Falling from so high up you see things you never would on the ground. Like these hollow trees, all dried up withering away. Without water I guess they had no choice but to dry up eventually. Like that massive hole … where the water should be. Ok, it seems like this world is full of surprises. Something is drying this world up and I'm betting it has to do with what awaits me below. Well it's a long way down. I might as well enjoy the view while I can, well what's left of it at least.
I can see extremely far now. I wonder if that light gave me more than just memories. Even now everything feels like it's moving so slowly. It feels like I'll fall forever but I know I'm close. I bet I can see them clearly now. Turning my attention to the monsters that dwell below. Studying them closely, making note of their bizarre appearance.
Seeing their ashen white skin covered with shifting symbols scaling across their bodies. Moving around their skin, made my skin crawl. The closer I got – I felt an immense heat growing. Each passing moment the pressure only grew more intense as the air grew thicker. I realized the heat waves were coming from them.
Warping the air around their body into clouds of steam. Covering everything but eyes filled with bloodlust glaring at me. Observing my every movement the closer I get, from behind the thick fog enveloping the land. Watching it spread further the closer I get. I'll have to strike hard, fast and in a hurry before they overwhelm me. I know it won't be easy but I have to do this. I need to find more answers. I won't let anything stop me from learning my truth. No matter what – I will survive.
Welcoming the challenge with open arms I shout "Since I'm out of options I'll just have to make some for myself. It's time to find out what you're made of!" Letting the roar of my voice shatter the tension at its peak. I plunge forward through the fog, bracing myself for the head on clash. Raising my fist in anticipation waiting for the best moment to strike.
Coming down faster than either of us could fully prepare for. I pivot my body to pour all my strength into my fist. Swinging my left hand down so fast I could. Slamming my fist down onto the monster head with all my might. Pushing past its temperamental shell of heat as it burns my skin, making sure not to give in to the pain. Not even for one second as my fist collides with its skull. Cracking its skull from the sheer force on impact.
The force reverberated throughout my entire body. Creating a shock wave that flowed through us both. Shattering the ground beneath us as I follow through, sending the monster crashing into the ground. Rippling through the land, reshaping the surface that was once smooth into a sea of jagged shards.
Giving it no time to recover, I dash forward launching myself into the air with my left leg. Twisting my body midair to add even more power as I pour my all into a devastating kick. Slamming the heel of my right foot into its face shattering its skull like a hammer. As its face caves in, blood begins to pour out its skull. Splattering all over me staining my skin with white as I see the tattoos begin to fade from its skin.
As it lays dead before the other beast. Seeing one of their own fallen. The remaining two rush towards me letting out a violent screech as their body's begin to extend from the cloud of smoke. Revealing their tattoos changing with the sound of their screech as they grow in size, becoming twice as big. Changing their arms into refined tools for killing. They became bigger, longer and sharper. Making just the tip of a single claw across its hands deadly.
Lost in thought I could barely react to its attempt to rip out my throat. As it quickly closes the distance between us. It catches me off guard with its newfound speed aiming to spear me through my neck.
I dart backwards as fast as I can, barely managing to avoid the spear to my neck. Slipping over my feet I put a hand onto the ground to regain my footing. Unaware of the attack that came next as its knee lands in my chest with enough pressure to split me in two. Knocking me off my feet, flying into the other who crept up from behind. Letting out a screech filled with blood lust as both hands fly towards me attempting to cut me down aiming for my head.
Giving me little time to shift my weight downward, I manage to drag my toes on the ground in the nick of time using them to stabilize myself as much as I can. Before lowering my body as fast as I could, dipping just below the point of impact. Grazing my forehead just above my right eye, burning my skin clean off. Refusing to give it time to recover, I use the opportunity to strike back now that it is off balance. Pushing through the pain, I land on my hands and pull my legs in tight releasing a power strike directly to its jaw.
Sending its head flying backwards as it falters, its posture crumbles. Ceasing the opportunity I rotate my body quickly to the left bringing my legs low to the ground sweeping the monster off its feet in one motion. As I push my hands off the ground driving my feet directly into its chest slamming the beast into the ground. Weighing it down with my feet planted into its chest, I put even more pressure on its chest keeping it down as I strike it with all my might as much as I could over and over again.
Watching our blood mix with each strike I take. Pummeling the monster into the ground. Driving my fist deeper into its body with every strike. Landing every punch faster than the last giving it no time to fight back.
I watch it try to cry for help while drowning in its own blood filling its lungs. Standing over the mangled monster I looked at its eyes one last time as it fades away. With blood rolling down my cheek I wipe the blood off my face. Saying to the monster "You burnt out quick-" as I was struck in the back of the head before I could finish my sentence.
Sending me flying into the mountain side I'd come from, crashing into the wall. I fell to the ground. Struggling to rise to my feet, I collapsed to the ground. Seeing rocks falling all around me as the spire collapses above me. With my bloody hands I crawled forward using the little strength I have left. Until everything faded to white as I heard my name for the first time in a long time … Iramo – Iramo!
Followed by my fathers warning "live your life by your truth, by your nature. Strength alone cannot conquer all this life has to offer. If you want to truly live you need the strength to die, a strength only acquired with one truth. Who are you truly? The day death calls for you make sure to never forget this – as a man who knows his true nature may rise again. So long as your will remains unshaken and your mind is not lost you can survive the realm of death."
Confused by his fathers words, young Iramo asks "How do you know that dad? Even if I survive the land of the dead, what can I do to go back? Death cannot grant me new life."
