The Hearts of Man: Chapter 13 -Endgame-

Chapter 13: Endgame

 

>Your eyelids felt like lead as you forced them open.

>Gasping for air and clutching your chest with your good arm, you raise yourself upright and scan the room.

>You were still in the cave, only feet from the ashes of Lyra's corrupted form.

>Ignoring the tangled mess that was your left arm, you managed to drag yourself over to where Lyra once was.

>Kneeling before the smoldering black ashes, you can't help but shed a tear.

>She was innocent in all this. She didn't mean for anyone to get harmed.

>And now she was dead, and you were stranded in an ancient underground temple, crippled and bleeding out.

>You spot a glint of something within Lyra's ashes that catches your eye.

>Whatever it is, it's gold.

>Carefully pawing through the smoldering remains, you pull out what you saw.

>All that was left of Lyra was a tiny, golden lyre.

>You pluck a string, and a single pure note rings through the chamber.

>You wipe the tears from your face, and pocket the lyre in your jacket.

>Forcing your way to your feet, you finally take notice of the state your left arm is in.

>It's drenched in blood, dripping onto the dusty floor.

>Small rips and tears score your arm's skin, steam slowly rising from within them.

>The pain is still un-fucking-bearable, but you push it aside and try to raise your arm.

>It painfully rises, and you turn it over to examine the the rest of it.

>Blood seeps out of the hole in your palm, slightly blocked by the horn embedded into your arms's entire length.

"That... that could be a problem..."

>You needed to get medical help NOW.

>If not, that arm would probably be gone in a matter of hours.

>Of course at the rate you were bleeding, losing your arm was the least of your worries.

>You stumble towards the exit, your feet dragging against the ground.

>Suddenly you can't move.

>Something is pulling on your injured arm.

>Swinging your head around, you see your arm extended behind you, as if something was holding it.

>It's pointed toward the pillar.

>You try your hardest to move forward, but the more you try the more your arm resists, pulling you towards the orb in the center of the room.

"No.. no you don't you sonofabitch..."

>You wheel around and grasp your arm with your free hand, locked in a tug of war with an unseen force.

>Then you hear it.

>A voice.

>It sounds eerily familiar.

>Almost like family.

 

<Well well well, what have we here? An old one? Now? Outstanding>

 

"Who's there? Hello?"

 

<It speaks? Interesting. You resemble the ones who came before. The ones who sought our knowledge>

 

"Let me go!"

>Instantly you are lifted from your feet and into the air by your arm and dropped to the stone below.

>You land on your back with a sickening crack.

>You're flung from the floor towards the pillar, tossing through the air.

>Your body slams against the wall behind the pillar, another crack reverberating through the chamber as your spine connects with the ancient architecture.

>Your vision black out for a split-second but returns instantly.

>You cringe as you fall to the ground again, coughing up blood.

 

<We will enjoy spilling your blood mortal. It's been too long>

 

"What... what are you?..."

>You raise your head and your eyes widen in horror.

>Standing in front of you is a man shrouded in black mist, red eyes beaming down at you.

>He kneels down, bringing his face to yours, white teeth shining among the smoke as he grins.

>He speaks, but now you recognize the voice.

>Because it is your own.

 

<We are you, Anon.>

 

>It's like you're looking into the eyes of your own shadow.

>And your shadow is a bit of a dick.

 

<You know, we were hoping someone would find this temple. You can't imagine what it's like to be trapped in an orb for a few millennia... well, maybe you can>

 

>He gives another shithouse grin and snickers at you.

"Who are y-"

>You're cut off as your shadow delivers a kick to your face, sending you rolling on the floor.

 

<Who are we? WHO ARE WE? We're you, you little imbecile! You're "dark side," let's say. And let us tell you, we can't wait to get out of this place>

 

>Before you can react he leaps on top of you, a hand clenched around your throat.

>You're off the ground now, being choked by your shadow, the air in your throat trapped.

 

<You know what we're going to do once you're dead? We're going to pay your pretty little friend a visit. What was her name again?>

 

>You claw at his hand, trying to break free.

