*THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THOSE WHO HAVE READ THE STORY* (Also, potential spoiler alert) Cryptoes silver eyes flashed open, exposing a slowly receding darkness. He was on the verge of consciousness, barely able to discern his surroundings. The only clear fact that stood out in his mind was that every fiber of his being screamed in agony, but he himself could not find the breath to do the same. He couldnt feel his legs, and his shoulder blades felt as if they had been dissolved. Attempting to take his mind away from the pain, Cryptoe focused on using his senses instead. The smell hit him first. Smoke was everywhere. Thick and black, the clouds of dark, stinging hate billowed around everything in sight. Rubble lay scattered across the ground in crumbling piles and scorched earth was the only thing to sit upon. Looking up, he saw a strange blue portal hanging overhead, flashing scenes of what looked like familiar memories. Distorted sounds echoed out of it, relaying a past he couldnt vividly recall. Looking down, he saw that his fist was clenched tightly around a bracelet. So tightly in fact that blood was trickling out, trailing down his wrist. Uncurling his fingers to find what looked like little, bloodied charms. Inscribed on both sides of the small square mementos were characters from the Runic alphabet. Roughly translated, the first side said I love you. The second simply said Nora The young Warlock rose to his feet, standing in the destruction that lay before him. As much of a feat of strength it was to fight against the torture of standing, it still wasnt the entire battle. A new pain manifest itself on his back. Everywhere from the lower spine to his collarbone felt as if an oppressive weight was pushing down on him while simultaneously tearing the muscle from his bones. Finally, he collapsed. The strain was too much. Falling to his knees, all he could do was stare, as darkness enveloped the peripheral of his vision, and think. Thinking quickly became his only option. As he knelt, a new problem arose. What was there to think about? Something within his mind assumed that the smoldering refuse and acrid smoke around him was no accident, and should in fact be treated as the opposite. Still, with that as the only clear, cognitive thought in his mind, anger was not what he was feeling. Sadness, betrayal, lonesomeness. These were the prime emotions in his mind. The worst of it all was the fact that he had nothing to tie these feelings to, coupled with how heavy the bracelet in his palm felt the more he dwell on sadness. Something about the name Nora made his heart ache, in both longing and bitterness. Yet, he couldnt bring himself to discard it. Clutching his fist shut once again, he held onto the bracelet for dear life. As the darkness finally fell across his sight and attempted to separate him from the world, the tiny, smooth wooden charms in the palm of his hand fought back to keep him anchored to reality. This was absolute torture. The darkness was so soothing. It called out to him, begging for him to sleep. Just dream and surrender to the quiet. It was so easy, so tempting. Whereas the bracelet kept him awake, conscious and aware of the pain that ate away at him. He could just let go of it, and like the pain, feel his suffering drop to the ground below. However, something told him that the pain he felt now would only be the beginning of a hell he could only dream of were he to let go. Words like Weak and Shameful surfaced in his mind every time he thought of releasing his grip. Thats when he remembered the blood on his hands, now trickling over the once caked-on crimson that clung to his palms from who knows however long ago. Questions began firing off in his mind one after -- almost too quickly to contemplate. Had he been repeating this same routine? If so, how long had this been going on? Did he know why he was so fiercely loyal to these small charms before he lost consciousness? Did he somehow have answers that were just recently erased? Yes. Somehow, the answer was yes. It had to be. Every time he tried to think about the charms, or the name Nora, it felt like he was standing in front of massive black doors. He knew that he must enter them, no matter the cost. But still, the doors were so large and imposing, shadowy and ominous, that he knew he wouldnt like what was on the other side. More so was the fact that these thoughts -- of Nora and the bracelet, they were hidden for a reason. Maybe he somehow thought of them before, and thats why its hard to do it again. Even now, thinking about that name brought the darkness on faster than before. What should he do? What could he do? Suddenly, Cryptoe felt a presence before him. Straining to focus his sight before pain overtook him, the wounded Warlock managed to visualize what looked roughly like a face. Starting from the chin up, he slowly scanned what rest in front of him. If it was a face, the skin looked wrapped up. All he could do was rise higher for evidence of humanity. Finally, he fixated on the eyes. Staring intently, it took time to register how intense the eyes before him were. It took even longer for color to show in them. Finally, after a long wait, the color of the eyes set. As they did, Cryptoe slowly became overcome with worry. Words like Hate, Love, Alone, all began resurfacing in his mind again. He couldnt stop it. The eyes were screaming at him silently, echoing within his mind the words he suspected to be his own. Then, without warning, the words died down. There was only one now that could be heard. Every time it was said, Cryptoe felt his fist clench shut tighter and tighter, around the wooden bracelet that kept him sane. His mind raced. Images flashed again, quicker and quicker with each one. Memories he knew, but couldnt place. Then, just as the words that once flurried about his mind, the images slowed down to just one. A small girl with piercing blue eyes. The hungering darkness that reside on the edge of Cryptoes psyche could be held back no more. The pain was too great, and the shadows were the only thing that could save him. As his vision died, he stared into the piercing blue eyes of the soul before him with only one word in his mind. Nora. *THIS IS JUST A TEST ENDING. MAY OR MAY NOT BE USED FOR THE ACTUAL BOOK*
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 00:58:37 +0000