《Code;Zero》


 Prelude to Prologue

    It was cold. So very cold.


    A ghastly cold only known to the perished. I had known not death, yet I knew so¡­


    Surely, the day I die, this is what I will find ¨C cold, like the depths of sea; darkness, like the ends of space; and nothingness, like the purgatorial void.


    It was strange. How did I know that? Had it been taught to me in the past? Or perhaps I had always known? Instinctively. As the birds know when it will storm, as herds know how to migrate. As the moon knows when to rise, and the sun knows when to slumber.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Was I then conscious?


    Having become aware of something only the subconscious ever would. In what state did that suggest?


    Perhaps conscious. Or subconscious.


    Perhaps awake. Or in slumber.


    Perhaps alive. Or perished.


    Perhaps both. Or neither.


    Perhaps lost in a realm in-between. A dreamlike, hyper realistic realm that teetered between life and death, reality and fiction. In someways both, in someways neither.


    Adhering to preestablished rules, yet not even following its own.


    Where my mind was free to wander as it pleased. Entertaining every passing thought, going off on incoherent tangents that never really went anywhere. Limited only by what it could imagine, yet having an eternity to begin to fathom.


    And yet, my body remained prisoner of the void.


    In this state my existence seemed to continue. For now, and perhaps forever.

 Prologue - A Thousand Burning Lights

    I was conscious. That was the first thing I realized.


    Then came the pain. Headache. Migraine.


    My head rang as sharp pangs ran through it. It felt like a vice constricting my skull, as it trembled uncontrollably.


    It felt like I had awoken from a long slumber. Yet, it felt as if I hadn¡¯t slept in days.


    I was surrounded by darkness. Engulfed by it. A heavy, overwhelming darkness. Beyond black, beyond color.


    And yet, I could feel the warmth of light.


    I tried opening my eyes. Only to be greeted by a rush of blinding light.


    It was brighter than any star, than any sun. Brighter, even, than brightness itself.


    Going from pure darkness into pure brightness was an intensity unlike any other.


    I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes open for more than a split second. And even after I shut them, I could still feel a burning sensation lingering in my retinas.


    I stayed in this state, for an indefinite amount of time. Fearing the light. Wishing to submerge back into the darkness, where it had been safer. Until gradually, my body began to adjust to the environment around me and I started to regain my senses.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    As the warmth of the rays intensified and the light slowly seeped through my shut eyes, I began to grow a better understanding of who I was.


    I had a body. With hands and feet.


    Eyes. Ears. Lips. And a nose.


    Though, I could neither hear nor smell. My eyes were too sensitive to light to allow for sight. And all I could mutter were unintelligible groans.


    I could locate where my limbs were, yet they didn¡¯t react to any attempt to produce movement.


    In this state, I felt more like a mind stuck in a failed body than a person.


    And yet, I could feel pain perfectly fine.


    Yes. It was pain that I regained quickest.


    The pain of the burning light.


    The pain of something cold and sharp, stabbing into my legs.


    The pain of the damp air brushing against my exposed skin.


    And the pain of touch, taste, smell, sound, and sight all rushing in at once.


    A sudden and violent barrage of sensations.


    The taste of smoke as it filled my lungs. The smell of burning wax mixed with stagnant air. The sensation of chains that coiled around me. The sound of nearby whispers. And the sight¡­


    Of a thousand burning lights.

 OF THE CLOCKTOWER part.1

    I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream as loud as I could, and yet all that came out was a harsh, muted shriek. Similar to the sounds of someone suffocating. Because, it seemed, I truly was suffocating. I hadn¡¯t been breathing up until now. I was drawing my first breath in what felt like an eternity.


    My breaths were heavy and my throat dry. I had an intense migraine. My head spun, as the world seemed to sway from side to side. I was seeing doubles, incapable of telling apart the present from the afterimage. My entire body felt swore. I felt dead, or about as close as the living could get.


    There were two figures standing in front of me. I couldn¡¯t quite make out their features. I wasn¡¯t fully there yet, both physically and mentally, and my mind struggled to focus. In a darkened room, surrounded by a thousand burning candles, shifting in and out of focus. There dim, yet intense flare illuminated the area where we stood. The glare assaulting my struggling vision.


    They both held up books with strange engravings on the cover and recited from them. Focusing my attention, I could understand some of what they said.


    ¡°Heed me, one who has answered my calling. My resolve is true and my path is just. I shall become the light that guides your every step and you the lantern to hold this burning flame. By this contract I bind you, Servant of the Night Sky.¡±


    At once, the chains that had held me down wrapped around my wrists, ankles, and neck, as they glowed a deep blue. They constricted and began to meld into my skin. Leaving behind only the pattern of chains imprinted on my skin, glowing faintly, just as the chains had done. Before long, even the faint glow disappeared, leaving only a fading sensation.


