(Who and what am I? Part 1)
Part 1
(...I..It...It's dark.)
(Silence)
(...And it's so...quite.)
(Unknown number of voices)
(No...I hear many voices.)
(Silence? Voices?)
(...I don't know what it is anymore. ...Or did I ever know? Where the hell even am I? Am I trapped in a rock? Am I sinking in water? I don't know anything. I can't even tell if I'm in pain or not. I can't even tell if I'm crying or not!)
(I don't know why, but not knowing if I'm suffering or not feels like suffering in its own right! I want so badly to escape from this place! Please! Someone...or something, I don't care! Please end this!)
(Red light)
(It was then that I saw some sort of light shining on me. I looked over at it and it looked like some sort of red glowing circle.)
(Blinking)
(It then that closing and opening again and again like an eye. In fact, after a few blinks it second eye opened.)
(I don't know what it is, but it fills me with fear that makes me want to die. Yet as strange as it is, it also gives me this strong hope that all will be well.)
(Whatever it is, I know it's my only hope at ending whatever the hell this is! So I try to call out to it!)
?: "..."
(But I can't speak! I can't even tell if I have a mouth or not! I can't tell a damn thing!)
(Glance)
(It was then as my hopes began to die out that the light got way brighter! And I could feel it! Those red eyes were focused on me in full!)
Red Light: "Are you ready?"
(The voice sent shivers through out my soul! Yet I felt attracted to it.)
Red Light: "Are you ready to fight? Are you ready to kill? Are you ready to be killed?"
(It speaks to me! I can't even tell if it's male or female. But the feeling I get from its voice on its own gets more soul chilling! Much less when it says another terrifying thing after the other!)
(...But...I start to yearn all the more as the chill grows! I don't know why, but as I feel more fear, a even greater excitement grows to overshadow it! I want to fight! I want to kill! I'm willing to be killed for it all!)
Red Light: "Good! Then come to me! Your wish will be granted!"
(I don't even think I spoke, yet the voice knew what I was thinking. It doesn't matter, because it's clear we want the same thing!)
(As I think those things, I suddenly felt myself moving towards the voice. At first it felt like as floating towards it. Then it felt like I was walking. In fact, the closer I got to it, the more of my body I could feel! It felt both painful and pleasant at the same time! I'm starting to think it's not even my body, but a body that's starting to form around my soul!)
(As I started to feel my eyes, the light began to feel blinding as I got closer. But I didn't close me eyes as I forward, as I could resist staring at it.)
Male Voice: "Is that it than?"
?
(I suddenly heard a mans voice from behind me!)
Male Voice: "Heh, heh, heh! After all we've been through, you're just going to walk away?"
(This voice made my soul shake even more than the first! And it was a chill it sent through me, but an intense heat! And like the chill, from the pain came a yearning for more!)
Male Voice: "Look me in the eyes and tell me it's over!"
(As the voice continued to speak, I felt another light on my back! Even with the other one closeup in my face right now, I still feel it!)
(I turn around to who's behind me, and then I suddenly see a white light! This one was far brighter than the red one! I wasn't even able to keep my eyes opened this time! Yet even as I close them, I still see a white light!)
(From the white light I see the shadow of a figure. I could see his shape, but not his appearance. And as I look I suddenly see another pare of red eyes open upon the shadows head.)
White One: "Look me in the eyes and tell me off with a smile! Only then will I except it's over between us!"
(As he says that I see a white smile appear on his face. I don't know why, but his voice, red eyes, and that smile all seem so familiar to me! More then that, the more I think about it all...the more I think about it all!)
(Grab)
(I suddenly feel 2 huge hands grabbing both my arms!)
Red Light: "You dare turn away from me?! Worthless beast! I am the reason you are here! You are given life by our hands, and you lose said life to come back to said hands! Do you dare choose to live for someone else and show us disloyalty?!"
(I find myself being dragged away from the white light as these words are being yelled at me! But they weren't coming from behind me, I could hear them from inside my head! No, the voice was felt through out my whole body!)
