blah701
But to answer a call from an enemy when he knows that this is a trap? a trap to kill him? and at this time? the time of war? indeed Cain was completely, and utterly nuts.Ah, but yet he was, standing firm, looking above the ever looming tower that will seal his doom. A beautiful architecture of science and Encryption, and a fitting grave for a man who has led Drakian Empire?s many Goulubs, the empire?s special anti-Encryption agents. It was, after all, Cain, who developed special Encryption to bypass the enchanting Encryption that were surrounding Goulubs since their artificial birth. Oh Cain hated the empire ever so much. Their so called ?science? was destroying the delicate balance of the planet that was recovered with much effort since the Great Scorching, the time when Donghak, an organization which succeeded in defeating its invader?s from colonizing their beloved peninsula, but due to their search for power has ultimately destroyed themselves and their lands into unrecoverable wasteland of pure and dangerous Encryptions.The empire didn?t care, of course. They thought that through their science and Encryption, they can accomplish everything, even controlling the very planet which gave birth to Encryptions. Foolish concept. Their mastery of nature went little past the curst that their empire lied, and yet they dreamed of the world where everything was controlled by the Encryption? which will be controlled by the empire, of course. So before they can complete their countdown to destruction? Cain must undo the empire?s wonders and reset the balance of the world. As the one and most likely the very last member of the Ancient race whom bore the very concept of Encryption to this world, it was his responsibility.Yet here he was, about to enter into a trap that he simply knew. It wasn?t anything like a guess, but more like in a form of writing. The sender conveniently wrote down in secret section of the parchment to not come, that it was a trap. So Cain had a written invitation to not come, yet he still insisted.Cain took a deep breath, the let every last bit of air out of his lungs. It was a mystery, even to him. But to die in her grasp? probably isn?t a half bad idea. Cain walked straight towards his towering tombstone.The black, menacing gate to the tower opened with a creak on its own as Cain approached it. Well, he was invited, but it certainly didn?t seem too welcoming. Cain stepped through. And thus, the gate sealed Cain?s doom with a thud.Darkness?Someone forgot to light this place. What an? unwelcoming? party.?Well, Cain didn?t really see, per se, the darkness that surrounded him. However, he did know through his blindfold that the light, which should be in the corridor, was not there. Lack of light didn?t hinder him, but he will really run into the walls if he didn?t have some sort of torch.Cain reached his left and only free hand towards eye level, then in midair, drew a perfect circle lying parallel to the ground. Instantly, his left hand lit up with cyan light, with a seal which ran across a circle clearly inscribed on back of his left hand. The circle that Cain drew in midair also lit up with cyan light, and then it burst into flames, floating midair without fuel. The surroundings were lit with bright yellow warmth. Everything was visible now.Cain was wearing his usual attires. His red hat, which had rather unusually wide circular brim, covered top of his face, which included his eyes. His eyes were obviously covered in navy blue blindfold with a single metallic ?eye? symbol decorated into the middle of it. He wore no mask, but he had a single onyx earring on his left ear, which was rather large and seemed to be bulky. However, he was clearly capable of wearing earring from both years, as one could see from the hole on his right ear as well.Rest of his attire was also red. Usually he would wear silver suit of armor with red trimmings during the times of war, but in this instance, he wore best of his traveling attire, which consisted of red coat, white dress shirt, black tie, and red all-terrain jeans. His coat consisted of little decoration with exception of his medal which allowed him to use Encryptions legally around the world. It fitted rather tightly around him, and it was only buttoned half way down. The rest of the coat simply hung there, reaching down towards his heel, with edges slightly worn from being dragged on the floor. His dress shirt was similarly decorated, with exception of having breast pockets, which the coat lacked. His tie was simple as well, but cleaner and a lot less weathered than most of his other ties. His jeans were also pretty normal and free of weathering, if red was ever a normal color for a