The loneliness roused Dan to consciousness. He flailed around, finding lack of direction and gravity. He was floating among a silent sea of black, one that befell his life and replaced it with nothing. There was nothing, he was nothing.

There was only the Void.

Fear and anxiety were gone, in their places was only darkness. He tried to crawl, his hands slipping along the bends of ink. He tried to walk, his toes slipping against the tar. He tried to breathe, finding his lungs compressed by the shadows.

Thought and ideas were replaced by survival and hunger. He was hungry, hunger was him. He floated along, his stomach reminding him of something, of nothing. It came to him then, the feeling of being insignificant. The feeling of being trapped by nothing more than a never ending tide. Wave after wave, the swelling waters pushed him deeper and deeper.

He was suffocating, it was suffocating. The darkness laughed at him. He was alone, in pain, hungry… and it laughed at him. This was penance, he understood. For George, for Bob, for the lone man in the forest, and for Sully.

He was happy they were dead.

No! That wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true. He was just confused. He was just surviving. Their deaths were their own fault, right? They were weak, right? They were unsavable, right?

There were no tears in the Void, no pain or fear, no anxiety or forgiveness. There only was Dan, there was only survival. Honestly, it reminded him of the caves beyond the red double doors leading down. There, Dan may have felt emotions and real thought, but there was also survival. Only survival. The small things did not matter in the cave, much like they did not matter in the Void.

There was only Dan, and he alone would survive.

He laughed at the thought, a strange feeling overcoming him. What was it? it was so near to him. Was it joy? When was the last time he felt joy? Was it excitement? Was it… the madness?

What was the madness? Why was it stronger further into the caves? Why had it bent Dan’s reality around him so tightly, he didn’t know what was real or fake? Did it think it was funny? Did it want to see him in pain? Did it want his mind to break?

Dan laughed again, the same feeling ripping through his body. He didn’t know the reason for the madness, but he did know that he beat it. Or, at least, he beat it enough. He had survived, he had grown in power. It wasn’t much power, but he had cultivated it for survival. He had seen the guiding light of his core, he had adopted the change through his body and life.

Something bent at the reminder. His thoughts cleared up, his mind reorienting. He was alone, but also not. There were things in the Void. Powerful things that could shear his soul in two, rupturing his life into something else, something new.

But that had already happened once, right?

He put his mind back together before, right? What was once more? He had time in the Void, at least until a monster found him.

This time his laughter was stunted. The same feeling washed over his body. It was cold and dry, like the darkness he soaked in. It was fear, he remembered. It was, it was… loneliness. He didn’t want to go back to the camp or mine. He wanted to go back to Earth, he wanted to be woken up on the weekend for some emergency on the rig. He wanted to drink hot coffee and visit an overworked doctor. He wanted to roll his windows down on the highway and blast the radio.

He wanted to see his friends and family.

That was the worst part about the Void, he realized. The Void was everywhere, not just in the Void. His life had turned into nothingness, his reality had been nullified and forgotten. There was still emotion in these lands, but they didn’t matter.

Those who would die without emotions were weak. Those who would break were set up for failure. The loneliness trumped all, smothering everything and anything. If one could adapt, and not be swallowed by the monsters, they would become something new, something powerful.

But again, those were superficial. Remembrance of a past familiarity. Feelings of comfort, nothing more than a hasty grip of what once was. Those who reached into the past might survive for a while, but eventually they would break.

Much like Dan.

He knew he would break. It would be soon. The loneliness, the lack of anything, was too great a punishment.

So he got to work.

His mind mimicked sand, grains so small and so bountiful they revealed the stars in the night sky. The thought made him smirk. There were only three stars in the forever dark sky of whatever hellish world he woke up on.

Three stars, each millions of miles away, each burning with the power of leading the lost. Dan was lost, right? There were no stars in the Void, however, which put him at a loss. He shoved away the thought, focusing on a more important task.

What was the best way to put grains of sand back together? The obvious answer was time and pressure. Sandstone became his goal, his mantra, his lifeline. He squeezed his mind, moving pieces that didn’t fit into new spots, new formations. Slowly things came together. Not like before, never again would it be like before.

But that didn’t mean it had to be worse.

Time didn’t exist in the Void, there was only birth and death. How would a primordial being born before the existence of the universe classify its age? The easiest answer was that it wouldn’t. Time would mean nothing to the being, which in turn meant nothing to Dan.

It may have taken Dan seconds to recreate his mind, it may have taken centuries. Regardless, he did it, although he took much more time than he needed. There was a moment, a single breath that led into a single lone thought.

He could remove and add things.

Was pain necessary for life? What about fear? Did he need either of those things? Surely his life would be easier without them, right? Did he need hair? Did he need fingers? Could he make use of a tail? What about gills? Why stop there, why not add mile long tentacles that hid in the folds of reality?

If he decided to stay in the Void and try to become powerful like the prophet monster or its overlord, then maybe. Maybe a gland that could sense a heartbeat from a few solar systems away would be helpful. But that wasn’t Dan, and he wasn’t planning to stay longer than necessary. He was getting back to Earth, one way or another.