    ¡°I ask thee, what is thy name?¡±


    My name? I ¨C I can¡¯t remember¡­


    Why? Why couldn¡¯t I remember? No matter how hard I tried, everything was a blur. My name, my memories, all of it, it was all a blur. I couldn¡¯t seem to remember anything, and that thought filled me with overwhelming dread.


    ¡°You look confused. Are you not aware of your position? Of the situation you currently find yourself in? It¡¯s to be expected, I suppose. You weren¡¯t summoned under the greatest of conditions, after all¡± said the figure on my left. ¡°Had the situation be different, there would have been more time to prepare. We could have¡­ done things differently.¡±


    She examined me thoroughly, running her eyes up and down several times, casting judgment on every aspect of me. Her expression seemed to change between mild curiosity and slight disappointment. Between self-pride and a hint of irritation. But, for the most part, she hid her feelings well, so it was hard to tell what she was really thinking.


    ¡°You¡¯re different than what I had expected. But, for what it¡¯s worth, you seem to have materialized well. In that sense, I¡¯d consider the procedure a success.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Materialized¡­ successful procedure? What does that even mean? ¡°Wha ¨C what the hell is going on!? Where am I!? What is this place? What¡¯s with the candles, the chains, the glowing light? What¡¯s with those strange books and weird chants? What are you two even saying, it doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    My voice was erratic, harsh. Every word was stressed, as if I was struggling just to say it. Forcing sound through a pipe that sounded as if it could rapture.


    I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand anything. What kind of fever-induced nightmare have I stepped into?


    She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s confusing for you. For now, just take things as they come. Don¡¯t overstress yourself and just accept things for what they are. It will all make sense in due time.¡±


    Even if she says that, I can¡¯t just ¨C


    She signaled for me to stand. I followed, forcing my body, despite the pain. As I stood, suddenly we were torn out of the darkness and into the light.


    It was surreal, something that shouldn¡¯t have been possible, yet happened before my very eyes. In that instant, the lights flickered on and all the candles were left trailing off smoke, without anyone having lifted a finger to do so.


    The light source came from a series of pendant lights hanging overhead. They ran in two rows, across the stretch of the room. They had a cage-like design, similar to lanterns in style, suspended by long chains. Individually, the light they produced was rather week; but, together, they lit the room quite well.


    But there was something unusual, almost unnatural, about the light they produced. It was neither kerosene nor fluorescent in nature. Rather, it seemed to glow, emitted from something within. It reminded me of the way the chains had glowed, something of that nature.


    Now, with the overhead lights, I could finally get a clear view of where I was and the two figures that had been hovering above me as I laid sprawled on the floor. As I had figured from their voices, they were both female. Young, somewhere around my age.


    The first, who I had talked to. She wasn¡¯t much shorter than me. She had long, black hair. It was straight and flowed down to her waist, with a red braid attached to a lock of her hair. She had small, almond-shaped eyes, brown in color. Her face was round, with a beauty mark sitting just under her lips. Her skin was fair and her body was shaped delicately. She appeared graceful, refined, and somewhat serious.


    The other, who had remained mostly silent till now. She was much shorter than both of us. She had shoulder-length, blonde hair, tied in a ponytail to her side. Her eyes were a captivating shade of blue. She was thin yet shapely and quite attractive in her own right. Her appearance seemed to suggest a carefree, quirky personality; yet her demeanor betrayed that image. She seemed a lot more closed off, perhaps due to the current situation.


    It seemed we found ourselves in some sort of church. There were several rows of wooden benches. They had an antique design yet seemed to be well maintained. The walls were made from a white brick, with arches extending out to marble pillars lining the aisles on either side, leaving the center aisle clear.


    There seemed to be a second level, above the arches, but the height made it hard to tell what was up there. All I could see were more arches and pillars, extending to the ceiling, as well as a dim light coming in through the stained-glass windows.


    We stood at the altar, surrounded by candles that sat on oddly shaped, metallic holders of varying heights. The books they had been reading out of had been placed on top of a pedestal. The symbols and patterns on the covers were completely foreign to me, reminiscent of cryptic, lost languages from eras passed.


    Everything about this place has this gothic feel to it. And it was dark, and cold. Barely any light came in from the many windows. Even the large panels that circled around the altar barely let in any light. It seemed, rather than filtering in light from outside, they were instead glowing a dim imitation of light. It made the room feel separated from reality. As if it existed in its own plane. Some falsified fabrication, disconnected from anything.


    This only added to the eerie sensation I¡¯d felt since waking up. I stood on guard, as if in my current condition I could actually attempt to defend myself. The girls standing next to me didn¡¯t appear to be hostile, but in my weakened and dazed state, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to trust anyone.


    But, defenseless as I was, it was probably a good idea to comply with them. They seemed to understand what was going on, and willing to share this information. It was to my best interest to have them help me, at least until I had a better grasp of everything.


    Directing her gaze towards me, the blonde-haired girl spoke once more. ¡°Come with us. I would explain, but it will make more sense once we have you see it with your own eyes.¡±