(I wanted so desperately to go back for the white light! But these hands were too strong for me to break free! And voice inside me gave even worst pain to both my body and soul!)
(As I find myself helpless to resist, I'm being dragged away from the white light! And the ever so pleasant blaze began to disappear with a chill even stronger than the last one!)
(Swing)
(He's now holding a blade in his right hand. Like before with my body, I can't tell if it's short or long.)
(Spark)
(As he holds the the blade above his head, I see what looks like blood appear from it. At least it's color is the same as blood. But I don't know what it is.)
(It's making a weird noise that don't think blood makes. I can feel a sort of heat from it. And it's moving about fast. The way it wiggles left and right as it continues to move in the same direction.)
White One: "After all you put through, is this how it ends for you? Come on! I know you're better than that!"
(As he says all these things, I begin to get this weird feeling! Almost like I remember something! Yes! I see myself doing battle with the White One! Blades swinging! Blood dripping! We fight as if nothing else matters!)
(I can even remember that wiggling blood that comes from his blade! I can even feel it on my hide as if I had only just been struck!)
Red Light: "...Damn!...Stop moving around!"
(Before I knew it, it had gotten easier to resist the red light's pull. As I looked at the wiggling blood, my body began to move like it. As I wiggle, the grip loosen and it's easier to pull back)
(With that being said I don't hesitate to keep up the wiggling. I managed to get loose and began running for the White Light! But the hands of the Red Light caught up with me very quickly!)
Red Light: "Give up and do I command!"
White One: "Don't give up and do as you want!"
(As one tells me different from another, the White One becomes all the inviting! So I don't stop going for him! Not even for a second!)
(I kept wiggling like the warm blood so I can get free from the Red Light's grip! Every time I get loose I run and he catches me again! But I just keep doing this and get closer and closer to the White One as I do! I have to make it too him no matter what!)
(As I get pulled by the Red Light, and run towards the White One, I feel my body changing shape in a number of different ways. The pain gets worst the more I keep it up, but my excitement doesn't wither for an instant!)
(I felt like hours, but I eventually made it to the White One! As I look at him, we're staring at each other face to face! The Red Light still holds onto me, but I don't move from this spot!)
White One: "HEH, HEH, HEH! I knew you'd make it back to me! It's fate!"
(As his laugh and smile grow bigger, I too smile as my heart races faster and faster! Even the word he mention, FATE! It makes my ears burn with excitement!)
(And with this excitement came a lust for battle. A lust for our last battle to continue! Not able to take it anymore, I wiggle loose and throw as many punches at him as I can!)
(I managed to throw 2 punches before needing to wiggle loose again! But the White One dodges every single one! He's as fast as the wiggling blood!)
(I try wiggling faster to get the better of him, but he was just too fast! No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't land a single punch! If Only the Red Light would let go! I'd...)
White One: "Come now, are you really going to blame someone else for what you can't do?"
(I didn't even say anything, but he knew what I was thinking.)
White One: "If you can't even get passed this obstacle, than you weren't worthy of fighting me to begin with."
?!
White One: "No one's holding you back. You're just letting them beat you. So beat them if you want to reach me!"
(...What am I doing?! He's right! How could I think for a second that I was worthy of fighting him when I can't fight someone else?! Realizing this, this I wiggle one of my arms free, I reach around and strike the arm gripping my other!)
Red Light: "AHHHHH!"
(The once menacing voice of the Red Light now screamed in pain! I then turn around to face it head on! But when I did, I was suddenly met with its bright red piercing gaze!)
Red Light: "You'll pay for this, you insolent worm! When I'm done with you, I won't just kill you! No, we're not that merciful! You will die, be brought back to life, and then immediately die again and again in an endless cycle for millennium to come!"
(I felt fear from its gaze and words like nothing I've felt before! The courage to face it that I found began to die out! I began to think all is lost!)
White One: "..."
(...But then I felt the White One's stare again! Once again felt ashamed! I let him see me act pathetic again!
(Just look at him, he stands there completely unafraid of the Red Light! I bet he could kill it with ease!)
