Nani
Neziul
Silent Showers
Sadu
ErosSense
ThatLostDude
FourtyTwo
X Fiendfyre X
Some Cole Cuts
ICanBeAnyoneA distorted mess of sound awoke her. Yet the space she woke into wasn’t her bedroom. She had opened her eyes unto an endless expanse of darkness as deep as the night sky. Though there were no stars to speak of, nor a moon hanging overhead, a source of light bathed the area in which she stood. The faint lighting had a blue tint, as though it were the sun filtering through the surface of the ocean.
Hesitantly, Hoshi took a step forward, feeling for the surface beneath her soles.
Hoshi took a bold step forward. Beneath her feet, a wide, circular, stained-glass floor appeared. A mosaic displayed on the surface, the shapes and colors arranged in the shape of the Island she knew so well. The scene was of a serene and peaceful day, with calm seas and bright skies, and vaguely family forms of kids she had known for years etched upon the sands. The pillar shook, taking her off balance for an instance before she reasserted control.
Three pedestals had risen up from the ground.
Hoshi’s head circled, stopping briefly at each pedestal as she examined the weapons upon them.
Hoshi turned a full circle in the middle of the mosaic as the disembodied voice explained the weapons upon the pedestals. They all had their allure. Hoshi was tempted by each one as she stopped to inspect them. The Sword felt sharp and well-crafted, while being light and balanced to handle. The Staff filled her with a deep sense of latent power beyond that of her body. The Shield was durable and tough, providing a wide area of cover.
But she knew only one could be hers. The decision felt heavy enough to require deliberation. She paced back to the center of the platform. It only took a few minutes, feeling all the while that the owner of the voice was growing impatient with her, but Hoshi soon settled on her choice. It should have taken less thought, but now that she had set her mind on it, she hurried to the Sword. It felt natural, as it should have after training with Tsu’s old weapon; a sword could be used to protect if the wielder chose such. She made a series of cuts and thrusts into the open air to get a feel for the blade; she could imagine that she might yet need to use it while she was there.
Hoshi’s attention came to the Shield and Staff still mounted proudly. She felt what she needed to do, and this time, she was more prepared. Making a beeline to the Shield, picked it up from the Pedestal. Her intentions didn’t intend for her to hide behind anything. Plus, she craved to feel the same kind of power as the staff’s flow through her again… if choosing to give up the Shield meant that could happen some day.
The Shield vanished in a flash of light, not unlike what she had seen from Alias’ hand. The pillar began to shake; the three pedestals sank into the mosaic, the Staff falling with them. The floor of the pillar cracked, fractured, and shattered the artwork into its sharded parts. Hoshi descended into the Abyss, falling through an endless Darkness. An unknown distance down, she passed through a hot veil, and a bright flare of Light replaced the Darkness.
The blinding flare and intense heat subsided into a warm glow. Hoshi’s feet landed upon solid ground. The scent of the sea carried on the wind filled her nose. She felt calm and safe for the first time in this ordeal, and dared to open her eyes.
It was a familiar scene: She stood upon the ship deck overlooking the boats on the island. Had she woken from a dream? She looked to the beach to see there were no children playing, despite it being late in the morning; a check of the docks showed no sign of any boats tied off. There didn’t seem to be any hint of anyone on the island. Hoshi turned away to ponder.
With a yelp, she jumped in shock. The deck, which had been empty just a moment ago was now host to familiar faces. In the far corner, leaned against the rocky cliff, was Levi. To her left was Lucian. On her right side was Morgan. Finally, standing like a sentry before the walkway stood Alias.
“Guys? What’s going on?” She asked, noticing that her voice echoed like she was speaking into a cavern. None of her friends responded or moved an inch; none of them seemed to have noticed or acknowledged her in the slightest.
Feeling less calm, Hoshi crossed to talk to Levi first. As though responding to her proximity, he sprung to life. “What do you want most out of life?” He asked.
Weird question much? She eyed Levi curiously. “To be the best version of myself,” she blurted without a second’s hesitation. Moved by a deep instinct she couldn’t comprehend, she circled to Lucien.
“What do you fear most?” He too, filled with vitality when Hoshi stood in front of him. Another weird question. “Being indecisive.” She answered just as quickly as before. Lucian fell still once more.
Knowing what to do, Hoshi walked towards Morgan next. “What’s most important to you?”
“The people I fight for.” She answered Morgan more quickly, and more bravely than the other two.
There was only one more person to see…
She stepped in front of Alias. But he didn’t move or speak. There was a split second of tension before the ground beneath her feet opened back into the dark chasm.
