Chapter 43
(switcharoo)
"Well, that's disappointing," lamented the flaming red eel as it trudgingly swam through the river of magma, its voice dripping with disappointment. "All this time and effort invested in your young mortal, and this opportunity to heal our universe, only to have him succumb to the Void Weaver before even reaching us."
The azure-crested bluebird perched on a branch of the long-dead tree, overlooking the snow-covered mountain top, trilled in a sorrowful melody. Its song resonated with sadness, longing, and loneliness.
"You give up too easily," remarked Frank, speaking through the bluebird's beak.
"I am simply being pragmatic," Tenebrous's voice resonated from the magma below. "I was never a fan of this plan and didn't like relying on your pet human to save us. Now that he's gone, we can cease our struggles and allow the universe to fall apart and perish, as it was always fated to do." The eel swished and delved deeper into the superheated liquid rock.
As always, the mortal chronicler stood and diligently transcribed the scene onto the scroll. The words magically appeared upon the aged parchment. The hand holding the quill seemingly guided by an unseen force. He remained impartial, merely an observer and intermediary between the two great beings, silently documenting the discourse as was his duty.
He was ever present during the discussions between these two halves of the universe. He was here when Frank first proposed this plan. He had witnessed the creation of the artifacts and documented their whereabouts and powers.
He had also observed the emergence of the being with the incomplete and separated soul, the smaller fragment withheld and stored for millennia within the Liminal Divide until it was finally reunited with its other part.
This mortal, this chronicler, understood both sides of the argument. He knew that Tenebrous, the darkness, acquiesced and even looked forward to the division they were undergoing. Tenebrous desired to rule his own separate universe, steeped in darkness. On the other hand, Frank vehemently opposed the separation, believing their fate lay not in division but in unity and rebirth. The chronicler had never taken sides; he remained neutral, simply tasked with chronicling all that occurred.
So, as the scene before him changed from a river of magma to a swamp of fetid water and stinging insects, with Tenebrous curling around a tree in the form of a huge black and red striped snake, acidic green venom dripping from its fangs, and Frank morphing into a stark white unicorn bathing the area in a pale white light with its magical horn, a strange sensation filled the chronicler, something very unfamiliar.
The man hesitated. He listened to the universal avatars, their words and meanings transcribing themselves onto the page. Yet, an unanticipated urge stirred within him. He felt the need to speak. This was unprecedented; he had never spoken before, nor had he ever felt the need to. In fact, he questioned whether he even possessed the capability to speak. Until now, he had never felt compelled to do so. His role was that of an observer, tasked solely with chronicling events from an impartial perspective. In the midst of his duty, speaking was inconceivable.
Without intending to move his lips, words began to tumble from his mouth. "I understand that you feel there is no hope now, but there is still one opportunity available. You could grant the lesser half a single body."
The words continued to tumble out. Throughout his entire life, which spanned the entirety of the universe, he had been nothing but a silent background. But now he couldn't help himself. He couldn't stop the words from exiting his mouth.
"It is within your purview to grant a single body to each soul. Since this person’s soul has two parts, it is only fair to grant each part a body. The alternate part would then enter the cycle of spiritual ascent, which would be unusual, but it may allow him to complete the mission."
The man looked down and witnessed the words he had spoken forming on the scroll he held in his hand. The text was different, made of symbols and forms unfamiliar to him. They differed even from the words spoken by the avatars and those he had heard coming from his own mouth. The mysterious language written upon the page was both his own and unknown to him.
Both avatars stopped where they were, startled by the words spoken by the mortal, yet fascinated by the idea he proposed. The unicorn looked at the small man, his eyes deep and filled with galaxies of stars floating within the darkness of his pupils. "Fascinating," he spoke, and the entire swamp vibrated from the intensity of the word.
The snake also looked at the small man curiously. There were no stars held within its eyes, only darkness. Its tongue protruded and tasted the air of the swamp before it too spoke to the man. "Possible, but futile," the snake said, drawing out the s's.
