Post by Silver_Highwind_Magician on May 10, 2010 15:52:01 GMT -5
[The Golden Compass]
“I have seen all of their lives fold into one another, bit by bit, piece by piece. The six warriors do not understand how close they are to realizing a destiny never predicted by the hearts of the common man. My eyes see that only one has yet to gather a connection, and he will be the one to awaken to the treachery of Chaos firsthand. I know, for I am ‘the one who observes the cries of the world’ --- Eternal Mother Guānshìyīn. Guided by the power of the World, my most trusted friend, I will foresee the events that will guide these warriors to their destiny. I will not fail them, for the Prophesied One needs their strength, especially when dealing with one as treacherous as the heartless and merciless Chaos.”
In a world where time has stopped, a goddess has rested in complete solitude for thousands and thousands of years. Within this darkness --- a place where all things eventually meet --- are the very eyes that see all the pain and suffering of the people. In this world, all things are within a never-ending calm. And, because this is the place where everything eventually meets, the goddess has taken it upon herself to guard the doorways between all worlds. Guānshìyīn --- the lady that sees all --- activates her beloved Eidolon, and awakens, once again…the realm of the Golden Compass.
This Eidolon has no solid human figure, only the image of many shining and golden circuits that spread as far as the eye can see. Within her aged hands is the image of a golden sphere with a hollow inside, almost glass-like in nature. Amidst the circuits are many stars and galaxies that seem endless in image and composition. Inside of the wheel, however, is the image of a disk with seven words written in an ancient language --- Magician, High Priestess, Fortitude, Lovers, Temperance, Sun, and Judgment. This can only mean that this woman is monitoring over the lives of the seven warriors using divine divination and prediction. She smiles upon her atmospherical Eidolon and begins speaking epically, once more.
“Wheel of Fortune, you have yet to fail me in our millions of years of being one with each other. To me, my friend, you are like a brother --- whenever I need your help, you’re right by my side. So, Wheel of Fortune, let us look into the lives of our seven warriors. First, we shall start off with the young man who governs the Lovers symbol. Wheel of Fortune, show me what is happening in the life of this young man? I worry about him, for I sense that the darkness will strike him heavily on this fateful evening. Do you have that same feeling, my friend?”
The Eidolon, named Wheel of Fortune, responds by emitting a coating of darkness over the Lovers plate. This heavily disturbs Eternal Mother Guānshìyīn, but she quickly regains her composure. This coating of darkness means that a dreadfully dangerous omen lingers over the life of the Martyr of the Lovers Arcana. Eternal Mother Guānshìyīn holds her right hand out in front of her --- a scarlet cluster of stars calmly descends into her palm. When fully inside of her hand, the cluster of stars pop into the image of a card --- The Lovers Card. She then places the card inside of the spherical core of her Eidolon. An image emits upon the shell of the spherical core, and she sees a real-time visual of Orlando driving through the city lines of Boise, Idaho, via his Pontiac Sunfire convertible car.
Anastasia is fast asleep in the passenger seat, while Orlando drives the convertible, steadily fighting off his tiredness. In his head, he realizes that he needs to find a resting place before he runs both of them off the road. Their university is several miles away, and the collegian can’t find it in himself to keep going on. A seven hour drive from Connecticut is more than he can handle now --- he feels lucky to say that he was able to make it through 6 hours and 34 minutes. He suddenly sees a gas station --- in the middle of nowhere --- just up ahead. This heavily confuses him, for he’s never seen this station before…
(“What the hell…? No one told me about a new Exxon being opened in Boise! As if we don’t have enough, already, you get something like that popping out of nowhere. But…come to think if it…this doesn’t make sense. We’ve only been gone for two days --- one, crashing at a hotel, the other at Wrestlemania --- so the timing doesn’t make sense at all. Hmm… I may be a fool for this, but I’m going to check this out. Call me ‘an idiot for mystery’, but I just can’t help myself under such strange circumstances.”)
