†****Darwin's POV*****†
Walking towards Gideon who was lying flat on the ground, I had my guard up because, you know, this might be a feint.
I tapped on him and found out that he was sleeping.
*What the... he fell asleep in the middle of a fight? You've got to be kidding me.
It's probably because of exhaustion. Anyways, too bad, I was just preparing to get serious."
I let myself fall beside his sleeping body.
"Ack!"
My whole body ached as I lay down on the smooth grass, facing the dark sky, it was already nightfall.
I'm not gonna lie, the force of impact each of his attacks carried was overwhelming, it caused me great pain with each blocked strike.
I just didn't want to lose face and acted calm and composed, but deep down, I was screaming as I battled my instincts for survival.
It was telling me to strike back if I wanted to survive, but still, I held back as much as possible.
I didn't believe that I'll ever engage in a fight that will make me endure pain ever again.
But this boy was not only able to withstand my attack, it was as if he could read my every movement and his body moved like a martial artist who's well grounded with war.
He held his own against me and even pushed me back. All his movements were so unpredictable, weird, and surprisingly effective.
I had ignored this pain earlier, but now it's all rushing to me within this little time of my rest.
Looking at Gideon who was sleeping peacefully at my side, I noticed his hair retracting and getting shorter.
"Just, what in the world are you boy?"
I muttered to myself, the whole scene replaying in slow motion and I tried to make meaning of it.
†*****Gideon's Pov*****†
[In the dark void]
*So, I ended up dying a pathetic death after all huh? Falling from a tree, pfft, what a laugh.
But to think that people don't go to heaven or hell, they're just stuck in a dark void.
So my preparations to impress God were all in vain huh?
Wait...could it be that I was rejected by both heaven and hell?
Because I'm sure I'm the loser of all losers even if I went to hell.
They wouldn't want such a pathetic person as me in hell now, would they?
I was always so pathetic that not a single day would pass without me saying any of these words.
"I'm Sorry."
"Please."
"Excuse me."
"Forgive me."
And for the last two years, not a single hour will pass without me having to bow or show some other sign of respect to both my elders and juniors.
I was used, dumped, stupid, inferior, and submissive, despite being left with a lot of money, I had no power nor influence.
But somehow, I always was excited.
Deep down there's this messed up part of me, who was always excited when the people around, me show me their true nature.
Who they truly are, I'm usually satisfied to see that.
No special reason tho, but I feel like that, so when judgment shall befall them, I wouldn't have to look at any of them in pity, because they deserve it.
Hell, rejecting me it's a good thing for me. At least I wouldn't have to burn till eternity.
In this void I can use my imagination to finish some anime I wouldn't get the chance to finish.
And yes.
I did watch anime and a lot of them. You know, isekai, hentai...uhm that's not necessary information for you know.
I almost threw up while watching "Prison School", it was full of sadistic and masochistic perverted characters.
To hell with that anime and whoever suggests it to me!
Ehem.
Back to the topic. Honestly speaking, I'm thinking of all this to distract myself from what's currently happening.
I don't exactly know how long I've been here.
And still, I can't shake off the feeling of dread I'm getting in this void.
It is empty and when I try to talk or shout I can't hear anything.
Yes, I know I'm saying something because I feel the vibration from my pharynx.
It's a place where all your senses are shut down.
It's like this void doesn't feature sound. That figures, since there's no air.
I guess there's nothing (air) to carry the sound around and I doubt there's a wall the sound can use to reflect my ear drum for interpretation.
Hey,
Don't look so surprised, biology is my favorite subject ok?
While deep in thought, a light suddenly appeared, but it was focused on one spot.
It's like, a spotlight on a stage when everywhere is dark.
I also started to feel my body gaining a little weight, as the gravity there suddenly appeared.
I was no longer floating, but I dropped to the ground so slowly, almost as if I was carefully carried by something I can't feel.
~Tap~
I landed on something.
No, it was not solid ground, nor grass, I landed on... WATER.
