Traverse The Fog

Cyrus looked behind himself only to find the area sealed off by the dense fog surrounding him. However, he felt strangely calm. It wasn't as if Cyrus carried no questions, but when he was so close to death, did it matter? Cyrus didn't think so.

"I guess this is it," he muttered, voice surprisingly light.

All that was left was to move forward. Slowly, he swept back his hair and did just that. Soon, the cave loomed over him. Try as Cyrus could, he could not fathom the unbelievable sight before him. The closer he drew, the more reality warped around the cave's maw, as if peering through a fisheye lens. And honestly, it was rather nauseating. But he gritted his teeth and continued his steps regardless.

At least holding onto his camera gave him small comfort. With light, tentative steps, Cyrus stopped before the cave's mouth. By now, the maw appeared a perfect circle, ever drawing his steps. And once he glimpsed inside, he gasped.

The tunnel stretched into infinity—and it wasn't a hyperbole. Eyes wide, Cyrus watched the golden tunnels ever-stretching before him. And with the golden radiance was the fog. It clung to the walls, peacefully swirling into the infinite as if the eddies of a vortex. And yet, something in the back of Cyrus' mind told him that such peace was a lie.

And there, just in the far distance, was a pulsing golden radiance approaching him so close, yet so far away.

The sight almost hypnotized Cyrus. Almost.

Click

"Should I throw it?" Cyrus muttered, looking at his camera before the surroundings.

Still, something in his mind told him it would not survive the ordeal if it left his hands. In the end, there was only one option left to take.

Click Click Click

From his point of view, why stop when these were his final moments? Every moment mattered; every second mattered.

At least, that was until a vibrantly green—something flittering from deep within the tunnel caught his attention. It flashed towards him at unimaginable speeds, flying through infinity as if it were a mere trifle.

"Wha—" but before Cyrus could react, it slammed into his forehead with incredible force. Thrown back to the ground, he smacked his head onto the ground as his camera unceremoniously dropped to the side.

Painful.

Head throbbing, he curled into a ball. The sudden hit brought his mind abuzz and dull, paralyzing him from scrutinizing himself and examining the viridian sigil embedded into his forehead.

It began pulsing with otherworldly energy, vibrant and full of vitality. Just as quickly as it came, it melded into his forehead like a raindrop meeting a larger one. Then came the shock.

Back arching, Cyrus began to spasm. Weak and helpless, he could not defend himself against the sudden influx of images bursting into his mind.

And yet, they brought him no fear—only tears of wonder.

He gasped at the visions. First came the floating islands, which moved about in the blue skies as their iridescent rivers fell onto the lands below, creating colorful plant life on the planet's surface. Then, another image. It revealed a forest with black trees, unlike anything Cyrus had ever seen. Shimmering green etchings on rose-colored bark flowed ever upwards to purple-crystalline leaves that sparkled under the sunlight. Within this forest of the unknown, never-seen-before creatures roamed through it, living out their lives.

It was captivat—No, it was everything Cyrus could have ever wished for.

"...Gorgeous," he muttered, unable to stop his trembling excitement as clarity returned to his dull eyes.

These visions stirred something profound within his very heart—yearning and desire. However, those feelings did not last for too long. They twisted and darkened into jealousy and envy, forming into a single question: Why am I here and not there?

"I need to go," Cyrus said in a daze.

His hands shot upwards with fingers outstretched. Back arching and desperate, it was as if he believed a single touch would transport him to these unknown lands. What a fool he was. In truth, Cyrus knew deep down that these mortal hands would never reach such splendors.

That thought brought despair. His jealousy and envy churned and broiled, shifting into something he rarely felt: rage. And it began to boil, rising higher and higher.

Then, something broke. Desperate and maniacal, Cyrus began to claw at the air as if knowing, wishing, that these images carried something, anything, that would bring meaning to his life.

"I have to go!" he screamed, stretching his arms so far that every joint popped under the stress.

At the same time, the fog around him shifted. It began speaking in such hushed whispers that one would merely play it as a trick of the mind.

"The cave," it said with such irresistible allure.

More and more, they spoke, drawing out all other voices of reason from Cyrus' mind. They and the visions reignited a long-lost sense of wonder within him, bringing back vibrant color to his dull, gray life. A path to purpose? His hopes, yearning, envy, dreams, and rage boiled into a single point within his heart.

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And before Cyrus knew it, he found himself standing and snatching up his camera.

A new world... To begin again.

So, why not go? To explore unknown vistas and witness moments beyond his wildest dreams? This could be his one and only chance to begin again. And what if it was all a lie? Well, Cyrus likely wouldn't live long enough to regret it.

One step. Then another. Before he knew it, Cyrus was bolting toward the ever-widening golden maw of the cave.

"Cyrus."

A sudden, familiar, yet unknown voice called out from behind. Her call was just enough to give reason to Cyrus as the man stopped just before the entrance.

Slowly, he turned toward its direction. What met his gaze was a wall of swirling, thick fog. A moment later, ruin came as a gush of pure sunlight burned through it. The sudden brightness evaporated just as quickly, revealing a vibrant forest—an escape. A reminder of something beautiful was waiting for Cyrus should he return.