pair of jeans.Normally, Cain would have a large backpack for the journey, but he had no such thing this time. However, he did take precaution. His sword was worn around his usual armor belt, which he kept for some reason, and his white, metallic and silvery staff with black encryptions was on his right hand. On both of his hands he wore a white glove, with obvious encryption written in red. Those were the seals that he used to create the flame, and they shall also guide the flame towards the destination.Cain, with his left index and middle fingers, pinched the front brim of the hat, and pushed it down to cover his eyes. It was a habit of his, to prevent anyone from seeing his eyes, although he was clearly blindfolded. There was very few that ever gazed into his eyes, with his iris ever so blue? like the ice frozen in time.Cain snapped his left fingers, and the flame turned blue. It started to move slowly towards the straight corridor, and Cain followed, guided by the calm blue light.And just like that, the blue lantern turned green, and then vanished.Cain turned his head to both sides to examine the surroundings. There was faint light. It wasn?t dark, but it wasn?t lit. Chilling. There was just enough light to see? and there was not enough light to hearten the spirit of men? light that brings sense of hopelessness? the building was indeed created well.?We are only ones here,? she said, ?You don?t need to worry about freezing anyone, perceiver of silence.?And Cain obeyed. His left hand reached up, and grasped the blindfold. It slid down as Cain let go of it as he pulled it, undoing its knot. Cain pinched the brim of his hat and pulled it down. No? he didn?t exactly want to see? see the hopelessness.?Come,? she again echoed from the distance, ?It isn?t far. Come to the center of the city.?City? Cain pushed the brim of his hat up and opened his eyes slowly. It was a city. A city made out of gray. Light, concrete gray. No other color was there apart from shade of gray. Houses had no characteristics. Its windows had no glass, and roof was flat. Streets were created from joining bricks together? bricks of cement.Cain looked up. Nothing. There was nothing. No decoration, no window. Just? light. That pale lit light was there. The entire city seems to be painted in the shade of gray. There was no source of light, no brightness to be found, no darkness to be found. Only thing that was different about this dull and hopeless world was a single tower, reaching halfway up to the ?ceiling,? as the city was clearly within the massive tower that Cain saw before. Cain headed towards the tower.There were no inhabitants. Not a single life was to be seen. Nothing. The city held no significance apart from just being perhaps marvelous work of architecture. Cain smiled. Okay, so this city? was made just for him. Cain closed his eyes. There was nothing to see. Nothing to register into his mind? nothing but despair and hopelessness.The door of the tower in the center of the city opened with a creak. Cain opened his eyes, and went inside, upwards to the stairs. At last, he was there, in the top floor, in the center of the city, in the open ballroom supported by seven pillars by the edge, with perhaps the only decoration that he can see in the city.And there she sat, dressed in her usual, but cleaner attire. Black dress, like the one you would see in a funeral ceremony, but perhaps with more frills. Her frills at the edge of the dress was white, and at the edge of the sleeves, the frill was gray. She wore no decoration, but her face was pale as death. He straight silver hair ran down behind her, and reached the bottom of the chair. She was stroking a skeletal remains of someone?s arm. An arm that Cain knew too well. She opened her eyes, her deathly, eyes with silver iris. Without looking at Cain, she grasped the skeletal arm by her right hand and held it up towards Cain. The skeletal arm made a pointing gesture at Cain.?So you came? you came even when I gave you a warning. You came knowing that it was a trap, saw that it was a trap, read that it was a trap, advised that it was a trap, researched that it was a trap, and heard that it was a trap. Yet you still came.? She lowered the skeletal arm, then began to examine its fingers.?There is still time left. I can let you go. So go, you have been warned the last time.??There is no time left, Leah.? Cain finally opened his mouth. He took a step forward, and then stopped. Cain examined the architecture. ?Is this my final resting place??Leah stood up from her chair, and knelt down to place the skeletal arm on top of the chair with both of her hand. She took two steps backwards, then whirled to face Cain. ?Then I shall ask