It's dark...
An echoing drop of water could be heard in these cavernous and shaded... caves? A single calming navy blue light emanated from a few cracks in the ragged stone walls. In this place no one could be seen, but a voice could be heard.
His voice was hoarse, clearly after waking up from this long, LONG nap. It was barely noticeable but underneath the streaks of blue light the shadows wiggled they gathered in a spiraling shape.
A perfect black circle was formed. It wiggled and stretched from its centre. The cave was still silent, the drops of water being the exception. Soon, however, like a monster the screams and voices of multiple people from man, woman and child created a horrific screech.
The voices created static sounds and the sound soon filtered down to a singular boyish scream. The shadow stretched and squished extending in 5 directions. Creating the hands, legs and head of the silhouette.
Length-wise it was slightly above the average adult male. His hums then echoed, "Yeah... me no likey."
He felt like was laying down on the floor and looked up at the ceiling of the cave. His limbs couldn't be lifted off the ground, and though he assumed that he's on rocky ground it felt like he was floating.
His neck felt stiff and when he looked to the side with what could only be assumed to be his eyes, narrowed. It was a realm of white light. There were also glowing purple objects that reflected a similar shape to what he was seeing 'outside' this glowing white space.
If someone experienced epilepsy they'd likely struggle here as streaks of darkness also entered this space. It felt like looking at infinity, it was similar to looking at yourself in between two mirrors, infinite versions of yourself till your line of sight eventually lost it.
The boy walked in silence towards the streaks of darkness and touched it, he felt a sense of longing but when he touched it his 'heart' thumped dangerously.
He was curious about the reason behind that innate fear he felt from darkness that seemed so comforting, however he couldn't find an answer now.
Then approaching a small pebble shaped, purple object. He stretched out his arm and was shocked when he just realized his arm was completely black. Looking at his arm it was releasing soft black smoke that felt like sand between his finger tips.
Now he was feeling more and more lost and when he picked it up he felt the connection to it. The pebble felt just like that... a pebble.
Looking at the 'outside' he saw a. pebble in the exact location as him was being picked up. He tossed up and down in his hand and the pebble outside did the same.
"Huh... neat."
He threw it at the nearest purple wall which lodged itself in a small crevice. A small crack was formed and the shadow whistled, impressed by his own strength. A small blue crystal fell, it emanated a subtle aura that the shadow didn't understand... but he shrugged and picked it up despite odd feeling. On the other side of this plane of light the same crystal existed but it looked like it was floating mid air, while a dark silhouette inspected it.
A few seconds later the crystal made a humming sound and light particles began to form a holographic figure in a lab coat and steampunk-esque goggles. "Good awakening Subject X-38462 it seems your body has finally formed." The voice was definitely human and so was its body, the same could not be said about the 1's and 0's rising from it's neck like a blue fog. On the light plane and 'real world' the holograms matched each other.
"Yes. Hello.", The shadow responded awkwardly getting a grasp of his situation after being called 'subject'. The hologram nodded silently and continued on, "I'm sure you have a lot of question mister... Jake was it?" The shadow, Jake, nodded.
"Thanks for being so cooperative thus far, what would you like to know first?" Jake tapped his foot in thought, "Is this Earth?" The hologram seemed to pause what it was doing on it's tablet, "What causes you to pose that question?"
"...So it is?"
The figure shook its 'head', "No this is not the place you once knew as 'Earth'."
"Ok then... you an alien? Oh, wait... is this an abduction?"
The 'alien' as Jake had begun referring to it in his head sighed, "Perhaps this experience could be described as 'alien' but such concepts do not exist anymore." Jake nodded in understanding, "So it's the future then? Have we gone intergalactic?!"
The figure coughed, "I'd appreciate it if you'd stop making guesses, subject and ask questions which I'll answer given a moment to speak."
Jake whispered a few sorrys letting them speak, "...You are no longer a part of 'Earth' I may not divulge the full details of this experiment, however, I shall share what your living status from now on will be like." The silence echoed, but then the 'alien' spoke, "You and a 999,999 other humans have been brought into the conceptual universe. The definition of which I will not share. This experiment is hosted by the third seat of the faceless. You are simply meant to live here from now on, and by my masters definition, bring some 'humanity' to our world."
Jake nodded silently and sat down, "Could you explain what the heck I am now?" Jake asked in a hopeful tone to which he was immediately shut down, "I cannot explain, however, you will have a companion that will grow alongside you and explain your existence during its growth." Jake nodded, "Can you explain why I cannot fully submerge myself in the shadows?"
The figure explained, "Because you are a cursed race." That was simply the explanation. Jakes heart was racing and his mind felt like it was about to roll over in all this confusion, yet he understood his current emotional state, taking a deep breath, his voice was trembling about to ask his final question, his face burnt up, and his hands shivered, "I-is my family one of those million p-people-?" His voice cracked and dark smoke rose from the top of his head even in the 'real world'.
The figure, for once, took a deep and solemn sigh, "No... unfortunately most did not fit the criteria." They seemed to sympathize a little bit but it did not calm Jake's heart, "W-what was the criteria?"
The cave went silent, only the sound of dripping water, wind from the crack in the cave, and a relatively young voice's shuddered breathing could be heard. "...The criteria was to be among the last million living humans on 'Earth'." Jakes mind stopped, as if it flat lined for a split second, "What do you mean last million?! How was that possible?!Llast I remember is my 17th birthday! Was there an apocalypse? A war?!"
The hologram began to fizzle out of energy, "My time... is limited, your helper will be born from this oceanic abyss crystal, all I can tell you is that your last 3 years have been deleted to find your most adaptable self, may your journey bare you fruits of happiness; my personal wish. Farewell Jake."
Like shattered glass the hologram broke away leaving Jake to be protected by the last blue light of the crystal. His shadowy form fell to his knees and all he could do was grip his hands in silence as no tears fell and only smoke rose. In a minute the crystal began to float, spinning and shining light like a disco ball, then from it a small body began to from, with lapis colored fur, its tail spouted out, followed by the ears and then it's snout. As it slowly began to take a foxlike shape and then landed on the ground. Curled up like a ball.
The adorable little fox shook its head side-to-side feeling a slight itch on it's body, Jake approached it from inside the light plane but upon trying to touch it his hand phased through it like a ghost. The fox's eyes opened and fluttered, it could feel the sensation of the shadow, and instinctually it felt at home in this dark place with water flowing nearby.
Its body submerged in the ground and suddenly Jake could feel its soft fur against his hand, he sat silently looking at the fox his hand silently groomed the top of its head, "Sheesh, this situation really sucks... huh foxy?"
Jake knew it was a bad name but didn't really feel like changing it for the time being, first he had to find a way out of this place. He looked at the crack in the wall the blue lights beat against the ground, he knew not what it was but somehow he felt just like this fox, something about it had value. He stood up, "Guess I'll take a nap right after I finish this..."
Stretching back and forth he warmed up his new black but still humanoid body, "Alrighty then, you pieces of shit, I'll show you my grand escape!" He swore at nobody in particular, throwing rocks at the wall until the Earth itself submitted to his mighty will!