?!
(Now that I think about it...The Red Light's probably afraid of him! I was helpless before the the White One came! If not for him, I'd be nothing! Yet the Red Light doesn't attack him, but instead for me!)
(Because there's a reason his light could reach me when I was so close to him! There's a reason the White was brighter than the Red! There's a reason I could resist its grip when all the White One did was speak!)
(The Red Light is nothing compared the White one! It can't begin to compare to him!)
(In fact, the White One believes I'm better than the Red Light! And he's right! When I struck it, it was in a lot of pain! It's not better than me, I'm much stronger than it!)
(Realizing the truth, I start to approach it.)
Red Light: "What?! I-Im-Impossible! You can't defy us!"
(You can't fool me anymore! You won't get in my way either! If anyone or anything gets in my way to the White One, I'll...I'll...I'll...)
(Unable to find the words, my head starts to hurt! ...No. It feels like something's growing out of my head. 2 things in fact.)
(The Red Light seems shocked by the sight of them. It was then that I felt this need to thrust what was on my head at him. So I head but it full force!)
Red Light: "AHHHHHHHHHH!"
(I plunged the 2 things on top of my head into the 2 glowing eye. And the voice that once filled me fear now gave off a scream that filled me with pride and joy! The eyes that once glowed red with absolute now bleed glowing blood that pours down my face!)
(The screaming and blood kept coming for what seemed like no end. But soon enough they both started to settle down. As the screaming grew quieter, the glow of the blood grew dimmer. Eventually it was quite and dark.)
(At that point I pulled what was on top of my head of its eyes. I then shake all the blood of my head. Then when I looked with my eyes, the Red Light was gone.)
(...I did!...I defeated it!)
(As I felt the satisfaction of victory, I then noticed a familiar white light shinning!)
White One: "Ha, ha, ha! I knew you could do it! No, I knew you would do it! I would expect nothing less from the one I call my rival!"
(Rival? I don't know why, but that word feels special to me! Whatever the reason, I now turn back to the White One to face him! The light is bright, but I don't even blink this time as I charge for him!)
(I punch, kick, use what's on my head! I throw everything I have at him all my might!)
(But no matter how hard I try, I couldn't even scratch him. He dodged every single strike like it was nothing. I fact, it looks like he's moving slower than me. Yet despite this, I still can hit him.)
(Why? ...Why? WHY?! Why can't I hit him?! How is it he appears weaker than me while still managing to beat me?! It was humiliating and infuriating to feel so powerful and so powerless at the same time!)
(...But at the same time, it excited me! The fact I couldn't beat him even though I should be able to made me realize just how amazing he is!)
(The strength be possesses isn't just power, but something much more! It's almost like it's a rule that he can't lose! It was an honor just to fight him! And that made me want to beat him all the more for it!)
(Spark)
(Once again he holds his blade up. And once again the fast wiggling blood comes from it. Only this time I don't simply leave the blade, I saw it moving through him! I have memories of it burning me with great pain. Yet he's letting it move through him like it's nothing!)
(Stab)
(All of a sudden I felt something hit me in the left side of my stomach! Something sharp and hot! I look down and I see the White One stabbing his blade into me! More than that, I feel the wiggling blood moving through my body!)
(It didn't just burn, it was tearing me apart from the inside! I couldn't tell if I was in pain or if I couldn't feel anything! It was just like before!)
(The more it moved through me, the harder it became to breath as hot air and blood came out my mouth! I could even feel my blood build up and harden as it burns in my mouth and throat!)
White One: "Heh, heh, heh! So you still can't handle this, huh?"
(The White One continues to laugh even as he burns me from the inside out! But I don't feel rage from being mocked. Rather I feel shame from not living up to his expectations! And as I looked down at his smiling face, I can tell. Even as I stand here dying, he still thinks highly of me as he expects more!)
White One: "If this still enough to take you down, then our final battle will have to wait. Until the day you can take all that I can give and then give it back in full, I'll be waiting."
