Will of The Future - SCP Foundation

You sit there rotting away on your throne, bleeding stars and galaxies, holding on to what's left of your broken kingdom. Clinging to a Will that was never your own, so what gives you the right to hold back mine? Yours is the Will of a dead dream; mine is the Will of the future.

A loud crash of thunder woke Alan from his sleep. Rubbing his eyes, he looked out the window to his right. Pouring rain ran down the window as another loud crash of thunder rang out.

"We will be there in two minutes, Dr. Morgan," the driver stated, checking his watch.

Alan nodded and looked back out the window. He didn't understand why he was specifically called for this assignment. He was a reality specialist; he couldn't fathom why the Foundation would have him drive out so quickly. Why was this so under wraps? I didn't even know we had a site out here, he thought as the car stopped.

"Alright, Doctor, we are here."

Alan opened the car door to heavy, pouring rain. He flipped up his jacket as a makeshift umbrella and dashed to the front of the site. Standing before the illuminated door was a Foundation security agent with his hands on his waist.

"Welcome to Site Silver, Dr. Morgan. I hope your drive went well," the man said, reaching out to Alan.

"It was long, but no trouble," Alan responded as they headed indoors.

"My name is Agent Daughtry. I'm the head of Site Silver Security and Safety. How familiar are you with Project Tall-Tale?" Daughtry asked as they walked down the hall.

"Not much. I'm not entirely sure why I was redirected to this site. Granted, I didn't know this site existed."

"Okay, yeah, this project has been held pretty tight under security so as not to freak out the entirety of the Foundation. Follow me, and I'll show you why you are here." Daughtry pointed to two large stealth doors.

They approached the door; Agent Daughtry signaled to the cameras, and the large doors began to open. The sounds of heavy rain then once again filled the air. Alan put his hands over his face as they began to walk into the heavy downpour. All around him, he could see an unnatural amount of security personnel. Large mounted machine guns lined the tops of the walls, and about thirty armed personnel were around the large containment chamber.

A large gust of wind made Alan stop for a second and look at the ground to avoid getting rain in his eyes. At that point, he realized that a light source had slightly blinded his field of vision.

He began to look up. "What is with that?"

He froze as he looked up at the source of the light.

"Holy, fucking shit," Alan said in complete shock.

"Welcome to the club, doctor," Agent Daughtry said with a giant grin.

In front of Alan and Agent Daughtry was something Alan could barely put into words. It was as if the universe was a piece of glass that was dropped and shattered. Bright, shining cracks stood before him, floating and pulsating with radiant energy. Alan couldn't believe his eyes; what he was looking at broke all the research and studying he had ever done. At least that solves why I was recruited for this.

"What exactly was that?" Alan asked as Daughtry handed him a cup of coffee.

"That, Doctor Morgan, is the dimensional rift to another universe. That's why you are here; maybe something in that brain of yours can help us close this one." Daughtry said as he bent over a table holder for a tablet.

"This one? There are others."

"Yes, there is one here. Then there are Site Blue and Site Red. One in Chile and the other in Antarctica." He said, handing Alan the tablet.

"So then, why am I here if there are two others?" Alan said as he reached for his coffee.

"That's because those two are open, and hopefully, we can find a way to stop this one from opening as well. Fewer breaks in reality, the better; you know the drill." Daughtry said, chuckling.

"You seem very casual about this whole situation. I can't even wrap my head around it." Alan said, turning on the tablet.

"Well, I was stationed at Site Red not too long ago, so this place is like a vacation compared to that hellscape," Daughtry responded.

"Okay, so all the written information on this rift is on that tablet. Due to the pain and the ass effect of entity Silver, we cannot write anything about the world inside the rift. So all our written information so far is just of basic measurements and increases in size over the rift."

Alan looked through the tablet's contents until his finger landed on the title, Site Red Journal. Alan clicked on it and saw a page titled Linear Algebra Notes.

"What is this journal that was scanned on the tablet? Is it math notes?" Alan asked, putting the tablet on the table.

"That is the only written account of what is happening on the other side of the rift. You will want to read that to understand what we have going on. I'll be back in a bit. I need to run some routine checks." Agent Daughtry explained as he headed out of the room.

"Also, don't take any notes; those will also be affected. We don't know how it works, but it seems that the parts written by Joey are the only pages not affected by it." Daughtry quickly added as he poked his head around the corner before leaving again.

Alan nodded, then looked back at the tablet. What did they sign me up for? He said to himself as he scrolled past all the math notes. He stopped when he saw the title of the initial journal entries. He picked up his coffee and began to read.

5/3/2008

My phone doesn't work. I don't know why. It won't turn on. It had a full battery when I ended up here. Nothing is making sense right now. I will write in my math notebook to keep me sane. Who knows, maybe someone will find this if I die here. I don't understand what's going on. I was walking home and decided to take a bit of a detour. I wanted to clear my head and walk through the woods. I was walking, and then, one second, I felt weird. My body vibrated for a split second; then, I was in a different place. I've been walking for a few hours in this place, or I don't know. I don't think I'm on Earth anymore. Everything here is just different. The grass is tall and comes up to my ankles, and the trees and other plants are more giant than they should be. The trees here are insane; they are so tall. I saw what I thought was a boar or pig; I didn't know it was huge, maybe the size of a horse. I didn't know what to do, so I hid behind a tree until it left. I'm scared. I'm terrified. I don't know what to do. What am I supposed to do? Stuff like this isn't supposed to happen. Things like this aren't supposed to be real. I need to compose myself. I'm happy I didn't eat my lunch today, at least. That should keep me going for a bit. But food and water will be problems soon. I don't want to die. I don't want to die alone.

5/4/2008

I didn't sleep when night came around. Or, I think that was night. Something is wrong with this place. Well, minus the fact that it's another planet. The sky is broken. "Fractured" sounds better. Parts of the sky are not complete; portions have been torn off. During the night, there were no stars; it was just black. It's not black; it's more like empty, just nothingness.

I'm getting exhausted. I need to find a place to sleep or at least lie down. I've been walking for so long, trying to find some normalcy or a way out. I don't think I'm going to find anything. I'm pretty sure I'm getting close to dehydration. Or I'm just thirsty. My head is pounding from exhaustion. I am going to die here, alone.

