Lost in the darkness

2

I stand there, taken aback at what this could mean. The other skykid stands up, hands folded behind their back in a calm composer. Their mask is modeled after a bat, two pointed fangs on each side of a large opening in their mask, red eyes burning. The cape that flows out from behind them is a pale purple, with a dark rim and the occasional spike along it. A pale blue shirt with black pants and purple shoes, tight to the skin. I stare at them, looking at the skykid that does not resemble me, other than that we both wear hats. "How are you me? We can't be the same, the only thing similar is that we wear hats! And they don't even look the same, yours is all pointed and black... Also why are your eyes red and what mask is that?"

They look at me, and the winds stir up around them, "Oh, I'm you all right. Although to me, you are me, we can both speak to the wind and you know it. In fact, I might restart that storm I started back there."

"Wait, you started that storm? But I thought I did! I also ended it though... Wait, are you trying to say..?" I try to get angry, I really do, but something is wrong. The feelings, the emotions, the anger that used to be burning inside me is not there. It almost seems to be standing inf ront of me.

"OF COURSE I AM, IDIOT!"

"That's mean! I would never say that-"

"Well perhaps I was given some other traits so I woulndt be a wuss like you!"

"Well... Per-per-per haps-" I can feel tears of light well up inside me, completely replacing my anger, "You-you can't be... I'm not so mean..."

"Everybody is like this inside, but not you anymore. You're incomplete. I suppose I am as well, but at least I'm not a crybaby like you!"

"Ju-ju-just go away!"

"Gladly." They walk away, their pale purple cape blowing behind them. I can already hear the wind blowing harder. I collapse where I'm standing and stare at the hard ground. I'm so confused, I never asked for this! You're incomplete... I stare at my hands, wondering what I've become. Piercing laughter sounds in the distance, the wind roaring all around me. BOOM! Is that one of those tall grey structures falling? More of that laughter, then... screaming? I try and drag myself out of the crevice and I find it difficult to see because of all the wind. I shiver with all the cold wind blowing harder and harder around me, and try to peer through the dust. I try my best to still the storm while barely staying conscious. I push some of the dust away to see a ruin. All the tall grey structures on one side have been knocked over and there is rubble everywhere. In the distance a non living wailing blares in the distance, slowly getting louder and louder. Then I see myself, or part of me? I'm entirely not sure. They look over at me as soon as the wind dies down, before rising up in the air again. Completely overpowered now, I stop resisting the wind and the full power of the storms starts up again. Now the wailing is close, and the wind chucks a stray piece of rubble at me. I can almost feel the surprise coming from the other skykid as a large red monster shows up with flashing lights. Wait, I can't see that... Can I see through their eyes? Trying to see more clearly through their eyes, I focus my mind on their mental image. As soon as I get a clear image, I can feel my consciousness get hit out of their mind. With that large burst of mental power, I get physically thrown back into the rubble of the remaining tall grey structures. The blaring noise is right here, and My vision starts to fuzz out. Struggling to remain awake, I catch one last glimpse of the other skykid fleeing before succumbing to my mental damage.

...

I awake on a floating path of pale sand. A chill goes across my body and I feel that my cape is gone. The path is floating in what seems like an endless void, leading to a giant dark mass of darkness. I shake my head, trying to remember how I got here and what happened. Wait, this seems familiar... Is this... The fire trial? I've completed this already though... That can be the only thing... how else would my cape have gone missing? The intense cold emanating from the mass of darkness is unmistakable, preventing sight and leeching your light. Not sure quite what else to do, I walk towards the trial. Once I reach it, something starts to feel off. When I came here last, the dark mist parted as I came close. This time it seems to harden into a barrier, stopping me from getting inside. Pushing on the darkness successfully it aside. I didn't have to do that when I did this before. Why am I here of all places? As the mist finally parts and I step inside, the cold is overpowering. Unlike last time, I could barely see in front of me. Last time, I could see the white candle in front of me, but in this strange version of it, I could not even see that. I stagger forward, feeling around for even a single candle. I feel my foot brush against something, perhaps a candle? I summon the physical embodiment of my soul, a burning red candle. Moving it towards what I felt with my foot I try to light up the possible candle. As the wicks meet, I manage to light up a small white candle. Staring out into the cold darkness, I try to locate another candle. I step out away from the candle, but immediately feel my flame getting sucked away. Hopping back next to the candle, I peer into the darkness once again trying to find a fast route to another candle. Wait, what's that? Am I seeing things? What are those to white spots.... They almost look like tiny candles? The two white spots stick out in this vast never ending darkness. I pull out my candle and dash towards them, trying to ignore the intense pain and cold all around me. I reach the next candle with the white spots still eluding me. The spots guide me throughout the trial, although as I progress I can feel my strength draining. Eventually I lose sight of the white streaks in the distance, they disappear nowhere to be seen in this forever blank blackness. A piercing laughter shatters the silence of the trial, the black mist moves around me. Looking around to see the source of the noise, two burning red dots appear where I last saw the white lines. I try to light the candle bellow me, but it only lights for a second at a time. The acidic dark fog closes around me, before a sudden burst of light. I look down expecting to see a lit candle, but instead find that I'm glowing! My light is dim, but it seems to be able to fend away the consuming darkness. My power starts to drain, fast. This light must be the cause, how long will I be able to keep this up for? I kneel to the ground from exhaustion, and my light starts to fade. A strange figure cloaked in darkness approaches and starts to do something with their hands, so I try to bring up my light again but it fails completely. Before either of us can move, a blinding light fills the area... The darkness of the fire trial seems to vanish within seconds as the bright light fills the area. Looking around, I see a maze of rocky walls and pillars all around me. Turning around, there are three other figueres of what seem to be skykids. One is still cloaked in light and seems to be floating without a cape? Looking closer I can see what seems to be a rectangle, floating in the air with many stone structures behind it looking much like a portal of some kind. Another is cloaked in darkness, the remainder of the dark mist swirling around them. They seem to be the opposite of the light, but their silhouettes seem to match up perfectly. I turn my head to the last one, and see.. Myself? Panicking, I shake my head and see the dark skykid that claims to be another part of me. They turn to look at me, just standing there and staring at me with its red burning eyes.