And he didn’t want to scare anyone with his appearance or emotional shift. Not like the people in the camp and mines. He didn’t want his neighbors to be afraid of getting their mail, worried they might see him. He didn’t want to ruin family dinners by causing his sister to puke. He didn’t want to be captured by the military and experimented on.

So he kept everything the way it should be, knowing that he would thank himself later.

Fixing his core was much easier than he originally thought it would be. In fact, Dan didn’t have to do anything. His core was arguably the part of him that was the most well off, pristine even. With his mind fixed, he could understand what it was telling him. Words and values came to his mind, a representation of who he was becoming.

Light: Salvation 88.93

Light: Control 87.51

Light: Aspect 91.72

Light: War 61.64

Light: Brilliance 35.12

Before the battle against the high priest, Dan was nearing the cusp of evolution for his three most used magics. Seeing the numbers so close put a sour taste in his mouth. If he was just a bit faster, just a bit more talented, then maybe he might have been more useful. Instead of cutting off the high priest’s arms, maybe he could have cleaved him in half.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

He didn’t want to go back as powerless as he was before the fight. He especially didn’t want to go back and simply lose to the high priest again. A thought came to him, one that was oddly hopeful. He was in the Void, what better place to test out the full extent of his magic?

In the dead field of the camp, Sully had always expressly forbid him from making constructs larger than he was tall. The reason was sound enough for Dan, in that the cultists may grow weary of his power. Why would they allow a possible threat to grow uninhibited when sealing the threat’s core was a possibility?

Dan activated his core, filtering power through it like a motor injecting fuel. Light bloomed to life in a grand song of muted warmth and prosperity… or, it would have, if not for the darkness of the Void.

He could feel his magic, it was there, he just couldn’t see it. Vaguely, he could feel its effects, like the heat from a lamp on the other side of the room. When he focused on his magic, he could visualize and remember its presence. He could… he could… use the Void’s darkness to improve.

Magic was all about imagination. What better way to create images of what he wanted to be virtually blind? The idea filled him with confidence and greed. How much time would he waste adjusting his magic to the levels he wanted? How much time could he afford?

That thought sobered Dan, forcing himself to impose a hard limit. He would practice until everything evolved, or until he was forced to remove himself from the Void. Whichever came first, monster, magic, or madness.

Dan smiled to himself and got to work.

His new mind helped in this regard, visualizing and implementing his thoughts faster and clearer than before. He went through scenario after scenario, guiding his magic along invisible lines of perfect practice. Every swing of a light spear, every flock of golden birds, he focused on his one goal.

Why did he always create flying things with Light: Brilliance? Was his subconscious trying to tell him something? Sully had told him that his mind and heart needed to be one with each other to grow and evolve properly. Was his heart trying to nudge his mind in the right way?

What was special about flying birds or insects? Butterflies, ravens, soaring wings of golden feathers? They were beautiful, that much was a given. They promoted freedom and creativity. The idea of escape and reaching new heights. Dan fell into the idea, visualizing his magic with a different eye. Instead of pushing his magic out the way he wanted, he let his instincts take hold.

Wings, he grew wings of golden light.

They formed for only a brief moment. A single drop against an ocean of required power. His core reverberated in shock, the image taking his reserves and then some. Dan, however, didn’t mind his aching head or sputtering chest. He had seen what he wanted, and he would push for it again and again.

Light: Salvation was first to evolve.

Dan felt it in his chest first. Bubbles and vines pulsed from near his heart and out to the rest of his body. His veins were the carriers, pumping newfound power and life to his muscles and skin. His nerves shook in shaking glee as his organs hardened like iron. He grew in strength and speed, pushing his reflexes to new limits.

Then the real evolution came to him.

Light: Salvation -> Deliverance 0.0

Dan scrambled for the description.

Create freeing light.

He took a deep breath, agreeing with the change. He wanted to be free, he wanted to fly. Daydreaming was for later, however. He got back to work, feeling the change in his magic instantly. There was no hesitance, no question of whether his core could handle it.

It simply came into existence, emanating a glow unlike before. He still couldn’t see it, but it felt alive to him. His magic had a slight mind of its own, like it was always ready to break loose. And he let it.

Light: Deliverance slotted together with Brilliance filled his mind eye, growing like a pent up spring. Feathers sprouted along a single spec, cascading through the Void until a construct of pure golden light formed. It encircled him, flying around with the freedom he desperately wanted.

With a single flicker of his mind, the bird dive bombed. Without ground in the Void, Dan had to manually detonate it, but the effects were nothing short of what he imagined. Even through the desolate dark material, he could actually feel the explosion. It was only for a brief moment, the swells of the Void overtaking the warmth like water to fire.

A pulse rang through Dan’s body again, Light: War breaching the threshold. This time the effect was much more abrupt and somewhat disappointing. He could still feel his body improve and change, but it was nothing like the first time. Still, he couldn’t complain, happy with staying human rather than evolving into something monstrous.

Light: War -> Strife 0.0

Again, Dan felt for a description.

Always struggle, never relent.

He felt at peace with the change, happy to be rewarded for his troubles. Whether it be in the caves, camp, or the Void, he struggled and fought for survival.

