1 Prologue

A constant clang rang throughout the large expanse of nothing. However, if this sound was to be heard, surely a source would be causing it?

A question which Jude concluded near impossible; A rhetorical question, but impossible nonetheless.

Through the passing years, he had not been able to notice this sound of clanging getting louder and louder each time as if the endless drainage of the blinding white robbed him of his concept of reality.

Eventually, Jude would begin to see faint signs of orange, mixed with yellow, and a hint of red in between flashing, brighter and brighter; a small beacon of hope to reach for.

If not for the harmony between how once the flash appeared, the clanging accompanied moments later; This allowed understanding that despite the interesting land he found himself floating in, his humanistic knowledge of: 'The speed of light > The speed of sound' had remained intact.

Jude felt that, if he was still in his everyday life, this would have been an annoyance; A sound which would annoy him as much as a nearby construction site, or his mother using the vacuum downstairs, or outside his room.

He had an average life. Except for the lack of parental attention or familial attention in general during his childhood and beyond; never suffered from mental illness that would force him to commit murder; never had surgeries; never had blood transfusions. Just the average. Read lots of books, looked up cool mythologies on Wikipedia mainly because of Percy Jackson.

He wasn't a genius who would remember everything there is to know. Just most of the basic stuff like main gods and a few stories he was taught in his younger school days.

Nothing special would ever happen to Jude, however, because he spent most of his time doing nothing effective like most people. However, he always admired those who could make changes and help others. Mostly those who had invented iconic inventions and breakthrough discoveries, those are the ones best known for helping others, those are the ones Jude wants to be like.

Unfortunately, he knew that would never happen to him. Not now that he is in this mysterious place.

This thought brought small pains towards him. Being so lost in the wonder of the place he is in, much like the Salar De Uyuni from his homeworld, he had yet to realize that the chances of returning home were close to nothing.

Jude, however, felt content. He had never felt a true connection with most of his family, unfortunately. He knew that most people would do much, so so much for their family, yet he never felt so.

Sure, he had his cousins and his aunts or uncles. He didn't even think about them much. The only true family member he could love undoubtedly would be his dog, Bella. Even then, she had died early, yet Jude struggled to feel a true emotional pain that he often hears about from others.

Maybe his pain was just bottled up, waiting for the contents to become so dense that the cover will POP! And leave him a broken mess; He couldn't say a thing about anything right now, he didn't have a grasp on where he was or where he could or could not step, a disarrayed mind was not something that should come as a surprise when just moments before you were being crushed under the weight of a truck.

Again, the constant clanging resounded; This time resembling more and more of what would be metal on metal. Jude's mind whirred and glazed over, his subconscious had broken away yet again like before; except this time, Jude searched rigorously, hoping to identify what truly he had been hearing.

In the distance, a small flicker seemed to sway. With no wind to push and no floor to rest, Jude, in his floating form, looked in hesitance; he understood that approaching what seemed to be the only other sentient thing in the room would either be an incredibly good opportunity, or an incredibly drastic one.

After a few moments, Jude walked forwards; Failing in the process. He was floating and this, obviously could not walk. However, once again, Jude managed to find a way to remain stationary in his moving body, this time, Jude pieced everything together and pressed forwards, swaying his arms like dragging himself through water, eventually beginning his journey toward sure light.

The clanging sounded louder and the bursts of light became more frequent. The sound and light became more harmonious with every push forward Jude took -- Surely Jude was approaching some important area that explains his predicament.

Now within a normal viewing distance, he observed as a figure made of fire bring down a hammer with a mighty THUMP!

The sound reverberated louder than anything he had ever heard and fire engulfed everything around him. Jude now realized that the phrase curiosity killed the cat had become a very apparent saying to him right now.

The flame which had covered him suddenly seemed to freeze; thickening as it reverted to the form of a man at a forge. The heat was intense but welcomed. Said form stood and walked towards Jude; They gently straightened Jude's posture and as he looked closely, he noticed it smile a beautiful smile which none could compare.

The flames accompanied with this warm smile and brought him back to the feeling he once held as he sat in front of the fireplace as a child, Bella, his dog beside him as he embraced the sudden flood of relief that overcame him.

As he reached out and touched the figure emitting from the flames, they too committed a similar action, drawing their finger across his face, then across his entire body.

Even when he could not see what the flame was doing, he knew that it would be magnificent; Feeling the comforting arches it drew spread across different places on his face, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, legs, feet, then to covering his entire set of hair with its hands.

Jude now felt a lovely sense of warmth engulf his body, a different pleasure from sexual or emotional, one which came from deeper inside of himself, as if something inside him was commanded him to embrace this feeling into a craft, into beauty.

Eventually, this feeling became too potent for Jude, like an abundance of energy that should be used yet was neglected, and his eyes closed in a heavy daze, leaving him to lie still as the flame was sucked into him swiftly; A small explosion was created as Jude's now semi-fiery form disappeared entirely, leaving behind nothing but a pleasant warmth, for all eternity.