Destined To Die

Chapter 5 - Paths Chosen

-5-

-Paths Chosen-

The black rock was back, stretching on in every direction. Akane was once again prone, face pressed against the cold stone, in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He reached for his swords but they weren't there, and he felt the pain of his injuries, every injury he'd ever received. Solid as it all felt, he knew that none of it was real.

He pushed himself upright in the dream, bare feet on the smooth stone that felt cold as ice as he stared forward. Hana was there again, in the distance, with the mysterious woman by her side. If he looked closely enough at his sister he could almost make out her lips moving, as if trying to say something, but there was no sound. He ignored the distant pair, looking around the dreamscape for any other feature in his barren surroundings. The sky was dark and cloudless, stars wheeled overhead, a chill hung in the air.

The singular source of light in this place was in the eyes of the woman, eyes shining in the dark, casting a glimmering glow out towards him as she watched on. Akane simply stood and stared back, knowing the futility of trying to walk towards his sister. Silence passed in the space between them, Hana trying to speak but no words sounded through the still air.

"What is this?" he murmured, his voice resonating with unnatural volume, carrying into the distance with a thunderous echo.

"Fate," came the reply, the godlike woman next to his sister replied, although there was no mouth, just the eyes, the vague shroud that obscured her body, and thick black hair that hung down near to the floor, floating gently despite the lack of any breeze.

Akane glared at her, trying to get any glimpse through the distance and haze as to the identity of the strange woman. Something about her seemed familiar, as if from a mostly forgotten memory.

"What do you want?" He heard his own words resound back to him in a thousand echoed whispers, not all the voices his own.

The godlike woman reached out a hand, still cloaked in the shroud, and rested it gently on Hana's shoulder. Her head cocked slightly to the side as she looked at Akane, with neither fondness nor malice. There was a disconnect in those eyes, a completely alien intelligence.

"Seek passage from the Black God," she said, her voice so loud in his ears that he almost winced, it was all around him, coming from every direction, "From Black God to white stone, on and on into the end. That is the journey of one, destined to die."

Akane said nothing as he processed the words, glaring at the tall figure in the distance and feeling her gaze upon him. His fists clenched tightly by his side, the amulet around his neck pulsed rhythmically, almost like a heartbeat.

"Who are you?" he asked finally, through clenched teeth, "What are you?"

There was no visible reaction from the woman, her eyes still locked to his, the brightness almost painful.

"I am mother to your true self," the voice replied, tone soft despite the volume, the gravity of each word, "I am waiting."

Akane looked to Hana, but his sister said nothing. She simply closed her eyes sadly, before looking away. Akane returned his gaze to the figure, meeting the starlike eyes one final time, before turning his back on her light and walking away into the darkness without another word.

>---<

Maddy shook him awake gently, his eyes flicking open with the voice still echoing in his ears. It was still mostly dark out, though the first hint of dawn was cresting far to the east. She was standing by the open passenger's side door, a hand on his shoulder.