Painful!
Too painful!
The man's blissful dream was abruptly shattered by agonizing pain. It felt like a needle was being thrust into his chest, then a dagger, and something far worse. No sound escaped his lips as he tried to scream, leaving him confused.
He tried to sit up, but his body wouldn't move as if something was wrapped around his limbs and pinning him down.
What is happening!… Every attempt to rise failed as the weight pressing him down was relentless. He forced his eyes open, desperate for any clue but only saw endless swirling gray fog. It pressed against his skin, seeping into his nose and filling him with cold dread.
What kind of shackles are these… Ugh! Another wave of pain crashed over him, twisting deeper into his chest. He tried to cry out, but the scream died before it reached his lips and only echoing in his head, bouncing around with the pain.
Every gasp or noise from him seemed to be swallowed by the fog and silence. Soon his eyes were forcibly shut by something, making him see only darkness. Any thought that appeared would disperse from the pain and the cold seeping through his body.
W-What is this…
But as the pain raged on and that one lingering thought appeared before dispersing. Something unexpected began to stir deep inside him, a spark of anger and rage. It flared in his chest, making it warm up and push back against the cold while also suppressing the pain. He could feel the rage fueling him with energy as he began to struggle against the fog and open his eyes.
But as his eyes slowly began to open, he felt terrifying pain thrust deep in his chest as if someone was stabbing a sword in him. The rage was instantly met with the cold and pain that came back in greater force. The man gritted his teeth as he felt a battle being waging inside of himself, one that made him cry out.
And a gentle and soft voice slipped into his head.
Do you wish to leave?
He flinched as the words came from nowhere and everywhere at once. They echoed in his mind, piercing through the pain that was dispersing any thoughts that formed in his head. He was too desperate and confused to care where the voice had come from, only hoping it could really help him leave.
Yes! He screamed in his thoughts. Yes, get me out!
The voice didn't rush to speak but for some reason the pain in his head softened with the cold and rage dimming.
Even if the way out is worse than this?
The man squeezed his eyes shut as if that might help, but the pain only grew sharper, rising and rising until it felt like he might burst. At least out there I can fight! I won't be chained down!
Silence passed for three seconds before the voice was spoken in an almost sorrowful tone. Even if you're more likely to fall?
He gritted his teeth as the pain further increased but he still pushed through it and answered.
Then I'll get up, again and again! I'll keep getting up until I won't fall again!
Then came the sigh that swept through the gray fog. Very well then. You-
The last words were dissolved and became lost in a sudden explosion of silver light that tore through the fog above. The light surged above for a second before a lance of silver shot down, striking him in the chest and making him gasped.
The sound of a key entering a door rang out.
Then breath from his lungs was stolen as if something inside him was being twisted, turning, shifting and then expanded outward. In the next moment, silver and black light expanded from his chest, blasting the gray fog back and making it roll back like a tide wave.
The invisible shackles around him shattered into nothingness.
The man shot upright, lungs sucking in air like he'd just escaped drowning. His black hair fell across his sweat-slicked face, and his golden eyes shined with new life. A black armor clung to his skin with some of the sweat dripping on it and rolling down the golden lines on it.
Even though he was free, the pain still raged and tore at him, making him understand he needed to escape this place.
Then the voice returned, softer than before but clearer.
Ophieus, look ahead of you.
The man grasped his name as he clenched his fist and steadying himself against the pain. Ophieus lifted his head, listening to the voice that had helped and wishing to continue helping him. The thick gray fog swirled around him but then he noticed things he couldn't see before when he was pinned.
All around he saw weapons, books, strange objects which were either gleaming and perfect or battered and broken inserted in the fog. They stood upright as if they were suspended in the haze with the fog obscuring parts of them.
But beyond all that, he saw something else.
A sphere hovered beyond those odd things, pulsing with a sliver light that was somehow both gentle and blinding. Ophieus eyes widened as he saw things were inside the sphere and what he saw left him in a daze. He saw galaxies, suns, planets, black holes, and other things swirling together.
"What is that…" Ophieus trailed off as he saw the gray fog began to gather before swirling faster and faster.
Forming a growing hurricane that roared out as it seemed to shake the area.
The voice spoke again with the words distorting at the edges, as if language itself was unraveling.
If you want to escape this place… you must reach… This… This is the gateway… to the world of Luminous…
Ophieus caught only fragments, but it didn't matter as he understood what he had to do. The pain inside him flared, blurring his vision, and making each breath difficult. Still, he clenched his teeth as he took a step forward towards the orb which he assumed was the gateway.
The terrifying wind rushed out and smashed into him, almost knocking him off his feet. Ophieus staggered as his feet scraped against the fog which formed chains around his ankles. He could feel the fog desperately clinging and pulling him back as if they didn't wish for him to leave.
Ophieus hunched his shoulders and braced himself before forcing one foot in front of the other. The fog struggled but was pulled apart as he continued putting one step at a time in front of him. The wind rushed at him once more, tearing at his armor, and whipping his hair across his face.
Ophieus breath came ragged and thin as he squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the rhythm of his steps. Left, right, left, counting them and not letting himself stop even another sudden gust slammed into him.
Throwing him to his knees but he dug his fingers into the cold fog, using it for leverage and then pushed himself back up. He bent low, lowering his center of gravity, and leaned all his weight into the storm. His muscles burned and stretched as he dragged his body forward inch by inch across the fog.
As Ophieus closed in on the sphere, the pressure grew heavier and tried to force him down. But the desire to leave, the rage to resist and the small curiosity inside of him to see the outside world pushed him through the wind. The fog trembled violently then they began opening up with a faint chime.
Instantly, thousands of golden-black eyes opened up in the fog and stared down at Ophieus.
Ophieus felt cracks splintering across his skin and pain spreading outwards from the countless eyes crushing gaze. Then voices erupted in his mind, they were screaming, laughing, pleading, chanting, begging, cheering, praising, and screeching.
There were endless words he could not understand ringing in his head. But Ophieus pressed on as his lips slowly shifted and a smile spread.
The objects tore free from the fog and made Ophieus see a sword, a book, a mask, a chalice swirling toward the orb. The sight would leave anyone in shock, but he only laughed as a beastial smile fully formed.
"All this just to stop me from leaving? Hahaha! This just makes me want to leave even more!"
Ophieus forced himself forward, step by step, even as the objects rushed towards him. Even as they smashed into him, he pushed forward through the agony, pressure, suffocating gaze, and piercing pain.
Before he stretched out his hand, shouting with everything left inside him.
"Let me out!"
His fingers touched the orb.
Instantly, a light more terrible and beautiful than anything he'd ever known erupted and smashed into him. His body broke apart but there was no pain, all he felt was a feeling of freedom as he turned into light. Then terrifying light exploded out, the world of gray dissolved and swept away in a tide of silver, black, and gold.
Then the familiar gentle and soft voice rang out once more.
Ophieus…
…Wish you… had to do this…
I'm sorry… this journey of yours will be …. It will make you experience terrible…It will drown you in horrifying…
But maybe…
You can understand…
I wish…