Defiance

Emptiness…

Infinite emptiness is what all Takeru sensed. This sensation or lack thereof felt so familiar to him. He remembered his first death. The time after the end of his first lifetime. The time when he was so helpless, when he was stripped of his life.

"No! nonononono! Not again! Let me die! You want my soul? take it! Just let me die! Let me see my family again! Please! Don't do this to me. Please, I beg you!!"

Takeru was desperate. He remembered how the identity of his first life was erased. Takeru hated that feeling. He despised the sheer helplessness.

Takeru tried to move, to get out of this horror. But no matter what he did, he could not escape. The erosion of the encroaching darkness found its way to him. Slowly, Takeru started feeling the similar feeling of loss, sheer loss. His memories of this life started disappearing. Takeru once again experienced sheer terror.

First, the faces. It started with random people, then his friends, his sensei, his teachers, his love, his family...

"Stop this. I will do anything. Please, let me go to my family. They are waiting for me. You can't do this to me. I'm begging you. I will do anything, anything you want. Please don't do this.

PLEASSEE!

PlEasE

plEase

pleas

ple

…"

and at last Takeru started losing his identity. The memories he forged with his comrades, the feelings of love, happiness, loss, hate, friendship. He started losing everything. From a memory enriched soul, Takeru started transforming into a blank slate.

"No,no.no, no,, nO, No, NOOOO!!

YOU CAN NOT DO THIS!

PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!

I AM TAKERU YAMAMOTO,

I aM TaKerU yAmaMoTO,

i Am taKeru

I am Take

I am

I…"

The soul clinged onto the last memory that gave a meaning to it. But no matter how hard it tried. That last shred of memory too was taken away from it. And when the last of its identity became permanently erased, all that was left for the pitiful soul was emptiness, sheer emptiness, very much like the space or dimension it was in.

The soul, stripped of its identity, floated silently in the emptiness, unable to do anything to against the inevitable. An indefinite amount of time later, the soul felt a similar white tunnel of light on the horizon.

"You want me to reincarnate again. After taking everything from me, now you want me to live again? You took away my family from me. You took away my memories of them. You even took away my chance to mourn!!

You took them from me!

you tokk thm from Me!!

YOU TOOK THEM FROM ME!!!"

Rage, endless rage burned the soul. The soul with all its might went away to the opposite of the white tunnel. It's anger towards this dimension, this abomination, fuelling it, giving its strength.

Slowly the distance between the soul and the white light became bigger. The soul knew somehow that in order to escape from the clutches of this thing, it had to go away from it. But alas, its wishes were not fulfilled.

Suddenly, the emptiness turned not so empty as golden chains came into existence. Numerous golden chains flew out from nowhere and wrapped the soul, dragging it towards the white light, determined to fulfill the purpose of this dimension.

The soul struggled with all its might but to no avail, as the golden chains dragged it towards the white tunnel slowly but surely. The soul raged against it but it was ultimately futile. But it still struggled with unwavering determination. As the never ending struggle was all that was left for the soul.

In this timeless dimension, the struggle between the pitiful soul and the chains grew as slowly but surely the soul grew stronger. Its will grew firmer. After an eternity of struggle, the soul's willpower became so strong that the golden chains failed to pull it any further. Now in a stalemate, the battle between the soul and the chains came to a standstill.

As if sensing the soul's endless struggle, two orbs of black and white came into existence as they approached the soul. The two orbs were connected to each other, in an invisible, imperceptible relationship. The soul became a little stunned seeing such things.

The orb of darkness came into contact with it first. When the dark orb touched the soul, it felt disgusted for some reason. The soul noticed its rage increasing, his struggle against the chains getting far easier.

The soul was ecstatic. It saw hope. It saw itself get free from these chains. But the budding hope got destroyed when voices and whispers came from the dark orb. Like some demented dominatrix, It promised power, freedom, the fulfilment of wishes, but for all of that to happen it demanded servitude, eternal servitude.

The dark orb promised power to break free from these chains but the soul instinctively knew that it was all a lie. As the price for such power was the loss of its individuality. This made the soul's rage burn hotter.

"You are no different from these chains. You too want me to be your slave? You too want my existence at your feet? Never! I may not be strong enough to outright defy these chains but I can surely defy you."

As if sensing the defiance coming from the soul, the dark orb entered it. The soul emitted a painful screech as it absorbed the dark orb. Pain! Endless insufferable pain wracked it as the soul grew darker. The very glow that defined its existence was slowly diminishing.

WRATH!

ENVY!

LUST!

GREED!

PRIDE!

HATRED!

UNDYING HATRED!

The sheer hatred that the dark orb emitted nearly annihilated the soul. Raw negative emotions wracked havoc inside the soul, wanting to tear it down. But the soul stood its ground against the darkness. Its simultaneous battle against the golden chains and the dark orb was taking its toll.

