Into the White

[Miranda Frost]

Darkness faded into light that creeped into Miranda Frost's tent, shining into her eye. It wasn't a pleasant way to wake up with the heat of the sun's light drilling into her naked eye. She grunted turned over lazily in her cot, attempting to catch the sleep that hurried away from her. It was no use though. Miranda was wide away. She turned on her cot and reached over to her dusty, black leather combat boots and slipped them on. Without the padded socks given to her prior to the competition, it wasn't going to be pleasant, but it was better than without them. Lord knows the bandits' drinking habits left the camp grounds littered with broken glass that no one bothered to get cleaned up.

She pulled at her ragged pants, tucking them into her boots before tying them, making sure they were nice and snug. She scanned at her artificial arm, its shiny metallic color fading to the dust. It was a rushed job, these arms. They lacked proper covering, so Miranda was forced to wear something long sleeved. She picked up her long, black coat and slipped in it, zipping it up to her neck before slipping some black leather gloves over her exposed hands. To her exposed eye socket she applied an eye patch, tightening it on her face.On the torn makeshift table lay a silver colored mask to cover the meat grinder appendage that was the replacement for her mouth. She applied some bandages to her face to keep the metal from rubbing her skin raw and screwed the mask in until it was secure. She turned and exited the tent, her first step meeting the crunch of glass and sand beneath her heel, and the other meeting nothing.

The world was stripped around her leaving nothing but a black void. As far as the eye could see nothing but blackness met her eye until a figure of pure white welcomed her.

“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.”

She couldn't speak, nor could she move as she watched the white figure. She found it hard to believe that this being found any wealth in her, and scoffed internally. That aside, she stood by to hear the rules as they were given.

Omni hands you a glimmering orb in which all the colors of the rainbow coalesce. “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.

This perked her interest. She found she could move her arm and felt a presence in her coat's right pocket. With curiosity she reached into it, pulling it out. For something giving out so much light and power it felt... weightless. She gripped it hard to test its resiliance and found it couldn't be broken. It felt like nothing yet had the power to do anything, give anything she could ever wish. She slipped it back into her pocket and looked forward to the mysterious figure. What did she desire most?

“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.

“That’s all you need to know right now. You’ll figure out the rest soon enough. I’ll be watching … and waiting.”

So there were others like her, who possessed this new ability who, like her now, would be forever reborn and renewed as long as this mysterious fellow was happy with them.

Soon the blackness was stripped again into an expanse white realm, contrasting heavily against her coat. She turned and looked around, taking in her environment. She stood next to a well, an old well at that. It's crumbling stone composition as well as the dusty sand that covered it reminded her of her world. She sighed and looked foreward, spotting several lights in the distance.

'Anything I desire huh? lets put this to the test', she thought to herself as she slipped the rainbow orb from her pocket and held it out before. She closed her eye and though heavily as if forcing her thoughts through the orb. She needed transportation and as soon she opened her eyes it was given to her. Before her lay a black dirt-bike, a white number 8, the same number written on her eye patch, carved and painted on its sides. She swung a leg over it and cranked it. Soon the sound of an old engine broke the silence, and she sped her way towards a light. She knew not what she was looking for, but even then the best thing to do is to keep going.

(exit to ashen steppes)