(July) Prompt #2 - Abyss

[Chat Noir]

The second prompt of July is the word, Abyss.

[Chat Noir]

If you have any questions about how to participate in this event, please visit the rules (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=63004) thread or PM me (http://role-player.net/forum/member.php?u=27079).

Happy writing!

[Arcus]

Darkness, this is the word that is used to describe the abyss. But that is just a human word for what they believe to the abyss to both be and what it is in it. What the Abyss truly is, is nothingness. It is both the start and end of everything, we all come from it and we will all end as a part of it. That is all there is too it, why do you think that humans fear it so much? They fear what is to come and what they do not understand, it is simply part of their nature. So much like the Abyss there is no changing that, but what about those that the humans fail to recognize? The ones that humans call fakes or legends? Have they forgotten that to every legend there is a grain of truth?

When one closes their eyes they are surrounded by darkness, darkness... It is a word used to describe many things, dragon of old, trolls that hide under bridges, demons, man-eating witches, but what about man? How many people forget that they themselves could be just as evil as those from the stories that they grew up listening too? Well in a place that shadows the humans. Live the creatures that they talk about in stories, legends, myths, or anything else that you could imagine. In the caves hide the dragons that lay with their clutches of eggs, waiting for their young to hatch. Deep inside some mountains are the dwarves always hard at work on their cave systems. While other mountains move and shift as they are in reality sleeping Rocs.

At its center, is a market place filled with anything and everything. Everyone and everything comes and trades one thing or another. This may seem weird and possibly ineffective to humans, but they think the same thing about money. So it is even isn't it? But that isn't the point, in the middle of this market place is a café that is known simply as The café. The building that this is in is magic so that everything or everyone stays about the same size, so it is easier to accommodate their guests and can have any kind of guest as well.

But there was one guest that looked odd, even amongst the group of pretty much every kind of creature. In a back corner there seemed to be a guy sitting with his eyes closed not moving, almost as if he was asleep. One of the waiters came and touched the guy, "you ok sir?" The waiter said and the guy slowly opened his eyes, nodding. The waiter looked as if he was about to leave when he turned his horned head back to the man, "mind if I ask what you were doing?" He asked at the last moment, the man shrugged and said. "Nothingness," the ness was important because it meant he had been in the Abyss. The waiter seemed to know this and nodded, before going.

The man was something called a planes or dimensional walker and an old one at that. Though you would never know by looking at the guy. He looked human except for his eyes that were blue with cat like pupils, his form looked to be in his 20s. With rustic red hair that hung messily just above his shoulders. He was muscular though wore a shirt and pants that looked as it was made from nature. The man looked down to his table and saw what he ordered, long since cold. This didn't seem to bother him though, as he took a sip and ate. It wasn't long before he had finished and walked outside, he had already paid.

As he walked through the town or city that the Market now was, it had been at least a hundred or more years since he had last been in this world. So was interesting that he would find in this pseudo-world. As he walked he spotted a Neko jumping from roof-top to roof-top, he noticed that it was watching something. He smirked, thinking 'well I do believe I just found me something interesting.' His eyes gained a shade of purple to them, just as the neko jumped like it was going to pounce on whatever it was following and in that moment the Neko froze above everyone. Simply suspended in air, it-no she started to struggle as if trying to figure out what had happened.

When he was just below the Neko he looked up and his eyes lost their purple shade. The Neko fell and she started screaming, since she liked had lost her balance. The man Caught her and said simply, "hello kitty." She glared at him and hissed, "you made me freeze in mid-air." The man shrugged and didn't deny it. Which seemed to only make her angrier, "what did I do to you?" She hissed angrily, "me? Nothing but what were you about to do to who ever you were about to pounce on?" He said in a neutral tone, this seemed to make her nervous and she jumped out of his arms. He got a glance at her tail which was split at the end, she said. "If you turn me in I-" she was cut off by his laughter which for some reason made her shiver.

"I have no reason to do such a thing, I only thought you would be interesting." He said with a smirk starting to form on his face. He saw her fur prickle, "what do you mean?" She asked almost nervously and he shook his head, "simply what I said. I haven't been here in over a hundred years, I saw you and thought you would be interesting. It isn't like I plan to eat you," he looked her up and down. "Not that you have anything on you anyway." The Neko looked offended by that, but he didn't seem to notice. "So thought I would stopped you if for no other reason than to talked to you, though if you want food. I have some as well," when he finnaly finished talking he bulled out some crackers and cheese. The Neko growled, but after a moment ended up taking the snacks.

That night the neko was still with him, but she made it very obvious that it was for little more then the food. Which he didn't care about, he still found her interesting. Before he went back to mediating in his newly found ability to spiritually enter that Abyssal plane. The she-neko said "you have a name?" Looking down from her spot in a tree, they had walked out of town and was now in a forest. "D'rugnic," he said as he closed his eyes and asked. "What about you?"

The neko laughed slightly at the guys name. "D'rugnic really? You are going to stick with that? Well I am Tsume," D'rugnic nodded. Falling into his mediated state, letting all light, sound, feeling, everything simply fall away. He felt both like he was floating but at the same time that he was laying, the Abyss was something that he didn't understand and after so long of knowing and understanding what was going around him. Being able to figure out what was happening no matter where he was, he was glad to finnaly have something that he didn't understand. Made him happy and calm, so while he moved around in the nothingness that was the Abyss. He could clearly think about anything and everything. Though there was one thing that he would never understand, "why are the humans afraid of the Abyss?" Even though he knew he said it, he heard nothing.

After a while, he was jolted out of his mediative state by Tsume falling on him. "What was that for?!" He said, looking up realizing that while he was got the moon had risen high in the sky and even the Nekomata that was laying on him was sleeping. "She must have falled off of her branch," he said rolling her off, before pulling out a blanket. Covering her with it, then looked up to the sky. "I wonder what it is like out in space? Is it as good as being in the Abyssal plane? Maybe I should go back to the human society and see if I can become an astronaut and see for myself."

[Dire Hoef]

The Reckoning Has Arrived

Lima 1-1: Lima Actual, this is Lima 1-1. We have arrived at rally point Mike. Awaiting further orders. Over

Lima Actual: Lima 1-1, this Lima Actual. Roger. Move in silently and take out any operatives in the area. We need control of that factory. More to follow on mission objective. Over

Lima 1-1: Lima Actual, this is Lima 1-1. Roger that, out

A group of highly trained military operatives silently sit in the cover of a few dozen trees as flash-lights and search-lights scan pass them. The leader of this group was Capt. Lowry Kinderson and with this Capt. Lowry slowly sunk down low to avoid being spotted by the guards or the search-lights that swept the area around an abandon factory in the middle of nowhere. Once a guard was close enough Capt. Lowry leaped up from out the bushes towards the guard grabbing him and pulling him into the bushes stabbing him once into the neck or throat area. Capt. Lowry shifted the body further into the bushes so it couldn’t be seen and with this Capt. Lowry picked up his Suppressed Barrett REC7 and gestured with his hands to the rest of his group. Suddenly three other males appeared from the foliage into the eyes of their leader. Sgt.Maj. Michael Dough [Specialist], 1stSgt. Samuel Jenkins [Sniper/Overwatch], MSgt. Vincent Shadow [Medic] looked at Capt. Lowry with a serious look. Capt. Lowry gestured towards 1stSgt. Samuel to take out the search-light that was coming their way. 1stSgt. Samuel aimed down the scope of his Suppressed DSR-Precision GmbH DSR-1 and with this pulled the trigger and fired the bullet. The muzzle flash wasn’t present and sound was muffled ever so neatly. The bullet zipped through the air and hit its target in the left eye causing the target to drop to his back. 1stSgt. Samuel gave a thumbs and with this Capt. Lowry circled his hand in the air as a means to form a rally point on him. The members of Capt. Lowry's squad moved up on him and formed a line. Capt. Lowry spoke towards them in a hushed tone, “We have our orders now let’s take that factory before anything else happens to us while we are here…” The squad nodded, no questions asked, and with this Capt. Lowry made another hand gesture that would mean to follow him in tightly.

As the search-light passed Capt. Lowry gestured forward to move and with this the squad moved in a tight line towards the southern edge of the factory. However, the factory itself was covered by several other buildings to make this an isolated factory district. The squad came to the nearest of the buildings on the south side and with this leaned their backs against the wall of that building. The building itself was a five story business building and with this there were guards posted upon the third, fourth and fifth story to guard against intruders. Capt. Lowry made that 1stSgt. Samuel’s job and with this Capt. Lowry threw up signals towards the building to clear and conquer. 1stSgt. Samuel nodded and with this leaped through the first story window of the building and made his way towards the fourth, third and fifth story to provide overwatch and sniper support. The rest of the squad moved forward without 1stSgt. Samuel knowing that he would give him the necessities that were overwatch and sniper support. Capt. Lowry and the rest of the squad, after taking down two to three guards in the process and bobbing and weaving through buildings and search-lights, came to the south side of the factory of where they were supposed to take hold of. Once 1stSgt. Samuel was in position, after taking down those guards on the third, fourth and fifth story [however he had some difficulty on the last two stories for they heard his foot-steps], he watched as the rest of his squad move into position and with this flashed a light of some sort towards the captain to signal that he was in position. Capt. Lowry nodded in response and with this Capt. Lowry made hand signals that meant Wedge Formation and Breach and Clear. With this Sgt.Maj. Michael came in front of the door and waited for the signal from his captain.

