Birch and the others take the bright lights with them, leaving Lincoln in the middle of a dark cell room, and as they vanish into non-existence, the adrenaline that has been keeping him alive and strong in the midst of the battle drains from his body. That overwhelming feeling of life and death urges him to move.
Without it, Lincoln's body loses its desire to move. More so that those that challenge him to become better vanish to look for the "others" who can turn their predicament into their favor. He loses his purpose.
(I should make my way to the Council room.)
As soon as he reaches the Council room's floor, he realizes that it is pointless to make a stop.
(No one else is there.)
Just imagining himself inside already gives him the feeling of isolation, as a prison without even a single soul to talk to
In the hopes of looking for a purpose, he manages to maneuver his way through the maze back to Center Court. Bodies riddle the sand. The bleachers that surround the court has new dents on them, chipping away of what is left of what is once a magnificent piece of architecture.
There are the only signs left signifying of their earlier struggle.
(Where to now?)
But his feet drag him along, without a destination in mind. Eventually, he ends up in Shinyo's room where he is left in stasis. A gut feeling leads him there. A strong tug that directs him to where Shinyo lies on a bed, with a glowing shield surrounding him which intends to make recuperation quicker and more efficient.
He looks on with intent. Lincoln hopes and prays that the fates are not just letting them borrow the time he is spending looking at the closest one to a father-figure that he has.
(What if it is.)
With this idea driving his thoughts, he decides to drag the closest rock he can find and use it as a makeshift chair. He drags it, straining to push it closer to Shinyo. But as soon as he sits down, he feels exhaustion win. Lincoln leans his forehead against his forearm and on to the edge of the bed.
Lincoln whispers, "Is it alright to sleep for a while?" he taps Shinyo's asleep hand before he shuts his eyes sending him to a very deep dream that he can only hope to wake up to.
----
(Don't.)
Lincoln struggles, barely avoiding the swords that come after him. Then explosions come after. The hot breeze that wafts over the air around him with every canon that lands.
A spark wakes him and when he opens his eyes, he is back in the void.
He looks around, scanning his surroundings. He sees Stygian floating beside him. He feels its happiness, but also its concern. Lincoln looks for a familiar outline, but he sees none. But he does not put too much effort into it. The weariness that he wears weighs heavy on his mind, shoulders, and eyes.
Lincoln apologizes. He closes his eyes and goes back leaning against the bed.
"Too tired," but Stygian does not listen. It keeps tugging on him away from the bed.
Lincoln does not budge until the very same faint outline that he knows lingers around appears across him.
"Not even going to pretend?" he comments jolting Lincoln into standing up. He loses his balance causing his arms to flail until he completely knocks himself off his feet and onto his bottom. Both Stygian and Shadow chuckles in amusement, and like always, Lincoln does not see it, but a gut feeling tells him so.
Lincoln shows his disgust of their reaction, pulling his eyebrows closer together. Stygian stops of fear. Shadow does not. Even giving off a mocking guffaw before he completely stops.
Lincoln tells him off for not helping as he pulls himself up.
"You didn't even bother helping us. We could have saved one more life today."
Shadow takes this with offense. His guffaw turns into silence until not a trace of his mocking laughter is left.
"Will that truly make a difference?" picking Lincoln's mind.
"It will," Lincoln argues.
"It would not," counters Shadow, insisting. His voice is larger that it echoes throughout the abyss. This forces Lincoln to cover his ears because the boom in his voice is deafening, debilitating that Lincoln strains even to answer.
"It not this one, it will be another. If not, it could be something else entirely. Do not blame one's inability to defend someone on another's no show," he adds, "He may change the outcome, but whatever happens during is another matter entirely."
Lincoln wants to fight back. He wants to prove how wrong Shadow is, but his argument makes perfect sense.
(Childish.)
"That you are," insults Shadow. Then, his demeanor is now calmer. The voice has less reverb in it while a smile traces its way to his lips.
Shadow and Stygian continue to hover around him, and like always, he feels that there is more that they want to discuss.
"What now?" asks Lincoln.
"You don't notice anything around you?" urges Shadow.
Lincoln looks around and finds that Shinyo and his bed lay in front of him.
"How come I didn't notice this?" Lincoln asks, wondering.
"I don't know how," Shadow says, "It has been there from the beginning. What do you think were you leaning against?"
Lincoln comes closer and investigates and notices a black outline covering his body.
"Is that?" asks Lincoln. Shadow and Stygian nods.
"How come?" he adds.
"You will find out soon enough," Shadow explains, "And you might get the help you require from me sooner than you think."
"When?"
"Probably now," and the void disappears. He has his eyes open and sees Shinyo, sitting upright in bed holding Lincoln's hand.
"You're awake," Lincoln greets. Shinyo smiles.
"I had this weird dream where --," Lincoln stops. His eyes drag his attention back to Shinyo's hand, and he sees it. The faint outline of dark cowl sparks on and off.
"You too?" Lincolns asks. Shinyo nods.
"WHEN?!"
"Oh," Shinyo tries to remember, "It was way before we met. But I never fully developed it until one day I just forgot all about it until this morning when I direly needed it."
"Is that why you were in the abyss earlier?"
"In an abyss? Are you alright in the head?"
"You know," he starts explaining, trying to be as convincing as possible, "A pitch-black world where rubble floats."
Confusion still paints Shinyo's face as he does not have a clue.
"Even the fights that are happening in the outside pops out – swords, bullets, cannons," Lincoln explains, but Shinyo remains clueless. Lincoln decides against pushing it further as a whisper passes through his ears saying that Shinyo does not have knowledge about it.
So, Lincoln does not.
It is silent for a while until Shinyo realizes that the others are not around them.
"It's too quiet," Shinyo observes, "Where are the others?"
"They left," Shinyo answers, "They said they have to look for "the others", whatever they mean."
"The other, huh? Did they say what for?"
"Simply because they have not heard from them in a while, and that they can easily turn this situation around for us."
"Hmmmm, if it's them, then we might not have to do anything in the remainder of the battles," proclaims Shinyo, a sigh of relief washes over him, but Lincoln disapproves.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!?"
"'The others' are their apprentices, and they are just as crazy and powerful as those monsters. Maybe even stronger."
"But this is our chance to prove our worth."
"YOUR worth," Shinyo highlights, "Have you forgotten that I have nothing else to prove."
"But we have to."
"No, we don't. Don't be so childish and pick your battles."
���You don't get it," Lincoln murmuring in a hush tone.
"What?"
"You don't get the feeling of having to live up to your father's shadow."
"As I said, you don't have to. Why are you so adamant about this?"
"I HAVE TO, OTHERWISE I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE A LIFE'S PURPOSE."
"I understand how you are feeling."
"NO, YOU DON'T!" Lincoln tires of hearing the same responses from Shinyo.
"YES, I DO!"
"HOW?!"
"BECAUSE YOU ARE MY BROTHER!"