Isaac sat down in the chariot, as far from the edge as he could be without touching the other passengers. He’d drawn his legs up to his chest and yelped the moment it had taken off, the rushing, shrinking ground beneath him startling the child. It wasn’t so much the height that he was startled by, but the idea of falling all that way that terrified him. It was ever so slightly worse than the hop into the basement. The gaping void that was the sky above him was hardly better. He saw Cadence give him a worried glance, but he looked back down to the chariot’s floor, shying away from her slightly.
They were taking him somewhere far away, north. ‘The Crystal Empire’, they’d called it. It was supposed to be a place of beauty, a place long sealed from the world, only recently released. The ponies living there would be more open to accepting him; they had a lot to accept as of late. So he was told.
Even so, he knew little of what to expect. He’d gathered that Cadence was royalty, and Shining was her spouse, but he didn’t know exactly where he’d fit in. Adopted orphan? Charity case? A prisoner on parole? He wasn’t certain which he’d prefer. They’d all leave him in a rather uncomfortable position, regardless.
Still below, from the edge of his vision he could see the ground changing from mountainous foliage to rolling green hills. The air grew colder, the wind bit harder, but he said nothing. Punishment of this caliber hardly bothered him, psychologically, but instinctively, he began to shiver.
Cadence took notice of this. She nudged her husband, gesturing to Isaac. I’m right here. I can see you doing that. It’s not as if I don’t understand.
Shining unfastened his cloak, and offered it to the child with a small smile. Isaac looked at the steel-grey cloak, then at the unicorn. Warmth he would likely need. Kindness he did not deserve.
He put a hand out to grab it, but retracted it midway. Shining either did not notice, or pretended not to; the pony tossed the cloak around the boy’s shoulders. Isaac murmured his thanks, looking down at the floor again, reddening with embarrassment. He didn’t have to do that. This isn’t something I should have.
Still, he pulled the monochromatic protector around him close. He was cold, and it was warm. And the gale wasn’t exactly inviting.
Isaac jolted awake as the chariot touched-down. He panicked a moment when the refracting sun blinded him, but he calmed when the holy pain he associated with it did not come. Shades of blue, violet and rose blurred in his recovering eyes. He refocused on the floor, forcing himself to look slowly up from the drab surface so he could slowly register the glamorous city before him. *
Crystals. Everything refracted, reflected, redirected light from the sun in a spectacular and dazzling display. It all centered in a geometric symmetry around a massive tower which dominated the skyline. The sun was at a perfect peak above it, a picturesque scene of elegant craftsmanship and beauteous mortal creation.
I don’t belong here.
While he was awestruck by the grandiose structure he’d been presented with, it left him feeling… insignificant. Hollow. Even further alienated from this world he’d been abducted to. He would’ve shrunk back against the back of the chariot if Cadence and Shining were not still there.
“It’s a beautiful place, isn’t it?” Cadence asked him.
“Y-yeah,” he stammered, shaken from the horrid haze. “Really… bright.”
“You haven’t even seen it from inside,” She stepped past him, giving him what he guess was supposed to be an encouraging smile. “Come on. We’re going to take you to the castle.”
Isaac stood up, leaning against the edge of the chariot. “There’s… there’d be a lot of others. On the way there.” He was twisting the grey fabric in his hands. I don’t want to be the disruption of this… serenity.
“Well, of course. But don’t worry,” She reassured him. “You’ll be with us. You’ll be fine.”
He still was no less uneasy, but he hopped off the chariot, mumbling a ‘thank-you’ to the two winged-pony drivers. Isaac fell in line with the princess and her husband, on her left, Shining on her right. Two more unicorn guards, armed with spears, stood on either side of the three of them, and two normal-ponies were at their rear. Being of such a smaller stature than those on either side of him did nothing to calm his accelerating heart.
This was their first time seeing him. He had to look good. He had to be perfect. Faultless. Flawless. If he made a single mistake, it would be remembered forever. Marring his reputation. Invalidating his word to the dark non-angel.
They headed into the city. Isaac tried his best to look straight ahead, to not look at the faces of those around him, to not allow himself the melancholy of the unfamiliar world around him.
Inhale; exhale. Inhale; exhale. Inhale; exhale. Isaac repeated this mantra to shut out the world around him. Ignored the gasps and murmurs of the passerby. Thought only of the next step, next breath, the next beat of his heaving heart. He focused only on the area directly before him. The… crystal roads.