(Despite what's happening to me, I still feel an even intenser heat from his gaze! As our eyes meet, all I can think about is fighting him! More than anything else I want to beat him! Even if I die a thousand times over, I want to clash with him no matter what!)
White One: "Let us meet again in another life! We'll settle things then! Just you and me!"
(YES! Even death can not stop our fated battle!)
White One: "Promise me now! Promise me with a smile! MY RIVAL!"
(As the inside of feels ready to burst, I could only think about the joy his words gave me! Before I knew it, I could my face changing shape! Without even thinking I formed a smile! I smile as we make our vow! It was then that I...for the first time...)
Rival: "..I...Promise...my rival!"
(For the first time ever, I spoke. I spoke the words that meant more to me than anything else! The words that made my soul burn and quake with passion! And after saying them, the white One's smile grew bigger and he then spoke.)
White One: "Heh, heh, heh! Than until then, farewell."
(With those words, the heat inside me finally began to burst from my body. But my smile didn't disappear for even second! Because I know one day we'll meet again!)
This is how the ever longing Rival met his end. But it was only the ending of one existence. The beginning of a new one starts now.
Part 2
As if waking up from a dream, the Rival found himself somewhere else. It was just as dark as the first place he was in. Only this time there was no light.
(...Where am I now? Was all that I saw before just a dream? NO! The feeling I got from that was far too real to be anything but real!)
(But this places is definitely not the same as before in anyway. This time I feel myself trapped in a rock, I know that for sure. I got to get out of here, and find the White One!)
(Crack)
(As I think about this, the rock I was in began to break little by little. I didn't even try to break free, it just began to crack apart. And as it did I felt a refreshing breeze hit my face.)
Rival: "Breathing!"
(On instinct I began to suck in the air before letting it back out. I couldn't tell if it was my first breath ever or if it was my first in a long time. But it felt so good either way. Eventually the rock I was in opened up all the way.)
(Thud)
(From the opening I fell out to the ground. My arms and legs feel both energized and numb at the same time. I wanted to stand up, but I was having trouble.)
(Thud, thud, thud)
The Rival wasn't the only one that came out of the rock. As he looked around he saw himself in a place of nothing but rock. Walls everywhere were cracking and opening up like it did for him.
From the openings came many black creatures one after the other. They looked about as big as him, and they all had 2 horns on their noises. One big one just at the end of it, and a smaller one behind it.
Being amongst them left him confused. He felt like he was one of them, and at the same time he wasn't.
(The smell I get from them tells me they're my brotheren. But just looking at myself, I look very different from them.)
(Our bodies while just as big, were shape very differently. And as I feel my face I can tell it's different. I don't even have horns there like them. ...No, I do have horns. But mine are on my head. Not to mention mine are longer and curved.)
The Rival didn't know what to make of all this. Are these nose horned beast his brotheren, or his enemies? As he wonder this, one of them made eye contact with him.
Black Beast: "HOWL!"
Without wasting a second, the beast howled with all it's might. The loud noise made the Rival's ears burn with a sense of danger. As he heard what sounded like nothing but a howl, he heard words being spoken in my head!
(Kill the Xenos!)
(I don't know what a Xenos is, but I know he meant to kill me!)
Black Beasts: "HOWL!"
And it wasn't just the one. They all wanted to kill him! Without thinking twice, they all got to their legs and charged at him.)
Rival: "HOWL!"
But he didn't just stay down as they try to kill him. The Rival quickly rose to his feet and attacked them back!
The first one that noticed him and charged at him he charged back at.
(Stab) (Blood Squirting)
Although they both tried tackling their horns into each other, the Rival's were longer. Not to mention both could strike at the same time rather one after the other. So his horns struck first. More than that, he was stabbing with his horns, while the beast just hit me with his one.
(Poof)
A second or 2 later, the beast turned into what looked like tiny pieces of himself.
Author Note: I know that what their bodies turn to is ash. But we're starting the series off with someone who's still learning, ergo, what the narration says.
(I feel as though I've seen that before, but I can't remember. All I know is he's definitely dead.)
