I've been here before.
In my recurring dream, I find myself suspended high above a desolate and ruined world, appearing as an ethereal, formless presence. The sky is an unsettling canvas of multiple hues, with chaotic swirls that often settle into a foreboding shade of bloody red.
It's a strange place.
On the distant horizon, I can discern the silhouettes of once-standing buildings, now leaning precariously on uneven terrain, offering evidence of a bygone society.
And even closer, directly beneath me, and across from me, and for several miles around, their lay mounds.
These mounds are a chilling and perplexing sight, each one bearing the expressions of those who had suffered profound misery in their fates. They are bodies of sorrow, bodies of anguish, bodies of anger, and bodies consumed by fear.
Bodies, Bodies,Bodies,Bodies,bodies,Bodies.
Directly beneath me, and across from me, and all around me there where mountains of dead bodies.
...
'The night came later than it usually does.' Through the disheveled blinds of a dusty window a waning glimpse of a foul hovel fell into darkness.
He sat on his bed in a half resting position with his back against the wall staring with dull vacant eyes at the television. All around him layed garbage of various dates and sizes thrown haphazardly on the floor alongside musty and freshly cleaned, if at all, clothes. Half eaten, discarded foods occupied the floor beneath him,
The soft neon blue coming from the tv screen replaced the winding daylight, accompanied by the closing cinematic of the game he'd just finished playing.
"Boring," He said in a low grouch,. He'd spoken for the first time in almost three days, his voice whittled and grated from lack of sleep or movement.
His comment held no real conviction. If pressed, he couldn't have named who his favorite character was, he couldn't have recalled the plot of the story, or what drove the heroes towards their success.
He'd played it cause he had already played every other game he had mild interest in.
The credits reeled to it's end and immediately as the game returned to the menu, the dark feelings hurtled in like a whisper into a scream.
The thoughts lapsed about together, playing endlessly in noisy raucous. Thoughts of inadequacies, shame, and longing flashed through his mind, only to be driven out by an insidious anger that fueled on the bottomless emotions.
It had been four years since he began this lifestyle. He had once been an average youth of his age, going to work every Monday, sleeping in on every Saturday, rinse and repeat.
His life was so drab that one could hardly call it living, but he made due with all he had and continued on anyway with no real sense of drive or ambition.
it was only after that faithful day came that he'd truly lost all meaning. His grandmother, the only family he knew, had passed away in a sudden car crash.
leaving him with nothing but a sizeable insurance claim and an empty apartment. It was after this that he realized how awkward his pointless life was.
Those days, even now, were still a blur. He'd walked around like a robot for several months. He'd barely bathe or spoke. This depression came like a bolt of lightning to a dry forest. the fires raging seemingly never to be put out.
His once pitiable self began to face the brunt of dissatisfied customers and aggravated coworkers. This was until his employer eventually lost sympathy and fired him.
Michael brought his phone to his face and then searched up his bank app. his balance read an even zero. His reckless spending, without any new income, had exhausted all that he had saved in addition to his mothers insurance.
Soon enough, he wouldn't even have the games that he'd dozed on to forget himself.
"It's almost here. I'm almost ready. "
He said with a face that was hard to tell whether it was happy or sad.
*********************
He'd fallen asleep soon after the game ended. leaving his TV on.
The room radiated a dark blue that, with the calming winds blowing from his window, created a soothing silence that made him feel as if he was the only person in the world.
A solid expression of annoyance stuck to his face as he felt the tight gurgling of his stomache, urging him to the bathroom.
He relented. getting up, several random items fell from his bed, and the original silence was replaced with the sounds of rustling garbage bags and empty glass bottles that gave way to his approach towards the door.
finally, with a twist and a large step over the items blocking his path, he'd exited his room.
the living room, although filthy, was miles better than his own. the air quality as opposed to his room could cure headaches.
His bathroom was directly forwarded across the short hall.
he walked in and turned on the lights, ignoring his greasy ugly reflection on the mirror, and hurriedly took off his pants and began his business.
After more than half in an hour, he'd eventually finished, wrapped up, and left his bathroom without bothering to wash his hands.
He'd made it to his bedroom door when a certain dissatisfaction urged him to a halt. He had been on the toilet so long that his leg fell asleep and was now seizing into a cramp. The feeling of dancing ants surged alongside the odd warmth that came with the resurgence of bloodflow.
Sighing, he decided to walk to his apartment's porch to wait for relief and to feel the nights chilly air across his face.
The city was beautiful at night, and even his regular cynicism was quelled at the sight. Wandering lights of red and white on moving cars and the elegant placement of lights on building stretching out as far the eye could see. it was as if a dream.
The chilly winds blew, past his overgrown hair, and sung a song that lulled him into respite. The city became a captaving picture.
"I should end it tomorrow... down there would be nice. " He said with not a pause of expression on his face while staring at the clean pavement just underneath him.
He looked again at the far-reaching sights and then stared into the night sky.
*********************
'What was that?' A twinkle of light flashed momentarily, captivating Michael's lonely eye.
The light flickered as if a beacon in a storm, and like a body being pulled in by the tide, it kept getting closer.
Michael awed at the sight, then looked curious when the light kept expanding, and finally panicked as the object came in full sight.
'Is that a ro-' He concluded as his body flew on impact.
The rough force sent him hurtling towards the porch door, quickly unhinging it from its frame.
The sudden blow echoed throughout his entire apartment like a clap of thunder.
Dust rose from the damage, and shrapnel covered the floor.
Michael laid sprawled on the hard wood door in pain and confusion.
