by Andrew Jones
Within an instant, the child turned back to normal, but she had blood falling from her eyes. Like she was crying blood. She was on her knees, holding her hands up toward her eyes.
"Consumed by my vengeance, I went to try and kill my brother. But he was consumed, as well and cut out my eyes so I could not see where he was."
Nova attempted to stab the child, but a boy appeared behind her, holding a sword to her. Nova could feel it was her brother. How could a brother who cut out his sister's eyes come back to rescue her? A thought went through her mind as if the boy was communicating to her through her mind.
"She cut out my tongue, I cut out her eyes. She couldn't feel revenge when she couldn't see me. I couldn't feel revenge when I couldn't yell at her."
Nova heard his voice. It was calm and relaxing, no sense of violence or vengeance was sensed as she received his message. But he glared at her with his blade pointed at her.
He dashed, then disappeared. Nova's vision was blurred. She felt some kind of liquid falling down her cheek, knowing it was blood. She felt pain in her eyes, could he have cut out her eyes as well? But she could still sense him nearby. She stabbed her dual blades in the direction she felt was best, and heard his whining. She also heard him fall to the ground and cough up some blood, perhaps. She went to wipe her eyes, clearing her vision as the two children's shadows appeared in front of her. They stared at her, not saying a word. But their eyes fell to the floor, where Nova spotted the floor. Picking it up slowly, the flower's petals fell off one by one, dying. But as the last one fell off, the flower turned into a sword. The same shape as the Sword symbol for that door.
She appeared back at the green fields. She was more shaken up when she looked around and saw only one child frolicking through the grass. She looked down at her fist and took a deep breath. She shook deeply from what she had seen, and her face looked as though she was about to cry. But she had to remember that this is all just a set of illusions.
She stepped to the children, who continued frolicking around her, in a circle. She watched him, but he suddenly stopped, and had a look around himself, looking directly at Nova afterward.
"I'm... I'm all alone..."
Nova heard his voice, as she wiped a tear from her eye. The boy stared at her, but he held his chest- right where his heart is.
"I feel a bit safer now. Like this world we're standing in has truly given itself to the light of the previous world."
The boy said as he reached inside himself, grunting in intense pain. He pulled his hand out, as it held a ball of light. His heart.
"Don't give up, Nova. You're so close."
The boy whispered as he handed his heart over to Nova. He closed his eyes and smiled, as his body slowly shattered away and poured onto the ground. A meadow of colorful flowers began to grow throughout the fields, the sounds of more children filled the void. Children appeared from the tree. These were humans. Human children set on repopulating Humanity in a distant world. Nova believed that even though this world was an illusion, it sent a message. Humanity is more precious than anyone knew or could read about in some documents of the past.
A blinding light shot into her eyes. It slowly dimmed as she appeared back in the room. The white door behind her stood still, but it eventually faded into the darkness of the room. Nova sighed as she held her hand into a fist and all three symbols appeared in front of her. Floating, there was the Mask, the Sword, and the Heart, floating right back into their desired positions. A lock was heard, as the large wall began rising, showing a very large room. One the ceiling, it showing Atreyu, Blaze and herself floating in a void. They looked so peaceful, but she questioned why they were carved onto the ceiling of this room. But she saw a big cage under the pictures of them. The cage had a lock on it. Nova wasted no time in pulling out one of her swords and slashing the chain locks, breaking it and letting it fall to the ground.
The bars of the cage disappeared, as the darkness of the cage remained. Nova looked inside, seeing nothing inside. She sighed, as she thought maybe all this was for nothing. But she did feel something like she released some kind of force into her world.
"You have passed The Pisces Trails. May what you want best, finds it's way into your heart."
A voice spoke as a bright light appeared in her eyes once again. She felt like she was falling again, falling back into reality.
Journal Entry VI
With No Hope
Power. Power is all I've ever wanted.
The power I'd feel when I beat someone up on the street. It made its way through my veins like some sort of shock of electricity.