The Black Beasts all looked on in shock as the Rival easily killed one of there own. Normally this would mean nothing to them, but it was how he did it.
Although they recognized him as an outsider, they still thought he was somewhat like them, even with his difference in appearance
It wasn't until they saw him so easily skewer their brother did they realize how different he was. It wasn't until they saw blood burst from their brother's face onto the Rival, did they realize this creature was nothing like them at all.
(I don't know why they stopped attacking, but I don't care. I'm going to kill every last one of them?!)
The Rival charged head first once again towards another of the Black Beasts. This time he drove his horns right into it's stomach.
Black Beast: "Howling in pain!"
The beast howled at the top of it's lungs from getting stabbed deep into the stomach. This took the Rival by surprise not because just he didn't see the noise coming, but the very feeling of it coming. With his horns inside the beast howled away, he felt instance vibrations through his horns. This sudden shock caused him to lose focus for a moment.
(Thud)
The skewered Black Beast fell to the ground, and the Rival upon said beast. He dug his horns in so deep that losing focus for just that moment ended with him falling off balance as his foe fell.
Now on the ground he struggled to get his horns out. While at the same time despite the Black Beast's impalement, he was striking him blow after blow.
Black Beasts: "...Screech!"
Snapping out of their shock, the Black Beasts began their assault on the Rival once again. Still struggling to get his horns out, he just managed to as one of them kicked him away.
Rival: "AH!"
With his back now to the ground, the one that kicked him jumped on top of him. As she pins him down with her hands, she tries to take a bite out of his head. The Rival tried to ward her off with his left hand, while using the right to stop another beast from kicking his head.
(Bite)
Rival: "AH!"
But while he was busy with those 2, another one was biting at his left legs. He could feel his leg slowly tearing from the pressure and from it shaking his leg about as it tried to tear it off.
(Stomp)
And it didn't stop there as a 4th one was now stepping on his face. His face began to swell as blood dripped from his nose and mouth.
The Rival found it difficult just to hold the other 2 at bay. But both of his arms were quickly giving in from holding them back while taking damage from the other 2.
(Damn it all! I can't take much more of this! Is this the way it's meant to be?! Was I born here just to die?!)
It was at that moment that something flashed in his mind. A vision or possibly a memory of a white light. And from the white light he saw something.
He saw himself engaged in combat with a foe possessing impossible strength. And as he saw him strike his flesh in the vision, he felt it all like it just happened. He even forgot the pain he was feeling from his brotheren.
Even as his foe looked ready to kneel over and die, he kept coming at the Rival. Despite it looking like it was impossible for him to win, he didn't give up. And in the end, it appeared that it was impossible for the Rival to win. The White One was beyond what he was capable of.
(Stomp)
The vision had ended and the Rival was brought back to his brotheren killing him. But this time he faced these overwhelming odds with a spark in his heart. And it was set by none other then the one who set his heart a blaze.
(...He was able to do all that, and here I am helpless! He was far more terrifying than these pests! If I can't live through something so simple, I might as well be dead! I won't allow it to end so miserably!)
(Stomp)
As the Rival looked up at the Black Beast stopping on his face, he knew he had to stop that if he wanted to live. But how to stop it was the question.
...
It was then that he though fast and changed the angle of his head as the next stomp came down.
(Stab)
Black Beast: "Howling in pain!"
The beast step right onto the tip of his left horn. It pierced all the way and blood came squirting out up top like crazy. He tried to pry his foot loose, but it was stuck just like with the other ones stomach. This was why the Rival did this in the first place.
The other one he had by the foot tried to get it's feet away after seeing that. But the Rival was quicker and pulled her foot down onto his right horn. As they both howled in pain from their feet being impaled, he used his now free hand to punch the one on top of him off.
(Bite)
With his left leg begining to bleed from another ones bite, he used his right to knee it right in the jaw. That got him off his leg as well as took out 1 of his teeth.
Black Beasts: "HOWL!"
The beasts keep trying to pry their feet free. And the rival felt his head being pulled back and forth by his horns. Reacting to this, he grabs them by their other legs and trips them.