I've never been happier in my life. I found a river and didn't think twice about drinking from it. I heard it before I saw it. It's enormous, like, really, really huge. It seems to go on forever. Water has never tasted so good before in my life. There are also fruits here. They look like giant pomegranates but orange with hints of red. I wonder if they are edible; I'll find out when I get that hungry. I'm going to try to find a place to sleep. I haven't heard of or seen any animals, and it will be okay if I sleep. Well, I hope it will be. Hopefully, I won't get woken up by something eating me alive.

5/10/2008

It's been six days. I found a place to sleep in a small opening in a rock. It has some moss in it that's comfortable to lay on. I've been using my backpack as a pillow. I'm getting used to it. It doesn't change that I feel afraid and alone every time I try to sleep, but I'm getting better. It's close to the river and the fruits. Oh yeah, the fruits are delicious. They taste like apricots—well, kind of. They taste like apricots with a watermelon aftertaste; it's bizarre. But this is the only food I have so far, so it will have to do. I haven't explored past the river; I'm too worried I will get lost. This is some stability I have in this messed-up place. So I'll take it.

I don't know what I saw, but it was huge. I saw it over the trees; I think it was a massive bird. I didn't get a good look at it, but it left a huge shadow as it flew past. I could hear its wings flapping; whatever it was, it was huge. It makes me wonder what else is out there. I wish there were smaller animals, or at least fish, in the river. I don't know how long I can live off fruit and water. The only animals I saw beside the giant boar were deer-looking animals. They had four antlers and were red. They looked very pretty. I'll try to sketch a picture. Though I'm horrible at art, it may be fun to keep me occupied. I wonder what my family is thinking. They probably think I'm dead somewhere in a ditch or kidnapped. I want to see them again. I want to talk to them. I want to be hugged, and I want to feel safe again. They didn't think highly of me, but they must be worried.

5/12/2008

I need to figure out what I'm going to do. I have to be brave. But I don't want to. I want to be rescued. I want to be saved. I don't know what to do. I'm scared. I don't want to die alone.

5/??/2028

I lost track of how many days I had walked. I left the forest a few days ago and have followed the river for a while. It still has not ended and doesn't seem like it will. My legs are practically numb now; I'm so exhausted from walking. I have had to sleep in any hidden place I could find. I've seen a bunch of different animals now. They are all huge. No one has been smaller or close to my size. I've done a good job avoiding them, but I'm scared my luck will run out soon. I've been eating the fruit that I find along the river; there have been a few new types of fruits, so that has been nice. They are not enough, though; I feel sick. I know I'm missing the nutrients to live at this point. I don't know how long I have until it catches up. Oh, I almost forgot. I found an abandoned tent or something like that. It was left entirely; there was little sign of life. It was enormous; the doorway was maybe 12 feet tall. It was made with what I think is some leather; it looked similar to the deer creature I've seen a bunch of. It makes me wonder where the hell I am. This place doesn't make sense. I don't think the day and night work the same as they did on Earth. The "sun," or light in the sky, is oddly centered and does not rise or set. It just turns on. I could have sworn it faded in and out a few times one day. It never moves; it just sits there. There is no light at night, so I follow the river closely and find a place to sleep.

5/It doesn't matter anymore

I give up. I'm tired. I don't feel well. I want to be at home. I don't want to die alone.

It was quiet; Joey could only hear the river moving slowly. It had been his only constant this time—water slowly moving across gravel and dirt. Water was moving constantly in an unseen direction. Joey took a deep breath and stretched out his legs, finding a smooth rock to sit on. Sitting, Joey thought about laying in the river and letting it carry him. He wondered where it went—maybe a lake or grand ocean. He would never know, he thought. I will die here.

He had been walking for too long; everything was catching up to him. The exhaustion, only eating fruit, and the extreme. It was all building up, ready to crush and destroy him. Looking around, he took in his surroundings: the rushing water, the nine plains, and the bright standing light in the almost fake blue sky. This is not the worst place to die, honestly, Joey thought as he put his hands on his head; he had been appalled for the past few days. Joey understood well that his time was coming soon. Should I get it over with? Do I go out on my terms? That was the last thing Joey thought before the long silence was broken.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” a loud voice spoke behind him.

Joey's heart dropped as he looked in the direction of the voice. There, standing a few meters behind him, was the largest man he had ever seen. The man was unnaturally tall, maybe double Joey’s height, with short silver hair pushed back, wearing silver robes with red lining. Bright silver earrings dangled with the wind, and over his right shoulder was one of the deer creatures Joey had seen. The tongue was sticking out and had a gash down its side.

"Sorry, little one, I didn't mean to startle you,” the man spoke as he slowly put the animal carcass on the ground. “You look sick; are you alright?”

Joey's words were stuck in his throat; he didn't know if that was because of the man's physical nature or not having human contact for what felt like an eternity. The man looked down at Joey, tilted his head to the side, and nodded.

“You seem like you need to eat. Here, I just caught this. I will make us something.” He said this as he waved his hand, and as he did, bright silver particles spiraled around his writing. Then, a small silver fire was brought into existence with a spark.

Joey's head began to spin as he attempted to stand up, but his head felt as if it were one hundred pounds. Joey leaned back and lost consciousness as he fell. The large man caught him.

Crackling sounds filled Joey’s head as he slowly regained consciousness. He sat up and put his hands on his head, squinting from pain. Then, in an instant, his memory reawakened, and Joey shot to his feet in a panic. In front of him was an unknown man sitting on a small rock with two large sticks in his hands. Each stick had a cooked piece of meat.

"Woah, now relax and be safe. I'm not going to hurt you."

“Who are you? What are you? Wha…” Joey began before he was cut off.

“Eat first, questions after.” The man said this as he leaned forward and handed Joey one of the sticks.

Joey didn't have enough energy to argue or try to ask again. He took the stick from the man and sat down across from him. Looking at the meat, Joey pushed himself to take a bite. "Oh yeah. This is what food tastes like," Joey thought as he felt tears welling up.

