CHAPTER 4. – A FOE LIKE NO OTHER.
Both teens keep walking, as Steven gulps, and clears his throat.
Steven: You see.. 6 months ago, I fell into a deep coma, it seems it was because I lacked oxygen in my brain… heh, I don't even get how it even happened. Anyway.
The expansive lands move beyond your conventio
nal forest, or dune, it is unpredictable, yet calm, dangerous, yet polished, these factors key in, as both fear for their lives in this world of the unknown.
"I woke up in my bed." He exclaimed.
- I looked around and, nothing that I knew was out of the ordinary, but when I start walking in my home… I noticed my parents weren't there. I went outside… hell, nothing was seen moving!
All I could know, is that the time never stopped.
Tommy takes a moment to try and sponge the information
Tommy: You were dreaming of an exact replica of your home in coma? Hah, talk about imagination.
Steven: Do you know what's true imagination? I wasn't alone, in both ways. There were these… corrupted shadows, they moved in weird ways, almost as if they were wooden figures.
- They weren't conscious either, if they saw you, pray to God you had the enough stamina to run. I got caught by one of them as I tried going inside my home. I ended up killing it. Anyhow, I managed to get in the internet through my laptop, it wasn't Earth's internet though, there were cloud servers of their own in the dream, where only people who lived within the same world as me could post in any social media. There I met him, Tobby Vienas.
- Everyday, he'd tell me what he found, his achievements and progress in knowing what this world had. The time played an important role, as I remember vividly it would NEVER, and I mean! NEVER, change from 5:45 pm, middle of the afternoon.
- He lived in the UK, so we had to strategize on how we could meet, until, a few months later, we finally did it. But that was not the only crazy part. The only reason I got out of that coma, is thanks to Tobby, we went into a midpoint from where I lived, and where Tobby lived, that made a portal… however, now that I think about it…
Tommy is practically dumbfounded, how could you replicate such a world, inside your own subconscious?
Tommy: So? What happened?
Steven sighs, slowly taking in the realization that…
Tobby he… he never truly went with me in the portal… did he?
Tommy thinks for a while, looking at the ground, his feet moving him unconsciously.
Tommy: That could be it, I mean, if the person who wrote that book is trully the Tobby Vienas you're talking about… then… he never went with you after all.
Steven practically sweats in fear, as he readies to drop… maybe the most impactful ending of it all.
Steven: It's not that. When I woke up from the coma, roughly 7 years spent in it, in the real world, I asked a nurse if they knew about Tobby Vienas.
- Not only was he brought here but died in the same hospital bed I woke up from the coma, at hour 5:45.
Tommy completely shuts his mouth, he practically has his eyes widen, in shock.
Tommy: That… wow, I… don't know what to say.
Steven gently smiles at him.
Steven: You don't need to, it's been 6 months since that, after all.
Both come to a complete halt, PARALYZED to realize something off in the distance.
Steven: IS... IS THAT THE WALL??
Tommy couldn't believe it eit her, but the more he looked, the weirder it was.
Tommy: No… it… it seems more like, two giant metal gates….
Steven takes in his words, as he tried to squint for better visibility.
Steven: Wait youre right….! Those ARE doors!
*Half terrified, but half excited, they storm towards the distant gates, slowly revealing to it's true size. Titanic Iron reinforced blast gate doors the size of the length that covers the world are seen shut, completely... near them, a metallic embedded sign is seen.
"ENTRANCE ACCESS POINT 01"
Both had no words in their minds to speak, it was all so surreal to them, yet so much to uncover… if there is something behind it… then how many doors would there be?
But, curiosity ends, as something is seen, slowly appearing out of the rocks.
Steven and Tommy glance their eyes towards the being, it was tall, it's appearance similar to an Absolute, but it seemed more dangerous, far deadlier than that… no… he was something else.
Both sweating, Steven is the first to respond.
- TOMMY WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING???!
Tommy couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing, he knew for one, that they would die, that their journey would halt to an end.
Tommy: I… I DON'T KNOW! This... must be another Absolute... but this guy is... big, bigger than anything I consumed!
