Black Bloodstains:
Chapter 2: Here, There and Everywhere

Before me, the walls of reality and everything I seemed to remember were swept aside. Colors seemed to shatter, my world seemed to slowly drift and disappear. The barren memories which plagued my mind seemed to drift away, resembling now a distant dream. Above and all around me I could feel swift currents of white. Not a mist, or a haze, or some form of cloud, just white. Calling it nothing wouldn’t come close to describing it; it lacked accuracy. As this was no absence, but a presence. It just happened to be that emptiness was the presence manifest.

The feeling covered my entire body being suppressed by it, but at the same time being able to flow in it. I opened my eyes, and pure whiteness greeted my vision. An endless ocean of nothingness that seemed to have neither an end nor a beginning. As in a single shocking stimulation, my whole body returned to its senses. I could feel my legs and torso, my arms and hands, it felt as if I woke up from an endless dream. My whole body slowly moving and turning, bones and muscles coming back to life. A coma or a dream, but it appeared as if years of rest had finally ended.

Slowly I gained the spirit to start moving; my body, unresponsive, answered with a decreased speed. Deciding to take a step forward, a warm sensation rushing from the sole of my feet to the rest of my body. Nerves waking up as I ordered myself to move. Moving my fingers one by one gave me the same response. As if on cue, a throbbing pain came from my chest. Breathe began to flow back into my lungs, waking up everything else in the process. I looked down at my body, noticing only a simple silhouette of what should be there. No color, and only the same emptiness filling a vacuum.

However, there was a single object, a dark black crystal centered in the location that would be my heart. It didn't hurt nor did it give any sensation. As I continued to observe, time seemed to be nonexistent with the feelings passing over my head with no toll. My head was clear as well, no turmoil nor thoughts. Emotions seemed to have disappeared, leaving behind an empty husk of a brain; assuming I still have such thing. Slowly, colors sprawled to life. An endless array of livid sensations formed right in front of me. The universe came to life in front of my eyes. Stars, gasses, planets, the cosmos awoke and I was gazing at life itself.

My feet moved on their own, a trail forming underneath me guiding me to whatever lay ahead of me. Similarly to the space around me, the trail itself had an empty presence that seemed to overwrite the world around it. The universe itself wasn't there, just a shaping of color formations and the nothingness creating an illusion. The trail continued, passing next to eight great creatures that had a godlike aura. Individually feelings of energy painted my body giving it color and shape, while at the same time flowing towards the planets lying nearby.

A warm vivid feeling was born from inside the planets. Fire igniting the flame of life filled the universe with emotion and spirit. Alongside the flame, the turmoil created an electrifying interaction. Explosions and power, coexisting at the same time to create chaos. But from chaos came peace, as water calmed the burning oceans and wind cleared the skies. And from the peace and balance, life was able to flourish, with nature and the cold frozen ice settling in between the balance. And at last, allowing the flow of life to start, darkness and light covered the world. Thus creating the final ingredient of life.

Something about the planet tingled in my head, a reaction; perhaps I’d seen it before. But how? All I knew then was that I was most likely dead, and all of this was just a lucid dream in the last seconds of my life. Or perhaps this was more? Reality seemed to shatter bit by bit, no longer a drawn line that could tell me what was and what wasn’t real. Two elements puzzled in my head, life and death. And in front of me life flourished, the rise and fall of civilizations appearing in front of my eyes. Creatures that could be considered gods, capable of bending the world at their own will. Spitting fire, controlling the ice, growing plants, these individuals were one with the world around them. The nothingness flowing alongside the world, being a part of them, fueling them as they controlled the powers.

And from that planet the nothingness, the energy that fueled life went on to inhabit three worlds around it, two of which assimilated the nothingness, and used it as their own with burning passion. Life sprawled on them as well, using the nothingness to live and prosper. However the life forms on these planets were different, they weren’t beings made of nothingness. They were flesh and bone, capable to connect to the nothingness, manipulate it. “Magic.” A short word escaped my mouth, in a tone which I had never heard before. But the last planet caught my eyes; the nothingness was rich and abundant on the inside, yet the land dwellers ignored it. They had no connection to this force, even if the planet flourished with it. Each planet had its own terrain, with land, seas, mountains, flourishing with the nothingness. And as I stare at the fourth planet, I couldn’t help but to notice how it resembled Earth.

