He Who Conquers himself, Conquers the World! [Part 3]

My words seemed to silence the figure for a moment. His eyes were cold and a ruthless edge radiated from him. There was a clear disdain for my presence, yet I had no clue for the reason. I was summoned through the tunnels of light and submerged within this area of darkness against my will. I had little choice in that matter, so to gaze upon me with complete and utter disregard is a bit much.

"I asked you a simple question. If you are too cowardly to answer, then just say that. Silence isn't going to cut it." I said plainly.

"I don't owe you an answer.", he growled.

"Yet that is exactly what you did. I know for a fact now that you are nothing more than an imposter."

"Enough of this!", he snapped.

With a frown warping his features, the man quickly pressed his palm against my chest. The spot burned with incredible vigor before my body took flight. My vision warped as light itself seemed to wrap around my figure. It was as if I had reached hyperspeed in one of those sci-fi movies that I witnessed. I looked around attempting to regain my senses, but I could not quite comprehend what was going on. My heart began pounding and my mouth became increasingly dry. 

Each ailment was compounded by the ever-increasing blinding light that threatened to swallow me whole! I tried resisting it, clawing and scratching against the light itself, but that act proved to be fruitless. It was inescapable, but damn did I try.

"Why?!-"

A voice boomed throughout the tunnel. Its tone firm as a drummer blasting its barrel. The sound threatened to destroy my eardrums. It shattered my concentration blasting confusion into my veins. 

'What is going on?! What is he doing to me?!'

Now imagine the worst pain that you managed to encounter during your lifetime. For me, I would rank tearing my ACL and a recurring toothache as the worst things I've experienced in my previous life. In this new world, I have been sliced into by blades of various kinds and batted around by a powerful feline. My bones were shattered and my organs likely ruptured.

Yet, those were simply physical injuries. Injuries that I fought to endure. The pain from this new light blew those out of the water by comparison. Not only did my body seem to be engulfed in an everlasting flame, but my soul itself seemed held into the core of a sun!

I couldn't help but roar in excruciating pain. Long did I wish for those pains of old! I don't know how he was doing it, but I know that he was responsible. Through the engulfing white, flickered a radiated green. It rushed toward me, twirling and dancing as if it mocked me. 

The energy crashed into my form faster than I could defend myself. It painted my body with intense vigor, attempting to burn every fiber of my defiance. The previous white light sang to me, begging me to accept its embrace.

"Come...to...me..."

The words beamed directly into my head. There was a calming effect laced within the tone. In comparison to the current devastating green aura, the light seemed like a saving grace.

'Perhaps... I should allow it to take me. I had a taste of a new life. A new chance to explore a brand new world alongside my friends. Perhaps that should be enough for me. I mean I was never meant to be there in the first place. I belong on Earth... maybe that tunnel will take me back...'

I will return to the world that birthed me. The world that crafted me into the man that I am today. My past exists there, so perhaps my future should be there.

"Craft us a narrative and I'll muster the strength necessary to see it through. Bishop and I will be waiting-"

Apologies Qayshawn, but I don't belong there. I can not do something in a place where I am not welcome. The moment I stepped out of that cave, I found myself shunned by the gazes of many of the residents of this realm. In their eyes, dirt has more significance, and they would be correct.

To call myself a God is the height of arrogance. Bested by the Lynx...Humiliated by Arch Captain Silvers, and dog walked by a random attacker in the woods. I have proved their statement true with every action I did in that world. I was right to lower my head to Mordred.

"No one bests Marktavious! I alone am the greatest warrior in the three kingdoms!"

That's not true. I managed to lose all of the time. Being bested is one of the few things that I am good at. I'm good at losing...might even be the best. All of my life, I have battled to prove myself to those around me. I live up to the praise of my family. To be acknowledged for my intellect and competence by my fellow adults. I worked my ass off to prove that I am indeed worthy of the time invested in me by my support system.

I aimed to please them and carry on our family's flames to the next generation. Yet, I found myself existing within the confines of my home. My hard work meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. The mediocrity of my design infected my being. Perhaps I am indeed unworthy...

"I assumed that I would be getting someone destined for greatness. A hero who could save the world, but it appears that old bastard sent me broken goods."

I don't know what to say.

