Principles (2)

"As the other half, I expected much more. You should be a soldier, at least. It seems you haven't found your purpose yet. I have, though, thanks to this place, I have found my purpose."

"Cain's" voice was strong and sound. It didn't echo but perfectly projected itself; he was indeed much more powerful than the average shade.

Staring at his fallen self. Cain's emerald eyes dimmed. Once again, he saw his counterpart growing stronger. Better at everything compared to him.

He could only try to catch up by using the knowledge that didn't belong to him. But even armed with this knowledge he knew he was far from becoming an equal. So when his other self spoke of a purpose, Cain couldn't help but wish to achieve the same. Deep down it was in hopes of catching up. 

Cain couldn't help but ask, "What is the purpose you've found? Is that why you're so strong?"

Indeed, Cain had grown to this point out of talent and sheer luck, but outside Netherane, both these things had been running dry, ever so slowly trickling down. His other half had adapted, but Cain hadn't yet; he was only now assimilating into this new world, and he was only now discovering himself.

But before the Nightmare could respond to his unenlightened half, a typhoon of black fog appeared from thin air, and the mysterious man got between the two Cains.

He was apprehensive toward his fellow Nightmare, but something else also lingered in his eyes—hope?

The mysterious man yelled, "You! You're just like me!" 

"Afraid not; you are trapped. I am free." "Cain" snobbishly remarked.

The mysterious man frowned and made no further comments; he just studied the hole Cain had made in the sky.

Through the small hole, Shades were flowing in from the abyss. There were numerous, enough to cause considerable damage to an army of Dreamers.

"I will transfer everyone to the center; the principal is stored there. Honestly, none of you can destroy it, as I said before, it was only false hope." The man shifted his gaze to Nightmare Cain, "But you might be able to help me."

With everything said, the ground slowly deteriorated, and everyone fell through a dark abyss. It was only a few moments before they found themselves in a strange world. Floating through a starry sky.

Rocks all around twirled and spun in the presence of a massive black object far into the distance.

Uncaring of the new faces around, the Crimson Nightmare stared off into the distance.

The Shade muttered, "He was trying to harness the imagination of a black hole..."

"Cain" now knew why the mysterious man ended up as he did.

'The fool tried to imagine such a thing as a Soldier! A fool! Even a Master couldn't create something like this! But he seemed to have refined it over time...'

Cain was astounded by the glorious painting of a black sun engulfing everything in its path. He too was intrigued by the black hole above the Landfill. There were many stories about it and tales descending from its presence.

Some say God dwells in its center; others say it is an egg that will hatch at the end of the world. More logical existences state it is a natural phenomenon, but they don't know how and why.

Much knowledge has been lost, but the thing that always remains is its name and property. 'Black Hole', an object that devours everything, even light, it pulls everything ever closer to its horizon to consume all.

Cain did enjoy reading books on it. Sadly, his most recent journey was at sea where books weren't a constant. Though he spent most of that time locked in the mindscape with his other self in the driver's seat.

Even in the Dream Realm, books were more of a form of someone's knowledge, which was usually tainted and ridden with bias.

'Truly a wonderous thing, I hope I can one day understand it.'

"Hey, Cain! Who's this jackass? He's ignoring us completely!" Evette said in a tantrum.

Behind the Nightmare, everyone was already up. Seeing the strange figure ignoring them and staring off into space, especially annoyed Evette.

Cain was quick to stop her from doing something she would regret, "Evette....he is one I talked about. I was too contemptuous in thinking I could kill him."

The Nightmare's ears perked, "You thought of killing me? Did you wish to spend all eternity in this boring place, letting your imagination slowly turn stale and lifeless?"

Turning around, his face now for all to see, the hunting party studied the creature with their mouths agape. This....clone was clearly a Nightmare, one that was intelligent. His presence seemed to put a weight on their minds.

"Is he the one who did this to Arlen?"

In Captain's imaginative arms, a small disk was present, though it was no better than scrap metal. It was slowly healing, but in its cracks were black eroding metal.

'Even Arlen needs protection....was his metal like my mask?' Cain's face lost color. 'Oh no!'

Watching his Dreamer counterpart's expression, Cain grinned in dark enjoyment, "Yes, the metal frisbee is doomed to become a Shade. It's not too bad though. You are all honestly lucky the spores can only affect people symbolically."

What Cain meant was that the spores had a strange restriction; they could only infect people by being breathed in.

Usually, the infection could only bypass this rule if they were like Arlen, a creature without lungs, or a heavily damaged person wishing to become a Shade in some way or another.

From what was known, people believed it infected through breath, so it did. However originally, the spores didn't need to infect through breath, they could bypass anything and required heavy defenses to counter.

But as people began to believe the cause of being infected was through breathing it in, the spores' basis changed.

Using their time wisely, Rex already ordered Dalax to scan a plausible enemy. 

"Dalax, scan complete?"

"Yes, sir, this guy is really strange. An intelligent Shade... it seems to be on the verge of becoming Corrupt, but it's using a lot of its Nightmare fuel for something."

"Can you check what?"

The Shade Cain interjected, "You have enough time to look, but you should spend that time instead preparing. An army is coming, and I need to get this Nightmare core."

Cain pointed behind him. Wrapped in chains was a large amber core with a human heart trapped inside. It was the principle of the Nightmare, the core of the trapped the mysterious man, and the key to escaping. But for Cain, it was his boost to Corrupt status.

Neither Dalax nor Rex responded to Cain; he was a Nightmare to hunt, and they already knew what was upon them. Dalax had long registered numerous Shade signatures from all around this vast space.

With a few beeps and strange noises, Dalax continued to scan the Shade before him.

"Sir... this is, uhh. Just look."

Dalax handed his reader to Rex, who stared at it for a moment. His head tilted back up, and his emotions were concealed, but his voice showed his confusion.

"Dalax... I have no idea how to read this; it's in that foreign language, you know."

"Oh... right. Well, my readings are telling me he's using a massive amount of his power to create a veil around him. I don't know for what, but it's so strong it's distorting imagination and even the unrefined pure energy."

Turning to Dreamer Cain, Rex stared at his underling. He seemed resolved but estranged.

"Do you know what he's talking about?"

A dry laugh escaped Cain's mouth, "Of course, I know what he's doing. I've known him for a long time; ever since the beginning, we've always been obsessed with freedom. He must be sacrificing his power, it has to be for something giving him more legroom."

Cain was reminded of the memories of escaping Numineer's influence. How he killed everyone in his path to escape Netherane.

Even now he was undoubtedly trying to escape the mysterious System. 

"So, It's allowing him something?"

Cain confirmed, "Knowing him, there's no other reason for such an output. He's probably empowering his body or preparing some move. Hell, he might even be doing something through the soul."

Lifting his head, Cain glared at his devilish half. His eyes held no contempt, only loss and hints of envy.

"You were on point at first. What I'm doing is indeed giving me more freedom, but it's far more than that."

Locking eyes, the two Cains stared at one another, "Then what is it?"

Contorting into a menacing and half-insane grin, He obliged and answered.

"I'm doing this to be free, truly free. I am no longer bound by Laws like Fate. I'm not even bound by myself. I have begun the first step to actual Freedom. I have escaped all outside influence!"