Meanwhile on the inside of this factory, several scientists were working on some sort of interdimensional device. A scientist by the name of, Adalbert Alban [Lead scientist of the Tytex-Nazi Regime], was talking in a German accent towards one of his subordinates, “Do we have the orbital drop device in store for the launch of IDT?” The subordinate nodded, “Yes sir. We have preparations waiting for you in your office in Wolfsburg. However there are some slight complications with the orbital drop device’s internal processing unit. It seems the AI in the processing unit has been acting sporadically amongst its other counter-parts.” Adalbert rubbed his chin softly, “Decrease the already increased AI in the machine and send it to the launch station in Augsburg. They should know whether or not it is worthy of being launched into the troposphere. With this machine we could send our forces into the next dimension…” The subordinate nodded, “Quite sir. I’ll return back to work.” Adalbert nodded slightly in response, “Go ahead.” As the subordinate left, Adalbert turned towards the machine itself and smiled in the joyous of moods, “Soon we will launch you into our atmosphere and rule the next dimension…” The machine itself was only as half as tall as the factory building itself. In this case it was quite massive having futuristic appeals to it. In the center of this machine was a hole, but the hole was filled with a black sphere that was stationary and quiet. Adalbert did not like the silence itself, but he was reassured that it was part of the process of dimensional travel. The black sphere, in the middle of this machine, would ripple from time to time warning temperament with the sphere itself. Adalbert knew this to be the greatest thing that has happened to Tytex-Nazis since the start of their take over and the start of this war. He wasn’t going to let that go…

Capt. Lowry gave the thumbs up and with this Sgt.Maj. Michael kicked open the door and rushed in aiming towards the scientist he jumped or backed up in fear. Capt. Lowry rushed in with MSgt. Vincent following in shortly and closing the door behind him and locking it. Capt. Lowry put down his gun and walked towards Adalbert before grabbing him by the lab coat and throwing him off to the side. Adalbert grunted as his back came in contact with the concrete that was the factory floor. MSgt. Vincent was keeping watch as was 1stSgt. Samuel. Capt. Lowry looked up towards the machine only to look down at his PDA and see the new orders given to him by command. Capt. Lowry looked towards Adalbert who was being tended to by the scientist. Capt. Lowry looked over his shoulder towards his other squad mates then settled his hand on his ear [in which was an inner squad radio communication device] and spoke towards 1stSgt. Samuel with secureness, “We have secured the factory… Going to destroy the device and get out of here...” 1stSgt. Samuel smirked with praise, “Alright then… Let’s get this over with.” Capt. Lowry stepped towards the machine and placed down satchel charges. Adalbert reached towards the Captain, “Don’t do that… You’ll cause a rip in dimensions summoning the Abyss!” Capt. Lowry armed the satchel charges and with this stood to his feet and gripped his Barrett REC7 tightly and circled his hands in meaning of rallying on him. Adalbert stared towards the satchel charges then towards the group of US soldiers, “Are you mad!? You’re going to kill us all!” Capt. Lowry looked over his shoulder towards the German scientist and shook his head, “I’d rather die than lose to you disgusting fear-mongers…” Capt. Lowry, and the rest of his squad, moved out after him and with this he gestured for 1stSgt. Samuel to meet them at Rally Point November. Several seconds of rushed running they all regrouped at the rally point. Capt. Lowry turned towards the isolated factory district and with this his squad nodded in unison. Capt. Lowry smirked as he blew the satchel charges. However something unexpected happened…

Save Me from the Abyss

As the satchel charges explode simultaneously something unexpected happens. Adalbert saw the black sphere increase in size and with this began to suck different items and persons into its cold grip. Adalbert saw his subordinates become grains of particles as they were pulled into the black sphere. Suddenly Adalbert himself was pulled into the black sphere and was turned into grains of particles as well. Outside this factory, the factory itself began to fall apart at a rapid pace. Capt. Lowry noticed this and widened his eyes in shock and awe. The squad, as well as Capt. Lowry, started to back up slowly as the black sphere got bigger to the point where it was sucking up entire buildings in the district. Then the squad turned tail and made a break for the extraction point to try and escape this deadly black sphere. Capt. Lowry was leading this all-out sprint as trees and other signs of life were uprooted and thrown into this sphere as it grew. After minutes of running a Black Hawk came into few and with this only hovered slightly off the ground [so that they could have an easy drop off and pick up]. The squad leaped into the Black Hawk and with this the pilots looked towards the black sphere in shock and with this moved the helicopter into a suitable position to speed out of the hot-zone. The squad relaxed except for Capt. Lowry who was watching the destruction only getting worse by the seconds. Suddenly the sphere stopped in place and that caused the attention of the squad to sky-rocket.

There was a loud roar that shook the air causing the Black Hawk to have extreme turbulence. The pilots had trouble keeping the helicopter in the air. Reluctantly the roaring stopped allowing the pilots to correct themselves and keep the helicopter in the air. In the back the squad had trouble keeping on the helicopter, but at least no one had fallen off the helicopter or they would be taking a dirt nap at that point. Capt. Lowry ensured that everyone was alright and with this he turned his attention back to the massive sphere that seemed to have touched the clouds. Suddenly, from the amazement of those that were watching, the sphere opened itself releasing large amounts of steam. Something had stepped out of the sphere, but due to the lack of visibility from the steam it was hard to tell what it was. Until that something stepped through the steam to reveal itself. It was a beast of epic portions. It was like an insect type of creature, but it was mixed with other forms of creatures that were of this world. The squad wasn’t sure what they were looking at, but surely it was something… Capt. Lowry called in HQ to tell them of this development.

Lima 1-1: HQ, this is Lima 1-1. We have spotted a massive creature figure fifteen kilometers from target destination of Hamburg Germany. We are not sure what we are looking at, but surely it’s something of a surprise. Over.

HQ: Lima 1-1, this is HQ. Affirmative. We will proceed with Operation Locus. Return to base immediately and prepare for next operation.

Lima 1-1: HQ, this Lima 1-1. Roger that, out.

The squad looked at the horror that is this creature. 1stSgt. Samuel spoke towards Capt. Lowry, “What is that thing?” Capt. Lowry shook his head, “I’m not sure… But whatever it is… It’s big… And I’m pretty sure that the scientist from before called it the ‘Abyss’. Whatever we are dealing with... It's something that is not of this dimension…”

[Juder]

Abyss


I’ve always dreamed I could fly.
Maybe I can, you know.
Fly. Right out of this abyss.

Oberlin stretched his fingers out through the darkness, as if dreaming that he could touch the soft, white light that seemed so far away, little bright pinpricks that shone down into the little abyss of a place he called home. He was a Nothing, a spirit that manifested itself according to the memories of the things and people that surrounded him: that is, he could if he could get back out again. A very long time ago, he could remember soaring above it all, in the soft, cloudy, light blue sky. Maybe it was a bad thing that he was looking at his memories as you would look at a stranger; he was distant from them, cold, and quite uncaring.

He could barely remember how he had fallen into these depths after being above the world for so long, and it seems as if it were a thousand years ago. Maybe, perhaps, it was: a Nothing did not die, rather it returned to the darkness and shelter of Oblivion, where all Nothings went when they were without form, where they simply waited for an opportunity to be rise. It was where they waited to be called upon, by a star, a memory, or a floating dream.

He had first been called upon by a child, as a child can dream like no other creature in this world or the next; a little orphan girl who had wished upon a star had been his salvation. want a companion, my own little friendly creature, because I have nothing left to go back to, she had wished. That was when he remembered snapping into the world between Imagination and Reality, when I could soar, when I had my beautiful, darling wings. He’d been so happy when he could fly, he remembered; that happiness seemed so distant now, like a word without meaning. Like him.

Oberlin wondered what had happened, what could have been done to send him back here after he’d had the wonderful feeling of having a purpose. Didn’t the girl love him like a friend? Had she died? No, what happened was much more different than that, he remembered: she’d lost all sight of what she was, and she’d Grown Up. The girl had stopped believing, and belief was what tied him to the world, and what returned him to the darkness when it let him go.

Could he not have a dream of his own and return to reality; could he not make a wish and be free from Oblivion, like so many of his brothers and sisters of darkness? The shadows taunted him and answered him back, saying, You can’t do that, silly. You are a dream. Can a dream have a dream of it’s own, Oberlin? You belong to the darkness, now. You belong to the shadows. Oberlin glowered, knowing that this was probably true but not wanting to believe it.

Poking through the abyss was a single emotion that he knew as despair, flooding him and making him sink to the bottom of this hopeless, lifeless pit. Panic then flooded him, making him claw at the air around him, and even as he climbed and scratched, kicked and punched, he sank even deeper into the darkness until even the pinpricks of light had drifted away into the solid curtain of blackness that was enveloping him, the shadows dragging him so far away that he would never see the light again, and that was when the most wonderful miracle of all happened.

Oberlin, desperate, made a wish; the thing that had set him free in the first place and given him life, a spirit, and a form to roam around in, and he knew in that moment that it wasn’t the little girl that had set him free, it was what she had: Imagination, Hope, and a Wish. For if she hadn’t been in need of a companion and had an idea of what she needed, if she hadn’t known she would find one, and if she hadn’t desired it, he would still be here, and he would have never known how it felt to have Hope. Truly, she had given him the best gift of all: Freedom.