"Perhaps not," the unicorn spoke again. This time, the words carried with them a change of scenery. The swamp disappeared, and an expansive garden rose into existence. The dual suns overhead shone down brightly, one a pale blue, the other a vivid orange. The mixture of the colors gave the entire world a strange and alien hue. Shadows flickered, and the plants vibrated with the energy being cast from the dual stars.
"That part, Xinpo, has always been both a part of Jarow and an ally to me. If he were given the appropriate body, he may very well be able to complete the universal union," the large purple flower, which had just moments ago been the brilliant unicorn, completed its thought.
The snake had also transformed, but only its coloring and size. It now drooped from a branch of a large, mushroom-shaped tree with large peachy flowers dotting its many tined branches. The now-small, bright yellow serpent said with just a hint of cooperation, "I suppose if he were strong enough to break free from the eye of the Void Weaver, he may be able to reach us."
The purple flower's leaves vibrated vigorously. The man looked at the scroll and saw that the feeling conveyed by the flower's movement was excitement and joy.
"You know what body I am thinking of, don't you?" Tenebrous asked.
"Yes, I believe I do," Frank said as the leaves continued to vibrate, causing a small buzzing sound that drew in bee-like insects. The insects swarmed the mauve flower, covering themselves in the overflowing pollen.
----------------------------------------
Within the darkness, where thoughts and dreams exist, in the place between life and death where one journey ends and another begins, Jarow and Xinpo's souls were being modified without their awareness.
Frank had only one opportunity to accomplish this change, and he was being extremely careful not to overlook anything that might prove to be dangerous. Getting every detail correct was essential for this unique once-in-eternity opportunity.
Modifying or changing the dominant piece of Jarow's soul to fit within the subservient piece, and vice versa, was unheard of, and Frank was unsure of the true nature of the possible outcome.
Similarly to how quantum entanglement works, Jarow and Xinpo’s soul was reborn just along the cusp of the rift between the universe, thus splitting in two but leaving them also in a state where they could experience the same things, just in a different location and or state of being. The division of their soul left a larger piece to move forward in the side of light, Frank’s side, while the slightly smaller part was left to flounder in the dark.
Each representative piece of Jarow Frank now worked on held within it the entirety of the soul's journey and was on the verge of transcendence. Yet, split as it was, the whole could not evolve. So Frank faced a delicate and unusual challenge: to swap the corresponding polarity of the pieces without allowing the soul to reunite, else it would begin the process of ascendancy.
The work was delicate and intricate, and had never been done before, so it would take time and some experimentation to complete successfully. Luckily, since he had been the mastermind behind the placing of the soul into the key and body in the first place, he had some knowledge on how to make the swap work.
Not only was the swapping of the souls unusual and difficult, but even accessing it within the Aether required more effort than Frank was capable of performing on his own. Thus, Tenebrous held the body and soul within himself, while also within the Void Weaver.
In order to succeed, both Frank and Tenebrous had to collaborate closely under immense pressure to circumvent the usual constraints and materialize a new body for Xinpo. Success would hinge on Tenebrous providing the environment within the Aether where Frank could manipulate the union of body and soul. It was only there that the newly acquired body could manifest once more, presenting the final chance to fulfill the quest.
Tenebrous's makeup of darkness allowed him to surround the soul before it was destroyed and hold it in place so that the Void Weaver couldn't devour it. The pressure placed upon his own physical makeup by the infinite being was enormous.
It might seem simple for a being of darkness to hold back another creature of darkness and emptiness, but the task was more difficult due to their very similar natures. Tenebrous's existence was miniscule compared to the extent of the Void Weaver and the Aether it resided within. Rather than creating a barrier to withstand the pressure of the place and creature, Tenebrous's darkness was in constant motion, an oil slick held within ever changing boundaries of nothingness.
He had no chance of withstanding the pressure of the Aether for long. His only option was to mold and rearrange, slide and recoil, squish and expand, finding the areas where he could hold within him the split soul and the being of light within, modifying it.
Pain and pressure assaulted him from all sides, both externally from the Void Weaver and internally from his brother's existence within. The dance of darkness he performed was truly one for the ages. Never again would the lack of light be pressured in such ways and be forced to endure such torment. But it was necessary. This was truly their last chance at being. The final opportunity for them to have been created and stay alive. It was this or lose the entire universe.
