Chapter 6
Communion
When Sally came to she was alone out in the desert. Still, the sky was dead and cruel. No wind. Nothing. She layed there for a long while, just staring blankly into the dead sky. After an unknown time passed, she slowly got up and started to feel a bit like herself again. She noticed the blood was gone from her fur. But there was a note beside her. She picked it up and read it aloud.
" Dear Sally...we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for bringing an end to his reign of evil on us. Hopefully now we can begin to live our lives. We're sorry we had to dump you here but its as far as we could bring you for where we are going you will not like. Best wishes...The circus folk.
PS: We cleaned you up and washed the mess off you. "
After she was done she cast aside the note and hugged her knees and buried her head into her chest thinking back on what happened. She began to fear herself.
" Was that really me that did that? Was that me that massacred so ruthlessly...? I'm not like that! I've never killed anything in my life. I've always been against it...but...whats wrong with me. "
She sobbed feeling absolutely ashamed and disgusted at herself. What would her father think? She wiped her tears away feeling like hell.
" God, I've gotta stop crying...when did I become so fragile... " she muttered bitterly.
She picked herself up, trying not to think anymore and just walked aimlessly in a straight line waiting with infinite patience for something to appear on the horizon. She walked a full day with no signs of food or water. She gradually slowed to a crawl where she eventually collapsed out of exhaustion. Not even mountains were around her anymore. Just a endless flatness of infinity. Though she didn't have to worry about looming vultures to peck at her bones. A small comfort. She punched the ground.
" No! I've come this far.I will not die...not yet...not yet... "
The ground began to crack where she hit it around her. The cracks dug deeper and wider until it gave way. She fell into darkness and then hit water. She emerged gasping for air gulping up mouthfuls of water to quench her thirst and renew her strength. The only light came from the hole in the rock ceiling where she fell.
" A cave! "
She dragged herself out of the sparkling cool water and followed a trail with her boots squeaking with soaked up water in their soles. She felt her way around in the dark hoping nothing would grab her. She began to dislike the dark. It hides too many secrets and too much truth. She came to a large round room perfectly carved into the earth. It was so smooth and geometrically perfect it had to be done by some kind of machine or powerful force. In the center a pillar of light shined down. It was a bright light but it did not sting her eyes. She backed away stunned. Then a voice called out.
" Do not fear the light, child " the powerful voice spoke out.
It was a very powerful and deep voice that shook the foundation of her battered and washed out soul. It was deep and had a very earthy richness to it. The voice was felt all around her but she felt she could trust this voice. It made her feel giddy and have butterflies in her stomach. Somehow, this voice seemed all to subconsciously familiar to her.
" G-god...? "
" Not quite. "
A figure emerged into the light. The being was around 13 feet tall and was very powerful and godly looking. He had a mammoth-like appearance. Two great long tusks with a long thin elephants trunk hanging from his face with two great bushy ears. He was clothed in red robes and clad in armor resembling a great roman emperor. His eyes were completely white but all knowing and wise, filled with knowledge and wonders. He had large powerful hands bulging with veins of power running through them that were easily bigger than her entire body. He outstretched his right arm to her.
" I release you of the shackles that bind you. "
Sally felt her strength come back to her. Her hunger died away and felt life and a deep warm return into her. She sighed peacefully feeling the light bathe over her.
" Who are you...? " she asked in a meek curious tone.
" I have many names for many races, cultures, universes, and other plains. Here, I am called the mammoth, Mogul. I come before you in a form that you would know me as. The wooly mammoth was an ancient creature filled with wisdom, it's bones echoing on for generations. It's silence teaching the ones that tread before its grave that all things, no matter how powerful must end. "
" Mogul... "
That name etched into Sally's mind. She knew she had heard his name from somewhere. Long ago she heard his name. But then like a strike of lightning she remembered. " I've heard of you from fairy tales from when I was a child! You were the creator of the Planet Mobius! You made it all. "
" That is true, child. I have had a hand in the creation of life, but I also am responsible for the destruction of many things " he said, his deep voice rattling her. " I am a creator, but not a god. Merely a higher piece set upon the board. "
She was like an infant compared to his gigantic stature. He did feel larger than life standing before her. She opened her mouth, trying to ask him all the questions that have plagued her since she looked to the stars.
" I will answer all questions you have in due time, child but first I will give you strength for the long road ahead. "
The cave around them suddenly disappeared and Sally found herself in a endless field of flowers. They smelled so sweet and ripe. The sun was high up and she could feel its warm rays bathe her.
" Is this a illusion? " she asked.
" It is as real as you wish it to be " he said standing there like a statue as the pedals blew past him in the wind. She walked around feeling the flowers against her touch. They felt soft like silk. She giggled and ran and jumped into a big pile like a kid. She layed on her back laughing.
" It is real! " she said with tears of joy running down her face.
She got up and standing there was Tails and Sally's father standing together smiling. The King had not aged a day since she last remembered. He still wore his regal blue uniform with the crown resting on his head and his eyes pale blue like the ocean. Tails was no longer an abomination of Mr Snively's experiments or carried the barbs on his tails but seemed to glow with a sense of purity.
" Sally...my sweet Sally... " King Acorn said outstretching his arms to her.