All of the sudden, he was rising, shining like a shooting star into the darkness, and then he could see it! He could see the blue that he missed so much, the beautiful blue that he had once soared through like no other! It was at his fingertips, and if he just reached out, he knew he could touch it if he only tried. Then he could walk among the living and aspire to be something, just like the little girl he’d known so long ago…

When Oberlin reached the sky, he could see Hope Herself, in all of her love and beauty, standing in front of him. His eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but be in awe at Her, how her light seemed to rise in even the darkest situations, banishing even the darkest and most sinister of Thoughts. It was the loveliest of all the sights he had ever seen, and as his heart soared, so did he. “Hope! Hope! What am I? What is this? Why am I here, Mistress?” He cried, stretching his arms out to grasp her hand.

Hope smiled at her and returned his grasp, holding onto Oberlin and soaring with him. “You are Human, Oberlin. You are here because you Believed, and now you are a Human Being, and despite all your faults, you now have the chance to Dream, Aspire, and to follow Freedom.”

With a wave of her hand, his shadowy form disappeared and was transformed into a body of living flesh. He looked at her, confused. “What is Freedom? Is it tangible? Does it taste like Chocolate?”

Hope chuckled and set him free. “No, Oberlin. Freedom is what I lead to. Freedom is where you are free, and you are no longer tied down by Darkness.”


And with that, Oberlin was free to explorer the World.

[MashuNeko]

I see black...
I see darkness...
I see... an abyss.

I look unto the void. It stares back at me, the emptiness inviting me in. Why would it do that? I don't want to go. It advertises freedom, but within it, I sense agony. The agony of being alone.

I remember... I was in that void once before, that abyss of confusion and loneliness. I always asked myself "why". Why was I alone? Why was I bothered by it? What brought me here? I know now the answer. It was the so-called freedom. I went to the abyss for freedom. It was the biggest mistake I ever made.

My life was a routine, simple and fair. It changed itself as I grew, making sure my role would be defined for me over time, but for the most part, it was routine. Wake up, do what I must, eat, sleep. I never knew the abyss existed. All I knew was friends and family. I was satisfied with that much. I played, I laughed, I worked. That was the base of my entire life, and I shared such experiences with my friends and with my family. They enjoyed hearing about my day at this one friend's house, or watching me as I describe with my hands how dull work was. Nothing seemed better than telling someone about it all.

I would remember "the other day" with my friends, laughing as we recall how scared I got when they jumped out at me. We would argue sometimes, back and forth, the whole "I'm right, you're wrong" deal, but in the end, we were still friends. We accepted each other for our differences. We would meet up the very next day and laugh about that little argument. We were happy all the time, whether we showed it or not. No matter what face we had on, which expression we were wearing, we would always admit to thinking in the back of our minds "I'm glad I have you as a friend." No one cared if he messed up that time, or if she said something really hurtful yesterday. We made up, we moved on. Such was my life those days. Nothing mattered to me except being with them.

My family, ha! Now there's an odd bunch. We were made up of so many different personalities, physical and mental traits, and preferences. Despite our major or minor differences, much like my friends, we got along just fine. We fought more, but that just meant we made up more, and making up was the best part. We would argue about who ate the last Hot Pocket, or who used our towel, but in the end, we just laughed it off and hugged it out. We would always hate saying those weird words to one another, but we always said them when we made up. We would work it out, hug it out, and just before we parted, we would ask the other, "you know I still love you, right?" Sometimes, we wouldn't understand what we meant by that, since we learned it from our parents, but it didn't take long for us to learn the meaning. We learned that, no matter what, we had to make sure our last words were never something bad. What if I had died the next day? What if he did? What if she did? Those were all questions we learned as we went, so we made a promise that our last words to each other should always be something good. Nothing mattered to me except making sure we were just like friends, but closer.

My routine life kept going, I kept moving forward. As I did, friends changed, and family didn't seem so close.

I remember searching around for my old friends on the internet through dating sites, social networks, and search engines. I would think to myself, "I remember when me and him argued," or "She was my first crush, but we ended up friends instead." I felt bad that we had parted ways, but it seemed life had very different roles for each of us. We were given our time together, and we spent it wisely. I was just glad to have known them. New friends had come along, but I would never say they had replaced my old ones. We joked and laughed just like me and my old friends, but my old friends held a special place in my heart, as would the new. I remember telling the new guys about the old guys, and they would say things, like "Wow, you were such a weird group," or "They sound like fun! Where are they now?" I would find myself depressed when they asked, but never for long. I would tell them about how that guy became a druggy, or she went and became famous, and I was left here. They felt bad for me, they comforted me, they cared about me. It wasn't long before they parted ways too.

As my family grew, we began to grow apart. Everyone had their own thing they would do. He might go read, or she might go play games. We argued more, but the more we argued, the less I felt like they cared about me. I know they still cared, and I know they still loved me, but we slowly, but surely, just stopped asking. Eventually, those words, "you know I love you, right," were never heard among us anymore. So rarely did we have our family moments anymore. Sometimes, he or she would leave for a few days, spending a few nights with what little friends we had at the time. Those times, the family felt empty, and we awaited the return of our family, our friend. However, when they returned, it was as if they never left. We held empty promises of what we would do once they were back. I always believed them. How hopeful I was that, once in a while, we could be a true family again. It was all I could do to keep myself from being lonely, but I would stop by the other rooms and ask about what they were doing. As little as I cared about what they were actually doing, I just wanted to talk to someone, even if they didn't want to listen to me talk. I just wanted- I needed- to hear something other than my own thoughts. Sometimes, after we argue, I would cry- alone- in my room. I would cry because, even though we were once so close, I faced the reality that people can change.

There is one special person I know, one person who would never leave me, who would always ask how my day was, and who will always let me know they still love me. They always stood behind me, the one person who didn't seem to change at all since our first meeting, the only person who seemed to try their hardest to stay close to me, and the only person who could keep me sane. We laugh, we play, we hug, we kiss, we talk, we do everything friends would do, and everything family would do. This one person, out of all the others, matters most to me.

And so, as I stand here now, before the abyss promising me freedom and comfort, I see within it the agony of being alone. I've been there before, long before I met that one person. I was right on the surface of the abyss, slowly sinking deep inside, so that no one around me would ever change, or leave me, because there would be no one else around.

The one time I was in the abyss, I was confused. What comfort was it promising? What freedom was there? And yet, it felt nice knowing that nothing would change again. But they saved me. That person pulled me out of the abyss when no one else would, tell me how much I was loved and cared for. I still remember the doubt I had in my eyes, but my heart held something else.

It held hope.

I stare at the black, the darkness, the abyss as it tries to invite me back in. I don't want to go in. I want to stay here, with this person who rescued me. I will be happy, I will be sad, I will be angry, but through all of this, I know that they will be right behind me the whole time. I know they will provide me with true comfort and true freedom.

Thank you, my love, for pulling me out of the abyss when no one else would, for giving me hope when I lost all, and for mending this weary and broken heart when it was shattered.

You know I love you, right?

[Mihkul]

The Abyss

The village was full of excitement as they prepared for the week’s festivities. It was Garrock Week, a time to celebrate and honor their god. Amily thought it was foolish to honor a stone statue, especially after all the hardship the village had gone through this past year.

First came the crop failure in the spring. The sun had burnt up nearly everything and the rains were sparse. Of course this brought on loss of livestock. No meat, no vegetables, and very little water. What kind of god would bring such suffering to the people who honored him every year.Regardless, the week would be filled with the usual festivities. The feast would be much smaller and rather than the roasted bulls cooked over the open pits it would be a rabbit stew with wild roots. But no matter, the festival must go on.

The highlight of the week’s festivities was the beauty pageant. It was mandatory for every girl in the village that reached the age of 16 during the year to participate. It was a tradition that dated back centuries, although it had been modified slightly to keep up with the times. The modern version consisted of a formal dress , swimsuit competition, talent competition, and a public speaking portion where the contestant would tell why she felt like she should be the next Queen of the Festival.

Amily should have felt the excitement. She had turned 16 just 2 months ago and her aunt had won the competition just ten years ago. She had loved her aunt and would play hide-and-seek with her on many summer nights with only the occasional flicker of a firefly to light their way. But this year the festival seemed meaningless, after losing her father to the Sickness earlier.

The festival went on as normal and everyone seemed to enjoy the nightly music and the telling of tales. When the day of the pageant arrived people began to gather early to get the best seats. The stage was always brightly decorated with banners and streamers and there was a tall staircase at the very back with a wide platform at the top. At both sides of the stage were four chairs-one side for the four judges and the other side for the contestants as there were four girls that had reached the qualifying age. And behind the stage was the Abyss.

The time had come for the pageant to begin and the master of ceremonies took the stage. He was a tall slender man with a black moustache and heavy black eyebrows and had been the emcee for at least 40 years. His corny jokes still made the audience laugh and his raspy voice filled the air. “LADEEZ AND GENTLEMEN! Welcome to this year’s Queen of the Festival Pageant.” Applause and cheers rang through the crowd and the man held up his hands. “Let me introduce our esteemed judges. First, from Arabels Livery, Yaster Arabel.” Old Arabel was the local blacksmith, a big man with rosy cheeks and strong, calloused hands. Like most of the judges, he had been “selected” year after year. It was a lifelong position and most felt it their religious duty.

