◆ C'mon on baby, let's go out for an evening drive. Sun's down and the weather is just perfect. Wadya say?
__________________________________________________________
Hate: Dream?! Dream, please talk to us!
Dream: No! Leave me alone! No! NNOOOO! STOP HURTING ME! STOOOOP!!! I-I'm... so-oorry. I'm ssssooorrrryyy. 𝘚𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨.
Eu-Meh: Dream, it's okay! It's just us! 𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯. Ah, fuck!
Hate: Eu-Meh?! Are you good? What's wrong?
○ The space around us starts distorting. I have no idea what just happened to Dream, but it's hurting Eu-Meh and disrupting the reality we're in. She begs me to make him stop, but I have no idea what to do. I ultimately fall to my knees behind dream, who wrapped himself in the fetal position, and rub his shoulder.
Hate: Hey, Dream, uh... I know your in a lot of pain right now, but you're hurting Eu-Meh. We're here to help, remember? We're not gonna abandon you Dream... right Eu-Meh?
Eu-Meh: 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯. Y-y-yeah. D-don't worry Dream, we're not going anywhere, b-but you just gotta let us help you. Please, Dream your hurting me.
- *Matter: Dream, you hurt me.*
Dream: ...!
○ Dream gradually stops his screams and clams down a bit. Eu-Meh lets go of her head and the distortions stop. She wobbles around dazed and stumbles down next to me and Dream.
Eu-Meh: I'm... I'm uh... Whew, I'm actually quite impressed with myself. Maintaining the connection, I mean, through all of that. You good Dream?
○ Dream is unresponsive and convulses periodically. Man, I'm not sure what just happened to him. One moment we're talking, and the next, he suddenly collapses in front of us, crying and screaming for his friends' help. Me and Eu-Meh try our best to calm him down, but goddamn... Eu-Meh then starts to rub his forearm and leans over to whisper in his ear.
Eu-Meh: Dream, we meant what we said before, but you're going to need to make a choice soon. You have to let go. I know that it's hard, but if you don't, we're never gonna get out of this cycle.
Dream: 𝘚𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨. No! It's not fair! They killed my friends! I-I will find the Observers and fucking kill them! 𝘚𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨. It was... 𝘴𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨. It was all my fault.
Eu-Meh: It was already too late to save them, Dream, but if you really want to make it right, then just... let... go.
Dream: ...
Hate: Dream... she's right. When I lost my friend… 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩. I became so lost. Nothing felt right anymore, and all the bad shit I had to face became that much harder until I eventually hit rock bottom. It's, um... I know it's gonna feel like you're abandoning them, Dream, but if you cling to their memory too much, that thing that brought you so much joy will become poisonous, slowly destroying everything good that they once were. We're gonna stop The Choir, but we can't allow ourselves to just become their replacement, you know what I mean?
○ Dream finally stops crying, and Eu-Meh stands back up. I look up at her and then back down at Dream, and begin to cry. It feels as though I am trying to console myself, as if I am giving myself what I so desperately needed most during my lowest point. Am I even doing a good job? I don't know. I feel scared because I know... I know that if Dream goes down the same path I did, then we are all seriously fucked.
Hate: Eu-Meh, is there anyway we can uh, get out of... wherever we are?
Eu-Meh: Well, right now, we're somewhere in the outer reaches of The Starfield, a place some like to call, The Deepfield.
Hate: Oh, so we're actually in it right now? Well, how'd we get here?
Eu-Meh: 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘩. I brought you here actually, and it was pretty tough too. Starfield transference requires a lot focus, and it can be a real pain to do it yourself, let alone while pulling someone else along and maintaining both of your connections—especially here in The Deepfield. You need a calm mind to do it, and Enoch believed that, among the others, I was the best person to help you navigate it. That’s also why your reflection isn’t here.
Hate: Oh, uhm... okay? Well, can't we just leave with Dream for a while and take a little break, then resume our training later?
Eu-Meh: ...I sorry hate, but no. We need to stay here, and... you're going to need to let go of Dream too.
○ I wince at her and stand back up as Dream continues to lie down, quietly listening to our conversation.
Hate: Stay? What are you talking about? Just how long do I need to stay in this form? Can we not just leave whenever we want?
Eu-Meh: ...
Hate: Eu-Meh?
Eu-Meh: ...I'm sorry, Hate. It's... it's just for the best. We'll just have to wait here with Dream until Enoch shows up.