"A hero should be valiant, and respectable! Even when things get tough, they knuckle down and do what is right! There is no leeway when it comes to being a hero. The valiant and the justified stand out, heroes are not mediocre. They are extraordinary! So how can a man who has done nothing, achieve the minimum, and pretend all of his life, actually invoke any lasting change?! You are a joke!"

My head pounded as those words shattered my concentration into a million pieces. I could catch my breath as the green aura ripped into my flesh and burned my arms into ashes. It was like a violent tidal wave slithering onto my arms. I tried resisting them, but I found it pointless. The aura continued progressing reaching my shoulder before engulfing my legs.

I was tired. What's the point of fighting? A man should know when he is beaten. Throughout the pain, a lone sigh managed to escape my lips. I could feel it... my eyes could barely carry their weight.

"M-Mother...Grandma...Youngins'... I apologize for failing you all. Bishop... Qayshawn...I-I... My road was short, so I hope that you can forgive my incompetence."

It is a shame that I must leave them behind, but hey, I know they'll do a better job than I could ever done. They may be the heroes that...that... What am I doing?!

 I am apologizing?! My life is flashing before my eyes! The seven figures...they are calling for me?! I-I have yet to accomplish anything! How could ever dream of facing them?!

A heavy sensation flooded my brain once I gained a sense of self. My eyes widened as a loud ringing blasted throughout my body. It aimed to cripple me, yet I did what I could to endure it.

"Why do you continue to resist?!"

My mind went hazy as if a thick green fog slipped in between my ears. It swirled with a heavy intensity threatening to blot out even the incredible light. I found myself drowning in it, and the pain of the aura rooted deep within my soul.

"I-I", my words began to slip out in gasps, but I couldn't finish.

Something was trying to prevent me from speaking. It showed the figures of my loved ones, goading me to accept their embrace. My mother gestured through the fog, begging me to take her hand. Hesistion paralyzed my arm, the moment that it reached for her.

"I-I...", My attempt again ended in stuttering failure as the fog beefed up.

"I have no use for mediocrity anymore. This uniform shall be an indicator that things have changed for me. Marktavious Nicholson is no longer the peasant who served his corporate overlords. This is my chance to make a difference in this world. I will learn its power to shape my desires and warp them into reality. That is what a hero does."

"Follow the yellow brick road, Gentleman! Opportunity and adventure call for us by our names. Let us seize it!"

Adventure! Opportunity! I can not allow myself to be taken before I achieve those things! My defiance was punished by crippling pain causing me to follow to my knees. I gripped my head, screaming in incomprehensible pain. It felt as if my head was about to explode, and those words triggered it! My words that I declared to my friends!

Bishop...Qayshawn...Claire... I...I... will not leave until I see through my promises to them. A narrative so fantastical that when I finally depart from this world, then I can move on with no regrets! That is what I promised them! That is what I promised myself!

"You don't belong here! Succumb!",  bellowed the voice.

"You don't control my mind!"

I don't think I have ever yelled as loud as I did at that moment in my entire life. A sensation flared within my heart and pulsated throughout my body. I could feel it burning through my limbs producing a euphoric feeling far exceeding that of the blinding light. 

It pulsated with immense power instantly clearing my head and pushing away the figures of my loved ones. My mighty yell cleared the green aura, blasting it away in all directions. A newer bright green aura trapped around my figures and with a swipe of my arms, It cleared everything in front of me. This is the sensation I know it. The sensation that Qayshawn mentioned in the cave. Wind blasted around me pushing more of the darkness away until my doppelganger was revealed.

His face twisted with disbelief as he frantically looked at his power began dwindling. I don't know exactly how I did, but I managed to will our surroundings to change. I clenched my hands tight, so much so that my fingertips drew blood from my palm. I honed in on that sensation, attempting to harness it to the best of my abilities. The world warped around us, creating a strange mixture of white, black, and bright green.

"You- You! This shouldn't be possible! I am in control here! So stop it!!"

The dark green aura of my doppelganger flared up around them and I could somehow feel them attempting to interfere, but it was too late. His hesitation allowed me to drag us both to a place that I desired; the cave of the Hidden Grotto. That is the place where my life changed the most even in a short time.

The doppelganger began sweating bullets as conflict dominated his features. He recognized the setting as well. The beautiful aquamarine crystals hummed with power, but this time I ignored their call. Anger poured through my body heightening the flames raging within my soul.

