I was lying on my back when I opened my eyes.

Its dark?

I slowly sat up and looked around. I was sitting solid black ground that stretched out to as far as the eye could see. Well, kind of? It was impossible to tell where the horizon was. After all, the sky was as dark as midnight and there wasn't any stars or moons in the sky. Despite that, I was still able to see thanks to an unknown light source.

It's just like my dream... Is the afterlife really just a big empty void? Well if I'm dead then that probably means that that flash of light was from an …explosion.

That means everyone else in the hideout is dead too.

I sat alone in silence with that thought. After a moment, I bowed my head.

…A moment of silence, A moment to mourn. That's all I needed. Maybe it was good thing that I wasn't too attached to most of them. Then again, to think about all those lives being snuffed out in a single moment. Horrible. But then again, that's what war is. Horrible.

I stood up and check my body. I felt normal, actually I felt better than normal, it didn't ache or hurt anywhere. I also felt more energetic.

Anyways, I know I'm not an expert on the afterlife or religion but I highly doubt that it's just an endless abyss. Wasn't there suppose to be Heaven or Hell? I mean there's also reincarnation but I'm literally stuck in an abyss. Some reincarnation this is.

Looking around, I was surrounded by absolutely nothing. I sighed and began walking.

Now then, you might be asking, where am I going? The answer is, I have no idea. I just chose a random direction and started walking. Why did I start walking aimlessly you ask? Because it's better than just sitting around doing nothing in this abyss. Besides, if my dream is anything to go off on, there should be a crystal around here somewhere.

After walking for a while, I noticed something, while yes I had chosen the direction randomly, it also felt like something was leading me in the way I was walking. It's ridicules sure but I had that strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I soon saw something in the distance, it looked to be a really short pillar. Upon closer inspection, I discovered it to be a pedestal made out of black obsidian. There was nothing fancy about the pedestal, just a rectangular stand. Floating on top of the pedestal however, was the familiar black crystal from my dream.

It was just floating there, as if it was waiting patiently for something.

I slowly approached the crystal. As I got closer, I was able to make out more details about the crystal. The crystal was about the size of a baseball, big enough to fit in the palm of my hand. The edges of the crystal were a faint dark purple that looked like it was holding back the endless darkness in the center of the crystal. The insides of the crystal were so dark that I might as well have been staring into a black hole. The crystal was just hovering a few inches over the pedestal, there didn't seem to be any supports or technology around that was causing the crystal to float.

I was now standing beside the crystal.

Knowing how the world works, something bad is going to happen when I touch the crystal. Though, what I find most disturbing about the crystal is how familiar it feels. Like I've always known about it? I also felt this familiarity in the dream. But this is the second time I've seen this crystal, the first being in my dream.

I slowly reached my hand out...

And fell through the floor. More accurately, a circular hole appeared below my feet and I began free falling through the void.

WHAT THE HELL?

I panicked and began swinging my arms and legs wildly. In the corner of my eye, I could see the hole I had fallen through shrink as I fell deeper into the abyss until eventually.

Darkness.

.........

I slowly gained consciousness and felt myself lying down on a cold hard surface.

Ow... My head hurts, but other than that I feel fine. I can see a faint blue light through my eyelids. What happened...? And why is it so cold?

After a moment of lying there with my eyes closed, the memories of what happened came flooding back, making my head spin.

Wait... did that actually really happen?

I tried to sit up but the pain from my head got worse immediately and almost knocked me out again. I winced and was forced to lie on my back until the pain in my head subsided.

After a while, the pain subsided enough that I was able to stand up, albeit with support from a nearby table. The first thing I noticed was that everything was covered in ice, the walls, floor and ceilings were all completely covered in a layer of ice. No wonder its so cold. The room was circular with a giant door at one side as the only exit. The door was also completely frozen so if I wanna leave this room I'm gonna have to find a way through that I guess. Scattered throughout the room were workbenches and tables covered with all kinds of instruments. Some even had medieval weapons such as swords and spears. The walls of the room were filled with shelves full of books and boards filled with drawings and diagrams.

This place looks kind of like a workshop, different from the abyss I was in just now. How did I get here? Was that circle a portal? How did I survive that fall? Am I dead or alive? At this point I'm not gonna question anything. Nothing makes sense anymore after that weird black crystal.

I picked up a book on the table and began flipping through the pages. I didn't recognize what language was being written on the book. Is this suppose to be Russian? German? Also what's with all these weird drawings in the book?

I closed the book and tried to look at one of the diagrams.

What is this suppose to be? It doesn't look mechanical. It's just a bunch of symbols?

Who said that.

I whipped around and tried to scanned the room but my headache didn't like the sudden movement. I nearly fell over but managed to catch myself on the table.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

The voice had sounded like it was coming from the center of the room. It sounded like the voice of a child but it spoke in a robotic way.

"Whose there?" I asked while I slowly made my way across the room to the center.

The crystal of knowledge? Wait... Crystal? Like the black crystal? Anyways, I should answer it's question.

"Uhm, My name is Suzuki Sora... Where exactly am I?"

