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+--- Thread: Ashes of a Rising Pheonix (/showthread.php?tid=1521)
Ashes of a Rising Pheonix - Morene Fellon - 05-20-2015
The rattle of a shaking paint-spray can broke the silence of the warm and soothing sunset of Seattle, as Delsin raised the can, aiming at a building. He stood above the city's streets, on top a roof of the building in question. Delsin pressed down on the nozzle, painting over a cardboard stencil taped onto one of the building's protrusions, a single concrete prism with a door that led to the lower levels.
Delsin only focused on keeping the spray-paint aimed at the cardboard to not make a mess of the place. After all, he was always doing this to exert his talent, not to ruin property.
Well, at least most people didn't consider it ruining property. Although the ones that did usually never caught up to him. He almost missed the days it was just senior citizens griping at him, other than fully-armed superpowered and militaristic soldiers peppering Delsin with assault rifle bullets. In reality, Delsin missed the days the latter was true. The D.U.P, Eugene, Fetch... Reggie.
Reggie.
The name almost made Delsin shiver as he finished painting over his stencil. Delsin shook his head a bit at how much the name hurt. It's been a week since Reggie Rowe, Delsin's bigger brother's death, and even his final words to Delsin were saying how much he loved him, and how proud he was for all the things Delsin has done for the people around him.
Delsin smiled at the memory long-gone now, knowing that Reggie meant what he said to him before he took that fall, sacrificing himself to save his younger brother. He was proud of the city Delsin had taken part of rebuilding, and Delsin was as well. Finally, an age where Conduits, who used to be freaks and deviants of the entire world, could live in peace with the more average citizen. There wasn't a thing Delsin could ask for that topped it. Taking down his cardboard stencil, he replaced it with a new one right on top of the area he painted over, and continued working.
"Alright, Del... Gotta finish this up before it gets dark..." Delsin mumbled to himself, "Theere we go."
Putting emphasis on his last sentence, Delsin took a step backward, taking off the new stencil once more. Placing it on the floor right next to him, Delsin walked backwards, looking at the final product. It was a mostly simple, multi-colored tribal design. Something a bit more abstract for practice.
"Elegant..." Delsin bragged, before slowly walking over and putting the spray-can on the ground. He looked off at the sunset, listening to the sounds of the urban city streets below. It was only a couple more minutes until dark. Since criminal activity was at a low, Delsin figured he might as well watch it for once.
Jumping off the edge of the rooftop, Delsin suddenly morphed into a cloud of smoke, rushing towards a taller building next to the one he was previously on top of. Delsin began to take his original shape again, before he grabbed the edge of a windowsill. Climbing up with ease, Delsin hopped onto the roof, walking over to the far-end of the building.
Sitting down, Delsin stretched outwards, before patiently observing the sun fade into the night sky. He then laid down, quietly thinking to himself. Before long, Delsin's lack of sleep began to get to him, although he paid no mind. Delsin tried to keep his eyes open, but soon enough, the sounds of Seattle and the beautiful sky above him put Delsin to sleep.
Delsin usually didn't remember his dreams. It was only black for a moment, and then he wakes up. Usually, that is. Now, it was only black. Eerily black, creepy and silent. Delsin waited for the moment he would wake. There was a problem, however. He was waiting. He could think consciously. Lucid dreaming, perhaps? Delsin thought it was weird at first, since this never happened with him since he was way younger.
But... even then, something was happening. Now, it's just a void. Empty, silent, and cold. Delsin looked down to see his body standing there, seemingly on nothing at all. He tried to speak, but he only thought.
'Okay, this is a tiny bit out of the ordinary...' Delsin began to look around as he talked in his own head, making no noise. Still nothing. It was only when he turned all the way around, Delsin saw something else that stood out in this strange dream, if it even was a dream at this point.
It looked to be a figure of a man, or a silhouette, rather. It was pure white, almost as if it was making sure it was noticeable. Just sitting there in the distance. Staring at Delsin. He began to walk towards the figure, and creepily enough, it almost seemed to get closer to Delsin faster, without even moving.