How did I get like this? I don't really know. I used to enjoy watching the humans battle the corrupted, along with those infect people who became psycho. I always wondered what it would be like to infect with that red eye virus. Would it hurt? I often tossed that thought aside when one of those psycho driven people stab the hell out of someone. The blood that would pour out of that human, or machine. It was like an adrenaline rush hit me when I saw someone in pain!
But how did I get like this? One dark night, deep into the war with the Humans and Machines, I went out at night, snuck out of my shelter I was provided and kidnapped a woman. I brought her into the woods and held up a knife to her. And to think she didn't believe I'd kill her because I wasn't a machine, or I didn't have those demented eyes. The bitch made me laugh, and she was a suitable first kill.
I was satisfied, for the time being. More and more I kidnapped. It was women, then men, and then children. I killed, I held their blood and guts in my hands, but I never felt the sort of power I wanted to feel. It didn't feel like how I felt when I watched a battle between those psychos, Humans, and Machines that day.
I decided to infiltrate a battle one day. The battle took place by a lake, where this land of Tilda resided. It was rough, it was more hardcore than the last battle. I only just arrived, and I saw people killing machine, machine killing people. I had to go in and kill someone. I stabbed a Human soldier, he looked back at me with sorrow in his eyes. It displeased me, I did not feel the sort of power in me that I wanted. The sense of dominance people of the lesser than me.
But I couldn't stop, I kept swinging my sword around and killing Humans and Machines. They couldn't kill me, I was too strong with all my built up rage. I kept it going until I felt a sharp pain in my back. I was stabbed, by the leader of the Human army. He scoffed and spit on me, as he had noticed that I did not have those red eyes.
I was a fool who was mesmerized by the fighting, who enjoyed the suffering the world was going through. I was sick, I was crazy, I was possessed by my own desires. I didn't feel the pain as I felt his spit hit my face. I swung my sword right in his neck, just as he opened up that ugly smile of his and cut open his throat.
I fell to the ground, crying and sobbing as I stared at all the dead bodies. I was the only one left out of the whole battle. My desire for power killed them all, but suddenly I did not want power, I wanted forgiveness. But the power within my heart begged for more, more blood and death.
I couldn't hold it in any longer. I tried to hide it, but I couldn't stay away from future battles. I watched and studied. Until I had the perfect plan for a more desirable kill. The leader of the Human Resistance arrived at the battle. She cared for her people and wanted to fight alongside them. She couldn't sit and order them to sacrifice themselves for Humanity. She would be the one to sacrifice herself for the people.
She had a set plan for the operation of this battle, and they were looking to win the battle against the machines at a quick rate. But I snuck past the soldiers who were distracted with their fighting. I stood behind the leader and gave her an evil smirk. A smirk I had been practicing for this very moment, and I stabbed her in the back. I saw her blood pour out, royal blood. It was shining within the daylight as she fell forward. The soldiers heard her scream and rushed to her side. Two soldiers grabbed me by my arms. I tried to fight back, which commanded them to immediately end me. I was killed b
y the time all their blades stabbed through my stomach. My blood would pour out onto the floor, and entwine with the royal blood of their leader.
How did I get like this? I don't know. Even in a peaceful world, there are just crazy people. I wasn't identified as a Human anymore, nor a Machine, or even those psychos with those red eyes. I was me; a killer who suddenly gained the craving for blood and power. In a corrupted world, anyone, even the best of people, come out and embrace their darkest desires sometimes.
Verse XIII
Septimus
The sands of the Ancient Desert had never felt so hot, it burned against her skin as she seemed to be unconscious. Just lying on the ground like she was asleep.
"Hey! I think I see her!" Atreyu's shouting was heard.
He pointed downward, as Bastion carried him throughout the desert for what it seemed like days. He swooped down quickly and landed, just as Atreyu jumped off and ran to Nova's side. He picked her up and shook her, slapping her cheeks softly, hoping for some kind of reaction from her.
"Nova! ... She isn't waking up!" Atreyu yelled as he held her tightly.