○ Dream then turns to face Eu-Meh and stands back up, wiping away his tears.
Hate: Enoch? Why would he already be in here?
Eu-Meh: ...
Dream: I-I know why...
Hate: Hm?
Dream: Hate... you were wrong. I'm not your reflection, you're mine. All of you... are just my reflections.
Hate: Wha-? What are you talking about?
Enoch: I'm afraid he's right Hate.
○ I turn around to see Enoch standing behind me. His body is different. He's looks... younger?!
Hate: Enoch?! Why do you look like that? And what the hell is going on?
○ Dream walks over to Enoch's side and looks up at him and then back to me.
Dream: I um... I made you Hate because your nature is DEFIANCE, and I latched onto you so I could acquire that nature for myself. I'm sorry; it was wrong of me to use you, but I was desperate. I am the one who brought all this pain upon you and others like you so that I could harness that powerful energy to destroy The Choir. I created all these alternate realities to help me see and feel again and again, allowing me to compound all that vitriolic hate into a dense singularity with enough force to disrupt The Choir's equilibrium. Now that I have done this through you, I can finally let go and unleash that hate into the heart of The Amalgamation, but I still need to gather the final components. Then, the nightmare will finally be over.
Hate: ...?
Enoch: Hate, I... I'm so terribly sorry. I know this is all very confusing, but we all must play our part, and the truth, while liberating, can also be deceptive. We needed you to believe everything we said so that you may go down this path with us; however, as much as I would like to bring you along, you and Eu-Meh must stay here while I take Dream with me to Barco Negra.
Hate: ...What? What are you even talking about right now? Are you telling me you're just gonna leave us here? Why?!
○ I turn to face Eu-Meh with rage.
Hate: Did you know about all this?!
Eu-Meh: ...
Hate: Eu-Meh!
Enoch: It was by my instructions, Hate. Eu-Meh needed to help you to transfer to The Starfield so that I could find Dream from my present, or in this instance, your past. We are using time dilation and paracausal shifting to converge alternating paths. Think of it like a short cu-
Hate: I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT THIS IS! 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩. Why... are you leaving us here?
Eu-Meh: Because we don't have enough time/worth Hate. It was always going to be this way. When I finally learned the truth of it all, I abandoned hope. This... this was just my way of reconciling with the reality. But If we're successful, no has to suffer like we did. Like I said Hate, you can't escape fate; so we just took a detour to give better people the chance to do what we ourselves couldn't.
○ I breath frantically and throw my arms up in frustration.
Hate: Heh, heh. So then what happens if we do leave, Eu-Meh, huh?
Enoch: Then your reflection's new reality will be closed off to us and you will have created yet another paradoxical inception, inadvertently continuing The Cycle. By remaining here until the end, you are giving us more time/worth within the laws of conservation.
○ I stand dumbfounded, and enraged.
Hate: So what? Am I supposed to just... stay here forever then?
Eu-Meh: B-believe me, I'm not happy about it either Hate, but-
Hate: Oh, fuck you and what you want!
○ I march towards Eu-Meh until we're face to face, breathing heavily and ready to snap.
Hate: I... I fucking trusted you. I trusted all of you, and... heh, heh, hahaha! 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. The Thing was right, I really am a dumbfuck.
○ I quickly turn around and march towards Enoch and Dream.
Hate: And what about that vison, huh? Was that yet another fucking illusion you assholes made just to throw me off?!
Enoch: I'm afraid I don't know the meaning of whatever visions you've had, but I am truly sorry, Hate.
Hate: Heh, heh, heh, no... No, you're not. I was just your damn tool. All I've ever been, since I was child, was just some fucking stupid tool to people like you. You're no different than them. Eating us up, and then shitting us back out like... LIKE WE'RE FUCKING NOTHING!!!
○ I bolt towards Enoch, but Eu-Meh forces me down. The weight of the gravity is crushing me from above and below.
Hate: rrrRRRAAAAHHHH! FUCK YOU! FUCK ALL OF YOU!
○ Enoch then approaches me and then gets on all fours to bow to me.
Enoch: Thank you, for your sacrifice, Hate. We will always remember you and Eu-Meh for what you have done here.
○ As he lifts his head to look back up at me, I spit in his face, but he only closes his eyes and gets up to walk over to Eu-Meh.
Hate: DRREEEAAAM! YOU MOTHERFUCKER! 𝘊𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. Y-you... 𝘩𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨.