Laughing before responding he says" That is where you're wrong my son. Death and life are equals, capable of anything. The twin forces are more than any divine presence, they precede even the existence of the primordial forces born at the dawn of time. Known only for creation and destruction the forces of life and death are the origin unbound by all."
Iramo asks" So if I survive in the world of death I am to face death myself?"
"Of course not you are welcome to try, son but death will fall to no man. When face to face with death you are to speak your truth. If you remain unshaken as you reveal your true nature, death will favor you."
Sitting up on the hill top looking out towards his father standing in the distance as he opened his mouth slowly in confusion.
Iramo asks his father " So death will really favor me for being crazy enough to stand against it? Is the power of my nature truly such a powerful thing?"
Turning to face me father walks over to me plopping down beside me on the hill top. Putting one hand out as he says" Your nature is who you are deep down in the core of your spirit. As we are all born we are different. We are all blessed first by flesh granting a body as a vessel for the soul. Some are granted the second, the power of the mind. However a chosen few are bestowed the power to know their nature from the beginning. Giving them the best blessing of all if not squandered."
Iramo looked down and asked " And what would that be?"
Turning over his open hand a swirling force brought an abundance of grass and rocks around him as they orbited in the palm of his hand forming visuals as he said "Time my son. Time is key."
"Time to ascend above all others, Time to evolve past your limits, Time to no longer require a vessel to access your soul's power but to truly awaken your soul."
Father then proceeds to gather flowers from afar that spiral around the sky. They were white lily's flying around blocking out the sun. Beginning to spin masterfully as everything grows brighter with each rotation as I watch them spin on faster and faster. Until everything fades to white once more and I see a man standing tall before me.
With a cold stare I met the gaze of his purple eyes clouded with greyclouds revolving the iris, as if his eyes were the eyes of a storm itself. I see his purple hair flowing past his distinguished face, falling onto his broad shoulders. covered with a red shirt and ancient looking black wraps with symbols all over them covering his arms. Showing only his brown fist, next to his long black loose fitting pants, and black shoes with red soles.
This man looked familiar to me, compelling me to ask him "Who are you? And where am I now?"
His eyes grew darker as the clouds of grey now dark and heavy became faster. The purple hue in his eyes grew colder, shrinking slightly as he took a step forward towards me. At first looking disgusted then enraged he says "You're so far gone you can't even remember yourself! Have you forgotten why you fight already? You won't die on me yet! No, no, no, like it or not you will fight, you will not be broken so soon."
Closing the gap in an instance I could only imagine the strike after it had already knocked me flat on my back. I felt sharp pain in my face, legs, chest, and back.
Looking at me in disappointment as I process what the hell just hit me. He shouts "Stand up! How pathetic can you be? Will you just lay down and die? Defend yourself! Fight back damn it!"
Entering a fighting stance he extended his left hand and foot with his palm facing the sky. While his right hand faced the ground and his right foot was pulled back.
Calling out to me ready to see what I got he says "on your feet now!"
Rising to his feet, responding sternly, Iramo says "If you're me then explain how we ended up here. just what have I forgotten huh!"
As I rush towards him as fast as I can I step off my right foot spinning my body to deliver a strong left kick to his head. As I shout " You got a cheap shot bitch, I don't give a damn if you're me, a demon, or some beast. I'll back down from nobody's challenge. Besides if your me I'm damn sure the stronger version of us."
Grinning from ear to ear he grabs my ankle, holding it firm as he rotates his body with the force of my own launching me into the air. As I soar higher and higher he says "Good very good, you haven't lost your spark just yet. You need to keep going – only you can save yourself from the hell that awaits."
I come to a stop as he speaks frozen mid air realizing I've been restrained by the winds. I can do nothing but watch as I struggle. Witnessing him draw power into the palm of his left hand. I see flashes of red flowing, then blue, and purple. All rotating in his palm forming with a cloud forming around them. Raging on with countless streaks of colors flying throughout the cloud, it grows louder and larger. Until he clenches his fist drawing the powerful storm into his palm once more before leaping off the ground racing towards me with the speed of a falling comet ripping through the air.
Knowing I cannot run, I embrace its full force, channeling all my strength into my body. Deciding I will not fear death and I will never submit to it. I channel every ounce of strength I have not to defend myself – no I will destroy him as he destroys me. I'll keep going. I have to remember. I need to win.
Not noticing for himself yet Iramo gained the same look as his counterpart in his eyes. He too had a storm inside brewing. One that was far from done and only growing in power. Causing his skin to grow grey. Getting darker as danger approached. Letting the full force of the attack flow through him. Turning each burst of energy into his own. Taming the raging storm and making it his own.
As the power coursed throughout his whole body. He released it at full force creating massive clouds all around his body. All coming together enveloping everything in sight. He says to his counterpart " You will never be better than me. I will keep growing forever so you'll never catch up." Releasing the full force of the storm concentrated into hundreds of beams of lightning lighting up the skies. Massive balls of fire rain from the clouds and whirlwinds howl as they descend from the clouds pushing him to the ground, as they cage him in.
Looking up at me with a smile he says "Make sure you make it back to mom ok. I won't forgive you if you've grown so strong just to lose." As he is engulfed completely by the raging storm leaving nothing behind but darkness. I hear the voice call to me "You still got any fight left in you?" Nap over time to get moving!" I look up to search for it as I wake up, opening my eyes.
Laying underneath rubble I look to my hands seeing my skin is grey just like before. I think to myself I could probably do it now too. Focusing my energy I concentrate on my body, releasing my physical form becoming the wind.