My attention returned to the main planet, where nothingness came from and where it irradiated the strongest. The nothingness expanded, settling inside the planet, as I observed how life there took place. The creatures made out of nothingness itself, growing and fighting, developing into a full fledged society. At first, united as a single nation, helping each other with their individual traits and strengths. But war came, and the peace was shattered. A single individual brought forward the separation of the people, united only by the element they controlled. The planet prospered as the problem was eliminated. However, the world remained scarred and deeply hurt. The damage caused by the monster was too much to be repaired, that even time could not heal such wound.

I turned my head, as the strange crystal in my chest resembled that of the wound left in the planet. Not only that, but through all the planets the same scar was imprinted. My chest glowed, as the nothingness suddenly darkened. No form of light would take place in this realm. There was no difference between having my eyes open or closed. Complete darkness surrounded me, as if light and all life was sucked away in the distance. A single pulse emanated through my body; as I turned around, a single fracture of this reality shatters. Something dwelt behind it, but before I was capable of doing anything my whole body trembled as a sudden wave of energy passed through me.

My eyes opened wide, and the feeling of nothingness dissipated from all around me. I started coughing, as air actually started to flow inside my lungs. With a blurred vision and a lack of balance I slowly understood my surroundings. “What, what happened?” I grabbed my throat, as the sound coming from my mouth didn’t resemble my previous voice. However, before I could do anything else, the environment filled my mind. A cosy and calm library, with a warm fireplace that gave just enough light to read a book. The library was filled from bottom to the top with books of every size and with information I couldn’t even imagine. “What is this place…” The same fragile voice came out of my mouth, making me cough and shake my head in the process.

Locks of hair covered my face; I had to pull them away with a shock, as my previous cut barely even reached my eyes. While doing so, I noticed how dainty and soft my hands were, smaller and more feminine. “What is happening?” I said, slightly worried, still unsure of whatever was going on around me. I took a step back, as faintly in the distance a sound of music being played reached my ears. Turning towards the origin of the sound I noticed a girl sitting behind a desk filled with laboratory equipment. With one hand she appeared to be mixing chemicals, as she followed a recipe with the other hand. What surprised me the most was her green shiny hair, tied together by a simple red ribbon. She wore a lab coat and an underwear set, nothing more.

She was so focused on her work that she didn’t even notice me walking towards her. My feet seemed to produce no sound, as if I weighed nothing at all. “Hello?” I said softly, unsure if she was some kind of captor. She didn’t even flinch as she kept staring at her experiment without even noticing me. “Um… Hello?” I said one more time, this time with a louder tone than before. This time I got her attention, making her jump from her desk and look back up at me. She removes the dust from her coat, before forcing a cough as if to prepare for a speech.

“Oh, my manners! Hi, my name is Laurie Bluebell, pleasure to meet you!” She extended her hand for a handshake; I awkwardly grabbed it and followed her strong grip and shake. “It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure to have you here tonight!” She bowed, taking my hand and giving it a kiss. “So now please just relax, as I prepare dinner for you.” She pulled a chair out for me, practically forcing me to sit down at the main table. “Give me a bit as I get everything ready.” Incapable of doing or saying anything, I stared at her as she walked towards what seemed to be the kitchen.

I was about to speak up when a nearby door opened . “See you guys tomorrow! Take care!” The soft tone, that of a young girl, came from the door. Turning my head to that direction I noticed a young girl wearing a casual grey dress that reached just above her knees. Her hair was pure white but with glittering strands of light blue color. She closed the door and turned around towards me. “Oh, hi…” she said with a nervous tone, as she took a step towards me. “I wasn’t expecting you to be up so… Quickly…” She giggled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head.

Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the other side of the table, making sure her dress didn’t fold as she sat down. “Well… I hope you take all of this well. Welcome ho…” Her mouth closed shut, stopping whatever she was about to say. “Sorry, my mind is in other places.” Regaining her composure, she sat up straight and looked me directly in the eyes. “You are dead.” Taken aback by what she’d just said, my lips trembled preparing an answer. “And this is you now.” She snapped her fingers and a thin sheet of ice formed in front of me. The sudden creation of ice wasn’t enough to break me, as the reflection in the crystalline surface left me staring at it in shock.

