The Celestial Chronicles - Just Another Day

Numb. My whole body was numb.

I tried moving my arms. Nothing. I got the same result with the rest of my body, except for my eyelids and nose. I grunted as I opened my eyes. It felt like you were waking up in the morning and your eyelids weighed about a million or so pounds, and slammed down like a wall just when you think you can stay awake. I was met with similar results on my first attempt, or at least I thought I did. I raised my eyelids and was met with darkness, so I closed my eyes and tried again. Darkness. I closed my eyes and rubbed them fiercely. I sighed as I was met with the same suffocating darkness. I gave up, and tried focusing on something more important, breathing. I took a whiff of air, and my nose scrunched as it was met with a foul resistance. Somewhat of a locker room, but more damp, like it had been coated in warm, snuffy water.

I groaned in sat motionless for what seemed like hours. My mood brightened as the numbness in my legs slowly started to reside. I took it easy at first, ever so slightly twitching my leg, hoping for even the smallest of responses. Once successful, I shifted the weight in my leg, causing it too roll a bit. This went on for awhile, before I ultimately gained control over my legs. By this time, the rest of my body was free of numbness, and I could freely move.

Acquiring a smug look on my face, I started to sit up, only to be suddenly subdued by a sharp pain in my chest. I collapsed on my back, panting heavily. Right, I had been stabbed earlier. Nice going dumb ass. I managed to rest myself into the sitting position, and I titled my head down towards my wounds. I tried opening my eyes once again, and heaved a sigh of relief when I was met with the sight of my brown t shirt I was wearing before the events prior. I facepalmed, when I realized that the whole time I had actually had my eyes open, but everything around me was dark.

That's when my blood ran cold, as I realized something. I had just been fatally wounded by best friend. No way I could've survived ten inches of cold steel through my heart. I winched as I reached for my chest. I stroked the soft skin, but found no blood, or wound for that matter. But my chest still burned with immense pain. I groaned and attempted to stand up. After falling on my face, twice, I managed to make my way onto my shaking feet.

My head felt like it weighed, you guessed it, a million or so pounds. So naturally, the first thing I do it look down. I gasped, or tried to, when I saw something glint in the darkness. Which now I question the logic behind that, something glinting in the darkness, but hey, weirder things have happened. My heart practically backflipped when I noticed my elegant Celestial Armor sitting down below my feet. I was a second away from grabbing it, when I noticed my Claymore resting a few yards away, sheathed snugly inside a hip holster.

Being as paranoid and scared as I was in the dark span of nothingness. It took me awhile, and I should spare you the time, but I managed to equip my armor onto my body, and wrap the belt around my waist. The only thing I failed to find was my helmet. Shame too, I really liked that helmet, and it cost a lot of money. After donning my accessories, I decided to head in a random direction.

I shambled and grit my teeth as I trudged onward. I faded in and out of my thoughts, but I started noticing very weird things. It started as simple things I could pass off as hallucinations from me being drowsy. At first, it seamed as if birds were slowly flying around me. Completely black, but had a shimmering white outline. They flew around my body, and seemed to pass through each other from time to time, causing a ripple in the darkness. I started noticing things accruing more frequently, and they got bigger everytime. Once, their was a bush, then a tree. All with the same darkness, but a white, shimmering outline.

Then they got more detailed. After server all hours of walking, I came across a running creek. I knelt down, much to the protest of my chest, and felt the water. It was ice gold, like a glacier in the artic just melted. I brought my hand back, and gasped in horror as it was covered slowly in a dark blue aura. For whatever reason, I slammed my hand back into the creek, and found myself utterly suprised that the aura had disappeared. I got back up and kept walking, searching for signs of help.

I eventually found one, or saw it at first. I squinted my eyes as I saw a faint glow in the distance. My face brightened and I formed my first smile in what felt like ages.

I continued my journey to the light, as weird images started forming around me. At first, little images of birds formed around me. They were a deep, midnight blue, with a bright, shimmering white outline. I reached out to touch of the creatures, but my hand connected with nothing, leaving ripples in the darkness around me. I shrugged and continued onwards. I tried to block it out, but it was hard to not notice the images surrounding me became more vibrant as seconds dripped away. After about twenty minutes, I stopped. I glanced around me and I noticed that the images how now become full with color, and were vibrant with bright lights. I looked to my left and saw a few trees, swaying in a slight breeze that wasnt there. Down nearer to my feet was a small creek, about three feet across. And looked to my right to find a vast, open field, with drippy yellow grass. The suffocating air had long since disappeared, and was replaced by a newer, more familiar air.