----------------------------------------
You have died
Buffering…
New body acquired…
Beginning initialization…
Integration is at 98.9% - there is a 1.1% chance of failure…
Integration successful…
Initializing…
New body accepted…
Transfer complete
Xinpo woke, his eyes opening for the first time. He questioned whether he had actually opened them, though, for all he could see or sense was darkness. A restrictive and heavy pressure covered his body, but he realized he had never had an actual body before, so perhaps the pressure was simply the flesh covering him.
Memories and ideas flooded into him, overwhelming his mind with information. Yet, very little felt like his own.
A small mote of dim light appeared before him and spoke without the need for words, relaying ideas and thoughts directly to his brain. Slowly, the memories coalesced, and the messages from the mote of light became understandable.
Xinpo, you are now in charge of not only yours and Jarow’s destiny, but the universes as well. Jarow has failed and expended his chances, it is now up to you to fulfill the quest. You have been given this final body, use it well.
Frank
The last moments of Jarow's existence snapped into place, and Xinpo understood what had happened. He had always been a part of Jarow, experiencing the same life and experiences but separate, and only recently had he been able to even be perceived. He had been placed within an object before, an object that Jarow used to fight with and grow, but also as a companion and, unbeknownst to Jarow, a keeper of memories that would have only caused him befuddlement as he moved through his new existence.
Within the object, his duty had been to be an assistant and partial liaison. Now, it appeared the roles had changed. Xinpo could feel the new body around him, the skin and bones, muscles and tendons. He flexed in awe, feeling movement for the first time as his mind began to flex itself.
The life he and Jarow had led settled into place, but there was more, too: secrets and information known only to him, knowledge of skills, abilities, powers, monsters, and a vast array of other information. These things which Frank had implanted deep within him to help assist Jarow through his journey.
But as Xinpo's memory cleared and he realized just where he was and what had happened, the usefulness of the previous information was lost. That previous life and the need for such information were over. He was now tasked with one solitary goal, and there was very little he could do now other than make his way to the universe.
Then he would do...
Xinpo knew the plan Jarow had come up with, what he wanted to do. But now, Xinpo was in charge, it seemed. Would he do the same thing?
The pressing question emerged in his mind, but he was unsure if he could answer it. He mentally pushed out a quiet, questioning voice: "Jarow? Are you there?"
For a moment, nothing happened. There was no response or sensation of another presence. Then, slowly, as if waking from a long sleep, a small tickle of recognition began to appear within Xinpo’s mind.
"Xinpo? Is that you?" a timid and groggy voice responded deep within Xinpo's consciousness.
"Yes, suze... I mean, Jarow." Xinpo stopped himself before using the word. He had used the term for so long as a display of his respect that the word had become almost a habit. Now though, he understood that he was a part of the whole, and that more than just a part, the roles of him and Jarow were now reversed. The fragment of their soul known as Jarow was now the subservient to him. The word, which he had thought of as endearing, now felt degrading. He had not felt that way while using the term for himself, but the roles had been switched, and labeling Jarow as subservient was correct, yet still seemed improper.
Xinpo decided at that moment that roles, with their hierarchies of dominant and subservient, were no longer necessary. He and Jarow, he concluded, were equals now. At least, as long as Jarow agreed. Having felt like the lesser for so long, it was difficult for Xinpo to truly grasp that he was now the one in charge.
"What's going on? Where am I? Xinpo, can you sense anything? Did... did we die again?" Jarow asked meekly, confusion clearly evident.
Xinpo realized that Jarow had not been informed of this change. "He must feel as though he is simply unable to see or feel anything," Xinpo thought to himself. He didn't look forward to explaining this change.
"Jarow, have you not received a message from Frank?" Xinpo started the conversation.
Before they could continue, a new voice sounded within their head. It was deep and rife with pent-up anger. "You do not have time for this! I cannot keep you from the grasp of the Void Weaver any longer. Prepare yourself now!"
