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Peaceful. Dark.
He felt calm. Fluffy, warm.
He felt something cold coil around his leg.
Something growing out of his head.
Something twitching on his back.
His hands felt different, but he wasn't worried.
He was confused, but content. Happy. It was warm, like a weighted blanket. It was calm.
His mind was full of positivity.
He was happy.
Floating.
…
Was he happy?
This limbs twitched.
His eyes refused to open, but he could see scenes that hurt his core. Extra stabbing him in the back, leaving him for Napa.
Red.
His friend dying.
Crack.
Being lied to.
Hurt exploded in his chest.
Was he still happy?
…
He wasn't happy.
What is happening?
He tried to open his eyes but they wouldn't budge. He tried to move his limbs but they wouldn't listen to him. He just laid, floating and paralyzed. Like a leaf in the wind, just moving where it takes him.
Let me see. He wanted to see.
The darkness rumbled.
Even if it will hurt. Open his eyes.
They opened, revealing white void. Purple strings tied around his legs and arms. His hands had claw-like armour covering them, but the rest of his armour, not so lucky. It seemed to have glitched and faded on the edges, making it almost translucent.
He could see what was coiling around his leg. A massive black dragon tail, dark purple spikes like shark fins on the spine, glowing neon purple veins.
When did that happen? I didn't remember having dragon characteristics.. He started moving his hands up to his head, but a sharp pain pierced his thoughts. His hands moved to the sides of his head, gripping his helmet.
He needed to take it off.
He tried to push the helmet off his head, but it only sent more waves of pain into his head. He clenched his jaw, stopping to try to quell the ache. Minutes passed, and the pain died down.
He wanted to gasp but he noticed he wasn't breathing. His heart wasn't pumping. Nothing was working properly, except for the strands of thought he had left.
He needed to see himself.
Something was wrong.
He blinked, and a mirror was levitating in front of him.
He started at the bottom.
The armour was still the same with some minor white streak changes, but his legs were becoming translucent and his tail coiled around one of them.
He looked up to his chest seeing the same white streaks in the armour, and massive wings folded on his back.
Then his head.
His heart sank.
He had long almost horizontal horns poking through his helmet. The helmet however, was chipped, broken and cracked where a long, white-iridescent spike pierced his skull.
That's why it hurts to take his helmet off. He physically couldn't without removing the stake.
What am I supposed to do now? I want to leave. I don't want to stay.
A dull pain started in his head. Was… was this place trying to keep him here? With these attempts to subdue him?
Let me out.
Sharp pains started again, throwing him for a loop but he wasn't going to let up.
I WANT TO LEAVE.
The empty void shook, making his granted vision spin. The mirror shattered, broken pieces flying. The stake vibrated, making him feel as if his soul was tearing apart. He wanted to cry out in agony but he held his tongue.
The rumbling stopped. The void cracked showing visible black fractures. The dragon hybrid didn't know what to do. The only thing that had changed was the scenery and himself.
A tide of positive emotions came over him.
Happy?
I am not happy.
The void rumbled again.
Stop trying to force happiness upon me. Let me out.
The oblivion cracked more but refused to give up.
Images flashed in his mind, images he didn't want to see again. Extra putting his hand out for him to join. Napa being resurrected instead of his friend. He closed his eyes but the images kept coming. Hurt filled his chest.
He knew if he left this place, he would have to deal with that emotion.
I am ready.
The place shook again, cracks getting bigger and bigger.
As he watched the dimension crumble around him, he felt unsettled. Something is going to happen.
The spike shook and shoved itself deeper into his head, blurring his vision. This time, he let out a cry. One so full of sorrow. It echoed through the empty abyss.
Silence followed as he tried to think.
Think.
…
He couldn't think.
Mindless, staring forward.
…
His fingers twitched.
…
His arm slowly following soon after.
Let me out...
The void didn't shake.
I will do it..
He grabbed the stake and began to pull it out of his head.
His vision was taken away but he kept pulling.
Agony.
All he felt was hot agony, but he kept pulling.
He could feel something pierce his knee and arm but he kept pulling.
He could hear shattering around him as he yanked the ethereal shackle out of his head.
His vision was gone, but he could feel the cold spike in his hands. It was smooth, with a few jagged edges like a piece of shattered glass.
He let it go.
—
Tippss opened his eyes to see the real world. What he assumed was reality. The white void was gone, trees littering the horizon. A pond sat still with lily pads floating on the surface. He felt the cool breeze of night on the crevices in his armour that exposed skin.
He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of dew on leaves, the fresh grass after the rain.
It was so… real. Tippss couldn't remember how long he stayed in that white void, but being able to see reality again healed his aches.
His dragon tail wrapped around his leg, reminding him the features were there to stay. That part wasn't fake.
He walked over to the small pond to see his reflection in the ripples. No stake. No threads around his arms. No translucency on his legs.
Back to normal– as normal as he could get.
Before he could relax, he heard two voices in the distance.
He turned his head to see two figures standing on a small hill. They were talking about someone Tippss had never heard of before, but they peaked his interest.
“Have you heard of the Legendary Warrior?”