"One must be a sea, to receive a polluted stream without becoming impure."

― Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Ven floated in darkness, it had become a familiar sensation. I'm getting sick of being knocked out... He had returned to the strange world within himself, the void of glittering stars that fed a hulking giant. The behemoth below gazed up at him, mouth wide as it sucked in the points of light.

I've got a better view this time... He hung in the sky of this place, beyond the giant's reach. With the greater elevation, Ven could see far more than before. The vast, white star, which he'd only glimpsed for a second on his last visit, glinted in the far distance. It was almost out of sight, lost in the misty spirals of light that radiated from its surface.

"What is that thing?"

Ven tried to move forward and found himself free to drift through space. He left the giant behind and arched toward the strange sun. The small pinpoint stars that filled the air grew denser as he traveled. They fell on his skin, a warm touch that calmed his nerves.

It looks like I can absorb these...

Just like the hungry giant, Ven found himself drawn to the lights. They're pure energy... The only thing that came close was the sunlight of the surface world, but this was far more concentrated. No wonder that shadow monster of mine is so focused on sucking these in. Their power surged through him and refined what passed for his body in this place.

Ven shook his head and returned to his task. He would investigate the white sun, plus the light was more concentrated the closer he got. The lights tumbled as Ven streaked forward, hands extended out to his sides to catch as many as he could. Each speck he consumed sharpened his mind. His thoughts were smooth and clear, crystalline in their precision.

This stuff is incredible, and it's only getting stronger...

Ven plowed on. The void no longer qualified for that name, filled as it was by the empowering energy. How far away is this thing? The star remained the same size as before, a coin of white within the rivers it emitted.

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Whatever... Ven shrugged. The closer he got, the more effective the energy was. The journey was of value, even if the large star was out of reach. I'll just keep going, who knows when I'll get another chance. He continued toward the light, submerged within a heady river of dense stars. They polished his mind as he traveled, until he finally closed on the sun.

One moment he was lost in thought as he enjoyed the cleansing power, the next he was dragged in by a powerful force. The surface of the star spread out before him, a blinding furnace of storms. Mighty spears of plasma lept upward. They coiled through the void and shed a brilliant layer of miniature stars. These solar flares faded quickly, reduced to the rain of light which fed the shadow giant and nurtured his inner world.

"Oh, crap..."

Ven pulled against the gravity of the star, but it was a futile action. He fell, even faster than before, toward the white-hot sun. A flare rose to greet him, a current of pure energy, deep enough to drown him. Ven spread his arms wide and greeted the river, a savage grin on his face.

"Let's see how much I can take!"

The solar flare washed over him. It was not a fire but a balm, a gift. It flowed into his mind, as if Ven was a drain. A vortex of white light spiraled around a small, dark star. There was a change within him. He wasn't sure what, but something snapped into place. He felt more connected to himself. He knew where his sleeping body was, the tug on his hair an aggravation as Rafe pulled him through the labyrinth.

When I wake up... Ven grinned, a hint of madness in his eyes. He would have some strong words with the halfling. The man was a miserable teacher. He could bury Rafe's body deep, and then get Aangor to train him. Maybe I'll just leave him tied up for that golden fly... Ven shook himself. He needed to focus.

The flare seemed harmless, even beneficial, but the surface inched ever closer. It had been farther away than Ven thought, but it was only a matter of time before he fell into the source of this helpful fire. Ven spun around. "Maybe there's something I can hold on to... He jerked, his eyes wide. Behind him stood the giant. It stepped after him, smooth and silent. Its mouth was open wide as it swallowed its share of the flare's energy.

"What are you doing here?" Ven darted to the side. He sharpened his angle, but shifted his position and gained greater speed. The behemoth strode after him, unaffected by the change in pace, or the pull of the star. Ven sighed and resumed his slower descent.

"Well fine, come along then," Ven waved to the shadow man. "But you better not hog all the energy we find!"

The giant seemed oblivious to his words. It stayed firmly behind him, locked in step as if it was his own shadow. Maybe it is... Ven still didn't understand this place. The giant represented his inner worlds, yet it seemed to have a mind of its own. It hunted for energy, an avatar that embodied the nature of his aura.

Ven and his shadow began a more rapid, controlled, decent. He guided them both closer and closer to the surface, until it was all he could see. The only feature that wasn't a white void was the shadow behind him. It snatched left and right as it pulled more and more energy into itself. Ven shrugged. He let the energy flow naturally. There was enough to go around, and it was still getting thicker. Once they reached the plasma he doubted the giant would be so eager.

Time to see what this thing is. Ven pressed deeper, followed by his shadow, until the light consumed them both.