Chapter 5 Realization part 1
(Nox POV/Time: ????)
Where...am I, who am I, what am I? I'm feeling these constant questions and my arrival to this strange place, and seeing that merchant is bringing in visions...memories. I think I'm starting to remember the time before and during that incident, if that's the case I must try my hardest to delve deeper while these visions are taking effect again.
(I actually made something for once myself and it took a really long time.)
I stare wide eyed at the surrounding, then noticing the lone person standing there surrounded by this energy. He stands there isolated and resting alone, not a sound to be heard, even the sound of my breathing is non-existent...wait I'm not breathing?! In this realm did I not...exist?
"Do not worry young one, though I guess you are no longer young are you." says a tired voice of an old man. He appears with a simple wooden stick about as big as he, and he seems to be of an average height with an unkempt beard. He swayed over to me with speed and surprising balance, as his eye's glowed a green hue. The closer he got the more the air around us began to glow with soft white orbs illuminating the darkness.
"Can you actually see and hear me?" I ask not expecting an answer to my question, since this is just a vision like all the others most likely. To my shock he raised his staff and slammed it into the ground causing lightning to spread everywhere out of no where encompassing the area. I then notice that we are now atop a castle under a bountiful array stars.
"Of course I can, what kind of god can't see the being in the realm he resides? Sadly though, I am no true god and can be killed, but this domain you've found yourself in is a limbo between dimensions where time is still and it's impossible to die...sadly I am forever bound here such is my punishment." he answers me shocking me more, and bringing clarity to the situation. Forever trapped...he must feel so lonely, isolated...cut-off from his family.
"Why am I here then? You say that you are here as such is your punishment." I ask hoping that he has some answers.
"You were pulled here by some being, or by yourself. Most come here when they die at sea from the fierce Kraekan. However, I think you were brought here by your own sub-conscious searching for forgotten memories. It seems what has laid dormant for so long is awakening." he answers cryptically without a single clue with what I should do.
"How am I suppose to leave? How should I find these lost memories you claim I'm searching for? Who are you?!" I question becoming less and less patient with him, however, he just looks back at me unaffected by my impatient actions, "Sorry for the short outburst that was quite rude of me."
"When one is lost and put in a corner, when they're so close to the answers they seek, they tend to become impatient and easily angered." he answers still unfazed, yet he confuses me...why doesn't he ever get impatient himself? He's been trapped here for who knows how long, yet somehow keeps his composure near perfectly if no perfect.
"who are yo-"
"I can read thoughts you know...as to answer your questions, it is for you to decide the answers. As for who I am...let me tell you a little story." he then raised his staff once more and lightning once again began to sprout from the nothingness to engulf us, "Let us begin the tale of King Jaret of The Raging Storms!" an image appeared from the lightning that amazed me to no end.
"From the beginning of time there existed alternate dimensions and universes, and from these I was born in the kingdom of many gods, all of whom were born of a light that I was not. I born as a peasant, I soon rose from filth and became adapt in the arcane and a master in all weapons. Through my many skills I advanced in the hierarchy quickly, eventually crowned king when I turned 19 in a mortal realm. When I became the new king of a nation. For my quick ascension and young naivety was a prospect that infatuated my ego, so thus I was sent here from my greed and envy."
"What do you mean?"
He then looked at me with a somber expression, "A man envies his neighbor, whose wife is very beautiful. A lord envies a king, who commands nobles. A king envies a god, to whom all men must bow, and a god envies...a god envies what a god cannot have. I wanted so much from life, yet satisfaction eluded me. And the things I prayed for...well...would you believe a god actually answered my prayers? These things...this life...this island world...such is my reward. Fantastic power, a lifetime of servitude, and a purgatorial existence in this still place. The god of this island is the god that answered my prayers. His existence is one of insatiable lust for something a god can never have: to be born of light. He preyed on the greedy, collecting on the debts of kingdoms and countries in some mad, mad hope of collecting that thing he shall never have." he then looked me dead in the eye with a defeated expression, "Like me the god that answered my prayers...the one that made this realm...was not born from light like all true gods, he is not a true god, so he tries and tries again through an infinite time loop to collect the souls of the damned to give him more and more power in hope...in hope he'll one day...finally fulfil despondent dream. He is a Nameless god, and I will remain to keep him that way this mindless slaughter he does now proves he should never gain the privilege a real god should have." with these final words he waves his staff one final time sending us back to the place where we first started.