I sighed, and continued onwards towards the light, which was now only a few hundred yards away. I continued a ways before finding myself standing on the edge of a very steep ledge. The slope was slanted at least eighty degrees downward, and had a small waterfall flowing down some mossy rocks on the right. If I had not been so paranoid and anxious. I would've sat there for hours and relished the beauty of it all. I sighed and slumber down onto my back, positioning myself on the ledge of the hill. Using my backplate as a makeshift sled, I sped my way down the slop, and emerged on the bottom with nothing but a burn mark on my backside. I reattached my armor and continued towards the light, which lay only twenty or so feet away.

As I grew near the light, I realized it wasn't like the light I thought it was. I stopped aburbptly as the light slowly transformed into a dull black, and shapped into an old, French style door. A small, red and yellow orb formed itself into a crude doorknob, and lodged itself into the door with a loud thud. I grabbed the handle of the door, and ripped it open. I cringed and slammed the door shut, jumping back from the heavenly light that had so rudely assaulted my eyes. I shook my head and recovered from the bright light and went for the door again. This time, I slowly opened it, and let one ray of light seep in. I let my eyes adjust, and opened the door some more, letting my eyes adjust again. I repeated this until the door was fully open, casting light deep into the shadows behind me. I drew my sword, and stepped through the door.

I heard a loud smack behind me, and I spun around. I was mildly shocked to see the door gone, not a hint of its existence left. I reluctantly sheathed my blade, and took in my surroundings. I stood open a tall hill, about 120 or so feet above ground level, with vast plains of dark, yellow grass surrounding me on all sides. Not a tree or creek in sight. I turned to do a 360, but was stopped midway as my eyes rested onto an odd sight. There, sitting in the middle of the vast fields, was a simple, but rather large, abandoned train yard. Multiple tracks ran various directions, even peeking into the horizon, out of vision. Some tracks ran through small buildings, where cargo was loaded on two the trains. Some of these buildings had long ago been eroded, and now lay in piles of metal and dust on the cold, dry ground. Dotted along the railroads were dark colored train cars. Some were dark red, black and a dull yellow. While others were pure gray and a misty purple. Many of the once glorified cars were tipped on their sides, and their cargo had spilled out. Many an item had long since decomposed, the elements of nature taking their toll. Tallied in large piles along the track, were coals to fuel the trains. In the center of the yard, a long and wide wooden platform sat, which a single figure sitting in a chair upon it. Despite the distance, I could make out some little features. The figure was clad in a long, dull black robe, and he sat in a ebony colored rocking chair, with a staff rested upon his waist.

I gulped and started heading towards the yard. It lay only a few hundred yards yonder, and should have been a mere thirty minute walk, due to my injuries acquired in past experiences. As I neared the crest of the bottom of the hill, I noticed something shimmer proudly in the sunlight. I sauntered over and found myself looking upon a magnum revolver. My expression changed and my fists clenched. I grabbed the revolver, gripped it tightly, and with a cry of rage, flung the revolver as far as I could. I slammed my hands onto the ground and grasped handfuls of grass. I bit down onto my tongue, and stood up. I calmed my thoughts and forced disturbing images of my past into the recess of my brain.

I walked for a good time, passing nothing but grass and small rocks. I finally managed to reach the outskirts of the train yard, finding myself near one of the cargo loading bays. I climbed in, through a long broken window, and made my way between boxes and train cars to the front exit.

I emerged from the building and was meet by a large block blob. It looked upon the large mound of coal. Sweet Jesus it was a monster. It would take far too long to make my way around it. I started my slow and unsteady ascent up the hill. My hands and feet slipped constantly, struggling to find a grip throughout the loose coal. I finally managed to make my way to the top, raising my fist in victory. No sooner had I done this, the coal under my feet slipped under me and I rolled down the hill.

I rolled down the hill and rolled all the way to the edge of the wooden platform, with the man clad in gray sitting in his chair. I sat up in a coughing fit, and dusted off my armor, to the best of my ability. Looking down upon my apparel, I noticed that the once elegant, beautiful shining armor looked as if it had been through a war. I smirked at the thought, at least it looked badass.

I shambled my way over to the wooden platform, and cleared my throat with a deep growl. But before I could try and ask him what the fuck was going on, he spoke to me in a deep, metallic growl. From deep within the excesses of his body.

"I seldom get visitors to the Crossroads. How interesting..." He murmured, shifting in his chair, and rising to his feet, "Do you want to now why you're here? And not dead, human?" He asked, his back still facing towards me. In all honesty, I did, I did want to know what the hell was going on. I had clearly died.

I coughed again, "U-uh yes, I *cough* have been wondering what I-is going on h-here." I stammered. Shifting my feet nervously. The figure grunted and turned towards me. His hood slipped from his head as he titled it back, slipping into the shadows. His eyes were deep red, with a glint of cream white in the centers. His skin was gray and wrinkly, obviously aged for years of eroding age.