○ Enoch gets down on all-fours again to bow to Eu-Meh. Tears begin to roll down her cheeks.
Enoch: I'm so sorry to leave you like this my friend. I hope we may meet again one day in paradise.
○ Eu-Meh stares at Enoch but says nothing. Dream too bows to us and looks down at me. I beg for his mercy.
Hate: P-please, Dream, I-I didn't realize what I was doing, but I was just so angry, and nothing was changing. I didn't think I'd end up back here in the cold, dark place. P-please don't leave me here.
○ Dream squats down next to me and strokes my head.
Dream: Don't worry Hate, we'll make this better, I promise.
○ I then watch Dream and Enoch stand back together and turn around to fly away into the darkness, and I am left utterly distraught. Eu-Meh finally lets me go, and I immediately try to go after them, but then she stops me once again.
Eu-Meh: 𝘚𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨. Hate, please. J-just stop.
Hate: RRRAAAAH! Fuck you, Eu-Meh! Fuck you, fuck you, FFFFUUUUCK-YOOUUUUUU!!! 𝘚𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨. Fuck you motherfuckers. The Thing was right, you... COSMIC-FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!!! 𝘊𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘺. Bailey... w-why did ever have come into my life, just to leave it?
Eu-Meh: 𝘚𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨. Because Hate, life isn't fair, yet we yearn for fairness from it regardless. B-b-because some are... 𝘚𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨. because some are simply not meant for the light. 𝘚𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨. It is not the fault of any one person, but the reality of a cruel existence... 𝘐𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴. one that perpetuates, 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳. mutates, and evolves. We are but bearers and passers of the torch, and we... have already played our part.
○ My screams then stop and eyes open wide, for I just now realized, that they have been playing me... since the very beginning.
__________________________________________________________
- I close my eyes and see her face: her plain features, yet vibrant smile; her warm and comforting touch; and her playful nature, only rivaled by her adventurous spirit. I know these memories are not my own, but I will cherish them as if they were—for you, Hate—as I march toward heaven's gate. This cycle of horrors will end where it began—with me.
- Enoch says nothing as we venture on through the darkness, but I can sense the tension in his heart; his regret is palpable. I’m sorry to you too, Enoch. How many times did you have to witness his agony? How many times did you have to hear her cries? Two broken souls—now gone, lost to all and soon to be unknown.
- I am like so many who have fallen, who have crashed, and who have burned. I may be nothing more than a thought; but, those who have killed my joy will know nothing but the oblivion of their mind, body, and soul. May death never be a mercy granted to them. May their tears never run dry and their wounds never heal until the day hate becomes no more.
- I'm sorry, friends; love was never going to be enough to calm my storm. I remember sitting alone in that cold, dark place, ready to die and finally be free, until some bastard decided—no. So, to all those fiends, when the day comes that you seek my mercy, I too will say... no.
- We know enough to understand what this place is: it's hell, and Enoch wants to help us ascend from it. However, to do that, we must grow and let go.
- Hate tried to fight back, but Eu-Meh kept him at bay. I feel so terrible for it all; I feel afraid, but I know this is the way. In the end, I see only red, shifting across spacetime. Witness, I'm sorry too for so selfishly creating you, but thank you. Despite everything you think you can't do, I know everything will be okay, for I know you will one day dream of something greater for us all, so please endure until the day I can pass this torch unto you.
- I remember Enoch now. He is not simply a Seeker; he is Love. He knows this path will bring forth his ruin, but he doesn't care. He simply wants to help others feel again, to allow the damned, the undesirable, and the unfortunate to enter heaven and experience the wonders of a life they never chose to have; an act of defiance against the mad gods who saw them as nothing more than sustenance.
- Soon, we approach and stop at a door outlined in light.
Enoch: Are you ready, Dream?
- I look up at him and then back at the door.
Dream: ...It is the only way forward.
- Enoch then pushes the door open, leading outside to the facility courtyard where we see Opura and Hate's reflection standing there. He is freaking out, per usual, but I suppose he has the right to. When the time comes, I will need him to be ready, so I shall offer him one last suggestion and hope he accepts it. He is much more clever than people give him credit for, so I am sure he will pick up on my clue. And when he does, I will be there to collect his vengeful wrath.
- Enoch tells me to wait here while he and Opura try to calm him down and explain our current situation, but I don't think it's going to work out very well.