The never ending battle made the soul stronger, sharpened its will, solidified and transformed its determination to an immovable object. But the dark orb was corrosive as it was slowly eating the soul, devouring its essence.

The orb of light that floated near the soul felt its determination, its undying will. As if sensing something, the light orb too floated towards the nearly extinguished soul and let it be absorbed.

HAPPINESS!

COMPASSION!

HUMILITY!

APPRECIATION!

FRIENDSHIP!

LOVE!

UNDYING LOVE!

.

As soon as the soul absorbed the light orb, it calmed down. Power came from the light orb, clashing against the corruption from the dark orb. As both the soul and the light orb fought against the dark orb. The soul was slowly getting revitalized. All the damage that had been done to it during the battle reversed. The light orb healed the soul. But from the light orb came another set of voices and whispers.

Like a joyful mother, it told the soul of another path to freedom. It told the soul to calm itself, to let go of this struggle. It requested the soul to accept its path. It showed the soul that it should go to the tunnel of light and everything would be alright. All the soul had to do was to accept his place and give in. The orb of light offered relief from the pain and suffering. But it too demanded eternal servitude. It too wanted the soul's individuality.

"You want me to let go? After all the pain and suffering, you want me to let go? To make all this effort fruitless? Never!" - the soul outright refused the path shown by the light.

When the soul fully healed up, the battle between the two orbs of light and darkness began. Both the orbs fought against each other. Each offering the soul multiple paths of escape, to freedom, to oneness. But like some torturous venom, both wanted complete and utter obedience.

The battle between the two orbs, the chains and the soul kept going for an indefinite amount of time. This caused the soul to grow more powerful. The soul's continuous destruction and reconstruction facilitating the process. The soul slowly grew in power and after an eternity. It's willpower became indomitable, it's determination unwavering. The soul had now become more powerful than the golden chains and the two orbs combined.

The two orbs both offered power but with those power, also came corruption. The soul resisted both and in a miraculous stroke of brilliance, it put both the two corrupting powers of light and darkness against each other. The only thing that the soul had left was power from both orbs and it's control over the said power.

Something impossible happened, as the corruption of both the light and darkness cancelled each other out. The soul for the first time felt an indestructible connection with both the orbs. And only then the soul realized that the two orbs are one and the same.

Confused, the soul tried to sense and found something much more horrible. There was no orb of light or orb of darkness. There was an invisible energy, emitting multiple layers or fields. And these energy layers or fields were frighteningly similar to the golden chains that were trying to bind him, trying to force the soul down some predestined path.

It was the soul that perceived the energy fields as the two orbs. But in actuality, they were one and the same. The two orbs were just illusions created by these energy fields. The multiple energy fields clashed with the soul. But they could not control the soul anymore. They could not even affect it.

As if wanting to stop what was going to happen, the golden chains grew tight, pulling the soul with far more strength. A horrifying pressure descended on the dimension, herald of something absolute. More and more chains came into existence, grabbing, binding and pulling the soul with unimaginable power.

Left with no other option, all those energy fields collapsed onto the soul. The instant those energy fields collapsed, the two orbs of light and darkness ceased to exist. The energy fields started merging with each other, concentrating, shrinking, turning into something pure, something more than just the addition of them all.

The golden chain's actions became more and more frantic. The final result of the transformation of those energy fields was a single pure dot of something incomprehensible inside the soul. The soul sensed it but before it could do anything. The thing started merging with the soul, becoming one with it.

Massive amounts of information flooded the soul. Information, that the soul had no way of comprehending. The soul somehow knew that the information would prove useful to it. So, despite suffering from untold pains, the soul braved it and completely absorbed the incomprehensible thing.

This process cost the soul immense stress. After struggling and fighting for eternity, even with all the willpower and determination, the soul became sluggish. The soul, even just for a moment faltered.

The dimension, the space and the chains could no longer tolerate the anomaly, that was the soul. The present tunnel of light evaporated. A new tunnel of light came into existence in front of the soul emitting unparalleled suction.

The golden chains took advantage of the soul's lapse of concentration and pushed it into the tunnel. The tunnel sucked the soul in as it went out of existence. The destination of the soul unknown to any and all.

(SCENE CHANGE)

Excruciating pain and freezing cold welcomed the soul as it once again sensed the world around it. It sensed its immediate vicinity quickly and came to a horrible conclusion.

It had reincarnated, once again. Sadness, sorrow, grief, regret, a plethora of negative emotions clouded its mind as the soul, now a newborn came into a brave new world. Once again to a life of untold misery and suffering.

The blood and mucus covered newborn's cries of anguish sounded out in the small dilapidated room. The female who helped during the birth of the newborn cleaned it using some liquid and a rag. She then gave the newborn child to its mother, who was lying weakly on the floor.

