Why am I here?

Thoughts had physical incarnation, while words spoken weighted nothing. She turned around, swept with a glance.

Alice floated in a monotonic space, fixed between the dim sky and dead ocean. Darks clouds above were motionless and muddy red waters beneath waveless. The girl would have taken them for solid surface if she hadn't recognized this place.

Leviathan's heart had long lost all light and vibrancy.

How many years passed? Ages? Epochs?

Her finger touched the face, traversed down, pinched a lip. When Alice looked down, she saw karate gi and bared feet. Her toes touched the air and she felt fear.

It's like I came here in reality, the girl realized at that moment. When why... how am I here? I was in the dungeon, thinking of my strategy, full of determination...

Suddenly it pierced her being, a voice. Ancient and beyond her ken, it reverberated through the sky and ocean. Female for a moment, then male, old but young. The voice called for her, and Alice moved; no, her will was of no matter, she was pulled along. The girl crossed the space like a meteor, winds in her ears.

The waters grew closer, Alice saw the surface being uncanny even. The girl stabilized awkwardly, touched cold dead blood with a toe unwittingly. Small circles appeared and then waned. When she tried to retrieve her leg, she couldn't.

Chill pricked the girl's skin, yet it was all. Alice felt no power in old blood for it was indeed dead. And also very dense, like mercury, the girl stood and exhaled with relief.

When she turned around, she saw him.

The sword was giant, the girl's full height plus a half and no less than four of her palms to fit on the handle.

Shuh.

A hand covered the steel hilt completely.

The girl froze in place, just staring blankly and foolishly even when a long bone tail drew a groove on the dark red waters around her.

From what remained of the light, from the depths of blood ocean and sword’s rust, a skeleton weaved itself into being. It wasn’t a human, no. A pair of long arms leaned on the waters with fists. Right upper hand clenched the sword’s hilt while the paired it left hand touched the narrow chin. Long, reptilian skull with sharpened teeth tilted as a red fire lit up inside.

Two rays of light flashed out of the eye sockets and touched the girl briefly. Alice shuddered, had being pierced athwart, feeling how all hers had been laid out bare. Revolt and anger filled her to the brim, but the girl didn’t dare to act upon them, she didn’t even dare to look up and show those emotions in her eyes.

Every particle of her soul was screaming to surrender before this towering presence. A true protagonist would act all cocky and entitled before gods and demons, but the girl retained the power to stand straight solely because the antique glance didn’t wish her to kneel. The fact she was very painfully aware of.

“As’heshal.”

The ancient voice almost scared the girl out of her wits. Her throat contracted painfully as she met the flaming eyes with hers. She saw there… she saw…

The girl blinked with no recollection whatsoever, her gaze had already escaped away. She then noticed the giant skeleton pointing at itself with his left hand. Unhurriedly then he moved and pointed with a very sharp claw at the girl.

For a moment, all she could think of how easily for this claw would be to dig out her heart.

"Little Thing."

Alice blinked. Eng..?

"Not one of primitive languages, Little Thing. The third branch of the dragon tongue, Ish'a'marar. In a dream, you can touch the essence that I speak of."

How...

"Your thoughts are not secrets before powerful."

Alice paused, still overwhelmed. As’heshal waited, or more likely disregarded her presence for a moment.

Who are you?

"You saw them."

The sharp claw moved, ignoring her silent question, pointed down.

"My people, among remains from here to the horizon line and beyond."

"I'm surprised, Litle Thing. Surprised and disappointed. A pitiful drop of blood let you come here. Your source is tainted, your flesh and bones stink, and foul air fills your breath."

The voice grew strong and baleful. Fiery gaze pierced Alice again, pushed her several steps back.

"I see. So you had help."

The girl answered with a blank look.

"Tell me, Little Thing. What should I do with you now? Kill you, here and now?"

Sinister words sent creeps down her spine. Faster than a thought, the giant sword hanged from above and touched her hair. Blade's shine erupted from under the rust and almost blinded her.

"I have been patiently prolonging my last breath, and for what? For you?"

Fire in empty eyes blazed brightly.

"I still remember vividly. Blood poured from the Leviathan's wounds, drowning worlds, vanishing throughout the multiverse. Countless lives sacrificed themselves to erect an impenetrable barrier, to prevent her from gathering the fires of life again, to spare infinite beings from the revive of Catastrophe."

"Then epochs passed. Leviathan's warm scattered peacefully."

As’heshal's voice abated. Lights in his eyes dimmed, staring far and beyond. The sword slowly retreated and Alice backed away, fell down in the dead and dense waters, pale.

"We had won."

For a moment, thick dark blood ocean became transparent. Alice saw a myriad of skulls. They didn't curse, pray, regret. Different from her dream. Weak and rueful, As’heshal turned away. The majestic aura dissipated as he spoke:

"Leviathan had life, but no soul, nor spirit. She preexisted the primordial epoch. Always there... always Catastrophe. Innocent and ignorant like a hurricane, death of a star... a child. From the very beginning, there was no honor in our sacrifices."

"Fear not, Little Thing, the holder of Leviathan's last vibrant drop of blood. I am simply my last breath. To trace your soul projection, to reach your place I would then die out in your distant land, and I bear no such a wish."

 

Wait!

Alice tried ran for As’heshal, yet the blood was too thick and refused to let her go. 

Please!

At that moment, she believed. Ancient war, her mysterious connection to Leviathan, Apocalypsis, and training, she believed everything.

For dead skulls watched her in silence. The girl might not be there with her corporal body, but she felt their stares. They gnawed onto her very soul. More vivid than any dream. More real than pain and tears.

Please! I need help! My home is in danger!

Desperately she beseeched.

You once!... fought to protect!.. so, please!

 

When the world nearly dimmed out of existence, Alice heard the voice again, serene and exalted:

"You were born in a deserted world without spiritual heavens and earth. Your race, therefore, lost the ability to cultivate life qi, yet a drop of supreme blood consumed all taint. You used qi of others to cultivate your body and almost crippled yourself."

"First, find a breathing technique. In a spiritual sanctuary purge the foul air and alien qi. Then cut off the tainted blood that fulfilled its purpose. Cultivate the basics until you force out the impurities. Never walk blind."

"Farewell, Little Thing. Remember, only sweat and hard work paw the right path."