SkyFall : Eulogy of The Void

Trust 2

"Forgive me, child, I have to do this for the sake of my own grandson. I hope you will understand."

Xin, hearing these words echoing from the depths of his subconscious, could only manage a bitter smile.

Surrounded by pure white emptiness, devoid of any imperfections, Xin found himself in an ethereal space. There was no ground beneath his feet, no sky above him, just a gentle, radiant glow enveloping everything.

Standing beside him was the figure of his late mother, her gaze fixed upon a scene that seemed to mirror the outside world.

In this scene, Xin found himself trapped within a cave or an underground prison, suspended upside down by a cold, metallic chain.

The voice he longed to hear whispered softly in his ears.

"If only this chain were made of ordinary metal, you could easily break free and escape."

Turning to face the familiar face he had last seen amidst the ruins of Gantz, Xin couldn't help but notice the transformation. Her features, once stiff and pale, now radiated with life and warmth. Only the faint lines etched upon her face hinted at the hardships she had endured.

But there was something else, something powerful and authoritative that emanated from her presence, subtly betraying the perfection of her form.

With a voice filled with uncertainty, Xin asked, "Will I be alright?"

A radiant smile graced his mother's lips as she reassured him, "Fear not, my dear. Time moves differently in this realm. Look, the old lady has come to a halt, hasn't she?" She pointed towards the scene unfolding before them.

Perplexed, Xin inquired, "Does that mean if the scene stops, everything outside also comes to a standstill?" The concept was mind-boggling. If his mother possessed the ability to halt time, her power must be unimaginable.

His mother gently corrected him, "Not quite, my dear. It means that time within your subconscious realm accelerates. Just because an observer perceives something as motionless or slowed down doesn't mean it has truly ceased or decelerated. It could be that the observer is moving at a much faster pace than the object being observed."

Xin scratched the back of his head, growing even more bewildered. However, he chose to remain silent, not wanting to appear foolish.

With a soft chuckle, his mother continued, "When you witnessed the Gantz residents being pursued by the Scourge while being carried by the middle-aged Draven, Kiera, did you believe they were not running at their full speed? Did you think they were simply standing still, awaiting their demise?"

The question made Xin ponder. Indeed, he had observed the Gantz residents moving slowly or seemingly motionless below while he soared and leaped alongside Kiera. But now he realized that it was merely an illusion created by his distant vantage point and Kiera's extraordinary speed. Deep down, Xin knew that every Gantz resident possessed an indomitable spirit to survive. It was impossible for all of them to be devoid of hope and motion at the same time.

"You're right," Xin whispered to himself, a newfound understanding dawning upon him.

Turning his gaze back to his mother's figure, he studied her face, his eyes lingering on her own. The same black-brown eyes that he had inherited from both his parents, among the many traits that connected him to his lineage.

Swallowing his saliva, Xin couldn't help but ask, "Are you... God?"

Deep within, Xin knew that the ethereal figure standing beside him was not his mother. His mother had long passed away, and this was no mere illusion. All that remained of her was her upper body, severed and lifeless.