KiAera stirred, her eyelids heavy as the disorienting sway beneath her body brought her to consciousness. Her fur felt the cool, smooth surface she lay upon, and a faint smell of saltwater drifted into her nostrils. Slowly blinking her eyes open, she found herself atop an island-like expanse, surrounded by what appeared to be the endless blue of an ocean.
The rough texture of the island-like surface beneath her was something she hadn't expected. Wait. She hadn't fallen asleep on land. No, she'd been chased, hunted—and snatched. Why was she here?
She sat up quickly, her pulse quickening as flashes of her narrow escape came flooding back.
Rina. Holy shit! Rina hadn't just been angry; she'd wanted to consume her. There was no mistaking that hunger. If she hadn't been snatched, she'd been a snack!
Dizzy, she felt dizzy, the KiAera internally fought against the queasiness but the Merekit? Oh, no, that prey mentally wanted her to succumb. EEK!
KiAera's ears twitched and she rubbed her arms. Her legs ached and exhaustion started to settle into her bones. It wasn't just Rina—there was Dariel too. For a moment, she'd thought they could work together. But he was passive, hesitant. He'd done nothing when Rina’s bloodlust flared. Had he been afraid of her too, or was he simply indifferent? KiAera had no idea, and the uncertainty gnawed at her.
Then there was this world itself—Zeldritzon. She had to survive, but how could she, in a place where even the so-called allies turned on each other?
She clenched her fists. Surviving the apocalypse on Earth had been hard enough. At least there, she understood the rules. Here, the rules kept shifting.
Suddenly her body rolled as her awareness sharpened. Immediately she realized this was no ordinary island—something about it moved with a deliberate, steady rhythm. She pushed herself up against the swaying platform. Then, she gasped.
The "island" she stood on was the back of a massive sea-turtle. Its colossal, weathered shell, resembling a small landmass, stretched out beneath her, covered in strange vegetation and pools of water. Waves lapped gently against its edges, while the turtle's long, strong limbs propelled them through the sea in slow but powerful strokes.
Before she could fully comprehend where she was or how she had ended up here, a familiar sight caught her attention—a floating book. GamaGen hovered before her, its raven symbol glowing faintly. It seemed agitated, or perhaps relieved, as it muttered something under its breath.
⎾"Good grief! Finally, that primordial prod is gone! In fact, I'm glad it is. She was causing me severe conscious pangs."⏌
KiAera blinked at the book, unsure how to respond at first. She wagered the creature it referred to was likely Rina. But hey, on the back of a moving island turtle, everything felt... surreal.
"GamaGen?" she whispered cautiously.
The book's symbol gleamed dully, and the telepathic connection sparked to life once again.
⎾"Ah, greetings. Indeed, I am recognized as GamaGen,"⏌ the book replied with a tilt. ⎾"KiAera, if I am not mistaken? You are an anomaly to this world. Nay, to this dimension. Human, hm? You may indeed prove to be quite worthwhile."⏌
KiAera narrowed her eyes, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "An anomaly, huh?" She sat cross-legged on the turtle's shell, staring at the waves beyond them. "I guess that's not the weirdest thing I've heard today."
GamaGen hovered closer, its pages fluttering slightly in the wind. ⎾"Zeldritzon operates on rules alien to your understanding. You, as a human from a realm devoid of magic, have been thrust into a realm that defies reason and logic. Your survival... is remarkable."⏌
"Is that a compliment?" she muttered.
⎾"It is an observation! DeNultra chose you for a reason, though its reasons are often unfathomable."⏌
"[Redacted]..." KiAera"s voice trailed off as she felt a flicker of memory—a flashback to the moment she had first encountered DeNultra.
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"NO! It's innocent—"
KiAera's breath hitched, her chest heaving as her lungs desperately filled with air. Panic flickered at the edges of her mind, but she forced it down, blinking hard against the disorienting haze clouding her senses. She couldn't recall falling asleep, yet here she was—awake and aware, though something felt profoundly off, like shed been thrust into an unknown chapter of her own story.
The cool air brushed against her skin, carrying with it the faint scent of old paper and something else—something ancient and watchful. She shivered, her hand instinctively tugging at the strange, thin purple gown draped over her.
"What the hell?" Her voice barely carried as her fingers fumbled at the fabric. "Where's my gear? Who changed me out of my clothes?" Her head pulsed with the need for answers, but her surroundings provided only more confusion.
A distant hum echoed around her, weaving with the sound of softly rustling pages. She blinked again, trying to clear her vision, trying to make sense of the room—if you could even call it that. Books floated lazily in the air, and beyond them, stars shimmered in the distance, tiny celestial bodies suspended in an endless expanse.
It didn't feel real. And yet, it was far too vivid to be a dream.
"Hello?" KiAera’s voice came out smaller than she intended, uncertainty biting at her throat.
"Well, hello there," a voice responded, deep and resonant, cutting through the eerie calm.
