Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Yesterday is Today
[Hunter]
This world that we are forced to live upon is but one of many. A possibly infinitely sprawling interwoven web of multi-verses that will never be tracked or traced to a single definite origin, such is the way of the laws of time and space. A single person is forever destined to never see more than one of these universes. Their soul will be fused to the shell they call their body and that shell will live whatever days it is numbered for before it fails its task to house the soul; releasing it back into the great cycle to be cut apart into a brand new being.
Lies, nothing but lies invented by thinking men who wanted to stand out among their peers.
What the fabric of existence really is can't be fathomed fully by a mortals mind. All we can do is scrabble at the straws of higher order in a vain attempt to grasp what may and may not be in this cosmic game of life.
We're but pawns in comparison to the kings and queens of life. Life far more garlanded than our filthy beings, and eternally more powerful than any creature that has ever been branded as a mortal.
That is what I had come to believe.
It was not always as such I assure you but life has a funny way of flipping around every ideal you will ever contemplate upon to show each and every angle of this new world you may think you've discovered.
That was what had been happening on this one job assigned to me by my Emperor.
It was simple, I was to track and follow the one called Lycan. In stark difference to the name he was to be addressed by this Lycan was not a wolf-man but he was certainly of canine breeding. The most shocking feature by far was the dual horns that came from his forehead. Each one like a perfectly crafted serpentine bone resting gracefully upon his head, the two twisted around one another to form a larger construct both gaudy and subtle.
The bone peaked off to become a deadly beautiful lance that cast a red aura glow when in use. I rolled my eyes when I saw this, it seemed so dull for a creature's aura to be such a silly colour. Only super-villains and self-branded ‘perfect characters’ have red aura.
His fur is red also; such style of coat would serve only to enlighten a foe as to his location. Then again it was to be expected of his kind. From there on it had been a simple job. I was doing as I was told, keeping my distance while all the while never missing a single detail of his exploits. He slept when I slept and he awoke when I awoke.
I was the hunter and he was the prey.
Such was another illusion I had built upon my overconfidence in my old ways.
It was when a second force intervened in his life that I saw the true folly of my ego. This wolf; this Lycan fellow, was far more dangerous than I had first thought. Such was the nature of one that must wield the fire in their heart with skill enough to change the world.
He was a danger to all around him.
He needed to be kept under lock and key, he needed to be watched at all times.
My master had other plans.
I was called back to home to receive new orders. Since then I had been told time and time again that I was to wait, sitting in the dark until the higher-ups decided it was appropriate to shed some light on me.
Today was that day. I was called to the Emperor's chamber and I wasted no time in getting there.
The Emperor stood tall in front of me, a monolith of raw seeping power.
“You understand your mission.” He barked with firm authority.
“I do my liege.” I responded, bent on one knee before him.
“Then you also understand that everything I do I do because it furthers the goal that I have set out for you?”
“I do my liege.”
The Emperor waved a limb through the air; I could feel every single particle within my body tremble in fear as a cold wave of pure power filtered through my being.
“Then why did you see it fit to argue with my orders Hunter?” He asked monotone.
My heart stopped working. “Because I did not agree with you my liege.”
“Why did you not agree with me?” The Emperor whispered, another current of energy tapping its way through my system.
“Because I did not believe that your choice would further my goal my liege.”
I flinched against a strike that never landed. When my eye reopened I was greeted by the Emperor staring at me.
“You were correct in that assumption.” He said simply.
I blinked at him several times over.
“Did you not hear me? I said you were correct my Hunter.”
“Then why the hell did you recall me?” I spat with defiance.
“To fulfil the next stage of your task Hunter, it was vital that you returned here.” The Emperor said. Before I could object to this he continued his speaking. “It would not matter had you stayed or left. The one you know as Lycan is now far out of both your reach and level of power. Were he to burst into this room right now I dare say he would kill you without batting an eyelash.”
“Impossible!” I screeched. “Not only is it impossible that he could find us but for one with as little experience as him to trump me? Inconceivable! I would sooner believe that a Diamond Dog would be capable of inter-dimensional travel at will than such a runt could kill me!”
“Do you wish to experience but a tenth of his current strength Hunter?”
“Of course I would.” I scoffed. “I need something to lighten my mood a little.”
The Emperor smiled at my display of bravado. This was all but a game to that man. His cold eyes fell upon me like heavy weights, each polished smooth iris crashing with brute force against my being. He continued to look at me for the slightest sign of change, the smallest hint that I wished to back out from this fight. I felt something breeze across my body.
“Was that it?” I laughed. “If a tenth feels like it might just blow a hair out of place I suppose full power could blow off a ha-“
Pain. Solid unfiltered pain tore across the length of my body. I screamed in total agony as every particle of my being was shattered in turn only to be rebuilt and shattered again. I had never before experienced such an intense feeling, it was as if that very core of my being had been set alight and I was to suffer with the fires as they chewed their way out of me.
