I Chose Black

Ripple Effect

        Hello. My name is Jasper Landers. I’m 17 years old, and for a whole year I thought my best friend was dead.

        I honestly don’t know how else to start this. I guess bluntness makes it easier to get the ball rolling. I’m sure the details will pick up gradually from here.

        His name was Aleister, and he went missing a year ago for unknown reasons. He was assumed dead when everyone gave up the search after several months with no lead.

        On the first day, my friends and I assumed that he had caught another sickness or broken another arm. He was very accident prone like that. He’d sometimes go missing for weeks because of subsequent injuries.

        “Probably fell down some stairs again,” Zach remarked casually. “Or tripped a curb.”

        “Or twisted his ankle,” Johnny added.

        “Or twisted his ankle tripping a curb down some stairs,” Josh joked with a laugh.

However, the next day we all felt slight regret for our jest when his parents called us and the school, either asking us where he was or simply letting the school staff know in their case. The police just barely accepted the report, but didn’t actually do anything considering the lack of evidence. The mood grew somber over the weeks as no news of Aleister came up. Almost no one talked to each other, and breakfast and lunch were just awkward.

My friends... Tristan, Richard, Josh, Johnny, Zach... and Aleister. One we had thought to have died killed the bonds between the rest, almost torturously.

Tristan was the first to go, and he took Richard with him.

The both of them were always the most jokingly arrogant. I suppose it wasn’t much of a surprise when Zach just snapped at Tristan and told him to go the fuck away. To be honest, I got kind of sick of it as well, but I couldn’t blame him. He honestly thought that using his hilariously douchey narcissist act would help us cheer up, and he looked genuinely hurt when he was told to find other friends.

He was almost never genuinely hurt, and when he was he’d smile about it. His sad frown was depressingly disturbing.

Richard left with him because he was the only one who actually enjoyed the jokes during such a sad time. I was almost tempted to go with him, but I was too torn to even stand. That action chose for me. Besides, I didn’t want to leave the only friends who looked like they actually needed some at the moment.

Josh and Johnny left next, but respectively went separate ways.

      They both found us to be too depressing to be around, apparently. I supposed that me being uncharacteristically silent for most of the time attributed to that, and Zach with his brooding didn't help either. I didn't want to lose two more friends, but I didn't see any solution for a happier ending.

Those two were as silent as me during lunch, but only because they waited for someone like me to start a conversation, or were too busy with something else. Both had other friends to fall back on, while me and Zach were left to sit there silently for the remaining school year. I lost five friends in less than four months, but I still hoped that I could at least keep the one.

My hopes were crushed without a hint of remorse.

        “...Jasper, I think I’m gonna go,” Zach just said, the statement coming from nowhere.

        “Oh, come on! Not you too!” My last, only friend... Please don’t leave.

        “I’m sorry, I... I just need to be alone. Probably for a while.” Why doesn’t he just punch me in the face while he’s at it?

        “...What’ll I do? None of the others want to be near me. There’s no one else left.” And why did you choose to leave now?! Why didn’t you leave when it wouldn’t have hurt as much!?

        “Find some other friends. Find some way to move on.” You fucking hypocrite.

        “Then what are you doing then, huh? Why don’t you move on!?”

        Everything was silent. I looked around to see many faces staring. Many faces who most likely didn’t understand. I ignored them and looked back to Zach.

        “I am. I just need to prepare for it.” You asshole.

        “...I hate you,” I didn’t say. “Fine, go. Just... good luck, I guess.”

        “Yeah, sure. Good luck.” He swiftly picked up his bag and left the cafeteria.

        I left as well, but not in the same direction. I went straight out the side door leading out of the school and began walking towards town.

        Aleister’s family left. That’s how they moved on. They finally earned enough money to move somewhere bigger, and nicer. Their house seemed much different when empty, much more sadder than when other houses were empty. That was where I arrived, as I went there many times after they moved. I snuck around the side and hopped the fence to the backyard, where it was also much cleaner and emptier than before.

        Near the other side of the yard was a small tree, with part of it either warped or cut into a sort of stump seat. They called it the Thinking Tree, and I did exactly that whenever I went there. I sat down on the stump and thought, sometimes for hours, in silence.

