1 Awakening

Darkness.

A sea of black, no light in sight. A seemingly endless void stretching as far as one could see permeated my vision. I looked around.

`Where... where am I?'

`Who am I?`

`What is my purpose?`

My eyes fluttered and I took a breath. The air flowed into my lungs as if I was a newborn, taking my first breath of life. I savored it, and slowly exhaled, calming my turbulent mind.

I looked around in the black expanse, not a single light in sight. I looked down. I couldn't see my body, but I could feel my arms and legs shaking.

It was cold.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember something... anything.

Nothing came to mind.

`Why... am I here?`

Suddenly, I noticed a faint light flickering in the distance. It flickered continuously as it shone, and I watched it shine brighter and brighter as if there was no limit on how bright it could get.

As it got brighter, my eyes started to water. I felt small tears trickling down my cheeks, pooling at my chin and slowly falling off and drifting away as if running away.

It hurt, so I closed my eyes. I felt the light growing brighter and brighter through my closed eyes and then...

Warmth. I felt warmth. The feeling of heat permeated through my body and I felt my cells rejuvenating, life aura filling my entire flesh.

Suddenly, the light disappeared but the warmth was still there. I slowly opened my eyes and peeked out, both curious and anxious of what I would see.

I saw a figure floating in front of me, its body like a vague clump of tissue in the shape of a human. It had no eyes, no ears, no clothes, yet... it felt familiar.

I stared at it as it floated there, in silence. We continued to stay silent for what seemed like an eternity, until I spoke.

"Who are you?"

Its head faced me, and it seemed to stare at me, even though it had no eyes. It felt like a gaze was looking straight into my soul and mind, as if nothing could escape. I trembled, fearful of it, not knowing what it could do to me. I felt an aura of power coming from it as if it could crush me like an insignificant ant anytime if it wanted to.

"I am the One." it replied.

"The... One?"

"Yes. I am the One."

I blinked. "Who am I then?"

A few more moments of silence passed before the One responded. "You are who you are."

"What... what does that mean? I am who I am? Do I have a name? Do I have a purpose? Where am I and why am I here?" I questioned, completely confused by the answer the One gave me.

"In time, your questions and troubles now will be answered. As for a name, you may give yourself one. It is not my responsibility to chose the identity and path that you will undertake. That is your choice alone."

`A name...` I thought. And my identity. I need a name to identify myself and my path.

"Two. You are the One, so I will be Two." I decided.

One nodded, seemingly content with my answer.

"Good. Your name will be Two, and your path ahead will be forged in the name of Two. I hope you are ready."

"I... can I know more? Is there anything you can tell me?"

"Hmm... Two, you are male. Look between your legs."

"..."

"Well, I guess you can't right now since there is no light besides me. Maybe try and give it a touch?"

"..."

"Haha, I'm getting old, I guess my jokes aren't very funny anymore. Anyways, as for any other questions you may have, I can't tell you more than this. It's your own responsibility to create yourself and your path."

I felt the urge to feel between my legs, and I quickly looked one more time at One. Its form now glowing seemingly slightly brighter, as if it was the source of light itself. However, none of that light seemed to reflect off me, or anywhere.

"Two, are you ready?"

"Hmm? Ready for what?" I asked.

"To begin."

`To begin? What does One mean? What am I beginning? My journey? There is nothing here!`

I felt my heart beat faster and faster, thumping so hard it almost seemed like I could hear it pounding out of my chest. I didn't know what One meant, but I felt a premonition of danger and disaster from its words. To begin...

"Take your time. Settle your thoughts. I will give you some time, and then return. I understand your turmoil." One said, as if it knew what I was thinking.

With a bright flash, One disappeared and the endless empty sea of black was now empty again. I felt the cold and loneliness seep in again, as if One was the only thing warm in this boundless place.

Time passed. My thoughts flew. Not knowing how long had flew by, my thoughts slowly drifted from place to place, fear to excitement. Anger to joy. Resentment to calm. And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I felt... peaceful. I felt ready.

As if on cue, the flickering light appeared again. This time, I didn't close my eyes, not wanting to miss anything. The tears I shed no longer had any pain. I simply wanted to witness.

The flickering light in the distance free brighter and brighter. Brighter and brighter. Minutes passed.

I finally realized it was not growing brighter, but closer. Then, after a few more minutes, the light was right in front of me, blindingly bright and I felt that familiar sense of warmth again.

Then the light dimmed, and I finally saw One's figure in the center of the light. One stepped forward, and the light eventually disappeared and faded into One's body, only now showing the figure of One.

"It seems you are ready." One said.

"Yes, I am ready." I finally said after a few more minutes of silence.

"Then... I will send you on your way. Let your journey begi-"

"Wait!"

"Hmm? What is it this time?" One said, with a tone that seemed to be annoyed.

"I have one last question!"

"I told you, I can tell you no more." One said disapprovingly.

I looked at his figure, and with all my confidence and emotions, and I asked a question I had been wondering for a long time, since One's figure was simply a lump of 'flesh' in the shape of a human with no distinct features.

"What's between YOUR legs?!" I asked.

"..."

"..."

"..."

One swept his arm across his body, a flash of light coming from it and filled my vision. I no longer saw One.

"Wait my questi-"

The endless sea of darkness became white and I lost my consciousness.

-----

`Sigh... what's between my... legs?` One thought.

"Hahahaha!" One burst out with laughter. "This guy, Two! Haha I love him! He has a great future, I hope he finds his way and becomes a blazing trailblazer, like an ember of dawn!"

With that, One closed his 'eyes' and vanished. The sea of black became empty and cold again.

Time passed.