Nothingness.
That's how I would describe my state, at this very moment. I couldn't see, hear or feel anything for a very long time. However, I could think. Out of everything I could do, all that was available to me was the simple process of thought. That much would help achieve something, at least.
The fact that my senses weren't catching anything that might activate them could only mean that I was either dead or something else, the concept of which I did not understand.
Well, if I can think, I don't believe I am dead, so I guess we can cross out that option. Since the other option wasn't something I could explain, there didn't seem to exist any other logical conclusion that could answer the question that I was facing, at least not right now.
But this is where things get quite confusing.
Just what is this place? How did I come here, and what exactly had I done to have arrived in this "Empty" dimension? Am I really alive, or have I somehow gone beyond the realm of life? If I am alive, considering the current state of my "form", what am I? What was my purpose here?
The lack of options I had to answer these multiple questions that kept surging to me like wildfire were proving to be quite a bother.
I guess this "Empty" lives up to its reputation.
If nothing exists, then there can never be doubts about anything. To doubt is to defy knowledge, and since the empty is a hole with nothing to learn, nothing can ever be questioned about it, and, in the same way, no answers can be drawn from it.
So is it all futile in the end? Will anything I try to accomplish be ultimately worthless?
Wait.
Who is the I in question? Who is the me that is questioning?
"I" do not know a thing about any of that. After all, not a thing comes to mind about the topic.
However, unlike everything else, there is a thing "I" am certain of. Yes, more than anything.
It is impossible for "me" to have surged in this emptiness. After all, the nature of emptiness is that nothing can exist. So, for me, a thinking being, to exist here, or rather, to be born here is something unthinkable.
Since there weren't many options left, "I" was hitting a dead end in no time.
"I" was summoned, or, perhaps, transported here.
That was my other hypothesis. If "I" was not born here, that was the best alternative "I" could come up with, inside of this realm where everything meant nothing and vice-versa also applied.
But who would've wanted to transport "me" here? And why, out of all people, did it have to be "me"?
It felt as if "I" was slowly going insane. The overflowing quantity of questions that kept coming to mind were something that "I" could not stop.
You can't bring madness to the mad man, as he will never be aware of it. That's at least what "I" thought up until now.
Sure, if "I" stopped thinking about it, this insanity that "I" have been building up would eventually stop and let me have a breather. Nothing like a mental reset.
But "I" did not want to do that. Why?
It would be risky to stop thinking. What if "I" ceased to exist in that exact moment? What if my remaining—
Ugh, here we go with the questions again.
What "I" am trying to say is, the only things left to me are my own thoughts. If "I" abandoned them, "I" would run the risk of authentically becoming a part of the nothing that envelops me, and "I" assuredly do not want that.
"I'd like to think about other things, because "I" do not want to become a madman. "I" want to escape this place, because "I" do not want to become one with the nothingness.
I want to live, because this is no place to die.
It was then and there.
For once, I felt. I felt my soul become involved in matter that would soon form a body. A body made out of bones and flesh. Apparently underwater, I strived to get back to the surface quickly.
For once, I heard. I heard the heart that I now possessed pumping blood, signaling that I was indeed alive and well, working hard in order for me to reach my destination.
Not long after, I reached it. The top of the seas, the bottom of the sky—The surface, the line where both met.
I quickly shook my head to remove the hairs that covered my eyes.
That was when—when I opened my eyes—that I saw it.
For once, I saw. I saw a beautiful landscape, awash with many colors. Blue, orange, red… the colors were so plentiful and varied, it was a treat for the eyes. All of them seemed to coalesce to a common point—a line in the distance, one I'm not sure I understood the structure of.
Behind me was a beach with sand of the brightest yellow. If I was a little kid, I'd stretch myself out there, like when snow falls, in the form of an angel.
Not planning to stay in the water, I swiftly moved to the shore of the beach, the warm sand feeling satisfying to the touch, allowing me to rest my body.
I did not want to acknowledge this, but it would appear that I am not dressed, so I ended up lying on my back, feeling the warmth of the sand, for longer than I could remember. I did not want to leave it.
After all the time I spent inside that hollow dimension, this was such a wondrous gift to bestow me with.
The perfect gift, to be frank. I couldn't desire anything more than this. A simple, easy way to relax and relieve my stress.
I could still feel the waves of the sea caressing my legs, sometimes reaching my chest, with all of the cool freshness it could provide. All of that only contributed to the premier experience, and to my wish of staying there forever.
But, to my misfortune, I couldn't feel comfortable doing that.
