In the steps of Eternity

Oceans's Acquiescence: Part 4

Tap... Tap... Tap... The sounds of my feet echo through the dimly lit halls around me. Sunlight streams in through the cave entrance as I stop to look back. With a nod I turn back to the depths of the forgotten halls from where I once came out.

“All that effort for a single room...” I laugh at myself and my clumsy use of magic. Ever since I was embraced by the Fragment of Terra I got at least some knowledge beyond manipulating water. Along with that, I feel a greater sense of comfort standing among the stone buried in the mountain.

My thoughts as I walk forward constantly flicker in remembrance. Fragments of thoughts old and new, scenes of a thriving college flash through my mind. Smiles, frowns, laughter even heated arguments would have dotted the many desks and tables that had been laid out along the grand hall, many bodies rushing to and fro in the halls before me as they run off to their experiments or even for their lectures.

At times the scenes overlap with the halls I see before me now. Often times I see faces that though seem blank and unrecognizable seem to be full of warmth as they greet me while I walk along. “Were they people I once knew? Or perhaps they knew of me?” I can't help but wonder to myself as a cold tightness begins to grip my heart.

Clearing more and more debris that had fallen in the deeper parts of the halls I decide to focus on getting more familiar with manipulating earth rather than letting my thoughts and emotions spiral over what may or may not have been. “Regardless of what was, I am no longer who I was before I was made into what I am now.” I remind myself time and time again as I can't help but slip back to the memories that are constantly being dredged up from the depths of my mind.

Coming to the giant door leading to the auditorium where I had awoken. “This should be the proper entrance this time.” I laugh to myself as I try to force open the door. With very little force there is a quiet grinding sound before the doors begin to creak open. Allowing me to see the remains of those that were caught in the catastrophe that had taken and changed my life.

Focusing my vision on the collection of desks arcing around the main platform, my mind begins to cloud before I stagger. Almost falling from my feet I clutch my head as a throbbing pain begins to spread from the back of my mind through the whole of my body.

Turning my eye to the world within my mind I see the eyes that live within the depths of the ocean trying to force glimmering bubbles to stay below the surface. Consuming and dragging them down the world rumbles and growls under the stress caused by this phenomenon.

I begin to wonder why and how these eyes in the darkest depths could change or force so much to happen only to be answered with silence. For once no figures stood before me or behind me. No voices reached out to answer my question. I was left only with the growing pain as time flew by.

“This must be stopped. It hurts. It scares me, it must end.” I think to myself as I try to focus on what is ahead. Mustering up what courage I can I focus on the warm gentle feeling that I had bathed myself in numerous times before, bringing some comfort and relief I look at the depths of the darkening waters before I dive head first.

Speeding towards the very depths I can feel a growing unease as I grow closer and closer to the darkest realms of the ocean. Cold. The depths grow colder and colder as I plummet into their deepest regions before I am met with a very unfamiliar figure. Shrouded in darkness it looks and feels much different than the ones that I had seen numerous times before.

Looking upon this figure, rather than any joy, fear or any kind of puzzlement, I instead feel nothing but immeasurable disgust. “You don't belong here. You never have. Just become a tool, a Toy, that is all you should be good for.” I hear echoing around me. Over and over and over as if the will of this world was against me.

The remaining bubbles that pass by this figure begin to brush up against my skin as if they are rushing towards home, towards the comfort of being whole. With each bubble that brushes against me they vanish but I see more glimpses into thoughts and memories that had been empty of detail. Faces begin to fill in where they had been faceless. Emotions of those I may have known have become even more varied and colorful.

Pain assails me once more forcing me to focus on what is in front of me. The figure shrouded in darkness is now directly in front of me staring at me eye to eye. Rage, unbridled fury. They burn behind these eyes in front of me before it attempts to strike at me. In reaction I simply pour every bit of Anima I have within me to push this figure back and out.

“I may not know who I am, or who I was. But I know this world is my own mind. My own heart. It is my world. Not yours. I have the right to exist.” I say out loud. Letting my voice echo in the empty depths of this darkened world. Surprised I am at my own choice of words almost as if they were guided by the growing memories as they accumulate in my mind.

Almost in an attempt to fight back. The figure grumbled and gathered as many of the fragments as it could crushing them and consuming them before growing stronger.

Taking a singular breath I feel the world surge around me as light floods in from above. Each breath drawing in more and more light as if reclaiming the space the darkness claimed. The rage behind the eyes of the dark figure fluctuates. Rage, turns into reluctance, into fear and back into Rage.

Almost as if on queue the voice rings out once more. Spewing the same venomous thoughts and ideas that it had spat from the very beginning it came barreling towards me once again. This time primed to attack with all of its strength. Anima swirled around it and its hands as it pulled them back as if priming to launch everything it had in my direction. “How basic and primal.” I think to myself, letting my thoughts bounce around in the fading darkness.

Closing my eyes I let myself drift into the growing light, letting the warmth cover me in its tender care. The feeling of two pairs of arms embracing me from behind fill my heart and mind to the brim with confidence before opening my eyes and staring down the darkness. “The world has no need for your kind. Unrelenting darkness filled with nothing but Rage and hatred is nothing that should exist here.”

Almost as if with my breath the light envelopes the last of the darkness when I exhale. Sweeping it up and almost as if out of existence.

“The darkness that encroached upon our world may no longer be here. But it will still follow us. Remember that you are not alone. We may be of one mind and body, but we are still very much different. Remember us at all times. Call to us when in need.”

I smile as I let myself drift towards the surface of the water, towards the surface of my mind. Listening to the bell like echoes as the voice bounces around the world.