He clenched his eyes shut.
He kept walking until he felt something touch his chest, startling him out of the monotony. He jumped away from what he saw was Shining’s hoof. The stallion was looking at him expectantly, though the child’s reaction seemed to add some concern to it.
“I, uhm…” Isaac trailed off awkwardly. The boy hadn’t heard what he’d said. “Sorry…”
“Isaac, we’re here.” Shining repeated.
Isaac blinked in surprise, and looked around. They were underneath the tower, in the center of the city. To Isaac’s further impression, there was a shrine in the center of the plaza beneath, over which gently bobbed some kind of turquoise-gem heart. A snowflake-like pattern flourished outward from the center, glowing with a gentle white-blue light.
He felt an overwhelming sense of peace emanating from it, his own heart slowing in pace as it synchronized itself with that of the shrine’s ebb and flow. It was… relaxing. Not to the point where he would call himself calm, but it helped.
He heard Shining call him again. The child looked over to him; the unicorn was gesturing for the boy to follow them inside. Isaac stole away one last glance at the heart, and, almost reluctantly, pursued his… them, up and around a wide spiral staircase to one of the main halls.
The interior of the citadelic structure was as impressive as the exterior, though with the added benefit of a lack of blinding from refracted sunlight. Aside from the crystalline structure, the high-quality tapestries and chandeliers, both of which far surpassed the more cathedral-reminiscent palace he’d arrived in, gave this place an air of calculated elegance, perfected craft and perfect nature. Isaac felt insignificant beneath the enormous arches that towered above him, the gaping windows that loomed over him in the slight concavity of the outside wall.
“What do you think?” Cadence asked him. Isaac was about to reply, but she continued, “The view is wonderful.”
Isaac looked out of the window. Much of the area was in the shadow of the tower, leaving no blinding glares, but casting a looming shadow over the area in their stead. The buildings were far more intimidating for the lack of light, their edges sharper, their colors darker. And the distant horizon, the sky stretching into an infinite, boundless, endless… Abyss.
Isaac looked away. “I-it looks nice.” he lied. It’s… I can’t… I don’t like it. It makes me feel so... small.
Cadence gave him another smile, then motioned with her head for him to follow. The group continued down the corridor, Isaac doing his best to appear calm while avoiding the view outside. The Princess and her husband were speaking in a relative whisper, but Isaac could glean their uncertainty from their tones.
Second thoughts. Doubts. He’d known it wouldn’t last long, Isaac had been hugely optimistic, too expectant of their kindness, but that was more so a mistake on his part than theirs. I’m out of place, the single smear on a perfected painting. I shouldn’t even-
His introspective insecurities were interrupted by a clearing throat. The child’s daze left him once again looking at concerned faces without knowing the cause for their troubled expression. He shrugged wordlessly, face reddening.
“Do you like it?” Shining repeated. He seemed more annoyed this time, compared to the entrance.
“Like…?” Isaac looked at what he had gestured to. He stepped into the open door, taking in the surprisingly normal-sized room. The window, curtains drawn, faced a brighter side of the city, though the angle of the light prevented it from refracting directly within. It had a fairly large bed, with large, elaborate drapes like those he’d seen in his mother’s room. A dresser with a mirror of carved crystal was opposite the bed, and next to it was a simple, well-used wooden desk, though it seemed a bit high for him. There was a small box at the back corner of the room, similar to the desk in appearance. After lingering on it for a moment, Isaac forced himself to ignore it.
It actually reminded him a great deal of his old room, aside from the resplendence of the material, and the style of bed. The room he had before it was all taken away.
Isaac turned to the two of them. He gave a small smile, though he was repressing his reminiscent unhappiness it brought about. “I like it. Thank you.”
Cadence managed to pick up on his true feeling, or at least his discomfort regarding the furnishing. “We could get rid of that if you’d like.”
Isaac shook his head. *“Can… can I go to sleep?” He rubbed his eyes to feign tiredness, in actuality rubbing away the forming tears. No, no, this is… I don’t deserve… This is too much. I shouldn’t have any of this.
“Do you need anything else?” The princess asked. He shook his head. She gave him a kind smile. “We’ll be back in a little while. Ask the guard if you need anything.”
