03: A Gentle Nudge

A chill ran through me, seeping into my bare feet from the hard ground. My pajamas definitely weren’t an ideal outfit for wherever I was. A single source of light shone down on me like a spotlight. Only the small area at my feet was visible—a flagstone floor. Darkness kept the rest of the world hidden away.

Back on my feet, I stepped to the rim of the light. I nursed the sore spot on the back of my head and reached into the darkness with my free hand. It vanished in the dark. No wall. No barrier. Nothing but a cold emptiness. Shivering, I rubbed my arms for warmth.

"Hello?"

Not even an echo greeted me. The silence almost made it hurt to listen for something.

"Anybody there? This… It's not funny!"

"No? Really? I mean, it's a little funny," spoke a youthful voice. More child-like laughter followed, proving its point. The sound seemed to be everywhere, coming from all around me. Something in the dark found my situation quite entertaining. "You know… most wouldn't dress like a… slob? Yeah, I'm going with slob. Most would dress better when graced by my presence, but I'll let that slide… for now."

It's not like I… planned to be here.

I self-consciously ran my hands through my hair in a failed effort to tame my wild bed-head.

"Who are you?! W-where… are you? What is this place? What did you—?!"

My voice cut out. The only thing that came out of me was the warmth of my breath.

"That's enough from you. I mean, how am I supposed to get a word in with all of… that?"

Even mute, I didn't stop talking, yelling, or screaming, but all I achieved was a sore throat from the air I forced out of my lungs. It left me doubled over, panting, and trying to catch my breath.

"Hey, Yoo-hoo! I'm talking to you." The voice had a tinge of annoyance. "Are you done yet?"

Done? No! I'm not done! I want out of this… this place!

It probably didn't matter which direction I chose, but I turned around and ran into the darkness behind me. My feet slapped the ground with every step. Mere seconds later, the spotlight was back on me and I was left panting harder than before.

Damn. I’m too out of shape for this crap.

"You're not trying to weasel out of our agreement, right, Skyler?"

Agree—How the hell does this thing know my name?!

I turned back towards the direction I ran from without thinking, trying to face whatever seemed to be everywhere.

"What agreement?!" My voice cracked, and I jumped when it suddenly came back. "I-I didn’t agree to—!"

"Um, correction. Yes. You did. We have a bet. Our little deal. Remember? You wanted a chance to prove yourself. Come on now, just how hard did you hit your head? I didn't… break you, did I?" There was no real sincerity in its concerned facade. Instead, the voice broke into more laughter, reveling in its own amusement. "If I didn't break you… yet, maybe we can get back to this?" There was a teasing lilt to the question. "As for your name, well, I checked your profile, of course. What else? Ahem, Full Name: Skyler Wright. User name: KaraNos—Wait. Seriously?"

"W-what?"

"KaraNosora." The voice paused. A stifled laugh broke through the silence a moment later. "You… Really? A brand new 'full name' for your… puppet, options abound, and you… You chose that?"

But it's not… I thought it… was… cool.

"Aw… Precious little 'Empty Sky'?" it sighed. "How… quaint, but no. I'm not even… Never. Where was I again? Yes. Got it now. Here we go, region? Nah. Too obvious, yet… Location? Canada. Should I… continue?" The voice giggled again.

Wait. That's… not just my profile! This thing is… It's in my account?! Why is—?

"Stop! What is this? Some kind of… twisted game?"

"A game? Ooh, yes. I like the sound of that, but not the boring one you were playing, Skyler. What was it called again? 'Wandering Saga'? So childish, really. You weren't even playing it right, sitting there and controlling your little plaything from another world. My way is so much better. Now, sit. I want to make sure it's a good one…"

Sit? Where? The cold floor? I'm not a dog.

The spot light grew into a blinding flash. I shut my eyes.

A stale smell, something old and musty, filled my nose. When I looked again, I stood in an aisle between a few rows of wooden pews—somewhere to sit. I was now in the sanctuary of a rundown, stone-work church. A large wooden door stood several meters to my left.

A way out!

