It burned. It tore. It… hurt. Like a relentless nightmare he couldn’t escape, Jordan tried in vain to thrash while paralyzed.

But he was left unable to see. To hear. To sense in any way as he was lost in a formless space. He only knew that he was dying as the world disappeared around him. Fading out like a memory drifting away from his mind.

Please. Not like this. I don’t want to die like this! How could I be so stupid to forget something like a damn assassination plot!?

Jordan hadn’t expected a response as he sunk into a painful abyss, so he was surprised when the darkness around him began to glow.

The dark-light tugged at him, drawing him away but not in the direction he expected. He wasn’t lifted out, but instead dragged further in. Deeper into the abyss until it snapped, and he plunged through a hole in the void as shadowy claws reached for him but fell short.

He fell for an indeterminate amount of time, tumbling wildly with no features to mark his passage. Only a complete blindness to this world. It was only by his experience in cultivating that he realized that he was Astrally projecting to… wherever he was.

With a sudden arrest of motion, Jordan smacked into something. His ‘body’s’ form shattered, as bones splintered, flesh ruptured, and he detonated with all the force of a skydiver without a parachute.

He didn’t stop screaming in pain and horror until his body re-corporated itself.

“What the fuck… what the, urhg… fuck.” He hadn’t expected such realistic sensation in the darkness. It was distinctly different from cultivation in that regard, but it faded far quicker than a normal pain would have.

Looking around, Jordan saw the world had begun to finally take shape. While it was still rather plain, the barren landscape stretched on for a half a football field before returning to darkness. A grey nondescript soil rested beneath him, and a few jagged white protrusions mimicking trees were scattered in the area.

When he looked up, however, there was only a spiraling darkness, like an artist’s rendition of a black hole. Stylized so the flow of energy falling into the center could be seen in an otherwise invisible phenomena.

Jordan stood, trembling despite himself, as he searched for any clues as to his whereabouts. Nothing more stood out to him, however, as he made several trips around the ‘island,’ as he decided to think of it.

“Hello? Is… anyone here?”

While he hoped someone would answer, he also dreaded it. He couldn’t imagine he would like the kind of thing that would reside in a place like this.

His response was a wind that swept across the island, gentle but cold. Jordan shivered, but then scrambled, falling backwards when he saw something begin to materialize in front of him.

A maelstrom of dark motes of energy churned on the wind. Occasionally, errant black particles danced back to his prone form. They played across his skin, feeling like ice, before returning to the swirling in the air only a few yards away.

After it had collected whatever it had searched for, the air cracked with a snapping, twisting sound like Rahm’s rising after Xegreash cratered him. Jagged chunks of darkness split out of the vortex, looking crystalline at first before roughing themselves down. They eventually smoothed out as it formed a shape that began to shine with a brilliant contrasting color. Legs, arms, and a cage that took on a distressingly familiar shape.

A skeleton of purest white stood before him.

It was the same size as Jordan, and it’s bare skull turned to look around almost as if it were confused before it cocked it’s head back at him. More motes appeared as the wind continued to flow, and squiggling lines coalesced on the bones. They soon began to worm their way around the creature’s structure.

The thing marveled at the lines zig zagging across its surface, and its jaw opened wide in surprise when the lines straightened out. They began to grow, covering the creature like a fungus before taut, sinuous fuzz stretched out like muscles on its frame. A wheezing gasp escaped its maw as a familiar face began to appear, testing the raspy lungs that had just come into being.

The flesh growing over it gave it the form of the Brat, with the only difference being its dark skin and white hair. A dark mirror of who he was now.

“He….lll…ooo…” The creature whispered before giving a smile. Jerkily, it took a step forward. “He…he…he… this…” Another step fell as the dusty floor puffed out like spores.

“…like… this….” It’s eyes were solid black, the one part that wasn’t mirrored, and they looked full of a childlike glee, but also…

Of hunger.

“W-who are you?” Jordan asked, backing away slowly as the dark clone staggered ever closer.