With that sight, those emotions that dictated his actions receded into the depths of his heart and brought clarity to his mind.

"...My phone," Cyrus said, subconsciously reaching into his pocket.

Slowly, his fingers brushed against the familiar flat surface as he pressed the button that brought it back to life. To Cyrus' surprise, he found several missed calls and unread messages. And who else could it be other than Elizabeth?

"Are you okay?" it said. "I felt a strange premonition and got worried. Please call. I need to know you're safe."

His girlfriend had gotten so worried that she seemed to have contacted everyone in Cyrus' circle to message him. And it was enough for him to hesitate and trace a finger over the screen. Hesitant, Cyrus slowly made his way toward the sunlight and back to his life, back to those who cared for him.

However, another spoke. And what it asked stopped Cyrus in his tracks.

Don't you want to leave?

Those words hung in the air. Unlike the strange whispers that guided him or the unknown woman's call, they were his own. And they spoke of yearning. His eyes trembled shut as a conflict brewed within. Would he truly be happy if he didn't follow his heart?

Slowly, Cyrus cast his back to the bathing sunlight, only for his eyes to narrow in panic. There it was. As if reminding him of what awaited, the once-colorful forest and sun faded into a dull gray that had always plagued his life.

It was beautiful once.

The sight forced Cyrus to look away. Chest heaving, he took deep breaths to avoid a panic attack. His heart sank at the thought of his future. Slowly, instinctively, he stepped back lest that ever-expanding gray so much as touch him.

If I stay, will it always be like this? His heart spoke.

To Cyrus, a world devoid of color felt worse than death. So, once again, why stay? His current life was not enough for him. And he wanted more. He wanted it to mean something.

Cyrus had always dreamed of traveling the world on foot; now, maybe he could. There and then, all alone, he made his choice. Cyrus turned his back on his friends, his family, and his life.

Again, the cave awaited as its maw opened wide for its new guest. Cyrus stopped just before the golden radiance as he glanced at his phone.

Should I call Elizabeth?

And yet, as his mind imagined how the conversation would go, he frowned at the thought. There would be a lot of anger and sadness in those beautiful blue eyes. Memories of their time together flashed in his head as he recalled the joys and sorrows, the good and the bad. But in the end, it was not enough to turn him back. She deserved better—better than him.

So, Cyrus turned off his phone and slipped both it and his camera into his pack. There was no frown or hesitation on his face.

This was his choice.

Meanwhile, the world remained silent. Around the cave, the fog swirled faster and faster, no longer speaking its honeyed words. Only Cyrus and his churning thoughts remained as the golden radiance bathed him in its grandness. After tens of seconds, he glanced backward, taking one last look at the graying world behind him, and seared it into his memory. This may be the last time he will have such a chance.

In the end, Cyrus silently shook his head. With nothing else waiting for him, he slowly went through a thin film that rippled to his intrusion.

Yet, he was not alone. The fog, ever listening, sprang forth to life. It momentarily stilled before slowly retreating into the cave. Once the world was back to its natural green, the cave pulsed outward with indigo radiance. It glowed brighter and brighter until, ultimately, launching a purple ray that shot toward the skies and into the void.

Now, there was nothing left. And at that moment, the sun's rays had dimmed from loss.

***

"Was this false advertisement?" Cyrus muttered as he looked around.

The instant he stepped inside, the tunnel had disappeared. And what replaced it was an ever-expansive void.

More importantly, Cyrus was floating—actually, floating like an astronaut. And the thought brought a smile tugging his lips. Despite aimlessly floating around for ten minutes, he was still excited by the feeling.

Around him were countless specks of light. Whenever he approached one, they would flicker into nonexistence. The thought brought wonder and stimulation. Well, at least for thirty minutes.

Then came the frustration and fear slithering from the back of his neck. What if this place were his eternal grave? Would Cyrus be doomed to float in the vast void all his life?

Desperate for an escape, Cyrus waded toward every speck around him, searching for an answer. However, his attempts were futile. Sighing, he glanced around again until something caught his eye.

There, high above, was another light, yet it was stranger compared to all the others. It was much dimmer, almost seemingly flickering out of existence.

An escape? Desperate, Cyrus moved toward it. He swam faster and faster, not once losing his focus. But the man had lost all awareness of his surroundings. Dazed, he had not noticed that the specks around him had melded into the void.

Only the faded one remained. It was just as weak as ever, as if near death. Except it wasn't.

In a blink, it ballooned into an enormous ball of light, dwarfing Cyrus in comparison. And then it pulled. Screaming while attempting to grab hold of something—anything, Cyrus was yanked by some invisible force.

But there was nothing he could do. Cyrus was moving too fast toward it, possibly smashing into it. So, in a desperate attempt to cushion the blow, Cyrus shielded himself with his pack.

"Please, protect me," he whispered.

But deep down, Cyrus knew a mere backpack would not save him from whatever this... thing he was about to crash into. But such thoughts disappeared into the void when darkness came to him.