Volume 2 Ch 57 New Depths

Time moves forward.

With or without us.

Though, an immortal does not have the same privileged choice.

Wherever time goes, an immortal is right on its heels.

Whether they know it or not.

Whether they want to or not.

It is an existence that can be filled with woe or unforgettable memories.

It is up to the individual, what path they decide to take.

This is the story of a relatively new immortal, who is far from giving up. He has been down in these depths for many years now. But, he never stopped fighting to be released from the prison of the mind.

A blade has been thrust into his skull to prevent his consciousness from escaping.

His body fought back.

It was a slow process but it finally paid off.

This is the day. The day that Lake Andrus is freed from his prison.

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'... I can. .... ....'

What?

'There's s.... ... us.'

I... I can't hear you.

'Lake! Lake, can you .... .e'

'... ... ...'

I can't hear anything now.

*CLANG!/TONK!*

The voices and my thoughts were disrupted by something metal and wood. The sound was loud and seemed to echo. I took in a deep breath. It felt like it was the first time in so long...

*Cough, cough, cough*

My throat was dry. It felt... dusty. My lungs felt, clogged? I couldn't stop coughing for a while. My throat felt like it was going to tear apart. In fact, I think it did. It felt like blood may now be lubricating my throat.

My body felt weak. I couldn't move. I was locked down at the wrists, ankles, torso and head. Something was not letting me move my head side to side. Like I was being held in place for a purpose.

I was able to open my eyes. I think. It's so dark. Nothing beyond black is visible.

I could hear nothing aside from a dripping sound from one location.

Drip... drip... drip... drip...

Constant dripping.

"Ange... Cough, cough... Shit... Cough cough cough..."

I got my breath back. I found enough saliva to lube up my throat a little.

"Anger... Can you hear me?"

I don't know why I was talking out loud, I should be able to communicate without my voice.

I tried meditating. In this pure black surrounding, It should have been easy. For some reason, either I can't do it anymore or, the drip, drip, dripping was enough to screw up my concentration.

"Fear? Sorrow? Rage, Mother, Wisdom? Anyone?!"

Nothing.

Shit, did they really leave when I yelled at them? Can they do that? Am I alone in this darkness forever?

'La...'

What? A Voice?

'Lake! Can you hear me?'

Sorrow?

"I can hear you."

The relief of hearing Mery's voice being imitated by sorrow was, for once, a welcome sound. I was so happy that I was not alone.

"Where have you been? Where am I?"

'I can't say that I know. I can't contact the others, either. Your brain seems to have taken major damage and may still be healing. That might be the cause of our inability to communicate.'

"What... How do I get out of here?"

'Well... If you remember how to summon the strength of anger and the minions of fear...'

"Remember the feeling of sorrow without the imagery. That should be how to use the powers of void... Of course."

I wasn't thrilled at the idea of remembering painful feelings. How else am I supposed to get out of this place?

I tried my best to remember the feeling of the void sphere I created once before.

I felt shredded.

I felt unredeemable.

I felt tortured and I welcomed the thought of my own death.

I could feel my tears welling up. It didn't seem like it was enough to envelop me. All I did was make myself feel like shit.

I had an idea. It was not my favorite.

'I understand.'

Sorrow confirmed she could still read my thoughts.

'Lake. I love you so much, Lake. I miss you. Where have you gone?'

Her voice was killing me.

I was pulling at the shackles in the hopes that my void would rid me of them and I could tell Sorrow to stop.

'Lake, you left me all alone. I can't stand being alone, Lake. Why did you let me die?'

"Fuck..."

Tears were streaming down my face. The same tears were also sending rows of flesh into oblivion as they traveled down my face. It was pure torture.

'No matter what happened in the past, or what happens in the future. I will always love you. Just promise me. Never forget me.'

"Never. Never never never. I love you, too."

My heart felt... shattered. Fortunately, my shackles did too.

I was able to pull all of my shackles free. I brought up thoughts of Sophie and Riksa as a detour for my feelings. I didn't want to fall through the ground or make another catastrophe like I did in the Troll Lands.

As I stood up, my chest hit something. A plate that was in front of my face? I squeezed by it and felt the cold stone floor beneath my feet. I still couldn't see. I felt my way around the room. I felt a wall. I went right and found the contraption that I was shackled to. I traced the wall to my left and found another wall, then another. The third wall contained a doorway.

I found a handle and a latch-lock... It was locked, from the inside? I pulled the latch out and pushed the door open.

The loud creaking sound of the door opening echoed in what must have been a massive chamber. I still could not hear anything beyond the dripping back in the room I just came from. The lack of sounds was creepy. The lack of sight was frightening. How am I supposed to find my way?

Maybe I could just follow the walls and see where it leads me.

Easier said than done. How do you move when you don't know if you are about to step off of a cliff or into a trap or land on an animal that is ready and willing to eat you? I may be immortal but, that doesn't mean I want to regenerate from animal shit...

I finally worked up the courage to move. Facing away from the door I had just come from, I followed along the wall to the left. It was at least three minutes before I found another corner. I followed the new wall for only a few feet before I hit a piece of wood. I traced the wooden structure. It seemed like some kind of scaffolding.

"I wish I could see. Is this shit old? Could I fall though at any second if I try to climb? So many questions."

'Lake, Sorrow filled me in. Can you hear me?'

"Mother!"

'Use my power. The dark of a cave-like this is no match for the eyes of a kitsune.'

"But, Mother..."

'I heard what Rage had to say. I don't mind if you use it. Besides, It would take excessive usage to get to the point his friend did. With how often you use my powers, I still have a good 150 years left in me.'

"I still feel terrible every time I do use it. I feel like I'm just chipping away at you. I don't want to see you in a doll-like state. It wouldn't be fair to you."

'It is your choice in the end. I just want to help in any way I can.'

I let out a sigh. As much as I want to avoid using her power. I could be lost for quite some time without any kind of sight. Maybe If I use the sight for just a second, I might be able to find a torch or an exit...

"Haaaaargh. Fine. Only for as long as I need it."

It was easy to call upon the power that Mother granted me. Almost scary how easy it is. Just a simple willful thought and I could see the area like It was lit up from a central source.

Above me was as I thought. Though, the scale was... immense. Scaffolding could be seen clinging to the walls as far up as maybe three dozen stories worth of height. My eyes were almost eagle-like. I could see the roof like I was looking through a telescope. No openings could be seen. If anything, the only place that may have been an exit at one point looks like it was closed shut by a cave-in. Some of the scaffolding at the top had evidence that pointed to this conclusion.

I browsed to my right. The cavern before me was wide open. The entire area was a V shape. I was at the base of the V. The door I came from was down the right path and another cave-in covered the left. The space between the left and right paths is separated by a pitfall that, even these eyes could not see the bottom of.

My only choice was to follow the path to the right and hope that there is something beyond the room I was shackled in.