"That good, huh? I didn't even add anything to it,” the man said, chuckling.

“Thank you,” Joey responded with a chunk of meat still in his mouth.

The man smiled and nodded. “Now, kid, why are you here?”

That question caught Joey off guard. He paused for a minute, thinking about how to answer that question.

“I don't know. I was walking home from school, and in a second, I was here. Wherever here is.” Joey answered as he went for another bite of food.

The man looked at Joey, puzzled for a few seconds, until the expression changed to a face of realization, and a grin appeared.

“So the barrier is that weak now. Interesting, that's good news.” He said this, looking at Joey. "You're too small for a human, aren't you? What's your name?"

“My name is Joey. Are you a bit big for a human?"

The man laughed. “What a strange name Joey is. You are not from here.”

"What's your name?” Joey asked.

The man paused for a minute. Then, he stood up.

“My name is Silas. I'm the king of this wonderful land we are on.”

“King?” Joey said, coughing.

The man looked confused as he scratched his head and stomped out the silver fire. Then, looking back at Joey, he looked him up and down and smiled again.

“Come with me, kid. I'll help you out,” Silas said as he extended his large arm toward Joey.

“I will show you my kingdom.”

“What exactly are you, Silas?” Joey asked, sitting on a floating platform of silver particles.

“What do you mean? I'm human, just like you. Unless you are not human?”

“Well, I mean, you can do magic. That's not normal?” Joey said.

“What is magic?” Silas responded.

“The particles, the instant fire, you being ten feet tall. That has to be magic.” Joey shot back.

“Oh, are those things not every day for you? I can't imagine living in a place like that.”

Joey tried to wrap his head around what was going on. He wasn't thinking about it since he had not eaten real food for so long. But now that Joey was thinking about it, everything made less sense. He was sitting on a platform made of shining particles, floating alongside a man who was ten feet tall. With that given, somehow Joey felt no fear towards Silas as if he had known the man for a long time.

Looking around, Joey took in his surroundings. He never saw the world's beauty since he had been terrified for the last few weeks. The forest Joey came from was unbelievable. The trees' height and size were excellent, and the leaves were a shade of green he didn't know existed.

The plains he was currently in were also breathtaking; the grass seemed so perfect that it couldn't be real. He felt the calmness of the river as it pierced through the plains like a dagger into the distance. He felt relaxed for the first time in what felt like an eternity. He felt as if he was finally safe.

“Ah, there it is. Home.” Silas announced as they stopped moving.

Joey looked before him and was amazed at the sight that beheld him. It was an enormous city that shocked him in every aspect. Large buildings with intricate designs and large open spaces that reassembled outside theaters. Long roads and winding rivers ran through the city like veins. In the center of town was a building that was a combination of a cathedral and a castle. It had large banners dangling on the front that displayed the image of a spear through a book. It's incredible, Joey thought to himself as they entered the city.

“So, little one, what do you think? Fantastical, right.” Silas asked as he opened his arms to the city.

“I can't put it into words. This place is insane.” Joey said, looking around.

“Yes, it is. Welcome to The City of Stories, Fierté.” Silas said, looking back at Joey.

Silas ushered to Joey and began walking towards the city's center. Joey couldn't help himself from being mesmerized by his surroundings. It was like he was walking in a fantasy story, a magical city filled with fantastic uniqueness. However, something odd caught his attention. The town was dead silent. The only sounds were the sound of the two of them walking. Where is everyone? This city is vast. People should be everywhere. But there is not a sign of life anywhere. Joey questioned himself as he stopped walking.

“Silas, where is everyone?” Joey questioned.

Silas stopped walking and took a look around. There was an uncomfortable pause, and then he spoke.

“Dead. I am all that is left.”

“Oh. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up anything bad.”

“No, No, it's quite alright. It's because of my own doing. I have had time to mourn.” Silas said as he began to walk.

“Let's get more food and new clothes at the town center.” He said, ushering Joey once again.

“This place used to be brimming with the brightest minds in this world. Hungry for the greatest tellings of adventures and tales. But now there is no one to share the telling of our world.”

Silas paused again and then waved his hands. Bright silver particles began to flow around them and take the shapes of people. The people were walking around the city as if doing their daily tasks. Some stopped talking to one another while others wrote in books.

“This city used to be a city of history. A place solely focused on the past that we could never return to. Our job was to hold the history of our long-forgotten world and keep it safe in our grand libraries.” He loudly spoke as he kept walking.

“The old royal families held that duty for generations. They were so focused on the past because they believed there was no future to look forward to since the Grand Collapse. So we clung to the idea that the history of our ancestors would be enough will to keep living, enough will to keep dreaming. But they were wrong.” Silas said, looking at the sky as if the memory had pained him.

“Then, one day, that old regime crumbled. What once was a city made for the past became a city for the future. The old regime was ripped from the throne, and a new Will sat on its throne. A will for the future that would be. A will to live, A will to dream. The once-dedicated historians became thrill seekers who sought out grand stories and legends from our fractured world. These people gathered stories of hunters seeking the monsters in the deep oceans and pilgrims claiming the islands burnt into the Sky. They hunted for tales of heroes who slayed the foulest creatures lurking in the deepest caverns. They scavenged for prophecies of future kings and queens. This is what Fierté is, a city of endless stories, the city of the future.” Silas proclaimed as they approached the grand doors of the town center.

Silas waved his hands, and the people he created vanished as the particles dissipated. They entered the enormous building. The first thing Joey noticed was the large empty bookshelves that layered the inside of it. Looking around, he felt the emptiness deep in his soul. He could tell that this place used to be many people's homes, sharing stories and spending time together. Now, it displays a graveyard of lost dreams.

They entered the second story and approached a hallway filled with doors. Silas opened the first door to the left and ushered Joey into it. It was a small room with a desk, bed, bookshelf, and closet. The closest was open and had silk robes hanging in it.

“Make yourself at home, kid. I will grab you when I have food ready for the both of us.” Silas said as he headed out of the room.

“Thank you for saving me, Silas.” Joey quickly said.

