"Where am I..? What is this place..?"
I opened my eyes, and was bewildered at what was happening around me.
"This place...? It's empty..? Like a blank void?"
The space around me was barren and white, almost like a infinite void of emptiness. However there was something strange happening all around, I peered deep at the peculiar occurrences and said, "Why is this place all cracked, and broken!?"
Surrounding me in all directions were large unexplained cracks and tears floating around midair, and they weren't connected to anything which made things much more weird. It's almost like the fabrics of reality were shattered themselves!
"This place is wrong, nothing about this is right. There's no mana flow nor life force anywhere!"
I was then hit with a strange realization as I was gazing off into the infinite void, "Wait what is my name? Who am I?"
I couldn't recollect anything of my past, it was just an hazy blur. I then looked down on myself and noticed I was completely exposed.
"Wait I'm not even clothed? Where did all my clothes go?"
I looked underneath my feet and noticed I was standing upon some strange still liquid. It looked like flat smoky grey waters that only rippled at my footsteps, it was warm too.
There was a deafening silence that streamed across the void, and not a single thing was in sight. Just an endless walk of nothingness.
"I need to leave this place, I have to go back and..."
"..."
"Wait what do I need go back to? Was I doing something?"
I tried again to recollect my memories, but everything seemed like it was blocked, like a hazy wall halting me from the truth!
"Why can't I remember anything! Something is seriously wrong here!"
Suddenly behind me, I heard a loud and startling buzzing noise!
"Gyah! What the hell?"
I turned around in an instant and saw an unnatural phenomenon staring back at me from the white skies above.
Both fear and confusion struck me in that very moment, "What the actual hell is that!?"
It looked like the mixture of both a shattered disk and an eyeball. It had a red pupil and the strange eye was scanning everywhere frantically as if it was looking for something, or maybe someone.
Though the glass eyeball was shattered, it somehow kept a almost steady and unnatural form. It showed no interest nor hostility towards me, yet it kept looking everywhere as if it was searching for something in here.
"I seriously need to get the hell out of here... but how?"
I turned back around trying to ignore the broken eyeball, I had to just keep walking and ignore whatever it was.
And so I walked forward, the still waters rippling at my every step. I passed by dimensional tears without averting my gaze, I did my best to avoid them too.
"It's so lonely here, it's so quiet and calm too. Just what is this bizarre place?"
I walked forward aimlessly, nothing stood in my path other than the spatial tears that I tried to avoid. I had no idea where I was going, nor how long it would take to find an exit or clue. I just simply kept walking through the lonely white abyss.
Time passed, and it felt as though I walked for hours, days, or maybe even years? My perception of time seemed to be all messed up too, and I still can't remember anything. I just had this strong feeling that I forgot something extraordinarily important. I just couldn't remember what it was, and that bothered me so much.
Despite all my attempts to remember, I just couldn't break past the hazy wall that blocked it all. I just simply kept walking....
After what seemed like an eternity of empty silence, I suddenly heard a small still voice call out to me.
"Come closer..."
My attention was immediately piqued at this, I instantly responded back, "What? Who's there? Where are you?"
I looked around, but saw nothing. The mysterious voice never responded back, I waited for a couple moments but nothing ever came back.
"Did I just imagine that..? Am I finally losing it!?"
Then I heard it again, this time it was louder and more clear!
"Closer."
I call out to the mysterious voice again, "Where? Where are you?"
"Seek and you shall find."
"But I don't even know where to begin!"
No other words were spoken, only a calm and empty silence echoed back. I looked in all directions, and even in the direction of the massive shattered eye.
"It couldn't possibly be from that right..?"
I decided to continue forward, it wouldn't benefit me much if I just stayed here. And so I walked again, deeper into the broken void.
Soon after sometime, I heard the voice call out once again, "You're almost here, come closer my child."
I didn't answer back, instead I kept walking forward in the same direction. The floating dimensional tears started becoming more and more frequent as I moved deeper in.
After a few more moments of walking, a peculiar sight entered into my field of vision; it was still a great ways off, but I saw something mesmerizing.
The peculiar entity looked like giant shadowy mass floating above the waters, and it within it were balls of lights that twinkled like stars.
I then heard the voice again call out to me.
"Hurry quickly my child! Come and embrace me!"
I knew that the voice was indeed coming from that strange shimmering black mass, and for some reason I started to run towards it. I couldn't control myself, I just ran; I ran faster than I've ever ran before!
The shimmering black mass grew closer and closer with every step, and a powerful sense of vigor coursed through my veins as I drew near.
And finally after an eternal journey, I finally stood before the massive black cloud. It was beautiful, magnificent, and overwhelming! It harbored a great multitude of glowing entities inside of it, it seemed almost like stars in a way? I just knew that whatever it was, it was definitely what I've been searching for.
In a calm and gentle tone, it uttered some words to me, "You have finally made it my child, I've been waiting for the day that we'd finally meet!"
I was swarmed with many emotions and questions, I didn't know where to even begin! And so I decided to speak the first things that came to my mind.