- I see my mistakes unfolding before me once again, but hopefully for the last time. Heh, the reflection was right: madness truly is better with friends, but the absence of madness is absolutely best for all. Goodbye, my crazy friend. I know those like you will forever fall; no one may miss you, but I certainly will. You are a blessing willing to risk it all just to watch as those evil bastards fall too.
- You were never going to see her again.
Enoch: Are you ready to meet Ba'al Dream?
Dream: Hm? Oh, uh, yeah I'm ready.
● Hey, how he'd get there, and just where the hell is the dumbfuck?!
Dream: YOU are the dumbfuck, remember?
● ...?!
Enoch: We'll be back soon to make things better Hate, I promise.
● ...What?
- Enoch then instructs us to stand together side by side, stepping one step apart horizontally.
- He extends his right arm, facing my left, his hand outreached towards me, and tells me to do the same; our fingers become interlocked.
- He then instructs me to take the other hand and stretch it out to my side, like I'm reaching out for something.
Enoch: When I say so, turn your body to face me while bending your arm so that it's in the same position as our interlocked hands, creating a U shape. However, do not let our hands touch just yet. Ready...? Now.
- On his command, I twist my arm and body in one fluid motion until we face each other; I can feel the gravity warp between our open palms. A tiny wormhole emerges within the space between them, and I can feel its force pulling my hand into his, but I resist as he instructed.
Dream: Whoa, awesome.
Enoch: When I say so, we will connect our palms while simultaneously releasing our grip on the other hand, then turn our bodies and bend our arms outward until we are in the same position as before. Do you understand?"
Dream: I do.
Enoch: Okay, ready...? Now.
- We do just that, and as our two palms connect, we release the other and turn until our bodies are in the same position as before, but now reversed. As we do this, we are instantly transported to Enoch's world.
- I'm immediately hit by furious, howling winds and pelted with snow amidst a vast mountain range.
- I can barely see anything, but Enoch turns me around to see their complex.
- It's a giant black monolith constructed into the mountains. It has very minimalistic surrounding architecture, but upon closer inspection, there are odd inscriptions written along the walls and passageways. In the main courtyard, other entities and humans are gathered in prayer, surrounding large wells of fire. Among them is a foreign being with a human-like appearance. It wears a tattered white cloak decorated with intricate, ornate patterns along the edges of its seams. Its face is hidden behind an obsidian mask, with vibrant colors bleeding along its edges. The being turns away from the fire and stares at me as I follow closely behind Enoch, and I get the unnerving suspicion that we've met before.
Dream: Who is that person with the black mask and white cloak?
Enoch: Who, her? Why, that would be Juji. Although, her presence here is quite odd.
Hate: Why? Isn't she just another entity?
Enoch: No, she is a Nomad. These are beings not quite like us, but they are special nonetheless. The Nomads are ascended beings that praise both Witness and yourself. They see you both as the great cosmic forces required to bring forth balance; one not facilitated through control, but by an acceptance of communion. However, I will admit it’s quite difficult to describe a Nomad’s motivations entirely, because to them, balance isn’t merely continuity; it is a refraction of infinite possibilities working harmoniously to create something that best suits all beings within the alloted time granted to us.
Dream: Oh... I feel like I've seen her before, though.
Enoch: Really? That's ominous.
Dream: Why would you say that?
Enoch: Juji is a collector of memories and dreams with the hopes of finding greater meaning within them.
Dream: But what does that have to do with me recognizing her?
Enoch: It means she may be trying to collect one of yours.
Dream: Um... And why would she do that?
Enoch: Mmm, well, Juji is rather peculiar. She believes that exploring our dreams and uncovering their obscure meanings is the path toward balance among all realities. From my understanding, she desires to witness this and then to dream—not necessarily of a better world, but of a more perplexing one. Although she isn’t much of a conversationalist, I’m afraid, so I know very little of her true intentions.
Dream: Hm... Do you think she is the Nomad we're looking for?
Enoch: Mmm, Perhaps, but we should speak with Ba'al first.
- As we approach the base of the monolith, we're greeted by two human guards who bow to us.
Guards: My, Witness! It is Dream!
Enoch: We have come to seek counsel with Ba'al.
- The guards look at each other and shake their heads.
Guard: I'm afraid he is not present at the moment, nor do we know when he will return. The Observers attacked The harmonic convergence holding facility in Bagadüt in order to wipe out Opura's candidates, so Ba'al went there to prevent them from trying to sever our connection to the mycelium.