        Why did it have to be like this? Why did it even have to end? There wasn’t any reason, no explanation for why things turned out this way, no need for Aleister to leave us and for me to lose my friends. Was it something I did? Is this some sort of punishment?! Why couldn’t things have stayed the way they were?!

        Thoughts like these pelted my mind until they went on to repeat themselves. Yes, it was redundant, and yes, it didn’t get me anywhere, but what would? There wasn’t anything that could help me, and if I was going to cry about it, then I’d cry about it where no one was around.

So I did.

I cried.

I didn’t even notice when it began pouring rain.

‘Why can’t things just go back to normal...?’

I looked to the sky. The clouds thundered at that thought, as if God were mocking me. I stood with clenched fists and pointed to the clouds.

“Why not strike me down now!? What else is there to take!? My family!? My life!? GO AHEAD! IT’S ALREADY GONE!!!”

A rock struck me in the back of the head. Another mock answer to my pleas. I was knocked down, but it wasn’t enough to make me stay down. I stood up quickly, looking around in rage for the assailant.

“WHO THREW THAT!?”

No one was around. Coward must’ve thrown the stone then ran. I picked up the stone and prepared to throw it in the general direction from where it came without thought. A glance at the stone brought me out of my rage.

It was glowing. And it was purple. And it wasn’t a stone. It was a gem that shined with the brightness of a flashlight, and nearly blinded me. I turned it away and the glow gradually dimmed, but still gave off an aura so beautiful. So... precious. The surface had a sheen mirror polish that reflected my image.

A chubby, dark haired, acne-ridden Filipino stared back at me. His eyes, red and puffy from the crying he’d done, and his expression, tired from the emotional pain and his rage spent. I clutched the gem and held it close. The purple aura was oddly soothing, almost like anesthesia for the soul.

Maybe this gem was the answer...?

You are very right of that, child.

        ...What?

        My eyes widened and I stared at the gem. It still showed my reflection.

        “A-Are you... D-Did you t-... talk?”

        There was a low chuckle as the image warped and twisted into that of a... dragon? It had eyes of a luminous yellow and scales of a dark purple. Its spikes and horns gave it the look of a demon. Its expression was that of amusement, which was hard to read, but definitely there. It spoke again, its voice warped and booming with the deep sound of an aged eternity.

That I did, child.

        “You... You’re a-”

Dragon? It... He smirked, razor sharp teeth showing. I shivered a bit and nodded. He chuckled again. If you didn’t hear it before, I said that I would help you.

        I looked downward, but not away from the precious gem.

        “Can you bring back the dead?” My voice was sarcastic, but I honestly did feel some hope in my snark.

        The drake brought up a large, wicked claw and inspected it with a smug smile. Well, I have been known to dabble in necromancy from time to time. My hope grew at that statement, and I looked back to the dragon. He continued, However, I had heard your cries and had looked into the matter. It turns out that you may not need any necromancy anytime soon.

        I raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”

        The dragon smiled wider before the... ‘screen’ filled with smoke. When the smoke cleared, an image of... It was Aleister... wearing... some form of odd armor? He was... being levitated? By a purple unicorn? I frowned angrily.

        “Is this a joke? What the hell am I looking at!?” I growled.

Your friend had never died, but simply transitioned. He’s been in danger for one of your years, and is stuck in this world of fantasy. I am prepared to help you, though... for a small price.

        Of course he’d want something in return. That wasn’t much of a surprise, but... This was my friend, and if bringing him back could mean returning our lives to the way they used to be, then I’d be willing to do it.

        The gem was showing the dragon again, waiting patiently for my reply. I nodded solemnly and said, “Anything for my friends. Tell me what I need to do.”

        He chuckled again. I believe that I’ve never actually introduced myself. My name is Malefor, a great and ancient immortal dragon. Well... I suppose the term ‘immortal’ is used very loosely in anyone’s case.

        I crossed my arms. “Because true immortality is impossible?” Anyone who is truly immortal must violate conservation of mass by going on living after the universe dies out, which I shouldn’t have to say is scientifically impossible for any living being, immortal or not.

