You Always Hurt The One You Love By: The Mills Brothers

Fooling Yourself By: Styx

Chapter 6: Into Madness

Alex was once again within the recesses of his mind. the dark void surrounded him. The power to destroy the world lay just within reach. He held his hand back and listened. Voices churned within around him. Cursing him,calling him a monster. Some were praying while others whimpered for their mother.

Each voice silenced. One by one the sound ceased and in the quiet he stood. Tears of blood streaming down his face...blood on his hands...blood everywhere. No longer was he in the darkness. Now he stood on a battlefield...his battlefield. The one he dyed red with the life blood of his enemies.

All their face showed horror...all the despair was aimed at him. Once more he was within the void. No longer were there screams for mercy...now he was alone screaming for help.

‘Rebecca’ the thought was a quick image of his little girl playing tea party. Then darkness.

‘Crystal’ the thought was a quick image,just as before, but this time it was her wedding with a man standing beside her looking to another who seemed to smile and read from a book. Again darkness.

Time immeasurable passed, then he opened his eyes. He was no longer in darkness. But now he was in a field he had seen once before. But this time it was cloudy with lightning striking the clouds. It did not rain.

“You know if you keep on this road I will be the sane one,right?” A ancient man materialized acouple steps a way from Alex and walked toward him.

Once he reach the curled up man he knelt and started to pat his back.

“It’s fine young one...its fine…” Kindness and sadness touched his voice.

With each stroke of Alex’s back he regained more and more of his mind.

He lifted his head and scanned his surroundings. No one was there and the sky was once again clear. He focused on the void and once again lost his body and floated.

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He opened his eyes. And thought for a brief moment he was home. But that was shattered as the couple he was staying with walked into the room.

One was a strong looking man with orange hair and cat features. And next to him was a beautiful woman with a slim body, brown hair and white fur with orange blotches.

They walked in on the opposite side of the room which held the hearth.He seemed to now be in a bed instead of propped against the hearth.. He also looked to his side and saw Weylyn who had grown once more overnight.

He looked once again at Victor and Amelia and asked them a question.

“How long have i been asleep?” He asked standing up. Loud ‘Pops’ and ‘Creeks’ were heard as he stood. “Even here my body does that.” the thought passed through his mind.

Victor cleared his throat and looked away from him while Amelia raised an eyebrow.

Alex looked down and noticed his body had changed. And it was naked.

“I seemed to have misplaced my clothes...and my age.” he said looking down at his toes. “Where the hell did that summer sau….o shit.” he thought before he grabbed the cot he had been sleeping on and turned it on its side hiding him and his...companion from the woman in the room.

“Sorry about that.” he said with a crack in his voice.

“My voice just cracked oh shit why the hell does this shit always happen when I want to be left alone” He frowned at this thought.

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Victor tossed Alex some clothes and said as he changed. “You have been out for a week. Your body started to glow and changed. Your clothes were destroyed somehow and a couple hours ago it stopped and you looked like a young human instead of the older man you were.”

Alex nodded as he listened and changed. The clothes were a simple brown leather. His boots were the same. They all fit snug. “It seems someone took my measurement while I slept.” Alex thought.

“Do you have a mirror I can look at myself in?” Alex asked

Victor thought for a moment then answered. “We have a reflection panel that lets you see you whole body.” Alex shook his head and Victor lead Alex to his wife's and his room and pointed to a far wall.

As Alex approached he was shocked at the difference. He was the same height and had the same eyes, which was a plus. But he now looked to be in his late teens early twenties. He now had a strong jaw and refined chin which for some was the embodiment of beauty. His torso was lean and full of muscle.

He blinked. “Who is this and where is my beard?” Alex said rubbing his smooth face. With a shocked look on his face.

Victor smiled and tapped Alex on the shoulder and said to him.

“We have been summoned to the council today, they want to talk to you.”

“Just talk?” Alex looked at Victor skeptically.

“As far as I know, yes.” He replied honestly. He also shoved a long dagger into Alex’s hand and followed up with. “But just in case.” He was looking Alex in the eye.

“Why.” Alex asked putting the dagger into his belt not even noticing that it was his dagger.

“I have not even a clue to a guess .” he said with a light sad smile. He then lead his friend to the council hall.

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At the Council Hall

“We must find a way to destroy him!” Yelled the male Elder of the Canine Tribe. The others who sat around in a semi-circle.

“You would court our utter destruction Maergoth?” a female Elder of the Wood Elves replied curtly. Maergoth growled but remained silent.

Footsteps echoed in the chamber as the one they summoned neared.

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Alex entered a large round chamber that held a platform in the center with six chairs pointed towards it. Alex walked forward and stood on top of the platform and waited for the representatives of each race to speak to him.