Silas stopped walking momentarily and waved his hand at Joey as if to signal it was all good. Joey wasted no time taking off his clothes and hopping into the new ones provided for him. The robes were silver with light gold lining; they were the most comfortable clothes he had ever worn. Joey sat on the bed and looked out the window; he fought back tears of happiness as he thought. I am safe.

Staring at the large platter of food in front of him, Joey almost felt himself cry again. Food has never looked so good before. It had a large piece of meat that looked perfect in every manner, a salad of unknown vegetables, and a pile of colorful fruit. Without much thought, Joey started to ravage the food as if he had never eaten in his life before. Every bite gave him more energy to eat more.

“Slow down there, kid, you are going to choke yourself,” Sylas said, laughing as he joined Joey at the table.

“But it is so good. I can't stop,” Joey said with a mouthful of food.

“I'm glad you like it. I have had a lot of time to practice my cooking skills.”

“So, Joey, tell me about the place you come from. You seem to live in a place very different from my home.” He asked Joey.

“Hmm, where do you want me to start? Our worlds share many similarities; the plant and animal life are close. Yours are just a good size larger, though.” Joey replied.

“Really? So everything there is smaller?”

Joey nodded as he swallowed a piece of meat.

“Yeah, we also don't do magic. Or whatever you call that stuff you do with the particles.”

“Interesting. So, how do you guys live then? How do you go places or fight the beasts of your world?”

Joey started to laugh as he put his fork down.

“We use cars and planes to get places. And we don't have beasts, or at least not the ones you think of. “

“What is a car? Is a plane a type of bird?” Silas asked with a large amount of curiosity.

“I mean a giant metal bird that someone flies. A car is a machine that has four wheels and drives on the streets.”

“This doesn't make any sense at all. Are you sure there is no? What did you call it, Magic, In your world.” Sylas asked with a hint of disbelief.

“Ah, man, you will need to see it for yourself. You will shit yourself visiting New York.” Joey said, laughing.

“Maybe one day, the time will come when I can leave this prison. But for now, getting you back to your home will suffice.” Silas said.

Joey stopped laughing and looked at Silas. Why does he keep calling this place a prison? It is a paradise.

“You are going to help me get back home? Really? Is it possible?” Joey asked, leaning forward towards Silas.

“Maybe, I don't see why the Golden God wouldn't let you out. He has no issue with outsiders.”

Joey grinned ear to ear. He could go home. Then Joey stopped for a second. He wondered if he would like to return to his mediocre life of nothingness. Maybe I should stay; Silas seems alone, and perhaps I can learn the magic he does. Joey thought.

“I'll take you to the Golden Tower under one condition,” Silas said, holding up his pointer figure.

“And that is?” Joey asked.

“If we take the long route and have an adventure. I haven't spoken to anyone in years; I don't want to waste the opportunity to learn new stories.”

Joey stayed silent for a moment, thinking.

“You have yourself a deal, Silas.”

“Wonderful. We will leave tomorrow morning. It will take us a very long time to reach the tower.” Silas excitedly said.

“Just out of curiosity, how long does the fast route take?”

“If I flew you there, it would take about a day. But since we are going to walk about a full cycle.”

Shit.

Fiddling with the new shoes he found in the room he slept in, Joey sat on the steps of the outside theater Silas told him to meet him at. How far is this tower he talks about? Better yet, what the hell is a Golden God? Joey thought as he turned to the footsteps behind him.

“Good morning, Joey. Are you ready for the adventure of your life?” Silas said with a large grin.

“I think I have a few changes of clothes, but I couldn't make space for food,” Joey responded, shuffling through his backpack.

“Don't worry about it. We will get food as we go along.”

That statement made Joey raise an eyebrow. He thought this would probably be a mistake, but he had no choice. Then, a random thought came into Joey’s mind.

“Hey Silas, you never told me. How did you become king? I understand the old king was overthrown, but how did you become king?”

Silas began to laugh. He walked onto the stage and turned to face Joey.

“That, my friend, is a story that to show than tell,” Silas says as he raises his hands, and an enormous amount of silver particles fill the area.

Joey’s eyes widened as the particles slowly formed into a scene. He could make out the town center and a young man walking to the large doors. It took Joey a few seconds, but he knew that the young man was a younger Silas.

The younger Silas entered the hall and walked towards the center of the hall. The interior looked completely different from what Joey knew. It was closer to an actual castle, filled with banners and noblemen. In the back of the room was a man sitting on a throne. His crown on his head held an orange gem that glowed as bright as the sun. Upon seeing Silas, the man commanded everyone out of the building except for two guards beside his throne.

“King Lotar of the Fire Soul, you pay for your crimes today!” Silas yelled across the grand hall.

“And what crime would that be, Silas? The killing of your father? He brought that upon himself, starting that silly revolution.” Lotar replied, looking at his fingers uncaringly.

“No, however, I will have my revenge for his death. No, your crime is holding this city in the past while the future is the only path!” Silas retorted.

“So your father has poisoned your mind as well. So be it. Guards, end this cursed bloodline so I can return to more pressing matters.”

The two guards beside the king stood straight and slowly walked towards Silas. Both knights wielded swords and shields, carrying gem-embedded shields similar to the king's crown. They both slammed their swords into the shields and ignited their blades into a brilliant orange fire. Silas held his hands in response, and the familiar silver particles formed around his fingers. In an instant, one of the knights screamed out in pain as a large silver spear slammed into his chest, pinning him into the wall. The other knight tried to close the distance on Silas rapidly, but Silas was already ahead, swiping his hand and slicing the air before him. Particles shot out and slammed into the Knight, removing his upper torso and sending it flying off.

King Lotar shot to his feet with a face of confusion and anger.

“That power. What did you do, Silas!?” Lotar screamed as he approached Silas.

Silas ignored the question, manifested a shining silver spear, and pointed at the king.

“You die today. False King.” Silas yelled.

“So be it. You will join your father in the afterlife.” Lotar replied.

Lotar held up his hands and clapped once. With a bright light, both of his arms are ignited in bright flames, illuminating the empty building. Without much pause, Lotar shot from the stairs leading to his throne towards Silas, catching Silas off guard and landing a swift punch into his chest. The punch throws Silas into the town hall's large doors; Silas tries to get his footing back but is swiftly sent back to the ground with a knee to the face.

