It began with a tremor. Like a shiver running down the circular spine of the planet. The ground shook, I assume everywhere, briefly. Then a moment of dead silence, as if an eye passed overhead. Not even the wind moved, as if the elements themselves paused, waiting. A scream broke the silence, somewhere between human and animal, grief and despair. Then everything went dark.
I had been walking when it happened. It had been a bright day, a rarity in the middle of a Jersey summer. When I woke up, I felt a wave of nausea hit. Choking back bile, I tried to get up, but my body refused to respond. A dull throbbing flowed into my brain and receded, only to come back seconds later. My left arm found strength, and I used it to push myself up, my head brushed soft leather. My eyes quickly registered broken glass in front of me, and a chunk of car a few feet away. I turned my head and saw a long spear of glass running through me, just above the elbow joint. Blood was slowly oozing from the base, and seemed to have been pooling for a while. Turning more, I saw the shredded top of the car seat, wedged into me at the base of my spine. At this my stomach relieved itself, violently. My mind jumped rapidly, I couldn't feel much of anything, meaning shock. Which was not going to matter soon, due to the amount of blood I was loosing. Even as I pieced this together in my mind I began to loose it, my vision began to fade and blur, like looking down a tunnel. I registered voices from outside, my hearing hadn't quite given out yet. So I laid back down and closed my eyes, praying that there was rescue coming.
“Is that all of them?” A low hollow tone filled my aching head.
“There’s supposed to be one more here, but I can’t see it. Maybe it got squished?” A second voice, a little slower than the first replied.
“It wouldn’t show up if it was still alive. Upturn the debris, make sure it’s dead.”
Were they talking about me? My senses seemed to sharpen suddenly, probably draining the last strength my body had to give. I had a strong urge, something told me whatever they were planning, it would be worse than bleeding to death under this car.
“Hey! There’s a lotta blood coming out from under here.”
“Flip it, let’s see the victim.” The other one said. The car shifted and suddenly a shiver of cool air hit my backside. I still couldn't move my legs, my spine was probably severed. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the remains of the car land a few feet away. Using my good arm I started to turn, standing over me was a tall male, much more than that I couldn't gather since he was wearing thick black plate armor and a matching helm that covered his face. He seemed to be a demon from hell, come to take my soul. Suddenly I was lifted into the air, the cold metal making my hyper sensitive body shiver.
“Well well, look at this. This one’s already awake.”
“It must have a strong will, perhaps it’s my lucky day.”
“Hey hey, I found it. Shouldn’t I be the one to corrupt it?”
“I am your supervisor, therefore I go first.”
“To hell with that, I can beat you down any day of the week.” I felt my mind slowly sipping away as the two argued; the urge took hold again, and I found myself praying that I bled out before they concluding their disagreement.
“Well let’s hurry and do something before it dies, otherwise neither of us will get it.”
“Fine I’ll take it.”
“Fine.” My eyes fixed on the man holding me up, darkness seemed to seep out of the plates and began crawling towards me. Instinctively I used my good arm to try and dislodge its grip. I struggled, but his monstrous strength held me firm, I tried pulling my arm away, but it was already encased in that darkness. As I struggled a blazing light hit the man, and he fell to the ground, or at least half of him did. The other half of the armor was vaporized instantly. As I fell back to the ground I saw an empty husk where there should be seared flesh and half a person. An old man entered my vision; he stood with his back to me, wearing a long brown cloak, a sword drawn. As if this was safety, my spent body shut down, I blacked out.
When I woke the second time I could see stars shining through branches overhead. Was I dead? I tried to get up, and was greeted with a surge of pain. Either I wasn't dead, or death sucks. I looked around, there was a campfire nearby. The old man I had seen had his hood up against the breeze, and was gently feeding the fire. I moved my good arm and saw where my hand had gripped that creature the skin looked gray and rotting. As I used it to gain a better view I spotted my other arm. The glass had been removed, and the would seemed to have been cauterized. I pushed the furs covering me off slowly. Almost dreading what I was going to see. Where my intestinal track should be was really just a large hole. The only reason I was even alive was it too had been cauterized. Though given the organs that should be missing I did not give myself good odds on living for more than a day at best. Nauseated again I laid back down and heard my companion move towards me.
“So you are awake? Interesting.” He stepped forward, through the fire which flared as he walked. “I would suggest getting some more rest. When the sun is strong I will try to fix those limbs of yours.” He waved at me, like saying good bye, and I felt warmth surround me, then I was out like a light.
I awoke what felt like minutes later, this time the campfire was roaring; more than that it was everywhere. I thought we had started a forest fire, but the old man stood there, cloak removed, his chiseled body glistening with sweat. He seemed perfectly calm, and somehow that calmed me down as well. I looked at the flames, realizing they were burning the ground into a pattern. I pushed myself up and he looked at me.
“Awake again? You should sleep, especially for this part.”
“This part?” He lifted a blade. It almost looked like it was on fire in the light.
“When you wake, take this with you. I also give you a name of power, Pahhur. It is yours, do with it what you will.” With that he planted the blade in the center of the pattern. Everything shook. The trees fell around us, catching fire. The grass burned, and then the dirt beneath it caught flame too. The inferno built and surrounded us. He stood up, staring at me.
“Stand!” He yelled. I felt smoke clog my throat. “Stand!” Strength filled my body; shakily, I placed my right arm on the ground and lifted myself. I stood up and looked at him. I looked down and noticed blood rushing out of my wounds. “Do not fall, do not falter. The flame will save you. Let the fire consume you, and in turn consume the flame. I pass this burden to you now, and by passing it I preserve your life for another day. I call thee by thy name, Pahhur. You will continue the circle.” With those last words he turned from me, and walked into the blaze. His body vanished into ash. The inferno grew with his passing, surrounding me, the heat pressed in on all sides. I stood, I stood and I waited, I challenged the fire to take me; I felt my skin start to crack, any hope I had of getting out of the blaze laid with his words. Then I felt myself become weightless, as if I was falling. The flames licked at my body, consuming me, devouring me, the pain intensified and vanished all at once. Did I go into shock? Or did I just die? All at once I was surrounded by darkness. I faced what I thought was the sky, and as if someone hit the fast-forward on life I saw a tree grow out above me. The roots reached deep into my body. It flourished. Animals fed from the tree, as did people. Then in an instant it all burned down; back into the ash. A forest grew where there had once been ash, I felt myself being picked up by an invisible force. At the base of the tree lay a girl, naked in the sunlight. She was beautiful, her long red hair hung over her shoulders, just reaching over her nipples. She slept there, unaware of the world. I felt myself turn and fly backwards, hitting something solid. It felt like my back was lying uncovered against a rough surface.
I opened my eyes, and was greeted with the sight of long slim legs stretching out from my body, somewhat obscured by two large breasts. In one motion I stood up; lifting my hands to my face. They were small, slender, I brushed red hair back from my neck. My body went limp, I felt numb. When I regained control I screamed. I cursed at the now dead man, I cursed at the tree, the air, flinging my anger to the growing shadows. The sun set on my rage, and I felt cold. Nearby the old man's sword glimmered in the fading light, asking me to take it. Next to it lay the old man's cloak, grayed with age, I wrapped the cloak around me for warmth and pulled the blade from the ground, it felt heavy in my hands. Much like a wave events of the last few hours hit me. I had lost everything. I do not remember when I fell asleep that night. But I do remember my last thought before sleep took me. I have lost everything. But I am still alive.
