Samael's foot grazed the stone bellow him, little bits of debree falling down as dust swelled up in the air. His hands were tired and so was he, but he jad to keep climbing. His hands moved to find another ledge to hold, preferably soon. His eyes didn't dare to look down just yet beacuse if they did he'd surely forget what he was doing and plummet down like the countless other Vessels before him, he had finally begun to do what was fated of him, to climb.
His head was full of thoughts like what had happened beyond the lake illuminated by the lighthouse, as well as what he'd find at the top, if he reached it, but now his muscles hardened and his pase quickened as his hand reached up and grabbed a ledge, almost grabbing a nearby spike Samael managed to pull himself up and allow himself to fall on his dark blue cloack.
'The runes really don't lie about this thing, I could comfortably die here! Actually, scratch that, I'll die comfortably in a hospital, surrounded by those I...'
Samael couldn't really let himself finish the sentence, he didn't really have anyone worth being around when he died, if he did then he probably wouldn't have made it so far here.
Everything that Samael did he did for himself, whether he wanted to or not. He jad gone and infected himself with the Nightmare Spell and so, he had to survive it for himself. It was truly cruel, to not belong anywhere. His face could transform into a smile but it was never real, his parents could shower him with attention and love, but it never felt right, he could make friends sure, but they would never truly understand him like he does. Not that he understood himself.
After a few moments of laying down he sat up, summoning the familiar runes. He had read them over and over again to the point of almost memorizing everything, but he still did it, out of boredom or a way to keep him sane he didn't really care. They read as such:
Name: Samael
True Name: –
Rank: Aspirant
Soul core: Dormant
Memories: [Old nail], [Swift cloack]
Echoes: –
Attributes: [Hollow] [Child of the Pale] [Touched by the -unknown-]
Aspect: [Shattered Vessel]
Attribute Description: "You share a stronger connection with the -unknown- than most."
After what had happened in the lightless room he had gained the [Swift cloack] memory and his attribute [Child of the -unknown-] had evolved into [Touched by the -unknown-], that immediately confirmed two things. One, whatever this place was, it was a creation of the -unknown-, and two, the -unknown- did not like the Pale beings at all.
While his attribute was evolving he had felt both pain and pleasure, both profane and divine, yet it was so strange. If these two beings hated each other so much why go through the trouble of creating hundreds of thousands, if not millions of these Vessels? What was their point, their purpose?
Samael had thought it strange, mixing things that didn't want to mix was a sure fire way of creating disaster.
'Did they... want disaster?'
It was definitely a possibility, considering that the black liquid wanted him dead on the spot, actually, after his attribute evolved the familiarity he felt with the darkness not only got stronger but it also felt as though it was almost ready to welcome him, without shredding him. Almost.
That also confirmed his suspicion that the dark water was connected to the -unknown-, maybe even on a deeper level than he thought.
And then came his other boon from dipping his being in the unknown ichor. This thing was probably the only good thing that had happened in his nightmare so far, the runes described it as such:
Memory: [Swift Cloak]
Memory Rank: Awakened
Memory Tier: III
Memory Type: Armour
Memory Enchantments: [Dash], [Flexibility], [Comfortable]
Memory Description: [A once Swift master owned this cloak, it is said that it gave him the speed he so prided himself upon, whether that is true or not no one knows.]
An awakened memory of the third tier, it was definitely something worth the effort, especially to an aspiring such as Samael. The cloack itself was quite simple in design, it was dark blue in color and it covered his black body from the nect down, it was shredded at the bottom and it had lines between the blue to make its design more fashionable. The enchantments were also great for his first armor memory, not to mention the natural protection it would grant him as an awakened tier memory. He read the enchantments once more, feeling giddy before calming down unusually fast.
[Dash] Enchantment Description: [You can accelerate forward quickly.]
[Flexibility] Enchantment Description: [This cloak is as flexible as it is sturdy, making it easy to move around in.]
[Comfortable] Enchantment Description: [There is an unknown warmth when putting this cloak on, as if someone knitted it just right for the wearer.]
The [Dash] Ability was an active one so Samael wouldn't be using it anytime soon, it did make him feel a tad bit disappointed from not having full access to its abilities but he could also understand, not using one enchantment while enjoying the full power of two more seemed like a fine deal to him.
It was a huge help in climbing the endless platforms, not only did it give him more confidence that even if he fell he'd be safe but it also provided just what it had described, comfort and flexibility, two crucial things that not many enjoyed in this world. Whenever he put the cloack on he felt a warmth, a faint one, spread throughout his body but it didn't even make him slow down when going up.
Closing the runes he stood up and scanned the horizon. Of course there were the walls that encompassed everything and even more platforms to come, but there was an oddity as well.
One would expect to find nothing but black and white in this world, and that was exactly right, but Samael noticed a different color, one that wasn't what he had expected, he saw the color of life, the one that made his very existence possible in a human body.
'Blue.'
A few dozen meters away from him was a door made out of blue vines that pulsed, as if alive. Flowers that looked like butterflies also protruding from the veins of blue. A small, stone carving was encompassed in it all with an azure ball in it's middle, a nearby boulder had the exact same thing on it except there were 14 balls instead of 1, making up for a total of 15 weird and faintly shining lights.
Samael just had to investigate. Jumping from rock to rock he made his way there quite swiftly, almost slipping and falling down once or twice but that was besides the point.
His hand brushed against the Azure protrusions, feeling a faint pulse. It really seemed like it was alive, but it didn't seem hostile, it sort of just was. At least the plants didn't want him dead.