Xinpo realized almost instantly that the new voice within his mind was that of Tenebrous. He was unsure what the dark part of the universe was doing that caused him such distress, but he knew his discussion with Jarow would have to wait. Xinpo understood he had no time to waste and turned his attention to the last moments of Jarow's life.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Jarow had been swallowed by the darkness within the eye of the Void Weaver. Xinpo couldn't truly prepare for what was coming, but he knew he would need to equip and prepare what he could. He quickly opened his inventory and saw the Aether skin there. He equipped it immediately.
He removed the staff and discoball-infused sword as well. It had no label, but Xinpo instantly knew what it was. He closed that screen and opened his character sheet to at least learn what he was and what he could do.
Xinpo Catalystic Converger
Level [- 99 -]
Race [- Fellborn - ]
XP [- 99,999 -]
HP [- 19602 -]
MP [- 19602 -]
SP [- 19602 -]
Physical
Power 99
Durability 99
Mobility 99
Mental
Perception 99
Willpower 99
Judgment 99
Unquantifiable
Charisma 99
Luck 99
Powers
Molecular Fusion
Essence Transposition
Spatial Exchange
Temporal Inversion
Aural Armor
Dimensional Stream
Cosmic Fusion
Xinpo stared at the character sheet in awe. Frank had apparently stopped messing around and maxed out all of his stats. He gaped at the changes and wished he knew what a Fellborn was, but he felt he would find out soon enough.
He saw several open slots for new powers, but noticed only one more was filled in. He quickly scanned the new power and took in the details. It was exactly what it sounded like: the power to bring the universe back together. Jarow had basically come up with the same idea and had planned to use Xinpo as the "glue" to mend the universe, in a manner of speaking.
This power was the same thing. It used a part of a person's soul to mend a cosmic wound. But as Xinpo realized what it meant now that he and Jarow's roles were reversed, the true consequence of their swapping places became evident.
Before Xinpo could reach out to Jarow again, the darkness around him vanished, as if he had been held within a black balloon and that baloon had just been popped. The world of the Aether came into view, and Xinpo floated within a sea of green liquid.
Within seconds the darkness which was Tenebrous disappeared and a new form of darkness appeared. This was the very same part of the Void Weaver which had killed Jarow and it was now rushing towards Xinpo.
Xinpo was unsure of what this body could do, or what a Fellborn truly was. He had always been trapped within a metallic, inanimate body. He had seen how Jarow moved and functioned, but had never had the opportunity to do so on his own.
He felt this was a very inopportune time to learn how to move a body, but he didn't see any other option. Xinpo attempted to kick his legs to swim forward, but instead, massive dark wings flapped from his back. The propulsion from the leathery appendages allowed him to quickly move through the liquid.
He still had no idea where he needed to go in order to escape, but he continued to flap as hard as he could. He began to alter the timing of his flaps and found he could change direction. He zigged and zagged, not daring to look behind him.
Fear was also a new emotion for Xinpo to truly experience. As a piece of metal, fear was something he couldn't quite grasp. There was the possibility of being smelted or rusting, but those seemed more like natural processes than something to actually fear. Now, as he was being pursued and realized he could die and lose all these new sensations and feelings, he felt a sense of longing that caused the fear inside him to manifest.
Xinpo understood that this wasn't technically his first time occupying a living body. His soul had experienced a great number of lives before arriving at this point, but in all those other lives, his soul had been whole and intact. So while he had technically experienced them, his actual experience was different now. And it's not like he could just recall his past lives to remember how to move.
"Xinpo," Jarow's voice entered his brain. "I'm still not quite sure what's going on, but I think I'm beginning to understand. I can sense things, and it reminds me of how you told me that you sense things. We switched places, didn't we?"
There was sadness and loss in Jarow's voice, and Xinpo wanted to try to comfort him somehow, but flying for his life was occupying his mind right now. He managed a quick, "Yes," as he dodged left with a stronger flap of his right wing while tucking his left wing closer to his body. He was starting to get the hang of these types of movements the longer he continued.
"Then I need to help you." Jarow's voice came again, this time stronger. "You helped me through so much. It's my time to repay you for all your wisdom and selflessness. What can I do to help?"
