TRA: A God's Sorrow

Chapter 9: Source

Grall

Grall awoke in darkness. A darkness that laid so thick that even Gralls magical eyes did little for him. Grall tried to sit up, but found something blocking his way.

Grall lifted his hand to feel for whatever kept him in place. Finding nothing, Grall tried again to sit up, his hand out stretched so that he can learn the boundaries of this darkness, but, unfortunately, he once more found himself unable to sit up.

Angered, Grall began to yell, or at least he attempted to. He found that no matter how much he wanted to scream, yell, or even speak, nothing came out.

Whats going on? Grall thought, anger had given way to panic as it set in. Is this another test? Am I being punished for fighting dishonorably again?

The questions flooded Gralls mind as he fought to keep the panic under control. As he laid on the dark ground a voice came to him, a familiar voice.

"Grall," it said, "why do you do this to yourself?"

Grall wanted to scream out at the voice, demand for it to release him and tell it he did not do this to himself, it was the work of the elders. Sadly, no sounds escaped Gralls mouth as he laid there staring into the darkness.

"I am not the one who trapped you here." the voice said, almost as if it was reading Gralls thoughts. A chill crypt up Gralls spine, causing him to shiver unvoluntarily.

Who are you? Grall demanded, this was far from his first time meeting someone who could read minds and, if he could not voice his questions, he sure as he'll was gonna use his ability to his advantage.

A chuckle echoed out of the darkness, it was a strange, humorless sound. "We have met before, Grall," the voice said as the man stepped into view, "or do you not remember?"

Grall stared at the man without recognition. The man did look familiar, a human from the looks of it, who had dark brown hair, crystal blue eyes that sunk into his skull, and tan skin. He wore strange clothes, all white, they looked to be some kind of celebration clothes but none Grall had ever seen before.

Or have I? Grall asked himself, as he pondered on the man's words. He himself had said we have met before, and he does look familiar, but where? When? And most importantly, how? Grall scoffed at himself, why is the how so important to him. Yes he looked familiar, but so did most of the humans he met, after all, they all looked the same.

"You don't remember." The man said, it wasn't a question but a statement, or rather a realization. "This is a first. You have remembered who I was every other time we met."

Grall stared at the man, the panic he felt before now gone, replaced by a strange sense of calm. He did not allow himself to reveal anymore of who or what he was and instead focused on the darkness that bared down on him.

The man stayed silent for a moment, his eyes transfixed on Grall. When he did speak, he did so with what Grall could only perceive as sorrow.

"We," he said, his voice low, "were once brothers, you and I." Grall turned his head, now scrutinizing the man under his gaze.

The man lifted his hand as to stop Gralls scrutiny and continued. "I am not Grodak, your brother of this cycle, but," he said his voice rising in a proud and respectful tone, "I am your brother from another cycle."

Gralls eyes narrowed in disbelief, everyone knew that once you die, you return to the source and become a part of him. "Yes." The man said, turning his gaze from Grall as to look into the darkness. Gralls eyes followed the man's and, unintentionally, gasped.