The Binding of Isaac: Emancipation

Isaac lay curled inside the chest. After he had shut the lid, everything seemed to compress, as if the very walls of the box were trying to crush him. The world started to fade to gray, a black tunnel closing in his vision. A sudden jolt returned everything to normal, sending Isaac into the lid, before he returned to the bottom with a cry of pain. He was starting to run out of air, he realized, as he began gasping like a fish. He shook the chest, hoping to loosen the top, if only to breathe fresh air once more before being crushed.

What happened next took what remained of his breath away. A golden glow surrounded the lid, before pulling it away, revealing the face of a white pony. But there was something else to it, Isaac saw. It had magenta eyes, and a long curly horn, and looked friendly. It also had a mane of pastel blue, green, and pink, which twinkled with stars, reminding him of the night sky, the few times he had caught glimpse of it from his room. Isaac was frozen. He was enraptured by the being, before something else struck him… What if it tried to kill him? Isaac whimpered, curling up and dropping his shovel, mumbling “Please don’t hurt me…”

He began praying to whatever deity would listen, before he was surrounded in the same golden aura that opened his shelter-turned-tomb. He was lifted up, and then found his face compressed against something that could only be described as heaven. He cried, tears escaping his eyes and melting into the fur, nose running as it had for too long. Isaac lifted his head away, gazing into the face of the pony unicorn, and asked a question, “Why?”

He was shocked when the pony responded, speaking english in a motherly tone, “I… Do not know. What are you?”

Isaac wiped his nose, before answering, “My name is Isaac.”

The pony smiled, before wrapping him in a pair of wings he hadn’t noticed before, saying, “Then please, do not cry anymore, Isaac. You’re safe.”

He smiled at the word, slowly drifting off into sleep. Safe…

Samson growled, turning red with rage as he fought the abomination before him. He stood in a boss room, the bloodied walls marking where others had fallen victim to the evil known as Gurdy. He barely managed to sidestep another wave of bloody orbs, the projectiles splashing all about. He sobbed, his own tears slowly becoming larger and red, growing in damage as he burned holes into the mass of flesh. Gurdy smiled, laughing as it summoned a pair of blood-filled flies, which drifted towards Samson. He smirked, wiping out the pests, before falling over and clutching his chest in shock, where Gurdy had managed to land a shot. A crying spirit lifted up from his prone form, drifting away, joining the Lost. A deep voice echoed throughout, cutting through the chuckles of Gurdy, “Do not let my death be in vain…”

Isaac awoke with a start. He had had a terrible dream, where he had long hair and a red band, and was so… Angry, at an ugly blob of flesh. The last thing he remembered from the dream was a searing pain in his chest, then falling over and floating away. And the words… Who died for him? What did they mean? He blinked, eyes slowly adjusting to the dark room around him. Wait… Room?

He rubbed his eyes, clearing away the last of the sleep that blurred his vision. He found himself in a large bed, with pale pink covers pulled over him. He looked about, eyes settling on the white uni-sus or whatever the winged pony was called. Next to it was a midnight blue one, with dark blue eyes. They were busy talking, before they noticed him looking.

“Where am I?” Isaac asked, his voice trembling from the nightmare.

“In my private quarters. You fell asleep, so I brought you here. Did you have a nice dream?” The white one spoke, smiling lightly at the child.

“No…” Isaac said, beginning to shiver at the memory.

The dark blue uni-sus stepped forward, before asking, “What was wrong? We… Didn’t want to frighten you, so we didn’t enter your dream.”

Isaac blinked, before frowning. “I… I was in a room. And there was a big body in the center, with a face and arms, attached to a mountain of… Of guts. And I was someone named Samson, and I was angry at the thing… Then I… I died. And someone said to not let their death be in vain, or something like that.” His lip began quivering, sad at the thought of someone dying for him.

The two ponies shared a look, before the white one came forward and hugged him. “Shhhh… It was just a dream, Isaac. Would you like to get something to eat?” It asked, as Isaac vigorously nodded.

“Also, what are you?” He questioned, looking at the two uni-suses.

The white one smiled, replying, “I am Princess Celestia, and this is my sister Princess Luna.”

Isaac felt safe, hearing those words. He got up and joined them, leaving the bed behind.

Isaac’s mother was frightened. Her sacrificial lamb had escaped her grasp, running from her one chance to prove her love to the Lord. And the Lord was angry.

“You have failed me, my faithful follower. You had one job, and you have failed. I am very disappointed in you.”

“Yes, my Lord. I am so sorry, my Lord.” She pleaded, her crazed gaze resting above.

“I will give you one more chance to prove your faith. Your son, Isaac, is in a land that I cannot enter. You must go to that land, and kill him. Bring his body here, and burn his heart. Then I will know you love me above all else.”

“Yes, my Lord. How will I get there, my Lord?” Isaac’s mother begged, tears of joy beginning to fall.

“There is a room of black in the depths. Enter that room, and you will find a door to the land. However, when you return, you must also bring the hearts of the guardians of the land, so that I may close the portal. Now go!”

Isaac’s mother was confused. A room of black? That is not holy! Is it? she thought, before shaking the heretical thoughts away. She smiled and picked up her sacrificial dagger, and left with three parting words.

“Yes, my Lord.”