"Who are you? What is this weird place?"
The Black Mass paused for a moment before replying, "Oh Apple of My Eye, Bearer of the Eternal Blessing. This is a sacrilegious chasm, one that exists above the firmament! This is The Samsara."
"What? The Samsara? What are you talking about?"
The Black Mass responded, "In simplest terms, this is the valley between Life and Death. It's a convergence where all mortal cycles are broken; nothing can ascend up, nor descend down."
"I don't quite understand, how did I even get here? How is any of this possible?"
The Black Mass took a moment before responding, "I've brought us into this Chasm because there is much we need to discuss. I know you have many questions about a lot of things, even of who you are. I can see all your concerns and confusions, however, the time we have together is short and limited."
"What do you mean? What are you even talking about?" I replied.
"Heed my words for I will only say them once! Oh Blessed One of Aria, the final ballad draws near. And now you stand at the Pinnacle of the End; at the Alpha of the Omega of this story. Now you have to gird yourself up for the journey ahead will be long and harsh. There will be loyalty and betrayal, sorrows and joy, trials and tribulations, triumph and defeat, and you will be the One to bear it all."
I didn't speak anymore, I only wanted to listen to it. I knew if I just listened, everything will be uncovered!
"You warrior have received the Blessing of the Constellations above, and been handpicked to orchestrate the final moments of this World. The Looming Darkness has already shrouded itself over the Face of the Deep, and is rising up to cast this World into an everlasting ruins."
"Our world is heading into ruin? And what is this darkness you keep speaking about?"
She disregarded me and continued her saying, "Listen to me. You however, have been selected by the Stars Above to become the Eternal Radiance to purge the Darkness, the Final Hope and Fate of Humanity."
"I see, but how can I defeat this darkness if I can't win against mere goblins!? Tell me!"
"The Stars Above have sacrificed much to equip you with the greatest Blessing known to man, and that Blessing is what you call The Second Chance. The Second Chance to gain new strengths, new powers, new abilities, and a new hope!"
A memory awakened within my heart, "Wait this sounds familiar, why does it sound so familiar..? I can recall a strange floating neon box that gave me unknown power, and even miraculously restored my scourged body. Is that system the so called Blessing she is referring too?"
The Black Mass continued explaining, "Through that Blessing, you have become the Promised Warrior that continuously gets stronger with every enemy that falls before you. And only the Sky is the limit to your potential. Soon you'll be able to devour the Eminent Darkness, and redefine the laws of Serendipity itself!"
Suddenly certain strange memories and visions flooded into my head, it felt like my head wanted to explode, but I started to understand everything a little more.
"That's right, I was charged with treason and sentenced to death! I was beaten, tortured, starved, and even cast down into hell. All for something I didn't even commit!"
"Then I was given the Second Chance, where I was reborn as a Player! I gained new strengths, powers, and even wisdom! I walked right into a grand destiny that I didn't fully understand, but began understanding as I walked deeper into it"
"But there's something I'm forgetting, something important. Almost TOO important! Wait how did I even get here!?"
The Black Mass of Shimmering Lights called out to me during my memory flood, "It seems you're having a little trouble remembering. Allow me to remind you just this once..."
The Black Mass spoke one sentence to me, and my eyes opened completely,
"The Woman with Dragon Blood is waiting for you to keep your promise."
I then remembered her, a young beautiful woman with hair of an azalea flower, and a Blade of Draconic Blood stretching out her hand to me.
"You have to promise to dance with me again when this is over, only then will I allow you to take my hand in this waltz!"
"Our promise... How could I forget..."
The Black Mass answered nothing, it just watched me, like the way the Dragon did when we first met.
"Wait how do I go back!? I need to get back there! She's waiting for me!"
The Black Mass of Shimmering Lights spoke softly to me, "You seem to still be forgetting a very important detail."
"And what is that!?"
Without hesitation, the Mass responded, "You are already dead."
"Huh?"
The Black Mass repeated itself, "You are dead."
It was then that I was rushed with overwhelming and painful memories, "Gyaaargh!"
I dropped down on my knees while grasping my own head, I saw my final moments before entering an eternal sleep. My body was being pulverized by a gang of goblins, and I was impaled by my own scythe!
"I died by my own weapon, I couldn't beat the goblin chieftain! His level of power was far beyond mine!"
I became increasingly anxious and dismayed, however the Black Mass perceived my heart and spoke to me once again, "Warrior stand up, now is not the time to drown in misery. Your story isn't over yet."
"W-What? What do you mean by that?" I replied.
"Warrior do you remember the Second Chance you were given? What would you do if you had that Chance again?"
I was extremely confused, but somehow I kind of knew what it was implying, "Wait, are you saying you're going to give me another chance!?"
The Black Mass denied, "No, I'm not going to give you another chance."
"What?"
The Black Mass added on, "You are going to give yourself another chance."
"How would I do that!?" I shouted.
The Black Mass then quoted something strangely familiar, "Only those who walk above Life and Death can wield this Power."