“Who… am… I?” The question confused the thing, twisting its face as though in disgust. “I… am… nothing… I… am… some… thing?” The thing hissed in anguish.

“S-sorry, look why don’t—” Jordan’s words were interrupted when the creature raised an arm and a bone-like branch shot out of the ground to impale Jordan's leg. He screamed in pain, but when he tried to pull the bone out he found it stuck fast to the ground. Barbs then branched out inside his limb, eliciting another scream as he was glued to the spot.

“W-why…” Jordan wheezed, fighting through the agony. When he looked back up, however, the familiar dark face hung just past his own, shining hair blanketing across the creature's visage. It smiled with black teeth, and then reached out to tug at Jordan’s ephemeral clothing.

“…like… this…. want…. this….” It said, before manifesting a reflection on itself. It stood up and slowly and awkwardly, with all the grace of a zombie, did a little twirl in its new evening dress. “He…. He…. He….” It continued its slow giggle as Jordan tried to keep his painful gasping quiet.

Stopping its slow dance, it turned again to Jordan and cocked its head. “Why… are… you…?” It leaned down and poked at Jordan’s face. “Cry…ing…?”

“It hurts,” Jordan answered, through gritting teeth.

It looked baffled by his statement, however. “What… is… hurts?”

“Pain, you stupid bitch! It fucking hurts!” Jordan didn’t want to antagonize the creature, but he couldn’t help from screaming. His declaration was followed immediately after by his own sobbing.

But the thing just looked curiously at him.

“Pain…. hurts…? How…. fun.”

Jordan looked up through his blurry eyes to stare at the smiling delight on the creature's face.

“Can… hurt… more? Want… feel… give…. pain?”

“What are you even saying? Do you want my pain, or do you just want to hurt me more!?” He didn’t like where this was going. He didn’t like this in any way.

“Feel… you…. want…. you…. feel…. pain….Eat.” It leaned down and smiled again...

Then it tore Jordan's arm off effortlessly.

Jordan screamed, as the creature played with the dismembered limb. It smelled at it delicately like a savory meal, before opening its mouth to bite. Its teeth failed to sink in, however, and it paused looking annoyed.

“Can’t… Eat… you… why…?” It dropped the arm like a petulant child, pouting. The discarded appendage faded into motes of energy before Jordan’s form reconstituted itself. With a dismissing wave from the creature, the spike in Jordan’s leg also disappeared, freeing him from his constraints and pain.

“What… what the fuck are you?” Jordan quickly stood up and backed away putting distance between them.

“I… am… hsssssssss” The thing recoiled at its own words, face flaring with fury before it settled back into apathy. “Dreams… dark… pasts…. hunger… free… wonder… curse… all… things… bright…”

Dreams dark…? What the hell is it even… His thoughts froze when he suddenly realized why the words struck an eerie familiarity. Looking down at his right hand, he saw even on his Astral-Form that a black band sat on it.

It was glowing again, and in clear red lettering it said:

Dreams of Darkened Pasts / Hunger Set Free by Wonder / Cursed Are All Things Bright

“O-oh… you’re the Artifact.” He looked back up at the creature. It looked incredibly insulted that he had just categorized it. Looking down at the creature’s hand, Jordan saw a white band reflected on its dark skin, lettering glowing an equal red.

“Want… Eat… want… Feel… want… You…” It stared darkened eyes at Jordan, teeth bared in a hateful grimace.

“W-wait, let’s… let’s talk for a bit, okay?” He didn’t want to risk being skewered again. Even if the thing might not be able to eat him—the pain had been excruciating.

“…talk…?” It’s anger faded slightly as it gave him a quizzical glance.

“Yeah, you know, have a little chat? W-we can get to know each other?”

“Know… me…? Hsssssss….” It seemed annoyed, but waved a hand and a familiar table and set of chairs appeared. On the table was also the left over bits of steak Charlie was never able to finish.

“Ah… right, s-storage ring.” Jordan said before slowly, and cautiously sitting down in a chair.

