by Alex South
“Take a lesson from the varls, Oa. You, like Susan, are merely a creature meant to carry potential but never to fulfill it. Such a feat is impossible, and I exist to uphold that law. Perfection cannot exist!” Eol snarled, lunging forward.
Susan roared, rearing up to meet Eol. She caught his swinging staff with her paws. The energy inside her began to pour into the Void weapon. Susan snapped at Eol’s head, but he ducked underneath the attack; twirling his weapon around to catch Susan behind the head. The blow struck hard, draining more energy from the lightning varl. She retaliated quickly with a swipe of her paw.
Oa snatched Seeker from his satchel, ready to truly fight for the first time in his life. Seeker blazed to life in his hand and suddenly the platform began to float upwards. Oa rushed forward, sending Seeker flying toward Eol. The orb of light struck Eol’s staff, preventing it from dealing another blow to Susan. She darted forward, lightning spewing from her mouth. Eol brought his staff back around to block the energy. The Void consumed the purple fire, further draining Susan’s life force. She faltered slightly, shaking her head in confusion as she tried to recover. Eol took advantage of the pause to knock Susan out of the way and sprint toward Oa.
Oa called Seeker back to his hand as Eol’s staff sliced down toward him with blinding speed. Oa’s arms were too slow, but his mind was fast enough to move Seeker into a parry position. His arm was a blur as he mentally positioned Seeker to counter each of Eol’s attacks. Susan charged in, causing Eol to split his attention. The demon was still too fast. His ferocity increased as he battered down harder on Oa, causing the young Awoken to stumble back.
“You are alone, Oa! Stop fighting!” Eol thundered.
“Never! My friends are always with me. Their hopes and dreams will live on in me. I will carry those hopes and never let them fall to the likes of you!” Oa shot back as he locked Seeker with the Void staff. The opposing forces pushed against each other as the platform rose up through the pillars of light, higher and higher. Oa strained with all his physical and mental might. The Void closed in around them, eating at the pillars and the sky above. Susan tried to tear Eol apart, but with each attack her essence only drained into the monster instead of harming him.
The platform reached its destination and halted. The only light came from Seeker and Susan. The darkness had closed in, hovering around the edge of the platform. The sky was gone along with the rest of the world. All that was left was Eol, Oa, and the final lightning varl, locked in a duel of fate. Oa lost his footing and Eol flung him backwards across the platform. Oa landed on his back, hard. He looked up to see Eol charging toward him, but Susan intercepted the assault. She moved as fast as Eol did. The varl’s size fluctuated rapidly as she outmaneuvered her foe. She darted around Eol’s attacks, delivering blow after blow, but the shadow could not be moved.
Susan poured out the strength of her ancestors, the life of the Great Planes. She fought out of loyalty and love for Kai, Oa, Ohm, and her lost mate. The whirlwind of violet burned brightly even as it drained away into the Void. In the end, Susan grew tired. Her spirit was far from infinite. Oa got up and ran toward the varl to protect her, but he was too late. The final lightning varl faltered, and Eol laughed victoriously. He battered her down, driving his staff through her body and pinning her to the ground. Susan let out a yelp as she was mortally wounded. Eol drew the staff out and backed away, pleased with himself.
Oa skidded to a halt beside Susan. Her aura flickered and dimmed, as the churning energy in her chest slowed. The varl looked up and spotted danger behind Oa. Susan spent the last of her strength as she curled around the young Awoken and blocked a swipe of Eol’s staff. She whipped her tail around and threw Eol across the platform. She uncurled from Oa and he held her head as she gave a final howl. Susan’s light faded completely and the creature of sky lay dead.
Oa remained knelt next to Susan. Eol stalked toward him, but still the Awoken did not move.
“Have you finally given up?” Eol asked.
Oa did not respond at first; but when he did, he spoke as if to a friend. “No, I haven’t. I have this strange ability to believe that things can end for the better. I won’t fight anymore, but I will never stop believing in my dream and in my friends—or in you Ohm.”
“Fool!” Eol shouted as he swung his Void staff. It sliced through Oa’s torso and sent him skidding back across the platform. Seeker glowed dimly at Oa’s side as Eol’s red eyes stalked toward him. Oa let his mind wander, remembering the times he had spent with Kai and Ohm and Susan. A vision of all of them, together once more, played in his mind. Eol halted next to Oa. He raised the staff high to deal the finishing blow that would end the story forever.
Suddenly out of the shrouds that covered Eol’s chest, a figure burst forth. With a yell, Ohm pulled himself halfway out of the Demon of Void. He froze Eol’s final blow with sheer will. Ohm reached out his hand toward Oa. His blue ocular plate flickered faintly.