"You were a king with the power of a god, so powerful you may as well were one. Yet despite this you find that through your seemingly infinite power, that you cannot escape this one place...so I'm guessing you serve as a guide to help those not trapped here a way out." I ask on final question finally seeing that even great people of power can't attain everything. Maybe I should take this into account sometimes.
"I've lived for hundreds of thousands of years, yet despite all that time this Nameless God that brought me here is still no more a god than I am. Even if he has captured the powers of gods and now possess greater power than I he is still wrought with despair for being so close yet so far from his goal." he then turns to me preparing to say goodbye, "Unlike him you will be able to find yourself here, and be free. So go and discover your true past. This will be the last time you see me, but maybe I'll be able to help you for once before I go." he then pulls out a simple watch and hands it to me.
"What is this suppose to mean?" I say taking the watch carefully.
"With this watch you will be able to call for help from other realms, and maybe you may even use it to go to others if they accept...goodbye Noximillian." with this he turns and disappears from existence, soon I will discover why I'm here myself.
"Thank you..." I whisper aloud knowing he can hear me as I depart and begin my adventure across these new lands. I look out towards where I first saw that lone warrior when I first arrived. I then notice that time has unfrozen since Jaret left, and he walks down the staircase slowly.
"Ageless solace, clasp'd by death. Cursed no longer, gasping breath." I hear him say as I approach...he seems familiar for some reason.
"Stifled flame in sea of ice. It's time to pay the price." I hear something say in a dark tone sounding around from everywhere. I then notice that the warrior in front of me jumps down kneeling in front of this large creature that glows with power in this looming cathedral he resides, like the marble floors, his blade shines with a refined luster. Like the dark void from outside his skin is dark as night, corrupted and rotten. He floats above the ground gliding elegantly yet seemingly lifeless, towards the warrior slowly. Almost at a blinding speed he dashes forward with his blade, yet somehow the warrior dodges it and uses his Great-hammer to strike him in the back. This creature then throws his sword at the warrior, however he say this from a mile away, but what he didn't see was that the previously harmless white orbs have become lethal projectiles and hit him in the back staggering him. As the sword flies back to this creature it slices through the warriors pauldron. The warrior then receives another orb to the head throwing him into the wall at the other side of the room.
"Iron will steel and stone, wrest from sea for iron home." I hear the warrior chant before his whole body is engulfed in light now fully healed along with his armor completely repaired. With this all the orbs in the room start dashing towards him. The warrior uses his Great-hammer to break a piece of the wall then moves behind it the orbs completely destroying the makeshift barricade, but leaving the warrior untouched. The creature seeing this dash forward faster than the eye can see, and the warrior responds in kind their battle growing fiercer and more destructive. Yet it seems the warrior is winning somehow moving faster than this creature.
"Is that...the Nameless God?" I ask myself as I see this powerful being dash to and fro with frightening power and speed. Yet somehow this warrior is actually winning almost without effort...who is this? Why are they fighting could it be that the only way to escape is to defeat him? These questions are not helping, but interesting to think about. Yet one question pertains, if this is the nameless god why is he letting himself lose? He was winning flawlessly earlier, it makes no sense.
As I watch the battle unfold I then see a glimmer of light from the corner of my eye, I begin to walk towards it ever so slowly. I pass the apparent doorway to something I can't quite explain.
A room full of countless candles in a soundless abyss, it was...calming, yet haunting at the same time unsure of how to describe my feeling. I then look ahead of to see some candles burst into flames illuminating a single object...a simple well. I feel a sense of nostalgia with the presence of the well for some reason. I began to slowly walk towards it. Ever so slowly, step by step. The candles began to dim their once intense glow to something of a more ominous, serene nature. I hear a faint sound of tapping and ringing...I hear laughter, I hear these voices that sound so familiar yet I do not recall who they are. I now stand in front of the well looking into it wondering if I should go down it.
"Maybe you should." I hear someone tell me, though it isn't the old man, but a young girl with short black hair, that's almost as dark as the surrounding void.
"Why though?" I question her...why does she seem so familiar?
"They're calling for you to return home, this is the only exit from this island, but this well also can resurface lost memories...is that why you came...to remember." she says now sitting next to me on the edge of this well. She looks down the well with a somber gaze yet resists to go down for some reason.
"I will remember you I'm sure then...goodbye." I say waving to her preparing to jump down myself my decision set in stone.
"Never say goodbye, if you don't say goodbye, then your not really gone...your just not here right now." I hear her say before I disappear down the well completely.