She fell some distance before landing on another mosaic. This one was of the night sky. Pearl white stars glistened in a field of black and dark blues. At the center was a shadowy moon, dull and nearly unseen amid the stars.
Dark masses emerged from the moon… small creatures, black as the sky on the mosaic, with yellow eyes that pierced through the shadows. The Sword manifested into her hand in time for her to cut down one of the Shadows as it lurched in her direction. The other Shadows commenced, and Hoshi fought through the attack, winded but mostly unharmed.
The moon beneath her feet lit up to fullness, and enveloped her in another blinding light.
Hoshi was standing in front of Alias again. She opened her mouth, but caught herself when he turned and left down the walkway. She gave chase, trying to cut in front of him, to look back into her eyes. But despite his slow pace, she seemed to trail behind him, even if she ran as fast she could. She tried to call for him, but he was oblivious to her cries and pleas.
Finally, Alias stopped. Hoshi skidded to a halt herself and looked around. They were standing in front of the Paopu tree. She stared at Alias, and saw he looked different. She had barely noticed as she followed him, but he was alight with a strange aura. A clear rim of purple light that faded to a bold, black outline of her friend spread to an inch or two off the surface of his skin.
He turned. In his outreached hand, he offered a Paopu fruit. Hoshi reached back, taking hold of the fruit in a less hesitant replay of their shared moment. His aura burst into a fiery torrent of purple and black. The flame spread down his arm, covering her as well. Hoshi looked away, writhing against a searing pain in her Heart. She wished she hadn’t; on the ground, she saw his shadow overtake and engulf her own. The joined mass, centered around Alias, and enveloped him into a black mass.
Darkness swallowed her, and released her back onto another mosaic. This one was of her and Alias, dueling at sunrise, with Kitsu watching them like a master observing his pupils. From Alias’ tiles rose a tall, massive Shadow with a heart-shaped hole in the middle of its chest.
It raises its fist.
Hoshi raised her Sword.
The hulking arm thrust the fist towards her…
Hesitantly, Hoshi took a step forward, feeling for the surface beneath her soles.
“Do not be afraid.” A voice echoed softly around her, coming from nowhere and everyone at the same time. Her head whipped in every possible direction for the voice’s owner, but she was alone within the expanse.
“Step forward with courage.” The voice spoke again, indifferent to her plight in searching for where it was coming from.
“There’s little time, and much to do.”
The voice, still soft, spoke with more urgency.
“Step forward with courage.” The voice spoke again, indifferent to her plight in searching for where it was coming from.
“There’s little time, and much to do.”
The voice, still soft, spoke with more urgency.
Hoshi took a bold step forward. Beneath her feet, a wide, circular, stained-glass floor appeared. A mosaic displayed on the surface, the shapes and colors arranged in the shape of the Island she knew so well. The scene was of a serene and peaceful day, with calm seas and bright skies, and vaguely family forms of kids she had known for years etched upon the sands. The pillar shook, taking her off balance for an instance before she reasserted control.
Three pedestals had risen up from the ground.
“Three paths lay before you; you can only choose one.”
Hoshi’s head circled, stopping briefly at each pedestal as she examined the weapons upon them.
“The Power of the Warrior. Invincible Courage. A Sword of Terrible Destruction…”
“The Power of the Mystic. Inner Strength. A Staff of Wonder and Ruin…”
"The Power of the Guardian. Kindness to Aid Friends. A Shield to Repel All."
“The Power of the Mystic. Inner Strength. A Staff of Wonder and Ruin…”
"The Power of the Guardian. Kindness to Aid Friends. A Shield to Repel All."
Hoshi turned a full circle in the middle of the mosaic as the disembodied voice explained the weapons upon the pedestals. They all had their allure. Hoshi was tempted by each one as she stopped to inspect them. The Sword felt sharp and well-crafted, while being light and balanced to handle. The Staff filled her with a deep sense of latent power beyond that of her body. The Shield was durable and tough, providing a wide area of cover.
But she knew only one could be hers. The decision felt heavy enough to require deliberation. She paced back to the center of the platform. It only took a few minutes, feeling all the while that the owner of the voice was growing impatient with her, but Hoshi soon settled on her choice. It should have taken less thought, but now that she had set her mind on it, she hurried to the Sword. It felt natural, as it should have after training with Tsu’s old weapon; a sword could be used to protect if the wielder chose such. She made a series of cuts and thrusts into the open air to get a feel for the blade; she could imagine that she might yet need to use it while she was there.
“For that which is chosen, another must be sacrificed.”
