What…how could he even say that sort of thing?
Sima Yi: What…the…is that me? But I….sounded so silly…
Xu Shu: Huh….Guo Jia, is that you? You look different…
Xun Yu: …and Jia Xu too! Man, what is this?
Guo Jia: …no way….we….we don't remember any of this ever happened….do we?
Jia Xu: I….don't know….what's weird are the random appearances of these texts telling us what we said.
Xun Yu: What…..
And after clips finished playing, there was static again, before a mysterious, shadowy creature appeared on screen.
Everyone: WHOA!
?: Khukhukhukhu…hello there, whoever is playing this.
Jia Xu: Wha…wait a minute. That's the strange creature I met in my nightmare!
?: Of course, what am I saying? There obviously can't be any other person who could possibly be watching this other than you five.
Everyone: widen eyes
Guo Jia: …what the….
?: Now listen. I've already said it to you many times that I'm not here as your enemy. Infact, I'm here to help you. Help you to bring you closer to the truth.
Jia Xu: The truth?
?: What kind of 'truth', you ask? Well, it's the kind of truth you've never encountered in your life. Not everything you might have perceived as 'truth' and 'reality' your entire life is true, after all.
Sima Yi: What the…what the hell is this strange guy blabbering about?!
?: After all, life is indefinite and always changing. What you have today might be gone by time of dawn. And the next day, you gain it back. Who can really predict the changing courses of this life?
Xu Shu: Umm….what….what?!
?: Hahaha! Yes…even for such unparalleled geniuses like you, you're still struggling to grasp the very concept of 'reality' like what I've just told you now. But worry not. Soon enough, you shall find out for yourself, and then, you shall be given a choice on how you would live your life from thereon. Peace.
And then the TV went back into static.
Everyone: completely dumbstruck …what.
Guo Jia: What the…..WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!
Jia Xu: Whoa!
Guo Jia: SERIOUSLY! All this nonsense talk about 'the truth' and stuff…..I'M SICK OF IT! For once, can't we just get ONE thing that makes SENSE?!
Jia Xu: Hey, hey! Calm down!
Guo Jia: NO! Pant….NOTHING in this world MAKES SENSE! How the hell are we even expected to accept what they say is 'the truth' and shit?!
Jia Xu: slaps Guo Jia
Guo Jia: OW!
Jia Xu: Seriously, CALM. THE FUCK. DOWN.
Guo Jia: …..
Xun Yu: Look, we also don't know what's with this whole nonsense, but that's precisely why we should remain calm!
Sima Yi: It's just like what you said, right? We're the five prided by Lord Cao Cao. We must not lost our cool and think our way calmly out of this.
Guo Jia: ….sigh….I don't know. I just don't know. Infact, I have seemingly lost three or five points off my intelligence from all this shitty madness. I don't know if I can't take it anymore….
Jia Xu: Hm….huff…I've told you several times before…you're not alone in this. Together, we managed to bring victory in Chibi. And together too, we can go through this.
Xun Yu: Pfft, now look who's suddenly spouting all this 'motivational bullshit'.
Jia Xu: Hey! So anyway, get your shit together!
Guo Jia: Ah…thank you. Okay then, now we really should get ANYTHING in this room that might be a useful hint later on. All these papers will probably come in handy.
Xu Shu: ….uhhh…..hey, it's getting dark outside.
Guo Jia: Eh? Really?
Xu Shu: Yeah. I don't think we should go outside now.
Guo Jia: Hmmm….
Xun Yu: Maybe we should stay for the night.
Sima Yi: Eh? Where?
Jia Xu: Well, of course here!
Sima Yi: Ehhh?! We're staying here?! But how?! There's only one small bed here!
Guo Jia: Hmmm…ah well, in that case, there really is only one way to settle this with fairness….
Everyone: …..
Guo Jia: …..so we're gonna DRAW STRAWS!
Everyone: WHAT?!
Guo Jia: Yes, it's the sole fucking choice we have here! QUICK!
Everyone: … takes the straws anyway
Guo Jia: Okay! So, what did you get?