A girl stared at me, her hair deep black trapping the light around it, and reaching just past her shoulders. Her big red eyes filled with life as she looked back at me. Her skin was white and pale as snow, with no flaws whatsoever. “And... You are a girl now…” she said, embarrassed, as she covered her face with a book. I began to breathe faster, touching my face and trying to wake myself up from this dream. But before I knew it I let out the girliest squeal in my life.

I jumped back, falling and hitting the back of my head on the nearby couch. “What the hell is this!” I yelled while inspecting my body, and for the first time since I woke up I decided to look down. A simple black hoodie covered my torso, a popular sports brand icon stamped on the front. The most puzzling aspect were the two mounds that sprouted from the front, creating a tent at the front of my chest. “Wha…” I couldn’t even finish my first word, as I slowly dragged my hands to these balls of mass. “What…” I said while softly pressing them. The sensations not only tingled through my fingers, but as I moved them they sent all types of sensations through my entire body.

“What the fuck is she doing?” Laurie murmured as she slowly approached the smaller girl in the room. She carried a plate which was filled with several biscuits and desserts, alongside a teapot that was letting out steam. She placed them on the table before sitting down next to the girl. “Is she so excited or what?” she whispered; however, I was fully capable of listening to her conversation. I stood up, with my hands still holding my chest, forcing me to slam them to the sides of my body in a single swing. Laurie raised her eyebrows, while filling up a teapot with freshly brewed tea.

“Take a seat and we will explain everything,” the girl said while gesturing to the fallen chair next to me. Trembling, I picked up the piece of wood and slowly pushed it towards the table. Sitting down, it felt as if my body suddenly became more sensitive than usual. As if the slightest breeze triggered all the nerves in my skin. The way my skin was softly pushed by the wooden surface as I sat down, and even the way it mushes my butt making it spread around it. I wanted to continue screaming, but I forced myself to listen to what these two individuals had to say. “First of all, hi! My name is Alice Ruplant, but you can call me just Alice. A couple of days ago I freed you from your human prison. In other words I removed the trapped soul in your previous body.”

I tilted my head to the side, with no idea of what she was even referring to. “Are you following me?” she asked, noticing my confusion. Shaking my head from one side to another, she sighed. “Do you remember something that isn’t the life of this Geoffrey Burns?” I bet my face described my full response at her answer, as she rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. “She forgot about it,” Laurie then gasped while she stared me directly in the eyes.

“Okay then… Geoffrey, let me introduce you to the world of the energy that surrounds every one of us. Laurie, if you please.” Laurie bowed as she stood up; letting her hair loose, she shook her head making sure it spread everywhere.

She looked at me and smiled, and as she dropped the labcoat to the ground, vines and leaves begin to grow all around her body. Her skin changed to a pale green tone, as her hands and legs became rigid pieces of wood. Her hands slowly turned into claws, losing a finger and growing in size, resembling tree branches. Branches began to grow all around her body, popping from her arms and shoulders, and creating a crown on top of her head. Finally fire sprouted from her body, the crown enveloped by it as her hands and legs glowed with the same substance. “Welcome miss…” she said with an angelic voice as she bowed in front of me.

I held the chair even tighter as I stared at the druid standing in front of me. This can’t be, I can’t be dead, this must be a dream. Alice threw me a piece of newspaper, making it slide over the table before landing in front of me. I stared at the cover, a dead body in the middle of a forest. “Young kid found seriously injured at the local park, there were no signs of any aggressor left behind,” I say out loud before noticing the name, “Geoffrey Burns…” The image showed a clear picture of me with three slashes going through my chest. I look back up at Alice, whose hand now transformed into a three finger sharp claw figure.

“Your body is fine, we freed you from your prison. And even if you don’t remember anything, didn’t you think about escaping your boring life?” She smiled, standing up and chugging her cup of tea in a single go. “Well, Geoff or whatever you’d like to be called. I come forward with an offer you won’t be able to refuse. A new life! A new beginning, leaving behind your miserable life as a checkout boy. Riches, fame, power!” She clenched her fist, clearly excited by her own speech. “Knowledge of an entire world in your grasp! Come, let me show you.” Grabbing my hand, she pulled me towards a nearby door; with a strength that surprised me she practically drags me towards a room with a weird imprint on the ground.