Xinpo was glad Jarow was coming to terms with his new existence, but the timing couldn't be worse. "Unless you can tell me how to get this body to move faster or where we need to go to leave this place, I don't think I can really use your help right now." He replied more curtly than he meant.
Xinpo felt a strange itching sensation at the nape of his neck. It was annoying, but he didn't dare investigate right now.
"Go down!" Jarow said loudly inside Xinpo’s mind.
Xinpo had no better ideas or plans, so he did as Jarow told him and plunged deeper into the greenish liquid. As he turned his body into this inverted position, he saw the shadow in pursuit. It was enormous but shifted and dove down behind him.
Something new appeared as Xinpo streaked down into the unending bubble of liquid. For the first time, he could see what looked like a small tendril of darkness stretching up from the darker depths. It wound its way through the green sea until it moved up behind him.
"Go cut it!" Jarow's voice screamed in his mind.
Xinpo had never considered injuring or defeating this thing, even when he was the one guiding Jarow. But now it made much more sense. If he could sever the connection, the pursuing creature may not be able to continue to function.
Xinpo flapped his wings and moved his arms ahead of him, holding the swords in front of him, crisscrossed as he had seen Jarow use them numerous times. He darted towards the tether.
Without much resistance at all, Xinpo's blades sliced easily through the dark tendril. At the last second, Xinpo moved his arms out to create a scissor effect, but it was unnecessary. He didn't even slow down. He kept pumping his wings, racing as though the monster behind him were unscathed.
"Yes!" Jarow mentally hurrahed as the tether severed. "That was awesome! Do you think that'll kill it?"
"You're supposed to be the one guiding me now," Xinpo replied. "You tell me." He felt his face tighten around the cheeks. He had experienced his first smile. He could also feel the teeth around which his lips were pulled tight. They were long and sharp, unlike what he imagined normal teeth to feel like.
There wasn't a sound as normally perceived, but a wave of pressure swept out from behind Xinpo as he continued to speed away. It vibrated the fluid of this place in a tone that reminded him of sorrow and pain.
"I no longer sense the thing behind you. I think you killed it," Jarow said after several moments. "You will have to verify visually though."
Xinpo was hesitant to stop and turn around, but he wanted to show some trust in Jarow as he had always done when their roles were reversed, so he slowed down and rolled to one side to see for himself what had happened.
The darkened, amorphous shape that had been chasing Xinpo was now deflating rapidly and flailing about randomly. The tube to which it had been attached spewed forth bubbles of an unknown gas, causing the end to flop from side to side like a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man.
"Yes, that did it! Good thinking, Jarow," Xinpo complimented his soul's other half. He felt that Jarow had gotten the raw end of the deal, since he was now the bodiless one, so Xinpo wanted to boost his mood in any way possible.
The defeat of this monster was a relief, but it ultimately left Xinpo alone and still without an exit. He began to think about how he would leave this place. He could continue downward toward the darker areas, or he could attempt to move outward. Either way, he needed to find the edge of this bubble. Once he did, he would have to figure out how to break it. Would he be able to push, cut, or puncture his way out? Or would he have to try something different?
Xinpo wasn't normally the one who made these kinds of decisions. He wasn't the adventurer; that was Jarow. He was the helper, the guide. This was far beyond his expertise. He knew he had to somehow find a way out of this predicament, but he was finding a severe lack of options.
"Jarow, what do I do now?" Xinpo turned inward and asked.
With no need for words, Xinpo's surroundings and needs were sent to Jarow so that he could understand Xinpo's predicament better, their soul bond allowing the transfer of not only words, but pictures, emotions, and senses.
"That's a tough call. I think I'd explore where that feeding tube goes. If there's some kind of gas or something coming from it, then it has to lead somewhere outside, doesn't it?" Jarow responded.
Xinpo hadn't even thought of that. But he questioned Jarow's thinking. Just because some bubbles came out at the end didn't mean it would lead somewhere. And if it did, why would it lead outside?