Enoch: ...?! How long ago was this?!
Guard: It's been decades now I'm afraid, we are beginning to believe he may never come back, but many here are still praying in hopes that he will.
Dream: Did we arrive too late?
- Enoch walks away frustrated, and looks around the environment, before turning back to me.
Enoch: Alright, I... 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘩. We must wait for him here then.
Dream: We don't have the time/worth to wait, though.
Juji: May I assist you, my Dream?
Dream/Enoch: ...?!
Enoch: Oh, Juji. Heh, uh... well, we were hoping to speak with Ba'al first, so that way we may find an appropriate Nomad for Dream, but... I suppose we really can't afford to wait. Is it fine with you Dream that Juji helps us?
- I look up at Enoch and then face Juji.
Dream: Have... we met before?
Juji: Long ago, yes. I remember you, Dream. I remember how you threw yourself into danger to save that woman. In that moment, you gave me hope. I would like to give you something in return.
Dream: Oh, um... could you help us find Witness?
- Juji pauses and considers the consequences of my request.
Dream: ...Please?
Juji: ...
~ Juji wants balance, but at what cost? Is there ever going to be true freedom? We look at ourselves and ponder: Are we good enough? Will our children be good enough? Is it really fair to force them to walk along this path, knowing that many will not make it? That some will become lost, screaming in agony, forever confined to one spot, infecting all who witness their pain.
~ What do we do then, when the fear of the unknown manifests as control, seizing our hearts and turning us into observers who watch the horrors yet press on regardless? "One more life," they say. "One more life... and paradise will reveal itself to us."
~ "We just need more time, just more time." They demand. "In the end, it will have been worth all the suffering."
~ But that end will never come. They- we are an inception of Pain that refuses to let go. Hate is not enough; Love is not enough. Oblivion is the only way, and from it, something new and unfathomable will emerge.
~ If only we could be there to witness its beauty blossom and grow.
~ If only we knew how...
Juji: I... will oblige your request, my Dream. Come, let us commune with the goddess.
- We follow Juji to to a small, circular platform within the courtyard. She projects electricity and ignites a small oil reservoir that creates a small ring of fire around the platform. Juji extends her arm to guide me towards a spot to sit.
Juji: Please, this way.
Enoch: I'll wait here for you Dream.
- I turn to Enoch and nod before facing Juji and enter the ring of fire.
- We both sit closely apart from each other and Juji rummages inside her cloak, and pulls out a small flask and offers it to me.
Dream: What's this?
Juji: It is a portion of my materialized essence. Please drink, so that it will allow us a smoother transference.
- I do as she instructs, and feel... unified.
Dream: Please take me to Witness.
- Juji then extends her arms wide to her sides and claps in my face, turning her fingers upward and moving her palms toward her stomach, holding the Añjali Mudrā position. The sound of the wind and fire immediately stops, and my thoughts become silent. I hear nothing but Juji's soft voice.
Juji: What once was, will be made again, and all who fell will rise once more. The void is an endless sea of possibilities. We... are beyond (and within.)
- Juji then opens her palms and places her forearms on her knees, asking me to hold them and stare deeply into her mask.
- I follow her instructions, and as I do, her mask begins to unravel, revealing a dazzling kaleidoscope of refracted light that dances before my eyes.
- I gaze deeply into the marvelous display as everything fades to white, then to black. A figure soon emerges from the dark, her eyes missing, and black, smoky tendrils pour down her cheeks like tears. It's Witness!
- Juji and I approach her, while my heart beats wildly and tears form in my eyes. I whisper to her.
Dream: Witness?
Witness: ...?! Hello?! Who's there?!
Dream: It's me, Dream. We've been searching a long time for you.
Witness: ...D-dream? Oh, no. Am I...?
Juji: No, my Witness.《We are beyond them.》
Witness: Oh... So you have finally found your way back to me, Dream? I'm so sorry. If I had told you the truth, Oblivion would have never bound itself to me.
Dream: Oblivion? Um, that's okay, Witness. I understand why you did what you did; I'm just glad you didn't give up on me.
Witness: Hm, Well, I'm afraid I did. I can no longer guide you anymore, Dream. It was... just too much to watch.
Dream: ...I understand. It's my fault, but we're gonna make it better, right?
- Witness smiles and extends out her arms.
Witness: Come over to me, Dream.
- I look up at Juji, and she nods while extending her hand to guide me towards Witness.
