Chapter 34 "Eclipse: Part III"

Chapter 34
Eclipse
Part III

“Why the heck are you sleeping in your own dream?” Jade taps the back of Johnny’s head with a roll of newspaper that he found on a desk next to the sleepyhead’s.

“Huh?” Johnny mumbles sleepily as he begins to open his eyes. He yawns loudly and asks, “Is that you, Jade? I’ve been waiting forever in this room…”

“Why are you dreaming about a classroom? You’ve never been to a school,” Knapp asks as he takes in the room and finds it to be pretty much normal like every classroom. Desks, whiteboard, and educational posters on the wall. “You had been in prison since you were a child, right?”

Johnny shrugs his shoulders. “True.”

“Sometimes people dream about what they desire the most,” Ash says confidently as if it’s the most obvious thing ever.

“Also true. I’ve always wanted to go to school.” The sleepyhead nods his head as he yawns once again.

“Alright, let’s move on! We still need to find Katja, Logy, and Clear.” Ketsu opens the next door. He takes a peek to see that the hallway is pretty dark. “Are we going into someone’s deep consciousness?”

“I don’t have the data to answer,” Ash says with a concerned frown.

“There are two doors here. We just used one to enter here, right?” Gules glances at the second door. “I guess we have no other choices but to use that one…”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Knapp says.

As soon as everyone steps out of the room, they suddenly fall through the floor into a black void. It feels eternity but they eventually hit an invisible floor in a very dark space.

“Ouch! Is everyone ok?” Jade asks.

“Y-yeah.” Ketsu rubs his aching head. “Do we still have everyone with us?”

“Here!” Gules says.

“Yo,” Johnny mumbles.

“I’m good,” Knapp says.

“Present.” Ash wipes away dust from her jacket with her own hands.

“Here,” a little girl with blonde hair and golden eyes says with anger in her voice.

Everyone quickly turns to her only to freeze and unable to speak for some reason. Ash as a computer program and Ketsu as the Dark Angel are the only ones who can move.

“You finally speak,” Ketsu says angrily.

“Ketsu Mitsukai…” The girl begins to lift herself higher into the air. “It’s all your fault. You messed up everything. You…”

Dark blue energy appears surrounding her as she continues, “You are not letting their dreams go the way I want! I WANT THE POWER OF THE UNIVERSE! I WANT THE UNIVERSE WARRIOR! I WANT KNAPP MITSUKAI!”

“Get lost!” Ketsu yells as he throws his sword at her, but she suddenly vanishes into nothingness. The sword falls back and pierces its tip into the floor.

The remaining Dark Team members fall back to the floor as soon as the girl disappears. Their hearts, including Knapp’s, have been beating hard and fast but now that she is gone, they have calmed down.

“...Fuck… this reminds me of the time we were staying on Earth,” Knapp mumbles in both anger and frustration. He buries his face into his hands briefly before he pulls back so he tries to pull out his universe energy but still fails to. 

“I couldn’t also use my power,” Gules says. “I guess that goes the same for everyone else?”

“My data shows that you still have them,” Ash says as soon as the random numbers disappear from her eyes. “How to use your powers in your dreams is entirely another level.”

“That girl…” Ketsu pulls his sword out of the floor. “She’s Eclipse. But don’t let her appearance fool you all. This is how she survived for centuries. Hiding away from Double God and even the Fifth Universe. She has been waiting for the day when a Universe Warrior comes to this planet.”

“Right. Every person who came to this planet died because Eclipse took their energy and life forces. But luckily, Knapp’s limitless universe energy has been keeping you all alive.” Ash adds.

“What?” Jade asks.

“Like I said… it’s the bonds. The most powerful thing in this universe other than hope is…our cherished memories,” Ketsu says. “The memories created by loved ones are what saved you but… Eclipse is getting impatient.”

Gules begins to sniff loudly. “Aw, Knapp! I didn’t know that you loved us! You always give all of your attention to Logy!”

“Of course you are my close friends.” Knapp genuinely smiles but it does not last long. “That’s why we have to stick together and do what we need to.”

“Yeah, Ash also explained when this first started that Eclipse separated you all again and again. Every time you find each other. Ripped out your memories again and again. This lasted for nearly a year,” Ketsu says.

~*~

“How long have we been walking?” Jade complains.

They lost count after the fortieth door. It’s already starting to feel like days to them but there is no way for them, even Ketsu, to tell, especially since they are still dreaming. Except Ash.

“It’s been 352 days since you started dreaming.” Ash confirms. 

“Damn. How are we even still alive?” Gules asks.

“Ash has been doing all the work,” Ketsu says. “I was just doing what she asked me to. Like hooking you all up with intravenous lines and monitors for vital signs, like heart rate, oxygen saturation, and brain activity. You know, like EKG and EEG.”

“Aren’t you too young to be using big words?” Johnny asks sleepily but still very impressed.

“We got plenty of time while we were traveling through space… what’s there to do other than learning?” Ketsu shrugs his shoulders. “Clear taught my sister and me a lot of interesting stuff! And then for the last year, I learned a lot from Ash.”

