Cross held the glowing orb gently between his hands, fingertips just barely grazing the edges. It was a small light. A fresh life that had just lit up in the world. Millions upon millions of moments flashed, overlapping and merging until they became too fast to follow. Future, past, and present all morphed into one. The chaos of life. With a thoughtful look he let it go and allowed it to float back into the ether. In another moment he lost sight of it as it blended with the others.

The Void was different now. How exactly, Cross could not quite say. It simply was. Or perhaps he was different. It was a thought that brought a bemused smile to the edge of his mouth as he strode through the endless nothing.

Perhaps it was the light that made it seem so different. The Void had always seemed so dark and empty. An inky and lonesome abyss that he could fall into and never return. Now he could pick out millions upon millions of lights, each one twinkling with its own secrets and wonders. Some flickered with age, almost ready to fade. Others burned with such intensity he could barely stand to look at them. But they all shone the same color. A pure and white light. The color of life. He could feel them, calling out to him ever so softly, beckoning him to come closer and get lost in their story.

He came to a stop as he reached the edge of his haven. As though a line had been cut across the world, everything that stretched before him was black. Black like he had always known the Void to be.

This too called to him, but it was not a soft and serene song. It was a harsh melody that crashed against him like a tidal wave and threatened to suck him into the nothingness. It tugged at his soul, reaching deep into his chest and holding fast with an iron grip.

The pure, unadulterated power took his breath and left an agonizing ache of desire in his chest.

He wavered back and forth before his left hand came up and rested against the boundary. It was like pressing against water. The resistance was there, but it was so fragile he could press through with little effort.

How easy it would be.

It would only take another step and he would be across.

What lay beyond the walls he had built?

What knowledge eluded him?

Why shouldn't he know it?

Why shouldn’t he end it?

Why shouldn't he know all?

Why shouldn’t he know nothing?

“Playing with dangerous thoughts again?”

Flinching, Cross turned his head and nearly ran face first into Kosu. She giggled as he stumbled back a step before catching himself. Still laughing softly to herself she lazily floated around him. He watched her for a long time, his mouth twisting back and forth before he finally let out a very quiet sigh and bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

Kosu’s mismatched eyes focused on him and a cat-like smile lit up her face. “Oh? For what?”

Cross rubbed at the back of his head. He already knew going into this that Kosu wasn’t one to make things easy. “For pulling me back.”

“And?”

“For telling me where Makina and Lara were.”

“…And?”

“I don’t think there was anything else.”

“True, but I was hoping I could trick you into admitting to more. Shame, I do like hearing your voice so pathetic. It’s a rare treat for me.”

Cross smiled at her in spite of himself. “Some people would say I’m pathetic far too often as is.”

“I’m inclined to agree, but I find it endearing so I still wouldn’t mind seeing it more.” Kosu floated sank down until she was under him, looking up. “So then, how much have you figured out?”

Cross smile faded away and he returned to facing the blackness. “Not as much as I should.”

“True.”

“Will you tell me?”

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

“I wonder…” Kosu rose up until she was standing shoulder to shoulder with him, staring directly ahead as well. “I suppose as your mentor I really should. Though I would be a bit more inclined if you would ask nicely.”

Cross’s eyes flicked towards her for only a second. “Please, Kosu.”

She let out a content hum. “Very well. But how to explain this. So very difficult. Or maybe it isn’t.” There was a sharp crack as she smacked her hands together and spun infront of him. “For those who walk the Void, knowledge is what we crave and our very lives are the currency. The more time we spend searching for that elusive truth, the less time we have to actually live. But you understand that, don’t you?”

Cross nodded.

“You do, you do, you do… but you also don’t. You want me to explain it but you already know. You want everything and you want nothing. But of those two, there is one you want more.”

“Nothing.” Cross spoke the word thoughtlessly. His eyes widened in surprise and Kosu smiled. She blinked once and her eyes swapped colors. Again, and they went completely red.

“Two sides of the same coin. Everything and Nothing. Creation and Destruction. You crave destruction. Consume the knowledge and destroy it. Create a world of stillness. Bring all to nothing and you will be fulfilled.”

Cross took an unsteady step back. His mouth opened and closed several times, but no sound came out. He swallowed hard. “That would be impossible.”

