Silence is what Lincoln notices first as he goes in and out of consciousness. He sees a fraction of the abyss that he is floating in every time he tries to blink himself to waking up. The impeccable vastness of the void is causing a deafening silence that is suffocating Lincoln's ears.
As he regains most of his consciousness, he looks around. He sees nothing but the absence of light. He hopes for any sliver to break the void, but none does. The dark goes on as far as his eyes could take him, but strangely, he can still those that float around him – cinder blocks, dead bodies, and more often, what remains of them. Rusty weapons that are past their usage, some with chips in them, bullets, cannonballs, and missiles.
Every fight rubble, weapon, and ammunition imaginable in history is around him.
(Could there be anyone else here other than this mess?)
He desperately tries to find one, putting his head on a swivel but no matter where he turns to, not one soul is breathing in the darkness, except for the dark Stygian iron that follows him around regardless of where he flies, or floats to. In fact, it is his only source of light and in spite his annoyance and the blame that Lincoln has put on it, he does not have a choice but to rely on it.
(Damn you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this mess right now.)
He continues to sink weightless into the abyss with the Stygian iron tagging along. Every now and then, stray bullets shoot past them. Occasionally, the tip of an arrow or the sword pops in then disappears
"The hell man," Lincoln strongly expresses, "Where are we? And where are these coming from?"
As much as he expects no one to answer, this still frustrates Lincoln enough for him to shout at the emptiness.
"Good lord," someone responds, a silhouette walking up to him, faint but there, "You are really mad to be in this situation, aren't you?"
"Who is it this time?" Lincoln throwing back a question.
"Oh," the faint outline, mimics a startle, but Lincoln feels the amusement in his voice, "You still don't recognize me?"
Lincoln does not say a word, but he knows – it is his father.
"Why don't you show yourself to me?" he asks, despite how proud he is to have a father that everyone speaks so highly about, he cannot help but build up frustration knowing that this could partly be his father's fault, and it is clear that he has no intention of helping.
"Because it is not yet time," he answers, as gentle as he can, but you can hear the condescending tone in his voice
"Why are you like this?" finally voicing out his frustration, "Everyone thinks that you are so great, but all I see here is someone with the generic answers that raises more questions than answers!"
He can see the faint outline of Shadow shrug his questions off and invites Lincoln to walk with him.
"Why should I?"
Shadow shrugs him off once more, before responding, "It really does not matter if you come. I only invited you because the Stygian seems to be attracted to you for some reason."
Lincoln gives the dark iron a sideways look, letting it know that it can go back to his father if it wants to, but it does not. Instead, it continues to float around him.
"Also," Shadow adds, "If you want to know more about what you are capable of."
Stygian is enthusiastically encouraging him to take Shadow's offer because although it does not speak, Lincoln seems to know how it feels. Like a constant tug in his gut that changes depending on how the piece of iron feels.
Lincoln doesn't want to, but to know more about what he has and what he is capable of is en enticing offer.
"So?" breaking his thought, Shadow prompts him to quickly make a decision, "What do you say?"
"Fiiiiine," Lincoln agrees after letting go a very big sigh to show his disdain, but Stygian floats around him giddily.
----
Shadow walks as Lincoln floats in the nothingness, and every step that the former makes echoes throughout the abyss.
"Are we going to talk?" Lincoln asks him, the silence suffocating him.
"About what?" Shinyo asks, nonchalant while Lincoln feels the Stygian iron giggle in mocking agreement.
"Oh, for the love of...this is a waste of time," Lincoln protests, "I should be finding my way back to where I was instead of wasting time here with you."
"But we are at the Center Court," Shadow reassures, "But at the same time not."
"There you are again with your vague answers. Why can't you just tell me straight."
"Seriously, we are at the Center Court," repeats Shadow, his outline facing Lincoln now, "We are just in its shadows, or any place where the darkness can thrive."
Lincoln raises his eyebrows, and asks him, "If we are at Center Court, then, what are the bullets, the warm breeze, and the blades that I see pop in every now and then?"
"Oh, you are quick to pick up" Shadow mimicking a startle
"WHERE?!" Lincoln's patience wearing thin.
"Did I not tell you? Your elders are in a battle right now."
"What? And you did not even care to tell me earlier?"
Lincoln panics, but he tries his best not to show this as he frantically zooms everywhere, desperate to find an exit so that he can join the battle.
"How long have I been in here?" Lincoln asks, relentless in his search for a way out.
"Maybe around 10 hours," Shadow comments calmly, "Give or take."
A nervous Stygian zoom around Shadow pleading to stop teasing Lincoln because he can feel the rage rising in him as Lincoln responds with a look of bewilderment.
"Don't worry," Shadow reassures him, "Outside, that should be around 10 minutes."
"That could still mean one or two lives lost if they are hard pressed in pushing the enemy back."
"With Birch in the fray? No way!"
"Still..."
"Man," Shadow complains, exhaustion in his voice, "You are no fun! You worry too much."
"Give me a reason not to?"
"Because you are a part of me," reassures Shadow, "And that should be enough to turn the tides as soon as you join them in battle."
Shadow comes to a full stop. His attention now on Lincoln as he waits for a strong reaction from him, but he gives him none warranting a big and deep sigh from Shadow, the frustration building. Lincoln feels, but he does not know why. Stygian does to, although he knows why.
Shadow's carefree attitude disappears at this point. Lincoln feels the change in his atmosphere putting a halt in his persistent pursuit of an exit, dragging his attention to Shadow.
"Listen," Shadow starts, "It is CLEARLY not the right time to extend my help, but I will give you an introduction of sorts to what you can expect from the new powers that you now possess through this piece of iron," thumbing towards to the direction of Stygian.
"Where we are now is somewhere the darkness thrive," Shadow starts.
"And where is that?" ferocity in every word that he lets go.
"It is every place where shadows may lurk," he explains, "Even the tiniest shadow that a pebble casts is enough for you to access this place."
He takes this into consideration. Deep in thought, he offers Shadow without a response.
"If ever you are stuck, this is somewhere you can come to ask for advice," Shadow adds, "But do not expect a straightforward answer."
"Should I even expect something easy coming from you?"
"Feisty," he compliments as he burst out in prideful laughter.
"Anyways," continuing with his explanation, "You also must remember that darkness is everything, and anything that you want it to be. It takes and gives. It all depends on the user."
A smile flashes across Shadow's face, conniving and expectant, which confuses Lincoln, prolonging the silence between the two of them. When nothing seems to happen, Shadow just extends his arm to the right and a door opens. Lincoln feels the heat of the battle. Every explosion echoing in their abyss.
"Are you ready?"
"Do you think I am?"
Shadow only shrugs his shoulders. Sheaths the Stygian piece into the makeshift scabbard that Lincoln has in his waist.
"You may not be able to use that one yet," Shadow tells him, "But hold on to it. It seems to have developed a liking for you."
He looks at the piece of metal that is now sitting on his waist. Its power radiating and when he least expects it, Shadow pushes him off when he does not move.
"Say hello to everyone for me," Shadow asks.
And then portal closes. Everything is dark again.
"If he remembers."