“That’s pretty cool! So I guess Knapp taught you how to fight?” The elf asks curiously.

“Yeah, and so did Logy! My dad’s strength is overwhelming, and Logy was always reading my next movements. Every one of you has your unique ability. So I had to increase my stamina, speed, and defense all at once because of you. Your powers are just out of the world.”

“Ugggghhhh!!” comes a distant voice.

“...Did you hear that?” The gravity controller asks.

“Yeah.” Knapp points at one of the doors. He places his hand on the doorknob. “Let’s check it out.”

As he opens it, all they can see is just pure darkness in the new room. “I’m detecting a movement,” Ash says softly. 

Suddenly, a loud and frustrated voice comes echoing through the dark room. Nobody dares to move except the former elf prince.

“What are you doing, Gules?” Jade asks nervously.

“Trying to make a fireball,” Gules says as he squints his scarlet eyes, staring hard at his open palm. Finally, a small ball of flames appears with a pop sound hovering his hand. They can only see Gules’s face with the light. “Here we are!”

“Let me help out.” Ash points her hand at the fireball. Soon, it is turning into a very bright light- enough to brighten up the whole room.

Except it is not a room. They’re outside for the first time. The white fireball is already flying up until it stops in the blue sky.

“W-what is this place?” Ketsu asks cautiously. “Ash, do you know?”

“Room or not, we’re still in someone’s dream,” Ash says as she points at an old spaceship just a few yards away. “Here she is.”

“Clear!” Jade exclaims.

Clear does not seem to hear him at first. She is so focused on one of the open panels. When she is welding something, the tool is way too loud for her to hear anything else.

“Ugh, this fucking sucks!” She yells angrily as she throws the welding tool at the ground. She rips off her welding mask and then jumps off the spaceship. She gracefully lands her feet on the ground.

Ketsu waves his hand as he shouts her name, “Clear!” That finally catches her attention.

“Huh? Who are you -- Oh my god, how long has it been since we last saw each other?” Clear snaps at first and then gasps as soon as she recognizes her dear friends. “Wait a minute…”

She turns back to the old spaceship. “Didn’t we have a new spaceship?”

“We did.” Johnny yawns. “We are in your dream right now.”

“Clear… This is Ash. You created her, remember?” Ketsu elbows Ash in the waist gently. He interrupts her when Clear is about to open his mouth, “I know she’s using Logy’s appearance.”

“T…This is very impressive.” Clear hops around Ash as if she is trying to check her out. “I had no idea that I would program a computer system that could come into someone’s dream!” She beams a big grin as she continues, “That’s really cool!”

Ash blushes as she scratches the back of her neck as she looks away, avoiding her creator’s eye contact.

After Clear catches up with everything that had happened for the past year, she shakes her head in disbelief. “Eclipse… I thought it sounded so familiar… So K…Kae…?”

Ketsu sighs. “Kawaii.”

“Right, Kawaii. He mentioned her several times, right? So we finally found her, after all,” Clear says.

~*~

“Stop,” Ash says urgently. As cued, everyone stops walking and turns to her. “That door…”

She tries to turn the doorknob. “It’s locked.”

“So, what does it mean?” Ketsu asks.

“Someone’s dream…” Ash pulls away from the door as she turns to the Dark Team. “This is someone who has something very powerful enough to protect their own dream from Eclipse. Powerful enough to connect everyone’s dreams. Power of mind.”

“Logy,” Knapp says softly as his heart leaps at his lover’s name. He glances back at the door. “It has to be him.”

“Well, let’s blast away the door and then get him, shall we?” Gules says impatiently.

“Hold on,” Ketsu says. “What if it’s locked for a good reason? If Logy has been expecting us, then he would allow us in. Right?”

“Why don’t Knapp try and open it?” Johnny suggests.

“I just tried to open it. I doubt Knapp can do it,” Ash says.

“Oh, he’s right! It’s open.”  Knapp pushes the door widely open, making Ash drop her jaw all the way to the floor.

“T-that’s illogical…” Ash mumbles.

“Cool! Now we can finally find Logy soon! And then we will find Katja,” Ketsu says. “This is the furthest we’ve gotten so far. We totally got this.”

“Let’s go!” Clear exclaims.

They barely go through two rooms when they finally find a second Logy… Not Ash this time. He is sitting with an older woman in the living room and talking with her using sign language. Knapp recognizes her right away.

It’s Logy’s mother.

“Logy!” Knapp begins to wave his hand, trying to get his attention. He suddenly starts gagging loudly as he bends down as if he is about to throw up. Because several more memories suddenly start rushing back into his head as soon as he and Logy make eye contact.

“Dad? What’s wrong?” Ketsu asks in concern.

“Logy, who are they? Do you know them?” Logy’s mother asks as she keeps glancing at the strangers.

“They are my friends, mom. Please sit down. You need some rest,” Logy says as he guides her back to the couch. He looks back up at Knapp who seems to have stopped gagging now. “Knapp, what’s going on?”