“Very! It is no more possible to destroy all than it is to learn all. It is only because men are so foolish that they allow these delusions to overtake them. It is an intoxicating thought though, one way or the other. That isn’t to say you will destroy everything, or even anything. Though, that isn’t to say you won’t. It is simply a desire. I noticed it about you the first time we met. You liked it better that way… remember?”

“So, what do I do?”

“Who knows?" Kosu was suddenly floating again. “Those like you, they expire faster. Not that any Void Walkers live very long either way. The Seekers go mad and waste away into husks. The Consumers go mad and are killed. It’s the same outcome, one simply accelerates the process.”

Cross hand returned to the fragile barrier. “So, I need to be careful, then.”

“In reality, nothing has changed. You simply understand your situation more than you did before. If you wish to go further, you may." She said airily. Her eyes had returned to their mismatched state. "My borders are far larger than this. So long as you stay within them, I will keep you safe."

"I'm fine where I am.” His hand dropped back down to his side.

"Oh, I don't think that is true at all." Kosu circled around him, spinning slowly as she did so. She lightly brushed against the side of his head with her bare foot. "In fact, I think you're just bursting to test your limits." She came to a sudden stop and dropped her face down until it was only inches from his. A frown formed on her face. "After all, that is what the elf would want you to do."

"Isn't that what you wanted too?" Cross glanced over his shoulder and into the nothing. The tug grew stronger until he looked back to Kosu.

"Yes, I suppose.” There was a bitterness to her voice.

"Then why are you pouting?”

“I’m not pouting,” Kosu said as she jutted her lower lip out in what was very clearly a pout.

“Is that so?”

"I just think it was rather inconsiderate of you. If you wanted to be trained you could have asked me. I have no doubt I could have trained you better than she did. I am the Witch of the Void after all."

"I didn't ask her. I wouldn't have asked you."

"She is doing fine, you know. Safe in her little forest. No more hunters are coming. Not for a while, at least. They couldn't do much even if they did. The forest has become strong under her watch. She is quite safe there. So, you can stop worrying."

"I wasn't."

"Oh, you little liar! You like to act so indifferent in the world around you," Kosu's pout disappeared as she came around behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder. She waved her hand and an image lit up in front of them. Cross watched a ghostly image of himself speaking to Sammir. "You like to act, but we both know you care. I do wonder though, did it make you feel better? You did fail after all.”

Cross shrugged, pushing his shoulder up roughly to dislodge Kosu but she held onto him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pressing her head against his.

"I like that about you, you know. How you are so protective of your friends." Kosu sighed against his ear. "I find it so very endearing. It makes me envious though. I wish just once I could watch you fight for me like that. To protect me."

This wasn’t a new line. Kosu had spoken it so many times before and always in that same, playful tone, but for some reason today… today he could feel a different weight behind them and it left Cross unsure of how to respond.

With a small frown he tilted his head to meet Kosu's eye. "Do you need to be protected?"

Kosu tightened her grip on him for a moment before she leapt away with a small laugh, twirling elegantly through the air. "No, I suppose not. Such is the life of a Wanderer. In this world, there is nothing that can hurt me. Unless it truly is possible to die of boredom." She spun around and around in the air, her long hair trailing out behind her before she came to a gradual stop and looked down at him. "I will simply have to be content with you. I have no doubt you will continue to be most interesting to watch."

"Will you always watch me?" Cross said, tilting his head to look up at her. She considered the question for a moment, resting her delicate chin on her hand.

"No, not always." Kosu closed her blue eye and stuck her tongue out. "When you bathe or change, I avert my eyes. Well, at least I try."

The absurdity of her comment drew a laugh from Cross before he could catch himself. He shook his head and smiled up at Kosu. "Perhaps I should call you Kosu: The Voyeur of the Void?”

Kosu faltered for a moment, a look of shock crossing her face, before she broke into a fit of giggling laughter, her hand coming up to her mouth. "Cross, I believe you just made a joke! It appears that little Goddess you are watching over was correct."

"How so?" Cross said.

"You are becoming so very different."

"Am I?" Cross looked out into the Void. Kosu watched him closely. A dull roar echoed across the vastness and he silenced it with a single blink. "Well, is that a bad thing?"

"Oh, you know how the saying goes." Kosu blinked, swapping her eye color back and forth. "Time shall tell."