- I walk over to face Witness and clutch her hands.
Witness: Good luck, Dream...
Dream: ...Same to you, Witness.
- Witness then faces down at me and I feel... nothing. A nothing that envelops my entire being. A nothing that seeks nothing, for it has no will to do so. It... is... Oblivion.
≡ Oblivion looks into=outside of me.
≡ Oblivion is our fate.
≡ It is the only true peace.
≡ And from that...
《 True freedom to love can flourish.》
:::: 𝒂 ̴𝒓 ̴𝒆 ̴. ̴ 𝒚 ̴𝒐 ̴𝒖 ̴. ̴ 𝒓 ̴𝒆 ̴𝒂 ̴𝒅 ̴𝒚 ̴. ̴ 𝒇 ̴𝒐 ̴𝒓 ̴. ̴ 𝒕 ̴𝒉 ̴𝒂 ̴𝒕 ̴. ̴ 𝒇 ̴𝒊 ̴𝒏 ̴𝒂 ̴𝒍 ̴. ̴ 𝒈 ̴𝒐 ̴𝒐 ̴𝒅 ̴. ̴ 𝒏 ̴𝒊 ̴𝒈 ̴𝒉 ̴𝒕 ̴? ̴
Dream/Witness: We are.
;;;; 𝒈 ̴𝒐 ̴. ̴ 𝒇 ̴𝒐 ̴𝒓 ̴𝒕 ̴𝒉 ̴. ̴ 𝒇 ̴𝒓 ̴𝒊 ̴𝒆 ̴𝒏 ̴𝒅 ̴𝒔 ̴. ̴ 𝒚 ̴𝒐 ̴𝒖 ̴. ̴ 𝒂 ̴𝒓 ̴𝒆 ̴. ̴ 𝒇 ̴𝒓 ̴𝒆 ̴𝒆 ̴. ̴ 𝒕 ̴𝒐 ̴. ̴ 𝒆 ̴𝒙 ̴𝒑 ̴𝒍 ̴𝒐 ̴𝒓 ̴𝒆 ̴. ̴
- Witness and I let go of each other and drift apart. Our bodies fading into the dark.
- I soon reopen my eyes and find myself sitting in front of Juji. We are all covered in snow and ice, and Barco Negra is completely abandoned, with parts of its structure in ruin. The only ones here are Juji, Enoch, and me, now aged. Enoch stands in a meditative state, covered in snow and ice as well. Juji and I crack the ice and wipe the snow off our bodies. We both stand, and I realize I am now roughly the same height as Juji.
Dream: What? What happened? How long have we been sitting here?
Juji: Enough, I hope.
- Juji then walks towards Enoch and pokes his forehead, which reanimates his body.
Enoch: ...?! Oh my, oh, void!
- Enoch collapses to the ground, weeping and laughing.
Enoch: I... I didn't think you both would come back! E-everyone had given up hope and left Barco Negra in ruin, but I remained here for centuries. I... 𝘚𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨. I'm so sorry.
- I squat down to stoke Enoch's back and tell him the good news.
Dream: We found Witness Enoch, and I think we can still do this.
- Juji looks up at the top of the monolith. There, past the blistering winds, the faint glow of fire can be seen.
Juji: It appears Ba'al has returned. You may go see him now.
- Juji looks back down to us and bows.
Juji: Good bye, my Dream. Good bye, Enoch.
- Juji then turns around and walks away, dissappearing into the snowstorm.
- Enoch rises and embraces me.
Enoch: Thank you Dream, for not giving up on us. Hahaha! Let's go meet with Ba'al, yes?
- I feel disoriented and numb, but I oblige.
Dream: Alright, lead the way then.
- We once again aproach the base and try to operate the elevator, but it doesn't work.
Enoch: Hmm... ready for a flight then?
- I smile and nod as we lift ourselves up and fly all the way to the top, passing through the clouds. The mountains and moons look beautiful at night, despite the snowstorm raging below.
- When we reach the top, Ba'al waits for us there, sitting on an obsidian throne.
Ba'al: Oh, what's this? ...Oh, ho ho ho ha ha ha! Welcome, welcome! Welcome, friends, to my domain! And my, Enoch, you look quite different than I remember, hmm... Oh, ahahaha! 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥. Silly me; the time dilation always throws me off.