“Oa, I will not let you die, but I am the Destroyer. I-I must fulfill my purpose,” Ohm said with the last of his sanity, fighting to get every word out. He drew his left hand back, reaching up to his chest. He grunted in effort as he unclasped his cloak. The cloth parted revealing Ohm’s soul ember. He clasped the stone in his remaining hand; the hand of life. The First One pulled with all his strength, yelling in effort. Eol began to regain control, his staff continuing its swing down towards Oa. With a mighty crack and flash of light, Ohm’s soul ember pulled free. The light in his ocular plate died. Instantly, the oily black of the Void stopped churning. It froze, hardening into a solid black wall. Eol froze in place as well, becoming a mere husk. Ohm’s body slowly relaxed, slumping forward. His arm swung down and his left hand gently opened. The soul ember resting in his palm tumbled out onto the ground with a clink.
Oa lay on the cold metal floor in pain. He was tired; and even though he considered healing himself, he did not have the strength. His laceration did not expand, but life slowly drained away through it. Oa thought about all he had been through and about everything he had seen. He thought about his vision and how he had wanted to make something better out of the world. He pondered all this as he lay at the end of all things.
Two Ones—what an odd idea. Ohm and I awoke so far apart, and yet, we grew so close. Why were we so different in the end? Oa thought to himself. Myself, made with no ember, and Ohm made to consume everything. What was the Creator thinking …? he let his thoughts drift off.
Suddenly, he realized what he had to do. With every last bit of energy Oa had, he rolled over and crawled toward Ohm’s soul ember. He reached forward and, straining to his limit each time, he pulled himself a little closer. Every fiber of his being was focused on reaching that ember. Oa stretched out his hand again to pull himself closer, and he felt the crystal. He gripped the ember feebly and rolled onto his side. With grim resolve, he set the stone in the empty cavity in his chest. He was too tired to even try to align the connections. Oa collapsed onto his back, finished. Seeker flickered and went out.
Inside Oa’s chest, the soul ember rose up and rotated around. It oriented itself correctly then dropped back down into his chest socket with a single flare of warmth. Seeker began to glow brilliantly. Tendrils of energy flowed out of Seeker and into Oa’s body. Countless rays of light shot out of the orb until the sphere had melted away completely. Oa’s body could no longer be seen. Only a being of pure light remained.
***
Oa awoke. He sensed his body sit up slowly. A sliver of his mind registered that he was encased in a small, dark room, trapped in the remnants of a dead world. This did not bother him. He finally felt unhindered, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The strange symbols no longer bombarded his inner sight. Oa looked down, only one symbol remained at his core. He looked closer. The strange glyph seemed to beckon him, calling out. Oa plunged into the singularity. He could see nothing other than the symbol. He was mesmerized by the depths of the aura within his chest. The sounds of life te
amed around him. He could hear it; he could feel it.
“Hey, Oa!” Kai’s voice called out to him. Oa felt her slug him in the arm. “Took you long enough, but you did it. We’re are all here. There’s that guy and what’s her name—pretty much everybody. Cale and Jess want to meet you later,” she said unable to contain all of her excitement. “Whoa, look out! Susan wants to say hi.” Oa felt the familiar tickle of static across his face. He heard Susan’s happy bark.
A friendly voice laughed, “That can wait Kai. I’m sure Oa would like a moment to get his bearings.” Oa felt Ohm’s hands on his shoulders.
Oa heard himself speak. “I did it,” he said happily.
“Of course, you did,” Kai’s voice echoed back warmly.
“So what now, Oa? You ready to show us that vision of yours, or is this it?” Ohm asked, teasing.
“Yeah,” Oa said. He paused for a moment as he fell deeper into the light, following his friends. He laughed or smiled; he could not tell which. “Of course, I’m ready. First, we have to grow. Things are too small here. I’m thinking bigger, much bigger.” He reached toward his dream; his potential.
“Not so flat this time, though. They’re gonna want more room to soar in,” Kai said. Her voice sounded far away. The sound of cheerful laughter and music filled Oa.
“Just show us where to go,” Ohm whispered. His words carried softly through the sounds of joy around Oa. “Your will shall be.”
“Yes, it’s time to go,” Oa said. He sprinted faster and faster toward the symbol of light. He stretched out his hand and took hold.
***
In the center of the chamber, a shining figure sat floating in the air; legs crossed, hands resting calmly on its knees. The radiant being began to grow, filling the room. Illumination surged around the husk of death, a broken law. The empty, shrouded carcass melted away as the aura of life pushed against its confined existence. The noise of countless voices filled the space, laughing and cheering together in a song of hope. The song echoed throughout the universe as light pushed against its boundaries. All at once, the walls shattered. Rays of creation burst forth, forging ahead in pursuit of what lay concealed in the deep.
-The End.
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