"What the fuck….What the fuck!!!" he kept repeating with exasperated breaths.
'I was hit by a meteor… how the hell am i still alive' his hands investigated all around his body, but found no damage other then the trauma that came from his back due to the hard impact.
After checking himself, Michael abruptly looked around, trying to find the cause of the sudden impact.
His sight immediately set upon a mysterious phenomenon. His mouth unconsciously held agape as his eye pinched in mystery. The 'rock' as he'd thought it was floating off the edge of his porch fence like a ghost.
Michael, began to reevaluate his original conclusion. The 'rock' looked too strange to be considered as such.
It's body was smoother than any surface he'd seen and perfectly round, sporting a white color that was as close to silver as could be.
He held the view for more than a few moments but eventually rose from the debri and began approaching the object.
Although his heart pounded like a drum, his feet were tame and edged on slowly towards it. Finally, he stood just a few feet from the orb.
"What is it this?" he questioned to himself.
"Addressing the potential contractor… I Am Norn, your appointed assistant," Eyes wide open, Michael listened as the supposed inanimate object addressed his question. It's voice was feminine in nature, it sounded like an advanced ai from a computer.
" What is this?" He relasped asking the same question in blind disbelief.
"Ah.. It would appear that my arrival has destabilized my contractors mental facility. " It spoke again then quickly approached, passing by the frozen Michael and floating above his living room floor.
Suddenly, the once smooth surface of the sphere cut into several sections like a peeled orange. Slowly, it opened, revealing an odd sight.
'A doll?' he questioned. The object, or creature, that met his sight was undoubtedly a doll. one of masterful design that cut between the uncanny, but still a doll.
It wore the most elegant of dresses, and it's face was delicately colored with makeup to resemble that of a lady of some aristocratic origins, like an Asian princess.
"Greetings, contractor." it said while bending to a bow.
The doll spoke so suddenly that Michael jumped.
Ignoring the startled Michael, the doll continued, "I had hoped that my arrival would've been more pleasant, but unfortunately it appears that I am not up to my full capabilities right at this moment. For that, please accept my apologies."
The doll kept to her bend for an awkward period of time prompting Michael to a response.
"Ahem. i- it's fine" He stated.
The doll rose to a point, both it's arms laid flat on top of each other in the air, like a sifu teaching her pupil.
"I suppose it's time to get to business... As I've previously stated my name is Norn I am your personal assistant for your future endeavors"
"What are these endeavors you speak of" Michael interjected
"Your world has entered a dangerous imbalance. Countless forces are emerging and the weak beings of this world are in danger" She stated with the same apathetic ring in her tone
Michael was surprised on the depth that the Doll spoke of. 'An imbalanced world? countless forces?'
"You're not making any sense?" he replied.
"I am sorry if this may sound like a jarbled excuse" The doll prefaced before continuing "It appears during the leap into your universe I was forced to cast aside pieces of myself"
"Leap? so are you not from this world" Michael said in confusion.
"No. And moreover not only am I not from this world I am not of this time" The answers led to more questions, Michael thought.
Feeling like this conversation might go on for an extended period of time, Michael decided to get to the root of the topic
" You mentioned that you where going to be my assistant.. What are you assisting me with?"
"Here" Unexpectedly the doll swiftly approached Michael, touching her palm to his forhead.
Michael's first instinct was to move, but he fought against it and stood still.
He wasn't sure at first, but after a moment he began to feel a strange pressure in his head.
"Please focus on the feeling contractor" The doll said as Michael fell deeper into his mind.
Michael, chose to listen to her. Sinking his entire mind to the feeling he felt as if he fell into a pit.
The scene changed. In his vision he saw a desolate world. countless earthquakes bombarded the planet, while volcanoes roared, and typhoons blew.
remnents of civilization, once high rise buildings fell like wooden blocks, buried upon mountains of lava and dirt.
His heart fell on the sight, it was a certain sadness he wasn't too unfamiliar with. It was the feeling of learning of his mother's death.
This place was undoubtedly Earth. It was a place he'd thought he had no real care for, that it could simply end and he'd be fine, happy in fact. But, watching his home, his ancestors home be ripped apart left him with a pit in his heart.
suddenly like and illusion he returned.
A sudden shift of vertigo brought him to his knees.
"Th- That was earth right" He guessed.
"Yes you are correct. The place you've seen is earth". the doll replied.
"How could this be? what are these forces you talk about?" He questioned in a sweat.
"These forces are numerous, countless even. They function through the conscious and unconscious will of every being".
Michael after hearing this thought deeply.
He had seen a popular anime that had a similar premise. In this anime the unconscious fears of others gathered and manifested into reality as what the show called a 'Curse'
"You mentioned that these forces where brought about by Will, is my role as 'contractor' to influence this force" He inferred.
"Ah.." the doll paused " It appears that my contractor is an intelligent person. Yes your role is to gather these forces. furthermore, to in state balance on them so that they don't become hectic and destroy everything.
"How am I suppose to do that" he said
"Through this" She stated, pointing at the the flat surface she was standing on.
"This orb's uses are far more then just transportation. It acts as a container for almost every form of energy. Not only that, it's also a computing device that analyzes and reorganizes any wilding Will into a desirable state."
'It's simple enough to understand. my role is to gather hazardous forms of will then release it in a better state's Michael thought.
The doll continued "You're job is not simply a courier's role, though. You must seek a balance between your world and these wandering energies, such that your job will not be needed forever. "
"How do I do this?"
"By forcing this planets inhabitants to attune to these forces..."