(Thud)
With them both on the ground, he quickly tries to get his horns free. But even using both his hands it was still difficult to get even 1 free. Especially while the beasts kept thrashing about.
(Kick)
They also began kick his shoulders with their free leg. But the Rival manages to ward them off with his hands. Only this meant he was now stuck with his horns in their feet.
(Thud)
To make matters worst, the one he kneed in the face got back up and jumped onto both his legs. And with them both pinned down, he began pounding the Rival's stomach with his horn.
When the Rival tried to get him off with one of his arms, that arm's shoulder was kicked hard and his punch amounted to basically nothing. He was then forced hold that leg off again, while his stomach continued to get pounded.
(Damn it! I never would've brought them to the ground if I knew this would happen! Now I can't defend myself at all! ...But I refuse to just lie here and die helplessly! They're got to be a way!)
The Rival thought hard while these 3 kept him pinned down. But no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't do anything unless he gets his horns free. And there was little chance of that with them shaking his head back and forth.
(Flash)
It was at that moment that the Rival saw more images in his mind. He saw the wiggling blood once again. And for some reason it gave a new thought on what to do. He wasn't sure if it was going to work, but what did he have to lose?
Black Beasts: "Howl!"
The Rival began to shake his head his head back and forth. While at the same time he's trying to push the 2 beasts away by the legs he has gripped. As he does so, the feet slowly but surely begin to slid off.
(Blood Squirting)
More and more blood began to spill from their feet as his horns came out. And eventually he got them out them out.
Now free, the Rival got the other one on top of him off. He then shoved his horns right into his face like he did with his first victim.
(Poof)
(I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. I gotta make sure I aim my horns at their heads.)
The Rival looks back at the other 2. They were unable to stand up due their foot wounds. Not wanting to waste this chance, he power through his pain and dashed to them.
To one of them, he jump and landed foot to face on the one to his right. He then immediately slammed both his hands onto the throat of the other.
(Blood Splatting) (Poof)
Rival: "Pant...Pant...Pant!"
The Rival was now alone as he tried to catch his breath. And as he was catching his breath he noticed these things on the ground. From the looks of it, some the beasts horns didn't turn to bits. But that wasn't what got his attention.
Right where their bodies turned to bits, he saw oddly coloured rocks. They were a close but different color to his hide. And he felt strangely attached to them. So out of curiosity, he decide to pick one up and have a look.
(What is this rock? It feels more ominous the closer I get to it. But at the same time, my mouth is watering for it. And I'm not even hungry. It looks like these things came from those I defeated. But am I suppose to eat them?)
The Rival felt conflicted by this choice. Not just because he felt danger and need from the rock. But because even though they all tried to kill him, he still felt like they were his brotheren. To want to eat a piece of them like that filled him with guilt.
(...If they killed me, they probably would've ate mine without thinking twice. Why should I care if they are my brotheren or not? I'm already an outcast, I might as well act like I'm not one of them. Besides, I want to know!)
Coming to this realization, the Rival threw the rock in his mouth and swallowed it.
(Ominous Feeling)
Rival: "AH!"
The Rival couldn't help but let out a scream as bizarre sensation surged through his body. It left him in a state of confusion as he couldn't tell if it felt good or horrible. But beyond that there was-
Voice In Head: (Kill all enemies of mother! Kill all Xenos! Eat!
These words were repeated in his head over and over again. And he had trouble telling if they were his own thoughts or not.
But it eventually stopped and he was back to normal. But at the same time he felt different. From the pain came pleasure as his body felt better from the experience. His injuries while still there didn't matter as much in this face of this sensation.
After that he tried to another one. The same thing happened as before, only the feeling was more intense. At least for the ominous, the good feeling had weakened a bit.
But that didn't stop him. He ate all the stones that were there one after another. Not just just because he wanted to feel good, but he felt as if he excepting a challenge as he devoured them.
In fact, the image of the White One seemed to keep popping up in his mind as he did. At first it would go dark if eating the stones was the same as eating darkness. But then the light would smash it's way through and appear even brighter then before.