“Next, we have Miss Merrylynn Yooter.” Miss Yooter was the village old maid and was runner up in the pageant some 60 years ago. She climbed the stairs to the stage with two young boys helping her, then slowly walked to her seat with the help of a walking stick.
The other two judges were introduced amidst more applause and then the crowd became silent in anticipation of the entrance of the contestants. Amily was the first to be introduced and the crowd gasped as she entered in a lovely pale green gown. He mother had chosen it, saying it matched her eyes so well. She approached the stage then sat in her seat while watching the others made their entrance. Margaline Plasky, Amily’s best friend, was introduced next and was followed by Katarene Bellwok. Katarene was nearly disqualified as there were rumors as to whether her virginity was intact, another requirement of eligibility, but after the mandatory physical it was deemed to be just that-a rumor. And lastly came Yanille Felkdor. Amily despised this girl and her pompous attitude.
The judges quickly took notes and whispered amongst themselves while they looked over the contestants. The crowd was silent when a voice boomed from the back. “This whole thing is immoral.” The crowd looked to see Bethuny Coggs standing. “This is discrimination. It exploits these young girls. Why aren’t any of the boys up there?” Two men grabbed her by her fat arms and led here away while the emcee made a corny joke about the outburst.

Next on the agenda was the talent portion. Amily had been practicing her song she would sing, an old folk song that was sung to her by her grandmother many years ago. She has a sweet voice and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. She received a standing ovation. Margaline came next with a folk dance that was lively and made everyone tap their toes. Katarene tried to play a tune on the lyre but was so far off key that it hurt one’s ears. Then up came Yanille, who had memorized the village charter and began to recite it. Midways through she had forgotten what to say and her mother had to coach her through it. When they had finished, the judges again scribbled notes and compared them with one another.
Next came the public speaking part. The others spoke first, each giving their reasons for wanting to be the queen. Then it was Amily’s turn. She had her speech prepared and knew it by heart. She confidently began.
“To be fully honest, I do not want to be the Queen of the Festival.” The crowd gasped as she continued. “Why would I want to serve a cruel god who has no compassion for his people. Look at how we went without food and how so many suffered. What kind of god would do that.”

The emcee jumped to his feet and took the microphone from her while another man escorted her to her seat. “Ladies and gentlemen. We all know the reason for the bad luck this year. It is because we chose the wrong queen last year. But I can assure you that this year will be different. So, let’s move right along.” The judges jotted more notes. It was now time for the swimsuit competition.
In the early days, there were no swimsuits. The contestants competed in the nude. But, times had changed and now the girls were allowed to wear something very brief and revealing. Thjey left the stage for a short time while the local band played and they returned one at a time, as they had entered. Amily was sure that Yanille had stuffed hers with paper. She looked so unnatural. As they paraded around the stage the judges took more notes and conferred with one another until they had come to a decision. The girkls took their seats and the emcee stood before the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce this year’s runner up……Miss Margaline Plasky!”There was a heart round of applause as Margaline walked to receive her bouquet of flowers. Amily felt so proud of her. “And now, THE QUEEN OF THE FESTIVAL…..MISS AMILY JARKER.”

The crowd cheered wildly and Amily was in shock. Two men grabbed her arms and led her to center stage where the emcee carefully placed a crown on her head and handed her a bouquet. The cheers grew louder and the world began to swirl for the girl. The men led her up the long stairs to the platform and the crowd became louder, almost like animals. She tried pulling away, but the men held their grip until they reached the top. There, they released her. She knew what she was expected to do but her human instinct kept her from doing it. She knew she must jump into the abyss, a sacrifice for the cruel god that she loathed. The crowd began to chant “Jump. Jump. Jump.” Yet, she couldn’t. One of the men pushed her and she lost her footing and fell from the platform, plummeting into the darkness of the abyss.

Garrock, here I come. I am yours

[Chat Noir]

A dark cave, brightened only by a small flame ensconced in a tiny brass cup, is the setting of this particular conversation. There are two participants, a man standing in the corner, shrouded in darkness, and a woman of unquestionable beauty who sits upon a throne made of obsidian.

“So, dear, I don't suppose you've heard,” the woman says, the words falling out of her mouth like satin.

“Heard what, my mistress?” the man says back. His voice is tough like gravel and it reverberates throughout the cavern. No other sounds can be heard, which is not odd for a place such as this. Wherever these two appear, it seems to become eerily silent. Of course, that's just a rumor and may be false. Not many people stay alive long enough after meeting them to refute the claim.

The woman 'tsks' and sits up straight from her lounging position. “Come now, love, don't play coy. It doesn't suit you, nor does it please me.” She snaps her fingers and the flame grows in size.

“My apologies,” the man acquiesces as he lowers his head. “Yes, I have heard. It would seem our previous plan did not succeed as well as we had hoped it would.”

She sneers in response, crossing her legs and bouncing her foot. “It's cute how you consider it our plan. It was your plan, and the reason it failed was because that fool you call your second in command fucked it all up. If I've told you once, I've told you a million times that he's a useless bag of shit. You should get rid of him, if you haven't already.”

“It is on my list of things you've suggested,” he says dryly. In response she simply purses her ruby red lips. “Since it would appear that 'my' ideas do not work as intended what do you suggest?” he offers. He says the sentence innocently enough, though both of the occupants of the 'room' know that it's more of a taunt.

“Why, thank you for so graciously asking me. I had no idea you had manners. You should use them more often.” She tosses her locks of auburn curls over her shoulder and stands. Her gown drapes sinfully over her ample curves. The sheer white silk garment leaves little to the imagination, though she seems unperturbed by the exposure and floats down several stone steps to stand next to a table that appears to have risen from the rock below. There is nothing on the table, though she scans it with intense scrutiny regardless.

“I use them when they are called for, which is not often in this business,” he responds. She continues to observe the table, but raises an eyebrow.

“Don't hold back on my account, tell me how you really feel about our occupation,” she responds as she places her hand on a random spot on the table. A hum begins to sound, not dissimilar to a small army of bees. Out of nothing, a small figurine grows underneath her palm. It is smooth like marble, but is obviously made of the same stone all around.

“So your plan is to play with dolls?” he says, crossing his arms and leaning more firmly on the wall behind him.

“She is not a doll, she is my own creation and she will get the job done where your 'friend' could not. He is not suited for a profession such as ours. It is not glamorous, nor is it coveted by many. He would be a better lumberjack, which is sad as his skills with an ax are disgustingly weak.”

“Are you quite done belittling my man?” he questions in an annoyed tone.

“Oh, I'm sorry, am I bothering you with the flat out truth?” she mocks in retaliation. She rolls his eyes when he scoffs at her. “You're pathetic. Remind me why I put up with you?”

“Because you don't have a choice and you never did.”

“Oh, but of course I have a choice. I've always got choices my dear shadow, and don't forget that for even a minute or you'll find yourself regretting it.”

“You know I love it when you threaten me. Now, enough flirting. Tell me about this doll of yours.” He leaves the shadows and approaches the table where the two stand. His clothes are as dark as the shadows were, and his body is still indistinguishable beneath the layered cloths. He stops when he nears the two. He is taller than the woman by nearly a foot, and the creature by four times as much. “How is this tiny thing supposed to pull of a task meant for a full sized man?”

“I know I didn't just hear such blasphemy from your mouth. This is obviously a woman's job. As for how she's going to complete her mission, well it's a little thing called magic. I know you're daft, but do try to keep up.” She crosses her arms and smirks at him.

“From one man to another with your insults. I'm not even surprised. They do say that every witch is a bitch. Guess they weren't wrong.”

“You're just jealous that you can't cast spells. We both know that's the only reason you're here, but it's okay. I'm the one really benefiting out of this situation.”

“Aren't you supposed to keep your hidden agenda a secret? Otherwise what's the point?”

“Who said there was a point. Now, off with you. I've got another spell to cast and it will take a dreadfully long amount of time and your presence is distracting.”

“I'm unsure if that was a compliment or not,” the man says, though he does back away.

“And you'll remain unsure. Now please,” she motions with her hands towards the entrance.

He rolls his eyes but does as she says, and then she is left alone with her unmoving ally.After a few moments her eyes begin to glow green and the flame which had been pleasantly flickering before is blown out. A soft wisp of smoke is all that remains of it. Words begin to tumble out of the woman's mouth, and the creature begins to glow a similar green to the witch's eyes.

Suddenly the words and the glowing stop and the cavern is left in darkness. A laugh erupts from the dark abyss, and it is like nails on a chalkboard.

[Celix]

The Setting of the Seven

The unending abyss reached a beautiful crescendo that was never ending to our small sphere of humanity. The dark and forbidding heavens were always there but always just out of reach, but not our conscious. Since before the birth of our understanding our constant friend had been there and we had wondered. Even when the great journey began it was done so slowly that the taste that was given could not sate our appetite for that beautiful unknown. We pushed farther and farther into the abyss and turned it from the beautiful mystery it had been to us for so long into some boring, bland and as common as a textbook.

Yet those who refused to give up hope pushed to the known limits, and then they pushed harder and farther. All the while they knew they were killing this great abyss but they could not help themselves, they had to push into the very depths of the abyss. She had been there so long and had been our mistress for so long that we could never abandon her or leave one inch untouched. So we journeyed onward and gorged ourselves while she slowly died.

It was not until so much later that we learned the folly of our deeds. That great abyss was a loving mistress but she was not one to be forgotten. One generation those explorers finally learned too much and found that we were not the only ones who loved this abyss. They were as eager to learn their mistress and when they met another who cared for their love they were not kind. How dare another love her, she was theirs, just as she was ours.

