A Stranger's Eyes

Reilaph, home of the Rilos. Sixty million dead. Weaponized quasar.

(Page 6)

My earliest memory? I was just a child. My tiny, chubby hands weakly reached out for a woman—I believe it was my mother. I remember her captivating black eyes, almost as dark as the void itself. Her eyes were kind, with faint wrinkles at the edges beneath her greying hair. They smiled, radiating warmth towards me. Yes, eyes can smile, or at least these eyes could. Despite not physically smiling, there was an enigmatic mix of happiness and sadness in her expression. Can one be happy and sad at the same time? I believe so. I was born into a terrible world, at a terrible time. Yet, as a child, I remained innocentand uncorrupted, even though the world held little potential for anyone, not even someone destined to be king.

No longer a child, I woke up with the sensation of a little man stabbing the backs of my eyes with a freakish dagger. My stomach churned, nearly causing me to forget about the throbbing headache as it threatened to empty its contents. It was the worst hangover I had ever experienced, although the events of the previous night remained elusive in my memory. Did I even drink the night before? It was either a sign of a great night or the worst. I cautiously opened my eyes, only to immediately shut them again as a bright white light pierced through the remnants of my brain. The intense sensation sent my thoughts into a frenzy as I groaned and rolled aside. It was a foolish mistake, one that I could only blame on my disoriented mental state. I should have taken precautions when waking up in such an unusual manner. That day marked the beginning of my regrets in this new life. I had to train differently, to train myself differently. These thoughts attacked my deteriorating consciousness instinctively. However, I had no evidence or memory to support such speculation, leaving me curious, in pain, and utterly irritated.I slowly opened my eyes, only to be greeted by a blinding light. It turned out that the intense brightness was coming from a palm light that had been carelessly left on in the most inconvenient spot. This was my second mistake of the day, and it immediately filled me with exasperation. Frustrated, I shook my head, worsening the piercing pain behind my left eye. The pain made me recoil and intensified my agony. Instinctively, I reached for my head and emitted a familiar groan through my parched throat.

Taking a few deep breaths brought a calming relief similar to meditation, soothing my pain. In this state, I could turn inward and reflect. By calming the constricted veins and swollen brain causing my excruciating headache, I experienced sweet relief almost instantly. It may have seemed imaginary, but it worked, leaving a lingering lightness - akin to a mild case of vertigo - even after the intense pain had dissipated.

However, looking inward and truly seeing oneself is not as satisfying as one may anticipate. In fact, it is much more enlightening, revealing the essence of who you truly are. The ancient and extinct Mono Monks centered their practice around this very concept, seeking truth within themselves. Unfortunately, true honesty and goodness are rare qualities in the universe. Money may enable some to undergo this training, and it is surprising how many privileged individuals discover their true nature - one that is selfish, vain, and hollow. Perhaps others can learn from these enlightenment experiences.

There is an ancient tale about a king who disguised himself among his subjects. His tyrannical father, consumed by the fear of assassination, raised his son in secrecy, protecting him from vultures, thieves, and murderers. The people were unaware of the true identity of this hidden prince. However, the young king, possessing a different mindset from his father, desired not only to understand the thoughts and emotions of his people but also to experience life as they did. After all, how could a king effectively govern if he could not comprehend the lives of his subjects?

On the first night of his journey among the people, the king experienced profound enlightenment. He deeply felt the love his people had for him, which overwhelmed him. As a result, he fell to his knees and cried, realizing the true purpose of a leader. He understood that making difficult decisions and not being able to please everyone were inevitable, but he hadn't expected to find such love and support. With newfound determination, the king continued living among his subjects for a week and made an unexpected discovery: friendships.I apologize if my thoughts tend to wander. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the palm light – a device that creates a handheld ringlet of photons using loose ions. This time, the unsettling figure in my head did not attack. I reached for the palm light, adjusting the brightness dial to reduce its intensity. As the pain diminished, I finally gained clarity of thought. However, my thoughts abruptly stopped. I recognized that feeling – the first time I realized I had no answers. Panic surged through me, causing me to hastily stand up and hit my head on a table. Without hesitation, I hurried to the nearest plexiclear panel and focused my gaze on the vast expanse of space. I angled the palm light towards an object in front of the abyss: strangers' eyes.

"Who are you?" a shaky voice broke the silence.

From the faint reflection, I could discern a few details. I estimated my height to be nearly six feet, with black eyes and a nose that appeared to be broken multiple times. My dreadlocks reached my shoulders and had an unusual purple tint. My clothes were oversized, torn, and stained. The scent of blood and sweat clung to me, and my overall appearance was terrible.

"Who... are you?" I repeated, realizing it was my own voice. I spoke with it every day, so why didn't I recognize it? The words came naturally, but hearing them affected me deeply. Darkness encroached on my vision. I could breathe, but struggled to catch my breath. My chest felt as though an elephant was stomping on it, and there was nothing I could do. My ears rang, the noise growing louder and louder until I collapsed to the ground, retching even though my stomach was empty. Something was wrong... something... I found myself lying on my side, darkness creeping in... then... then I heard something.

"Are you tired of the simple pleasures life offers you in Perfection?" a sly female voice questioned from ahead.

Suddenly, the voice spoke again, echoing and seemingly originating from outside the room. I realized I was inside a bar. It was a small establishment, with an overpowering black and pink color scheme shimmering across the digital walls, floors, and tables. The deluge of colors threatened to resurrect the little man wielding a dagger in my head or exacerbate my nausea.

"What?" I asked in my unfamiliar voice. "Are you tired of unsatisfying pleasures?" she asked. I struggled to engage with her since I couldn't see the woman.