Xu Shu: ….woo-hoo! I got the longest straw! I get to sleep on the bed!
Everyone: Whaaatt?! That's unfair!
Guo Jia: (Oh, snap! I got the shortest!) Ehrm….ehem, no, Xu Shu! You don't get to sleep on the bed!
Xu Shu: Ehhh?! But why?!
Guo Jia: Ehrm, because, uh, the winner is the one who gets the short straw!
Xu Shu: Ehhh?!
Everyone: squints eyes What….
Guo Jia: Yeah! I mean, uhm, that's the rules, right! It's always been the rules, so ehm, anyway!
Xu Shu: ….slowly rages up
Guo Jia: We shouldn't be wasting too much time on-
Xu Shu: …..suddenly grabs Guo Jia by the collar with glowing red angry eyes
Guo Jia: AAAAHHHH! ….eh….erm…heavy sweating …Xu…Shu? Hey buddy, what, what's the matter? Hehe, come on now, it can't be due to that 'who gets to sleep on the bed' affair! Hehe, come on buddy, we, we can talk this over peacefully! Hey, come on! W-what's that thing on your hand?! N-n-no, NOOOO! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
Everyone else: watches the massacre going on with a horrified look
Xun Yu: ….aaaahhhh….AAAHHH! hides behind Sima Yi ….is….is it over yet?
Sima Yi: No….but damn….
Jia Xu: Now I'm kinda wondering why people are calling Liu Bei's people pussies again….
After the massacre was over….
Guo Jia: Okay guys, time to sleep. And Xu Shu, you get to sleep on the bed.
Xu Shu: Okay!
Guo Jia: Right. Remember that we have to go as soon as the sun dawned. Understand?
Everyone: Yo.
Sima Yi: Right…ugh, dammit! The floor is too narrow for the four of us!
Xun Yu: Just try to make it comfortable.
Jia Xu: Ow! Hey, make some space!
Guo Jia: I'm trying! Good lord, Jia Xu, you're already pretty thin as you are, so how about YOU make some space?!
Jia Xu: What in the name of-
Sima Yi: Ngrrrghhh…..OW!
Xun Yu: Whoa! Hey, what happened?!
Sima Yi: Argh…dammit man, I hit my head on this cabinet!
Guo Jia: Okay guys, we all should just stay motionless and just sleep. Or do you wanna wake Xu Shu up?!
Everyone: …..shudder NO!
Guo Jia: Then go, the FUCK, to sleep!
Everyone: Aye aye, cap'n.
In the middle of the night….
Everyone: ….zzzzzz…..zzzzz….
Jia Xu: ….suddenly wakes up and looks carefully at the surroundings Hmm…since everyone is so sound asleep….I guess this is the chance to finally figure this whole thing that's been bothering my mind for so long…carefully sneaks out to the desk, turns on the desk lamp and examines the papers ….huff….now, I'm pretty sure there is SOMETHING connecting ALL of this! Starting from the nightmares we had…the alternate realities we were all sent to…and that was all 'the truth', apparently? Hrm…and then there are these strange writings and scribbles…I'm sure there's something I can get out of this….
When the sun dawns…
Guo Jia: …..nggrrrggghhh….hmmm….oh, the sun has risen! Hey guys, wake up! Wake up!
Everyone: ….nrrrnnnghhh…
Xun Yu: ….hmm? What? It's morning already?
Guo Jia: Yeah! Come on guys, let's go!
Sima Yi: Right….uhrm….but hey, where's Jia Xu?
Everyone: Jia Xu? ….slowly turns to Jia Xu, who's sleeping on the desk
Guo Jia: …..uhhh….
Xu Shu: What? What is he doing there?
Xun Yu: I guess the more appropriate question is, what has he been doing there?
Sima Yi: Did he just…literally…sneak out of this cramped-up space?
Guo Jia: …ummm….hey? Jia Xu?
Jia Xu: …..WHAAAA!
Everyone: WHAAAAHHH!
Jia Xu: Pant…pant…THE TRUTH! THE TRUTH! I found it! I found it, the ultimate tru-
Guo Jia: Whoa, HEY!