KiAera jumped, heart pounding, and spun around to face the source. Her breath caught in her chest as her eyes fell on the figure—luminous, towering, a being wreathed in light and flame. It sat on a throne far too immense for her mortal understanding, and yet she felt the weight of its gaze settle on her like a physical thing.
Her mouth went dry. This was no dream.
"Woah," she breathed, eyes wide. "You're a... uh, wow. Impressive."
She reached for her weapons, instinctively seeking the comfort of steel and firepower. But her hands found nothing—no sword, no rifle, not even a dagger. Panic bloomed in her chest.
Where were they? Where were her weapons? She never went anywhere without them. "I had them before. I know I did," she muttered, fingers curling into fists as her memory slipped just out of reach. "What am I doing here?"
The being shifted, its head—if you could call the shimmering flames that—tilting ever so slightly. Its voice was calm, indifferent. "You are here because you died."
The words slammed into her like a tidal wave. Dead? No. That couldn't be right. She was breathing, standing here, alive. Her heart hammered in her chest, her pulse steady beneath her skin. She smacked a hand against her ribs as if trying to prove something to herself. "That's impossible. I'm alive."
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The creature's fiery halo crackled, a smug, distant amusement lacing its response. "Not dead. Erased."
Erased. The word lingered in the air, its weight unfamiliar, uncomfortable. KiAera's mind scrambled to understand, but a sharp pain splintered through her thoughts. She gasped, clutching at her head as everything tilted. No. No, she wasn't gone. She couldn’t be. It wasn't possible.
And yet... it felt like something had been torn from her, some fundamental piece of reality that grounded her.
The creature—Abeion, it called itself—sighed, its fiery gaze never leaving her. "Oh, and you owe me a favor."
"What?" KiAera forced the word through gritted teeth, still reeling, barely able to process one sentence before another was thrown at her. "A favor? For what?"
"For bringing you back." Abeion leaned forward, flames flaring slightly. "You wouldn’t be standing here without me."
KiAera swallowed, the knot of confusion and frustration tightening in her chest. Before she could respond, a new voice cut through the tension.
"Back from the dead, huh? That's cute."
KiAera's head snapped toward the sound, and her stomach lurched at the sight. Floating behind her, an angelic figure—small, almost delicate in comparison to Abeion—hovered with wings that shimmered between black and white. Her eyes were sharp, dark, too knowing. And that smile...
KiAera's gut churned as some deep, primal instinct screamed at her to stay away.
The newcomer's voice dripped with amusement as she tilted her head, looking between KiAera and Abeion. "He didn’t do it for free, you know."
KiAera felt her pulse quicken, dread tightening her throat. "Who are you?"
The winged figure's grin widened, predatory and cold. "I'm DeNultra. And unlike that pompous lightshow, I'm here to help you."
Help. The word sounded like a mockery coming from her lips, and KiAera felt her muscles tense, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. DeNultra's gaze was too intense, too focused, as though she were sizing KiAera up—measuring her for some unseen purpose.
Abeion's flames flickered, and he let out a low snort. "Help her? You? Deceiver."
KiAera watched the exchange, their words bristling with ancient weight and something darker. She was caught in a storm between two powers that seemed to have their own designs on her.
But why?
Her gown fluttered lightly, and she glanced down, noticing the fabric tearing, as if dissolving under the strain of being too close to these entities.
DeNultra gave a small, satisfied nod. "We don't have much time, mortal. You've been given a second chance, but that fragile human body of yours won't last. We need to make... adjustments."
KiAera's pulse raced. Adjustments? To her? Not again…
Her skin prickled as DeNultra's smile sharpened. "We need to transform you into something that can survive in the worlds to come."
The angelic woman's eyes sparkled with a plan. "Indeed, let us make her a Zeozon."
Abeion hummed. "Why does it matter if she becomes a Zeozon?"
"Consider how she may stand out in a world teeming with monsters," the angelic woman pointed. "Do you want her to be targeted, or blend in and thrive?" DeNultra grinned. "You, above all, should understand the importance of that."
After a moment of contemplation, Abeion nodded, and KiAera couldn't shake the feeling that DeNultra had struck a chord with him. "Tell us, do you prefer rabbits or kittens? Which do you fancy?"
Abeion's fiery gaze locked onto hers, unwavering. "Do you prefer rabbits or kittens?"
The question struck her like a physical blow—out of place, nonsensical. Rabbits? Kittens? What did any of that matter? But the weight of their eyes on her, waiting, demanded an answer.
"Kittens," she whispered, her voice barely her own. "I like kittens."
Abeion's flames flared, a strange satisfaction in his tone. "Good. Then it begins."
And with that, the world around her spun violently, her body shifting, shrinking, warping under their impossible power.
In her panic, she failed to hear her own squeaky scream or register the flailing of her smaller limbs as she desperately clung to her surroundings, watching as everything around her fading into oblivion.
