Chapter 2 The Other Side

I awoke with a jolt and felt my entire body ache in agony. I had to hold my breath due to the pain currently going through my entire body, I kept my eyes firmly closed and snapped my beak shut. I haven't experienced pain like this in my entire life but the closest thing I could compare to this was when I was working on a electric cord and someone turned on the power causing me to shake due to all the electricity, and my body going on fire practically. But either way that moment told me to always wear gloves no matter if you were working or not, but compared to this pain I was feeling. That was like getting a shard of glass into your paw while this felt like getting embedded with glass shards all over your body.

I stayed still to help make less pain and eventually the pain subsided enough that I wasn't shaking as erratically. I eventually decided to open my eyes to see where I was at and I saw grey stone directly in front of my face. I moved my head up and looked around to see me in a cave that looked similar to the previous cave, except that there was no mud, tables or actually anything that could say that people were here at any point. The place looked similar to a cave that hasn't been discovered, well It would have until I popped up here and if I did then that means the statue should be behind me, if logic exists here.

I carefully pushed myself on to my back to try and look behind me. The pain was still there as I worked my arms to push me over but it wasn't as excruciating compared to when I woke up, though it wasn't my body getting embedded with glass instead simply my arms shooting up repeatedly. I had to push twice with my right hand to rollover but when I finally looked behind me I saw the statue but there was no glow, compared to what it did back at the cave which it held a faint blue glow but this time there was nothing. It just stood menacingly, like a figure silently watching from afar.

I decided to sit up which didn't hurt much compared to my other movements but it still did. I took in all my surroundings and could tell the cave was very similar to the other cave but inherently different. There was no dirt from what my eyes could show me from the darkness but it also didn't seem as big compared to the other cave. The cave I spent a month of my life in was practically the size of a coliseum and held about two hundred soldiers in it from what I've heard but wait... I'm the only one here and I'm alive.

I looked around and I guess it donned on me, I'm the only one here and the statue had no glow so it was more than likely off and it took multiple gryphons to find away to turn it on and now there is only one that doesn't know the first thing about ancient devices. I looked down at my still glove covered claws and put my face into them. I don't have a single clue to know how to turn it back on but do I even want to open it again. We were losing and there was practically no one at the statue when I jumped into the electric ball, except the frightened engineer and my commander Lawrence. All I knew was that we were retreating to the other exit and we couldn't make it so Lawrence wanted to use the statue, for us... He got shot though and couldn't come with me so I guess I maybe the only one left.

I firmly shut my beak to prevent myself from showing sadness, though it only held back the tide, the rain though would always come and make a few feet. My face felt like it was practically welling up to cry but I forced it down as much possible though on my face it looked like I was about to sob to death. After a few minutes like this I finally decided to try and stand on shaky paws, I stumbled a few times but I felt fine other than my vision going blurry for a few seconds but that is expected.

When I finally stood up I took my leather gloves off and put them in my coat so that my claws could finally get some air. I then felt this feeling like I was missing something very important, I patted myself down and felt my ammo and the pistol along with the axe... Where's my fucking rifle. I looked toward the ground to see nothing but uneven stone, but when I looked behind me, a few feet from me was my rifle on the ground still attached to the bloodied bayonet. I walked over to it and snatched it the instant I got to it on instinct since everyone berated into my head to always have your rifle on you.

After I was done picking up my rifle I looked back at the statue and walked toward it slowly. It looked similar to the other statue but with no glow and it had a hat that hid most of it's face, though this one looked male since it's chest was flat and it was beckoning with it's left hand that looked bigger. I walked to the base of it and put my left claw on it, the sensation of cold metal hit me instantly and I began looking for some kind of panel using my claw since I could barely see in here. I eventually touched what felt like a handle and I began pulling on it with all my might, and it didn't budge at all. I put my rifle down and began prying it open with both my claws, the metal groaned and eventually snapped open causing me to fall on my back.

"Yeah I can't even open an ancient box without mucking it up". After I was done muttering to myself I got up and examined what I just opened which is very hard when you have zero light. I put a glove on my left claw and ran it along the inside of it and I instantly felt five bumps all in a row to the top of it. I pulled a bump and it gave almost instantly, It felt like a cylindrical object and since this statue needs power to open a vortex then this must be a fuse. I put the fuse back and stared at the box for a few seconds trying to figure out what to do.