I charged towards it, slamming my entire body into it so I could break through. I didn't care what was on the other side. The door didn't budge. I grabbed the handle, a metal ring, and yanked it with everything I had. Still nothing. There was no visible lock to explain why, but it wouldn't push or pull open.

"Hey! Stop it, right now," snapped the voice from behind me. "That door is not a… well, door." Irritation replaced the playfulness from before. "Think of it as… decor. Only I decide who comes or goes. Leave it alone!"

I looked over my shoulder. Bright light spilled into the room from somewhere, but I remained a lone prisoner stuck with my invisible kidnapper. The only difference now being the walls that replaced the empty expanse.

Opposite the ‘decorative’ door, I had to squint to make out a wall of large, illuminated stained-glass windows. Three of them housed unique portraits, each silhouetted by their own colorful palette, arranging an odd, inverted triangle. The unrecognizable faces and forms within were much like the state of the church itself—broken and incomplete.

The top left window had deep hues of midnight blue and royal purple. Residing in a serene darkness, the figure was so damaged that it was an enigmatic shadow of its former self. Hints of what might have been starlight glimmered near the edges.

Contrasting it, the top right window burned with blazing reds, oranges, and bright golds. They all bled into each other, glowing with the intensity of a raging inferno. The mosaic, a chaotic mess, made it difficult to determine whether it was supposed to be a being of warmth, passion, or destruction. The picture's light flickered like a living flame, ready and waiting to consume the entire building.

At the bottom of the formation, the third image echoed an unusual twilight of dusky purples and subtle oranges blurring into a soft golden glow. Unlike the other two, the cracks and distortions from the fractures didn't evoke the same feeling of unease. It had a soothing balance to it, as if the figure's purpose maintained its delicate equilibrium on the verge of collapse.

A smaller fourth window sat at the center of the trinity. It gleamed with an intricate, mandala-like pattern that pulled colors from the other windows. The mesmerizing design had shapes that shifted and warped the longer I stared at it, like a living kaleidoscope. Though mostly undamaged, it had a crack that appeared to spread inward from the edge closest to the image of flames.

Beneath the triangle stood an oddly simple pillar carved of stone; possibly a podium, pedestal, or maybe some kind of pulpit to preach from. To the right and left were crumbling stairs that led to an area above me. Even if I managed to climb them without falling, they probably didn’t lead to an exit.

"Enjoying the view? Of course you are. I'm kind of fond of it myself. After all, it's… Nope. Nevermind. I'm getting off topic. As for my game, I've made my decision." While the voice continued, I found myself physically drawn closer to the windows. "I was originally looking for someone, hmmm… let's say, more… capable? I need them for a special… task. Somebody who's a real Go-Getter, you know? But alas, while rummaging around in that little game of yours, all I found was… I suppose you'll do, for now. Then we'll both get to see what you're made of, right? Right."

"I-If you want someone else for the—" I stopped before calling it a job.

What a stupid way to look at it. This isn't an interview, you idiot. It's a psychotic 'thing', and it’s toying with you, dumbass.

"Still trying to hide? Want to let your chance slip away?" There was a melodic cadence to the question. "Too bad, so sad," it pouted. "For better, or… well, you know the saying. Besides, you're bound to this now. There's no going back." An amused giggle came from behind me. I looked back across the church towards the door once more. "Time to play my game," teased the voice.

I frantically searched, alert for any sign of my abductor, my eyes darting around the room. Nothing. Still alone.

How is any of this—?

"Shall we… start?," whispered the voice. Traces of its warm, moist breath tickled my ear and neck. I whipped around to face them. No one was there. Just the windows.

My mouth was dry, but I tried to swallow, anyway. At that moment, two hands—gentle and almost comforting—firmly pressed against my back. They radiated warmth, taking away the cold that nipped at me through my feet and pajamas. My stress, panic, frustration, and confusion all faded. The feeling melted everything away. I let down my guard and relaxed, leaning into the soothing touch. Big mistake.

They shoved me towards the windows without warning.

"Wait! I-I don't even know the rules!"

Apparently, it didn’t care. I flew forward at full force. The ground dropped, taking my stomach with it. I instinctively shielded my face by covering it with my arms.

"Good luck, my… Harbinger."

The sound of exploding glass surrounded me.