Everything was black, as if the world was covered by the darkest of carpets. It wasn’t black because of a lack of light, it was black because there was nothing for the light to bounce on. This was the darkness of the deep universe, a darkness only broken by the stars and galaxies that appeared as little dots of light.
In this specific part of the universe 2 powerful mages sat down in an asteroid cluster. One of them wore an obsidian black coat, decorated only by some light blue which glowed slightly. The other one had long blonde hair and wore a long dark blue dress, which turned green towards its end.
”Are you sure about this?” Said the man.
“Of course I am.” She replied. “In fact, I’m surprised you don't want to jump in with me”
“I’m sorry but getting crushed to the soul is not on my to do list.” He replied. “You underestimate the unknown, that will cost you your life, maybe even your soul.”
“For the millionth time, your concerns have been noted. But you have to understand this thing is amazing to a space time mage.” She started explaining. “Something that interferes with space structure itself, while deeming time magic useless. All of it only because of extreme gravity. How can you not be craving for more?!”
“Because it’s not something we can control!” He yelled as he stood up. “There are too many variables, too many things that can go wrong? What if gravity overwhelms your magic? What if the space is so twisted you can't teleport away? What if you can't sustain your body after getting out? What if your soul gets crushed to the point that even I can't bring you back?!”
“Relax, relax, I’m the first one who is concerned about the risk, but I can’t ignore this much longer…”She replied waving her hands.
“We are talking about a black hole, Liz, we didn’t even know of its existence until a few decades ago” He said pointing his hand at the massive object “For all we know, this could end the astral tower, maybe even The Earth.”
The anomaly known as a black hole was massive, a pitch black sphere surrounded by a ring of broken planets, asteroids and star dust that spanned tenths of kilometres wide.
“That's precisely why I have to study it, Kai. If space or time magic dont work then our last chance would be reality magic, and we both know how dangerous that is.” She replied remembering the calamity of ten thousand years ago.
Kai began gesturing with his hands. “Look around us Liz, we are in the void of space, thousands of light years away from our system. Far enough to be undetectable for almost all mages in the astral tower. Why do you think it can be a menace?”
“Because there might be more, Kai.” She replied “there was a time when you left behemoths walk through the ocean cause you thought they wouldn't be dangerous”
Kai tried to think of a reply for a moment. He then realised that she had a point there, but still thought her experiment was too dangerous.
“Ok then, have it your way, feel free to die this life and mabe all after this one, I don't care.” He turned around, flying towards a nearby asteroid with a magic circle carved on its surface. “But you will be remembered as the oldest of us who killed themself”
“I’m not going to die, Kai, I’ll be back in a couple decades at most.” She said watching him get on top of the magic circle.
“For your own sake, I hope you are right” He said before his body was covered in a light blue mana, and then vanished.
“He could be a bit less condescendent.” She said to herself. “Even If he is the oldest of us and probably the strongest, space-time magic is my speciality. If I had a problem with medicine I’d ask him, but not with this…”
Liz started flying near the black hole before her, the anomaly that could alter the way even mana worked. She started to feel its pull, to see the fabric of space twisting. She felt how time itself started moving faster than outside.
I guess I should start raising some barriers already. She thought, and light green mana covered her skin.
The pull stopped almost instantly, and she felt how time returned to normal. She continued flying towards the centre of the black hole. The light around her started to bend, unable to get away from the extreme gravity.
How interesting. Extreme gravity seems to be able to affect even light. Seems that gravity is a much stronger force than what we had thought. Her mind started thinking of the possibilities of all of this, of all what could be achieved.
Suddenly, the pull became exponentially stronger, she felt like her legs were being ripped apart ten times more than her head. “Mana, my name is Elizabeth the witch of time, I order you to follow my will and make my body unbreakable. Absolute crust.” As she spoke the spell the barrier of mana thickened, making her unable to move, but also invulnerable.
Now I can’t look around, lovely. She thought “Spectral vision” The world around her changed as her eyes became able to look in every possible direction without moving.
Everything in front of me is black, I guess I’ll check behi-. Her thoughts stopped when she tried to process what was behind her. Light was bending in every way imaginable, planets were being ripped apart, becoming a string of particles infinitely small, unseeable by anyone's eyes.
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It was something far beyond anything that she had ever imagined. Almost as if all matter in the universe was being destroyed, just to be recreated in a completely different shape.
Ok, this was unexpected. OUCH!! that hurt-. HOW CAN SOMETHING HURT ME?! All her attention went back to her legs, which were being ripped apart once again.
This can’t happen, not even a primordial explosion can cause the slightest scratch to my crust. Her face was turning whiter and whiter as her magic turned weaker.
I must get out of here. She thought, but the pull was much stronger than what she ever imagined. Ok, keep calm Liz, you are a space-time mage, you can teleport out of this.
When she tried to create a route to escape, she realised how twisted the space was, folds overlapped with each other in ways she hadn't even considered possible. Even time was interacting with space, creating bubbles in space filled with possibilities of what could and couldn’t be.
At first, Liz was sure that these bubbles were linked to different parts of the universe, just like a portal. But then she dismissed the idea, some of the bubbles were too weird to be something of this world after all.