And right now, he needed to survive more than ever. He pushed until his core was depleted over and over again. Each cast of a spell, each pulse of magic, was slightly better than the last. His magic grew with him as he grew with it. Finally, after what felt like months, Dan felt his body change three more times.

Light: Control -> Manipulate 0.0

Light: Aspect -> Preservation 0.0

Light: Brilliance -> Intensity 0.0

Reading through the description of each, Dan was more than content. His hard work proved worthwhile in his eyes.

Manipulate light.

Halt and replenish.

Glow with intensity to rival the sun.

A sudden burst of light filled Dan’s eyes. He cowered away at first, his eyes accustomed to the pure black of the Void. Large drops of clear liquid fell from his eyes, his body stunned from the sudden stimulation. It took hours before he could look at his own work.

It was breathtaking, like a star against the blackness of space.

A low rumble sent Dan spiraling at that moment. He had been hiding in the cover of the Void’s own darkness, his magic being snuffed out before anything could. But now that he could see it, that meant others could as well.

Things changed in an instant. Eyes started appearing all around Dan, each watching him like they were tracking a fly. He moved, running against the endless Void. A presence formed around his torso, thick shadows made of grit and sawdust.

Dan didn’t chance it, sending a beam of light from his fingertips. His magic shone stark against the darkness, ripping into the monster without recourse. It screeched, curdling the blood within his veins. He went stiff, falling over and bending across reality.

The scream ended with a probing eye. It hovered just past his vision, watching for retaliation. Dan forced his neck to twist, fighting against a current of blocked blood. In a single thought, a bird of gold formed and removed the eye from existence. Shadows dissipated like flipping a light switch as the bird flew, rending part of the monster into pieces.

The commotion sent a wave through the Void. Distantly, Dan could hear the death calls of hundreds of predators, all converging towards him. He felt the effects as well, fear gripped him and propelled him forward.

His blood was still stuck, he was still stuck. His limbs didn’t listen, his muscles were brutalized. Healing magic was his first choice but as his light found nothing wrong with him, he started to panic. Dan had healed plenty of people to the point his magic didn’t take. They were always fully rested at that point, like their bodies were perfect and prime.

It was magic, he realized. Blood magic coursed through his veins and arteries, stopping his movement like being frozen solid. Dan pushed, forcing his body to turn and his blood to thaw. His core circulated with the warmth of light, aiding his cause.

Sweat formed and his breathing heightened as his struggles led to cold skin and a dying heart. He counted his heartbeat as he worked, sending his mind into a loop of counting. He latched on to the numbers, urging them to increase faster and faster. He wanted them to speed up, no, he needed them to.

An idea came to him, one bloody and repulsive. It was everything he hated about the world since the blood beast took over Lambert. Dan remembered the monster that inhabited his manager and friend. He could picture the gruesome way the beast fought, using blood as a tool rather than a resource of life.

He could do the same, right? It was only magic, right?

Dan answered yes to both with a thrust. His brain slinged back into place, the force his core exerting finally snapping the Void monster’s hold. The being shrieked again, this time finding no purchase against Dan’s bleeding body.

The eyes reappeared at that point. They flocked to him like a murder of crows, each battling him with the force of a wrecking ball. Dan kept his light near him, like a thin suit made of golden threads. Each time an eye broke a bone, the light was there to set and dress it. His mind went back to the image of Sully regrowing his lower half in less time than it took to blink. That was true healing, and Dan sought to mimic it.

Hours passed as the eyes continued to plague him. His core had grown large enough that he didn’t have to stop to replenish, not for these mundane physical attacks. He didn’t need to focus on himself, giving him time to find a method for dealing with the monster.

Light erases shadows, his thoughts solidifying what he wanted to create.

A star the size of a desk exploded into life. Dan pushed Light: Intensity and Strife into the magic, fueling the counter act with enough hatred and anger as he could muster. The Void sheared apart, trying to escape its mirror image and illuminating the monster’s true form. He didn’t get a great view of the being, his sphere of light too bright to make out anything other than dying shadows.

Dan was fine with that, however, its dying screams enough to soothe his worries that it was still alive.

A small ripple started along the darkness as an ear shattering sizzle made Dan’s ears bleed. He heard familiar mutterings in that moment, each syllable and word compounding with each voice and blasting away his light like a dandelion against a gale.

A hole appeared, bringing new colors other than black and gold to the Void. Dan saw red and stone grey.

A hairy malformed inhuman arm reached through the small tear, gripping Dan’s cowering frame. He tried to recreate his suit of light in time, falling short by mere heartbeats. An open palm pounded once on his chest, followed by six tendrils of familiar black void magic. They pierced into his skin, wrapping around his core before giving a mighty squeeze.

All of his progress was lost in that sickly moment. Everything was bound tightly, locked beyond a wall of pristine dark magic.

Well, all except for Dan’s newest aspect of magic. That was overlooked, the high priest not knowing it was there.

Dan was yanked through the hole, the slave camp coming back into focus. The high priest stood over his shaking body, a sadistic smile along his lips.

“Welcome back. Didn’t expect you to live,” he said.