Eternal Elysium

While feeling a myriad of emotions, I seem to have forgotten several facts that could have been vital in defeating the Hollows.

'Those who had looked at the Hollow went blind, those who heard it scream lost their sanity.'

I don't remember exactly, but this was how the tale of Blackshore or Undying was depicted by Elda.

But no such thing has happened to me yet.

However I won't consider this tale to be untrue, rather my belief of it being real has been reinforced. Hollows screams were unholy and very unpleasant to hear. They also seem to make me lose my mind just by being near them.

The only reason I had not yet lost my sanity was that this creature in front of me was just a small grain compared to the true Hollow.

The Hollows had also not used any special abilities aside from its tangible and illusory form.

'How weird?' I thought while trying hard to not lose my consciousness.

"I see… it actually might be possible after all," I whispered as an understanding finally came to me.

The Hollows was just an empty shell, it only had the will to kill me somehow and nothing else.

Meanwhile, it was already dead, hence the amount of power it had left compared to its former self was way too little. The only thing I needed to be afraid about was not being consumed while near it.

The better option would be to continue eradicating it while also finding my will and path.

'But if I do that, what guarantees me that I will find my own will and path.'

I hesitantly looked at the Hollows, suddenly feeling weak from the inside.

In the background, I kept creating orbs of size and shape similar to what I had witnessed in the ruins. This gave me the space needed to stay away from Hollows massive body.

Taking a single step forward I felt again the weight of mountains press down on me.

This time it wasn't due to being shackled or loss of origin rather it was different. An oppressive force tried to bend me to its will alone. I knew where it was coming from.

This tyrannical pressure was destructive and uncontrolled.

The Hollows in desperate attempts had unleashed everything they had onto me.

'This bastard!'

Previously it was not much aware about me from the looks of it, but since I also had unleashed a barrage of attacks toward it. The Hollows finally gained a little more awareness of their surroundings.

And it was getting better at consuming the attacks. Rather than letting denser parts get hit, it would rather bring its illusory limbs in myriads of form to counter the orbs.

"Not like I have any other choice, to begin with," I said matter of factly.

Then following my command new orbs filled with starlight started to float around me.

They split from one to two then to hundreds… but I was going to go all out. These orbs— No, the energy being given by Goddess Celestia seems to have a mind of its own. I only need to give a portion of my command no matter how incomplete or untold and it would fill the gaps on its own. I didn't need to control it after that.

So, what difference will it make if I make one hundred orbs of starlight or one thousand, right?

So, I unleashed all of them upon the Hollows towering figure.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOOM!

In my eyes, I could see them ignite and reflect like firecrackers.

Even though the white world, my soul had been tainted by its presence. The warm lights given by starlight were like the sun in the dark as they tore through the dark clouds above.

The sea like Hollows again stirred, raising its head and screaming, making me shudder.

With the scream over, followed the rise of its towering figure.

The tidal waves of Hollows fell silent, as they started to shrink back.

And then contorted to one place in the blink of an eye.

"Huh?"

Left confused by the sudden, my mouth fell open.

Ba… thump!

Ba… thump!

Silence pressed in my ears, as the only sound left was my heartbeat.

Even though the Hollow has turned into a gigantic black sun, leaving my soul surface clean.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

It was still dark, a grey that couldn't be described by words alone.

"Shit!"

Commanding all the leftover orbs I decided to fire them straight at the dark sun, formed by the Hollows.

The dark sun pulsed like a heart as it absorbed all the starlight, its flare reached out to the orbs sticking to its side and consumed them.

"What…?"

I froze, my figure almost crumbling as the grey darkness grew bigger and bigger.

Then nothing was left.

The world turned silent as darkness consumed me.

I lost all sense of touch, as my figure finally crumbled into nothingness.

How strange, did I lose…?

Even to someone who was comparable to a small grain of rice.

My pride seems to have taken a hit much deeper than what my soul seemed to have taken.

Even after all that help, and all that support. I still lost. It wouldn't be wrong to mock me, as I might do the same as well.

What were their words of wisdom again? Find your will and set your path.

Bullshit! Complete and utterly useless…

Stir…

Stir…

The Hollows' figure trembled as he raised his head once more.

"HAHAHAHA…"

"Die.. Die… It's fate…"

Ah, even the Hollows laugh was filled with mockery. How annoying…

Eh? Now that I think about it…my consciousness has almost been eradicated.

Yet, something remained.

And it was unbound… Free… and liberated.

Was this what they called… will?

The difference was trivial but the effects seemed vast.

As I found myself drifting into the darkness, I finally thought of something.

'Why do I need a path in the first place?'

If it could be changed and influenced by others. I see no reason to have it for myself.

But others seemed to find it as an important part of themselves that defines them. Then what should be my path? How should I make sure not to get influenced even by others?

I had several choices actually… was my path for strength? For revenge? For turning the world upside down?

Or simply to bring death and destruction?

