“Fatless child, it seems we meet again, though quite a bit of time has passed it wasn’t nearly enough for you to find your way back here naturally.”
“Who are you and why are you so familiar?” Kyrion looked about only to see water and emptiness in the dark world as he floated down a stream.
“The afterlife lives on another scale of time, and to you, I am an old friend.”
“If you were my friend then I’d know your name. I don’t forget my friend’s names.”
“Liar. Never mind that you wouldn’t have recalled our meeting anyways. Your soul wasn’t capable of retaining memories at that time. Just making them. So what did you think of life?”
“It was beautiful.” Kyrion looked up and saw a blood-red sky with dark clouds. His body mostly had no color, as though he were just an outline of his former self. His red hair was the only thing remaining, as his body appeared translucent green.
“And I’m glad that it will carry on while I’m here. Although I don’t intend to stay this time. I gots plans.”
“I’m sure you do, I have my own as well. I’m sure we’ll speak in person eventually.”
The voice faded, and in front of Kyrion appeared a serpent with a long body that arched into the clouds before landing lazily on the ocean like a long and bent noodle. Its expression was contemplative as it looked Kyrion in the eye with orbs bigger than most houses.
“What is this place anyways? My third time down here and I never asked.” Kyrion changed the subject.
“Some call it the great river Styx, others may call it the abyss, a few travelers have thought this place was Hell. This is where creatures go to wait as their other incarnations try to reach the world above. Should one reach the end of their incarnations then they will find themselves back in the cycle of death and rebirth as their soul is combined, cleansed, split and set back into the cycles. That is the way the lower worlds work.”
“Is that so?” Kyrion moved to scratch his chin, only for his hand to pass through it and connect with something hot in his neck that caused him to shudder.
“It is. Now why have you come again if you are not truly dead?”
“I’ve come to regain something I lost. As well as find my way back to my body. So far it seems I’ve already met a friend.”
“So you infiltrate the afterlife and intend to leave with more than you started?”
“Pretty much I could take you with me. All of you.”
“You intend to take the entire abyss into yourself? That’s insane. Are you insane?”
“Yes. Also you seem bored, and this place is mostly empty. What do you have to lose?”
“A cushy job doing nothing and making sure the dead follow the rules. What more can an ancient evil want?”
“To live again. Being stuck here must be boring.”
“Kid, you don’t know what I’ve done. You don’t know what I am. More than anything. How do you plan on even releasing me? You’re a weak mortal with power but no knowledge of how to use it properly.”
“I’ll figure something out. I got this trinket afterall.” Kyrion tapped the side of his temple.
“What is that?”
“Supposedly. It was a gift from my grandfather. And he inherited it from his father, who in turn had received it from his father and all that jazz.”
“Jazz? Has your world progressed that far?”
Kyrion shrugged. “This place is empty but it isn’t the abyss. This is the place where incomplete souls are held. Isn’t that right? A sort of purgatory if anything. A place for souls that can’t pass on or aren’t supposed to pass on yet.”
‘
“What tipped you off?”
“You did, twice, one when souls haven’t fully fused with its other shards, the other when you say I was here before I could form memories. Did you mean that I was here when I was a newborn? Or before that? As in during a different time loop.”
“You would be correct with both statements in some ways and wrong in other ways. Now what makes you think the eye is a key.”
“Eyeless are able to gain power from not having eyes. Armless gain something similar due to bindings or a lack of arms. Mana around them works to replace what is lost. Some have called me fateless. I don’t have a fate so I have willed one into existence through my own force of will.”
“You’re smarter than you seem. Yes, you are a fateless, one who wasn’t meant to live, and yet by some freak conditions, I received an order to bring you back to your body 16 and a half years ago. Your world’s years mind you, ignoring all the other time loops and repetition that went on without you being linked to a rewind spell. Many who gain that trait become heroes and such. Embraced by mana and gifted with limitless potential for growth. Thing is, you shouldn’t be a Fatless, care to tell me how you broke the great system?”
“So I’m a unique figure.”
“Unique? You’re a monster among monsters. A dragon among ants. And yet you cherish other people’s lives above all else. You are an enigma to me. All I’ve ever done was eat and eat some more until I became nothing but a beast bound by gluttony.”
“Why bring up dragons?” Kyrion scowled. He didn’t like people knowing how much power he kept contained.
“You have absorbed the potential of at least 10 dragons, which brings you up from the Siegfried tier to Typhon. On top of that, you have enough mana to make most experts, no matter the system, feel impotent, not that you can use it here. The Arbiters that observe you sweat hoping that you don’t lose to the other. Finally, you are definitely one of my bloodline, another descendant of, That Which Consumes. I have had many descendants as that’s how time works. And yet you have awakened that ancient bloodline due to the high concentration of foreign mana you were born with. All that really means is that you have a higher than normal desire to eat, and may grow stronger faster. You have all that and on top of that, you have the potential of one with no fate.”