So the clash began. Through the struggle we learned so much but so much more was lost. Never before did we know that there could be such force in existence. We became lost in this new power but with time they fell beneath our boot and we returned to our first mistress. But now she was farther from our grasp than before. The celestial bodies fell to our unsatitiable need to go farther. What we did was deemed worthy for we only took from the old or the tainted parts of her. And so we pushed on heedless of her screams.

Yet the farther we went the more blemishes of unfaithfulness we found. So we destroyed them for their heinous crime of loving our love. Surly the pureness of the beginning must exist somewhere. She cannot be this tarnished, there must be a pure form of her out there. We had to find it.

Thief after thief was stricken down for the abdominal actions against us. None could stand in our quest and soon none did. Soon we were alone with our mistress with no secrets left to us, we knew all. But still we searched. The farther we went the more familiar everything began to feel. One day we found yet another thief, the final thief. They offered no resistance to our honorable quest but instead simply wished to speak to use before we removed them and moved on.

They were a strange folk indeed and old beyond anything ever encountered. It would be a pleasure to relieve them of all their stolen things and use it for the reclaiming of our love. We did not grant their wish until there was only one hideaway of theirs life left.

“You have been given the mantel that an uncountable amount has had before you. You now know the whole of existence. Think back to your youth when she was untainted and still a mystery. You can no longer have that awe yourself but you are the only ones who can grant it to the rest. Before you it was our burden to bear. We spread life throughout the stars and let them share her great mystery that we could no longer experience. So now you will become the one that is loved by all when you do as we have done and what has been done before us.”

“No. We will not. She is ours and we will once more find our beautiful mistress and renew this oldened and used husk. She is ours and ours alone. There is nothing but her and us. Good bye.”

Travelling the stars and space probing all that was known, the truth was once more revealed to them. They had returned to where they began. There was nothing left anywhere. The familiarness that they felt was in fact the great return to their known space and home. All that lay before and behind them was the used shell of their once perfect mistress.

Still acceptance did not follow. The mystery had to be there somewhere and they would find it no matter the price, no matter how much had to be destroyed because it did not matter when they found the mystery again all would be well. It would be theirs and no one else’s.

The great purge began once more but on a scale of the impossible. Every tainted part of her was used and removed. Eon after eon the scars were removed and the void entered. It was in this coming void that a new hope was founded, and new mystery that was greater than ever before. The mystery of that void, the void of complete destruction and removal of existence became the driving force. Their mistress had betrayed them with countless others. She had lied to them and instead of the promise infinite they received something finite. The ultimate betrayal of an uncountable amount of generations who had loved her, trusted her, and believed in her.

Oh how our ancestors would have wept if they had known that it was all one great lie. Those fools who said it was our responsibility to continue this lie deserved their demise for their acts and thoughts. Had it not been for them there would have been no lie, no pain, and no betrayal. We will accomplish what they did not. We will stop the lies and make it so that nothing will ever experience this again. We will leave nothing, not even ourselves. Our once great mistress never existed.

[Juicesir]

"ARE YOU READY, BROOKLYN?"

A cheer goes up from the crowd, spattered with wild bouts of clapping. A man in a navy blue blazer sporting a boater yelled into the microphone, surrounded by attractive girls in low cut tops and pleated skirts. "Then count! It! Down! From! Ten!"

"Nine!" Some people join in, following the MC's encouragement to join in.

"Eight!" The whole crowd is belting along, raucously heralding the start of it.

"Seven! Six!" The competitors eye each other nervously, the tension building in their bodies.

"Five! Four!" A large bearded man, one of the contestants, seemingly scratches his nose.

"Three! Two!" All are focused, all are waiting.

"One!" A chasm of silence follows.

GO!!!"

"And they're underway in Coney Island, right in front of the Nathan's Hot Dog Stand, with the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest," the TV announcer begins his commentary. At the bottom of the telecast, the rules of the simple competition are displayed within a festive box:


Competitors must eat hot dog and bun
10 minute time limit
Dunking may not exceed 5 seconds
Automatic DQ for "reversal of fortune"
The box zips away with a flashy animation, just as the broadcaster begins to speak again.

"We wanna get an early check in on the Dogs Per Minute count as that will be the determining factor early on in this competition." Another screen flashes at the bottom, the four names of the four current leaders attached to a number.


Nussbaum 3 - Kobe 2 - Bertolli 2 - Forshey 2

"It's a matchup of the century here, Bill."

"That it is Dave, that it is Nussbaum's looking for his 9th consecutive win here today, but can the Prince of Pork hold off the return of his old rival Takeshi Kobe?"

"Kobe's been in hard training for months, Bill, recently breaking the World Pizza Record by an easy sum. He's back in the game and better than ever. The Dragon of the East."

"But let's not discount Bertolli, who recently surpassed Jimmy Nussbaum's cheese steak record. The kid's got moxie."

"That he does, Bill, that he does."

The screen pans along the line, a line of black and white referees standing in front of the long table laden with plates of hot dogs and cups of water. Runners are racing in the pit between, while the girls standing behind each of the 25 competitors flip their counters with each officially completed hot dog.

"It's a beautiful day here in Coney Island," begins Bill, "and you couldn't have asked for a better flight than this."

"I was just thinking about that on my flight in to LaGuardia. It was a bit of a cluster getting in, and I could only think that with George MCing it would have been a little more pleasant."

"And organized," Bill states, "I mean look at the man. His introductions this year gave me shivers, Dave. Just shivers." The camera closes up on George, the man in the navy blazer and boater hat, shouting the action happening on stage out to the audience at large. "The man speaks with more fervency in his voice than a Baptist preacher. I'm willing to bet airports would be a lot better organized with him in charge."

"Right you are, Bill," laughs Dave. The counter updates. "And with our first minute down, it looks like Jimmy Nussbaum and Takeshi Kobe are neck and neck with 8 and 8. Forshey's pulled ahead of Bertolli-"

"Forshey's something of a bad boy in the Competitive Eating scene," Bill interrupts, "and boy does he have an iron stomach. Setting the world record for chilis eaten with 283. It's a barrel of fire he's got down there, it's probably burning right through everything it eats." The camera pans to Forshey, grossly overweight, and with tiny flecks of meat and bun caught up in the spiderweb of his unkempt beard.

"Forshey might be looking to put on a show today, you're right. He's stated that he spent the last week fasting. It's a risky move, especially with this sort of showing out there, it's really," he pauses for dramatic emphasis, "anyone's game."

The Dogs Per Minute counter goes up above the names. "Bertolli's pulling ahead, and setting an even 9 and a half hot dogs per minute along with Nussbaum. With a pace like this, these guys could eat Bill Gates out of house and home."

Dave gives a chuckle. "They sure are just tearing through the competition. Kobe's falling behind, with Steeve and Crocker getting on the board."

"And there's Brewster on the end," the camera shoots over to a thin man wearing a green bowler hat, "just having a fine time dining here. Someone bring him some candles and violin."

"It's like he's not even trying. Just here for the free food."

"Now, a lotta these guys are leaving bits of the bun on their table. Regulation states that you've gotta eat the whole thing. That side bun is gonna be the death of those competitors like students loans are to a post-grad."

Another laugh from Dave and he goes on to say with slight bewillderment and less formality, "You're on fire today Bill."

Bill seems to give no indication that he heard, at least not verbally, blazing right on with his commentary. "With seven and a half minutes left in the competition, we're seeing the separation between the pack and the leaders begin to enlarge."


Bertolli 20 - Nussbaum 19 - Forshey 17 - Steeve 17

"This is where the boys become the men, Dave. With the pace Bertolli is setting, he's on stack to be the winner of this- wait a second." The camera shoots to Bertolli, who is making violent motions with his neck. "Ladies and gentleman, we're not sure what's happening right now, but there seems to be something wrong with Bertolli." The forced calm of Bill's narration does not match the frantic scene now taking place on stage. Bertolli is moving his head, groping at his throat. "I think... yes, I think he might be choking." None move to help him, all eyes seem to be focused, until...

"Well folks, that's the first reversal of fortune this competition has seen in quite some time," Dave chimes in after a few moments.

"I haven't seen a blowout like that since The Lone Ranger hit theaters." Several suited men have by this point rushed to Bertolli's station, and begun cleaning up the mess. "And with that little display, Bertolli is officially disqualified from the competition.


Nussbaum 20 - Steeve 18 - Forshey 17 - Crocker 16

"The show must go on," Dave starts, "and Nussbaum seems to have not even flinched at the action that just happened beside him." Indeed, the TV shows Jimmy still shoveling fistfulls of water-soaked hotdogs into his face even as Bertolli walks away.

"We're coming up on seven minutes left," Bill says stating the obvious, "what do you think this means for the competition Dave?"

"Well I'll tell ya, Bill, it hasn't been this dead of a heat since Hans 'The German' Merman threatened to overtake Renga 'Brickhouse' Jitaku back in '02. With Bertolli off the board, Nussbaum's got a clear path to setting the record that his fellow competitor might have done himself."

"Right you are. And it's during this crucial time in the competition that Jimmy is known to start, as he says, pushing through the pain."

"The kid's a machine, Bill." Dave begins laying it on heavily. "You'll notice a lotta these guys are disciples of Kobe: skinny guys who followed his example of training and working out instead of just being big."