you to a dance.? She said, looking more life-like than she has been for the entire conversation.Music came. Leah and Cain took seven steps towards each other, to the center of the circular ballroom. The two bowed, then took their positions. He took her hand, and their free hands were gently placed on each other.Before Leah can lead, Cain leaned closer towards her. ?For this song, I shall lead. You can lead the next one.? Leah closed her eyes, and gently smiled. She nodded, and Cain took his step, and Leah followed.Two spun around the ballroom. Step after step, closing into one pillar of the ballroom to the center, to another pillar. They circled around, following strange, yet definite pattern. Step after step. The pillars lit up in a cyan light. The circles that they drew also lit up, creating an Encryption that the dancing couple both knew. Step after step. Each step drew more cyan lights in their wake, creating more complexity to the decorated circle.However, neither of the pair seemed to notice. They were only focused on each other?s eyes, as if they were both in each other?s charm. They seemed to be speaking in silent languages that they only knew, signaling each other their own respective histories. Sometimes Leah blushed, and sometimes Cain made a frown. Smiles came upon their mouths often. And? with unspoken agreement, they closed their eyes and closed into each other for a kiss.Music started to slow down. The dance was coming to an end. Leah and Cain?s locked lips separated, and they exchanged their last glances. The music came to a halt, and they stood, on the center of the circle.?Liar,? Leah whispered. She let go of Cain?s hand and embraced him tightly, her face gently rubbing against Cain?s right shoulder. ?There will be no next song.? She whispered, as silent as before.?I did not lie. Time to start our next dance.? Cain reached for one of Leah?s hands and grasped it. He hummed the tone, and Leah instantly looked up.She laughed. A light chime rang, and it seemed as if birds were about to chirp into a symphony. ?You silly man, that is horrible. Here, let me start the music.? Leah closed her eyes gently and hummed the tone. Cain followed the suit.As promised, Leah led this dance. But their movements were less wide. They shifted side to side, not leaving the central circle. The cyan circles started to glow more and more brightly. Encryptions were starting to be filled with energy. It was slow process, but it seemed too fast.?Next song, I will lead.? Cain said. Leah smiled and they locked eyes, not wanting to let go of a single detail of each other?s face. The circles brightened eversomore.Cain?s eyes blinked slowly. Leah smiled, even wider this time. Cain let go of Leah?s sides and pinched her cheek. ?That?s no good?. Forcing yourself? I? don?t want to see a forced smile.? Cain said, slowly, as if he was tired.Leah smiled a little less, and they stopped dancing. Leah flung her arms around Cain?s neck. They didn?t let go of each other?s eyes, but Cain was closing his eyes more and more slowly.Cain smiled. His eyes opened up for one last time to send a single sentence to Leah, and then closed indefinitely. He collapsed there, and Leah supported his dead weight.With its master gone, Cain?s right arm fell down. Mechanical arm? supported by the Encryption of its master? to replace the gift that he gave to Leah long ago. Tear rolled down the last remaining Perceiver?s cheek. She knelt down, and held Cain?s face with both of her hands.?Liar,? she managed to sound out through the tears, ?you are not leading. Here, let me set you the tune.? And there she sang, softly as a dead whisper, the melody of a song long last in the chaos of war. A song made by she and he, he and she, in the days when they knew nothing, but acknowledged everything.
mokona96
nteresting. I didn't like that you used 'she' until you introduced Leah, and got very confused after that. Not sure what else to
blah701
Actually, I wanted to have some kind of confusion from readers, although the frustration you got from it wasn't intended.And this is like...towards the end, when everything was explained. But this particular scene was so memorable, mainly because it is so gloomy... that I decided to write about it to revitalize the thread. I guess it half-worked, since the gloom-doom story manage to spark some comedic interest. I really like what... forget his name at the moment... wrote. It leaves more hearty note than other stories. And the story is light with little deep meaning. This story is kinda opposite... People can read it for fun, but there is a lot more deeper meaning to the whole story.Fortunately, this part is straightforward enough... at any rate, thanks for reading