And he stared in horrid fascination as the creature mimicked his movements flawlessly, sitting opposite of him.

“So… ah, you seem… to be kind of upset.”

“I… exist… hsssssss.”

This is going to be ‘productive,’ Jordan thought as he sighed.

“Erhm… I don’t suppose you know how I came to be here?” Jordan ventured.

“…dying… Core… take… want… Feel… want—”

“Me, yeah, I got it…” Jordan mumbled. So what, I started dying and this thing… tried to store me or something? Or maybe it really just wants to eat me… “Am… I dead?” God I hope not.

“…no…. only…. dying…….. Can… I…hsss….Eat….you….?”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Um, n-no. Also, why are you—” Jordan winced as the creature hissed again, “getting so upset with pronouns?”

“….not…. exist…. now…. exist….”

“You… didn’t exist before and now you do… and that angers you?”

“hssss….I… am…. nothing….... Now… I…. am… something….”

Right it said that earlier. “Er, why do you look like me though?” He asked.

The thing glowered before it sighed. “…not… know… how… exist…. must…. exist…. copy…. wearer….”

It's learning how to exist from me? Jordan went to glower, but suddenly realized… he already was. Crap, is it also reflecting my expressions? Wait, when I did my facial expression change!?

The sudden fear that Brat Instincts may have been betraying his inner feelings filled him. At first, he wanted to deny the possibility, but looking up he saw that the creature’s expression had inexplicably turned to horror. The same horror on his own face he didn’t realize he’d been showing.

They both gulped in unison.

“Um, c-can you stop doing that please?”

The thing’s face reset to a blank expression, before looking angry again. Jordan checked his expression, running a hand on his face and verified that this one was fully the creature's own.

“…want… feel…. want…. exist…. Hate…. exist…. want… nothing… want… every… thing… curses….”

“You want to exist but you also… don’t want to?” Jordan was confused as hell at that.

“…yes….hssssss”

“Ah, isn’t that a contradiction?”

“…hssssss.”

“…” Jordan stared blankly at the creature, which sighed again.

“…yesss.” It finally admitted.

Great, so the thing is a living paradox. Jordan thought. A nothingness that now exists? Or maybe it’s just referring to how it was just born.

Jordan recalled being told that the awakening of parts of the world generated new Spirits. Perhaps that worked for Artifacts as well and his had just woken up?

If so, then this is like a new Spirit? And like how the stars hate that cartographer Immortal, now this creature’s mad that I made it be a thing? It certainly doesn’t seem happy. Though… it kind of had at first.

“Did I do anything to upset you? You seemed happy when you first, ah, woke up.”

“Want… Eat… can’t…. Eat… mad... now…”

Oh, of course, Jordan thought as he stared at the creature indignantly. In his mind, this was proof that the thing had to be a Spirit of some kind. Only they got so damn petulant about not getting their way.

“Not that I’m unhappy at being uneaten, but… why exactly can’t you?” Jordan knew it was a potentially dumb thing to ask, but the creature had him dead to rights. If it was going to act against him, it would’ve done so by now.

“…rules.”

Jordan raised an eyebrow as he stared at the creature. The thing fidgeted awkwardly in its seat.

“Can you elaborate on that ring-girl?”

“…hsss… have… rules… say… how… exist… must… follow… to… exist… want… exist… want… rules…”

“Oookay,” Jordan said, drumming fingers on the table as he thought. “So, one of your rules keeps you from eating me. But didn’t you bring me here to eat me? Did you just not know your own rules before you brought me here?”

The thing squirmed, it’s black cheeks lightening as though blushing. “Knew… but… hoped… was… wrong… also... I… hsss… can’t… Eat …. wearer… if… wearer… not… exist.”

“So you saved me because you wouldn’t be able to eat me if I died? That’s your reason?”

The thing looked away before nodding, like a blushing maiden confessing to their beau.