But that doesn't feel right with me… even though I had hoped for those several times.

Sigh…

'My path is obvious isn't it?'

This calmness was proof of that. I had lost all my worries, and I wasn't tense one bit.

*****

In the endless grey darkness where the Hollows body continued to stir and consume the white world, which left nothing of its former glory. Something happened that made the Hollows stop.

The Hollows head rose in the sky watching the cracks and destruction it had caused in satisfaction. But a sense of unease started to take over its will. The deathly coldness and resentment it had built over the years were strong enough to make others tremble, its soul had regrown as well. Still not comparable to its former self but still it had grown a lot…

But what was this feeling… this unease it had experienced just now?

No, it wasn't just unease that made it stop.

It was instinct… The pull of fate was warning him. Yet it didn't stop. How could it stop when it was this close to returning to the world of living after so long…

The Hollows was in the end a creature of beyond. Its irrationality spoke far greater than its sanity ever could.

And this led to a change in everything…

A subtle glow washed inside its body, the grey darkness filled with nothing illuminated and started to vanish…

Plop! Plop!

Plop! Plop!

Plop! Plop!

Sounds of something burning and being destroyed echoed making the silence end in fury of pain and anger as the Hollows let out howls of despair.

From the dirty darkness, a star rose in the air… as it cleared the Hollows illusory figure.

Around the small star still floating a little above the Hollows, a hand appeared around it.

They held the star gently as if cradling something precious.

Then, those hands arched back—and from the light, a misty figure emerged.

His skin was pristine and pale, almost ethereal.

Obsidian-black hair framed his face, absorbing light as it flowed weightlessly around him.

When his eyes opened, they glowed with a silvery hue, casting a gaze that was both sharp and strangely tender.

His face held a subtle and gentle smile as he continued to focus on the star in his hands, which reflected on his silver pupils.

His heart beated in excitement as he gently parted his lips before speaking.

"My path… is to continue… That's all."

As those words left his mouth, he gently raised the star in his palms towards the dark sky.

The star floated above as its size started to increase with each moment passing.

The Hollows illusory figure rose from the ripples, like hands they shot toward the star trying to catch it.

But it was meaningless…

"As my will is to remain forever the same… to be eternal… unmovable by anyone or anything."

These thoughts deeply resonated with me.

The will I speak of was not to be emotionally disconnected or be immortal but rather it was very simple and nothing unique.

My will was a wish, a wish to stay the same as I was now. Something every human had once wished for in their life.

To sometimes maintain their happiness…

To sometimes maintain the innocence of a child…

To let the happiest moment of their life last forever.

"Are you happy as well?" I whispered as the star reflected in my eyes, its light was vanquishing the darkness and pushing the Hollows with a unique intensity.

As if hearing my call the star reached an unimaginable distance above my soul, even above the Hollows towering figure.

It size couldn't be described by mere words, as it was firm and immovable just like me.

The clusters of energy in the form of stars made the Hollows spirit crumble.

It's light washed over the endless expanses of my soul.

My heart ached as I continued to look at it, basking in its gentle light as the evil remained no more.

The Hollows who had previously spread through the endless regions of my soul, shrank back in fear.

It's will didn't feel tyranical anymore, no matter how he tried to suppress me and filled me with hatred and killing intent.

I remained unmoved, feeling nothing for it.

The tremors my soul had been experiencing all this time finally stopped.

Below me, the surface cleared as I started to move forward.

The star above watching me resonated with my steps clearing the path from the Hollows remain.

Tak—

Tak—

Tak—

Tak—

My footsteps echoed as the world came to a standstill.

"We only need to kill its consciousness and will… everything else will be needed to heal and complete my soul," I said to the star above.

I had a feeling it could understand me and even knew what was necessary to do. But not taking any risk this time I still gently reminded it.

As time passed the Hollows figure had finally crumbled as I came near it.

Its state was left as nothing but a pitiful husk of darkness crawling like a slug on the serene white.

Unlike before when it looked terrifying now it was disgusting to see.

"No..! No…! You… Die…!"

Staring at it for a few seconds I sighed before speaking in a calm voice.

"I don't know who you are or what you are. But you seem to hold a grudge against me…" Pausing, I smiled in its direction and raised my right foot.

"But I couldn't care any less."

Squish!

The ball-sized Hollows figure was finally squashed under my foot. Its remains crumbled to dust under the light of the star.

"Haa… finally it's over," I muttered feeling tired.

Raising my head above, I saw the star floating in the air, its corner moving in ethereal lines of web towards the broken sky.

The cracks above had started to heal…

"Thank you…" I whispered and smiled in its direction.

My mind wavered as I felt myself getting expelled from this place.

'I had also reached my limits, huh?'

Just as I felt the world around me vanish, my gaze turned to look at my soul one last time.

There behind me stood an ancient stone gate… standing untouched.

'Ah… next time… I will reach it as well.'

With that, my eyes closed…