Dead Man Crawling

Darkness swallowed Nathan, his consciousness left adrift within a chasm void with air as stale as forgotten bread. There was nothing there, not even the mangled and broken body once housing Nathan's state of being as he tried to breathe but couldn't. To say his skin crawled would be wrong, more so as if his being writhed within this empty space as it tried to grasp at anything, at straws to comprehend what was going on. Time had lost meaning, he lacked an understanding for his feeble brain to comprehend and the everlasting void seemed to be his new home, for how long he knew not as a small flicker of light flashed from beyond, like a small orb that dimly glowed within the darkness. Something that had become foreign to him after so much isolation sounded off in this void. The sound was comparable to the elegant singing of a songstress in a language he didn't know but still captivated him as he felt himself draw closer to the ball, his being outreaching to this ball as it suddenly shifted and moved towards him, a soft voice echoing through this empty space.

[[Oh? A visitor? It's such a rare occurrence, well actually I've never had a visitor since banished here... Welcome, I suppose to limbo or purgatory if you'd rather but since you can't talk in that state I will fill the air with conversation. My name is Tamir, classification Taboo system. You are...]]

Nathan tried to respond but nothing left him as his essence squirmed in frustration and annoyance as a jingle came from Tamir, almost like a giggle as the small ball of light flew into his core. The feeling was sickening, his nonexistent stomach churning with discomfort as he swore sickness was to over take him from this unwelcomed intrusion.

[[My my what an interesting person you are Mr. Ouro. I've heard of those born on that plane that have a sacred trait such as yourself. The wish system can make a being powerful so long as you meet the requirements but I mean. Give me a moment.]]

He was met with a sudden silence before suddenly his life flashed before his eyes, every second and moment of his life played out as a flood of emotions and an amalgamation of despair, dread and pain filled him as if he was laying on the cold asphalt once again and he recoiled. Or at least he felt like recoiling as a disheartened discontent clicking of a tongue echoed around him.

[[Well shit, you were depressing. I guess it couldn't be helped huh, you had a rough life after all but you still managed to kick it every day and live life with a smile. Props to ya but you aren't done living huh? Stay still, in a moment I'm gonna light this place up]]

A moment passed and nothing. Another and another then suddenly a flurry of text boxes opened and flooded the darkness the two inhabited as Nathan was taken by surprise. Each box was a rush of information and all of them errors, warning against the integration process taking place? Questions began to fill him before Tamir once again interjected.

[[Haha, well I'll be! You were about to be reborn systemless, cursed, oh man this is a lot! I can't believe it, you're my ticket out of this place! Yes yes yes! Huh?]]

Nathan was confused, his whole being writhed in panicked puzzled perplexity as he heard a few dings in his head and more boxes appeared, overlapping the plethora that already filled his vision.

"What the hell is going... I can talk? I can talk! I-I how long have I been here? Tamir? What the hell are you?"

Nathan began to read the slew of boxes.

{{Taboo system integrating, Warning this is irreversible. System bypassing host's choice. Warning, Taboo is a cursed system, ill-advised to accept, accepting is courting death. System bypassed host choice, the system has been accepted into the user. Warning, in this plane the gods cannot perceive this atrocity, step carefully. Integration of host and system at twenty-five percent, the system has been awarded title; Piggy Backing. Title awarded to user; Taboo System User. Time left till integration with the new host, five minutes}}

Nathan was confused as he could feel Tamir as if he was smiling deep down and an overwhelming joy was being contained with great difficulty.

[[Sorry Nathan, this might seem like a bad trade now but I promise this isn't. I'm the only Taboo system out there and that being said you actually get to interact with me unlike most others but a word of advice. Tell no one about us when we move on to this new place, I am gonna have to lay dormant until you need me but I won't sugar coat this, those warnings are right. I may not have given you a choice in the matter but without me, you'd be courting death anyway. Seems like our time is up. Careful throwing my name around, I'll decide when you need me but don't think I'll let you die as easily as wish did]]

With that, the timer struck zero and all the boxes suddenly vanished. Tamir vanished and darkness once again devoured Nathan whole as the sounds of a crying baby erupted and the gasps of several people sounded off. Nathan felt himself become someone else, his being and essence slowly integrate with something as light suddenly filled his eyes, cries of joy and a gentle but tight embrace encapsulating him as the crying got louder and suddenly ceased. He could see, the light painful to his eyes as he looked at the most beautiful woman ever as tears of joy ran down her face. He was bewildered as he couldn't help but stare at her as she spoke in a language he had never heard but it sounded like the singing. Nathan went to speak, only to have a coo leave his mouth and pudgy underdeveloped fingers flexed about as he felt her gentle hand caress his face.

Her skin was flawless, it held a lavender hue to it and eyes of gold as her attention turned and looked at someone else, speaking in that unknown language again as she moved him outwards towards someone. A man, eyes as deep blue as the ocean's waves stared at him and welcomed him. Hair like what his own used to be on this man and a clean face, his hands soft and gentle as with tears he looked at Nathan with love before he embraced Nathan. Nathan was overwhelmed as his small body became more noticed, small fat hands gently placed on this man's head as gears slowly turned. He wasn't Nathan anymore, he was no longer the boring depressed salaryman who struggled day in and day out. No, now he was a baby again that was being showered with unconditional love and care as the woman began to speak to the man with a sense of urgency, a sniffling nod coming from him as he quickly swaddled Nathan in a fine blanket of sorts as he rushed towards a small carriage.

He was held with a purpose as they boarded the carriage and the man, his father placed him in a cradle in the wagon and took to the seat, the sounds of reigns being cracked as heavily armored feet was muffled, a door being kicked down and weapons being drawn. Nathan heard a sob from his father as he wiped tears from his face and urged his horses to their breaking point as he hurried them along. The man driving the wagon was Kenneth Ashcrop, a human merchant now on the run with his newborn son Maxamillian due to the sin of the flesh, bearing a child with an Elf. Even within Elven's country, this was a sin, to have a half-breed child. This was seen as a transgression to the natural order, a child of the blessed and the child of elven descent was seen to always struggle in life and was seen as transgressions against the gods to undermind them.

But of course young Max (Nathan) knew none of this. All he knew was his mother and father's face and the sudden upheaval of things as Ken prayed that his beloved would live, that she would be protected, for the sake of their child as Max remained quiet, not making so much as noise as the overwhelming need for sleep took him as he shifted and drifted into a familiar darkness.