" Daddy! " she cried leaping into his arms feeling her heart beat faster in hugged him tightly feeling his warmth against hers.
" Your really here aren't you? both of you? "
They nodded.
" I know what you are going through Sally and I only wish it was me to carry this burden on you but you must not give up for the darkness is never darkest night always brings the brightest dawn " the King spoke softly to her.
" And don't worry about me, Sally " said Tails.
" But it was so horrible...the way you died...I..I tried to save you! " Sally said tearing up.
He walked up to her and fondled her face wiping away a forming tear.
" It's actually looked worse than it actually was. I had a lot of fun hanging around you, Aunt Sally. Even if it was for a short bit. "
" I'm sorry I couldn't stop him Tails " she said hugging him.
" Hey! I said its ok. It's all cool! Really! You tried your best. You can still fix things. I know you can! "
" You really are the Tails as I remember! " Sally said happily. " And your wounds and scars, they're all gone! "
" Yeah, dying isn't so bad as I thought. The pain was only a moment but afterwards, it was almost felt like I was being born...but backwards. "
She hugged him tighter wishing this moment of pure happiness would last forever. King Acorn kneeled down and hugged the both of them. She felt so happy all the misery and stink and filth that had bottled up in her heart for so long was finally all gone. She felt waves of love wash over her soul. She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep. When she awoke she was in a great silky bed with pink sheets. She slowly got up and looked around at her surroundings. It was beautiful. She walked out onto a balcony and gazed upon a beautiful sight.
" Mobotropolis! " she said with a gasp.
She gazed upon the beautiful architecture of her birth place. The once capital of Mobius where nature and technology seemed to come together in a utopia for all. The white polished marble buildings gave off a golden look when the sunlight would hit and the crisp waterfalls sparkle with life running along the hills and cliff. The rivers weaved in and around the city like highways with farms built around them. The palace from where she slept was a great towering pyramid, built in the center of the city with steps running along each end. Each layer of the palace balconies were forests growing outward like vines, with great tree's reaching up to the sky only rivaled by the golden arch ways of the King's royal throne room. ' I wonder if this is heaven ' she thought.
" Heaven is of the mind " Mogul said walking into her bedroom, shutting the door behind him. " This is one of your sanctuaries of happiness. As a child you used to gaze out at the stars on clear nights and dreaming of the future and what untold wonders it would bring you and how beautiful you would become.
" How do you know all this? " she said surprised.
" I know a great deal, princess. Far more than one would come to learn in a natural lifetime but I do not know everything. "
" I'd like to know some things now " she said.
" As you wish. "
She sat down on the bed looking at him with mystery and awe as he found himself a seat and pulled himself close.
" Ask and ye shall receive, child. "
" First I'd like to know, how am I here? This place...how can I be in Mobotropolis? It was destroyed long ago. "
" As I said before. This is one of your sanctuaries of happiness. Here, time does not exist. It is part of your own world. You wish to be here because it makes you happy so therefore you are. "
" So...my happiness...is my own world of places and people in my life that made me happy? "
" Yes. "
" Then how come this is the first time I have been able to go here if this is my world? "
" Because you did not wish to before. You were too occupied with the affairs outside of your world and tried to shape that world as your own. "
Sally's head hurt. She didn't quite understand but decided not to push.
" Will I be able to stay here forever? "
" No. Reality is something you must face. You cannot hide from it by escaping to your dreams. You would be throwing away your life itself. "
" I guess it is inevitable to face hardship in life isn't it? "
" Hardship is merely a passing moment of discomfort. One cannot be expected to live in a world shared by others without enduring hardships. It can easily destroy the hearts of the meek and timid but strengthen the hearts of the strong. But that person must choose if the discomfort will destroy him or not. Pain is merely a tool that is used to bring about great change that requires adapting to your surroundings. Some might call this pain heaven for the rewards it leads you to. Others call it hell for the torment they feel and the greater torment they will blindly fall into. "
Sally paused for a long time letting his words of wisdom sink in. He patiently waited until she was ready to speak again.
" I have more questions. "
" Then ask. "
" How did I wake up from my usual world to a world that I don't know anymore? Why is everything changed? "
" Because this is not your world. "
" B-but if I am not on Mobius anymore where am I? "
" You are on Mobius. "
" But you said- "
" I said you are not in your world anymore but you are on Mobius. It is Mobius but not your Mobius. "
" How did I get here? "
" You were drawn here when you were no longer wanted to stay in your world. You were tired of living in a world with others where your dreams seemed impossible to create real and you refused sanctuary of your dreams so you left your world for another. "
" I never wanted to leave! I just want to go home. Is there a way I can get back? "
" Every door that closes can open again. "
He got up and opened a door that appeared out of thin air. A bright light shined out of it.
" It is time to go. You will not see me again. Find the door, find that which made your heart anchored to your world."
" W-wait I still have more questions! " she said but then everything seemed to fizzle away. Sally opened her eyes and found herself back in the badlands. She got to her feet groaning at the unpleasant sight of it all.
" Was I dreaming...? " she asked herself. "No...couldn't have been. "
She remembered the warmth from that place. She felt renewed with energy ready to go further. She walked a small ways and then came across train tracks. They were half buried under dust and the metal was partially eaten away. She decided to follow the tracks that pointed east. Her adventure was about to have another twist.
