The Empire XXII - [─] & Spreading Wings
This Chapy has 1423 Words!
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The infinite nothingness had always been and would always be, for it was Eternal.
A mysterious Vibration filled the nothingness, it had no origin within. It was like shaking a box full of water. It didn't stop for what seemed like an eternity, but then it did, for it was to be replaced by sounds that seemed like words.
[⩶─┬─┴╬═]
[╦┴⩶]
[⩴╦──]
Those sounds originated from within, and from their origin spread what seemed to be a Domain but different. At first it expanded very slowly, but the more area it had covered the faster it expanded, and so within a few moments the infinite nothingness was under its influence.
[┬═⩴]
[═┬━─╦⩶═╦┬─═━═┴╦]
It began collapsing, slowly but the smaller it was the faster it fell, until it only was a single infinitesimal point. When it collapsed it took something with it, something spread all across the infinite expanse of the nothingness, it got compressed together and formed something: [◊]
[⩴⩴──═⩶┴━─⩶┬╩──═⩶┴━]
Was the last sound filling the infinite nothingness before its source vanished.
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'Where am I?' It looked around but there was only black… it was too dark to see anything. 'Maybe I can feel my surroundings?' it thought and moved its arms, at least that's what it tried to do. 'Huh?' It tried again, but to no better. 'Arm, Move!' it commanded when suddenly its entire being froze.
'move? Move? MOVE!' within the deepest corners of its mind something awoke from an eternal slumber. It was full of strength and power; within a few moments it had overcome it and began commanding its body.
'MOVE!' it ordered, and an infinitesimal point moved. 'MOVE!' it continued to command.
'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!' 'MOVE!'
And with each command the infinitesimal point grew, it grew and grew and slowly took a certain form.
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A little blue bird flew through the air, its target? Its nest.
After a few minutes it reached it. The nest was on a tree near the edge of a clearing where towers of stones stood. It sat down and began singing its wonderful melody, it perfectly fitted to what one could hear if one listened closely.
It became evening and the sun began setting, a magnificent red glow filled the Sky. The little blue bird was still singing when it heard little steps. They too were on beat and a few seconds later a girl entered the clearing.
She looked up to the bird, smiled, and hold up her hand. The bird moved his head around a bit, as if it was considering something, when it took flight and landed on her hand. She caressed the bird a bit before pulling a Stone out of her cloth. She observed it closely, looking for any scratches, before placing it onto one of the smaller towers. Then she sat down.
The little blue bird continued its singing while she listened and petted it.
*CRACK*
Suddenly the peaceful and wonderful atmosphere was broken!
A Crack had appeared in space just before the Girl and a Man fell out of it.
The bird's singing stopped, and it considered flying away. The Girl was as scared as she had never been before.
The Man stood up and looked around, "Finally! I crossed the Edge!" he exclaimed. His eyes looked onto the Girl "Oh, hello! I hope I didn't scare you!" he spoke, his voice still loud. The Girl's Eye color changed for a moment before she opened her mouth "You shouldn't be here." she was dead serious, the nice atmosphere from before nowhere to be found.
"Yea, I know that. I just crossed an Infinite Distance! Can you understand that?! That's so crazy!" the Man's face was filled with pride. But the Girl continued "You lost your Path, your World, and even your Family! You aren't meant to be here." The Man went silent for a moment before responding "Hu? I don't have a family. And what do you mean with Path?"
The Girl turned to the little blue bird still sitting on her hand, she continued to caress it and it started singing again.
Pain appeared in the Man's eyes "Wha-" he fell down to the ground "Noo!" he banged his head against it "Make it stop!" he shouted, but the bird continued. Finally, the Man went silent. He changed to the lotus position and heard to the bird's song.
"I-" he paused "How… how can I get back?" "You remember what you lost forever. Do you understand why you shouldn't be here?" her voice softened a bit "Yes… this here isn't my place… I… I need to get back!" the last part he nearly shouted.
"Nothing is impossible Wang Lei, carrier of a Dragon's Heritage." Was her answer and the Man that was Wang Lei listened closely. "Nothing?" "Nothing! If you can't achieve something, then you aren't trying hard enough." "Then what about talent, fate, and destiny?" he questioned "Those are merely constructs of a World to limit and control its inhabitants. What truly matters is the Path one takes."
She paused shortly, her eyes seemed to look at the deepest parts of his Soul "You are a lucky one, blessed by the fate and destiny of your World, but if you follow them, then I can tell you your end: You will die, trying to protect what matters most to you. It is a worthy end for you, fighting against an absolute evil, but what about when you aren't there anymore? In your World's Plan you are merely one of many pieces meant to fall in the Game it plays to entertain itself."
Shock filled him, not due to the many great revelations only a few know, no. He was scared for his family, for what matters most to him. A nearly unnoticeable golden glow started radiating from him.
"How… how can I take my own Path?" a slight resolve was hidden within his voice "You can try to find the one you once had or create a new Path. No matter what you do, if you try long enough you will find back to where you came from." She smiled; he had understood.
The Golden Glow increased in intensity "But before you return," she stood up and plucked a dark blue flower "…eat this flower. It will hide what you now know from your World. Don't try to speak with outers about it, for if your World knows, even I can't predict what it will do."
"Thanks… how can I ever return your favor?" Lei bowed slightly. "You don't have to." she said "You challenging your World alone is enough…"
The Golden Glow had now turned into a light, illuminating the now dark clearing. "Then I shall take my leave…" he spoke, majestic wings like only a dragon can have spread out behind his back, their size larger than ever before. His legs angle themselves, ready for taking flight. His eyes turn one last time to the little Girl. "What shall I remember you by?" were his last words to her "Nimble Bird… that's my name." she answered while moving back a bit.
'Nimble Bird… thank you…' Lei thought.
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I watch with great interest how Wang Lei, someone who lost their Path, spreads his Wings.
Quite Literally… haha
His head turns to the Stars and his Wings swing down. A Strong Wind gets created and blows my hair into my face. I move it back to see where he is, a Golden Light, like a Second Sun, shoots upwards. Soon he will reach this World's Edge.
The little blue bird looks me in my eyes "He will be fine…" I answer its question.
I lay down, while my companion continues Singing. Now that I focus on it again, the melody today is way stronger than before! The others must also be able to hear it!
I close my eyes and remember what I saw forming within the deepest parts of his Soul, it was a little seed, no it was a seed's seed. If he cultivates it great, then it shall grow beyond the limits set by his World and maybe even beyond the World itself…
While I am sunken in my thoughts, a Blinding Flash of light Illuminates the night Sky and brings me back to Reality, he broke through the Edge and must have created a new Path.
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Introducing: Paths! How is it?
I hope that wasn't too much in one chapy…