Just as suddenly as the chaos had begun, the wind died down, leaving her sprawled on the unfamiliar terrain of a strange, otherworldly realm of loud reds and blues.
The eerie silence that surrounded her sent shivers down her spine, intensifying her disorientation.
But as she listened and struggled to regain her bearings, her ears were attuned to the chilling chorus of a thousand monsters: "Welcome to Zeldritzon, mortal."
໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི୧૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა૮꒰⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝꒱ა
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She had been dragged into this world, her human body discarded, and in its place, this Merekit form had emerged. And the book—GamaGen—had been there, a strange gift from DeNultra.
She clenched her fists. "Why did she do this?"
⎾"That, I do not know, only time will reveal."⏌
KiAera looked out across the ocean again, the vastness making her feel both free and small at the same time. "I don't want to be anyone's pawn. I've had enough of that."
⎾"Understandable. But here in Zeldritzon, power speaks. And the crystals you encountered—they are the fuel that sustains this world. You must decide how to wield that power, or it will be wielded against you."⏌
KiAera's thoughts returned to the strange light-blue crystals Dariel had introduced her to. The food of the dimension, they had called them. Dariel had explained their value, each crystal providing a unit of energy. But Rina had stopped her from consuming one.
"I was just trying to survive," KiAera muttered under her breath. "And she... she nearly killed me for it."
⎾"Ah yes, the Yitxune."⏌ GamaGen hovered closer, its voice lowering. ⎾"It would seem you've already had a taste of what it means to survive in this world. Beware, KiAera. Zeldritzon's monsters hunger for more than just crystals."⏌
A shiver ran down KiAera's spine as she remembered Rina's piercing gaze and the intensity of her rage. "I won't make that mistake again."
But before she could reflect further, the giant sea-turtle beneath them shifted slightly, causing the island on its back to sway. KiAera instinctively steadied herself, her mind spinning with more questions than answers.
"What now?" she asked.
The book, however, seemed to sense her uncertainty. ⎾"Now, we plan. You cannot run forever, KiAera. Not from this world, nor from what it demands of you."⏌
"Plan? Toward what?" KiAera stared out at the horizon.
She stood on the swaying back of the massive sea turtle, her thoughts spun with GamaGen's words. Demand this. Demand that. She did not ask for this! Her eyes traced the endless purple horizon, the waves hypnotic in their alien hue. But something on the distant edge of that purple sea broke the monotony, drawing her gaze.
Crimson.
Far in the distance, a patch of land stood out—a vast grassland, glowing like blood against the backdrop of the surreal ocean. The crimson expanse seemed to beckon her, a strange allure tugging at her curiosity, though it also filled her with unease.
Suddenly, the tranquil surface of the water nearby erupted with a violent surge. KiAera's heart leaped into her throat as a monstrous serpent burst from the sea, its scaled body towering into the sky. The creature was massive, coiling and twisting through the air, its gleaming black and silver scales reflecting the purple sea like jagged shards of glass. Its head was crowned with crescent-shaped horns, and its eyes, glowing red with malice, locked onto the turtle—onto her. Why?
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Creature: CresSerpentede
APeX: [??? ??? ??? ??? Units]
Attributes: [Aqua] [???] [???]
Variant Grade: [Crescent] (C)
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
A shudder of raw power rippled through the air. KiAera could feel the weight of the serpent's presence, a pressure that seemed to squeeze the air from her lungs. Its size, its power—this was a [Crescent]-staged monster, far beyond anything she had encountered before. Its power level felt absurd, overwhelming, as if just being in its presence could crush her.
The sea turtle, however, remained calm, its movements slow and deliberate even in the face of such a threat. KiAera's panic began to rise—there was no way they could escape such a creature. Not like this.
But then, to her shock, the turtle began to glow. A shimmering forcefield materialized around them, a protective dome of energy that pulsed with soft, radiant light. The serpent screeched, lunging toward them with terrifying speed, but the moment it collided with the forcefield, it was repelled with a sharp crackle of energy, sending it reeling backward into the water with a thunderous splash.
The turtle, undeterred by the monster’s assault, began to move faster, its massive limbs propelling it toward the crimson grasslands. The water around them parted as if responding to the turtle's will, and the island-shell surged forward with surprising speed.
Then, in a deep, resonant voice that seemed to vibrate through her very bones, the turtle spoke.
⎾"Passenger."⏌
KiAera froze, stunned by the sound, her eyes widening. It was GamaGen's mental translation that made it clear to her mind.
⎾"You are my passenger."⏌
KiAera swallowed, her mind spinning. She'd expected monsters, fights, survival—but this? Being recognized by a creature this ancient and powerful? That was new.
Before she could respond, the turtle continued.
⎾"You seek the Crimson Fields. I will deliver you."⏌
KiAera stared out at the blood-red expanse in the distance, her heart pounding. Whatever was waiting for her there, she wasn’t ready. But ready or not, she was heading straight for it.