Embers of the Holy War

The Boy With No Memories

Thoughtless.

...

Sensationless.

...

Motionless.

...

He, who was everything, drifted aimlessly in nothing. Such is the state of being thoughtless, sensationless, motionless. He was the universe, the universe was him. He was, in all essence, free.

That was, until something came out of the depths of nothingness. They binded his arms, his legs, and his whole body. Trapping him, suffocating him, against his primal will. Then he was dragged. Torn away from the universe, separated from nothingness, and thrusted into somethingness.

He awoke with a loud gasp. What...just happened? Where is he? Who is he? This sense of being, this sense of existing...

Thoughts began forming in his head. He began questioning his existence.

His ears buzzed from the loud cacophony of noises. Of unnerving whispers and unfamiliar tunes. He wished them to stop, to cease their incessant chattering. What exactly was the source of the ruckus?

With his eyes, he gazed. Like molten gold being poured into a mould, his once dead eyes started to twinkle with life as the colours of the world trickled into his vision. Incomprehensible shapes start to take form, the world constructing itself before him. The first thing he saw was white. There were many white beings around him.

His mouth tasted sticky and dry, and in the air, there lingered the scent of artificial chemicals. But even stronger than that was another reeking, pungent smell. A smell so terrible it made him shudder in pure revulsion.

Humans.

Sensations began registering. He can now feel, see, hear, taste and smell.

That's what they were. The white beings around him were humans - humans dressed in white coats. They surrounded him, touching him, leaving him nowhere to escape. Wherever they touched, his skin burned, as if scalded by acid. He hissed, sweeping away their hands with a resounding smack.

He began to move. He now has full control of his body's motion.

"Don't touch me," he growled, a low rumbling threat.

The men in white ignored his words. Instead, they did the exact opposite, gathering closer and murmuring sweet honeyed words to him, treating him like a small, pitiable animal.

Their disgusting tone, disgusting scent and disgusting appearances closing around him sent his mind into a frenzy, like a bird trapped in a cage. He wanted to run, he wanted to hide, he wanted to be anywhere but here, where he was surrounded by humans.

He gritted his teeth. "Go away..."

The men in white only tutted in sympathy, smiling widely.

"You'll be alright."

"What's wrong?"

"Calm down, take deep breaths."

"You're just confused, it's OK now."

Something akin to lava bubbled uncontrollably within his chest. His breathing became ragged, his nerves frazzled, and his heart was hammering so fast that it was about to explode.

"GO AWAY OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

A blast of fire sent the bunch of white men reeling. With a disturbing dissonance, they yelled and crashed into equipment. While the sound grated against his ears, he was actually way more relieved than before. With those men off his case, he felt like he was able to properly breathe. Although he wasn't sure what had just happened, nor where did that blast of fire come from, something told him that it had meant him no harm, that it was summoned by his call for help.