Grunting, Silas slams the ground, and a wall of silver spikes shoots from the ground, putting some distance between the two fighters. Lotar visibly smiled as he punched through the spikes and approached Silas again. Silas got to his feet, manifested two spears over his shoulders, and shot forward towards Lotar. Putting his fists together in a ball, Lotar prepared to slam the ground before them. However, Silas launched himself into the air with a sharp jump, shooting both spears directly at Lotar. Lotar held out his hands and caught both of the spears. Upon him grabbing them, they exploded into a million tiny silver spears. Piercing every inch of his body, Silas grabbed him by his left arm before he could react and swiftly landed three punches to the king's face. Silas then quickly manifested a small silver dagger and impaled Lotar in the lower gut; Lotar let out a small gasp as the air left his body.

“ENOUGH!!” Lotar screamed as the gem on his crown grew brighter.

With a bright flash, Lotar’s entire body became engulfed in flames. Silas jumped back as fast as he could, just not fast enough. The blast of energy sent him shooting through the large entry doors of the town hall. Tumbling down the stairs to the town hall, Silas realized he was out in the open, and the city's citizens were staring at him.

“Everyone, get back now!” Silas commanded, waving his hands at them.

He kept trying to wave people off and didn't notice the flaming hand approaching him rapidly. Lotar shoots his palm onto Silas' face and slams him straight to the ground. Silas could feel the heat of the flames slowly starting to burn his face. Panicking, Silas manifested five spears floating above them and, with a move of his finger, slammed them into Lotar. Blood shot out of Lotar’s nose and mouth as he started to lose grip on Silas' face. Silas manifested another dagger with his other hand and slashed Lotar's arm clean off. Gasping, Silas scrambled back before getting to his feet. Lotar struggled to move but couldn't. The spears Silas manifested just a second ago, holding Lotar in place as blood poured down each of them.

“That power… What god… did you sell your…. soul for Silas?” Lotar whispered as blood poured out of his mouth.

Silas walked up to Lotar and manifested a long silver sword.

“I hate you for what you did to my father. I hate you to my core. But I have to thank you, Lotar. Thank you for being a part of my story.” Silas said he had held up the sword.

With one quick motion, Silas decapitated the King. He knelt and picked up the crown that used to sit upon Lotar's head. Citizens of the city stood around, entirely still, staring at Silas. Silas then raised the crown into the air and crushed it. A bright orange light shone bright for a few seconds before fading away. Looking around at all the people's faces staring at him, Silas held up his hands to the sky. And let out a giant yell of triumph.

Joey sat there in awe as the particles began to fade. He could see Silas, the current Silas, seated on the edge of the stage.

“I was a bit rusty back then with my powers. Made that fight a bit one-sided for a while.” He said with a smile as he stood up and walked to Joey.

“Did that suffice enough for an answer?”

“Are you kidding me? That was fucking badass. You can do all of those things?” Joey replied with excitement in his voice.

“What was with that fire? Is that more magic? What exactly is your power? Joey asked as he also stood up.

“Woah, Woah, one at a time, Joey. I'll tell you all about that stuff during our adventure. I think it's time we head out now.” Silas said as he walked past Joey.

Joey nodded, picked up his backpack, and began following Silas out of the City of Stories.

I forgot I had this still deep in my backpack. I planned to recap what happened, but he beat me to it. I didn't see him write them, so I guess he used some of his magic. It seems like something he would write. It is in his style, loud, descriptive, and extravagant; some details are exaggerated, but that's fine. It kind of makes me happy he kept track of our meetings. It's been about a month now since I've been here. Now that I think about it, it's probably been longer. We have been walking for about two weeks now.

So, let's see what he missed writing about. Nothing really except for, you know, the whole other world stuff. This world is lovely, and it's just amazing. There is only nature. It's something I thought I would never see in my life. It may sound silly, but not hearing any form of civilization is weird. I'm so used to the sounds of cars, people, and everything. But being alone in this vast wilderness is almost enlightening. I just remembered Silas explains the world or whatever is left of it. There is Astralglade, which is where we currently are and where the Fierté is. Then there is the Grand Ocean Oarlenza. He also said that there used to be a floating city that lived above the sea. Then, more to the East is the continent of Drukal. He told me it was mainly inhabitable mountains and deep caves. And then lastly, in the center of it all, we are heading towards the Gold Tower. It's where the god that rules the land lives and my ticket out.

What else happened? Silas and I have just been walking and talking about each other's life. I asked about his family. He would probably not mind if I talked about them here. Silas told me he didn't know his mother since she died giving birth to him, but he and his father were very close. He talks a lot about his father. It seems he left a very lasting effect on Silas. His father's name was Jean-Reylein, and he was the advisor to the now-dead king, Lotar. Jean-Reylein started the Revolt of Stories, and it seems that, like Silas, they both value the future more than the past. After a few protests and a large-scale revolt, Lotar had Jean-Reylein executed for his crimes.

Which pushed Silas to follow through with what his father had started. However, I feel like Silas had other motives to kill Lotar than just his father's death. He always talks about this Grand Story. He won't ever tell me what that means or why it's so important to him, but it seems very personal, so I don't want to keep asking.

I wish I had a father like Jean-Reylein. From what Silas tells me about him, he was an overall caring man who wanted Silas to accomplish great things. A man who wanted the best for his city and the people he cared about. My father sees me as more of a burden; I have never really been good at much, so my father ignored me. He never got mad and never complimented him; to him, I was just in his life. Like I was something he was supposed to feed, clothe, and send off to school. I remember the time I got lost when we took a skiing trip; I fell into a ditch and lost one of my skis. It was cold, and I couldn't navigate through the forest. It had to have been an hour, then when I finally found my way to the bottom of the mountain, He was mad and thought I had run off. I told him I fell and got lost in the woods; he yelled at me and called me a lair. He said I was just a spoiled kid, and now he had to buy a new pair of skis. From that point on, I only really talked to him a little. I just didn't see him as family anymore.

Well, I'm going to sleep now. We still have much walking to do until we reach the Golden Tower. From what I gather, it will probably be another nine to ten months of walking. This is incredible; I will live out my own story for once. My adventure.