I don’t have time to be amazed by this. “Space, by my name and pride, by the power I gathered on my own, by the knowledge I have of your nature, I order you, bend to my will and create a path. SPATIAL TRUE-SIGHT” But her spell was useless. The fibres that created space were too twisted to move the slightest, even under one of her strongest spells.
Then she realised that all her lower body was gone, turned into a stream of atoms, and then those atoms were also being ripped apart, turning into something even smaller, something that couldn't even be considered matter. This isn’t good, this isn’t good, this isn’t good. Kai was right, I shouldn't have jumped in here. Fear grew in her faster than it ever did as a terrifying realisation started sinking in. I might die for real this time.
I still have an ace under my sleeve. “I know where I want to go, I know how space feels there. Even if I don't know the path, my soul will get there and from it, my body will regenerate itself.” As she was mid-chant, the pull started tearing her mana core apart, it hurt more than having all her body submerged in acid, but she didn't stop. “Soul transportation” Then the world lost all its colour.
---
---
I guess I didn't make it. She thought, recognizing the familiar sensation of the void. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! MY SOUL IS STILL FINE KAI, I WON'T BE TRULY DYING ANYTIME SOON!!!.
She felt a burst of joy overflowing from her nonexistent heart. Even if the dark hole killed her, she could still reincarnate without problem. Well, I should start going, I have a lot to tell the rest.
However, when she tried to summon the status window, it was clear that something was off.
Notice: The user's soul is damaged, starting regenerating process. Ok, this is new. Wait, why is my energy depleting so fast, I was about to upgrade my core!!!!
Notice: enough energy has been collected to start the regenerating process, please wait while your soul is regenerating .Expected time till finished, 27 milenia. You not only stripped me of almost all my points, but you are also taking 27 milenia just to regenerate a couple wounds?!?!?!
Notice: the user's soul is highly damaged, only 1'57 % of the original remained, and only 0’023 % was left unscratched. Yikes…
---
---
Notice: regenerating process has finished. The user is now allowed to move. FINALLY!!!
Since you have stripped me of almost all my points, I will just pay to keep my memories, ty.
Notice: activating persistent memories will cost 100.000 units of soul energy, do you want to proceed? Yes please.
Notice: remaining points 145.789 points, Your current memories will remain in your next life, starting reincarnation.
Please aristocrat, please aristocrat, please aristocrat…
Notice:... WHAT NOW?!?!?! User Out Of Bounds Exception, the user cant be found between the current system bounds.
Huh?
Notice: another system has been detected, adapting soul to allow compatibility.
Please repeat?!?!?!
Notice: several skills have been classified as incompatible, starting skill removal process.
Wait don… AAAAAAAAA!!!
Pain started to rise though her nonexistent body as her soul was being ripped apart again.
Notice: advanced magic conduction 2, advanced magic control 5 and superior magic capacity have been replaced by advanced magic affinity.
Notice: true sight and basic occultation have been removed, 700.000 soul energy have been rewarded.
Notice: Space-time lord has been removed, no energy has been rewarded.
Notice: terror of the unworthy has been removed, no points have been rewarded.
Notice: Superior magic core capacity 2 has been replaced by advanced mana system.
Notice: Changing body structure to fit with the new system standard.
Notice: Skill, р̵̳̥͓̭͈̆͛̍͗̆ͅͅе̵̨̻̮͙̓͑͒̒͜͠а̸̧̨͕͕͖̿̀͋̉̐͘л̴̢̙̱̺̬̟̾͋̏̿͋̓͜͜и̷͚̠̼͑̿̄̕т̶̼̒͑͌̆͌̎и̵̝͇́̚-̶̧̟̩͈̥͕̞͉̅͛͊̿̂п̶̏̑̚͜р̶̠͔̜͔͕̠̰́͝ы̴̛̥̠͈̹͐͗̓г̵̻̼̀̓̈̇̈́у̴̧̘͕͓͓̗͇͊̉н̷̋̃͐́͜ has been adquired.
Notice: Current species, Human has been replaced by ч̴͚̯̓͋͋̇̄͗̀͝у̴͉̎͋̐̊͌͝ж̵̧̠̅̀̋̀̅̊а̷͇͖̰̥̤̫̀̐͊̀̇͊̍̀͜ͅͅк̷̠̰̜̟͔̈́͑͊̈́̿̄̉̑͠
Notice: Persistent memories is being removed, 500.000 soul points will be rewarded.
NO NO NO NO NO NO. DON’T YOU DARE REMOVE THAT!!!
Error: failed to remove persistent memories…
THANK GOD.
Retrying.
FUCK!!!
Error: failed to remove persistent memories, retrying
Error: failed to remove persistent memories, retrying
Error: failed to remove persistent memories, retrying
Error: failed to remove persistent memories, retrying
…
Error: failed to remove persistent memories
Notice: maximum amount of retries (10.000) reached
Notice: persistent memories has been replaced by eternal will
Notice: several minor skills have been replaced.
Notice: The skill removal process has finished.
I hate life…
Notice: Starting reincarnation
Error: No individuals of compatible species have been detected
FUUUUUUUCK!!!
Notice: Starting body generating process, 150.000 units of soul energy will be required.
Notice: Body generating process has been completed successfully, 695.789 soul points remaining.
Notice: Good luck.