“Fucking. Figures.” Jordan sighed as he rested his head in his hands. “So, now what? You can’t eat me if I’m dead, for whatever reason—”

“Nothing…tasty... to… Eat… then…”

“Great. Anyway, so you won’t eat me after I die, and right now you’re keeping me alive? What the hell am I supposed to do with this.”

To Jordan’s surprise the thing shook its head.

“…not… I…”

“Wait, what? If you’re not keeping me alive, then what’s all this about?” He gestured towards the void-island.

The creature shrugged. “…saved… Core… rest… still… dying… another…. protects…”

It saved my Core? Whatever, I guess the rest is everyone outside keeping me alive then.

As Jordan pondered the creature's meaning, it looked upwards drawing his own gaze to match it. Slowly, at first, a rain of small ashen flakes appeared out of the twisting sky above.

“Er, what’s that?”

“…show… protector…” The thing wheezed.

Above them the darkness began to part as Jordan heard a familiar voice.

“…Never….Again…”

“Kioko!?” Jordan stood up, at first looking around, but realized he was still alone save for the creepy doppelganger. In the sky, however, the ash floating around began to take shape, showing a window to the outside world.

Cradling his comatose body was Mercia, weeping openly as she trembled. Next to her was Kioko, eyes rolled in the back of her head as she rested against Mercia’s shoulder. She needed the support as she’d stabbed a dagger made of a fiery ash into her own heart. Her other hand dug a similar dagger into Jordan’s chest.

“What the hell kind of technique is that!?” Jordan cried out. As he watched however, he saw how lines of darkness that covered the Brat’s form were slowly spreading onto Kioko’s as well.

“…share… Essence… share… Life… want… Eat… tasty….”

“Thanks for the ‘commentary,’ spookums.” Jordan muttered, and the creature hissed at the name. Jordan ignored its protest.

“So, should I just wait then? If you ‘saved’ my Core, or whatever, and Kioko protected the rest of me, do I need to do anything?”

“…not… exist… soon.”

“Ah, come again?”

“…life…sharer… not… exist… soon… then… wearer… not… exist.”

Jordan grimaced at the news before turning back towards the creature. “Wait, how do you know she won’t last much longer?”

“…Patterns… joined… Feel… life… sharer… want… Eat… please?”

“No eating Kioko.”

The creature pouted, before brightening. It pointed at the steak on the table.

“Eat?”

“Um, sure? Knock yourself out.”

Jordan figured steak would be better than living people, but he quickly grew to regret giving the creature permission. He’d begun to feel complacent in its presence once he felt the threat of death or pain was gone.

But he fell back screaming in horror when the creature lunged onto the table, it’s jaw splitting at the chin revealing a maw of teeth and tongues that tore into the steak with a wailing hiss. The meat hung in the air as the tongues, covered in razor-sharp bones, dissected it, skewered it, and devoured it piece by piece in a slow macabre show, all while dark spittle and drool flung about.

Once it finished, the creature reattached its mouth with a wet snapping noise and sat down looking smug, followed by a tiny burp of satisfaction.

“N-no… nonononononono, no! Don’t… don’t do that again, okay? No! Bad… thing!”

The creature looked at him indignantly, and then turned its head away like an ill-tempered cat.

“…must… Eat… always… Hungry…”

Jordan glared at the creature, but slowly sat back down at the table. A whimper from the Sky-Window reminded him that Kioko was running out of time.

Which meant so was he.

“Fuck! What the hell can I even do about this?”

Ruminating on his situation, it felt too familiar. Too often in the six damn days since he’d arrived in this world had he felt like this.

Completely and utterly helpless—dragged along like a puppet.

“…Eat?” The creature advised.

Jordan rolled his eyes. “Not sure what I can eat that would help here… unless.”

Didn’t… this thing store all of Rahm’s magical stash?

“Um, ring-girl-thing could you, ah, bring back out all the items you took that were on top of this table before?”

The thing glowered at him, but with a wave of its hand a collection of potions and broken items appeared.