The aura of this place… it was more mysterious than the heaven it seemed to be.
We can conclude that I am no longer in the "state of emptiness" (as I call it) that I found myself in previously. But, how did I gain form, how did I become matter from nothing? How is it possible to have a functioning body after being in a place with such conditions? And most importantly…
Where am I? In a dream—some sort of illusion, perhaps? A realistic reproduction of the world… or real life?
Those questions functioned both as motives and warnings, forcing me to confront the problem I was facing. If I came here, I couldn't have possibly done it alone. It was impossible. That led me to a worrying conclusion.
It was time I woke up from this extended daydream. This was too good to exist, too convenient for me to accept. While I wasn't aware of it previously, there is undeniable proof now. Nothing, not even the red or blue could deny it.
Someone is pulling the strings here. But who is that someone?
Finally getting up from my previous state of rest, I take a look at what surrounded me. For the most part, it was the clear, almost see-through sea that rocked back and forth in such a calming rhythm that if a blind person were to walk by, it would surely go unnoticed.
Then we had, as previously described, the beach. Its bright yellow, almost golden sand would be submerged by the endless sea over and over again, in an endless loop. The factor that prevents this cycle from becoming monotonous is the immaculate landscape that accompanied it. It was like the cherry on top of a cake. The extra bonus that made everything perfect.
The land wasn't as spacious as you might imagine it to be. That's precisely why—I noticed it in no time.
Colorless. Motiveless. Meaningless.
Dead. Without life.
Grey land was what covered the rest of the island. In contrast to the colorful, fun environment booming with life that preceded it, this new one didn't seem to be a place where you would find people. Not the sane kind, at least.
And yet, when I headed further in to investigate—
"It is most curious to me. Considering how hard it is to move beyond the magical barrier that divides the world and this dimension, you crossed it rather easily, hmm?"
I had completely missed everything she had said. All I could comprehend was how soothing yet mature her voice was. Like she was singing a lullaby. I was totally bewitched by it.
Raising my head, I finally saw her.
A mysterious, ominous woman, sitting atop a chair next to what seemed to be a tea table on a hill higher than where I found myself standing.
Her long silver hair, which fluttered in the direction of the roaring wind, was so smooth and majestic that you'd effortlessly find yourself entranced, in love with it. On top, lied a large, dark grey, classy-looking hat that covered most of her body like an umbrella would protect its user from the rain.
What made her different from any other woman were her eyes. Long, perfect, dazzling crimson eyes that seemed to only fit her and her alone.
With a long, grey dress that screamed ladylike elegance, she noticed my presence with closed eyes, like she was awaiting my arrival.
Could she perhaps—?
"Do you not pity yourself for being in such a sorry state in my presence? It is disrespectful to taint my eyes with such a view, as a lady with a heart yet to be taken." – She said, while she poured tea into the cup that was found on the table.
"Huh?" – I voiced my confusion as I rapidly tilted my head down to try and understand what she meant.
Hold on just a second… Just now, I was entirely uncovered, right? So, how did she, in the split-second where I tilted my head up…
"Hmm… the taste is a bit plain. Why do they say two teaspoons of sugar is enough for this drink? What is it I am forgetting? The tea bag was okay, and I boiled it just enough for it to come out perfect as well…" – She questioned herself, while minding her apparent sensible palate.
"H-Hey! What did you do to me?"
She… She put me in one of her outfits! Both her top and bottom pieces, and even the gloves! Not to mention that the patterns are the same and everything!
Did she think I was a girl or something? I don't have a chest big enough for this opening! If you're going to give me something such as this, at least take the sizes into consideration!
Taking what I now consider as the sorry state she mentioned into account, I kept increasing my pace in order to reach the location of the apparent tea party she was having on top of the hill.
"Oh! Beloved Liria… I almost forgot the most crucial element!" – She announced her discovery to the world, or as one could say, to me.
"Hey! Listen up-!"
And just before I could finish, something had happened. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but I could feel it. The cause of this was obvious, yet unexpected.
"By the title of 'Creation', my wish is your order. From nothingness, emerge, listen to my desires and manifest yourself, for I am your sole reason for existence."
Invisible to the eye, it wasn't until after the impact that I noticed the shockwave flying across the dead land. It hit me rather severely, consequentially pushing me far enough I almost lost sight of its origin. Fortunately enough, it wasn't sharp enough to cut through anything.
It went on for several seconds, coming to a halt in no time. Noticing this stop, I adjust myself to the new circumstances, then return at once towards the bleak land's heart.