Black Beasts: "HOWL!"
Not long after he ate the last stone that fell, he heard more of his brotheren approaching. One they saw him, their howls made the same words pop up in his head.
(Kill the Xenos!) (Kill the Xenos!) (Kill the Xenos!)
Rival: "AHHHHH!"
But he wasn't afraid. Rather he was excited by the fact there was more foes to face. And more stones to eat.
(I will continue to fight! And I will find the White One!)
With these thoughts driving him, he charged for forward for battle.
Part 3
Rival: "Pant...Pant...Pant!"
No matter how hard he tried, the Rival couldn't catching his breath. The damage he had sustained was too great for that.
After fighting for who knows how long, his body was covered in cuts and bruises. His right arm was broken and his left leg limping. His face was all swollen as his vision began to blur and his ears rang.
By all means, he should've collapsed. But he refused. The thrill of fighting was too much for him to resist. More then that, the light would fade if he didn't keep pushing. Such a feeling was far to special for him to do that. And it only became more so as the pain increased.
(Poof) (Eat)
But despite this, the Rival didn't stop. When there was a new enemy, even as he was blinding pain, he added to it by fighting. When there was a stone, despite the agony it caused his soul, he ate and took on said agony.
It appeared he didn't know how to stop. He would just keep fighting and think of nothing more. Because he knew nothing more. The only thing he knew other other fighting those he saw was to look for the one he saw to fight him. But at the end of the day, fighting was everything even as it seem to leave him with nothing.
(Light)
It was then that he saw light at the end of the tunnel. Enough so that it made even his blurring eyes hard to keep open.
(That light! Could it be him?!)
Thinking this, the Rival ran as fast as he could. He didn't even limp on his left legs despite the intense pain. Even as he felt he was suffocating himself from pushing himself, he still pushed on.
As he ran further into the light, it only got brighter. But he didn't look away. For he felt he needed to look to show his worth.
(Tickling Feeling)
Once he ran far enough, the Rival felt something funny touch his feet.
(Stomp)
He attacked it on instinct as he meant to defend himself. But it didn't feel like he hit an enemy. Only the ground which grew softer from his impact.
As he moves around, he continues to feel the same tickling feeling. Eventually he stopped attacking as he realized he wasn't in danger. He actually started to like the feeling.
Eventually, his eyes adjusted to the bright light and he could see around himself again. What he saw tickling his feet was what looked to be hair coming out of the ground. And it had a very bright and peaceful color it to it. (Green)
As he continued to look around, he noticed that the tunnel had gotten smaller too. And it was filled with that ground hair. But more importantly, there was still light to chase at the end of it.
He continued to push on until he found himself in a large room. The same ground hair was everywhere in it. And when his eyes followed where the light was coming from, he looked up and saw something else on the ceiling.
(Shine)
There were more glowing rocks on the ceiling. Only there much bigger, and much brighter with their white light. Not to mention there were a lot of them up there.
(Those don't appear to like the rocks I've been eating. I guess it wouldn't matter even if they were, since I can't possibly reach them. ...I guess he's not here either.)
The Rival couldn't help but be disappointed to the point where his heart cried. This was the closest he felt to the White One. But there was nothing here at all this time.
He continued to look around, and he saw these large objects growing out of the ground besides the brightly coloured hair. It was the same color as dirt, but it looked a lot tougher than that. It definitely wasn't ground hair, but something the same color was all over it's top. While these wear new sight to him, he still saw nothing of interest.
(Water Flowing)
At least until he noticed there was a small water fall pouring into a spring. After all the fights his been through, saying he's thirsty is putting it lightly. So he walked over to get a drink.
(Explosion)
Before he could get within 15 feet of the spring, he was suddenly sent flying by a huge burst of what looked to him like hot, bright blood.
Rival: "...A...Ah..."
The Rival was too hurt to even muster up a scream despite his need to. And his hide burned with a familiar sensation.
(That hot blood! It looked a lot like the wiggling blood I saw in his vision! Could it be him?!)