Bastion scoffed, "You act as though losing one person is the end of the world."
"It is when there is only a few of us left in this world!" Atreyu yelled at Bastion as he looked down at Nova right into her face and stroked her cheek gently. "W-Wait, she can't be dead. You're still here, the pact is still active, yes?"
"Meh, I suppose it is. Unfortunately."
Atreyu stood up and climbed onto Bastion, while still holding onto Nova in his arms.
"Bastion, we need to find someone to help her. Do-... Do you know where Drenawx is?"
Bastion flapped his wings and quickly jumped into a gust of the wind he materialized, flying up into the air and slowly out of the desert ruins. He thought about it before his head jolted up and toward the left side.
"Something is off. Something is begging for my attention, we must go to it at once." Bastion spoke.
"Could it be Drenawx?" Atreyu asked.
"I don't know, child..."
Drakkar stared up into the sky, as Densetsu stood against a tree and Zephyr laid down behind Drakkar. The three made their way into the Forgetful Forest after Zephyr announced that he sensed something odd within the area.
"The forest blooms only to absorb the blood of the weak," Zephyr speaks as he moved his head around, looking for anything suspicious.
Drakkar moaned, looking back at them, "You said that there were three Dragoonas, where is the last one?"
Zephyr snared as he looked back at Drakkar, giving him a sinister look, he did not wish to answer the question because he felt a dark sensation within Drakkar as he asked the question.
"Why do you wish to know?" Zephyr asked.
"Just answer the damn question, dragon," Densetsu ordered him, as he tossed an apple up in the air and catching it, taking a bite of it.
"Remember dragon, I own you. You do as I say. Do you understand?" Drakkar said aggressively, walking toward Zephyr with a dark look on his face.
The dragon slowly shook his head.
"Now then, tell me where the last dragon is. I assume that's why you dragged us all the way out here."
"I sure hope so. Even the bugs out here are out for blood." Densetsu complained as he swatted a bug on the back of his neck.
"Fine." Zephyr roared as he agreed to confess. "The last of the Dragoona, Septimus, is still in her eternal sleep."
Densetsu choked on his apple, pounding on his chest before speaking, "W-What? So you guys were sleeping this whole time?"
"That's right."
Drakkar narrowed his eyes at Zephyr, "Wake her up."
"I-I can't!"
"C'mon! Don't you think she's slept enough?" Densetsu asks as he tosses the remains of his apple.
Zephyr roared at Densetsu, "You can't just wake them up! I'm not sure how you can just wake up a dragon."
"Useless." Drakkar shook his head and facepalmed.
A glowing light appeared behind Densetsu, before landing on his shoulder.
"You lot look unfamiliar, are you with Nova and Atreyu?" Evol, the Fairy asked.
Densetsu grunted, feeling her land on his shoulder and immediately swatting her like she was a bug, "These damn bugs just don't know how to take a hint!"
Evol screamed and fell back. She attempted to flap her wings, feeling that they were tangled together, "How dare you! I am no bug!"
The three turned toward the odd, high toned voice. They saw the little glowing person on the ground just behind Densetsu as she tried to untangle her wings.
"What is it?" Drakkar asked, looking unimpressed.
"It's a Fairy. Almost identically annoying as bugs, in some sense." Zephyr answered.
Densetsu frowned, looking back at Drakkar and Zephyr, "I'ma stomp on it."
"Go ahead, I don't mind." Drakkar shrugged his shoulders as he answered him.
Evol jumped from fright, as she appeared to have started panicking. Her wings flustered even faster, immediately untangling themselves and helped her fly above them.
"No- no, no, no, no!" Evol shouted at them.
"Get back down here!" Densetsu shouted as he jumped up repeatedly in attempts to catch her.
Drakkar crossed his arms, thinking back a little bit before walking over to Densetsu and stopping him. He shoved him aside and proceeded to Evol, looking up at her.
"Did you happen to mention Nova and Atreyu?" Drakkar asked.