"Well let's not discount the big guys, yet," Bill says, with the camera panning to the bearded Forshey," because Jonathan Forshey is setting one heckuva pace. 8.25 hot dogs per minute, as compared to Nussbaum's straight 8. He's overtaken Steeve, and if he somehow manages to keep this up, it could be one of the greatest- hold on one moment, folks, something astounding is happening." The camera pans to one of the only two girls in the competition, a dark haired twenty something of petite frame. She wears a long-sleeved shirt despite the apparent heat of the day.

"Yes!" Dave nearly shouts. "That young competitor is Ryleigh Kagome. Miss Kagome is a newcomer to this year's competition, but has been making something of a stir in the amateur pie-eating circuit!"

No words come from Bill or Dave for a moment, as the camera goes to a close focus of Kagome. With mechanic and detached efficiency, she double fists her hotdogs. Dipping one into the water while cramming the other into her mouth, she repeats this motion again with right and left alternating between dunking and cramming.

"She's on a 9 dogs per minute count, folks. She's tearing past Crocker and coming up on Forshey. Is this a late bloomer we've got? I've never seen anything like this, folks."


Nussbaum 28 - Steeve 25 - Forshey 23 - Kagome 22

"I am astounded," Bill states, breaking his apparently astounded silence, "this competition is heating up faster than I can... come up with metaphors for it. Absolutely astounding." A roar surges from the audience, almost overtaking the sound of the two broadcaster's commentary. George the MC is standing behind Kagome, running between her and the other leaders.

"It's make your momma proud time, folks," Dave has taken charge of the commentating now, "with these four coming on 6 and a half minutes and absolutely devastating all previous expectations." His voice is quivering even through the speakers. "Will Nussbaum be able to pull off his 9th win? Will Forshey be able to overtake him? Or will the newcomer somehow come from behind in the upset of the century?"

"I can't describe what's going on right now," Bill describes, "this contest is one of the wildest ones I've ever seen."

Dave fills in the commentary with some more of his important trivia. "Michael Steeve himself may be able to take the mustard belt this year. The Canadian set records in the early 2000's for his pancake eating abilities, and has gone down in Guinness records for tacos and spaghetti as well. This carb king may be able to carve his niche here today in history." Dave's tenor is trembling at the thought of it.

Meanwhile, Bill's baritone cuts back in, trying to be as helpful as it was. "Coming up on halftime, Nussbaum is easing into his groove with 34 hot dogs put down. Steeve and Forshey are neck and neck coming into their thirtieth, with Kagome fighting off a newly resurgent Kobe at 28."

The counter wildly flips between Kagoma and Kobe being in fourth place. "The crowd here is absolutely insane with excitement, Bill. Bertolli's reversal of fortune really cleared the field for possibly one of the greatest competitions Nathan's has ever seen.

"Right you are, Dave," drones Bill," and it's important to remember that as we come into minute 5 that this is where the gap can really widen. Nussbaum's shown before that this is time."

"He's one to play for the long game, I'll give him that." The camera cuts back to the silly hated Brewster. "Brewsters still in the back of the pack, just having a grand ol picnic of it it seems."

"I've seen more grateful people in line at the soup kitchen's, Dave."

Dave seems to completely ignore Bill's failing attempts at concocting metaphors, and carries on. "Forshey has overtaken Steeve. The Canadian seems to be slowing his pace down quite a bit. If Kagome can overcome Kobe, this is going to be one interesting final five." Jimmy Nossbaum is on camera now, expertly shoveling squashed meat and bread into his mouth. He has the look of the quintessential frat bro, wearing his signature shades and face paint, his body visibly shaking each time he puts a hot dog down his throat.

"Nussbaum is using his trademark Carlene Pop technique to force teh hot dogs down, but Forshey is giving Nussbaum a run for his money, and that may actually push old Jaws towards a new record. The current record, held by Nussbaum, sits at 69. Set a couple years ago, that competition was itself a wonder."

"That it was, Bill. I still remember that day like it was yesterday."

The camera pans wide, showing a circling shot of the 24 remaining competitors. Bill's voice breaks out with renewed excitement. "We've got a strong string of competitors here, but Kobe can't seem to keep up the pace that Kagome is breaking out with. She's creeping up on Steeve here, all the while with Nussbaum pulling away from Forshey."

"It's a battle of the bellies like I've never seen. Forshey is pushing himself." The grotesque man is shown, his beard absolutely covered in spittle and water, his eyes wild and inhuman. "Look at his face. The dedication there is just crazy. This is a man who wants it."

"5:20, and the leaders are all close together."


Nussbaum 39 - Forshey 38 - Steeve 35 - Kagome 33

"Steeve's dogs per minute is dropping to just a scant 7.9 here, Bill, whereas Kagome is putting up an impressive 8.7. If he can't keep this pace, he won't even manage third-"

Bill again interrupts. "Nussbaum's got his fortieth, and Forshey has as well. They're going at it, mano y mano. David and Goliath." A side-by-side of Forshey and Nussbaum is shown; Nussbaum in his groove while Forshey frantically packs more meat into his gross maw.

"Normally," Dave says, showing no signs of agitation at Bills repeated interruptions, "this is the point, uh, this is the point in the competition when Jimmy Nussbaum would begin pulling away. In all past competitions, this has been the point where his dominance becomes clear. Last year, there was a four dog separation between him and the other competitors but Forshey is right there with him."

"Forshey was a Louisiana chef at one point," Bill sounds like he's reading something, "before trying his hand at culinary teaching. He's got a fearsome reputation in the restaurant business and a shady past. Can Jaws outrun the Crazed Cajun?"

An upset sound, intermingled with cheers and shouts, comes up from the audience. The girl standing behind Forshey's massive bulk flips her card before Nussbaum's girl does. "No," rings Dave's high voice, "it looks like he cannot! This audience is going wild, Bill. Absolutely wild, and Forshey's pulling ahead."

"Meanwhile," Bill cuts in, "Steeve has been unable to keep his pace, and the newcomer Kagome is quickly pulling into an impressive third." The audience is chanting a mixture of Forshey's and Nussbaum's first and last names, urging their favorites to go on. Somewhere in the maelstrom of sound, a distant blow horn is sounded.


Forshey 41 - Nussbaum 40 - Kagome 37 - Steeve 36

"Look at her go! This is unlike anything I've ever witnessed! This sort of late game powerthrough could either be a short burst of activity or a new technique the likes of which we've never seen!"

"The half Irish, half Japanese fox has outsmarted the lumbering giant from the north, but can she catch up to the gluttonous gladiators duking it out for first?" Bill has finally got his rhythm back. On stage, George the MC is has taken off his boater hat and is waving it wildly around over Nussbaum. The camera zooms. Nussbaum's shades have slipped.

"Oh my goodness! Nussbaum's heaving! Yes, he's trying to keep it down, but he may have pushed himself too far folks!" The handsome young man has bits of water dribbling from his mouth, his cheeks wide and near to bursting. Gone are his triumphant shakes of working through the pain, as he clearly is in pain now. "He can't work through it, he's going to-"

Groans and chaos errupt from the audience. The women on stage try to hide their looks of disgust.

"I can't believe it!" Dave shouts, utterly at odds with the disgusting display that was just witnessed. "Two reversals of fortune! One championship! The leaders are gone, and this thing is on!" Cracking and utterly beside himself, he carries on. "Forshey now has a commanding lead! This is truly," he pauses again for super dramatic effect, "unprecedented."

"Wow that was just... that was something." Bill's voice is calm and sounds vaguely grossed out himself. "Forshey is just going to town on those dogs. We've only got 4 minutes left in this thing, and it's now Forshey and Kagome."

A longshot focusing on the three leaders is shown. Forshey is gorging himself in the foreground, Kagome is still powering through with her double fisting technique, and towards the right side of the TV can be seen Steeve just trying his best to stay in it.


Forshey 44 - Kagome 39 - Steeve 37 - Crocker 36

The commentators rattle on. "Kobe is pushing it, trying to edge in over crock."

"Crocker can't hold his stuff. His dogs per minute are slipping."

"Forshey puts down his 46th. The crowd is just bonkers right now!"

"Kagome's made it through her fortieth and... and now her 41st!"

"Steeve's is falling behind."

Pandemonium on the screen, the camera operators are trying to follow all that is being said as well as what is happening. Nussbaum's station is now empty, the 23 remaining competitors pushing harder than ever now to try and catch the head of the pack. George the MC is practically dancing with delight at the spectacle. It seems as if no person could ever be more gleeful than he is right now.

"With 3:27 left on the clock, Forshey has put down his 50th hotdog."

"He's moving right into 51!"

"Kagome, now only 3 behind, has kept her dogs per minute at an amazingly high rate. She could catchup!"

"Kobe's overtaken Crocker! Steeve's is putting them down slower and slower, he's falling behind."

A chant has now erupted through the audience. The wild repetition of "Rayleigh, Rayleigh" can be heard from all its members. George is throwing his hands up, encouraging it. His boater hat now nowhere to be seen, his blazer flies behind him with the wind of his movements. Time seems to be lost in the flurry of motion.

"Forshey's easing up, the heat of it all just getting to him." It is nearly impossible to distinguish which broadcaster is speaking over the din of the crowd, so hoarse are both their voices from speaking. "With Jonathan Forshey at a steady 53, Kagome has closed the gap to just two hotdogs."

