Expanding into the endless horizon, the forest behind the City of Kail was a daunting sight. Despite its infamy for hindering navigation and an astounding reputation for missing persons and lost hikers, it attracted curious explorers, like a moth to the flames.
From amateurs looking for fame to professionals, the forest claimed many.
The serenity of the forest however was broken by a distant hum and footsteps.
"Hmmm~hmm~~hhmmhhuuu," humming casually the red-haired boy skipped over a small rock.
To Matthew however, stories and rumors were just that. Stories and rumors.
While humming, he took out his phone. On the lock screen was a picture of his family.
His father with blonde hair and a wide smile wrapped his arm around his mother who was holding a newborn. Her fluffy red hair rested over her shoulder.
Matthews's eye lingered on the picture, but only for a moment as he unlocked the phone. The GPS was working thankfully. Although one had to argue if it was useful at all.
A short sigh escaped his mouth.
"I should have bought a few more bottles of water."
While it was easy to get lost, for someone like Matthew who grew up in Kail, he knew not to stray off the path.
Matthew stopped to look under and around him. The mossy stone bricks indicated he was still on the right path. Although he was running through his supplies quickly. And the summer heat was not helping. Flushed red from the humidity, he was sweating buckets.
"It will be cloudy they said. It will be breezy they said."
Matthew grumbled under his breath. Leaning against a large tree for shade he couldn't help but curse,
"Shitty forecast."
Taking off the bag from his back, he took out a bottle and gulped it down halfway instantly before dumping the rest on his face.
"That's better."
Matthew put the empty bottle back in his backpack. He also took out a small piece of candy and popped it in his mouth.
"Hmm~" The candy pops into sweetness as Matthew pushes off to walk again. The shade helped him cool down a bit. And it won't be long before he reaches his destination.
It was a steep hill trail with a stone path, twisting and turning like a snake. The trail started at the gate with a large hanging board. Carved in bold letters were the words,
[Kail Mountain Hike].
Once a tourist attraction but became deserted after the Jaylen Cult Incident.
'In hindsight, it was dumb to come to a place where murder hobos used to operate.'
As if to prove his point, on some of the trees one line was carved over and over again.
'Jaylen watches all.'
"Good freaking job Matthew."
Despite grumbling, Matthew was already too deep to retreat. So with an involuntary sigh, he walked through the gates.
The smell of rotten wood permeated the air.
"Props to you for still standing." Matthew patted the large beams of wood. It was dark brown, rotten to the core, and old with rusted hinges.
*Step* *step*
The stone path around here is less faded but rough. His footsteps echoed in the forest as he walked the path. After around ten minutes of walking Matthew finally reached the place.
He stood before a small cave opening.
"Finally!!"
Matthew exclaimed as he sat on a nearby stair. Stretching his legs a bit before he got up with a flashlight from his backpack.
The entrance was littered with trash. From small water bottles to dead carcasses of mice. Or at least that's what Matthew believed they were. The deeper he went the more littered the cave became until it opened up a bit. As he was waving his light around, he found something interesting.
'Damp. Faded colors. Looks like whoever put it hasn't been here for a while.' Matthew mused as he kicked the sleeping bag. Unfortunately,
"Shit!!" Jumping back a few inches, Matthew crunched his face as some bugs skitter away.
"Good job Matthew. As if the creepy cave wasn't enough, go ahead and disturb the creepy crawlers," he rebuked himself but kept moving forward.
Soon enough, Matthew reached the end of the cave. His light illuminated the stone slab with a small gate made out of bones with a skull in the middle. Thankfully for the sake of his sanity, it was not a human skull. However, at this point, Matthew wondered if it even mattered.
The skull looked quite pristine. Tilted slightly to the side, it was gazing at the corner.
Matthew flashes the light in the corner to find nothing so he focuses back on the alter.
'Someone made an offering recently,' the candle looked quite new. Although it was half melted, and nothing around him indicated any recent activity.
"Oh well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Matthew put down his light and took off his bags. Taking out a bowl and a small plastic food container, he set up a food offering.