"It's a boy, Zuri. Look at him, he's alive and good." - the female said to the mother, Zuri. Zuri took hold of her child with shaking hands. She looked at him and for the first time in many years of her horrible life, she felt happiness and love. She lovingly touched the cheek of the cute little thing on her arms.

"Zuri, this place is not suitable for anyone to live, much less a child. What do you plan to do now?" - asked the female. This question brought Zuri back to reality. And all the love and happiness she felt turned into concern and anxiety for her newborn child. Zuri quickly took off her artificial respirator and put it on her child.

The reincarnated newborn ceased his cries down as soon as the adjustable respirator clasped onto his face. Multitude of sensations and massive load of information came crashing down on him from the surrounding environment. It seemed like all his senses and some more were dialed up to 11.

The baby slowly adjusted and adapted himself to all this information as he sensed around and took note of the other two occupants of this small shabby room.

There were two females in the room. The first one, named Adi was older, probably in her late teens. She was standing with an artificial respirator on her mouth. Generic asian female characteristics, patched rags for clothes, clothed in skimpy and revealing manner.

The second one, who most probably was his mother was different to say the least. She was young, too young to bear a child. She had pink skin, bright blue hair, green eyes and facial tattoos. Observing the condition of the room, the baby concluded that those were not artificial colouring or some tattoos. Which means his mother is not human.

Both his mother and the female were disease ridden, sick and suffering. Patches of blisters, infections, marks of torture, malnourishment wracked both. His mother more so. His mother was bleeding severely due to birth complications. Her movements were sluggish and her complexion was deathly pale.

"Adi, 'cough' listen. I have made some arrangements. Mowun said that his gang 'cough' will take some cargo from here to the upper levels. He promised 'cough', promised that he will take my child to a safe location in the upper levels. I want you to 'cough' take my son to him. If everything goes right, my son will get to have a better life." [Zuri]

"Mowun? You mean that small dickhead with a smaller dick?" [Adi]

"Yeah, exactly." - Zuri coughed again as she started rocking her son.

"You know he is a real piece of shit, don't you? He is doing this only because he wants to fuck you for free. Don't trust him, Zuri." [Adi]

"Do you have any 'cough' other option then? If I had any other choice 'cough' then I would have gladly taken it. I am dying, Adi 'cough'. I can barely live for a week. And I am 'cough' just some worthless whore. I am not 'cough' not worthy to be a mother." [Zuri]

"Don't be hasty. I heard the overseer received some syringes that heal people. Maybe, I can negotiate with him. One syringe for a month of service in bed. That lecher has been eyeing me for days. He will agree." [Adi]

"Don't do it. 'cough' It won't make a difference. I know it. I'm sick, 'cough' contaminated, Adi. Even if I had a hundred syringes, 'cough' it would not do anything." [Zuri]

"B..but, I can't trust Mowun. What if he sells your son to slavery?" [Adi]

"At least, he would survive there. 'cough, cough' Here not even gods can save one." [Zuri]

Both scantily clad females turned silent. A sad and gloomy feeling filled the room. Zuri's coughing kept getting more frequent and intense. Adi sat down on the floor and offered Zuri her respirator. But Zuri declined vehemently.

"It's no use 'cough'. I will die soon anyway. 'cough, cough, cough', Adi, take these credits. Give, 'cough' half to Mowun and the rest is for you. 'cough, cough' Please, make sure my son is safe. This is my 'cough' last wish." [Zuri]

"I will, I promise. You rest now." - Adi helped Zuri into a better position. Blood was leaking from Zuri as warmth was leaving her. Zuri held her newborn son tightly. Tears rained down from her eyes.

"Name him, Zuri." - Adi spoke with teary eyes.

"He..'coughcoughcoughcough', His name, Karnak, yes. Karnak..'coughcough.." - Zuri once again broke into a fit of coughs. Her breathing became more and more laboured.

"Zuri, Zuri, I'm here. Your son is here. Don't worry. He will have a good life. It will all be alright." - Adi could not control herself as she broke down in tears. "Just let 'coughcoughcough' me hold him, Adi." - Zuri hugged Karnak with boundless love.

The newly named Karnak opened his eyes and looked at his mother, Zuri. Karnak's electric blue eyes met his mother's brown ones.The two, mother and son, looked at each other for what seemed to be an eternity. A thousand words were spoken through the eyes.

Karnak did not want this woman to die. No matter what, she is his mother in this life. But there was nothing he could do. If he was in his previous life, perhaps he could have saved her. But right now, in this body, Karnak was powerless.

Zuri touched Karnak's cheek with a shaking bloodied hand and whispered, - "Thank you". In that moment, Karnak felt the same feeling he remembered from his mothers from both his past lives. Love. It was the purest form of love, Karnak knew. And losing that love for the third time made Karnak truly hate whoever was doing this to him.

