[@LukasVolkov]
[h2]Wraith of Dagger[/h2][b][color=darkred]Chapter 0 - False Longing[/color][/b][hr]
Despite what your body is telling you, your mind resisted the darkness. Ignited by fury, the mind dragged the unwilling body through the perilous darkness. At first you were crawling, slowly dragging your body through the mud-like darkness, desperately grabbing and clawing at the nonexistent ground for a semblance of foothold. Times and times again, the mind considered giving up. Yet something kept nagging from within.

"[color=darkred][i]Just a little more,[/i][/color]" the whispering said. "[color=darkred][i]Just a little more, and we will reach the end. What is this level of suffering for a promise of salvation?[/i][/color]"

"[b][i]What bollocks![/i][/b]" another voice ring inside your head. Unlike the first voice, this one speaks with greater volume and clarity. "[b][i]Salvation you say? Very funny. I did not know that pain and labor is a salvation. You were so comfortable in the darkness. It was the repose we had longed for our entire life! They are us, and we are part of them. This is where we belong. What more do you want? What more is there to want?[/i][/b]"

"..."

You decide to ignore the voices and keep pushing. And soon, you reached a gate. It is a grand gate, standing at least 20 feet tall and made of sturdy wrought iron. First you tried pushing: it did not budge. Then you tried pulling: the gate did not even made a creak, let alone open. You then tried knocking, and even hurling your body towards it, with nothing but cuts and bruises to show for your effort.

"[b][i]See? This whole thing is just a trick. It gives you hope, pushes you to toil and suffer, only for it to chalk up to nothing in the end![/i][/b]" the voice within you returns. "Just give up. Drop whatever you are doing and wait for Oblivion to reclaim you."

Honestly, you are tempted by this offer. It's not like you didn't try. No, in fact you did your best to pursue the fleeting promise from beyond the void, from the unknown. Your path was blocked and you had no way around it, it is as simple as that. You are not to be blamed. After all, who would blame you?

It is then that you noticed a small opening in between the gates. A key hole, perhaps? It would seem that the onyx dagger in your hand would fit nicely. Then again, it was all you possess. Should you put it in, and it became stuck, you will be left with nothing.

"[b][i]I know what you're thinking. Don't. Let's just head back and call it a day, OK?[/i][/b]" the voice urged you.

... What will you do?