Time passed before a greying female of the Canine tribe spoke.

“Why have you come here human?” she asked in a voice brimming with anger.

Alex looked at each of the representative but he could not see their faces so he looked in the direction of the voice and spoke. “You asked me to come here...if you are talking coming to the city it was do to circumstance.”

“We asked for a older human to come, not a child.” a deeper voice seemed to reply just as angry.

“I was older…” Alex looked at his hands and body once more before continuing. “But as you can see I changed.”

“They seem to not believe me...I don't blame them though.” he thought.

An ancient, raspy voice spoke. “I have seen it happen once before.”

A sweet female voice spoke as well. “Yes...many years ago before the gods left us.”

Silence.

“ARE YOU SAYING THE GODS BLESSED THIS MURDERER!!” a young woman burst into the room from behind Alex. It was the elven scout he saw disappear into the woods after that captain gave her some orders.

Alex looked at the tomboyish appearance of the woman. Her blonde hair was cut short like that of a mans and her features held few scars one that stood out was along the jawline. She seemed to have had a beautiful face at one time.

“I killed...but did not kill without reason.” Alex replied looking towards the Council.

A breeze seemed to blow. A shattering that sounded close to that of breaking glass could be heard. Alex turned his heard toward the woman who stood right behind him.

She held a broken dagger in her trembling hand. The blade was broken all the way down to the hilt. The fragments of the dagger were on the ground at his feet.

He swept them away. “Try again next time.”

He punched the air before him creating a burst of air that ripped up wooden planks as it smacked into her sending her flying out of the door.

“Woops...gonna have to figure out how to control how much power I use.” he mumbled looking at his hand for a moment before looking back into the direction of the Council.

Silence once again.

“Have a nice stay.” a woman purred.

Alex was surprised but he took a bow and left going outside to meet with Victor, Amelia, and Weylyn so they could show him the way back.

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The Council looked in awe at the spectacle before them. The man had such mana capabilities and yet only used strength.

“What is he?” one of the council whispered. Each and everyone shook their heads and looked toward the ancient wood elf who led them.

He smiled and a mad gleam lit his eye. “There is another Immortal.”

The others gasped.

Then they all began to speak at once.

“They are myths!”

“They were locked away by the gods!”

“We are doomed!”

“I want him!!”

“May the gods bless us!”

They all looked toward the young high elf maiden beside the ancient wood elf. She blushed.

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Once Alex found his friends and inquired about a library. They led him to a building combining six or seven of the largest trees he has ever seen. Once he entered he nearly fainted. Delicate and beautiful carvings adorned every bit of the library. The walls,the doors,the archways, even the bindings of the books.

A youth walked toward the trio and Weylyn and spoke. “You have been given free roam of the library.” he then walked away.

Alex looked to Weylyn and asked. “Do you think you can lead me back to Amelia and Victor’s place?”

Weylyn shook his large and spiky head. “Yes.”

“He voice has gotten deeper...I am gonna have to figure out how he grows so fast.” Alex thought.

He looked towards the couple. “Have fun.” he said waving. Then he moved to the nearest bookshelf. He looked around and found a couple books they looked interesting. One in particular caught his eye since he had read it once before. I shall list them and their respectable authors.

The Manipulation of Magical Forces - By: The Wandering Magi

Under the Grand Mountain: A Dwarven Tale - By: Billof Digby

The Gods and Their Tower - By : Gelden Whiteweaver

Last but not least in any regard.

The Hobbit : There and Back Again - By: Bilbo Baggins

Once Alex saw this book he tenderly pulled it out and ran toward the nearest Librarian and had to ask about it.

The Librarian looked at the book then told Alex they had found it on a group of adventurers who had been willing to trade years ago. They called themselves ‘Batetesters’ or something of the sort.

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Eight Months Later/ Two Month Later on Earth

Rebecca was now reconnecting to her surroundings. Crystal and Mike have been getting her help and providing a stable life since he father ‘died’. She has yet to re-enter the game.

But today was the day.

She had gained some of her past self and wanted to try and play the last gift her father gave her. As a way to try and reconnect with him. She did the same thing for her mother. The night before she died they did go and watch a movie. It was a shitty movie but when it came out of DvD she bought it and watched it on the anniversary of her death.

She stood in the center of her new room. It was another mural she created this one was of the ocean floor. With coral reefs and small fish swimming about.

As she neared the white capsule her father bought her she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A tear fell.

She opened her eyes then opened the capsule and laid inside. As it closed it asked her if she wish to commence the start up phase. She paused before replying.

“Yes.”

She was once again into Shattered Memories.

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End of Chapter 6: Into Madness

After Chapter Note-

Well that took longer than it should considering the lack of development…

Hope you all enjoyed it.