"I cannot believe it, Bill. I just can. Not. Yesterday, these two were on the outskirts of it all, mere names on a list. But today, they may go down in hot dog history. If my calculations are correct, both are set to break the record if they somehow manage to keep their pace!"

"With just two and a half minutes left and Forshey at 54, Rayleigh is coming on hard. Yes! Yes she's done it! They're now tied!" Overwhelming applause is sounded. In the next thirty seconds, there is a volley of back and forth.

"Kagome's got one ahead with 55, but Forshey matches it."

"It's Forshey leading!"

"Kagome, focused as ever-"

"The Titan of Tobasco-"

"The Mistress of Mayonnaise-"

"Fifty six!"

"Fifty seven!"

"He's pulling ahead!"

"Looks like she's got a grip on it now!"

"Fifty eight!"

"Fifty nine!"

"A minute fifteen on the clock. Both competitors are in a dead heat with 60 hot dogs. I don't care what country you come from, or what you may think, but this is possibly one of the most important moments in this entire sport's history."

Dave's voices cracks over the audio. "Kagome's already destroyed Sonia Tomsky's 2009 record of 41 hot dogs. She's on point to become the first champion of this usually male-dominated arena."

"Forshey plugs down another-"

"With Kagome," Dave interrupts Bill, his excitement something which is unable to be contained at this point, "putting down one in her signature double fist technique! And she's on to the next one!"

"Kagome has set and astounding 7.25 hot dog per minute, break-neck speed. If she manages to keep it, then Forshey may be lost."

"Forshey, having a comeback, pummels down two more. Look at his beard!" Close up, it is a web of disgusting fibers and liquid, dribbling down onto his shirt. "It's a wonder that thing is even allowed!"

"It does meet regulation standards, Dave."

Quiet, as the cameras swoop, the audience throws its hands up, and the world seems to watch this moment. "The folks down there all know something special is happening. George is doing a great job of keeping them informed. You can feel their energy just being given off."

"What I wouldn't bet some people are wishing to have been down there to see this truly spectacular event." The clock on the bottom of the screen changes hits 1:00, and then changes to just show the seconds and milliseconds.


Forshey 62 - Kagome 62 - Kobe 47 - Crocker 43

The two commentators head into breakneck broadcasting mode now.

"We're into the last minute! And Forshey is not letting up!"

"But the newcomer Kagome is hot on his heels. She's not gonna give up til she's done, Bill, she knows she's gotta chance here!"

"Fifty seconds! Forshey's hit 63!"

"My eyes must be lying, did Kagome just get 64?"

"She did! She just did. She's gotten past him!"

"But with 40 seconds left, Forshey has matched it!"

"She's not gonna step down!"

"65 is on the board!"

"From both of them!"

"Thirty seconds left. I don't know what's gonna happen!"

"Kagome pulls ahead! 66!"

"Forshey puts one down... and then another!"

A side-by-side is shown. The behemoth Jonathan Forshey on the left, and the small Rayleigh Kagome on the right.

"68 from Kagome!"

"They're pushing it!"

Sweat covers both of their foreheads. Kagome's bun is a mess. Forshey's beard glistens. The counter beneath Forshey's screen switches to 69. 17 seconds remain on the clock, the smaller digits beside it moving at an incalculable speed.

"He's right there! And Kagome with him!" Dave's voice sounds the triumph of Kagome matching her rival. 14 seconds on the clock.

"And yes! Yes! At eleven seconds she's got 70!"

"Forshey breaks the record as well!"

A wall of sound errupts from the audience, their speech and cheering completely unintelligible.

"Seven seconds... who's it going to be?"

The audience counts down.

"Five! Four!" The man and the girl try their hardest.

"Three! Two!"

"I can't believe it!"

"One!"

"It's-"

The clock strikes zero, and there are sounds of bewilderment mingled with disappointment.

JONATHAN FORSHEY WINS!"

The screen shows the outcome, the words "71 HOT DOGS - NEW WORLD RECORD" emblazoned underneath Forshey's face. Eyes bulging, slightly rocking back and forth, he tries to steady himself. Kagome's picture is not shown. "THIS IS INCREDIBLE, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, ABSOLUTELY," Dave pauses, "INCREDIBLE!"

The audience does not quite share his agreement. Yes, there are cheers of success, but it had not been his Forshey's name they chanted for so long.

"Jonathan Forshey of Pennsylvania has done the impossible in a year of impossibilities!" It's Bill this time, reveling in his ability to spread this news. A moment of silence from the commentators, as a flying shot of the audience and the stage are shown. Many hands are being raised, but one hand in particular is noticed by George. Down along the judge's line, a man with headphones and a camera is speaking quickly to one of the referees, who signals the navy blazer wearing master of ceremonies to come down.

As George hops off the stage, Bill continues. "First, the blowout from Bertolli. Then, the loss of Nussbaum. Jonathan Forshey has gone down, today, as the champion in a competition he would otherwise have never had a chance-"

"Hold on a second Bill!" Dave interrupts. "There seems to be some commotion down with the referees." A wide shot of the referee, George the MC, and the man with headphones and a large TV camera is shown. They appear to be looking at some footage. "I don't know what's going on."

On stage, the competitors sit wiped out. The massive presence of Jonathan Forshey can be easily spotted from along their ranks, whipping his face and beard with a napkin. George now jumps on stage, headed for the mic. Tapping it once, he gives a serious look out at the audience, his joviality now gone.

"After reviewing a tape from the just before the competition, it has been found that in the moments leading up to the start of the contest, Mr. Forshey had consumed half of one hot dog." Incredulity spreads like wildfire among the onlookers. Forshey tries to stand, outrage plastered on his pungent face. "According to the rules as laid out by the International Federation of Competitive Eaters, this is grounds for disqualification!"

A stunned silence.

"RAYLEIGH KAGOME IS THE WINNER!"

The audience detonates with this news, sending up such a cacophony of joyful cheers and celebration as had never been heard in the contest's history.

"My oh my!" Dave exclaims. "What a reversal of fortune!"

And with that, the TV is paused. On screen can be seen the young and surprised Kagome, expression transitioning from the disappointment she had felt moments ago to that of utter jubilation, the words "71 HOT DOGS - NEW WORLD RECORD" emblazoned underneath her picture on screen. For a moment, there is silence, and then the click of a button.

A blink of white, and then darkness envelopes the television screen. For a moment, there is nothing that can be seen. Then, in the reflection of it, can be seen a young, dark-haired sitting on a couch. She's in a tank top with a bowl of noodles on her lap, and behind her on a wall is mounted a mustard yellow belt. The sounds of a happy slurp can be heard as she sets her supper down on the end table beside her, the spoon clanking cheerily inside the bowl.

In the TV's reflection, she looks at herself for a moment, and then down at her own forearms. Thin lines of scars trace their way from her wrists up to her elbows. She studies then, and then looks back to the mirror of the TV screen, gazing at the mustard yellow belt on the wall behind her. She smiles without teeth. Standing up, she goes over to the wall, takes down the belt from it, and puts it on. Swaying her hips back and forth, she picks the bowl up and puts the spoon in her mouth, leaving the room and her memories behind.

[Soulio]

“You won’t do it! Ha ha, loser! Wimp!” The Jock of Haywood High, Jon Caluruso shouted.
“Shut up! I’m gonna do it! Just… hold on.” Replied a nerdy kid, Dan Holper said, looking down into the abyss of the hole in front of him.
For about a month, there was been a deep, deep hole in a field, and even though the police department warned people to stay away from it since there had been no official information on how it got there, most students were dared to go down the hole.
And now Dan Holper was one of those kids.
A rope tied around his waist and a tree, Dan turned around and started to climb down the hole, and into the abyss.
“Holy shit, he’s actually doing it… I’ll be damned.” Jon said, his voice getting progressively muffled as Dan kept getting lower and lower.
After a while, Dan’s rope ran out, leaving him hanging. Pulling a small flashlight out of his pocket, Dan turned it on, and started to look around the cavern.
He aimed it at the ground, and realized that the ground wasn’t a long fall. So, he decided to untie the rope around his waist, and fall to the ground.
“HEY! YOU ALRIGHT DOWN THERE?!” Jon shouted, his voice barely audible down where Dan was.
“I’M FINE! I’M EXPLORING!” Replied Dan.
So, Dan started to walk into the deep cave, his flashlight his new best friend.
The cavern was huge. Definitely not a natural cave, since the walls were perfectly smooth, and the ceiling was domed.
As Dan kept exploring, he kept getting deeper and deeper into the abyss that was the cave, and his hair began to stand on his neck, and his heart rate began to race, his body shivering with fear.
“What’s down here?” He mumbled to himself, shocked that his voice was laced with fear. And the deeper into the cave he got, the more his body got frightened, but his curiosity kept rising more and more.
After a few more minutes of exploring, Dan rounded a corner, and fell to his knees in fright.

