20. Conscience

                                    

                                          
Garth's stone, stubble legs crushed down on soft sand. "I really thought this place would look different."
                          
"How?" Makurow stepped off the tree trunk boat, off balanced by his unproportioned feet.
                          
"I wouldn't believe, after all the talk about this place, that it would look somewhat like my own world." Garth explained, stomping on the beach. "I'd expect this place to be my hell."
                          
"Huh," Makurow said with clarity, "from what I know it seems like I've lived here from the entirety of this planet's life, so I don't know what to think of this place—it's just here." Makurow had never thought about the existence of the world around him, it was just a multipathed obstacle.
                          
The ground rumbled, sounds of jets blew off in the distance. Makurow summoned his sword to his side. The Hero Base soared over their heads, heading off into the ocean's horizon. Garth eyed the ship then stared at Makurow's sword.
                          
"That's enemy number one, my rampant creations." Makurow gestured to the ship.
                          
"Where did you get that sword?" Garth stood amazed at the size of Makurow's arm.
                          
"It was a gift." Makurow pulled his sword to both of his hands and grazed his fingers over its flat side. "The Guardian gave it to me to provide me the ability to manipulate light."
                          
"That's a very strong gift, you must be very loyal to the Guardian."
                          
"Not really, I definitely don't know who it is besides a hazy vision," Makurow explained, "and it seems it has already sent missionaries to kill me in the instance that I betrayed its wishes."
                          
"That's rough." Garth looked off to the trees. "Seems like everyone hates you."
                          
"I'm surprised you don't."
                          
"I don't blame you," Garth said with a twist in his cheek. "I have a bad track record of being very judgmental right off first encounters, but you spoke of a man waiting for me, let's not keep him waiting any longer."
                          
"What about your boat?" Makurow asked, "Are you going to leave it here."
                          
"It's not my boat," Garth replied quickly, "from what I can put together is that this boat is my portal to this afterlife. Didn't you have your own?"
                          
"No." Makurow said firmly. He took a look at the beach around him and spotted the path he came from.
                          
Trees parted with hollow trail, leading to open fields.
                          
Garth stomped like an elephant with his massive feet, crushing grass flat to the ground.
                          
Thresh lied awake against a rock and dirt wall, and Snake waited patiently for Makurow's return.
                          
"What a strong soul standing beside you," Snake chuckled.
                          
"Snake this is-"
                          
"I know who Garth is." Snake interrupted Makurow. "The ol' mighty and powerful warrior," Snake said to Garth, "who bows down to no man, only to keel to a woman, now in search for her." Snake slid out of the dark shade and stood in front of Garth. He stood at his eye level looking at him.
                          
"You nailed it." Garth responded strong.
                          
"You hear that Makurow," Snake laughed, "He-heee!"
                          
Garth eyed Snake's floating spine body. "What happened to you?"
                          
"What?" Snake asked, looking over his body. "You got a small arm and I float—let's be respectable here." Snake stared with a slanted eye before giving a joking smile.
                          
"Who's sleeping over there?" Garth asked Makurow.
                          
"Thresh," Makurow responded.
                          
"God," Garth huffed, "He looks terrible. Are you sure he's alive?"