"Many, when they die, go straight to hell or heaven. Hell is he dimension far in the excesses of ones mind. Heaven is simply afterlife, an empty space of eternal bliss. But, there are some people, you, who's souls have yet to rest. Who's soul is so strong, it allows one to choose their path themselves. Not heaven nor hell, but life or death, " He motioned to the area around him, "Welcome, to the Crossroads". He walked over to his chair, and gestured to the area beside him. A small chair appeared next to him, and I took a seat. "The choice is an easy one, most people choose life. It's a reasonable choice. For death offers one nothing." He said. He waved his hand again, and a fork in the road popped up. Two arrow shaped signs protruded from the fork. On the left, life. On the right, Death.

"Choose." He commanded, shoving me off the platform. I stood up, and slogged over to the fork. I stopped by the fork, he didn't even give me a chance to ask him questions. I looked back over my shoulder nervously, and saw him with his arms crossed and patting his foot impatiently. Like he had anywhere to go. I found myself closer to the sign, stroking the ebony colored wood softly, tracing the letters. I sagged my shoulders. What was left for me in my life? Abusive mom, no friends, little money, school troubles? What worth was it? I sighed, a deep depressed sigh, and hung my head. I walked down the path of Death, before I was halted by a strong voice, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" The 'conductor' boomed. That was the nickname I gave him, fitting isn't it?

"Leaving?" My natural smart-ass within said, leaving me grinning inside. "You do realize I have given you a second chance at life, and you're foolishly are throwing me away?!" He boomed, bounding over to me, "What do I have to live for?" I started, "My mom abuses me, cuts me, and beats me senseless. My only friend just FUCKING KILLED ME, I have no money, and people bully me at school! Why the fuck would I go back to that? Death seems really good to me right now!". The conductor stepped back at my sudden outburst, but regained his composure.

"Very well, I understand now..." He said, now pacing along the platform, "I will now offer you a choice, and once you decide, there is no turning back. You can either choose death, and sit in a dark abyss for all eternity, or you could transport your life into a new world." He offered, with open hands?

"A new world? What do you mean?" I asked looking up.

"Any world you choose. Anything from the fictional stories on your world. Like books and...what is it called...video games. A television perhaps?" He said. I nodded in conformation, astounded by what I just heard. My jaw hung slightly, contemplating the possible solutions....Skyrim, Lord of the Rings, Walking Dead and..."EQUESTRIA!" I shouted, instantly covering my mouth with my hands.

"Quite the choice, indeed. Do you really wish to go there?" He asked, looking for my approval. I thought for a minute, or two. I had always dreamed of this. I had always fantasied about going to Equestria. All of those HiE fanfictions blurred through my head at that moment. I wondered the possibilities. Equestria was a place where you could literally start your life over. Burn down your house, and venture into the unknown. Having the rush of adventure soar through your veins. I could only imagine how awesome It would be. I caught him staring, raising an eyebrow. I simply nodded again.

"Good, it is settled. But there is....a slight problem..." He muttered deeply. "Oh?" I said with a raised eyebrow.

"You see, Equestria is a country, not a form of reality, like a world is. I can still send you there, but with a slight defect..." He said opening his hands. A small glob of energy appeared in his hands. But instead of Earth, there was a nearly identical blue sphere with masses of lands dotting the blue. He gestured to one of the biggest green splotches, and made a circular motion with his finger, "This is Equestria" he said. He then motioned a much bigger area, "And this is where you might land" He said. I really didn't care. I had an itch for adventure, and I was willing to partake in one. Hell. I might end up right smack in the middle of Canterlot for all I know.

"I don't care"

"Good to know. I will inform The gods of this realm of your arrival, so you won't go un welcomed. And by the way, i don't mean those silly Princesses. They are not gods." he muttered, maybe to me, but it sounded more like he was talking to himself. He motioned for me to follow him, down a dark ally between two factories. We walked for quite sometime, before arriving in a clearing of lush beauty. There was a magnificent forest, trees raising high above the ground. Animals ran free, without fear of being hunted. Flowers and other accessories dotted the foliage in the undergrowth. I awed at the sight. Never in my life had I seen something so beautiful. And the air smelt....fresher, un contaminated? Yes, not polluted.

"This is but a small glimpse of what is too come in your new life. You have chosen wisely. But remember, with a good life, comes many great complications, some of which you will play a major part in. Your destiny is intertwined with this world more than you can imagine." And with that he waved his hand in my face, and the same flittering black from long before crept into my vision again.

"Good luck, My Little Human!" He boomed with a devilish laughter.

And everything went dark.