Delsin was horribly confused at this moment. If this was some sort of lucid dream, why was nothing but this happening? Why exactly could he feel everything around him? Delsin couldn't tell if it was maybe his powers getting to him, or something of the sort, but the real questions he had in mind were related to whoever this figure was. It might have been useless to ask, but Delsin supposed it would be better than keeping silent.
Just like that, however, the strange silhouette spoke, answering all of Delsin's questions before he could even ask them.
Quote:"My name is Omni. This is not the world you know. This is the Omniverse. You interest me, so I have made you part of it. The Omniverse is a place that reflects the wishes of those who are part of it. But! There are rules. I will explain them only once, so listen carefully.”
His voice was so strange, as if it was a thousand voices calling out at once, but surprisingly calm. Nonetheless, it weirded Delsin out even more. He wished he could talk for a moment, raising his finger, but again interrupted by... "Omni," Delsin remembered. If this was some sort of different world, then Delsin obviously wasn't going to be seeing Seattle any time soon. Delsin began to worry about that for a while. Who would protect them at that point? He started to hope this was some sort of vividly real dream, before he realized Eugene and Fetch were still there, and they'd do anything for Seattle's well-being. Besides, the D.U.P was gone now. Everything was at peace, and Delsin could only hope it would stay that way.
The white figure who presented himself as Omni raised his palm upwards, before forming a strange spherical orb of energy, glistening with all the colors Delsin could imagine. The ball flew into Delsin's hand. Delsin wondered what this was, and how this Omni person did it. He had to have been some sort of Conduit.
Omni spoke once more, explaining to Delsin what he had done, and what that strange energy was.
Quote:“This is Omnilium. It’s what ties the Omniverse together. Without it, you are nothing. With it, anything you desire can be yours. But you will need more than this. If you desire it enough, you will find it. You will find that using it comes naturally. Just think of what you desire most."
Delsin thought of this Omnilium, and the vague explanation given to him. It was obvious that this was some sort of special power, but what exactly it was, Delsin could not figure out.
'If I desire it enough...' Delsin thought to himself as he looked downwards at his palm again, causing this Omnilium energy to flow through his fingers. He somehow knew it was powerful, perhaps beyond measure, but Delsin still had so many questions about it, also eager to use it. Omni continued, derailing Delsin's fascination with whatever Omni had gave him.
Quote:“You will not be alone in the Omniverse. There are others. Of course, they, too desire Omnilium. Do not fear death. For as long as you interest me, you will be reborn."
Delsin wondered if he literally meant reborn at that moment in time. Not as if Delsin cared as much, he considered himself pretty durable anyhow. What really interested him was Omni's claims that there were others like him. More Conduits, perhaps? Delsin shook his head, knowing he would soon find out anyways.
Quote:“That’s all you need to know right now. You’ll figure out the rest soon enough. I’ll be watching … and waiting.”
With Omni's last words, they both faded into a dark nothing, exactly like the endless black void behind them. This time, Delsin blinked, groggily waking up from his sleep. Delsin placed his hand on his red beanie as he looked around, expecting himself to be back at Seattle.
Only he wasn't.
Delsin still sat in a void, empty and dull, but this time, it was pure white. The only other thing that stood out now was Delsin and this strange fountain in front of him. It was beautiful, and the water running through it was pure, almost seeming to glitter against the stone it poured from. Delsin only admired it for a moment, then realizing that none of what he saw just then was a dream. This was real, and as real as it could get.
He turned around, before looking back at his palms. He noticed he felt... noticeably weaker. Delsin's heart sank to his stomach as he realized he could only channel smoke through his pores. Nothing else. He knew he remembered how to activate his powers, and somehow, he knew that he could get them back, although Delsin didn't know how.
"Man...!" Delsin complained, "This is gonna be a long day..."
Delsin threw his arms down, before he began to walk through the Nexus.