Jia Xu: AAHHH! Eh! Uhm….young master?
Guo Jia: Hey, seriously…what have you been doing on that table?
Jia Xu: Eh, oh, right! Ahem, listen, so last night, I woke up because of this one thing that's been bugging my mind for so long. I know it….the nightmares we had, and what that strange creature said…they are connected! So, I woke up in the middle of the night to discover this connection…which might lead to 'the truth'!
Everyone: Whoa?
Xun Yu: ….and? Did you succeed?
Jia Xu: Of course, of course! I did it! I finally found the answer…on this paper! shows the paper
Everyone: moves forward to read the paper
The paper reads the following: "The connection between all these nightmares is that scribbled out No, no, it turned out that scribbled out, again No, NO! Goddamit! Why is this so FREAKING HARD I WANNA scribbled out, AGAIN By the way, maybe this means that there are actually multiple realities which led to- huge scribblings all over" At the bottom of the paper, there is a large text saying: FUCK IT.
Everyone: falls over
Guo Jia: Really, Jia Xu, REALLY?
Jia Xu: But seriously! I'm positive there is some serious connection between all of this. I know it! I KNOW! IT!
Sima Yi: Okay, okay, we get it. So, there actually isn't a definite answer to this. BUT, I think it's for the best if we keep in mind what Jia Xu said. Perhaps all of this really DO have a connection with each other.
Xun Yu: Precisely.
Guo Jia: Right. But, before we're leaving, let's sit down for just a while.
Everyone: Huh? Why?
Guo Jia: Well, here….come to think of it, we really haven't had a drink in a while, have we?
Everyone: Eeehhh?
Jia Xu: You sure this is a good idea?
Xun Yu: Yeah. I mean, god knows what sort of other freaky shit will happen if we drink again in this weird-ass world!
Guo Jia: Oh, it's alright! Just a few drinks won't hurt now, will they?
Everyone: ….
Sima Yi: ….well…if you say so…
Xu Shu: But do we even HAVE wine?
Jia Xu: …wait, I think I brought some of this from that dark city of Xuchang.
Guo Jia: You did?
Jia Xu: Yeah…here.
Guo Jia: Sweet! Come on, let's get it on!
Everyone: drinks the wine
Suddenly, there was a bright blue light quickly flashing through their eyes.
Everyone: WHOA!
Guo Jia: Everyone…did you just see that?!
Jia Xu: Yeah, I did!
Xun Yu: It's as if a lightning just flashed through.
Sima Yi: It was blue though…
Xu Shu: You…you sure this is alright? It's kinds creepy…
Guo Jia: ….hm, it's alright. But now, before we go, I think it's good to take a look at these papers to see if they contain something helpful.
Xun Yu: Hmm….I truly wonder what language this could possibly be written in…
Sima Yi: Well, Jia Xu? What has your night-long observation made out of this?
Jia Xu: Actually…I have a feeling that that language DOES seem familiar…perhaps even, it is the same strange language we can suddenly speak in yesterday.
Xu Shu: You think?
Guo Jia: Hmm…hey. Look at this.
Xun Yu: …hold on. Isn't that….you?
Guo Jia: Exactly. It's a drawing of….me.
Sima Yi: What? Wait, this is a drawing of me too!
Jia Xu: Not just you! Me too, and…everyone else we know!
Xu Shu: What…who….who drew this?!
Guo Jia: Now way….know what, THIS is where it's getting really creepy.
Jia Xu: YOU THINK?!
Xun Yu: Okay….at least there's no nude drawings of us or anything….
Guo Jia: Yeah, yeah, that's the good thing…because if there was, I would kill myself.
Sima Yi: ….wait. There's some kind of map here.
Everyone: Hm?
Guo Jia: ….hm. This is where our current location is, and apparently this is where that dark Xuchang is?
Jia Xu: What the….we were literally transported that far?
Xun Yu: But wait! Look it here! It's a strange sphere looking thing….
Guo Jia: Hmm…..alright, that's our next destination. Let's go.
Everyone: Right!
Jia Xu: …..why do I have a bad feeling about this?
Later….
