Reality (Issue 1): In the Beginning

Chapter 6: The Door (Part 7)

As they come close to impact, Proto and Sentiene feel an invisible force grab hold of them, gradually lifting them from their doom. Once the couple is safely back in the maze, Proto and Sentiene look up and around in perplexity. After calming down, Proto says, "that, I...I don't know...what-"

"Me too," Sentiene says. In silent agreement, Proto looks into her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Proto says.

"No," Sentiene gives an awkward laugh, followed by Proto. Ironically, the minor shock starts to diminish, causing Sentiene's eyes to sparkle like glass, and her chin gradually trembles.

"Hey, hey, hey," Proto hugs her warmly, letting her cry into his shirt, "It's okay, it's okay, you're fine, we made it...I don't know how, but we made it."

Finally calmed down, Sentiene gently breaks the hug. "Sorry for getting your shirt wet," she laughs while awkwardly wiping Proto's shirt with her hand.

"No, it's okay, I don't mind," Proto smiles contagiously. As a bird chirps excitedly, Sentiene kisses Proto's cheek, filling his face with strawberry red.

"Where now?" Sentiene says. Still surprised, Proto just stares at her. "Proto?" Sentiene smiles at his blush.

"Uh, yeah, sorry," Proto coughs, "let's try this way." With caution, Proto leads on. Unfortunately, his accuracy has abandoned him. Many deceiving turns become dead ends and several pathways lead the couple in circles. Proto grunts before saying, "this is frustrating. Where's the clues? The directions? Anything!"

"Maybe it's different this time?" Sentiene says.

Suddenly, the couple hears something metallic swinging behind them. Quickly, they turn around. With a striking appearance, Chaoticium looks down with a grin and taps the Thundersoul Staff on the ground. "What do we have here?"

"Chaoticium," Proto says, "we...we were waiting for you."

"Really?" Chaoticium says, "Seems to me, you've been having an adventure with someone."

"We, we...," Sentiene says.

"We, we, we were with someone I don't know."

"We had no ide-," Proto says. Suddenly, a third flower grows by Proto, revealing gold paper and more blood-written words.

Chaoticium's grimace expression drops to concern, "don't read that." Proto moves closer to the gold paper. "I said don't read that! You will kneel before your king!"

"We're sorry, your high-," Sentiene starts to bend her legs and bow her head, but Proto catches her.

"Sent, no!" Proto gently pulls Sentiene up.

"Don't you dare read that, that, that nonsense!" Chaoticium almost screams, as if he's trembling. Ignoring him, Proto looks at the paper and squints his eyes. "Nooo!" As Chaoticium summons his sword and thrusts it towards Proto, time seems to slow down. Though it feels like two minutes, it only takes a millisecond for Proto to see what Chaoticium has covered up. By a vision, his lies are finally brought to the light.

Quickly, Proto sees a thin light crack the sky on an ocean horizon. A loud, sudden noise startles him. Then, Proto feels the sandy ground, where he's standing, sink until Proto is floating. Soon, everything darkens, and all Proto can see is chaotic energy and the shape of Chaoticium.

Solid ground rotates into the picture until Proto is steady on his feet, but a burst of light gives him a headache. After noticing a growing shadow, he sees a thick cloud of smoke and lightning closing in from above. Molten boulders hit the ground like rocks being tossed on sand. Almost as fast as a shooting star, Chaoticium runs away from the volcanic eruption, but his parents are nowhere in sight.

In Chaoticium's spaceship, Proto stands uninvited and unnoticed. Looking out the window, Chaoticium talks to himself, "hehehe, it worked, I've fooled them even more."

Like waking up from a nightmare, Proto comes out of the vision. Immediately, time goes back to normal. Bang! Chaoticium's sword cuts into Mr. Imagine's chest, protecting Proto. Sentiene yelps in shock.

"S..sacri...ficed...for," Mr. Imagine says, looking over his shoulder towards Proto, before turning into countless flowers and falling to the ground. Just staring, everyone seems paralyzed with confusion and amazement, a choir of heavy breathing.