“Do you think it will taste good?” Joey asked, peering over the large mole-like creature Silas just killed.

“No idea. I've never killed one of these before.”

“Really? I'm surprised you wouldn't have gotten to everything by now.”

“Well, that's the thing, Joey. This creature isn't from here. I'm pretty sure it's from Drukal.” Silas said, kneeling to the creature.

“Then why would it be here? Isn't that far from here?” Joey questioned.

A faint crack sounds behind them; Silas stops moving and stands utterly silent. Joey looked at Silas for a few seconds.

Confused, Joey asked.

“Why did you stop tal-”

“Get down, Joey!” Silas yelled, reaching and pushing Joey to his knees.

Sounds of trees smashing to bits sound off as a large object swings fast over Joey's head. Before Joey could regain his bearings, he felt Silas grab harder on his shoulder and launch them out of the tree line. Joey noticed trees torn down as they landed in an open field next to the forest. Fuck, Was the only thought Joey’s brain could muster.

The creature dragged itself out of the forest, its enormous body slamming against the surrounding trees as it did. It was a creature Joey thought could only exist in fantasy stories. It was a giant lizard covered in large brown scales closer to rocks than flesh. Its front two arms carried three large claws that shined like diamonds. The creature's back was covered in sharp spikes and one prominent ridge down its spine. Its tail was a weapon in itself; at the end of its tail was a large sphere bone piece. It's one eye was staring at Joey and Silas, unwavering in its goal.

The creature shot forward with speed that didn't match its hulking body mass. Silas reacted to the beast's aggression by grabbing Joey and jumping into the air. Joey felt his stomach drop as he rushed into the air by Silas, whose back now held four silver wings. Constructed of silver particles, the top two wings were grand with sharp edges and dropping particles. Meanwhile, the bottom two were much smaller and moved with the upper wings. Silas was holding on to Joey by the waist like a small handbag.

The creature opened its mouth and let out a high-pitched screech, obliterating the ground under them. Then, it looked up to Silas and Joey, hovering in the sky, opening its mouth wide again to send another screech. Silas raised his free hand and created four spears, and with the movement of his hand toward the beast, they shot forward with striking speed. The spears slammed into the creature's legs and tail, pinning them to the ground. It uttered a loud cry and moved its head to attempt to remove one of the spears with its mouth.

Silas strengthens his grip on Joey.

“Don't let go, Joey.”

Silver particles began to form around Silas' feet, creating bright silver armored boots. Then his wings stretched to great lengths, and with a loud crack, he shot down towards the beast, slamming his foot into its head.

Joey was sitting on a downed log, staring at the body of the beast Silas just killed. It happened so fast that he didn't understand what happened. He did feel sick for the amount Silas flung around him in the air. Without Silas, I would have died a while ago. I forgot I am in a world I don't know, filled with things I don't understand. I got lost in the idea of it all. Joey thought to himself as he noticed Silas fidgeting with the creature's head.

“That was a bit too close for comfort. I'm stronger than the creatures here; however, you are not.” Silas said as he began to open the creature's jaw.

“I mean, what would you have to do? That creature was the size of two school buses.” Joey responded.

“I get that, but I can't protect you every waking hour, so I'm going to do something for you,” Silas said as he ripped one of the large teeth from the beast's jaw.

“This will be the first effigy of the future in years. I wonder if I can still do it.”

He said as he held The white tooth in his hand. Silver particles began to flow around his hand and circled the tooth. Then, the particles completely enveloped the tooth and began to shine a bright silver glow. The particles immediately dissipated with a quick cracking noise, and in Silas's hand was something new. In his hand sat a dagger. The blade was the tooth of the beast sharpened and reinforced with a silver lining down the middle. The handle was a bright silver with white spaces about the length of it.

Silas walked over to Joey and flipped the dagger so the handle was facing Joey. Joey stared at the dagger for a bit. Just looking at it, he could tell something about it seemed off. It almost felt alive, he thought. Joey pushed past the feeling and grabbed the hilt, and the second his fingers wrapped around it, his mind traveled somewhere far. His surroundings completely changed in just a few seconds, floating in the empty universe. The stars and galaxies cracked with what seemed like beating, breathing veins of silver particles. They all blinked simultaneously, gripping the stars and universe at once. Then, as soon as it came, it was gone. He was back sitting on the log with the dagger in hand.

“Did you see it, Joey?” Silas asked, staring at Joey with a big smile.

“What the actual fuck was that?”

“Ah, so you did, that’s good. The dagger I made for you, Joey, is called an Effigy.” Silas said as he pointed to the dagger in Joey's hand.

“Effigies are items that are given the blessings of a great Will. I created this one for you. What you saw when you held on to it was the Will itself. The will of the Future. My will is now yours. It is our will.”

Pushing the branch out of his face, Joey looked at the large boar creature grazing on the tall grass before him. He moved his hand toward his waist, where his dagger sat, and he slowly gripped the handle. Joey felt energy and excitement run through his body when his hands wrapped around the blade. With his free hand, he pushed himself forward from the bush in a fast motion, shooting forward faster than any human should be able to move. The giant boar saw him and squealed as it put its head down to prepare to charge. Joey raised his dagger and slashed in the air before him, sending a line of silver particles toward the boar. The slash collided with the boar and sent it into a tree; Joey planted his left foot into the ground to stop himself. He was going too fast, tripping over his feet and tumbling onto the ground.

“Shit, I went too fast.”

The enormous boar looked at Joey as it picked itself back up. It put its head back down and began to charge at Joey. He felt a bit of panic as he looked at the creature's four large horns on top of its head as it closed the distance between them. The boar was almost three times larger than him and looked twice as nasty. Its dark red fur is covered in scars and wounds, and the boar means to kill Joey. As it ran towards him, the ground tore as its large legs ripped through the terrain. Joey felt a deep sense of fear as it got closer. He couldn't form any honest thoughts, and I'm going to die. Joey thought to himself as his heart sank farther and farther into despair. He felt a twitch in his hand and looked at his dagger. Silver particles began to seep from the blade, and all the anguish and fear were instantly gone. He was in complete mental harmony as if something forcefully cleared his mind for him. A new wave of clarity moved his body for him. He put his dagger handle in his mouth and raised his hands out in front of him. The boar slammed itself into Joey. He grabbed two of the tusks on the boar's head. And with all his might, he raised the creature and threw it over his head.