“We will be back soon, Laurie!” she yelled, as a weird light blue glow emerged from her hands. The circles underneath me glow in unison, the patterns and glyphs all lighting up. The light seemed to go away, being sucked by the painting on the ground. Not only the light but gravity and the room as well; I felt my whole body being pulled inside by the force, I tried to remain standing but the force was so strong that I fell to the ground. My insides felt as if they were burning and turning, just to then be pushed and pulled.

My whole body got yanked into the floor, my muscles ached and the whole world around me once again seemed to have no ups or downs. I became so disoriented that I felt my stomach turn, and suddenly: “Bwaa!” I gushed out everything inside of me. A black substance came out of my mouth, spreading itself all around the floor. “Relax, first transportation is always worst transportation, at least it’s never the last! I think…” she said, pressing her finger near her mouth. The nausea brought me back to puke out even more black liquid, before I settled and slowly stood up. “Here, let me help you.” She put my arm over her shoulder, giving me a good way to stand up without falling back into the ground.

Slowly my eyes managed to adapt to the intense sunlight, blinking rapidly and moving my hair away; a city that only dreams could make appeared in front of me. “Welcome to the city of Legatos,” she said as I continued to swallow the view. Buildings bigger than the sky itself, highways travelling over smaller buildings, but that could carry an entire car population with no traffic. In the center a mighty structure that seemed to defy gravity itself. And even if it looked futuristic, it was on par with nature. Trees, green areas sprouting from all places, rivers, waterways, a magnificent piece to behold. “This is country of Claudin, where neighbouring kingdoms created a truce and live in harmony together. You see each kingdom rules over an elemental power.”

“Fire, lightning, water, wind, nature, ice, light and darkness,” I said out loud without even thinking, covering my mouth as I finished speaking.

“Yeah… How did you know about that…? Weird…” she said awkwardly, letting out a chuckle to lighten the mood. “Anyways come on, I’ll give you a look around.”

“Johnson family, could you please enter Doctor Erickson’s office, he will be with you in just a second.” I sighed, coughing loudly as I stared flatly at the ground. With little energy left in my body, I pushed myself to a standing position, rubbing my chest as the pain intensified whenever I stress myself too much. My shaggy brown hair covered my eyes; I picked at the long strand and stared at it as I walk to the counter. “Samson Johnson? Did you come here by yourself or are your parents around here?” the secretary lady asked me as she opened the door to the doctor’s office.

“I came alone, dad had a business conference and my mom was at my sister’s cheerleading event,” I told her shyly, rubbing the back of my neck as I walked inside the office. I could hear her sigh as she closed the door behind me. A cozy office filled with books and portraits, and even pictures of the doctor and her husband made a surprisingly calm atmosphere for something as scary as a doctor’s office. Since no one was around, I decided to flop down into one of three set of chairs placed in front of the doctor’s table. I picked up the cool-looking pen that was lying around before the door opened once more.

“Johnson fa…” the Japanese doctor said as she stepped inside with a bunch of papers in her arms. “Johnson kid I suppose…” she said, sighing, closing the door behind her as she walked behind her desk. “Once again they leave you alone for such important medical issues.” I shrugged, my parents not being with me is practically the norm for these days. I cough once more, making sure to cover my mouth with my arm. “Well, I would love to explain this situation to both your parents, however this is a serious case Sam so listen carefully.” From her papers she pulled out three sets of x-ray scans that I had several days ago. “These are your lungs, while even if the scans and tests showed that the strange formation on your chest supposedly was an accumulation of mucus. As we continued to work with your test results, some colleges helped me out to define your case.

“Sadly, Sam, this is a tough thing to explain. Your lungs’ skin, the inner part of it began to develop layers. And, as a result, you have tumors in your lungs.” My hands started shaking; this condition, while not being the first choice in my mind, was always lurking in the back as the worst case scenario. “You have stage four lung cancer. To be precise, squamous cell canc…” I stopped listening the world around me, I only stared at the single name plate on the doctor’s table. I grabbed the back of my head with my hands, curling up slightly as tears began to roll down my face.

I’m dead.

To be continued…