Cadence and Shining stepped out of the room, leaving Isaac to himself. He climbed up on the bed, with a little difficulty. The child flopped on his back, not even bothering to unclasp the cloak. This was too much for him to take in. Too much to have. And infinitely more than he deserved. He drew his legs up to his chest, facing away from the sunlight. It was exhausting to pretend he could ever accept such a charity. Even more so to appease his benefactors, when he didn’t even want what they were presenting to him. This whole place was beyond him. He was not worthy of this… picturesque tranquility. He was a fault, forced into place. An aberration, against all asinine abstractions. He does not belong.
This world insists on this. Why does no one else see? Why do the fight so hard against the fact? He knows it. He knows how it feels, how could they? To have a hole in the heart, be a fish out of water; a square peg in a round hole, a puzzle piece that does not fit? They have always known their world, their people, their reality. Isaac did not. All he knew was his world, long gone, and his hell, which haunted him still. Such a stark contrast was so obvious, so clear- as evident as contrast between the Polaroid and the Negative.
They did not know how he felt. And he could never show them, for they would not understand.
Isaac slept.
Lol, the Isaac is drawn he looks like a meseeks.
Man. Thanks for reminding us old jaded insensitive players of how fucked in the head Isaac must be.
Poor Isaac...
More issac? This is must be good. I hope it better than Issac from undertale.
Hmm, Binding of Isaac, in Equestria, with having good or bad consequences...
Definitely interested me, I shall put this in my "Read later" bookmark...
6697773 I'm glad I was able to get that across! Whenever I write for him, I just think of how harrowing and traumatic his perpetual cycle of death and murder could have been. He is a child. A single touch can kill him, he's murdered an untold number of creatures in self defense. He's fallen in the abyss so many times that the height of a chariot instills the same chill of fear. And the idea of a world he can't see the other side of... that's infinity, which he knows not. And a world so blatantly contrasting from his own... how could he hope to relate?
His phobias have reason. That's why they can be written so effectively.
6697759 Hah, I guess he does. I've been meaning to add more art, but I haven't had the time.
6697823 I hope you'll like it!
6697840 Read away, no rush!
HOLY CRAP IT'S ALIVE.
Wonderful chapter, and yeah, I don't see how Isaac could have escaped without any psychological damage.
Excellent work, have a goat head as an offering for more chapters:
hydra-media.cursecdn.com/bindingofisaacrebirth.gamepedia.com/8/82/Goat_Head_Icon.png
(Perhaps I should have grabbed a rosary...)
Will Isaac fight more in this story? if so then I suggest an item combo. Brimstone + monstrous lung + bouncing tears. these combined will literally ,tear, the enemies asunder. really good story so far.
6697916 Don't worry, I picked up Dead Cat, we're good.
6698210 While he will fight more, I don't plan on him getting most of the grotesque, monstrous, grossly powerful or otherwise aesthetically compromising items. Such things would pretty much negate the point of his outer appearance of innocence, which is pretty essential as of right now.
In short: Giving him the ability to completely stomp every foe that he comes across removes purpose and makes him... unfulfilling. He would get items with emotional significance (Torn Photo, Polaroid, etc.) or they're important to a situation importance.
I'm glad you're enjoying this, I hope you will continue to do so!
6698700 can you at least make them pop up. Like on item pedistals in the game? Another idea whold be that he gets them on the verge of death. So he saves himselfes and then they are gone. I just think it whold be cool.
6698708
at least let him have some angel room or holy items
those are nice
like holy mantle, or the relic
also, i find brimstone + tiny planet + rubber cement + tammy's head = omnicide
6698700 he might get some original items too, not just game ones. maybe shining's cloak could actually be something that became an item when he got it? "Shining cloak" could be an item shining has enchanted for damage resistance like infamy for melee or a familiar maybe? just possibilities. i'm sure it is incredibly difficult to balance items in a story like this and that might be broken and overpowered and i look forward to seeing them, but in a more directly story related thing, this is really interesting and seems what a child who's been through so much would think about.
6698708 I don't really feel that's... right. Considering the given disposition of God and Satan in the first chapter, taking their items would be tantamount to betrayal. A near death situation would likely discourage him from saving himself, giving his acceptance of fate, whatever it may be.
6698726 Items with immense power are unfitting, and make Isaac overpowered within the story. The relic, being holy, falls under the clause above, and would be nigh on impossible to translate to the context of the world, as would a number of other items.