Hoshi’s attention came to the Shield and Staff still mounted proudly. She felt what she needed to do, and this time, she was more prepared. Making a beeline to the Shield, picked it up from the Pedestal. Her intentions didn’t intend for her to hide behind anything. Plus, she craved to feel the same kind of power as the staff’s flow through her again… if choosing to give up the Shield meant that could happen some day.
“You have given up the Power of the Guardian. You have chosen the course of your Heart.”
The Shield vanished in a flash of light, not unlike what she had seen from Alias’ hand. The pillar began to shake; the three pedestals sank into the mosaic, the Staff falling with them. The floor of the pillar cracked, fractured, and shattered the artwork into its sharded parts. Hoshi descended into the Abyss, falling through an endless Darkness. An unknown distance down, she passed through a hot veil, and a bright flare of Light replaced the Darkness.
The blinding flare and intense heat subsided into a warm glow. Hoshi’s feet landed upon solid ground. The scent of the sea carried on the wind filled her nose. She felt calm and safe for the first time in this ordeal, and dared to open her eyes.
It was a familiar scene: She stood upon the ship deck overlooking the boats on the island. Had she woken from a dream? She looked to the beach to see there were no children playing, despite it being late in the morning; a check of the docks showed no sign of any boats tied off. There didn’t seem to be any hint of anyone on the island. Hoshi turned away to ponder.
With a yelp, she jumped in shock. The deck, which had been empty just a moment ago was now host to familiar faces. In the far corner, leaned against the rocky cliff, was Levi. To her left was Lucian. On her right side was Morgan. Finally, standing like a sentry before the walkway stood Alias.
“Guys? What’s going on?” She asked, noticing that her voice echoed like she was speaking into a cavern. None of her friends responded or moved an inch; none of them seemed to have noticed or acknowledged her in the slightest.
Feeling less calm, Hoshi crossed to talk to Levi first. As though responding to her proximity, he sprung to life. “What do you want most out of life?” He asked.
Weird question much? She eyed Levi curiously. “To be the best version of myself,” she blurted without a second’s hesitation. Moved by a deep instinct she couldn’t comprehend, she circled to Lucien.
“What do you fear most?” He too, filled with vitality when Hoshi stood in front of him. Another weird question. “Being indecisive.” She answered just as quickly as before. Lucian fell still once more.
Knowing what to do, Hoshi walked towards Morgan next. “What’s most important to you?”
“The people I fight for.” She answered Morgan more quickly, and more bravely than the other two.
There was only one more person to see…
She stepped in front of Alias. But he didn’t move or speak. There was a split second of tension before the ground beneath her feet opened back into the dark chasm.
She fell some distance before landing on another mosaic. This one was of the night sky. Pearl white stars glistened in a field of black and dark blues. At the center was a shadowy moon, dull and nearly unseen amid the stars.
“You will need to fight, to protect yourself and others.
Dark masses emerged from the moon… small creatures, black as the sky on the mosaic, with yellow eyes that pierced through the shadows. The Sword manifested into her hand in time for her to cut down one of the Shadows as it lurched in her direction. The other Shadows commenced, and Hoshi fought through the attack, winded but mostly unharmed.
The moon beneath her feet lit up to fullness, and enveloped her in another blinding light.
Hoshi was standing in front of Alias again. She opened her mouth, but caught herself when he turned and left down the walkway. She gave chase, trying to cut in front of him, to look back into her eyes. But despite his slow pace, she seemed to trail behind him, even if she ran as fast she could. She tried to call for him, but he was oblivious to her cries and pleas.
Finally, Alias stopped. Hoshi skidded to a halt herself and looked around. They were standing in front of the Paopu tree. She stared at Alias, and saw he looked different. She had barely noticed as she followed him, but he was alight with a strange aura. A clear rim of purple light that faded to a bold, black outline of her friend spread to an inch or two off the surface of his skin.
He turned. In his outreached hand, he offered a Paopu fruit. Hoshi reached back, taking hold of the fruit in a less hesitant replay of their shared moment. His aura burst into a fiery torrent of purple and black. The flame spread down his arm, covering her as well. Hoshi looked away, writhing against a searing pain in her Heart. She wished she hadn’t; on the ground, she saw his shadow overtake and engulf her own. The joined mass, centered around Alias, and enveloped him into a black mass.
Darkness swallowed her, and released her back onto another mosaic. This one was of her and Alias, dueling at sunrise, with Kitsu watching them like a master observing his pupils. From Alias’ tiles rose a tall, massive Shadow with a heart-shaped hole in the middle of its chest.
It raises its fist.
Hoshi raised her Sword.
The hulking arm thrust the fist towards her…
“His burden will be yours to share.”