There, right in front of him, was a massive, grotesque glob of pulsating green, purple and blue… shapes that glistened with slime. The simple sight of it made Dan want to puke, and run away as fast as he could.
But he had been down here for a long while, and for all he knew, Jon had disappeared and gone home. Or maybe he had gone to get someone to get Dan out from the abyss.
And at this rate, Dan was hoping that that was the case.
Slowly backing away from the conglomeration of pulsating shapes, Dan turned off the flashlight, no longer wanting to see the form.
After making his way away from the flesh glob, Dan began to rush back to the abyss entrance.
But he very quickly lost his way.
A left turn, a right turn, circling his steps, Dan was now effectively lost in this abyss, and with the flesh glob.
Occasionally, he felt as though he was being followed by something, but each time he turned around, he lost the feeling for a few seconds.
Eventually, he just sat down on the ground, and wanted to give up, and hope that someone would come and find him. But what if they got lost as well? Then he and someone else would be stuck down here.
And he had to get back up. He had to tell someone what he saw. The police, FBI, government, something, anyone who would be willing to listen to him and what he had to say, and take him remotely seriously.

Meanwhile
At the police station, Jon was being asked a few questions by an officer.
“I’m telling you, all I know is that he went into the cave, and that’s it. I saw him go down, and then I came here. I swear,” Jon said, his voice very clearly filled with that of a bad liar.
“Alright, son. We’ll find your friend.” The officer stood, and went over to the captain, and explained the situation.
Within ten minutes, two squad cars were on their way to the abyss, with a few lines of rope, and a bright flashlight. Jon was taken home, and then his mother informed of the situation.

“Alright, let’s get you two down there and get that kid home. Then make sure that someone is watching this place twenty four seven, you got it?”
“Yes, Sir.”

Washington D.C
“Sir, there’s another life form in that abyss. What do you suggest we do?” A federal agent asked his boss.
“Send a team in, acquire the land and get rid of those that have seen Life Form Zero. Immediately.”
“Sir.” The agent said, leaving the room and rushing towards the phone.

Within hours, a team of Federal Agents outfitted with machine guns and heavy armor had landed down near the abyss, and Dan had been saved. But at the time, the police officers were questioning Dan about why he was down there, and he was trying to tell them about what he had seen. But they weren’t listening, and it was making Dan go insane.
All the while, the federal agents were closing in on the five officers, their rifles at the ready. They knew their orders, and they would carry them out with extreme prejudice.
“Listen! There is something down there! And something needs to be done about it! It was fucking HUGE!”
“Son, I think you just need to go home, and sleep it off. You were down there for a while. You might have been hallucinating.”
“I wasn’t hallucinating!”
Suddenly, the federal agents appeared, their guns lighting up, and the officers and Dan all fell over, their bodies lifeless and limp.
“Targets nullified, area secured. Over.”
“Understood, Agent. We appreciate your service, and Field Agents will be there shortly to take over the area and capture the life form.”
“Excellent.”

[Naraness]

The tunnel was dark, pitch black in fact. The cold air was unmoving and unchangeable, and the stone walls were nearly suffocating. It was hard to breathe in such darkness, for it felt like she was literally breathing in the black nothingness.

Calm down, just keep walking. She tried to assure herself. It’ll be okay. But these thoughts brought no comfort whatsoever. In fact, they did the opposite. They dragged down her hope, and built her fears up. In this nothingness, what if she stumbled and fell? What if she was unknowingly traversing down other tunnels? What if she was more lost that she could feel?

“Calm down.” The woman ordered herself in a soft, fearful voice. “Just calm down.” With one hand on the wall, she slowly made her way through the unending pitch. Her fingers trembled as they skimmed along the stone wall at her side, and her breath hitched with every fearful step. Surely if she could just keep moving forward, then she would find her way out.

She had already tried backtracking, memorizing the tunnels, and more. But when these attempts came to the test, she found that she was more disoriented than ever before. Staying put was more frightful than anything, though. So that idea was out of the question. If she died… Oh well. She tried.

One step after the other. Always she tested the ground with her toe before stepping. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot- The woman froze, realizing that her toe had not touched anything in front of her. It was as if there was literally no ground before her. Perhaps it was just a small step? A dip in the tunnel?

Carefully, she crouched on the ground and reached down with her hand. Her fingers brushed the edge of the level ground, to find there as indeed a pocket of empty air there. Her heart jumped into her throat, and she began to tremble violently. Had she nearly stepped off the edge into an abyss?

Her hands began searching the ground, seeking out some small item. A tiny pebble would do the trick. She turned it over in her hands, and then dropped it off of the edge. “One… Two… Three…” After a total of five seconds, she finally heard the pebble clack on the ground far below. Chills ran up her arms. She was standing on the edge of an abyss which she couldn’t even see.

[Omac]

Was I dead?
I couldn’t feel anything, and upon opening my eyes I couldn’t see anything. I was floating in the mists of darkness with nothing around me for what felt like miles. I checked for my gem, my whistle, and my weapons, but all were missing. I noticed I was wearing some sort of red cape that flew in the wind. Wind? How was there wind here? I tried to move forward, but I couldn’t move.
Suddenly a bright light came and a long, skinny arm grabbed ahold of me pulling me out. It appears I was in some sort of magical closet. I landed safely on the ground of what seemed like a little girl's room with a bunch of princess I don’t recognize painted on her walls. I then looked to the girl in front of me. She appeared around six to eight years old and her blond hair was up in a ponytail.
“Piper! Did it work? Were you able to connect with Omac?” She asked.
“What? I am Omac!” I said without really thinking.
She stepped back, “Piper did it. He actually was able to use the power of the crystals to switch places with Omac… or well.. you! I wonder how long it’ll take PIper to switch back. He’ll have to collect a crystal and use it’s power to switch back. Unless Omac was able to get one around the same time as well... “
“Wait, wait, wait? Why would this ‘Piper,’ want to switch places with me?”
“Silly head, don’t you remember? You switched places with Piper a few months back in an attempt to gather help from outside the castle,”
“Do you know who the witch is?”
“Nope. Big brother knows, but shouldn’t you know? You both came from the same place all at once,”
“Where did we come from?”
“Well, from what I’ve heard, the sky,”
I shook my head. As if my current lifestyle wasn’t enough, but now I could switch places with people? I made my way to the window to see my reflection and found I looked exactly the same as I did before. Me, Omac, looked the same even when I was Piper. It was like were the same person or even worse; complete opposites. I had a baby brother and he had a baby sister. If I was the good, heroic king then that would mean that this Pied Piper had to be the villain.
I shook the girl, “How do I switch back?”
She pushed me away, “I already told you that he used the power of the crystals. So I suppose you could just use that. Except… brother absorbed that and likely the one on your end as well. Unless it was corrupted then you would need a dragon to turn it back. Both sides need to have a crystal in order to switch,”
“The one I had was corrupted so all I have to do is get a crystal here, as Piper, and I should be able to switch us back? Sounds all good and dandy, but I seriously need my weapons and things…”
“I wonder if you could use that backpack brother found on his quest to get the first crystal?” She pointed a backpack on the bed, “You could at least take a look,”
I quickly snatched it up opening it up wide to find all my items. Like, Piper and me this backpack is connected to the one on my side and anything I put inside will be on both ends unless he takes it out. Sadly, my starish gem, sword, boomerang, and whistle isn’t in here… So I didn’t have everything I needed. Without JJ I wouldn’t even know how to find a new crystal. I was worried about JJ. I couldn’t be sure if Piper had killed him or not. I didn’t even know if I could truly switch back. I was taking the word of six year old.
I slid the backpack on my back, “Where can I go to find a crystal? Is there anywhere near here?”
“There is Pip’s lair which is about a day’s walk from here. You’ll need some help if you’re going to venture that far on foot,” she walked over to a bell connected to the wall and rung it, “Nancy! Come here please,”
Bursting through the door was a hairless, one-eyed creature that seemed to be staring deep into my soul… and was carrying a plate of fresh baked cookies. I so badly wanted to snatch all of them and stuff them down my throat. I resisted the urge. She smiled at me with a creepy, non-human face reaction.
The little girl continued, “Nancy , Piper completed his mission and has switched places with the king. This now, is Omac. I’ll need you to travel with him to the evil fire elementals lair and help him retrieve the crystal so he can switch back. That should give my brother plenty of time to complete his assignment on his end,”
“Of course sweetheart,” Nancy replied, “I will be happy to escort the king to his destination. Especially if it means getting your brother back,”
“What exactly is Piper doing on my side?” I asked feeling even more worried about JJ. Both Nancy and the little girl remained quiet for a few minutes until I broke the silence, “Seriously? Why can’t you tell me?”
“It’s the same reason why you switched with him all that time ago. To build an army or well to get more powerful. In his case he’s trying to enlist the power of crystals. You two are connected. When you absorb a crystal you go up level. Both of you are level two right now. He couldn’t beat Pip so he switched with you in an attempt to get the rest of the crystals on your side,” Nancy explained, “The more you have the more powerful both of you get,”
The little girl nodded going over to a box under her bed before bringing it to me. She opened it to reveal a six-sided starfish gem much like my own. “Where you have the white and green unlocked, Piper has blue and red. You two are definitely made for each other. You’ll need this once you absorb a crystal to switch places with him. Plus, it should help you on your travels…”
I quickly snatched it up, stuffing it into my left pocket. I was a little excited about this whole thing, but also worried about JJ and nervous about this threat that not even my doppleganger could defeat.
Nancy put her stubby hand on my shoulder, “We should get going sweetie, we have a lot of road to cover if we’re going to get you back home in time,”
“In time for what I asked?”
“You don’t know? The evil witch has summoned a storm from the seas. It’s sweeping over the nation. It could arrive any day now and it thought to be the destruction of our world. That’s why Piper had to switch places with you. If you don’t find enough crystals soon enough the entire kingdom will become like Atlantis. An underwater hell,”