After much struggle ascending the hill, I finally made it there—to her tea party.
"Ah- chocolate cake! Indeed, the ultimate accompaniment to an afternoon's green tea. The elementary look it possesses deceives the eyes of many, despite the richness of its main ingredient. When combined with the flavors of the tea, the fusion between the two is so perfect that you'll have no choice but to acknowledge that these two were made for each other." – She proudly explained.
It looks like she enjoys talking to herself. I don't blame her, since no one seemed to live in here, apart from her.
It could get quite lonely.
Near where she sat was a tea table, on top of which we can find all she needs to have a relaxing experience. Going from necessary equipment such as spoons, forks, knifes and the like to the supports, this is to say, cups and plates, she was set for anything.
Currently, she was having green tea and chocolate cake. It appears that she has a certain fondness towards the combo, after all that she previously said.
"I see that you're properly fit now. With that said, would you care for a cup of tea, lost one?"
"S-Sure."
Taking her request into account without even mentioning the problem of the outfit, I sit down on the chair that was nearest to me.
"Do you have a preference?" – She asked. "I can make a handful of these."
From black to white tea, or even other types like herbal, she added.
"…Not quite. I haven't had much tea before."
"I see. Then green tea shall do. Do you also desire something to eat? Perhaps the same as I am having?"
"I'm afraid not. I wouldn't want to bother you more. "
"Huh, how kind of you."
She poured the same tea she was having into another cup that was nearby. After filling it a bit past halfway in, she gently puts the teapot away and gives the drink to me, to which I accept and carefully put down back on the table.
A mystery, she was. The two sides presented looked so natural yet so contradictory… It was almost frightening.
It was like—she was lacking any humanity in all of her actions.
The pressure was immeasurable. Like having a hundred blades pointing at you, I had to choose my words carefully not to anger her, for I didn't know how the wolf would react.
"…Hey, miss?" – Finally finding strength within my words, I open my mouth.
"I know."
In the exception of her pinky which stood down, she put every finger of hers in the teacup's handle and slowly raised it, stopping before it reached her mouth.
"You reek of them, don't you?"
Questions.
My worst enemy—yet, my only ally in the invisible darkness of the day.
After taking her sip, she steadily puts the instrument back where it first was. Unconcerned about whatever was being held back by me, she stood firm as ever.
So firm that it was scary.
"You find yourself in the Horizon Line, lost one."
"The Horizon Line?"
So all those colors from before meeting in one line… was that? I guess simplicity does in fact deceive people.
As always, no reaction from her. As always… the same, unconcerned look.
"Indeed. A dimension that separates life and death—or perhaps origin and end. You stand in the middle of those concepts."
"Life and death…?"
What could that mean? To be in the middle of life and death themselves… Perhaps I was dead, after all? No. Was I alive and breathing then? There weren't any conclusive proof for that.
As if reading my mind, the woman sighed.
"Ugh. I hate it when foolish humans like you can't understand a simple thing such as what stands before you."
I can't stand it, she concluded.
I guess it is to no one's surprise that she had such a short fuse. Being alone with your shadow would only change the way you see people.
You would find yourself to be the norm, because that was the only example available for you to follow. Anyone that diverged from that path would seem anything but equal to you.
Even so… you could have a little bit of tolerance for me, you know? I've hit a dead end and the only person I can reach out to is you.
Collected and organized, she continued.
"View it as this: There is an infinite amount of numbers that count up from zero. For this particular case, we shall use the examples of 0 and 1."
A numeric example. Seems good enough.
"When you think about it, these two numbers can be classified both as close and far to each other. When one person starts counting numbers from zero, getting past number 1 would be child's play, as it is right after. Then would come 2, 3 and so on."
Ah. I see where she is going now. While it seems that the space between both of the numbers is close and insignificant…
"But then, the fact that most humans forget is that there already is an infinity of numbers between 0 and 1. These might derive from the original number, but shall never cut connections with it. All of this to say—"
"—That we find ourselves in a similar position."
"Ah. The words came out of your mouth before you realized it, didn't they?"
That's right.
When you think of it that way, if we name 0 our life/origin and 1 our death/end, there is an infinity of barriers that separate those concepts.
The horizon—it is a line that makes it seem that an end is possible, but in truth… it is nothing more than an illusion. That's why…
"You stand in a place between the real world and an unreal dimension." – She remarked. "A place where the real and the unreal are equally divided. However, constant balance is not guaranteed in here or on any of the sides."
This is to say, she added…
"What's real to you might not be real to the other. Illusions and misinterpretations are common in here, because we strive to see what we want to see."