"Excuse me?" I replied.Come to Salit's House of Slum; we will fulfill all your needs and desires." As I followed the voice, I discovered a small datapad hidden behind a fallen bar stool. It projected the image of a six-inch-tall woman in a provocative pose, except for certain parts blurred by concealment screens. She leaned over and blew a kiss towards me, repeating her message. I switched off the datapad and took a final glance at my surroundings. As my panic attack subsided, I sat down, trying to compose myself. On the table, there was a spilled drink emitting a hoppy, aromatic scent, likely an IPA. Curiously, I lightly stomped the ground to test the gravity, noticing its slight heaviness but inconsistency. The sensation ebbed and flowed around me, indicating its artificial nature.

Amnesia is a strange thing. I was aware that gravity affected me, but couldn't recall why. How was I able to recognize the smell of an IPA when I had no memory of ever tasting it? When I spoke, my voice sounded unfamiliar to me. The accent seemed normal but foreign, something ancient and extinct. The rolling of the Rs and emphasis on certain syllables made it difficult for me to determine whether my sentences were questions or statements.

"It's a space station... no... it's a ship," I muttered to myself.

Hearing myself speak provided a sense of comfort and helped calm my racing heart. I attempted to artificially slow my heartbeat, but soon realized that some problems needed to be resolved naturally. Unfortunately, my challenges were the lack of memories and the absence of knowledge about my location. To make matters worse, I was alone. Though people wouldn't have been much assistance, I couldn't be certain. It seemed that I didn't enjoy being around others, or so I believed, with no recollection to support such a notion. I had to make a decision based on the instinct that has guided humanity throughout history: my gut feeling. 

Leaving the bar, I turned to examine the establishment where I had awoken. It was called Martin Dee's Topless Taverns, not Salit's as I had initially assumed. A wave of discomfort washed over me, causing my cheeks to redden as I felt repulsed. Places like Martin Dee's were traps for the vulnerable or lost. Rather than using their talents and skills to improve their lives, people wasted their existence there with cheap alcohol and casual sex. But why had I woken up in such a place? The entire area I found myself in was some sort of red-light district, with Martin Dee's being just one of many similar establishments on the ground level. Glancing upwards, I could see several hundred more floors consisting of shopping centers, hotels, and beyond that, a barely visible distant point."What a disgrace," I exclaimed. Almost immediately, I realized that what I had initially believed to be a support column reaching into the darkness above was actually just another data column. On the screen, I saw two remarkably attractive women seated at a news station labeled as Universe Two News for Norms. Their voices were breathy, and they emphasized their words with heavy breathing, attempting to sound serious.

They began reporting on the hunt for Tarigast, the missing God Emperor. The Faceless Guard, sworn to protect the Faceless Emperor, had been brutally attacked. The screen showed gruesome images of a field of tall grass and the remains of the guard members—torn apart with blood and sinew scattered about. While the connection to God Emperor Tarigast had not been confirmed, it seemed more than just a coincidence. A source from the Holy Guard informed that the attack had occurred around the same time as Tarigast's disappearance.

Both news presenters seemed out of breath, as if this information was breaking news to them, despite the event happening hours ago. They urged viewers to remain calm during these troubled times.

Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me. Swiftly, I turned around, prepared to defend myself.

"Who's there?" I demanded.

No response. I struck a pose that felt both right and unfamiliar, fixating my glare.

"Don't make me search for you. It won't end well," I warned. Though I wasn't entirely sure what I would have done if I had to search for the person, I hoped the threat would be enough. Fortunately, it was, and I didn't need to follow through with my words. I stood beside some spoiled food and plastic utensils on tables, waiting. Then, a trembling, naked girl emerged from between two food stands.

"Who are you?" I asked, maintaining my direct gaze. Her figure appeared almost flawless, except for two distinguishing features. Firstly, she didn't have any hair on her body, making it somewhat difficult to determine her gender from a distance. However, upon closer examination, it became apparent that she was indeed a woman. Secondly, her posture conveyed an aura of emotional pain and vulnerability, akin to that of an unruly dog, despite the absence of visible bruises or bleeding.

"I assure you that I mean no harm," I calmly reassured her. She avoided making eye contact and flinched at every word I spoke. Since I wore a heavy overcoat, I decided to remove it in an attempt to make her feel more at ease. As I approached her, she retreated into a corner, squeezed between a data column and a bench. I gestured in a comforting manner by raising my hands, but struggled to hold onto the coat with my thumbs. After a brief struggle, I gave up."Do not be afraid. May I know your name?" I inquired, lowering myself to her level, gazing into her bottomless black eyes that mirrored my own. I draped my coat over her, not expecting to notice anything unusual. But to my surprise, the woman transformed from a trembling figure to a confident one, though her posture still displayed a slight slouch. Her gaze became steady, no longer evasive, and a mischievous smile revealed a mouth filled with sharp, metallic teeth.

Startled, I attempted to jump back, but it happened too quickly. Her jaw dislocated, stretching unnaturally wide as she lunged at me with ferocity. A warm liquid trickled down my neck, rapidly turning into a steady flow. That was the last sensation I experienced. Summoning all my strength, I pushed her away, propelling her across the room like an lifeless doll. For a fleeting moment, everything seemed normal. I tried to utter words, but none formed on my lips. I struggled to breathe, realizing it was impossible. Upon reaching for my throat, I discovered that a significant portion of it had been torn away.

"A flicker! A flicker! Flicker! Flicker!" a voice, high-pitched and filled with cackles, echoed and abruptly fell silent.

Though her voice sounded distant, she had reappeared before me. Her face now seemed kind, as long as she refrained from smiling.

That was the moment I died.