It's not like it was spilled water on a solid floor, it was as if I was standing in the middle of the ocean.
I was standing on top of an ocean and I'm not sinking.
Though everywhere was still dark, I felt like I could feel my environment, but it seemed that the only thing that suddenly appeared in this void is gravity, light, and water.
I still couldn't feel the air, or hear my voice when I tried to speak.
I looked towards the spotlight and what I saw was a...mirror?
*How can there be a mirror in a void as empty and terrifying as this one?*
Confused, I decided to Walk towards the mirror.
~Tap~
~Tap~
~Tap~
Strangely enough, I was hearing the sound of my footsteps tapping against the water but I couldn't hear the sound of my voice.
Seems like my senses weren't shut down after all, since I could feel, see and hear.
Maybe I just can't hear my voice here.
As I closed in on the mirror, I noticed that it was a full-body mirror. Rectangular in shape, with black wood at its four sides.
I looked up to see where the light was coming from and although I couldn't see it, squinting my eyes, I saw that it was something very similar to a white sun.
*A white sun in an ocean void? What the heck is going on,? How can a sun only light up a spot? And what's a white sun doing in a void?*
I'm not quite sure if it's a sun, but you know how almost all of us have tried looking at the sun, and we end up seeing a round yellowish object?
That's exactly what this one looked like. Its only difference is that it's white.
Sun or not, that's beside the point. The point is: why would something that lights the dark, serving as a sun only be effective in a spot? above a mirror more or less.
I ignored looking at the mirror for the meantime, all I wanted to do was to confirm my environment first.
I looked down at the part of the ocean the light lit up and I was once again wowed.
*Is today a curse, I really am going to go insane, that is, if I've not already gone insane*
Beneath my feet was black water. No, it wasn't dark, it was black and I was walking on it
~Tap!~
~Tap!~
I raised my leg and stumped on it to know if it will sink in but it wasn't.
Gobbling up my mixed-up emotions (surprise, fear, confusion, comfortability) I decided to look at the mirror.
Yes, it's really weird, but I feel a sense of comfortability or should I say "attachment" to this place...void.
Weird right?
I mean, how can someone be comfortable in a place he's afraid of?
Looking at the mirror I saw a reflection.
My reflection.
No, no way, it was me though... but it wasn't me.
Not to confuse you.
I mean yeah, it was me, I've looked at myself in the mirror a whole lot of times for either admiration or whatever the opposite of admiration is.
I'm probably the only person with my face in the whole world, but at the same time, it wasn't me.
It was a lifeless version of me. Like a true zombie.
Long black hair, black and empty-looking eyes, and an expressionless face.
It was a very scary me to look at. It was oozing off a fear-inducing aura.
"Mirrors show reflection of the person you truly are." was what came to my mind.
No reason, but why did what a beggar say to me just replay in my head at this time?
She was always holding a mirror and without giving it much thought, I ignored the woman thinking it was her unique advertisement jingle.
After all, that's what a mirror is meant for.
But this can't be who I truly am right?
I mean, he's not even doing what I am, as a reflection should.
I made different motions but the reflection in the mirror was not moving, it was just staring into space.
Sure his gaze was fixated on me, but I felt like he was looking at something else.
Suddenly my mirror reflection moved and placed its palm on his side of the mirror, making me see the front of his palm.
Its movement was slow and shaky, just like an old man who just entered his hut after a long journey under the cold snow.
I don't know this feeling but it felt like I understood what he was trying to tell me.
I understood that he wanted me to also place my palm on the exact spot his palm was on.
I felt like I have a bond with this reflection, a connection, like that of twin brothers, but this time, we can understand each other.
My heart pounded in excitement as if I was bonding with my long-lost twin brother.
Following my instincts I decided to place my palm on it, and once I did that, my brain began to hurt.
~zwoom~
I screamed but my voice wasn't heard. I don't what was happening, but I knew one thing, that I could see.
I could see... a lot of things.
I could see...THE WORLD AND BEYOND.