Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Slayers For the Future: The Prophecy of Inverse ❯ Limbo Dance with Destiny ( Prologue )

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Prologue

Limbo Dance with Destiny

Am I dead? At last, has my wish been granted?

He could hear his voice echoing throughout his mind, the dulled sensation of floating. He couldn't see much but weird lights, maybe heaven, maybe hell. He didn't know, he'd never had the luck of seeing either. All the times his life had been taken, blackness welcomed him, a painful darkness, then he'd wake up, perfect and healthy, never dead.

"No, you're not dead. I won't let you die." A hazy, yet familiar masculine voice told him, making him groan.

Why not? It wasn't my fault that I went through the gateway. That stupid woman grabbed me….I did what you asked….You promised me death! Even though he now knew it was his astral voice, it could sound as annoyed as his true voice, loud and smooth at the same time. He'd liked hearing himself talk for a while, for the first 1,000 years, but then when that became more than he could stand, a terrible reminder that it would never change, he changed his appearance, his voice, life after life, it had been a small comfort for his sanity.

"You can't die….you should have been less impulsive. For a bratty ten-year-old, you had great power….the fact that you wanted more to make people stop bothering you still surprises me. Dear Hiero, my beautiful disciple….heh, my only disciple. I was sloppy in taking your challenge seriously, you were just a child. I am glad you did….then I wouldn't have been able to influence your world so greatly and protect it from my overbearing mother. Gods, at times, need help, even from one so frail and young." The voice said.

Hiero remained in place, blinking his sapphire eyes gently, his similarly colored hair cradling his angelic face. "I know, however, that it was not your fault that you were pulled through the gateway. If you were not so baby-faced and beautiful, the women would not be so attracted to you. You never minded it, unless it was like that girl that did this to you….one you did not love. Funny how 10,000 years of life can turn your heart to stone, burying so many wives and children, yet you will never follow. Very funny….took you all those years to grow sick of losing people, to become a jerk and cold to others. You can't blame me for that….and I can't let you die, I am one with you. I will always be that way since you and I merged. That was quite a night, wasn't it?" the voice continued, the lights about Hiero beginning to spin wildly, tendrils of thick mists swirling about him. Hiero closed his eyes, taking a small breath from the void, this Limbo he was in.

'Where did I go wrong….I was a good kid. I was smart, becoming a mage, my mother…as narcissistic as she was, she loved me. She thought I was an angel from heaven. But I got greedy, even for a child, for attention, good attention from all. They hated me, I looked weird, my hair, my weird eyes…a demon they called me, with the body and face of an angel.' He thought, biting his lip, then the memories took hold again.

'Ah yes, heaven and hell….together. That was me. I went after Delphine, the son of our goddess, Moriun, the great mother of creation. I went after her son when I was just a child. The great goddess created him with her own body, her great holy power….and I desecrated his temple to challenge him for power, so people would respect me….and look where it got me. Neither heaven nor hell would take me. Death shied away from my still form. Eternal life, eternal beauty instilled in me the day I was killed for the first time. I wish I could recall how old I was then….maybe in my early 20's, or late teens….does it matter? I'm in Limbo, trapped forever with this annoying god in my soul.' He thought harshly.

Then what are we going to do here….since you obviously lied to me about giving me some relief. Huh? Torment me for eternity in this void of empty space?

Delphine laughed, like silver bells being grated against slate. It made Hiero cringe, grabbing at his ears to blot it out. "No, I have live in your body for all times. I'd get pretty bored wasting my valuable time berating you on things I've already finished saying. I am going to give you a choice though….you'll find they are very reasonable." The god said, laughing again.

Yeah, whatever, just stop laughing, I'd rather be able to hear for what little it's worth. Your voice gives me a headache. Spill….

"Tsk, why can't you be nice once in a while? Ah well, all right, listen up, you only get to hear this once….every hundred years. Heh. You can either spend the rest of eternity here whining and complaining, with no hope of relief, your immortality making that very difficult to stand or be reborn on another world into a new life. This will grant one of your many wishes….to have a real family, one to hold onto. Choose now, my pretty disciple." The god replied chuckling, almost as if the choices amused him.

Gee, let me think….what kind of dumb choices are those? Go insane or get a chance to start over. Heh, a new body, not an immortal body, that'd be perfect. I'd rather be reborn….anything but this….

Hiero smiled at this choice, there was no way Delphine could make him eternal if he was reborn in a new body. He was sure of it when he said it, then frowned as the young god's laughter reverberated through his mind. "Good choice, glad you see it my way. You'll thank me in the long run….the world and mother I have chosen for you are superb. She will never have children on her own, so this will go unnoticed, scraped off as something divine, a miracle really. Who would suspect such a deadly package would be hidden inside a deadly woman? Looks can be deceiving….you'll see that, eventually. Hah, you know that, look at yourself for instance." The god laughed.

How much worse can that be compared to floating around and listening to you? Hell, I don't care anymore. Send me for rebirth already and stop gloating. Lies, all lies, you told me if I protected those you deemed worthy of survival that you'd give me death. You can't give me death, can you? Can you?!

"You should know that by now. We are one, Hiero Vendetta. We are forever, even if you control your own body. Not to worry, you can live your own life in this new world, not for others I deem fit. This will be your world, your life….your existence, your choices….and above all, yours. I will always be with you, but this world is not mine, the families I wanted to protect are all very much alive, thanks to you. You've done your part. Now you can just live….live for yourself and your family and friends. If you choose that, it is your life now….-sigh- Time to go….beautiful Hiero. Time to meet a new destiny." Delphine told him, the light within Limbo growing brighter.

Hiero tensed a bit, his stomach heaving as the light grabbed at him, his slender body draped in black jerking back forth against the force of Limbo. He could hear his clothing rip, his skin tighten at every pour as his clenched his teeth and eyes hard. His eyes snapped open as the light became a stabbing pain, his sapphire blues seeming to shatter as the light infected him.

Faintly Hiero could hear Delphine speaking, almost in a whisper. "Go across, Hiero Vendetta, to the realm where the creator is the Lord of Nightmares. She is your goddess, she reigns supreme, until you face her yourself….in due time….even rebirth has a price. Enjoy." Delphine mused, laughing still.

Hmph, maybe I was better off going insane in Limbo….too late. Dammit! I'm cursed!

To Be Continued….