'Why and how are there plants here in the first place?'
Samael... wasn't really sure. He had seen creatures here yes but they could hardly be called alive, and they all seemed like they belonged there, this didn't. Moving his hand away from the stone he stared at the wall made out of vines, they were thick and impossible to slash, at least with his current capabilities, his so called "sword" wouldn't be able to do much here and there wasn't anything sharp enough that seemed like it could do the job. Samael felt frustrated, that there was another mystery he probably wouldn't be able to figure out but then that feeling disappeared as his being was pulled once again.
He knew this feeling, he felt this before, and not all that time had passed since he experienced it. He felt it, he felt him pulling him closer.
'That drea, it definitely wasn't a coincidence was it?'
He walked away from the door as he jumped onto another platform, renewed strength coursing through his veins.
As he climbed the pull got stronger and his mind became even more impatient, it was screaming at him, it was begging him, it was demanding of him. Whatever it took, whatever he had to do, he had to reach the top before the other Vessels could.
A small and impossible mutter came from him, Samael didn't even notice what he had said, much less the fact that he was granted a voice, too engrossed in his race to the peak of this bottom.
"No cost too great..."
And so he continued. One step after another, his only way being up and his only destination being him.
'What the?'
Samael noticed that there were more Vessels than usual here, all of them on different platforms that refused to fall. No, no he wouldn't let this be! How could he let these lifeless husks get there before him? How dare they try to leave him here while they escaped?!
He jumped.
He jumped on a platform full of spikes and shadow creepers, he didn't care about them, he cared about the thing in front of him with two horns and a fractured mask. He ran towards it and pushed it down, hearing a satisfying break after a few long moments, confirming that the fall had been fatal.
[You have slain a dormant monster, vessel for the...]
Samael didn't care nor did he hear the spell as he was already on another platform, this one was occupied by two black beings this time, both of them fighting for who was too reach the top. He cared not who won as he summoned the old nail and swung it with all his might, he was filled with rage and strength that was not his own yet were forced out of him by him at the top.
[You have slain a dormant beast, vessel for the...]
[You have slain...]
Samael once again did not care about the usually infuriating voice of the spell as he climbed higher and higher, vessels fell but he didn't. He was the one who pushed them after all.
His hollow eyes were about to explode with every step, every pull every brush with almost falling. But he didn't fail, he continued to succeed as more and more lifeless bodies were added on top of the crushed bones at the bottom. He didn't feel empty, he felt as if he was close to being complete. One more push and he'd be there, one more pull and he'd see him!
'Faster, faster, I need to be faster than them!'
It was as if the world listened to him, the other Vessels, what little of them were left this high up, looked at him. For the first time since he had entered he had seen them show emotion. They weren't afraid of being killed by him, they weren't concerned about being pushed to the very bottom and staying here for all of eternity, they were... admiring him.
Samael knew this somehow, they all looked up to him as they stayed in one place, their eyes looking at his body like a beacon of hope. Like he was finally about to do what they all desired most, they silently cheered him on, they silently smilled with no face and they all silently chose to plummet. All of them hitting the ground in synch. Sa.ael laughed in his head.
'Ha! That's right! You shouldn't have even tried from the beginning, watch me you fools as I become something you never will be!'
He was lost in a frenzy, lost in madness and anticipation. A whisper appeared in his head as he was reaching the peak, a voice that was not his own but familiar spoke.
'No mind to think.'
Indeed, Samael wasn't thinking right now.
'No will to break.'
He had lost his will a long time ago, the only thing he wanted was to look at him.
'No voice to cry suffering.'
Samael had to agree once again, his voice was stripped from him a long time ago.
Ah, he was there! He was right there, c'mon, c'mon! Just climb faster, reach the summit already! Bear witness to-
And then he saw it. Something pale, something familiar, something divine.
Samael saw the body of a king, an emperor and a father, the body of someone he had dreamt of before. The corpse he had seen inside the white palace, broken and lifeless, was now in it's full blazing glory. The king of white was adorned with a crown that couldn't be taken off and a ceremonial garb that screamed holy the more Samael looked at it. His rage was gone and all he felt was satisfaction.
'Ah yes, finally, I'll do it, I'll be the one who- wait, wait no... this can't be. What are YOU doing here?!'
He noticed besides the pale king a simple vessel, one that wasn't too different from him. It had the same clothing as him and it had the same face as him, without a scar on it. With two symmetrical horns and void for eyes he stared at Samael, sparing him no more than a second before it turned around.
Samael watched as they walked towards a gate, one that wouldn't allow him to pass through, that he was sure of. He pulled himself up and ran, he ran towards the vessel and the king, the puppet and its creator.
'No! Please no! Don't leave me here! Don't abandon me!'
Samael ran, he ran faster than he should've been able to, but it was never going to be enough.
The gate shut close as a symbol of the king appeared on it, Samael's head smashed into it as he fell down, immediately he summoned the old nail. With barbaric rage and screams that no one could hear he bashed the gate, he punched it, he slashed it. It didn't even budge.
'Open damn it!'
Oh little Samael, don't you know by now? The gods were dead, no one will hear you, much less answer your prayers.
'...'
Ah there it was, the realization that all he had done was for nothing.
With no hope left to rot away at his delusion and no rage to fuel his anger he stood up and walked to the edge, looking down with truly hollow eyes. Eyes that weren't hollow beacuse of an attribute or his body, they were hollow beacuse there was nothing left to experience.
And so, Samael did the only thing that was possible for him. The thing he should've done from the beginning.
He gave up.
And he fell.