It was something a thousand times worse than any pain than you could possibly imagine.
The rolling immolation continued to wreck havoc across my insides. It was the inevitable and pitiful outcome, but I eventually passed out from the pain.
*
When I eventually found myself awakening it was to a body pulsing with the after-effect of a pain close to death. I tried to stand but it felt like my legs had become nothing more than burnt stumps devoid of the capability of supporting my frame.
What the hell had that power been?!
That was not the wolf I had been following, there wasn't an angel's chance in hell that that wolf had gained so much power in the scant few hours I had not seen him. It was simply inconceivable that a creature than had been in this world for little more than a few months could have gained power so vast. He had only just discovered his fire when I had been recalled; so it was simply out of the equation that he had already become immersed enough within the powers he had to be so impossibly mighty.
“You would be correct in thinking that something was amiss Hunter.” The Emperor cooed from elsewhere. “I too would believe the claims that were just laid upon you were fabricated given the circumstances.” The Emperor walked calmly into my field of vision.
“After all what kind of creature could become so powerful in such a short amount of time with no real training or experience? Even if he was trained to become that powerful in just two months is absurd! Why if it were the protagonist of a story that was put into such an extreme change in such a short amount of time I would put the story away and never lay eyes upon it again. Did I ever mention that I despise characters like that? They're so fanciful.”
The Emperor stared up towards the ceiling and sighed loudly. “Then again, isn’t that what a hero is? A fanciful character stepping on the borderline of becoming a Mary Sue, only an inch away from the reader realising how stupid the written creature’s power and skill really are?”
The Emperor calmly strode over and, with a few grunts, helped me to my feet.
“Nothing in this world can be called perfect, but literature strives to make their targets as close as possible. I wonder if writers ever realise that a character is better when its believable in its context? Maybe they think that unless their creation is the best around its worthless, power is only worthwhile if you have truly earned it after all.”
I wanted to ask him why he had launched himself into such an extravagant speech about power and literature, only he cut me off.
“You must be curious as to my all this applies to you my Hunter. It is simple. That wolf has not been in training for a simple two months, he has had much, much longer to hone his skills and learn not only the depth of his power but what his purpose is.”
“But how?” I questioned through cracked lips. “How is it possible for him to have done such a thing?”
“He might not be the greatest warrior to have ever been birthed but he is far stronger than he thinks or knows. What that boy could achieve was simply locked within him, far inside of the very centre of his being; waiting until his body and mind were capable of sustaining the power that was dormant inside.”
“Then what happened? Its still unlikely that he was gifted such clarity of soul in a mere two months.”
The Emperor waved a limb. “I said that already did I not? I also remember saying that it was a mere two months but far longer that he used to achieve this strength. Far longer than you've even been alive I think.”
“Impossible!” I roared, throat constricting on the note. “What black magic...”
“Do you want to follow the path that he took?”
My ear pricked to attention, this was a most interesting offer indeed. To take a path that allowed him to become so strong so fast? Who wouldn't want to cheat like that?
The Emperor boomed with laughter, his stomach bouncing merrily as each low note was struck.
“Oh my dear deluded Hunter!” He said with laughter punctuating every other word. “I’m sure that that little mind of yours is cobbling up some sort of idea along the lines of a get powerful fast regime that the boy undertook. Once more you forget what I have said time and time again!”
“What? What in the world could be different?”
I felt something begin to infiltrate my body; musical notes being carried on the wind gently ran their influence over my eardrums as another swirl of power began to constrict my body.
“Did you not hear me the first four times Hunter?” The Emperor whispered, a malicious glint hidden in his eyes. “That boy had far longer than you have been alive to train. He didn't just have months, he had years.”
A rush of energy tore me apart bit by bit until there was nothing left; I was nothing but a spiritual spectre being swept along the winds.
But just what kind of wind was I being swept along? Just where in the world was I being taken, and how was I still alive?
The truth was both horrible and fantastical to be confronted by.
I was being taken to the true beginning of the journey called life.
*
[Lycan]
Sunny’s talent was pretty awesome.
She had become the kind of pony that could carve and create a wide variety of musical instruments whether they are brass or wood. Pianos were still out of her reach though. I was interested in only one article however.
Something in her workshop called to me.
“Isn’t this place neat?” Sunny asked as she sprung about. “I’m the new apprentice to Mr Maudlin, a real emotional player, once made an entire room weep on the first line of a piano piece. A real musical genius he is.”
I was crouched over so that I didn’t hit my head on the roof. “That’s all fine and dandy Sunny, but earlier you mentioned something about having made a violin?”
“Yeah I did!” She chirruped. “It was awesome; I think I’ve still got it laying about in here.”
“Do yah think I could give a shot at playin’ it? I got a nice feeling about a violin.”
Sunny beamed. “Sure I can Ly'. Let’s find it first!”
We spent the next ten minutes searching every inch of the workshop, not assisted by my new larger size, until we eventually found the thing.