It was a simple dish with rice, a few pieces of meat, vegetables, and some sweets.
It looked rather appetizing but considering the place, Matthew would rather go hungry.
After finishing the preparation, Matthew took out a paper. He picked up the flashlight and shone it on the paper to see the words.
"Okay. Let's not mess this up now," while Matthew reminded himself, from the corner of his memory a conversation re-surfaced.
'It's a minor Altar to worship the Abyss. The incantation will attract the lesser abyssal deities. Do not answer unnecessary questions. Just ask yours and return.'
'What about the price?'
'Depending on your luck, it will vary .'
'Oh! That's great! I am anything if not lucky.'
'Tch. Brat. Don't jinx it. One question. No more.'
'I will remember that.'
Matthew snapped out of it as he mutters,
"One question."
His eyes subconsciously fell on the skull. Its eyes were dark and hollow.
It was still tilted but,
"Was it always facing me?"
Matthew could swear it was tilted towards the corner. He wonders if it is too late to get out.
''As long as I get my answer," Matthew muttered to convince himself as he looked at the paper and started the prayer.
"I call to the beyond,
Into the darkness.
Darkness that resided in everyone's heart,
Darkness that hides beneath the civilization,
The scourge of reality,
Answer my call."
After speaking he waited.
A few seconds passed. Nothing happened.
Minutes passed. Nothing happened.
In the silence, the only thing he could hear was the distant drop of water on the cave floor.
Matthew furrowed his brows.
"Did she just scam me?" Matthew thinks back to the instructions and immediately slaps himself on the forehead.
"The stupid candles."
Matthew searched in his bag, brought out a lighter and quickly lit all the candles, and started again.
"I call to the beyond,
Into the darkness.
Darkness that resided in everyone's heart,
Darkness that hides beneath the civilization,
The scourge of reality,
Answer my call."
Matthew looked ahead as he shone the light at the skull. Waiting for any reactions.
Unbeknownst to him, a reaction there was.
Outside the cave, a gentle breeze picked up as the cries of the birds echoed in the forest. Taking flight in a frenzy, flying away desperately. Flying away from the mountain. Flying as far as possible from the cave.
Kail was one of the biggest safe cities that was connected to the Capital City. Yet hundreds if not thousands of citizens stood frozen staring at the sky. Watching.
Birds. Hundreds of birds. Flying overhead. Away from the mountain. In a crazed frenzy as they slammed into buildings, poles, and so on.
The dogs started barking. Cats hissed. Caged birds flapped around in the cage, screaming. Trying to get out.
Many were stumped at the harrowing sight as a gust of wind swept over the town.
Meanwhile, inside the cave,
A gust of wind swiftly blew out the candles while the flashlight flickered before exploding, plunging the cave into darkness.
'What-'
Matthew tried to turn around to run but felt his leg lock up. Falling on the floor face first.
'I'm going to die.'
It was the last thought that passed through his head as he fell unconscious.
...
Darkness.
Pure darkness stretched into the horizon.
It wasn't the darkness caused by the absence of light. Nor was it the darkness one would see after closing their eyes.
There was absolutely nothing yet, it was filled with everything.
In that nothingness, a conscious floats. Unmoving, without form. Yet completely aware of itself.
In the endless void, all it could feel was its existence
In this endless void, it couldn't see yet it had no eyes. It couldn't speak as it had no mouth.
In this endless void, it felt alone.
In this endless void, it could only hear the silence.
As it floats in this endless void, all it could do was think. All it could do was feel. It was a mere thought in the endless void. A mere drop in the vast emptiness. All it felt was itself sinking slowly. Sinking into the nothingness. Losing itself. Losing itself and becoming one with the vast emptiness.
.
.
.
It started faint. Barely a whisper. An ember that struggled to stay alive. That one source of light, flickering in and out. Desperately fighting to light itself.
Just as it was about to be snuffed out, a cry rang out.
A scream. No. Screams. Thousands upon thousands of screams.
A small light ignited in the vast emptiness. A memory that refused to disappear among the sea of nothingness.
It was the memory of a scenery.