It was at that moment that my nature spoke to me and guided my actions. I squared my feet and raised my right palm in my doppelganger's direction.

"You have something that doesn't belong to you! Give me my face back, you dumbass bastard!", I roared with power that shook even the cave that we were within.

With a flick of my wrist, the dark green aura surrounding the doppelganger began flickering defiantly before sliding toward my open palm. The man growled in resistance as he fought tooth and nail to cling onto that disguise.

"Quit it! You don't know the power that you command! I demand that you stop or...I'll-"

"I don't give a rat's ass! Bitch, I'm Martavious Nicholson; Greatest Warrior within Three Kingdoms! A God amongst Foxkins! The Author of the new world in which I reside! You fucked around, and now it's time that you find out!"

Bits and pieces of my doppelganger's face trickled off. As I absorbed more of his aura, I could feel my power increasing in kind. My eyes widened as the power fueled my actions and the look of desperation colored their features.

At this point, the figure had begun warping drastically. The size of the person shrunk as they no longer had my height to hide behind. Their white hair poured out from behind the mask the moment half of their face cracked and splintered. A dark Green aura pulsated drastically as they attempted to repair the damage that I inflicted on them. 

Unfortunately for them, they were either too late or too weakened to do so. I yanked my arm backward and with it brought a huge portion of the face as well. Frightened, bright orange eyes stared back at me pleading me to stop my actions. I didn't and instead continued harnessing my sensation to strip them of their own. 

'This must be my magic... No! Not now!'

I couldn't think much about it now, I had to act and continue quickly while I still had the opportunity.

"Reveal yourself to me! Stop being a coward!", I demanded.

"I will not be humiliated by the likes of you! You will not see my face!", the figure growled. True to their words, they did everything in their power to prevent me from getting a good look at their face. Long white hair, orange eyes with raindrop irises; I will never forget those features. "I will make you regret-"

KABLOOOOM!

I couldn't believe my eyes as an explosion of rocks occurred from the ceiling. That sudden intrusion caught my attention for a brief moment. It was at that moment that I lost my attunement with the sensation and that allowed the figure to get a shot off. Wind blasted my torso, pushing my back across the ground. I resisted the initial push, but my glasses were flung some distance away. 

I could hear them clatter across the rough cave floor. There was no time to get them without giving the figure an opening to attack me, but I learned that was necessary. I squinted my eyes to look at them to the best of my ability, but it wasn't good enough.

Even with heightened abilities, looking a few feet away from me was difficult. Yet, still, even I could tell that a new individual was there with us. They stood tall when the dirt cloud cloaking them finally disappeared. I raised my guard immediately in preparation for their potential attack, but I found myself still caught off guard. My instincts cried out as my heart pounded in my chest. Whoever this black blob was, they were bad news. I attempted to recreate my attunement with the sensation as I raised my palm towards the new figure.

That would prove to be a mistake of colossal proportions. Their gaze alone managed to paralyze me and the immense aura that was generated crippled my instincts. This was a time that I cursed my hesitation. 

Even with my glasses, I doubt I could see how fast this person was. It was as if they teleported right in front of me, and I was helpless as they slammed their hand against the right side of my face. Their physical power was insane and I would say that they were a living borderline cheat code. In height, they were fairly taller than I was, about six-six or six-seven with a lean build. I couldn't read their expressions or features, but all that I could see were the black colors of their attire and hair.

I attempted to resist their hand but I found myself powerless to do so. This person had a one-handed vise grip on my face and with their other hand injury was inflicted. I roared in pain as my right eye was quickly disfigured, pushing that entire side into darkness.

Their actions felt incredibly personal as they gripped me by my neck. I didn't care how overpowering his presence was to my instincts, in my mind, I knew I had to do something. 

"Be calm, and accept this gift, Marktavious.", a rough, feminine voice said.

My mind raced as this lunatic considered robbing me of my sight as a gift. I had to escape, but I didn't know how. Immense power pulsed from the palm of the woman and before I could process anything, a beam of light rushed from the ground. It burned and baked my body creating intense... euphoria?

I narrowed my eyes attempting to recognize any features of the person holding me. I tried resisting it, but this time I could not. I was swept away.