A few minutes later, Orlando pulls into the gas station to fill up his tank --- this station is rather convenient, despite its existence being unrealistic. Then again, Orlando has heard news of an abandoned gas station being reopened. Perhaps this is the station that was mentioned. Still…the reopening time would take several months, especially with the process of execution being up to half a year in total waiting time. So, the existence of this gas station still makes no sense at all.
Orlando enters into the gas station and sees that the lighting is normal, as well as the atmosphere. He looks to his right --- no one is there. He looks to his left --- no one is there. And so, the collegian walks forward and cuts around the middle isle to his right. The boy is famished, and he knows that his girlfriend is too… He grabs some soda from the store’s refrigerators and makes his way to the checkout counter. All of a sudden…a swirling mass of darkness forms behind Orlando! He turns around, but the mass of darkness fades away before he can catch a first glimpse of it! The collegian turns around and continues his way to the checkout counter… When he gets there, a young Chinese female clerk is there, waiting to be of service to him…
“And I need ten dollars of gas, please --- pump 7...”, politely smiles the handsome collegian.
“Ten dollar gas, pump 7? Okay, I ring up for you, sir.”
Curious about the facility, the young man asks of the female clerk in a respectful manner, “When did the city finish reopening this place? Wasn’t it run down just a month ago?”
“Yes, city works very fast --- reopen shop for economic purposes. My family buy out, so we joint own station now.”
As he gives the clerk his money, and she receives it, Orlando asks in a serious manner, “What would make your family buy such a store, especially with the negative health inspection reports its received over the past 10 years? Doesn’t that strike you as odd in any way?”
“Mother and Father think very different. I believe they have good intention for buying station --- for community purpose, I believe.”
As he receives his change, Orlando kindly asks of the clerk, “Be sure to give your parents my good luck wishes?”
“I take your wishes as a blessing for my family, sir. Thank you.”
“Anytime --- see you around,”, says the departing Orlando, as he exists the station. He walks outside and sees that his girlfriend is getting out of the car. Orlando walks up to the door to the gas tank, opens it, pulls out the gas pump from the outlet and says to his girlfriend as he begins pumping, “That clerk girl is really nice. She says her family brought this place out and have joint custody with the city over the dump. God bless her family for having such courage and financial faith.”
Anastasia leans against the closed car door, and says in a nonchalant manner, “Leave it to the city --- selling nearly rotted out facilities to people for profit.”
“The inside looks nice and well put together. According to the time, this place might be closed down for a few hours. We just might be lucky, getting here so late and still receiving some service. By the way, how did you enjoy Wrestlemania?”
“Huh! That was the most fun I’ve had on a date since I was 13,”, giggles the awakening Anastasia, just before yawning a bit. Orlando finishes pumping the gas, closes the gas tank door, places the pump back into the outlet and leans against the car with his girlfriend. Anastasia looks at her boyfriend, smiles and says, “I can’t wait to get back to the dorm rooms. I’m about ready to pass out right here, right now.”
“Well, we won’t have to wait much longer. How about you come and stay over at my place tonight? Gerome is out tonight, so we’ll have the dorm all to ourselves.”
“Okay --- perhaps having my man next to me will make the night go by a lot smoother,”, smiles Anastasia. Then, as Orlando is about to hug Anastasia, another mass of darkness forms again --- this time, behind Anastasia. Orlando’s look of shock causes her to concernedly ask, “Baby, what’s wrong? Why are you looking like you’re staring at a ghost?”
Anastasia turns around and is scared to the point that she quickly steps back into her boyfriend’s protective arms! The mass of darkness forms into the image of a woman --- a Chinese woman that looks much like that of the clerk from the store portion of the station. As a matter of fact, it is the girl from behind the counter. Orlando is confused, and Anastasia is at a loss of words. Orlando questions the clerk with a very serious attitude.
“What the hell are you? Some kind of demon? A monster? What?”
The clerk amusedly laughs in a diabolical manner and happily says, “You have stepped into my Chaos Zone --- a stretch of land that is covered with Negative Essence.”
“What’s this Negative Essence that you speak of?”, politely asks the nervous Anastasia.