 

<Ah yes. "Princess Luna." Oh we're going to have fun with her, we promise you. We've seen the edges of your mind, Anonymous. We know what you have lived through. We know your intentions, your goals, your... emotions>

 

>He smiles wider now, barring his razor sharp teeth in delight, and licks his lips.

 

<When we find her, we will do things that will make her forget all about you. You will be nothing but a dream to her, and then we will have won. What do you think? Sound like a good plan?>

 

>You swing your fist into your shadow's face, letting out a dull thud.

>He laughs.

>And as he laughs, he slams you to the floor and brings a foot down into your back.

>Again.

>And again.

>And again.

>As he yet again grabs your throat and lifts you off the temple floor you realize that you can't feel your legs anymore.

>You're paralyzed from the waist down.

>You're coughing up even more blood now, and your shadow begins to slowly crush your windpipe.

>You clutch his hand with yours, trying to pry him off of you, but to no avail.

>He's got a vice grip around your throat and it's getting tighter.

>You're dying.

>You're desperate.

>So you try one last ditch effort.

>Grabbing the bit of horn jutting out of your left palm, you start to pull.

>Pain sears through your body, begging you to stop.

>But you don't.

>You can't let him win.

>You can't let this... thing get to Luna.

>You'd rather die.

 

<Anything you'd like to say before you take your last pathetic breath?>

 

"Yeah."

>Mustering up the last of you're strength, you pry the horn from your arm, twisting it in your hand like a dagger.

"Fuck. You."

>And you bring it down into the eye of your shadow.

>Light and black ink fire out from where you stabbed your doppelganger, his shriek shattering the stone walls around you.

>The whole chamber crumbles around the two of you, as a great burst of dark energy explodes worth from you shadow, sending you flying back through the exit of the cave, bouncing hard off the walls.

>Once you've stopped moving, you look back down the cave, but darkness and rubble obscure your view.

>You turn your torso around, and can see the signs of sunlight coming from the cave's entrance.

>It's only about two hundred meters away from where you are, but without the use of your legs, and your left arm, it would feel like a mile.

>So you start crawling with only your good arm.

 

-------

 

>As you emerge from the cave you can see what remains of the setting sun as it dips below the horizon.

>Hints of stars twinkle in the distance.

>You collapse at the cave's entrance, you breathe beaten and ragged, gulping for air.

>You've lost so much blood, and you can still see the trail of crimson you left behind during your crawl.

>As you look up at the sky, you lock eyes with the moon, it's white light cascading down on you.

"Heh...heheh..pointless.."

>You feel your cheeks becoming wet.

"Just wanted to know more... so stupid... haha.."

>You have regrets. You shouldn't have followed Lyra on her quest.

>She would have still been alive.

>You would have still had your arm and legs, as well as most of your blood.

>The biggest thing you regret was not listening to Luna, though.

>She told you that you wouldn't find anything pleasant.

"Ha..hahaha, she's.. she's gonna kill me for this.."

>You cough up more blood, your face drained of color.

>You close your eyes, and wait for it to end.

>It had to end eventually, after all.

>A gust of wind sweeps over your beaten body, and you wrestle your eyes open.

>A pair of teal eyes look down at you, tears welling up in them.

>She's crying.

>You can feel her tears land on your face like warm rain in summer.

>But you smile.

"...Hey,."

>"...Anon?.."

"Sorry about, you know...dying. Should have taken your advice."

>"No... no no no, you're not dead. You're not dead. There's still time, we can- I can get you help."

>Luna desperately nuzzles your face, still crying.

>"I have magic. I can heal you. Just hold on, please."

 

>"Please hold on."

 

>You smile with as much strength as you can muster as you run your hand through her mane, as if you were caressing the sky itself.

 

"Can you do something for me, Luna?"

>She's holding back her tears as best as she can, and nods.

"Would you mind singing our song with me?"

>"...what?..."

>Slowly and quietly, you start to sing in between ragged breathes.

 

"..Fly me to the moon... let me play among the stars..."

>Luna stops trying to hold back the dam, and rests her head on your shoulder, and sings with you.

>And as you finish, you look into Luna's teal eyes with a sad smile on your face.

 

 

>You wouldn't mind those eyes being the last things you saw.

 

 

~END~