I then remembered something that had something similar to that, "Isn't that from the bio of the Sacrilege scythe I saw in the Bazaar?"
The Black Mass agreed, "It is, and it's the answer you've been looking for."
"Walk above Life and Death..? How does one do such a thing!?"
The Black Mass replied back, "The very fact that you awakened in this Samsara means that you are already eligible. It's a power that lies dormant waiting to be awoke, and it yearns to yield to it's master. You must call out to it, draw it out with your own strength!"
"That power is already in me? Is this really true?" I began to focus in on myself, I sensed something inside myself that seemed to be asleep. It was powerful, but also weak? This must be the very power that it was talking about.
I began to call out to it within myself, it barely responded, but it heard my call. I called again, and it budged a little more. I continuously called out to it, and soon enough it awakened. My heart began to illuminate in a dark purple light, and I began to cast many shadows around me.
"What is happening? What is all this?"
The Black Mass responded, "This is your power, a gift from the Stars Above. You called upon it, and it's responding! Now it's only missing one more important piece!"
"And what is that?"
The Black Mass sounded her voice, "Me!"
"You? Who are you?" I responded.
"Without me, it is incomplete. Without me, all things become incomplete. Without me, this World is without light. Without me, humanity cannot move forward!"
The Black Mass started to swell and surge with overwhelming power. It felt violent but also stagnant and calm, it felt like I could be caught up in the storm, but it would not consume me. My own power began to surge violently within me as if it was responding back to the increasing Mass of Shining Lights.
"Warrior control it, and make it your own! Don't let go of it, even if it consumes you!"
I tried containing it, and held it in. I needed to make it mine, I couldn't let it destroy me, not now!
Soon the white void around us started to fade into darkness, and more cracks and tears started to open. It looked as though the sky was falling, the dimension was tearing into a cosmic mess!
"The dimension is tearing!? What's happening?" I called out.
The Black Mass responded, "This broken world cannot contain me, nor can it contain what is in you! For inside of you is a piece of me! You will become the Light that shines in the Darkness! No, you will consume the darkness and make it bend to you! You are going to walk above the chasm and become the strongest! The time has come, the final moments draw near!"
"I can't understand you! What is going on!?"
The Black Mass then enveloped around me, and soon I stood within a dome-like structure full of shining lights and dark colorful streaks. I was in awe, and the part that struck me the most was that it felt like unrelenting hope!
"Don't you understand!? Fine I shall tell you then! My name is Lady Hope, and I'm the Constellation that's watched over you since you first drew breath! I'm the Light that faded from the World, and now inside of you is a fragment of me! Make that fragment of me into your own! Grasp it, use it, and consume it as you see fit!"
"Wait you're the Constellation of Hope!? How is that even possible!?"
The raging Shimmering Black Mass called out to me, "The time for questions is over! The Samsara has reached the limit! Declare it to me, are you ready to receive my Final Blessing?"
I didn't hesitate, nor did I know what was about to happen! Something tells me that even if I asked a thousand questions, I still wouldn't understand. However one thing was for certain, I needed to go back! Kyoko is waiting for me!
I regained my old resolve, and in a proud voice I shouted, "I am ready! Give me your Final Blessing!"
"Then behold my child! This is the advent of Radiance! With this power you will consume the Shrouding Darkness, and break the fate that humanity is descending into! You are going to become the Light that devours all Darkness!"
"As long as you're with me! I can take on anything!" I shouted.
The Constellation of Hope didn't answer back right away, it's as though she hesitated. After a short moment, she finally uttered the words.
"I'm sorry Warrior, but I cannot return back to your world."
"What!? What are you talking about? You have to come back, you're a literally constellation aren't you?" I called out.
The Constellation delayed her response, "I cannot rejoin my Kindred in Heaven nor come back to your world, for I have relinquished my divinity to atone for my own iniquity."
"You cannot be serious! What do you even mean!?"
"I have sinned greatly before Heaven and Aria, and even now I have committed the one of the greatest sins known to man. And to atone for it, I am using the last of my power to send you back."
"Wait, are you sacrificing yourself for me!?"
"One may call this sacrificing, and another may call this expiation. Whatever it's called, I'm entrusting you with this destiny. Warrior can I entrust you with the future and fate of humanity?"
The World started collapse around me and reality started to unveil itself, I saw the bloodstained battlefield on which I lost my previous life on. It was grey and had no color, and the question from the Constellation remained.
There was only one answer I could give, I didn't understand all the details of it, but if the Constellation of Hope was really sacrificing herself for me, then I must take up the torch and become that Light she envisioned me to be!
In the last fleeting moments before I saw her no more, I called out to her, "Lady Hope! I will come back someday! I will hone this Light, and use it purge every shadow! I will make it my own, and give the people something to believe in!"
The Black Mass of Hope replied to me once more, "I'll be waiting here for that day then! Only you can do this! Go and become the Unquenchable Radiance that this Song has longed for!"
The Samsara broke into pieces, and the final words I heard from the Constellation was, "You're our only hope Shin! My Hope is in you!"