Huh… so now I have to doubt even what surrounds me.
She has no mercy, does she? I mean… isn't that a little bit overkill? Throwing even more questions into the bottomless hole.
"But still," – She said, while grabbing the nearby utensils to eat a slice of the cake she prepared. "I wonder what was the reason for the arrival of a pitiful human such as you in here. The barrier is not one easy to cross, unless you have an undeniably strong will that surpasses it."
"I doubt I am aware of that… even I don't recognize just what exactly this… person is."
How will I ever acknowledge something to be the roof of the house if its base pillars are unstable?
"…"
She didn't seem to be able to formulate an appropriate answer to my statement. Due to this, her interest (this is to say, her eyes) suddenly switched from me into the teacup that I hadn't even once touched.
"You don't plan to leave that tea untouched, do you?"
"Ah…"
Now that she mentioned it, I totally forgot the tea that was standing right in front of me.
"Pardon me. I was so attached to the flow of the conversation that I seem to have forgotten the tea that was made for me."
"…Made for you?"
While I cannot confirm or deny anything, she didn't seemed to be pleased with what I just said.
Yikes… I'm in for some serious trouble.
"Do not think that this tea party is happening just because of your arrival. If that's so, you deceive yourself. If I so desired, you wouldn't even be sitting on that chair, much less having the tea I brew for myself. Consider it a miracle that you find yourself well, because it is no common feat at all to find me in such a good mood as today. Normal luck is nothing compared to the fact that I, out of good will, shared "my" tea with you. Know your place, you filthy rat."
Her voice—it was completely different from when I first heard it. If it previously was the voice of a matured lady, it was now nothing like it.
It was the voice of a monster. An authentic, real-life monster, unlike anything I had ever seen.
Trembling, trembling, trembling…
My arms and legs—everything trembled without an end.
If her words were needles, I would be soaked with blood all over my body from all of the damage.
It was all written over her face.
Disgust. Pure disgust.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I got up from my chair, and swiftly bowed in front of her.
"I—I apologize. If it is of your interest, I'll leave immediately not to bother you any further."
"To where, exactly? On top of being in such a small place, there is also the matter of you not knowing a single thing about your whereabouts."
"…"
She was right. I hadn't the faintest of a clue about where to go. But I didn't have any other choice. She didn't want me
This heavy silence would soon be disrupted by her sigh.
"I'll reconsider my stance on the matter if the tea is put to use. Careful now—you don't want to anger me again. Because if you do…"
You'll regret it.
"…"
<…>
I sit back on the chair, and raise the cup just enough to be on the level of my mouth. Then—
In one gulp, I drink it all.
<…?>
Ah. It felt incredible.
My head hurt from the disbelief of not having tasted it right as it was served.
My mouth burned from the surprise of the many tastes that made that tea so wonderful.
My throat stinged from the desire—
The desire for more.
The desire for more.
More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More. More.
I want more. I desire more. I want more. I desire more.
I want mor-
<…!!>
…
…
…
"Huh."
Everything happened right in front of her dazzling crimson eyes. The chair, the tea, the boy—everything fell at the same time, almost like they were in synchronization.
Unbothered by the sudden event, she rested her back on the chair. There was but one thing and one thing alone in her mind.
"Hmm, I see. So that's who he was."
The identity of that boy.
Just who was that no-one who had crossed the barrier that had her imprisoned for so long? Why did he, a mere mortal, be able to challenge its laws, and she couldn't?
But soon, everything would connect like puzzle pieces. There was obviously—
That exception.
"…Hahaha. Hahahahaha!"
Not a single sound could be heard in that land of despair. Not of the sea, not of the wind, not of any particular animal.
What remained—was the sound of her laughter. Her insane, crazy laughter.
"Oh, how much you have fallen! To use methods such as these—you have greatly disappointed me!"
She suddenly turns her arm around and slightly raises it, in order to receive the silver staff that she was summoning.
While very refined, its defining characteristic was what was standing on the taller end of the staff: a large, red gem, used to boost magical power.
"So you still want to challenge me, after all these years? Fine!"
She points the staff at the boy whose back was turned to her. She knew him very well, even if he undertook the appearance of the boy who had visited her.
"I, the Witch of Creation Elizabeth, accept your challenge! Be it envy, be it hatred, be it whatever you come up with, I shall deny all of it! Come and witness the great power you have resented me for having for the longest of times! Isn't that right…!?"
Everything pointed out to be him. It was none other than—
"…Horris!"