The Fairy stopped her flying around and glided down in front of Drakkar's face. She nodded hysterically as a wave of reassuring excitement came over her.
"I did! I let them into our village a while back! But only because Nova was a female. No men allowed." She answered, glaring at Densetsu.
"Why not men as well?"
"Because power resides within men more than women. Women have the heart to control their inner rage and desire of power more than men... According to our Queen."
"Your Queen sounds dumb."
"Not really. I mean- look at your friend right there. He's got the desire for power written all over his face." Evol said sarcastically as she pointed at Densetsu.
"You little shit!" Densetsu yelled as he tried to attack Evol, but Drakkar kept him away.
"Listen... All we want is an answer. Then you can go back and do whatever it is Fairies do." Drakkar said with a grunt, pushing Densetsu away with one aggressive push.
"I'm listening," Evol answered, trying to look amused.
"Have you been having any weird senses lately?"
Evol bit the bottom of her lip, as she gave the gesture of deep thought. He head look toward them as she nodded, assuming she had an answer.
"Actually, yes. It's been the talk of the town for a few hours. And it seems troubling."
"Well, we can help eliminate it if you can help direct us to it."
Evol glanced down at them, crossing her arms, "Are you sure? It seems pretty serious."
Drakkar nodded.
"Hmm, I can tell the village I eliminated the threatening sense?"
Drakkar nodded again, "Do as you want."
"What!? I want a damn reward!" Densetsu yelled.
Zephyr used his long tail to slap the back of Densetsu's head.
"Hey! What was that for you ass!?"
"Shush..." Zephyr whispered.
Drakkar frowned at the two before looking back at Evol, "Just show us and we'll take care of it. You won't even have to see our faces afterward."
"Well, I can't say no to that deal. Fine, follow me."
Evol turned her body around and flew the opposite direction. She flew pretty quick, but she let her glitter from her everlasting glow brighten for a few moments, allowing them to create a trail for them to follow. Drakkar followed quickly, along with Zephyr running on his four legs, and then Densetsu who jumped onto Zephyr's long tail and climbed up his back. Zephyr was incredibly slow on his feet.
After a long while, Evol stopped and landed on a branch high in the air
. Drakkar stopped as well, arriving a few minutes after Evol had arrived. He didn't see any more of the glitter trail and looked up to find her.
"All right. The sense is too strong for me to proceed, so I'll hang out here for the time being." Evol explained as she stretched her arms and laid against the tree branch.
"And how are we supposed to find the source of the sense?" Drakkar argued up at the tree.
"It's just straight ahead. And you have a dragon with you, it should be as easy as finding a pin in a haystack." Evol laughed.
"I'm not laughing..."
Evol stopped laughing, clearing her throat, "It's literally straight ahead. Assuming by how strong the sense is, it should be pretty easy to find."
Drakkar kept his frown at her before hearing the loud and aggressive stomps of Zephyr behind him. He glanced back and saw Zephyr carrying the sleeping Densetsu.
"This sense is rather strong..." Zephyr muttered as he proceeded on, passing Drakkar.
He followed the dragon through the trees that had created a leaf wall. Behind the leaf wall, it was an open field, but the trees were burned down, a big hole was in the middle. It was like there was a huge explosion in this area recently.
"What happened here?" Drakkar asked as he looked down the hole, seeing as the flowers already started to bloom out of the damaged dirt below.
"This is not the work of a mere man," Zephyr said.
"You mean a dragon could have done this?"
"Precisely. This looks like the work of Septimus."
Drakkar blinked his eyes as he looked down the hole again, but immediately across from the hole, standing on the grass another dragon stood. It was surely Septimus. She had white scales, two orange horns on the top of her head. She was a lot smaller than Zephyr and Bastion, from what Drakkar had seen in the past. But he couldn't deny that damage this great was not impressive.
"Zephyr..." Septimus sneered, glancing at Drakkar and Densetsu who was still asleep on his back. Her eyes narrowed in disgust.