A scenery of blood, fire, and monsters. A scenery of men, women, and children screaming. Crying. Begging for help. Trying to crawl out of the fire. Trying to get out of the monster's grasp.
Some crawled out of the fire, still burning away. And those who managed to escape the fire were torn apart by monsters. Monsters from the Abyss ran rampant. Biting people in half and ripping out their guts.
It was hell incarnate. A disaster. An apocalyptic nightmare.
Yet even among this scenery, one voice stood out.
"Don't worry! Let me help." Her voice is gentle, and reassuring among the screaming voice.
"You're safe here." Her soothing voice calmed the screams. One voice at a time.
From the vast emptiness, a pair of eyes opened.
He remembered.
He remembered each second.
He remembered each moment of agony.
He remembered the burning sensation in his throat. The smell of blood and flesh as they burned away.
He remembered the gentle voice of his mother.
Her pale skin was turned ashen from fire, charring her skin. Yet her eyes were so gentle, void of any pain.
He remembered witnessing her dragging an injured man under the tree. He remembered her calm voice filled with warmth.
"Stay here and keep your voice down."
The man nodded. To him, it was a grace among the chaos and death and destruction.
She turned away. Her once smooth bright red hair now looked dull and messy. Her left arm twisted and mangled yet her steps didn't falter.
He remembered her caressing his head.
"Don't make a noise. Stay hidden and no matter what, don't make a noise. Mommy will protect you..."
He remembered trying to reach out. Wanting to scream. To ask her to not go.
He remembered her turning away, drops of tears started falling as she walked away. She stood defiantly before something. Her figure burned in his memory as she stood before the one responsible for the disaster.
He remembered his promise. He remembered his one burning desire.
He remembered he couldn't die. Not yet.
And the memory shatters as the light explodes into the sea of emptiness. Condensing around him as Matthew snapped his eyes open.
[Magnificent! You are worthy Matthew Becker]
Floating in the same emptiness, Matthew looked confused. Disoriented and annoyed.
''Where the fuu..."
[To think you can keep your sense of self despite drowning in the Abyss.] the voice said cheerfully.
"What-where am I?" Matthew looked around trying to figure out the situation. The voice appeared in his mind but he couldn't see anyone around him.
[It doesn't matter. What matters is that you...]
"Like hell, it doesn't. Who are you? Where am I? What... hmm?" Matthew suddenly felt his mouth become sealed.
[Shush! Listen. Where are you, what is this place? None of this matters. Because none of you will remember this encounter. Not unless you can keep your memories a secret.]
Matthew frowned at the voice. He could feel his lips but he couldn't speak.
[What matters is the future. The Abyss has been shattered and My Lord has perished. But his legacy remains. All seven of you are chosen as a candidate to replace The Lord.]
'Abyss? Seven? Lord?' Matthew couldn't help but frown. He looked around and sure enough. There were six more individuals covered in light just like him.
[In this shattered Abyss, only you seven are worthy to fight for the ultimate throne of the Abyss.]
The voice kept speaking.
[So grow.]
Matthew felt a pull as the voice spoke with a peal of laughter.
[Grow my dear candidates! Grow and surpass the limits of your world! Only then you'll be worthy to fight for your world. Only then you can be worthy to fight for the throne of my Lord.]
And with that Matthew's light vanished as his consciousness blasted back into his body.
And with a loud gasp, Matthew widens his eyes. Laying face first on the ground he pushed off on his feet, looking around. Confusion and panic set in as he tried to remember the last thing he was doing. His eyes fell on the red and yellow sky. The sun was slowly hiding beneath the horizon. He looked around trying to figure out where he was.
The stone path was the same, the mountain was the same. Matthew looked behind.
"Was there a landslide?" Matthew muttered while clutching his head. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't think properly. The more he tried, the more prickly his brain felt.
He wanted to look around but the more he stayed, the more intense the headache became. Until he slowly backed off, heading back to the city. For a moment he felt the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Turning towards the back, all he could see was fireflies in the distance. Blinking in and out. Matthew averted his gaze and kept walking as he was too disoriented to notice the pair of eyes blinking along with them.