“Did your memories come back? Well you see, we’re dreaming together right now. We need to get out of here,” Knapp says as he reaches out his hand. He notices that Logy is staring at Ash. “Oh, that’s Ash. Sorry about that -- she’s using your form. She is our AI who managed to get into our dreams somehow.”

Logy takes Knapp’s hand. He is still glaring at everyone except Knapp. “Are you sure they are real? What if they are imposters? Eclipse tried to trick me several times before.”

“No, they are our friends… they…” Knapp shakes his head as he turns to Ketsu and the others. “Who are you again?”

“Dad?” Ketsu asks shakily.

“Are you ok?” Clear asks in worry. “It’s us! Don’t you remember?”

A wicked grin is now displaying on Logy’s face. 

“Get away from hi--” Ash suddenly disassembles into millions of pixels, scattering and floating away.

Everyone is suddenly being pulled away from each other through different new open portals floating in the air. 

~*~

Knapp screams as he bolts up in his bed. He takes a look at his sweaty hands and then tosses away his blanket. He looks around at the room. It is his bedroom from his childhood. He runs to his mirror in the bathroom. 

16 years old again, huh? He frowns as soon as he looks at the thinner and younger version of self. Is Eclipse going to try again with Sybil’s form? She fucking better not. The minute I see her… it will be all over.

As soon as he comes out of the bathroom, he almost bumps into another boy climbing up the stairs. He freezes as soon as they make eye contact. Nausea is back.

“Knapp? I heard you’re sick so I came to check on you,” Logy speaks with his voice this time. Not with his hands. “Your mother let me in so hopefully you don’t mind!”

“Logy, why aren’t you using sign language?”

“What’s with your hands all over the place?” Logy raises an eyebrow.

“Ow!” Knapp’s stomach is in sudden sharp pain. The longer they are in the room, the more painful it gets for him. “You… You are not Logy.”

All he can get from him is just pure silence. Logy is giving him an icy stare instead of an usual warm one. 

“...Eclipse?” Knapp asks.

“Really. Honestly,” Logy scoffs. “You’ve been really testing my patience. You are the most stubborn dreamer I’ve ever met, especially when this dream of yours lasted the longest out of all dreamers.”

As he makes a move towards Knapp, the Universe Warrior wants to move his legs but is not able to. It’s as if Eclipse has him glued to the floor.

“I’ve dug into so many versions of your dreams of yours. Fear, love, sadness, accomplishment, pain, trauma, and many more,” Logy stops right in front of Knapp. He clenches and unclenches his fist a few times. “A few times I almost got you but your foolish son interrupted every time. But this time I finally got you…”

He smirks widely as he places the tips of his fingers on Knapp’s stomach. “As soon as I get the power of the universe, your son will be the first to die!”

He digs his fingers literally into Knapp’s core.

~*~

All Knapp can hear is continuous evil laughter. He opens his eyes for probably a millionth time.

He is shirtless and completely bound by the chains at his wrists and ankles, which seem to go on forever into black void all around. The pain in his stomach is 100 times more painful than before. He weakly lifts his head.

A huge red monster with two large horns is piercing him in the stomach with his large fork-like weapon. The laughter has not even eased at all.

Knapp’s guts are already out but he has already stopped caring about it. This is just another dream. Like all my other dreams. This monster is not real either. I know it isn’t. But I’m so.

Tired.

Knapp?

Great. Now, I’m hearing Logy’s voice. I’m really going crazy now.

All of sudden, the monster’s laughter stops. So does all his digging into Knapp’s stomach as well. Then it is getting dissipated into thin air. 

A warm hand is on the side of Knapp’s face. He unknowingly leans into it. It’s so warm and familiar.

He looks up as soon as someone’s hand runs through his hair, getting out of his eyes. He smiles as his heart beats faster. “Logy.”

“I’m sorry I got to you late,” Logy says as he pulls the chains, easily vanishing them into the air. “Eclipse cut off the connection between us as soon as she forced us into the dream world. So I locked my own dream and waited for you to come to me, but… the minute you came in, she took advantage of--”

Immediately when he has been freed from the chains, Knapp kisses him hard. The spark they both feel goes through their entire bodies, making them shiver. Once it leaves their feet, it suddenly extends all over space, changing it into an entire world that resembles Earth. They are in the vast field with light blue flowers, green grass, and a bright blue sky.

“Whoa!”

Knapp jumps at a second voice. He did not expect anybody else to be here. He turns around until he catches his daughter into his arms.

“Dad! We’ve been looking for you forever!” Katja cries.

“Katja!” Knapp pulls her back into his tight embrace. He had no idea how much he missed her and everyone else until just now. He realizes that he has gotten all of his memories back. Is Logy’s power of mind that powerful?

“Dad,” Katja mumbles as she gets out of the hug. “Are you really back?”

Knapp gives her a smile. He opens his palm, trying to draw the power of the universe. This time, it actually works. A white and black swirling ball of pure energy has been formed, hovering above his hand. “Yes, sweetheart. I’m back.”

Logy grins widely. “Let’s find everyone and stop Eclipse once and for all, shall we?”