“Jackpot! Okay, let’s see…”

Jordan needed to be quick as he searched through the pile, and thankfully didn’t take long to locate his salvation.

“Panacea? Er, that’s either an organ or a cure-all, I think. Eh, either way, bottoms up!” He brought the potion up to uncork it and pour it down his throat.

The liquid then proceeded to travel through his Astral form and splatter against the ground.

“Oh… fucking hell!” He cursed.

“…make…tidy…” The thing wheezed and with another flick of its hand, the liquid and bottle disappeared, only to reappear moments after on the table, fully restored. The creature then glared at Jordan for making a mess..

“Crap… well, I guess that was obviously not going to work. Er, can you maybe pop it outside? Maybe Mercia can administer it?”

The creature recoiled, evidently insulted to the extreme that he would suggest such a thing. “hssss…no… take… from… me… hsss… only… Master… may… take.”

“Ah… wait, am I not your master?”

The creature shook its head. “You… wearer… no… Master… for…. I….hsss.”

“…do you have any rules for how to gain a master?”

The thing hissed softly, before nodding reluctantly. “…give… name… make… you… Master…”

“Give name? As in… give you a name? And then I could be your master?”

The creature paused to think before it said, “Name… Binding… then… Master.”

“Binding? What do you mean by that?”

With a sigh that made Jordan jump back, just in case, the creature stood up. It walked slowly over towards the middle of the island and spread out its arms. Dark Essence began to ripple out from its form, like oozing lesions on its skin. Where it fell, it spread out across the ground forming a Mandala.

The Mandala formed quickly despite its size, and at first Jordan stared in shock before trying to cover his eyes. He was worried he might have an episode, but then remembered the feelings he experienced had been a reflection of the one who'd made it. What would he feel from this thing—hunger? He figured he could live with that.

So he ventured a look at the formation that covered the land. Surprisingly, he felt nothing at all as he took it in. With a breath, he tried to call on his Ki to activate some of his identification Skills, but… nothing answered him.

With a start, he realized that he really was cut off right now, just as he had been in the worst parts of his cultivation.

“So…” Jordan said, “is this your binding ritual then?”

The creature nodded, and then pointed at a nearby circle. Walking over to examine it, Jordan saw that this ritual had two foci. While they were similar to the one he’d used before they didn’t overlap. They were distinctly separate, and the one he was to stand in was offset a ways while the creatures rested in the middle.

Standing in it, the creature then murmured in their way, “Name… Binding… Master… then.”

“Eh… what should I name you?” Jordan said as he took his spot in the Mandala.

The creature just stared at him blankly.

Right, okay then… what the hell do I name some horrifying mirror version of myself? Jordan pondered the possibilities, briefly entranced with the idea of calling it muffins, but decided that he likely didn’t want something too comical.

The thing had terrified him to his core with its behavior, and it felt wrong to dismiss that. Like forgetting a gun was a weapon first and foremost.

“Okay… Darkness? No, that’s way too vague. Little Sister? Erh, no that will definitely give me nightmares. Ring-girl was funny, but too on the nose…”

As Jordan rambled the creature’s scowl deepened more and more.

“Hey—don’t look at me like that! I’m bad with coming up with names on the spot. Nothing good anyway.”

The creature perked a bit at the word ‘nothing,’ and Jordan narrowed his eyes. “You like that word, don’t you?”

It nodded in response.

“Alright… so maybe something with nothing in it? What’s the name for nothing? Nemo? Wait, no that was nobody, wasn’t it? Crap, what the hell do I name a creepy ring that likes nothing? Eh… Nothing... ring… nothing… ring… er… noth… ring? How about… Nothring?”

Jordan wasn’t sure how well his ‘nawthring,’ as he decided to pronounce it, would work, but the creature seemed delighted by his spur of the moment portmanteau.

“Okay then. Nothring it is.” He declared.

“Binding… accepted… Master. I… am Nothring.” The creature curtsied, a perfect reflection of a dark lady as the world began to fall into blackness once more.

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