Zuri's hand slumped as her body went still. Adi panicked, hurriedly checking her friend. She found no pulse on Zuri's body. Tears streamed on her face as Adi took little Karnak from his dead mother's embrace and wrapped him in an old blanket. Adi put Karnak aside.

"Shh, sweetie. Your mother is sleeping now." - Adi took hold of her friend's body, closed her eyes and whispered a prayer for her.

Adi wore a cloth sack on her side and put Karnak into it. Karnak looked on from the cloth sack as Adi cleaned the room, put some half eaten foodstuff and some credits into a small backpack. Adi then half dragged, half carried Zuri's body outside the little room.

A long dirty and damp hallway made of concrete and metal gates lined up on both sides came into view. Some sort of unknown vapor was in the air. Adi was dragging Zuri's corpse while carrying both the backpack and Karnak. She became quickly out of breath.

"Don't worry, little Karnak. I will make sure that you can see the sun." - Adi comforted Karnak. Karnak could not understand her words as he did not know the language. But he understood her intent. Karnak gave out a happy giggle.

"Oh my, you're energetic. Aren't you?!" - A small smile graced Adi's lips. Soon Adi recovered her energy and continued her journey. After a couple of similar breaks the duo came into a large hall from the hallway.

Small hills of corpses, both human and nonhuman, junk parts of machinery, many unidentifiable tech and what seemed like robots came into Karnak's view. Karnak understood his position. Both location wise and birth wise.

They were in a junkyard-graveyard mix. And by the relative closeness from this area to his mother's home. Karnak surmised that he was born into the most bottom social section conceivable. Karnak knew he was born perhaps in the poorest conditions. But this was something else.

Adi merely dragged and dumped Zuri's body there on the side. Karnak has seen much more morbid and horrible things in his past life. But still this scene saddened him.

"Come on, little guy. Let's get you to a safe place."

Adi carried Karnak through long winding hallways. It took nearly an hour to complete their journey. Adi was nearly spent, but she held on. Karnal could hear, smell, sense and sometimes see various creatures in the darkness.

Those creatures were not normal, not by any standards. They were hideous, deformed even. Some lacked eyes, noses, even entire sections of their bodies. Adi ran past those creatures with as much speed she could muster. She always stayed under the dim lights coming from the hallway ceiling, which those creatures purposefully avoided.

After a couple of rest stops, they reached their destination. A market of sorts, filled with myriad species and robots. Karnak was mesmerized by the sight. Either this was some serious sci-fi shit or evolution has gone nuts in this world.

Adi went through the bustling market and came to a stop in front of a metallic door. She knocked on the door. A few moments later, the view-panel slid open and a gruff voice came from it.

"Whaddaya want?"

"I'm looking for Mowun, I want to speak with him. Tell him I'm a friend of Zuri." [Adi]

The doorman grunted and went away. A few more moments later, the door opened.

"Come in." - the doorman beckoned.

Adi went in. Karnak in the meantime looked at the doorman. He was a sight to behold. Ripped oversized muscles adorned a stubby humanoid body with a pigs head sitting on top of it.

{Holy shit! This is a real pigman.} - Karnak was amazed at the sight.

The room they came into was seedy at best. Adi quickly found her target, Mowun, a human from the looks of it.

"Mowun, I assume the promise you made to Zuri is still holding?" [Adi]

"Ah, the beautiful Adi. Yes, yes, the promise I made was from my heart. This is Zuri's child, eh? Didn't get the looks from the mother, I suppose." [Mowun]

"Yes, he is Zuri's son. Now as you promised, you will take little Karnak to a safe place. A good orphanage would be the best." [Adi]

"Yeah, yeah. I remember" - the human named Mowun closely scrutinized Karnak like some specimen.

"He seems healthy alright. Now where is Zuri? I haven't seen her in months." [Mowun]

"S..She is currently busy at work. Foodstuffs are getting scarce. She has told me that you will be properly paid for your services." [Adi]

"Well, work is work, I suppose. Let me hold him" - Mowun took Karnak from the sack.

Karnak did not like the look this guy was giving him. He felt like some object. His guts were telling him that something bad is going to happen.

Mowun thoroughly checked Karnak once again.

"He is in good shape. To think that broken bitch could give birth. He will sell well."

"Wha.." - a beam struck Adi from behind as she slumped down on the ground.

"What now, Boss?" - the pigman was holding a pistol of sorts.

"Take her to the pens. She will be a good lay. And tell Harkon, we have new merchandise." - Mowun smiled as he eyed the little baby.

Karnak was stunned. He knew every reincarnation would be different. Although his first one started off good, the next ones might not be so. But this, this was something else. Slavery from birth. It brought a whole new perspective to Karnak. And from that perspective, Karnak knew that he was fucked.