6699485 See, you get it! Items don't translate well to a stories context in the majority of places. Some things he receives within it could be their own. I actually plan on using Shining's Cloak as a defense against attacks without a physical presence (tears, energy types, etc.)
I'm glad I'm able to maintain your interest, writing the inner thoughts of a child so distraught... it's an experience so real for him that shaped himself into who he is now. He's not the same child he was before he entered the trapdoor, and I hope I can show this well.
6699986 fair enoth.
Hm...
Luna's utterly hypocritical insistence to condemn a clearly terrified child bugs me a lot.
6699986
okay fair enough.
unless one of the two happened to offer those items to him, and he either refused or accepted?
you could go with that.
EDIT: the items at the bottom were in response to the other guy. ignore it please, i was talking about how you could possibly add angel room items in the first place.
A suggestion: How about the other characters appear one by one, or maybe make Isaac able to transform into them at will, since they're all part of Isaac anyway. Great story though!
6700657 A child she was almost certain attempted to kill her sister, and, for all intents and purposes, has attracted a veritable army of gory look-a-likes, and a massive behemoth of flesh, all of which caused a tremendous deal of trouble. Even before that, he'd caused property damage, is a completely unknown species, managed to enter the castle undetected, and has fled from guards for a reason she'd yet to discern. That would send any ruler to the level of uneasy suspicion she'd been at.
And Isaac is afraid of her for good reason, considering how she took a very abrasive line of questioning, had a very immediate and obvious disdain for him, chased him furiously down a hallway, and has already attempted to murder him.
6701224 (Minor story spoiler below)
The timing for that is actually a bit funny, I've been doing some writing involving them just a little while ago. They will have a presence, ephemeral and fleeting they may be.
6701231 All this scrutiny and very unwarranted urge to commit murder from the, ahem, reformed Nightmare Moon. Okay then. Sorry Luna, you heard the author. We should just kill you at the end of the second episode. Author says that we can't take chances. After all, you attempted murder at the start of the series. Oh, but since you're a pony forgiven by family it's apparently fine.
AKA Luna the utter and complete hypocrite.
Then again, that's how I see it, and still as you described, it's not QUITE the same thing.
6702236 As one of the leaders of her country, she has the obligation to maintain it's safety. That, and Isaac's actions and her perspective of them don't paint him in a good light. So far, he's done nothing to prove innocence other than appear as such, which, given the gravity of his apparent intendencies, is not fully convincing.
I do understand what you mean, though! She was forgiven for a number of reasons; Her sister, her position, her lack of fault (to an extent), and the fact (or appearance) that she was cleansed of that looming shadow of jealousy, the Nightmare within her.
Isaac, so far, has not changed in the slightest, as the only reason given for his disposition was his horrible tale, which could very easily be discounted as a lie for self-preservation by someone who'd witnessed his actions from her perspective.
I get that you understand her portrayal here in a different view - that's a very good thing! - and honestly, I'm glad of your criticism, it gives me reason to reason, so to speak. A purpose to further develop the various personalities and perspectives in the way that proves powerful, to have the most impact. So yes, you're absolutely entitled to your interpretation, and I'm glad you spoke up! I apologize if I came off as rude earlier, that was not my intention.
Thank you!
6702236
We don't know what Luna's life was like.... And where does it say that Luna hasn't spilled blood before turning into Nightmare Moon? Equestria and was forming, insurrections from Racial Supremacy Radicals among the three tribes, Fairies, interdenominational gods, witches & warlocks, and abominations created by said witches and warlocks for their own twisted gain?
Sorry, but the way I see it Equestria wasn't always the land of sunshine and rainbows. It took centuries for Celestia and at the beginning Celestia & Luna to help create the place of Harmony we know today. It must have taken sacrifice and strife. The war with Nightmare Moon must have been the last in a series of conflicts that occurred in forging and stabilizing the young nation, and Luna always seemed to me like the kind to have been a General that rides at the head of her army, or a steadfast Admiral. Killing must have been something she must have had to do plenty back in the Bad Old Days.
Remove
Kind, kindred doesn't really fit here
Had this favorited since it came out and now that it's got some words to it I'm going to get with it, fantastic so far
6887132 Thanks for the help, and thanks for taking interest!
"I'm really really sorry this came out late! School projects wrecked my sleep schedule, I'm still trying to recover!"
I know how you feel bro, I've switched between diferent meds to try to get a good nights sleep.......