Bound Evil

It only took a moment for Emily to realize she was hurling through space end over end. Distant stars dappled the glowing universe around her, and yet Emily's focus remained on her tingling fingertips.

It felt strange, like they were there but also not, that’s when the panic set in. As amazing as her abilities were, space fairing was never one of them.

In the vacuum of space, silence enveloped her—she couldn’t hear the sound of her lungs rupturing as the air escaped, nor feel the pain of the moisture in her body vaporizing under the intense solar rays.

Emily ground her teeth and hunched her shoulders as her dread slowed time to a crawl. A second passed and then another, when the expected bite of space didn’t claim her she looked around at the spinning cosmos in confusion.

Holding up her hands she could still see and feel them but they had a faint transparent quality to them, almost as though she were incorporeal.

Frowning, Emily came up with two possibilities: either she was dead, or this was someone else’s doing, and she was just waiting for it to wear off and for space to claim her.

In both cases, Emily had very little ability to do anything so she crossed her arms behind her Emily righted herself out of the spin so she could take in more of the wonder around her. The sight was breathtaking. The stars vibrated with life and beauty, their countless hues reflecting behind her eyes. Yet none was as breathtaking as the approaching nebula—or was she approaching it? It didn’t matter, but its sheer size did as it filled her vision.

It reminded Emily of the Pillars of Creation stretching out before her, only instead of three, there were six columns tied closely together, each striving to reach higher than the last. They expanded like trail stretching into a vast horizon, Emily could scarcely believe what she was seeing.

That’s when she realized something was wrong, she was being watched. As she looked up to the peaks of each pillar, she saw six stars of varying colors glowing like brilliant supernovas.

Emily had entered their domain. She wasn’t sure how she knew; she just did.

Whether she wanted it or not, she now had their attention.

She was proven right a second later when she felt a gentle pull coming from the stars as what felt like a band looped itself around her chest.

Emily tried to backpedal, but it was like a fishing line; she could only fight so much, as the outcome was almost assured.

The gradual pull turned into an insistent yank that dragged Emily across the universe, bending stars into streaks of light.

They pulled her in at speeds that would have torn a human apart, but she realized yet another benefit of this form.

Space shrunk down to a more manageable size as the vast constellations of lights above her contracted, boxing her in and narrowing down into six towering humanoid forms.

They were featureless like glowing marionettes, but each was a different presence.

Below them, a planet came into view, twisting lazily through the expanse. With its emerald green waters and stretching peaks, it glittered like a jewel floating through space.

The surrounding expanse made her feel more physical than just seconds ago, but she knew something was very wrong.

Emily had barely processed all this before the beings demanded her attention.

The red one was the first to speak, and when it did she felt the vastness of a burning world in its voice.

“Interloper, why have you come?”

Emily scowled up at the being, it probably wasn't a good idea to openly call it an asshole, but she had no more idea why she was here than it did.

Before she got a chance the blue one spoke, its voice androgynous and ever-transforming.

“It does not know, but its selfishness speaks for itself.”

The surprise helped Emily find her voice.

“Hey! Telepathy’s a bitch move! I don’t consent!”

The third being to speak was a mix of white and black radiance, and it spoke with the joys and sorrows of the living.

“Two insults in a few moments of meeting, you are quite brazen in our presence, I admire it. But seeing as we did not call for you, nor are you part of our orbit, you must leave.”

What the hell? Could they just give her a moment's breathing room? This was all happening so fast; one moment she’d been on top of the world, and now she wasn’t even sure if her world existed here. However, with the power emanating from these beings, they could afford to be arrogant. Emily could tell these forms were the equivalent of cardboard cutouts compared to their real ones. If even one of them showed up here in person, their sheer size would crush her to bits.

“It is living, it matters little how it got here, just that it is, we should allow it to just be.”

The one that had spoken was a being made of pure gray. Its words were impartial and lacked all of the previous being's emotions.

This one was easily Emile's favorite so far, and she winked grateful at the being. Though it gave no response.

Emily’s hope was dashed the next second when the green and yellow entities followed its words. One was as deep as the mountains and the other as free as the sky.

“No, its physical origin belongs to another. I won’t give it form.”

“Its spirit is open to choose as it wills, but I lend no assistance as it has nothing to offer.”

Emily looked around at each of the entities and anger began brewing in her chest. What kind of farce was this?