“The very thing that gives our Dark Lord, Master Chaos, his hold upon this world. Because every heart is filled with an inch of darkness, whether large or small, you race will pay for its sins against the Light by being bathed in a focalizing coat of darkness. For your sins, your race will pay the ultimate price --- to sleep for all eternity in the very thing that you treasure the most…darkness.”
(“Either this crazy chick is for real, or we’re on a serious acid trip…,”) mentally ponders the protective boyfriend. All of a sudden, the clerk is bathed in a coating of darkness that transforms her into a beautiful Chinese female warrior with an arm-mended crossbow upon her right forearm. Orlando holds onto his girlfriend and exclaims in shock, “Holy shit! What the hell is this girl?!?”
The beautiful warrior, scantily clad in black and red armor, giggles at the couple and happily answers, “I am Tiě Qiáo Sān, the Flower of Discord --- the highest of the respected soldiers of our King, Li Zìchéng. As His Highness’ most honored, I have come to bear a present to you --- oh mighty warrior of passion who will travel at the side of the Prophesied One --- that will change your life forever.”
The subservient Qiáo Sān --- proud, obedient, and highly respectful of her Lord --- places her hand into her slightly exposed upper bosom. Orlando looks away in a slight show of respect for women’s private areas… a little blush surfaces upon his face, as well. Anastasia watches carefully, seeing that the creepy Chinese woman has drawn a black-petal rose from her bosom that is tainted with Negative Essence. Orlando looks forward, once again, and sees the demonic rose within the left hand of Qiáo Sān. The two lovers are highly confused, but scared at the same time.
“What kind of rose is that, and why was it between your tits?!?”, exclaims the shocked Orlando. Qiáo Sān giggles with amusement. Orlando anxiously asks, “Come on, lady, what is that thing?!?”
“It is called The Key to Darkness --- a rose blessed by the life-streams of Chaos. With this instrument, I will give you a present worthy of your caliber. Behold, young mortals, the blessing of Chaos!”
And, as if things couldn’t get any stranger, the young female clerk from the store steps out of her family business and beholds the most frightening thing --- Qiáo Sān tosses the flower into the air, and the flower flies so high that it pierces the skies! And then, the two lovers and the slightly distant clerk behold the summoning of a void from the skies! From this void descends a set of creatures --- five Guǐxiān descend and land tremulously upon the grounds in front of the lovers! The Guǐxiān appear as guardian lions, commonly known as Fu. But, they are still Guǐxiān that look like lions, or Shíshī. Anastasia cowers at the sight of these large, demonic creatures…Orlando remains strong with a hint of fear in his bones. Qiáo Sān giggles a bit, and then introduces the gift of Chaos that she has been ordered to give them.
“Do you like them, young mortals? These beautiful creatures are among the most common of our Guǐxiān. They are called Guǐxiān Shíshī --- Immortal Ghost Lions. These beauties take pleasure in feeding upon human flesh, so I believe that --- although your relationship will be short-lived --- there shall not be a single dull moment between the lot of you.”
After one of the Guǐxiān Shíshī roars at the couple, Orlando furiously yells to Qiáo Sān, “You must be out of your mind, lady if you think --- for one second --- that I’d let one of these things kill us for no apparent reason!”
“I was hoping for that, since I wouldn’t want to kill you myself. I hate to get dirty human blood on my hands --- it’s a nightmare to wash off, especially from skin as delicate as mine.”
With a furiousness in his eyes, and a tingling in his bones, Orlando says to Qiáo Sān, “Then, I’m just going to have to beat you AND these god-damned lions by myself!”
Those words send chills down Qiáo Sān’s spine --- oddly, Orlando has chills as well...but, they're of a different nature. Anastasia looks up to her boyfriend and notices that his entire body is shivering…and a thick coating of red ectoplasm has surfaced upon his skin and clothing! Qiáo Sān shutters in fear at the sight of the shell of ectoplasm around the young collegian wrestler’s body --- the look in Orlando’s eyes intensifies with ferocity by the second… Anastasia hides her face away from the demonic creatures in fear, but the couple is soon joined by the female clerk. Orlando is confused --- he could’ve sworn that she was Qiáo Sān from the way that the female warrior transformed in front of his eyes. The female clerk stands in front of the collegian couple, as if she were attempting to protect them. Qiáo Sān laughs at the young girl’s heroic efforts.
“Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! And just what do you plan to do, mortal girl?”
“You will not have your way, Guǐxiān Warrior!”, protectively answers the store clerk with a seasoned and more elderly voice. Orlando is confused --- he could’ve sworn that the clerk sounded much more youthful that this. The store clerk looks over her left shoulder and says to the collegians in a serious manner, “You must not die here, Martyr of the Lovers Arcana. Quick. You and your lady friend must take shelter in the store.”
“Martyr? Lover’s Arcana --- what are you talking about, lady?”, confusedly questions the confused Orlando.
“You must live, for you are one of few that will become ‘guardian’ of the legendary Prophesied One.”
“A guardian…me?”, questions the fascinated collegian. Anastasia looks up at her boyfriend with a smile on her face, proud to hear that he would be gifted with such a merit. Orlando suddenly feels something from the ectoplasm on his skin, and seriously commands of his girlfriend, “Ana, I’m going to fight --- you go hide inside of the store and stay put until I’m finished. It‘s too dangerous for you to be out here right now, baby.”
Anastasia holds onto her boyfriend and squeezes a bit to give him a hug, turns around and instantly rushes towards the convenience store doors! One of the Guǐxiān Shíshī runs after the fleeing Anastasia, but something stops the Guǐxiān in its tracks, causing it to fall flat onto its face! Orlando has grabbed onto the tail of the rushing Guǐxiān, instantly causing it to crash into the concrete --- the power of Ripple surges through his bones, and has allowed him to utilize newly gained superhuman reflexes and motor-abilities. His muscular strength has also increased, giving him the ability to move and throw massively heavy objects with his bare hands… It is a strength that one of his age could only dream of.
As Anastasia enters into the convenience store, Orlando says to the fallen Guǐxiān with sarcasm in his voice, “Sorry, Simba --- the owners don’t allow pets in the store. You’re going to have to wait out here with the rest of your friends.”
The store clerk speaks strongly to the Flower of Discord by saying, “I will repel your efforts using my very own Eidolon --- our power will not fail this young man’s destiny.”
“I gladly welcome you to use your powers, old woman. I admit that I was a fool to be deceived by your insipid illusions. This place was nothing more than a trap to lure out a denizen of darkness, correct?”
“That is where you are fatally wrong, Tiě Qiáo Sān…”, says the smiling young woman, who is a denizen of the Light working on the behalf of the Prophesied One’s destiny. The store clerk holds both of her hands forward, placing them in an X-formation across her bosom. With a mighty roar, the store clerk yells, “WHEEL OF FORTUNE!”
The store clerk closes her hands together in a praying fashion, instantly summoning the golden-sphere Eidolon that belongs to Eternal Mother Guānshìyīn before her body! Qiáo Sān is surprised by the first ability of Wheel of Fortune --- to surround the area with a protective barrier of golden electric circuits! Qiáo Sān calms down, regains her composure and snaps her left set of fingers --- the Guǐxiān Shíshī, except for the one restrained by Orlando, dashes forward to penetrate through Wheel of Fortune’s barrier; however, upon contact with the barrier of circuits, they receive a destructive shock of 1000 volts of electricity! Qiáo Sān is stunned, as she looks upon the image of her Guǐxiān being fried before her very eyes! The Flower of Discord looks at the disguised Eternal Mother and barks at her with great rage!
“You disgusting, deceptive old hag! I’ll have your head for this --- no one makes a mockery of me and lives to talk about it!”