        Another chuckle, only a bit more open. I actually learned that the hard way. My soul transcended the universe and dissipated in the void between dimensions, quite painfully. However, my legacy and power lived on, and you are holding it. The only reason we’re speaking now is because this gem contains a temporary projection of my soul, much like one of your world’s recorded messages. After you accept the task, this projection shall dissipate as well.

        I tried to piece it together. “So... you need me to do something important?”

        He nodded. Oh, it truly is important, and it is something you need to do, but I’m not going to send you on any quest of some sort. In fact, what I require of you may aid you in your own task. I simply wish to pass on my power and title. You were not chosen by me, but maybe this universe decided to push the odds in your favor, because you seem very lucky to have obtained me.

        I was stunned. Unlimited power from a dragon? As if it weren’t surreal enough. “You wish to give me... your power? All of it to help me?”

        He nodded again, then shook his head quickly. Oh, but not all at once. No, that would be too much. All of my power will come slowly as you rebuild my legacy, for my title is useless without it. I wish for you to earn your keep instead of having it all handed to you on a silver platter. Once you’ve brought up my reputation, you will have mastery over the elements, mastery over all magic, and mastery over the power of the dimensions: Convexity.

        “Convexity?” The gem flared its purple aura and a wave of relaxation soothed me once more. The aura also seemed to warp the air in strange ways.

Convexity is the energy that controls the very essence of existence. He smiled warmly.Use it to tune into the universe, and it will heal you. His smile turned sadistic.Turn it on your enemies and wipe out every foe in your path. His smile became one of great age. With Convexity, your life’s length may extend to that of the universe you reside in. The gem you hold in your hand is forged from it. It is the only one of its kind, and as long as you hold it, you will have my power.

        I turned the gem over, inspecting it thoroughly. It was nearly flawless in its natural design, almost better than those shaped by professional gemcrafters. A chance to help my friends, and ‘immortality.’ It was almost too good to be true, but I know that my mind doesn’t lie, even in dreams. It only retells events, whether they’ve happened yet or not.

I turned the gem back to face Malefor. “Can this power be shared? If I were to live on... I wouldn’t want to lose my friends again.”

        He nodded. You may do whatever you wish with it. Share it with friends, your family, even all of your kind if it pleases you. The universe is infinite, and so is its power.

        The power of a universe... A benefit to humanity...

        I would be revered as a god.

        The journey will undoubtedly be very difficult...

        Hmm...

        I rubbed my chin in careful thought. “There’s just something about this that feels very... off. A small journey like this doesn’t exactly equate to an entire species’ immortality.”

        Malefor guffawed this time, an outright hearty laugh. You are cautious. I respect that. However, I don’t believe you quite understand how... arduous your own quest may be, let alone what it will take to match my reputation. The drake closed his eyes in thought. And I believe that may have been my fault. I apologize, but let me explain it in much blunter detail. He opened his eyes and fixed them on me with a hard stare. I flinched at the sudden sternness. You will be sent to a completely different universe, on a world very backwards from your own. I have no idea where on this world you will be sent, for I can only do so much from here. I’m only sending you to this world as a favor, but you will need to find your own way back as well as find your friend. Do you understand these terms?

        My mouth opened and closed slightly before I stammered out, “W-What about the Convexity? Can’t the gem just poof me back when I’m done?”

No, he said with force nearing a shout. Convexity needs a master, otherwise it is just unstable dimensional energy, which can be very dangerous to any universe no matter where your location is. I do not plan on giving you that control until you have proven to the gem that you are worthy of it. To gain that worth, you must build up a legacy unparalleled to anyone’s but my own, and even then I suggest practicing with your control over normal magic. Let me tell you now, my legacy was being locked within my world’s core for attempting to cleanse it by fire, and I almost succeeded.

        I reared back in surprise and shock. “You did what?!”

        The dragon’s gaze grew colder. It was my duty. My world wasn’t meant to progress, only cycle. I failed however, and life thrived until it simply went out on its own forever, before its time. Malefor looked down in what I guessed to be remorse. I let a planet die, falling to one of my kind who wasn’t but an infant compared to me, and for that I payed. The planet withered away, and I was left to drift until the end of my realm. The pain was agonizing. Malefor closed his eyes and shuddered slightly at what I guessed to be a memory, or the ghost of an experience. I soon found myself shuddering, as if his pain was terrible enough to garner sympathy from those told in detail about it. He opened his eyes and looked back at me once more, his eyes filled with pleading sadness, as mine were before he showed up. Do you now understand these terms and why I wish to pass myself on? Do you accept this final wish and favor that a dead dragon is presenting you with?