His head, shining like a machinery, body, as volcanic as ever, with pieces of cables, fuses and electronics, claws the size of reapers, and a will, that can only be translated to death. He readies a dash, practically cutting through the air itself, knocking Steven into the ground.
Steven: GAH!! FUCK! MY ARM!!! TOMMY HELP!
Tommy, shocked to his core, couldn't bring his body to function, but he knew he had to try, at least in some way.
- I.. I COULDN'T SEE HIM! HE'S TOO FAST!
Tommy launches over him, trying to tape some makeshift C4's into the creature, but he trully is swift, something that both never saw coming before.
Steven grabs his rusted sword and tries to slash some hits.
The being dodges them as if it were butter, and kicks Steven into his guts, sending him flying towards a nearby rock, nevertheless, he gets up, and keeps his guard up.
Tommy: STEVEN! I HAVE AN IDEA!
Steven looks over at Tommy as if he were to be a delusional prick, but… were there any other options? Not that he could come up with.
Steven: *Grunt* SPIT IT OUT!
Tommy: IM GOING TO BOOST YOU OVER, PLEASE, TRY TO SLASH HIM!
Steven rushes towards Tommy the second he speaks, as he follows his directions.
Meanwhile, the being slowly but surely approaches them, as if trying to toy with its food.
Steven positions himself to step on top of Tommy's back, as his other feet gets supported by Tommy's hand, they count down to 3, and Steven pushes off from Tommy.
Steven: TAKE THIS YOU FUCKING BITCH!
Steven manages to slash the creature's neck with the tip of his sword, although not deep, still cut a significant part of it, however, the being did not take it lightly, as he kicks Steven to his core, sending him skyrocketing against a boulder. This time, he can't get up… he is unconscious.
Tommy gets frightened by the second, and he receives a jab from the creature, straight into his chest, sending him airborne momentarily, before thudding against the ground.
A broken kid, and a fallen nerd, this is it.
Tommy: You… fucking dick! Im going to eat you! I will!
The being does not flinch, only march forward… however, he stops, slowly reaching it's own neck, as to realize… he's been poisoned.
The being retreats backwards with a swift dash, before falling onto his knees, facing his back towards Tommy… he seems to be attempting regeneration.
Tommy: *cough* Oh you did a mistake.
With all of his might, he rushes towards the being, C4 in hand, he slaps it onto the creatures back. Of course, the Absolute flinches, back-kicking Tommy into a halt, rapidly approaching him. It seemed the end, but of course, patience rewards; as Tommy dives onto the ground, and the C4 detonates.
KABOOOOOOMMM!!!
The force sends large chunks of the entity's back flying towards the skies, as the being drops on it's knees, and then thuds onto the ground, face first… motionless.
Time passes, Steven, still unconscious, sitting down against the boulder, and Tommy, completely out, laying down on the ground, they stood victorious, but at what cost?
Steven: My head... what happened?
Tommy: Your head is not the only thing thats gonna hurt.
Still coughing blood, Tommy warns Steven of his current integrity, some of his ribs might be broken.
As both calm down for a while, a heavy creaking can be heard over the titanic metal gate, it's opening.
Steven: Hey! the door!
Tommy looks over it too, both faces shocked, either from panic, uncertainity, or excitement. As the door opens, the Absolute disintegrates, leaving behind a torn, wet piece of paper.
Tommy: What is that? hold on.
The boy grabs the paper with his hands, as he tries to read the contents;
CODENAME; ALPHA
PURPOSE: CONTAINMENT OF ACCESS GATE 01
CURRENT C.O.A: ABSOLUTE MAJOR 0.
Tommy reads the contents carefully, yet still confused.
Tommy: Hey, dude? I, I don't know what this is, for what I believe, I think we just killed an Absolute Major? Alpha, it was named, he protected this door.
Steven scoffs at him, trully not caring about what it was, or what it's purpose could have been
Steven: It's dead.... no? Come on, we have to keep moving.
Tommy lowers the paper, looking at Steven with a saddened look
Tommy: Okay, let me grab you, and it's not useless! At least we have some info.
Steven helps himself as he supports his whole bodyweight onto Tommy, moving forward, through the titanic gates, a whole different world awaiting them, uncertain, yet determined.