“Don’t be so sure about that, bitch!”, yells Orlando with a very intense tone in his voice. Qiáo Sān looks at Orlando in fright. The collegian wrestler lifts the Guǐxiān Shíshī into the air and says in a very sarcastic manner, “That old hag, as you call her, has got you caged like a bird --- and you’re just singing up a storm because you can’t get out. And, as you can see…nothing can get in, either. Exhibit A: this big piece of shit meets those glowing wires…”
Orlando, using his newly acquired physical strength, tosses the Guǐxiān Shíshī forward in a very violent manner --- the Guǐxiān roars in fear, just before meeting a fate of being fried by 1000 volts of electricity from making bodily contact with Wheel of Fortune’s circuits! Qiáo Sān is heavily angered by Orlando’s great show of courage and bravery --- to lay his hands on a Guǐxiān with such mercilessness and aggressiveness… That was so impressive that Qiáo Sān can’t take it! The embarrassment is eating away at her…
“You bastard! If you can’t appreciate the gifts of Chaos, then you will be smote by the wrath of Chaos’ offended anger! Judgment is upon you, mortal fool!”
“You have to get by me first, Dark Dragon!”, protectively declares the disguised Eternal Mother. Guānshìyīn metamorphoses into her true image, revealing herself to all spectators, and uses Wheel of Fortune to entangle Qiáo Sān’s limbs with her golden circuits --- she is restrained and cannot move her arms or her legs! Guānshìyīn giggles and amusedly says to the Dark Dragon, “You are a very naïve warrior who speaks more than you fight, allowing minions of Chaos to carry out your affairs. You know nothing about true combat, my dear. Your ignorance has you cornered in Wheel of Fortune’s unforgiving Midas Bind --- one more step, and I will send your soul to the afterlife, my dear. I promise you that.”
“Guānshìyīn…damn you…damn you to Hell!”, angrily yells the Dark Dragon warrior. But then, she begins to hysterically laugh at the Eternal Mother --- everyone is at a loss of words. She stops laughing, looks at Guānshìyīn and amusedly says, “It’s as my sister predicted --- your actions, Eternal Mother, would begin the war with spilled blood. Your trap has me restrained, but I am still fully capable of bending the darkness!”
“You surely jest, Dark Dragon --- Wheel of Fortune will destroy you before you can make a single move!”
“But, that’s all I need to smite you for foiling my plans…all in the name of Chaos!”, hysterically declares the subservient female warrior. She snaps her left set of fingers, and nothing seems to happen. And then, before her fated death, the Dark Dragon psychotically says in her laughter, “Long live our Lord, Li Zìchéng! Glory to Chaos! This is the beginning of Chaos’ divine punishment --- may your world soon sleep in an ocean of silence and agony!”
“You shall speak no more foolishness! JUPITER CRUSH!”
Qiáo Sān is shocked with 1000 volts of electricity, but it would seem as if she’s finding pleasure in her torture… It is an execution that only a masochist would enjoy. Orlando watches, in speechlessness, the electrocution of the first Dark Dragon to attack one of the prophesied Guardians. All of a sudden, Qiáo Sān’s soul gives out --- Guānshìyīn calms Wheel of Fortune’s electricity, and instantly watches as Qiáo Sān’s body slumps over in its death. Wheel of Fortune uncoils the Dark Dragon’s limbs, and allows it to fall onto its face… Orlando watches in shock, as the Ripple upon his skin deactivates.
All of a sudden, the sound of intense knocking comes from the convenience store’s door… Orlando turns around, and sees that Anastasia is fighting to get out of the convenience store, but the door is jammed for some reason! Orlando runs forward and tries to pull on the door with all of his might, but the simplest contact shocks his entire being --- Orlando lands on his back in pain, unable to move, staggered from great physical paralysis! Guānshìyīn walks in front of the fallen Orlando, attempting to pry the door open using Wheel of Fortune’s circuits…a mass of darkness begins to fill the insides of the convenience store, as the screaming Anastasia fights to open the door…
“Get me out of here! Guys, the entire place is getting dark! Help me! Orlando, save me! Please, save me!”
“Ana! Lady, please, get her out of that store!”, fearfully pleads the paralyzed Orlando.
“Negative Essence has been placed all around this facility --- I’m trying my best, but it looks as if not even Wheel of Fortune can burn through this barrier!”, declares the struggling Eternal Mother. All of a sudden, she receives a mild shock of Negative Essence that repels her Eidolon. Guānshìyīn says from the migraine she receives from the shock, “Curses! I can’t believe the potency of the anger within this barrier! How could this be?!?”