It was most peculiar to see her bring it out. The entire frame looked designed in a just so kind of way that it was sort of unnerving. Every groove looked designed in such a way that it seemed like it had been made for one creature and nothing else.
“Mr Maudlin says that its a masterpiece, like nothing he’s ever seen.” Sunny whispered in awe.
I motioned her to relocate outside; this room was far too cramped to even attempt to play.
Once we had escaped the confines of the workshop Sunny lifted the thing towards me, taking the utmost care with the creation. I clasped it in each hand and weighed the thing. It was perfect in every single way. Its form, the curves, the grooves and indents that added to style and comfort without ruining the instrument in anyway visible to the eye, it was perfect for me. I positioned the violin on my collarbone, holding the neck with my left hand. Each action was decided by an unknown auto-pilot sitting within my brain.
It guided me perfectly every step of the way.
When I had the instrument positioned correctly on my shoulder I held out my other hand for the bow. When it felt correct in my hand I placed it upon the strings gently with the force in my mind clicking onwards to its conclusion.
Then I played the first thing that came into my head.
The world stood still around me. An eleven foot high wolf with a violin playing a sonata I didn’t know my mind had stored away. Each motion of the bow, every note struck with intention to cause wonder to burst within the hearts of whoever may be close by. My mind was filling in the gaps where it believed other instruments should play while my hands continued to work away at playing.
Something began to surround me. A dazzling light that infiltrated my body on time with the musical notes that played from the violin in my grasp.
Something in my brain told me to stop playing.
I ignored it.
The invisible constriction tightened its hold around me as I hit a note harder than needed, it was starting to hurt. Something hooked against my skin, tugging gently at my fur as if it were trying to coerce me out of my skin.
“An instrument can only be beautiful if the user knows how to manipulate it.” Yiang whispered in my ear, her mutterings were hardly registered by me in my entranced state of mind.
“Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, you are the weakest link boyo. Do you think that the others would want to be helped by someone like you? Yes my boy, others. You are not the only one brought here. But you cannot yet stand tall with them; not with a body like that.”
The hooks in my body began to really tug at me, intent on trying to break my concentration in playing.
“You need time boyo, time that I’m afraid you do not have. But you can make it.”
The hooks were close to ripping my skin off of my body but I didn’t pause in my playing.
“You have a greater destiny than you might think. But alas you have already played it out, or have you? I can never tell.” A hand graced my cheek. “But enough, it is time the real journey began.”
With that last sentence the hooks pulled me apart. I burst in a flood of energy that destroyed everything that I was, ripping my essence into small pieces barely the size of a grain of sand. The wind of musical notes picked me up immediately and, as I lost the ability to retain thought, the breeze swept me away.
*
I can’t go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then – Lewis Carroll, ‘Alice in Wonderland’
*
I regained my grasp on the world slowly. It was less that I had difficulty in functioning more that every part of me once again refused to work in synchronisation in the manner a body should resulting in a furry heap on the floor that was incapable of motion.
The violin was still in my hand though and appeared totally unharmed.
However I most certainly wasn't where I had been not thirty seconds ago.
“Yes you are boyo.” Yiang said to me plainly. “This is the location of Sunny’s village, the exact spot you were before you passed out.”
“Not that I doubt you.” I muttered. “But even in my state I can see this is a forest glade and not a small village.”
“Well of course this isn’t a village! The village doesn’t exist.”
“What the hell do you think you’re talking about Yiang?”
I felt that Cheshire cat grin of hers peel into formation.
“I’m talking about the village. The village you speak of isn’t going to be built for another five years.”
Something in my brain went number than I thought possible. I wanted to laugh and call Yiang out on her trickery, only the sincerity in her words bled through.
She was telling the truth about the village having not been built yet.
I was here before I was here.
Today was yesterday and yesterday was today.
What the hell is going on?
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2008505
Prolly because its got such good lines to use though isn't it?
Did he just get sent back in time?
suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21283482/images/1351171147982.jpg
2008636
Unless that's the having two eyes of a different colour thing I'm just gonna nod and pretend to know what you said good chap
2009434
Maybe >_> <_< >_> <_< >_>
EW TIME TRAVEL WHAT A FAYGOLAH
2014041
I can't hear you over my thought-out plot and regular updates
i finally got to read this... and it just confused the ever livin shit out of me. i mean i get it... it just threw me for a loop there and i had to reread it.
2035668
Threw you off in a good way?
2037198 yeah... it wasn't bad. it's just that i had to stop three quarters of the way and read the last half again.
2037228
What exactly happened to you? Something about what I put.?
2037255 the quote from alice in wonderland kinda clued me in that somethin was wrong... time wise, then the next few lines made me reread it to make sure i got what was happenin. really, it might have only been me that got confused...
2037308
Well things may only get more confusing from here on out, cause this is where the real story begins
Did Lycan just play the violin equivalent of the Song of Time from Legend of Zelda?