The boar landed on its back and let out a grotesque squeal as it attempted to get back up. Throwing its body side to side, trying its hardest to return to its feet. A silver spear shot through the tree line and entered the beast's chest, finally silencing its cries. Joey Turned around as Silas walked into view, waving to Joey with a smile.

“Did you see that, Silas? I was fucking awesome!.”

Silas walked up to Joey and smiled even more.

“Yes, you were amazing. You are a natural.” Silas responded as he held out his hand.

Joey reached up and high-fived Silas.

“I tried everything you told me to do. I panicked for a bit, but I figured it out in the end.”

“Did the Will help you? Did something reach out and help you?” Silas said as he picked up the boar.

“Effigies are directly connected to the Will itself, so in times of need, it will seek you out and help your mind and body.”

“So, like the force?”

“What's that?”

“Oh, I forgot. Never mind, ignore me.”

Joey stared into the dark sky as the fire crackled before him. Silas was cutting a piece of meat off the boar Joey killed earlier that day. They had eaten this type of animal before, but it tasted better since he was the one who got it for them. He had never felt so proud of himself, and Silas's praise made him feel even better. Joey finally thought he was doing things for gain, making his own story. It will be over soon, and the Golden Tower is close. He said to himself as he looked past the forest they were in. Their goal, The Golden Tower, was almost in grasp. Its bright, shining lite irradiated throughout the dark sky, the only sours of light in the dark sky. The tower climbs into the sky until it reaches its top, where the bright light that serves as the sun and the moon resides. The closer Joey looked at it, the grander it became. Each inch of the tower is marble with veins of beating gold lining it all.

“Silas, why is the tower the only light source here?”

“I thought I already told you?” Silas responded, putting down his food.

“You said something about a great destruction or something along that line. But not really into detail about it.”

Silas let out a sigh and strained his back.

“Joey, will you listen this time, please.”

Silas looked up to the night sky and began to speak.

“A few generations ago, there was something in our universe eating and devouring all existence. It was not a thing but more of the idea of destruction and eradication. The people of the time noticed stars and suns disappearing without a trace. It was almost too late when it was understood what was happening. Most of our world had already been devoured, leaving it in its current state.”

“Did it just stop?” Joey interrupted.

“No, Joey, it didn't just stop. I'm getting to that if you can just wait.” Silas responded before continuing.

“The current Golden god of the time, Cailiem, used all the power the Will of The Cosmos had to summon the threat into a physical form. No texts or records of the physical form have been written down since most people at the time described it as indescribable. Cailiem killed the entity, and wanting to keep what remained of the world stable, he created two Effigies. One was the Golden Tower to stabilize the physical world; then, he created the Heart of the Cosmos to stabilize the intangible world. Doing this, he sacrificed most of Will’s power, leaving him and the future generations of Golden gods weaker. However, the Will of The Cosmos is still the most potent force in this universe. “

“Wait, Wait, the tower is an Effigy?” Joey asked.

“That is your question? Not about the creature that ended the universe or the god that killed it. But is it an Effigy?”

“Yes.”

Silas let out a sigh.

“Anything can be an Effigy. As long as a Great Will attaches to it, it becomes an Effigy. There are even cases of humans becoming Effigies.” Silas responded.

“Oh, that's amazing.”

“Yes, it is Joey. Yes, it is.” Silas said, pausing for a moment after.

“Thank you for going on this journey with me, Joey. It's been years since I've been able to tell and hear stories. You don't know how much this means to me.”

This statement caught Joey off guard.

“Of course. I mean, you are keeping me safe until I make it back home. Thank you, Silas.”

“Really? I think you would have figured it out by yourself.” Silas said.

Joey let out a laugh.

“Silas, it's probably been over a year since we traveled together. When you found me at the river, I thought about giving up. You have kept me alive for this long. You have kept me company. You have taken me on an adventure of a lifetime. Silas, you are my friend.”

Silas smiled back at Joey.

“You are my friend too, Joey.”

“Silas, What the fuck is that.”

Before them stood a giant construct, a tall human-shaped machine. A grand creation standing three stories tall, built of bright white marble. The joints of the machine beat with bright gold particles that shined as bright as the light in the tower. Above its armored skull sat three bright gold halos hovering above. On its back was another large halo floating vertically behind it. The construct’s one golden eye stared at Silas, unwavering and unmoving.

Joey looked towards Silas and was surprised to see such an ugly expression. Silas looked like he was staring down the devil himself, and Joey could feel the hate and contempt. In the more than a year he has traveled with Silas, Silas has never shown any form of hate or anger towards anything.

“That Joey Is my Warden. It's my punishment for my sins.” Silas says, sitting down on a small rock.

“This stain of power restricts me from leaving this empty city. It watches me as he sits there and rots, laughing at my misery.”

“Silas, what are you talking about? What sin?” Joey asked carefully.

“Sit down, Joey. I have one more story to tell you.”

“About three years ago, I traveled the world and gathered the other Will holders to challenge the current Golden God.”

“Why would you want to do that, Silas? Are they not the thing holding the universe together?”

Joey asked

“You don't understand. I needed to challenge him. I needed to take him off that throne. I needed him to die for my story.”

Silas paused for a few seconds. Then he looked at Joey with a straight, unfeeling expression.

“First, I went to the country of mountains to meet with Olbier. Olbier did not take much convincing since he and his people worshipped an old god and did not respect the Will of the Cosmos. Olbier is the holder of the Will of Worship, a mighty warrior of unmatched physical strength. A man of protection and care for his people and his god.”

Silas looked west with an expression of sadness and disdain.

“He did not deserve his fate,” Silas said, looking back at Joey.

“After that, I met with the queen of the Sky and the Prince of the deep. First, I met with the Prince, who denied me at every stage. That coward wanted nothing to do with becoming known throughout history. Maybe we would have won against that insect in the tower with him. The Queen initially was not for the idea of challenging the Golden God, but telling Morlaya that she could soar through the cosmos with no restrictions piqued her interest enough to agree. With those two backing me, we challenge the god.”

