One of us

[Alaeha]

So this won't be very good... It really won't. This is a midget/short/vertically challenged story that I'm doing once through to get it out of my system, because I really don't want to spend more time than that on something that I got the urge to do while listening to Miseria Cantare (AFI). If I change anything, it'll probably be the names.

 

Anyways...

 

One of us

 

"Jede... It's time." The Guide spoke softly. Soundlessly, Jede got her feet under her and stood. As they traveled the halls, her thoughts raced.

 

It was time. If she could pass the test, she would finally learn their names... and their true purposes. They would finally allow her to wear the white robes of the Keepers. Somewhere deep in the back of her mind, something stirred at that thought, but she brushed it aside easily. They had warned her that her nightmares might make a final attempt at demoralizing her. But she would not fail the test now. She had spent years preparing.

 

"Jede..." The Guide spoke again. "We're here."

 

"Oh." Looking about, she saw that the Guide was correct. All five of the Keepers stood in a loose line before her, all smiling warmly.

 

"Jede... We have been awaiting this day for many weeks." One said.

 

"Are you certain that you are ready for this?" Another asked.

 

"As certain as one can be." Jede hesitated. "I can promise only that I will do my best."

 

"Very well then." Said the Guide, from behind her, as the Keepers fanned out around her. "This is the final test. If you can pass this test, the nightmares will never again trouble you."

 

"Really?" Jede asked, turning to face him.

 

"It is inherent in the nature of the test. You must renounce them once and for all. They will, of course, fight with you. As such things are wont to do, they'll lie to you, telling you that we are demons who want only to steal your soul, and such nonsense." said one of the Keepers from her right.

 

"Oh."

 

"Are you ready?" A voice came from her left.

 

As darkness engulfed her, it seemed that a voice spoke once more. "Does it matter if she's ready?"

 

* * *

 

"I've always wondered this..." She told the figure before her. "I'm never going to speak with you again, so I'll ask now. Who am I? what am I?"

 

"You are you. You are Jede."

 

"That doesn't help me."

 

"Then ask a better question. For example, you could ask who the Keepers are. Or how I know that they only want your soul, and all that 'nonsense'. Or you could ask who I am."

 

"All right then. Who are you?"

 

"I am Tori, or what's left of him. The real Tori died years back, when the Keepers killed him and kidnapped you."

 

"They wouldn't do something like that..."

 

"Oh, but they would. Haven't you ever felt that something was wrong with what they said?"

 

"Of course. But then they explained it to me, and it made sense."

 

A voice seeming to come from everywhere resonated throughout her mind. Remember the test.

 

"You see? They don't want you to speak with me. They fear that you'll regain your senses."

 

"I don't believe you. They told me that you would try to corrupt me."

 

"Corrupt you? I haven't even"

 

"No more!" She shouted. Waves of darkness engulfed the figure as she continued. "I'm done with you! I never knew you! Get out of my head!"

 

With a howl of anguish, the creature collapsed to the ground, then disappeared. The darkness then leapt toward Jede.

 

The world disappeared behind the haze of the agony which followed.

 

* * *

 

"Congratulations!" The Guide helped her up from the ground.

 

"Now... who are you?" Jede demanded, a cold tone to her voice.

 

"As you desired, you now wear the robes of a Keeper." Said a voice behind her. "My name is Shin."

 

"And you may call me Morte" Said another.

 

"I am Azreal" "Thea" "Kami" "Minos"

 

"And you?" She turned to the Guide.

 

"You may call me Charon." As he spoke, the white robes began to fade, becoming gray, then black.

 

The Keepers spoke in unison with the Guide, surrounding Jede.

 

"You are now one of us." The cold feeling swept through her once again, and she found herself speaking.

 

"I am no one."

 

The darkness from her nightmares appeared once again, forming around Charon. Like a flame of darkness, it sucked the heat and light from the room. Deep within herself, Jede felt something snap.

 

But she couldn't remember. The Guide, Charon... he was... something.

 

As the dark flame engulfed her for the final time, words echoed through her mind once more.

 

"I'm done with you..."

 

"I never knew you.