The being of white and black light spoke again, this time it somehow looked displeased, even without a face. Its exterior shifted to complete black, losing the streaks of tender white.

“That is the third time you have insulted us. I change my vote to yes and offer my curse. The final ballot has been cast, three against three. Motion carried.”

Emily shook her head as something streaked from the shadowy avatar’s feet and lashed out at her. The pain was beyond the physical, burrowing deep into her soul and causing Emily to scream out in agony. Then just as quickly as it had come the suffering subsided, leaving Emily hunched over.

Her mind struggled to process what the being had said but she could make out enough to know it wasn’t good. Emily's head snapped up as she snarled at them.

“What the hell is going on?! Will someone explain something to me, goddammit!”

Yet her words went unanswered as the beings began leaving one by one. Red was the first to blink out, its interest completely spent. It was followed by green and then blue as they moved beyond the reaches of this space.

Black backed away, and though it faded, its presence could still be felt, as if it were studying her.

Contrary to the others, yellow and grey remained. Their massive forms beginning to approach.

Emily lowered her stance and tensed her muscles.

“Now hang on, we don’t have to do this.”

When the two of them spoke again, they spoke in tune, their voices resonating throughout the space. Emily looked towards the gray one finding herself liking it significantly less now.

“Then let its fate be its own. Your blessings are none, but you will be afforded the chance to feast in our world. You have until your soul burns out to bargain yourself into being, for you will not be given a form of your own”

Emily’s dread took a temporary back seat, did that mean what she thought it did?

Her eyes flickered down to the inviting planet below.

She didn’t get a chance to ask her next question because the gray entity suddenly brought its arm downward followed closely by the yellow.

Emily yelped as the floor shattered beneath her feet and gravity took hold once more.

The sound of breaking glass rang in her ears as she was sent hurling toward the planet below, becoming a comet of light as she picked up speed.

The moment she crossed the threshold, she felt herself ignite. This world was so vast and consuming that she felt like a matchstick, burning herself up. One thing Emily had never been was indecisive; if this was her only chance, she’d take it.

Her speed was intense, but she’d make use of it. Wind buffeted around her, and the planet grew rapidly in her vision until the land itself encompassed everything. Fields and swamps spanned for hectares before flashing by. Gargantuan rainforests rose, seeming to breathe with their own rhythm. Oceans, both boiling and frozen, clawed at the land for space.

Even as these wondrous scenes flashed past, Emily felt herself growing smaller and weaker. Pushing herself faster, she searched the lands. Time held no meaning down there as biomes flashed past her vision. A desert of grey dunes and burning sand stretched for the longest time, bereft of life and vegetation, then gave way to a land of mountains and valleys.

It was only when a vast forest in the throes of winter came into view that she felt the call.

“Gods, devils, anyone, hear my plea.”

Her form was less than half the size it had been when she started and the voice called to her like a lighthouse in the storm.

So Emily changed her direction ninety degrees and crashed through the tree line until she slammed into the earth, her body barely visible to even herself.

There she saw a young woman with her back up against a tall trunk. Dagger protruding from her belly and lifeblood mixing with the freshly fallen snow.

A gentle yellow glow issued forth from her body causing the winds to sway around her. The next words out of her mouth invited Emily forward.

“I offer up my body, mind, and soul to any entity that can save, serve, and protect him till the mid-winter feast.”

Emily saw her ticket to freedom and happily rushed towards the woman, but slammed up into a barrier made of air.

It didn’t hurt but frustrated Emily to no end. Then the woman seemed to register she was there because she looked up at Emily.

“Oh, great spirit. Accept my charge, and everything I have is yours, ”

Emily immediately knew she could not take the woman unless she agreed to the terms in front of her.

More frustrating, the woman could not hear her questions and just kept repeating her words as though a mantra. Her eyes stared in Emily’s direction but were getting more distant by the second.

Frustration burned in Emily’s chest, but she didn’t have the time, pieces of her body were almost entirely gone.

Her match was spluttering, and she could hear no one else desperate enough to call out to her. To make matters worse she could feel something else was on its way here, drawn by the woman's call.

With a scream of frustration, Emily slammed her ‘fist’ into the wall separating her from life and death.

“Fine! Have it your way! But if I ever see any of your faceless mugs again, I’ma find out if you can bleed!”

With a wistful sigh, the barrier faded and Emily fell forward into the embrace of the dying woman.