Silas’s expression changed from uncaring to anger as he continued.

“We climbed the tower and challenged that disgusting, arrogant bastard in his throne room. The Will of the Cosmos was not what it used to be, and his death should have been swift and easy. However, we underestimated him as much as he underestimated us. We hurt him gravely, and he now sits there waiting to draw his last breath on his throne. And for that, he punished us gravely. He tore the wings off of the Morlaya and sunk her and her sky city into the ocean she so despised. Then, he corrupted Olbier's mind, turning him into a raging marauder. Oblier, in a rage, went back to his country and murdered most of the people he swore to protect, turning the rest into rage-filled monsters bent on the death of everything that moves.”

Silas stood up, spoke angrily, and spit as he yelled.

“And for me, that disgusting fraud tore the memory of our grand battle from my head. He knew that I prized that more than my own life. He knew that I NEEDED THAT FOR MY STORY! HE KNEW I LOVED STORIES MORE THAN MY OWN LIFE. HE TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME. HE ERASED ALL THE STORIES OF MY CITY AND ERASED ALL THE PEOPLE. HE MADE SURE I HAD NOTHING LEFT. THAT WAS HIS MISTAKE, I WILL NOT STOP FOR ANYTHING, MY STORY WILL BE COMPLETED. AND I WILL WATCH AS HE BLEEDS AND DIES IN HIS THRONE!”

Joey felt his heart sink as the man he had spent more than a year with became something that scared him. It was like he was staring at a new man. The Silas Joey has spent this time with would never act like this. He would never be this angry. He felt scared of him for the first time since Joey met Silas. This man was double his height, wielded magic, and could tear him limb from limb. In a world he did not understand, the reality of his situation started to hit Joey. He was in a place he didn't know with someone Joey thought he knew well. He wanted to run away from him for the first time since he met Silas. He wanted to go home.

“Sorry about that, Joey. I just lose myself when I think about what HE took from me.” Silas said, composing himself.

Joey didn't know what to say and felt scared that anything he said would make Silas angry again.

“Silas, I don't understand. You challenged him, did you not? Why would you do that.”

Silas approached Joey and put one of his large hands on his shoulder.

“Oh, my little Joey. You may not see it now. But when my story is complete, it will all make sense. It will make sense to you. It will make sense to that golden insect. It will make sense to the universe.” Silas said with a look that made Joey frightened for his life.

Silas then bent down on his knees and hugged Joey.

“My dear friend. I will miss you dearly. But it is time for you to go back to your home. The warden will let you pass. There, the Golden God should let you leave. He has no quarry with you.”

Silas let go of Joey and stood back up. He pointed to a large set of stairs at the bottom of your tower.

“Now go, Joey, Finish your part of the story.”

My part? Joey thought as he started to walk towards the tower. He walked past the warden, and it didn't budge or look at him. Its gaze stayed unmoving on Silas. Joey got to the first step of the stairs and looked back at Silas, who was still standing there staring at Joey. Joey took his first step, and a sharp feeling of distress shot through his body. He looked back and saw Silas now crying.

Joey completely froze as a sense of pure dread felt through his body.

“Thank you for being a part of my story, Joey.”

Well, shit. Alan thought as he put the tablet back on the table. That gave me more questions than answers. He took another sip of his coffee as he stood up and looked out the window towards the giant rift in reality. What exactly am I looking at? The border of another universe dying and colliding with ours.

“So, Doctor, what do you think.” Alan turned his head to look at Daughtry as he entered the room.

“Honestly, I don't know; I have more questions than answers right now,” Alan said to Daughtry.

“That's what I thought; this isn't our normal issue here. We are pretty much playing a waiting game with this.” Daughtry said as he joined Alan at the table.

“So I guess entity Silver is this King of Stories? Are there other things like that at the other Sites?”

“Pretty much; the only reason we call it entity Silver is because its existence is unconfirmed. But I doubt it will stay like that for long. And yes, we are dealing with a slew of entities for which we are unprepared. But that's in our job description.” Daughtry responded.

Alan cracked a small smile and looked back out the window. It was hypnotizing, the idea and impossibility of it all. He never thought he would come face to face with something this unreal in his career at the Foundation. The sound of a walkie-talkie buzzing grabbed Alan’s attention, and he turned to face Daughtry. Daughtry went to reach for the walkie-talkie, but as his hand held the device, both of them froze. A loud, earth-shattering cracking sound echoed everywhere around them. Alan put his hands over his head and went under the table, believing it to be some form of earthquake.

Agent Daughtry tapped the top of the table and calmly sat up.

“Don't worry, that’s normal. That means the rift is expanding.” He said as he walked to the window.

Without warning, red lights and a blaring alarm rang through the site. Yelling and sprinting footsteps echo the hallways. Alan looks towards the window, seeing Agent Daughtry standing entirely still.

“Well, that is not normal.” He says before he sprints out of the room, yelling something as he does.

Alan sat under the table, not wanting to move; the alarm echoed through the room, and the thundering sound that the rift was making shook him to his core. WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON. Building the courage, Alan left the table's safety and headed towards the window. He grabbed the railing of it and pulled himself up to take a look outside. What he saw made his heart drop to the ground.

The rift wash was shaking violently, and bright silver particles were seeping through the cracks of the other universe. The loud cracking sound kept increasing as more particles shot through the rift. Large fingers could be seen slowly leaving the rift and grabbing the sides of the tear, slowly pulling the rift apart. The rift was torn inch by inch, creating a loud sound that brought Alan to his knees. Then, everything went silent, not even the downpour that had presided for hours.

Looking out the window, Alan felt his soul leave his body. Standing in front of the rift was a man who had to be no shorter than ten feet tall with short silver hair and glistening earrings to match. There was no doubting it: this was Entity Silver, the King of Stories.

Silas raised his arms out to the new sky in front of him. Free from the dying cage of his sins. Free from the eyes of the frail god that lay dying on his throne. Free from the Will of the Cosmos.