"I could try to fix this but I don't think I can and what's left for me, everyone in my squad is dead except Lawrence but he was injured and the enemy was advancing so by now he should be dead too. So all that's there for me is death but here it's all unknown and I could also die, I'd rather die in the unknown than die in mud, blood and brass". I stopped talking with my head down low and began walking toward a light shaft that looked like I could climb to the surface. I also took my glove off as I walked over there.

When I got into the light it almost blinded me so I put my claw over my eyes to block the light, from blinding me even more. When my eyes got adjusted I looked over head to see green and distant blue. As I put my claw onto the ledge I looked back at the statue knowing if I continue to climb I would be a deserter to my army, which also meant my country, my only home. But for all they know I'm dead and that's to practically everyone except Lawrence and the engineer if they survived it and have there hopes up, not to mention if I did manage to get the statue working there would be an entire army pointing guns at me and shoot the instant they see me. I pulled myself to the top of the ledge without a second thought and began climbing the chest high walls to the light.

When I got to the last cliff I looked up to see that it was almost twice my height, though that didn't stop me. I began using the uneven rocks that were jutting out of the wall so I could climb it. I slipped a few times, and it did hurt my claws, I continued to climb anyways since I was lucky to catch myself. Before I knew it I hoisted myself up from the hole to see grass, trees and everything you would see in a forest.

I looked at the green healthy trees, the green grass that covered the ground like rugs, and the bright sun that shown from the top of trees making light cascade down like a waterfall through the leaves. It looked beautiful especially compared to the muddy, damp cave I've been in for the last month.

"Pretty". I muttered it under my breath as I continued to take in the sights, though some of my attention was more focused on the bush with black roses. Wait black roses I thought they were only red, I walked closer to the bush to examine the flowers and low and behold they were black roses. I picked one and examined it more closely, to see if there is anything different about it like if it smelled different but no it was the same.

I dropped the flower and began looking around erratically for no reason, Why am I doing this, I began shaking too but not as bad as the time I was in the trench but still, it felt bad. I also felt an increased sensation of dread, and panic but I have no idea why any of this was happening, it felt like I was in mortal danger but there was no danger anywhere. My heart felt like it was beating faster than normal, my head now began feeling light headed, Wait am I falling. I fell on my back clutching my chest trying to keep myself awake, since for some reason I felt tired, like I just went through Hell and my body decided to give up on me the moment I saw something comfortable.

I needed help but I have no idea if there was help in this place, and if there was I had nothing to signal for them unless. I looked at my rifle which I still held in my right claw, By now I felt the sense of losing focus so I dragged my rifle to point at a tree and fired. I heard the flutter and cawing of birds the moment I fired my rifle, but I didn't bother as I put all my strength left into pulling the bolt and firing again. I did that for several more times until I ran out of ammo, my eyes began closing shortly after it ended and it felt like my head was swimming, and all prickly, vibrating like a very fast engine and I lacked the power to open my eyes. And Eventually I lost consciousness, with no dream other than the black void that haunts this sleep and a few others from the past.

I couldn't move but eventually I felt another presence join me from the sound of paw steps. I heard muttering though I couldn't hear much other than that it sounded like there was another person. I couldn't hear what they were saying but it most likely involved me since right now I felt dead, but oddly alive like time was skipping.

I heard a far distant feminine voice" We should help him".

I then heard a far deep male voice" He wear's odd clothes, and has odd items we can't trust him".

"But he needs help and no soldier to the village's knowledge wears a uniform like that".

"Ok fine I submit but because the kid was dumb and picked one of the black roses, that or wanted to die". I was picked up from what I could tell from the lack of feeling, and just the movement from my somewhat open dead eyes. I blacked out and couldn't hear what else they said other than distant muttering that haunted my unconsciousness. I eventually went into complete blackness, not hearing anything, and not knowing what would happen when I woke up or if I would wake up again.

Author's Note

The update schedule with my stories is going to be back in forth so the next thing I will begin writing is the next chapter of A Merchants New Life. Criticism is appreciated and necessary since, one im doing this with no help, and two I'm not the greatest. Now for some humor.

Death stranding trailer one reaction

"What am i looking at".
Death stranding trailer analysis videos

"WHAT THE HELL"
Death stranding trailer two reaction

"Are we sure this is a Hideo Kojima game, you know the ones with humor and political messages. Not philisophical, dread filled creepiness that can make people have nightmares"

"It's bad enough Hideo left Konami since they suck, but now he probably just created the craziest conspiracy that he wants people to figure out in the gaming industry ever".

"No seriously look up videos analyzing things and stuff that has been happening revolving around everything. It will make you think".

Also Titanfall 2 multiplayer very fun, except tone, he sucks and is ridiculous.