Arkhorza, The Origin: Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Pressure

As Syzer strayed further and further from Gorn, more voices followed him. Pestering him. Pressuring him. You want more people to play with, right Syzer? You want more people like you. Faethus and Nycthus won’t do, they’re too young. Not like us Syzer, not like us.

The voices rained down on Syzer like hellfire, and he could not ignore them. “But I trust Gorn, I trust their judgment.”

The unnamed voice spoke the loudest among the rest. “Why do you trust Gorn?”

Syzer fell to his knees. “They’ve guided me so far and they’ve been right.”

“That doesn’t mean Gorn is always right, Syzer. You know you want this.”

And it was true. Syzer really did want more bodies, more people. More people to play with. Why should he care what Gorn thinks? This is what he truly wants. Gorn has gotten what he wants so he can bugger off.

That’s right Syzer, when have you ever gotten what you want? The voice continued to murmur. Syzer slowly stood, growing more confident in his thoughts. Why shouldn’t he create bodies? So what if they aren’t the same? They won’t learn? Well he’ll teach them how to be, how to act. Why should he trust Gorn over his own instincts.

And so, Syzer gathered all of his strength and focused on the-voice-who-refused-a-name, allowing the voice to have their own input too. His will warped and shifted around, clashing in some points but flowing in others, carefully carving out a shape in space for this being. In a flash of light, a body was made.

A vaguely feminine figure was formed in the void, with hair longer than its own body and one large eye in the center of its face. The clear masculine voice spoke louder than ever. “I am physical!” it roared, hair flaring in every direction. “Thank you, Syzer.” The voice said with genuine gratitude. Syzer smiled.

Gorn noticed the flash of light and immediately knew something was off. They slowly stood up and stared into the distance. Surely Syzer hadn’t gone against their advice? Surely he’d done the right thing? 

They deluded themselves with other thoughts as they rushed to make their way to Syzer. They galloped across the void.

Gallop… Gallop… Gallop… Gallop… 

Syzer’s workshop and Gorn’s tree were far from sight now as he closed in on Syzer and what looked like another being. Their stomach dropped as they realised what Syzer had done but they remained calm as they rushed towards him.

Gallop… Gallop… Gallop… Gallop… 

Finally, they reach the two, coming to a complete halt. The two figures turned to face Gorn. Rage boiled in Syzer’s blood.

“Syzer.” Gorn called calmly. “I’m not angry-”

And before Gorn could finish any sentences, they were struck with a force so powerful their mind went blank for a moment. Syzer punched Gorn relentlessly. “You never let me do what I want to do! You never let me win my games! Every time I talk to you, you fill me with rage, I hate you!”

Gorn did nothing but take the punches from Syzer. Their body was not made for combat, they didn’t know what to do.

“Hold on now, Time and Space, there is no need for this-” the once voice tried to intervene, but there was no point. Syzer blindly attacked Gorn without thought and they were beginning to fall apart. Gorn’s body began to crack all over. And so Gorn did the thing they knew best. They turned inwards to their thoughts and focused on their own energy.

Syzer was struck with an ever expanding fractal, a shell created by Gorn that nothing could pierce.

Gorn’s original body turned to dust in the shell, forming a mind within this. Gorn’s new body. A place of infinite potential, unaffected by those outside.

But there was one thing they could not deny.