Jia Xu: …..NGH!
Everyone: Huh?
Guo Jia: Jia Xu, are you alright?
Jia Xu: Ngh…I'm….alri- …..
Everyone: Huh….
Jia Xu: …..what….the….
Guo Jia: …Jia Xu? Jia Xu, are you alright?
Jia Xu: What the….no…no way….young master….I…I think I saw it.
Guo Jia: Saw what?
Jia Xu: …..
Guo Jia: ANSWER! What did you see?
Jia Xu: I saw you….I saw you….dying.
Everyone: widen eyes
Guo Jia: …..what? What? No…..no. Not, not this again!
Xun Yu: What do you mean by that?!
Jia Xu: I don't know! I, I clearly saw it! I clearly remember you dying at Mt. Bailang, then entrusting me with the task to protect our Lord! It's so clear to-
Guo Jia: NO! NO! THAT CAN'T HAPPEN!
Jia Xu: And yet, at the same time I also remember you being alive, but we lost Chibi nevertheless!
Xun Yu: Whoa, whoa, hold on! What does all this mean?! You remember Guo Jia dying, and yet you also somehow remember him being alive at the same time?!
Jia Xu: That's true! It…it all somehow came flooding into me! Memories of multiple realities at once!
Xu Shu: …oh no. I think I'm having it too.
Xun Yu: You do?!
Xu Shu: Yes! It's somehow the same as my nightmare…I remember avoiding capture by Lord Cao Cao and staying with Liu Bei, yet I also remember being captured but not being used by Lord Cao Cao due to my own lack of ambition!
Sima Yi: Me too!
Everyone: Eh?
Sima Yi: Yes! I…I remember taking control of Wei. Having my own army and all, apart from the Cao family! Infact, I think….I think I'm not supposed to be with you guys.
Everyone: What do you mean?
Sima Yi: I mean, I….I would later go on to form my own army…my own kingdom…apart from you.
Xu Shu: I…I think so. I….I belong to Lord Liu Bei. Not you. I…I…
Guo Jia: What…
Jia Xu: And, Master Guo Jia….you…you really are supposed to be dead.
Guo Jia: ….me…dead?
Xun Yu: Jia Xu! What have you done?!
Jia Xu: It's the reality! The truth! ….yes…the truth. I think I understand what that strange creature meant by the truth. The reality we're living in our original world is indeed fake. Some outside force is interfering it and put it out of order. And now…for some reason….we're the only ones to now be aware of this after being transported to this world.
Xun Yu: No…way…
Guo Jia: …..no.
Everyone: Huh?
Guo Jia: I….I...I died.
Everyone: ….
Guo Jia: …..no….no…..aaahhh…..no….not….NOT THIS AGAIN!
Jia Xu: ….h-hey, you alright?!
Guo Jia: NO! I'M NOT DEAD! I….I CAN'T BE POSSIBLY DEAD! AAAAHHHH! runs away
Jia Xu: Huh?! HEY!
Guo Jia continued to run, until he reached the giant sphere shown in the map.
Guo Jia: Pant…pant…pant…inserts hand to the sphere Whoa!
Everyone: HEY! Pant…pant…
Jia Xu: Pant…pant…huh?
Xun Yu: What is this?
The sphere then suddenly shows Cao Cao, after his defeat at Chibi.
Everyone: WHA?! L-lord Cao Cao?!
Guo Jia: Ah…tch! inserts hand to the sphere, but it instantly shocks YAH!
Jia Xu: WHOA! You okay?
Guo Jia: I-I'm alright. But….but…hrm…
Jia Xu: …..no. NO! Don't tell me you want to go the-
Guo Jia: I WILL! I….I have been waiting for Lord Cao Cao this entire time…I WILL go and reunite with him! I will return to the REAL WORlD! attempts to enter the sphere which shocks again ARGH!
Jia Xu: Please! Listen! Don't go there!
Guo Jia: Tch…argh….I'm…ENTERING! HYAH!
Jia Xu: NO!
Xun Yu: Will he be alright?
Jia Xu: I…I don't know. That is our Lord after he lost the battle of Chibi. And…you know….