“When you say it like that. I’m quite weak.”
“Are you weak? Or are your enemies older and stronger?”
“Didn’t you say I was too weak to take you with me?”
“Moving this plane into your domain is currently above your station. You are not in the deity realm of power. Not yet anyways.”
“Guess that was a little too ambitious. How about letting me take some people back with me then? As a proof of concept.”
“Anyone specific?”
“My uncle on my mother’s side if you have him. I know his soul is here. Although I don’t know why. He isn’t dead but he isn’t in control of his body. I also get the feeling that we’ve met here.”
“What about on your fathers side? You could ask about your grandfather, grandmother, aunt, and uncle. They’re in the pool as well.”
“What’s a grandmother?” Kyrion tilted his head to the side as he pondered. His father never talked about his family before meeting his mother. He hadn’t known they had died. He wasn’t on a quest to save them, so he no longer cared.
“You have to be messing with me.”
“Who knows? If you can send them back with me then that’d be convenient. But I’m only particular about my uncle.”
“And if he’s already passed on?”
“Then that’s it. I intended to resurrect him sometime in the future and having the proper soul for that spell would have been great. If I can’t do it then I’ll be forced to kill someone who used to be family.”
“I can give you access to his soul for that ability. But you must swear to take 100 souls of my choosing with you.”
“A hundred demons and one demon lord to rule them all?”
“Well, most are a different species. But demons would be wrong.”
Kyrion squinted. “One demon lord and 100 what then?”
“Some may call them angels, others demigods, they will only take up space in your domain after you return. They won’t make you stronger but you will have an army at your disposal should you need it.”
“I’m going to need this army. Aren’t I?” Kyrion realized this.
“I mean, your foes consort with demons, what else would you fight them with?”
“So who is Psycho?”
“Ah. You mean the one known as Cyrion.”
“Is that his real name? If so, it’s too similar to my own.”
“Is it now? I wonder where you got psycho?”
“I know crazy and obsessed when I see it. Psycho is obsessed with blood and vengeance, leading him down to crazy. Nicole is obsessed with me and is quite close to reaching that same realm of madness.” Kyrion let out a deep breath.
“Are you so sane? Why bring up someone not related.”
“Hell If I know.” Kyrion lied; he had to get that off his chest. Like he hadn’t noticed her digging through the trash for his hair. Now, while said hair could be used for crafting, he knew it wouldn’t be used for that, and it was now that he’d burn any hair he cut.
The serpent cleared his throat. “Getting back to your body this time won’t be simple. And the delay from any changes to your soul could make the transfer take much longer.”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“I see. What must I do?”
“You are essentially stealing souls from this plane. So I can’t escort you out directly. You’ll need to either scale Mount Telastaris to reach your world or gain access to a diety. Then you must walk through the sea of minds until you find yours. Finally, you must reconnect with the one in command of your body and get them to cede control.”
“That sounds simple. Which means my route won’t be so simple.” Kyrion sighed.
“That sounds about right. You must avoid the birds with spherical heads and a glowing red orb for an eye. As you are now, should they zap you two times then you’ll be sent right back here. Though you should at least get past something like that. Your soul isn’t strong enough to fight them head on without the help of a priestess.”
Kyrion looked up and sighed. “Those are some evil birds. How do I take the others with me?”
“You could always eat them.”
“No.” Kyrion fell at his side and scowled as he thought of a sack at his hip. Well, a spatial bag he had used mainly as a distraction. During the great Gremlin genocide of 6 years ago, he had picked up quite a few of these bags. Some were sold, others kept for special occasions. One was soul-bound for those rare cases in which he couldn’t access his domain. Yet, as he dug through his bags, he discovered that he did have some access to his dungeon. The world in it, however, was in some sort of reverse, as though time inside was trying to rewind. Kyrion then moved from his domain to his dungeon and saw that Gamodren was playing on slot machines while Volain was eating his emergency food stores.
“How rude,” Kyrion said into the bag, reaching his arm in and pulling the other two young men from his bag, much to their and his own surprise. Only their bodies stayed behind while something else was pulled out of them.
Volain appeared with no hair, just a dull green body that was mostly mists, the only thing standing out was a tattoo that seemed to hold his body. It encompassed most of the mist.
Gamodren briefly had a prismatic body that soon faded to a dull green like everyone else, as his hair appeared to be black here. His form was slightly more defined and visible, and Kyrion knew that his teacher was much more durable than him.
