Prelude
The waves came crashing in, Vali could feel the sea water coming up on to his feet and then pulling away and then coming back even higher, He closed his eyes and took in the ocean air. He let everything around him move around and shape the landscape on their own. He did not move as the ocean water came up to knew height and receded to ankle. Each time it came in he felt it get higher and higher but he did not move at all, fish swam about his legs and crabs crawled over his toes. He opened his mouth and let the seawater flow into it. The salty liquid was repulsive on his tongue but he did nothing about it. The water came in one last time, far above his head and when it left he had gone with it.
Pulled by the tide as if in a dream a flew and glided into the water, farther out and deeper down then he had ever been, than anyone had ever been. He breathed in the ocean and it breathed him in. Deeper and deeper, he slid through the water, deeper, deeper.
He opened his eyes and began to float downward slower and slower his descend becoming ever more gradually until he finally touched down gently against the ocean floor and the ground shook violently and from this shaking the silt of the floor was loosened and it burst open, spraying upward into a fountain of doves. Spiraling upward, He lifted his head to watch them crawl upward out of the sea. He closed his eyes and breathed in once more as a feather came down by his nose.
The light of the ground faded and he saw that he was standing atop a pillar surrounded by eternal darkness.
So much to do so little time...
Vali looked around, startled, The voice came to him, floating through his mind as if it were an audible text. Vali began to walk backwards and brought his hand up semi defensively.
Stop.
He froze.
Take your' time. Don't be afraid.
Vali began to relax and bring his hands down.
The door is still shut, now... step forward if you are able.
Vali hesitantly picked up his foot and stepped forward a small bit and with each step his stride got larger until he was at the center of the pillar beneath a shining ray of light. He looked down for the first time and saw the stain-glass like image on the surface. A woman of some sort, Her body was nude but no details of the body were seeable beyond black outlines. She was slightly curled up oner side curled up behind her in an almost sexual pose was a male figure, his body however was a pitch black and his eyes were yellow globes.
"Who are these people"?
He asked but got no response from the voice.
The ground shook and from the pillar grew three smaller pedestals on which appeared three weapons each.
In a flash of light a long glorious lance took shape on the first pedestal.
In an equally dazzling light appeared a helm on the second, and lastly there appeared a tablet.
If you give it form, it will give you strength.
The voice echoed through Vali's body once again.
Choose correctly.
He began to walk forward toward the lance, reaching his arm out to grab it, his hand shook as he wrapped his fingers around it and began to examine t.
A spear of unimaginable range, an invincible courage, the power of the warrior. Is this your choice?
He let go of the lance and turned around and walked over to the helmet and put it on.
A helm of unparalleled durability, armor to defend ones allies, the power of the Guardian, will you take it?
He removed the helmet and walked to the tablet
A language of unrivaled knowledge, powers to bring a city into ruin and enlightenment, the power of the power of the Gospel is this your choice
"Yes".
He said holding on to the tablet which dissipated in a flash of light.
Now what will you sacrifice.
"I sacrifice the power of the Guardian".
You chose the power of the Gospel and you sacrifice the power of the Guardian, the path of the Evangelin, is this the path you choose.
"Yes it is".
The two remaining items disappeared and the pedestals sank into the pillar's surface and the ground became black as the surrounding darkness.
Vali tried to pull himself free but the darkness kept pulling him in, inching upward further and further until it filled his mouth and nostrils and eventually swallowing him in his entirety.
Vali opened his eyes to see that he was no longer within the pool of blackness but on a second pillar. He looked down to see a different image. The pure white woman, this time on her own and facing forward. He wondered who she was, for some reason it felt as though he had seen her before, but he knew that was impossible he had never been off of his home island.
Now count to ten
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten".
He counted slowly pausing between each number. The area around him began to glow and air spiraled up from beneath him. He clenched his eyes tightly as the light around him intensified. He yelled out as he was thrown up into the air. The light became flowing tendrils that went up and grabbed Vali and brought him slamming down. He yelled again but was aided by no one.
If it gives you strength...
Time began to slow down for Vali and the pain only intensified with it.
You must bare the toll it exacts...
The ground cracked and shattered.
Your exodus will bring you to lands you never thought existed...
The light flung Vali off of the pillar and into the darkness.
And on this exodus you, the Evangelin, will suffer the loss of all those close and deer to you, but...
The darkness swarmed in and overtook Vali into it's ever encompassing bosom.
From this loss you will gain the power to rip them from death's grip, you will open the door, and behind it you shall find that which is promised to be sealed from mortal men.
Vali lost sight, surrounded by darkness she could feel his soul being eaten away his body decomposing and finally the warm light of salvation bring him back out of the ocean and to his home.
As he left, A second entered into the realm of pillars and darkness. As he stepped forth to the voices calling but as he walked he did so in defiant obedience and not in cautious hesitation, this boy strode forward to the center of his pillar, covered in the artwork of a blackened beast, the three headed Cerberus,, the next pillars would be far more ominous than this.
One last thought fluttered through Vali's mind as he came into consciousness
Don't be afraid to sacrifice it all, it will return in one shape or form.