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I see ahead of me, chaos.
Death.
Madness.
Pain and Torture.
It's the only way to proceed though, the only way to get to what I desire. The money? Pah! Money only goes so far.
The women? Sex can only go so far.
Fame? I don't desire something so petty.
But the answer, that is what I desire. The answer to my dreams and maybe even the answer to all life. I've come this far, killed so many, walked miles and miles, a thousand earths maybe. And now? It's in my reach, so close. I can feel it in my hand now, the black sphere, the crimson electricity on the inside striking at it's circular walls. I can feel it, the power and the answers!
But still, I'm miles away, the black fields are still miles away and I stand in a desert. The sands giving way to make my print in them like so many others have before me. I see the bleach white skeletons in the sand, flesh picked free by scavenger birds. Their eyeless sockets watch me as I continue on my quest. They speak to me. "I failed," The sockets say. "You will too." I don't listen to them, instead I walk on, through the desert. I reach the edge of the desert, coming to a beach. More skeletons and destroyed ships line the coast, the bones on these weren't picked clean yet, some pink and red flesh still stuck to the bones and the clothes still clinging to that flesh. These ones don't speak, instead, they stare. Some with their eyes and some, without. I continue the journey, drinking the last of my water. I tried the water on the beach, it was salty. No water, no food. Only the clothes on my back and the hard leather boots on my feet, and my revolver, the steel gleamed in the light and the leather that held it made subtle creaking sounds as I walked. I looked back, past the beach and desert and ask myself: "Go back? Live another day?" The answer? Move on. Move on and never look back.
I finally come to some life, a forest with animals and springs to fill my canteen with. I found a mother deer sitting in the forest, it's two babies nursing. I killed the mother with a single shot from my pistol, the cold steel chambers of the revolver rotated and readies another round. I glance at the fawn, the babies, and decide they wouldn't make it long without their mother. I shot them, too.
It was night, the sun moved away and the shadows reclaimed their place on this world. I knew predators, wolves, would come out tonight. I climbed a tree, leaving the skinned corpse of the deer there. I had escaped with most of the meat and only bits remained. The fawn I left with their skin and meat intact. The wolves would get their food today.
As expected, the bodies were quickly gathered and eaten by wolves and other predatory animals of the night. I remember seeing one clearly, fur lifted off of it's back like spines, the teeth were huge, dripping with saliva. The eyes were pure white save for an infinitesimally small red dot in the center. There was blood cakes all over it's body, I'm sure it wasn't the animals own. The beast quickly dug into the bodies, sending flesh and specks of blood high into the air. I remember one drop of crimson land on my forehead, when I went to wipe it, I felt the eyes of the beast on it. There was the purest form of hate within those tiny pupils, I felt like there was a fire all around me. The beast finished it's meal, tearing through even the hard bones and digesting them. It left quickly enough, about a two minutes by my count, but it felt so much longer.
I awoke the next morning and climbed down the tree. By noon that day I was out of the forest and onto the Black Lands.
Very little life was there, it was desolate, cold, and very very dark. The grass and dirt was black. Any trees were dead, and any life I found there consisted of skeleton animals, thinned to the bone and very near death. Some of them were mad, crazy, and rushed me on sight. I killed any I found if only to put them out of their misery. I was glad I'd skinned that mother deer, the cold winds were enough to give me sickness. That didn't stop me though, a clogged nose and headache wouldn't keep me from my answers. I made a duster from the deers skin, it fit tight against my arms and body. I was still cold, but warmer than I was before.
When the edge of the Black Lands came, I felt my heart leap in my chest, I saw and beheld the Orb. It stood atop a large stone pillar on a hill. The Pillar was pure white and cut perfectly. I climbed the hill, stood before the pillar, looked at the orb. I was struck by how it matched by visions perfectly. Many had said it was a black marble, others said it was grey or white, and many claimed to have it in their possession. When I asked about it, the presented me a poor imitation. I spent all of my money, years of my life, and the lives of others for those imitations, but I knew, from books and old tales, that this orb before me on this pillar was the real one. I heard it speak in my mind: "Arthur," It called, taking the voice of my mother long dead. "Arthur, come get me." I tried to climb the pillar, but I couldn't. My hands and boots slid against the smooth stone. I picked out my gun. The cold steel gleamed in the sun. I aimed it at the pillar and fired twice. Two, quick and loud reports later, two holes appeared and I dug my boots into it. I could reach the orb now, I reached for it, felt its smooth black surface, and pulled it towards me.
"Arthur, you did it, you have me!" It said. The voice switched from the sweet, loving voice of my mother, and became a kind and wise-sounding voice of a man. "Now, make a wish and I shall grant it."
"I want the answer," I said. "I want to know all the answers!"
Silence. The red electricity inside the black orb stopped for a moment. The silence went on until I broke it. "Well?"
Lightning struck my feet and the sky became grey. The voice spoke again, this time it was angry and the kindness was gone. "YOU WISH WHAT?" It asked, rising in volume. "I SHALL NOT GRANT SUCH A WISH, FOR TO HAVE SUCH KNOWLEDGE YOU WOULD SURELY SPREAD IT!"
I felt my heart stop, a high pitched ringing sound in my ears, I wasn't sure how to proceed, how to continue now. Then, the answer came to me. "You must! I have come so far, I will not go back until I get what I seek, now answer Me! Take my voice away, take my hands away so I will not write it, and answer me!"
More silence. Then, the electricity pulsed for a moment in what might have been a sigh.
"Very well, Mortal. I will take these things away for your wish, but are you sure?"
"Yes," I said, "I've never been more sure in my life."
And with that answer, a bolt of red lightning shot out of the orb and into my head, it stole my voice and paralyzed my fingers. But I got my answers. Everything answer for every question that could ever be or would be came to me at that instant.
I placed the orb back on it's column and left, I walked back home, through the Black Lands, the forest, past the crashed ships and dead sailors on the beaches, the bleach white skeletons that spoke with their sockets, and went home.
You may ask me: "Arthur, if you gave up your hands and voice, how are you writing this?" It is simple my child, I have all the answers.