I explored around the room and saw a light blue crystal hovering over a table in the center of the room. The crystal looked kind of like the black crystal from before. Both crystals were orb shaped and seemed to be around the size of a baseball. This crystal however was a mix between white and blue, making it look like it was made of ice.

So. I'm talking with a crystal now... At this point, I'm not even surprised by what's happening anymore... I even don't know what to expect after being stuck in an abyss and then freediving in the void. Actually, am I even dead? I thought I was dead from that flash but I can feel the cold from the ice. So I'm alive? So I reincarnated into the void? And now I'm in a stronghold that's been completely frozen over.

Anyways, Stronghold of knowledge? Odd name. I don't recall any strongholds. But then why would this place be covered in ice? Am I even on earth after what happened?

"Which country am I in now?"

Not helpful.

"...…Is there something known as the Extinction War currently going on?" I asked slowly.

6473 years... That's over double the duration of the common era... How is that possible? Calm down sora, first things first, Am I dead or alive. How do I even check that...

"Why is this place even frozen over, Its freezing." I muttered under my breath while pondering whether I was alive or dead.

…What? Magic?

"Did you say magic?"

Ok. Its confirmed. Either I'm dead and I'm currently stuck in some kind of purgatory where crystals are a common theme or I'm in another world... where crystals seem to be a common theme. What is it with me and seeing crystals... then again, this is only the second crystal.

"So, let me just double check. In this world, there is magic."

"Are there other crystals as well? Maybe a black color crystal?>

Got to get my revenge on it for making me do freediving into the abyss.

"Am I really in another world right now?"

I sighed and walked away from the crystal and approached the giant door that was covered in ice. The door was around double my height and seemed to be covered in a thick layer of solid ice.

Well then, how am I suppose to leave this room. Can't exactly confirm whether I'm in another world if I'm stuck in this room.

Wow. Thanks for that info. Couldn't have figured that out.

"How did I even end up in here?"

A black circle? That probably means that that black circle was indeed some kind of portal, so did it teleport me into another world? If that's the case then what was that abyss? And why did that black crystal feel familiar?

An offer? Hmm... Bring the crystal along when I leave? So basically I need to help the crystal leave the stronghold in exchange for it's help. It would be useful since I have no idea what's in this world and having this crystal for information would definitely be useful, especially since there's apparently magic in this world. Even if the crystal has been stuck here for a long time.

"I have a few questions first."

"Firstly, why were you sealed in here."

"Races?"

Angels and demons? Like those guys with wings and hang out in heaven or hell? Yeah, I'm not on earth anymore.

"Secondly, why do you want me to take you along."

"So that's the main reason you need my help in escaping this stronghold, for your survival."

"So, if I help take you along, what will happen to the areas you have been suppling with your magic."

So... I have no idea what the consequences will be if I remove it. That's... reassuring. Since this crystal is supplying magic to those areas, removing the crystal will cause these areas to lose their magic source and thus run out of magic eventually. Assuming that's how magic works. For all I know, magic could work completely differently.

"Thirdly, how will you assist me if I take you along."

"So you won't be like, talking in my head and giving me help?"

Man... Would've been useful to have this crystal helping me in my mind. Though, I guess hibernating to increase the magical recovery speed does kind of make sense.

<...Report. To boost chances of your survival, the crystal will be able to guide you as you leave the stronghold.>

"Eh, really?"

Nice, that will definitely help considering I have no idea what those skills and abilities do and how to use them. Also, the crystal probably knows how to navigate out of this stronghold quickly.

"Can you tell me what the skills and abilities are going to be?"

Alright... Seems fair enough I guess. Either there's that many skills or there's a long explanation for each skill. I guess learning on the go is better than listening too.

"Last question, how long will it take for you to recover your magical energy."

I see. So I have no idea how long I will have access to those abilities and skills. Better not waste my time then. But then again, it did say it has been a power source for over 4000 years and that it did have around 80 years left. So it might be safe to assume I have quite a while to use the skills. Assuming once again that I'll only keep the skills as long as I have the crystal.

Calm? I think in shock is more appropriate considering that I was killed by a nuke? Sent to a void like dimension, was infected by a black crystal and am now having a normal conversation about leaving a stronghold with another crystal.

"Lets just say with everything that's after free falling through the void, I've stopped questioning things and just going with the flow."

<…Acceptance.>

"Well, I don't think I have anymore questions for now. If I do have anymore questions, I'll make sure to ask before I leave the stronghold. So, uh..."

I glanced over at the light blue crystal floating above the table.

"Do I just carry you around or can I just put you in my pocket?"

Yep. I expected as much after what happened with that black crystal. So does that mean I have whatever that black crystal was, and skills from the black crystal? So does that mean I can use magic now?

"Sure, I accept the deal."

The crystal slowly rose higher in the air while starting to glow brighter. After a few seconds,

I walked over and slowly placed my left hand on the crystal. The crystal was cold to the touch and felt smooth like ice. The moment I touched the crystal, ice began forming on my hands and started to spread. Blue stripes similar to wires on a circuit started spreading up my arm.

As for me, I lost consciousness.