        My hesitation was only for a few seconds. I already had it into my mind that I’d do anything for my friends.

        I nodded solemnly. “If any of my friends need help, I’ll come running.”

        Malefor smiled slightly. A touching sentiment. I hope your friends will appreciate your actions.

        I gave the dragon a meaningful look. “I’m sure one already does.”

        His smile grew wider before he went on to explain, Now, the transfer of my power to you, as well as the ability to perform magic, will require your body to do some... adjusting. Since this world is not accustomed to magic, this transfer will be very painful. The Convexity will try to null the pain as much as the universe will allow, but magic is a rarity here, so be prepared. Afterwards, the Convexity will take you to the world your friend is trapped in. Once you begin this process, I will be gone and your quest will begin. Are you absolutely ready?

        “Yes. I am.” I didn’t think that anything else was left for me here until everything went back to the way it was, and this was the only way to do that.

Then you must say these words with me simultaneously. I will demonstrate them. The words he spoke made the gem glow at the flashlight brightness it was at before, but the words echoed through my mind and left an imprint. I still remember them to this day. After his demonstration, I repeated them back with a feeling of potency. He spoke them again with me.

Ego sum Malefor. Malefor est me. Cum sanguinem totum universum meum. Haec potestas mea. Meum erit legatum. Ego vivam cum legato.

        After the words were spoken, tendrils of purple aura started to flow outwards from the gem. Malefor was fading from view as he spoke his last words with a sad smile.

Goodbye, friend.

        I smiled back. “Goodbye to you too.”

        With that, the tendrils shot at me, and the Convexity didn’t do much to help me.

        I screamed.

        For hours, possibly an eternity, that’s all I did. When my throat went out, and the croaking hurt, I still screamed. As I screamed, another part of me thought of what I had lost over the past year, and what this journey could bring back. I thought of the days before Aleister left, the days when we all laughed at the dirtiest of jokes, when we talked about the nerdiest of things, and when we rejoiced over the amount of food our allowances could get us.

        I also thought of what I used to do with my life before he left. Screwing around with my laptop and game systems, figuring out ways to make them better. Playing guitar until I got bored or my fingers hurt too much. Messing around with recording equipment and software but never actually recording a damn thing with them.

        Finally, I thought of the individuals. Every face that I knew well flashed by. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve figured that I was dying. Friends, relatives, then my family.

        My family...

        Oh no...

        “...AAAAAAHHHH! WAIT! I’M NOT READY YET! NOOOOO...!”

        Mrs. Bueller awoke to screaming.

        It wasn’t a surprised scream. No, she doubted that a short yelp wouldn’t have awoken her, then compelled her to actually go see what was happening. The scream sounded of agony, almost to the level of screeching. Careful not to disturb her husband, she quickly and quietly got out of bed, put on a dressing gown and slippers, and left her house in curiosity.

        The screaming seemed to come from down the street, where a giant purple light illuminated yard it was coming from. Wasn’t that the house of those nice Pinkertons? They moved months ago! What could someone be doing with their old house. She snuck around to the back, where the source of the screaming was.

        “...AAAAAAHHHH! WAIT! I’M NOT READY YET! NOOOOO...!”

        The light dimmed suddenly, but just enough to see a very odd looking figure picking itself up from the ground. The strange figure’s head shot a glance to Bueller. She gave the yelp of surprise that wouldn’t have woken her in the first place. The light started to gradually glow again, and the creature looked down at himself before looking back almost pleadingly. It then spoke.

        “Please, I need help!”

        Mrs. Bueller yelped again, but cautiously stood her ground as she did hear the words. “What do you want?!”

        The light kept growing brighter. “Please don’t run away! My name is Jasper Landers! I’m 17 years old, and I go to Central High School! I need you to tell my family-!”

        And with a flash, it was gone.