Equinox: The Sphere Wars

Chapter 19: Zen

Iopened my eyes to find myself floating above a large yet shallowgolden lake. The way I was floating was odd, I was suspended abovethe water about 50 feet with my arms stretched out by my sides. Myhead was staring straight ahead as well, not having been limp beforeI awoke. I looked around at the beautiful aura of gold surroundingthe lake. In the center of the lake there was a rather largecastle-like structure that was shimmering white and gold particles.In the distance beyond the shallow lake were mountains too tall tosee past. I was unable to turn around to look behind me, but itdidn't matter as I found myself falling down towards the water. Ibraced for a hard impact, but landed perfectly safely in the shallowwater, on my feet. I then proceeded to turn and look around. I was atthe edge of a large cliff that was behind me. I then turned andstarted walking towards the castle. As I walked, flashes of pastevents shifted into my mind.

Ifelt myself sinking into the ground beneath my feet. I tried to jumpbut then realized that I wasn't actually sinking. I smelled afamiliar smell as if I had smelled it before, but I couldn't recallwhere. I turned around only to see a hallway. The building hadEarth-like construction and windows with bars. I heard loudexplosions all around the building.

???:"Here, place it on your chest and press the button on the side."

Iheard the voice and instantly recognized it. I was in the buildingthat I woke up in so long ago. I walked into the room where I saw theWarden and myself. When the suit formed around the other me, heraised his emergency pistol to me and shot me. I fell down only toappear on the lake again.

Chris:"Was that some kind of vision?"

Icontinued across the lake only to see the castle drift further awayfrom me. The whole castle zoomed off into the distance and then camerushing back at me, but when it appeared again, it was merely a doorfor me to open. I opened it and walked through only to see a largeroom with protrusions on every wall and the door on the ceiling. Ithen spotted myself on one of the walls, walking along it through themaze. I knew this was the Torrential Temple. I watched myself solvethe room's puzzle and when the other me went through the door on theceiling, the entire room faded away, leaving the golden lake onceagain.

Chris:"What's the point of all of this? Is this place trying to show memy own life?"

Ionce again started walking towards the castle. I got about halfwaythere before the next vision came. This one was just flashing imagesof people in my life, whether I hurt them or helped them. It was asif this place was trying to make me understand how much I haveinfluenced the people in my life. All of this inquiry started to makeme question whether or not my life was truly over. Is this place theafter-life? I continued walking.

Anothervision; this time it was other worlds and other races. I saw theHliani and the Darklings, the Steyan, the Verisha, and the Baskik,all of which were consumed by Tennon. This vision had shown me everymeal Tennon had starting with the Hliani Public Council, and endingwith Enzon. I continued walking towards the gates of the castle. Theystarted opening, letting down the drawbridge across a long moat, orrather an area around the castle that was deeper than the rest of thelake. As I stood there waiting for the bridge, I had one last visionof my final fight with Ark Aten; the most powerful evil the universehad ever seen. I still felt the pain of the ending blow as I steppedback to allow room for the drawbridge to finish it's descent to myfeet. Once it did, I stepped forward into the castle town.