Showing great resilience, Orlando slowly stands to his feet, runs forward and yells, “Ana! Hang on! I’m coming to save you!”
His body illuminates with Ripple, once again, as he grabs onto the door with desperate might --- it’s as if he’s not even hurt anymore! Guānshìyīn is robbed of words at the sight of Orlando’s great spirit, as he ignores the pain that he feels from the repulsing shock of Negative Essence… Anastasia somehow is able to calm down, as she looks upon the great struggle that her boyfriend goes through for her. It brings tears to her eyes --- to see a man risk his very life to save her… Orlando struggles with his every piece of strength, utilizing his Ripple powers, in order to break the barrier on the convenience store’s door… But then, as the Darkness grows within the store, Anastasia sees her fate right before her very eyes…
“Orlando, I’m not going to make it…am I?”
“Don’t talk like that --- I’m getting you out of there!”, yells the struggling collegian.
“You can’t save me, Orlando. You’re not strong enough. No, you are strong enough to do so. You just don’t know how to go by doing such a thing, just yet.”
“Ana, now’s not the time to be acting like that!”, yells the struggling wrestler, as tears begin to fall from his eyes. “I’ve loved you since the first day I met you! I’m not going to let that bitch take you away from me!”
“She’s not taking me away from you… There are just some things that we have to give up in order to become stronger. Orlando, this darkness is going to swallow me, so just listen…”
“Ana, please…?”, pleads the crying boyfriend.
“Get stronger for me, Orlando. I know that it may take years to do this, but I’ll wait forever for you. I’m in darkness, so I’ll just sleep until you come back for me. I’ll live in my dreams --- seeing only you --- for as long as it takes… I won’t complain.”
“Ana, please, don’t go…Ana…”, cries the broken boyfriend, as the darkness fully consumes the image of his girlfriend from behind the glass door of the store. All of a sudden, the Ripple upon his skin becomes more intense in its glow. He roars with anger, as he pulls on the glass doors with more force, “ANA~!”
The doors break from its latching, causing the door to open wide --- the darkness contained inside explodes from the compressed interior of the store! Orlando is blasted away by the explosion; however, the circuits of Wheel of Fortune come to his aid… He is coiled around his entire body and is pulled far away from the facility… Guānshìyīn felt the need to get him away from the store, for she feels as if her illusion will take him along with it! She was right…the only thing left behind from the illusion is Orlando’s convertible. The coiled collegian is safely placed on the ground before Guānshìyīn, as the illusion becomes a thing of the past --- it is no more, and will probably never be used again to avoid predictabilities. Orlando sits up, tired and shocked, realizing that he’s just lost his girlfriend to Chaos’s Darkness. The Eternal Mother, sympathetic and concerned, speaks calmly to the collegian.
“She is not dead, young Orlando --- she has been simply spirited-away by the Darkness. I’m sure that you will see her again, but, as she said before, you must become stronger in order to save her.”
“What must I do…?”, questions the confused boyfriend.
“Learn to utilize the extremities of your Ripple powers. Only then, Martyr of the Lover’s Arcana, will you be able to control your Arcana at maximum capacity. During this time, you will become guardian of the Prophesied One --- one of several --- and will embark on a dangerous quest to defeat the people who took your lover, and the very essence of darkness within this world. Chaos.”
“Chaos? So, if Chaos is defeated…”, begins the pondering boyfriend.
“--- You will undoubtedly rescue your girlfriend. I believe in you, and all those who will embark on this quest, for our lives depend upon your strengths. Train hard, young warrior…for the time of your journey may be far away, but it will be here when you at least expect it to be, my dear.”
“If it means that I’ll get Ana back, I’m willing to risk anything…even my own life”, humbly declares the devoted boyfriend to the Eternal Mother.
The Eternal Mother sees the determination in the eyes of the young collegian. She can only pray and hope that her interferences will make a difference in the elevated battle against Chaos. Until then, Guānshìyīn can only help the fated warriors to realize their destinies --- and work her magic within their lives using Wheel of Fortune. Hopefully, on her part, this will be enough.