“Who the hell are you?” Volain said after getting his bearings, his fist following half a second behind as he attempted to surprise punch Kyrion.
Kyrion moved into the blow and grabbed Volain by the head. His knee was raised to hit the other man in the chin.
Gamodren chopped his student’s head with a deadly hand. “First, how did you manage to kill me? Second, why are you here too, and third, what are you scheming?”
“Um… Mister hungry snake can answer the first one. I managed to trick the universe into thinking I’m dead. Third, I needed help and thought you freeloaders could be of assistance.”
“Who are you really?” Volain asked skeptically.
“Kyrion, True captain of team Drisil, and faker of deaths. The Scarlet Cure is what those on the frontlines called me briefly.”
“What are you up to?” Gamodren eyed his student with suspicion.
“You’re going to be my willing vassals.”
“I’ve been ordered to kill you if I can’t capture you. Are you sure you can trust me?”
Kyrion’s smile stretched further than what was humanly possible. As though his mouth stretched past his ears. “You’re going to be my agent. You owe one for getting me arrested for a crime you committed. Also, I doubt you can truly kill me here regardless.”
Volain scowled. “What do I owe you?”
“Nothing. But you’d have been trapped there for a few years as time fixed itself.”
“Three years, by the way, time is reversing. Seems to be limited to the continent. Even then, certain places underground are immune. I believe you call those dungeons.” The serpent added helpfully.
“You’re free to go back if you want. I believe I just thought it would be better to help me out than spend three years eating all my food.”
“Your food? Rion sent me there, not you.” Volain seemingly began to think.
“Give him a minute.” Gamodren slapped himself on the forehead, having put it together after realizing he was in a dungeon.
“Kyr ion, Rion. K-y-r-i-o-n.” Volain said it slowly. “Your names are very similar… But your faces are…He… Reports say that Kyrion uses earth, water, wind, and plant magic and is usually a healer. Rion has only used fire, with a little space mana.”
Kyrion raised an eyebrow. “Hmmmm…What makes you think Rion used space mana himself?”
“I sensed him opening a portal when he pulled that stunt during the first meeting. It’s what made me think he was the sneaky type. Again during my fight with Gamodren. The magic came from Rion.”
“Oh… You’re more dangerous than I thought.” Kyrion raised both eyebrows.
The serpent gave Kyrion a suspicious look.
“If you can link yourself to your dungeon. Couldn’t you just use it to get back home?”
Kyrion hadn’t thought that far. He also couldn’t speed up his thought process. So he did something he had been trained to do well. He improvised. “
“I could try, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it would work for me. I did take one for the team, so to speak.” Kyrion’s rubbed at his neck and shuddered.
“Kyrion, how did you get killed?”
“Decapitation, supposedly.” Kyrion tilted his head to the left and scratched his neck.
“You let someone cut your head off. Why don’t I believe someone could do something like that?” Gamodren shook his head.
“Death is tricky.”
“According to my information your spatial world took a large enough hit to lower your defenses significantly. I can replay your death if you wish to show the others.” The serpent added.
“Not necessary. On another note, what would happen if someone faked their death really well and ended up here on purpose?”
“That someone would be forced back to the world of the living immediately by order of the Shepherd or penalized in some way.”
“Thought so.” Kyrion shot Gamodren a look.
Gamodren, knowing, said, looked and sighed, dramatically holding the back of his hand against his head. “They grow up so fast. So what next?”
“I’m going to try to climb that mountain and go home.”
“Why do you need us for that?” Volain asked.
“I don’t. Thing Is, I also want to explore a bit before I go back. Maybe train some more. We have about five years to do this before we need to return. I hate wasting time.”
Volain scowled. “Why bring me here, if it could only make me stronger?”
“You love that face don’t you.” Kyrion leaned forward and crouched, getting a bit too close to Volain.
Volain threw a right hook at Kyrion’s jaw, only for his hand to pass through empty air.
To Volain, it appeared as though his target hadn’t moved, while to Gamodren, it appeared as though Kyrion leaned out of the blow by shifting his torso at high speed, dodging by a hair’s breadth before repositioning in his original spot. Had Volain punched slower, Kyrion would have had trouble doing such a thing without being obvious.
“You have power, Volain; you don’t, however, have a mind capable of keeping up with your potential.”
“Oi. You calling me stupid?”
“If you were, we wouldn’t be talking. I mean it in the sense that you have never reinforced your mind and seem to rely on raw power and intuition.”
“Reinforce my mind. What does that mean?”
“You can use water magic internally right?”
“I can use it to close wounds and produce more blood.”
“So you can self heal.”
“It isn’t that effective.”