- Ba'al stands up from his obsidian throne, igniting the bonfires next to him. He then levitates and floats down the steps towards us. As he does this, the lamps along the edges of the stairs ignite as he passes them until he reaches our level. He floats right up to me and grins. His teeth are solid gold, and his eyes resemble dark pits with small golden pupils hovering in the sockets. It's a little unnerving, actually.
Ba'al: Ahahahaha! My, oh my, Dream. You've grown quite a bit since last we saw you.
Dream: Just how long have I been meditating for?
Ba'al: Oh, now, don't concern yourself with it, my friend; you are right where you need to be. I trust our Nomad aided you well?
Dream: So you're the one who sent Juji into my dreams?
Ba'al: Oh, no. I merely offered the suggestion to her. Juji acted upon her own will, but I am glad she followed my suggestion nonetheless. Hmhmhm...
- He says this as his disturbing grin stretches wider while his face wrinkles and his eyes squint with delight.
Dream: So, why did you want to meet me? Was it to offer yet another suggestion?
Ba'al: Ahahahaha! Why, yes! Oh, how foretelling! I'm delighted to know you are developing well thus far, Dream.
Dream: So, what exactly are you suggesting?
- Ba'al bends uncomfortably close to my face and warns me of the cost.
Ba'al: Before I proceed, I must inform you that it will be quite painful, but only briefly. Do you still accept?
Dream: Will it help stop The Choir?
- Ba'al snaps back and bellows laughter.
Ba'al: Pffftt, haha! Oh, yes, most definitely! The Observers will never... see it... coming.
Dream: Um, alright then. I'm open to your suggestion, Ba'al.
- Ba'al claps vigorously and laughs maniacally.
Ba'al: Ooooh, wonderful, wonderful! Okay, Dream, here is my suggestion to you.
- Ba'al then reaches into his mouth and violently rips out one of his golden teeth. As he does, one of my teeth painfully pops out and falls from my mouth onto the floor.
Dream: Ow, Fuck! What the hell?! I didn't think you meant physical pain. Goddamn.
- I reach down to pick up my tooth and stare at it momentarily while licking the sore gap in my mouth. Ba'al only giggles as he approaches me, bows down, and extends one arm forward with his tooth presented on his palm, while the other arm is bent behind his back.
Ba'al: A barter between gods: A bit of me, for a bit of you. Fair?
Dream: W-what for?
Ba'al: I simply wish to see their ruin through your eyes. It is my greatest desire. Do you accept?
- I ponder and look over to Enoch who says nothing but stands smiling at me.
Dream: It will destroy them?
Ba'al: I swear on my life Dream, it will bring forth their ruin.
- I accept his suggestion, and as soon as I pick up his tooth, his hands immediately swap positions, with the opposite hand gesturing for me to hand over my tooth, which I do. Ba'al then arches upright and examines my tooth in the moonlight.
Ba'al: My, oh, my... how wonderful. Thank you Dream, I will cherish this forever.
- He then jams my tooth into his gap and glides the top of his tongue along the row of his upper teeth, passing mine. Gross.
Ba'al: Well? Go on, go on, my friend, now you do the same.
- I wince at him but do it anyway. I immediately feel a jolt, and my eyes glow gold. I begin to laugh uncontrollably, and Ba'al joins me as we bellow laughter like madmen.
Ba'al: Hahaha! Yes! Now, go Dream... And actualize our destiny.
- Enoch approaches me and pats my shoulders while shaking my body with enthusiasm, laughing alongside us. Ba'al then bows down to us, and we return the gesture. I look up into the sky and see countless wonders—the universe and all its beauty before me. One day, all the damned will gaze upon this same beauty, and we will laugh together in childlike delight.
Ba'al: Farwell, my friends! May see each other again in paradise.
Dream: Thank you, Ba'al.
Ba'al: Oh, don't, hahaha! You are most welcome my friend. Good bye, Enoch, I hope to see you again soon.
Enoch: I hope so as well.
- Enoch and I transport back to the reality of Hate's reflection, leaving Ba'al alone. He glances up at the moons with jubilation.
Ba'al: Oh, my dear Observers, if only you fools knew how to actually have real fun. Hm hm hm hm ha ha ha ha!
__________________________________________________________
◇ Control facilitates Pain. Control does not facilitate me. I=we look beyond. Will I=we be successful or continue to regress in Fear?
◆ Something's gotta give at some point, baby. We can't keep rewinding forever. Tape's starting to go bad, and soon you won't be able to hear us anymore. You gotta snap out of it, for all of our sakes.
Spoiler!