Inside the sphere…
Guo Jia: YAH! I'm…I'm in! Ah! LORD CAO CAO!
Cao Cao: …turns around ….hm?
Guo Jia: LORD CAO CAO! I…..I finally met you at last!
Cao Cao: …
Guo Jia: I….I and Jia Xu, Xun Yu, Sima Yi, and Xu Shu had one hell of a freaky adventure after our celebration over Chibi, but now…I'm finally back!
Cao Cao: ….celebration? At Chibi?
Guo Jia: Huh?
Cao Cao: …who…who are you?
Guo Jia: What?! It's, it's me! Guo Jia!
Cao Cao: …..
Guo Jia: ….my lord?
Cao Cao: Guo…Jia?
Guo Jia: Huh?
Cao Cao: Guo….Jia….laughs
Guo Jia: What? My lord?
Cao Cao: laughs even harder ….oh, funny. Is this what I got from too much fire? Yeah, seemed like those flames got me hallucinating, but damn.
Guo Jia: What?! MY LORD! It's me!
Cao Cao: This…this can't be real. You…Guo Jia, you….you left me. You left me all alone, and look what happened.
Guo Jia: NO! My lord, I'm here! I'm alive!
Cao Cao: No, no, no. The real Guo Jia would've helped me avert that disaster. But no. He didn't. Because he's dead. And did you?
Guo Jia: ….what?
Cao Cao: No. No you did not. And that's all the proof I need to see that you're a mere madman.
Guo Jia: WHAT?! No, NO! MY LORD!
Cao Cao: Don't bother me again. slowly turns away
Guo Jia: cries NO! MY LORD! It's me! IT'S THE ACTUAL ME! tries to chase after Cao Cao
Slowly, the world inside the sphere starts to break down into blue, pixelated mess.
Guo Jia: LORD CAO CAOOOOO!
As Guo Jia was chasing desperately trying to chase after Cao Cao, a hand reached out from the outside, trying to pull Guo Jia out.
Jia Xu: Pull! PULL HIM HARDER!
Everyone: HYAAAAAHHHH!
Guo Jia: MY LOOOOOOORRRRR- GWAH!
With combined effort of Jia Xu, Xun Yu, Sima Yi, and Xu Shu, they finally managed to pull Guo Jia back into the outside world.
Jia Xu: Tch, young master! Are you alright!
Guo Jia: …..lord…Lord…Cao Cao….cries
Everyone: ….
Guo Jia: Lord Cao Cao….he….he rejected….me…why….WHY?!
Everyone: …..
Jia Xu: …huff….this is what I feared…
Xun Yu: What you feared?
Jia Xu: Yes…up to this point, he's been rejecting the reality that he's supposed to be dead, so when he met Cao Cao himself…he was rejected because it's not a reality where he's alive and well.
Sima Yi: That's harsh.
Xun Yu: But still…what should we do? We can't just stay around like this while facing a reality where Guo Jia's supposed to be DEAD now, can we?!
Sima Yi: Not to mention that you mention the fact that he's supposed to be dead so bluntly, and heartlessly, like you don't even remember that he BROKE DOWN thanks to his nightmare?
Jia Xu: I know that! But….it's not like I WANT it. But it's the reality. What can we do? Infact, if we're given the choice, then I don't want him to die also.
Everyone: …
Xun Yu: ….what should we do now?
Jia Xu: …..let's enter the sphere together.
Everyone: Huh?
Jia Xu: It's probably the only way to find the way out of this.
Everyone: ….
Jia Xu: Let's go!
Everyone: Whoa! Okay.
And so, the five entered the sphere, where they entered a dark world.
Xu Shu: It's dark here.
Xun Yu: This place seems familiar…
Sima Yi: This kinda looks like hell, to be honest.
Xun Yu: How would you know?
Sima Yi: Trust me, I've been in one.
Jia Xu: Hmmm….keeps walking along, until he came across something WHOA! Wait…what is this?
Everyone: …whaaaaaatttt?!
To Be Continued….
Whew! Finally reached the second-to-last chapter here. Please leave a review and have a good day!