“Regardless, being able to do something like that means with some studying you could learn to greatly enhance your natural perception, which means faster reactions, better sight, and more time to process information during a fight. Reason one is that I want you to give my friend Damian a run for his money. The second reason is that I owe you one for helping Bastion when you didn’t have to. That tells me what kind of man you are.”
Gamodren shook his head. “Kyr, can you teach him those things?”
“Not sure. My body doesn’t feel weaker but I can’t use much of my magic. I’ve trained my body to react faster than most, along with my mind, so my natural state is slightly faster than most if I’m not dumbing things down.”
“And you figured that out while fighting Minah the first time.”
“Yes. Although I hadn’t known I could do it until that psycho showed me. Which is odd, given that we aren’t the same person. My death perception was horrible at that time so I needed all the help I could get.”
Gamodren squinted as Kyrion looked towards Volain.
“Riiiight.” Volain shook his head before recognizing that name. “Did you teach Minah how to speed up her mind like that?”
“Volain. Minah is a bit of an idiot. She got one of the most esoteric powers you can get and she uses it to move faster and punch harder. On occasions, she can throw out an explosion or twenty, but she isn’t using her power in a beneficial way.” Gamodren added unhelpfully.
Kyrion raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that she’s an idiot?”
“She shouldn’t have struggled against you as much as she did when you first fought. Your damage output was just kinetic, with nothing complex. She manipulates kinetic energy and can use her power to weaken your punches. So why didn’t she use it to slow your water whips or dull the damage she took from you slamming her into the ground. She even had multiple handicaps.”
“She had what now?” Kyrion scowled.
“You know my dad poisoned you right? Then had you take an exam that was unnecessary as I already gave you that test just verbally with a change in wording. When you didn’t react, he stalled, and by the time you fought her, you were taking quite a bit of damage.”
Kyrion’s eye twitched. “And I had only one eye which was a bit of a blindspot. She should have wiped the floor with me.”
“To be fair, she learned how to do those things a little later, she just didn’t work to learn its versatility. As far as I’m aware, she’s two steps behind you.”
“I saw her fight Nicole, that speed is quite useful.” Volain spoke up.
“It is, when you have a mind that can keep up with that speed it is quite useful. She can’t deal with those who are naturally faster or have time based powers that allow them to keep up. As she is now, she wouldn’t give you a fight you want.”
“If she’s so weak, why have her?”
“I didn’t say she was weak. I said that she was a bit of an idiot. Like her brother, her power is very complicated. Both are just starting to understand them and despite that both are on my team. Care to guess why?”
“You intend to use this tournament to make them stronger,”
“That and nepotism.” Kyrion looked at Gamodren and waited for him to nod. So he was waiting for quite a bit.
“I won’t hold back if we fight.”
“I don’t want you to hold back. You can beat Minah, but you probably won’t stand a chance against Ander or Cecil. Not anymore anyways….”
“He did kill a dragon from the inside.” Volain nodded
“He did what now? What dragon did he kill?” Gamodren was now patting himself to make sure his body to make sure he wasn’t dead.
“I was trying to avoid that. Gammodren, sorry but we had to kill your brother. I think we were set up as someone named white fox revived him as an undead, only much, much stronger.”
“My brother? I don’t… Well, you’re more of a little brother to me than that half sibling of mine. Did you rip out his core after he died?”
“No. But Charles did.” Kyrion stopped as he realized he said something that he shouldn’t have.
“How do you know that?” The serpent asked skeptically.
Kyrion opened his sack and held it out. “We don’t have time for this right now. I believe I’m supposed to say trick or treat.”
“Close enough.”
The serpent eyed Kyrion as a wave of green energy passed over the mortal’s body before it summoned a mass of gray orbs quickly shunted into the bag, causing it to expand briefly before compressing to its usual size.
Kyrion then leaped all of two feet off the ground and scowled. His strength had been more weakened than he thought. He’d have to use more than just raw power to get out of here.
“Weaker than you thought, my dear student?”
“Yes…I haven’t slowed much…Or have I?”
“It’s something that probably hit all of us equally. Which makes me the strongest of our trio.”
“It’s been years since I was the weakest at anything. This could be fun.” Volain smirked.
“Right. Follow me then.” Kyrion turned and began to walk.
“No. We’re splitting up. Let’s meet up again in a week’s time. That way we can share what we’ve figured out.” Gamodren stated.
“A week? How do we measure time?” Kyrion scowled.
“Good point.”
The serpent eyed them and smiled. “Link.”
A chain connected as 168 appeared on all of their hands. “If you aren’t trying to escape now, you will all be brought here when that number reaches zero.”
“Well that’s convenient.” Volain looked at the mark.
And thus, the first week of exploration had begun.