Although what he saw wasn't the same shape, he had hope. But it didn't matter in the end, because either way he had a new foe to face. So he tried with all his might to get back on his feet to face said foe.
(Stomp) (Pierce)
Rival: "AH..."
The Rival suddenly felt his ribs being crushed, while something sharp was piecing his chest. His pain had skyrocketed from this. As he opened his eyes and look up at what was crushing him, they meant with another pare of eyes that were cold and unforgiving. They were the eyes of a very large creature the likes of which he had never seen before.
It had a very long neck and noticeably sharp teeth. It also seemed to have horns like the Rival, only they were all around it's head. It was almost like it's appearance was saying "I will reach out tear you apart!". And speaking of tearing, the thing that was piercing the Rival's chest was the creatures large and sharp claws. It also appeared to have 2 sharp things on it's back as well.
But what really stood out to the Rival was the creatures appearance. It's hide looked like it was made of rock rather than skin like his own. Said skin was even the same color as a rock, but much shinier. (Silver)
Silver Creature: "Howl!"
As the Rival looked on at the creature in terror, it let out a howl like all the other before it. And like those before it, words appeared in his mind in response to said howl.
Silver Creature: "No one may have my spring! Especially not a Xenos!"
It was far more then he had ever heard from all the others he killed. The creature didn't just hate him for what he was, he was disgusted by it. And this made the Rival angrier then he's even been.
It was bad enough that his brotheren tried to kill him over being different. To be honest, he could handle that. But stuck up creature though of him as something to be sickened by. It was a huge blow to his pride.
The Rival tries with all his might to get up so he could kill this creature. But his body had finally reached it's limit. He couldn't fight anymore.
As he continued to look up into the creatures eyes, he knew death was coming for him. And as he thought that, the create opened it's mouth, and the same glowing blood color and heat as before could be seen and felt from inside it.
He knew what was coming next, but he didn't fear it. In fact, he smiled at it.
(I hate the fact I'm going to die to this creature! I really hate him! ...But I can tell how strong he is just by looking. Even if I wasn't hurt before he attacked me, there's no way I could've won. To die to such a powerful foe, and one with the same power as the White One. Well, what better way is there to die?! I guess I would prefer dying to the White One. But I'm not going cry over it.)
Despite his death being inevitable, he just kept smiling. Just like the one he saw in his vision. And he didn't even flinch as the creatures mouth grew hotter and brighter.
(Thud)
Silver Creature: "Howl!"
Suddenly the Rival felt a lot cooler, and he felt like he was no longer being crushed. Even the claws that had him pinned had been removed from his chest.
He looked up to see why and he saw what looked like another one of those creatures. Only this one was much smaller. But both it and the large one up in the air without coming down.
(Explosion)
Another blast was seen hitting the larger one. Only the Rival didn't see the same heated blood make it. Nor did he see anything make it. It just appeared. As wondered why, he then saw these small things falling from above. They were another color he'd never seen before. (Yellow)
When he looked up to see where they were coming from, he saw another creature in the air. Although this one looked much different from the other 2. It wasn't just smaller, it's body was an entirely different shape, and it's arms looked like they were made of what was falling.
Unknown: "You! Are you alright?!"
What the Rival heard this time was not a howl, but strange noises that he had never heard before. Yet at the same time, he had somewhat of an idea what it meant. One thing he was sure of was that it didn't carry danger.
The Rival suddenly felt his head be lifted by a hand. He turned to see what was picking him up. And it was another creature he had not seen before.
This one also had a similar appearance to the one that hurt him, but he didn't have those sharp things on his back. And his hide was the same color as blood.
But the most important difference was his eyes. They didn't fill him with dread like all the others. Rather they filled him with a rather pleasant feeling he had never experienced before.
Unknown: "Don't worry. We're here to help you, not hurt you."
(...This blood coloured creature. Is he the same as me? Is he what the others call a Xenos, too?)
The Rival's mind was filled with questions. Questions he continued to ask himself as he closes his eyes and finally falls unconscious.
(To Be Continued)
