A Meeting Between A Villain and Death (1)

Thank you, DereckESCL, for the 9 Power Stones you sent over the weekend!

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Ciaran stood in the room, studying the polished metallic gray floor gleaming under the soft lighting. The walls, painted in a pristine white, enclosed him in a clean, minimalist space. As he turned around, he was struck by the breathtaking sight that met his eyes. Before him, a large window stretched three meters across and two meters high, offering a captivating view.

He approached the window and gazed out into the vast expanse of space. Beyond the glass, the world below slowly revolved in the endless blackness.

"Where the hell am I?" He questioned as he watched the world for a moment longer. 

The last thing he could remember was killing Leo. Then he collapsed before finding himself here.

Suddenly, the heavy metal door behind him slid open with a faint hiss, prompting him to pivot swiftly into a defensive stance. He instinctively reached for a weapon, but to his dismay, he realized that his magical energy was inexplicably absent, leaving him vulnerable and exposed.

Ciaran clicked his teeth in frustration as he stood in front of the empty doorway. He took a deep breath and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. He glanced to his left, the corridor stretching before him devoid of any signs of life. Then, he turned his attention to the right, noticing the same emptiness that greeted him from that direction as well.

"Dammed if I do and dammed if I don't." He said with a shrug. He turned left and headed down the hall.

He strolled through the hushed corridor, the soft hum of the lights the only sound. A sliding door parted before him as he approached, revealing yet another room. His steps faltered as he entered, taking in the unexpected sight before him.

A figure resembling a skeleton was diligently typing on a futuristic holographic computer, a sight Ciaran had previously only encountered in fictional portrayals on television and in movies.

"This isn't a dream?" He asked as he walked over to the skeleton and waved in its face, "Right?"

"Yes and no." Came the reply from the skeleton.

"You can understand me?" Ciaran asked in a surprised tone.

"Follow." The skeleton said as it stepped away from the computer and started walking down another hall.

A quick glance at the computer revealed a language he was completely unfamiliar with, and with a sigh, he turned his attention toward the skeleton.

Ciaran pondered as he trailed the skeleton. "No matter how one was to look at things, I'm on a space station orbiting an unknown world," he mused. His eyes drifted to another window they passed, and he caught sight of the world once more. "No, I know that world," he suddenly realized.

The world outside seemed to vanish as they passed the window, and Ciaran shifted his focus to the eerie skeleton. "It's likely not conscious, more akin to a puppet. Could this mean I'm facing a necromancer?"

While contemplating his next move, the skeletal figure halted and gestured toward a massive door. Standing three meters tall, the door creaked open to reveal a chilling sight. Dozens of eerie creatures filled the space beyond, ranging from skeletal figures to grotesque beasts straight out of a nightmare.

All of them were seated at their computer stations, completely engrossed in their work, the only sound the gentle hum of the machines. Ciaran glanced at the skeletal structure that had transported him to this place, half expecting it to spring to life, but it remained motionless. Stepping into the expansive room, he was greeted by a breathtaking sight. The walls were made entirely of transparent material, offering a panoramic view of the space surrounding them and the slowly rotating world below.

As his gaze swept the area, everything faded away when he spotted a towering figure cloaked in a hood. The mysterious figure stood with its back turned, its massive frame easily exceeding two meters in height. However, the robe obscured the details, leaving Ciaran unable to discern anything else about the enigmatic figure.

"I take it. You're the one who brought me here," Ciaran asked, stepping into the large room.

"Depends," the mysterious figure whispered from beneath the hooded robe, sending chills down Ciaran's spine. Which here are you referring to?" the figure asked as it turned around.

Ciaran tried to peer inside the figure's hood, but all he saw was eternal blackness—as if he were looking into the void itself. He feared getting lost and had to quickly avert his eyes.

The sound of a chuckle emanated from the towering figure, resembling the eerie clacking of bones against each other.

"Fear not, Christopher." The figure began but paused. "Or is it Ciaran?" 

Ciaran opened his mouth to speak, but the figure waved a bony hand, "I actually had a nice long discussion with your mother and asked her why she named Christopher."

At the mention of his mother, Ciaran suddenly froze as a flood of memories surged from the depths of his mind, overwhelming him. Images of how she beat him and yelled at him flooded his mind. 

"Apparently, Christopher is the name of the person who carried Christ upon his back." The figure paused as its shadow grew larger for a moment before a woman in her forties with dirty blond hair stepped out of its shadow.

Ciaran's pulse quickened as he gazed at the woman. She stood at an average height, her face unassuming yet kind. Her figure held a softness around the midsection, adding to her overall warmth and approachability.

But beneath her friendly and welcoming exterior, there was a woman filled with vengeance and resentment. She had experienced the pain of raising a child alone after the father chose to leave, despite the striking resemblance the child bore to him.

"Isn't it ironic?" The figure asked, "She named you after the one who carried Christ upon his back, and all you've done was carry others upon your back."

Ciaran hesitated before speaking. His mind flooded with memories of Kristin taking advantage of him until she discarded him and of being overlooked for promotions during his military career.

"I even brought you to this new world, and you're still carrying others upon your back." The figure said.