He did find the idea more appealing than taking his chances with a wall that might or might not be within reach and might not be penetrable even if he did reach it. So he began to swim-fly towards the tube.
Xinpo quickly returned to the place where he had severed the line. It was wider than he remembered, and he could tell that it was made of a malleable substance, thin like cloth but strong. He was surprised that his swords had sliced through it so effortlessly.
He moved his face over the end of the tube and let the bubbles wash over him. He tried to smell the gas coming out of the tube, but instead inhaled a lungful of bitter, acidic liquid.
After a few minutes of convulsions and coughing, Xinpo finally regained his senses. He couldn't help but wonder how he managed to survive in that liquid. The acrid taste lingered in his mouth, and the sensation of it catching in his throat made him grateful that he didn't require food, drink, or air. He shuddered at the thought of exposing his eyes to the liquid; he was certain they'd melt instantly if not for the protection of the Aether Skin draped over his body.
Xinpo was still apprehensive about where the tube would lead, but he conceded that it was most likely the best choice. He had to follow it to its source. He didn't want to lose track of the tube as he descended, since the light seemed to lessen the deeper it went into the liquid, so he used the strange tube as a pull-along and began lowering himself with his arms, hand over hand.
The movement was slower than he liked, and Jarow commented on this fact several times before Xinpo finally decided to change his method of descent. With his hands still wrapped around the slippery black tendril, he began flapping his wings again.
He descended much more quickly than he had been doing before. Although
somewhere along the journey, Xinpo's proprioception changed, and rather than feeling as though he were traveling vertically, his movements felt more horizontal.
He surmised that if this place was, as Jarow had suspected, the interior of one of the large eyes upon the Void Weaver, thus making this entire ocean trapped within a bubble, that the sense of directionality could easily be skewed in any direction.
During the time spent traveling towards the source of the tether, Xinpo and Jarow utilized the opportunity to communicate and address a few matters that might become necessary. Xinpo possessed the knowledge of how to wield the abilities bestowed upon him in this body; he had observed such things while being held by Jarow in his sword form. However, the switch in roles had left them both at a disadvantage.
They talked to each other, explaining as best they could how each other's powers, bodies, and abilities worked. Jarow explained in detail how movement would be different on land. He praised Xinpo for being able to figure out how to use the wings so easily and for being able to outmaneuver the creature that had killed him.
Xinpo instructed Jarow on how to use his abilities, such as telekinesis. It took several attempts, and they lost several copies of the artifact sword before Jarow finally became proficient at controlling them as Xinpo had done. Neither knew what lay ahead of them, but they agreed that it was best to be as prepared as possible.
Finally, after what seemed like days, the light around them began to fade. If they had been able to perceive the actual distance they had to move, they would have used Dimensional Stream. However, they didn't want to deal with the crippling after-effects, since they didn't know what else might be lurking in the darkness, especially before Jarow had mastered his defensive telekinetic sword defenses.
As the ambient light lessened, Xinpo's eyesight began to change. At first, it was barely noticeable, but once he realized that his surroundings were completely dark and he was still able to see perfectly fine, he knew something was going on.
He stopped and stared into the darkness, just to make sure his perceptions were accurate.
"What's going on? Why did you stop?" Jarow asked, concerned.
"I can still see, but there is no light penetrating this deep within. I stopped to make sure I wasn't mistaken," Xinpo responded, a touch of awe in his mental voice.
"So you have Thermovision? I had that too, kind of. Everything is colors of heat?" Jarow asked to clarify.
"No, it's not like that at all. It's as though there is still light all around us. I can see just as I did before, but I can also tell there is no light at all. It is extremely curious," Xinpo explained.
“The strangest part about it is that there is nothing to see. We are still surrounded by the same green liquid, and nothing else seems present,” Xinpo continued. “Yet I have the feeling that we are not alone either.”
This took Jarow by surprise. He reached out with his own senses, trying to pick up on anything out of the ordinary that Xinpo’s eyes might not be able to see. He felt nothing unusual; nothing moved other than themselves and the tube onto which they still clung.
“I sense nothing out of the ordinary, but I will keep my senses alert,” Jarow told his other half.
Xinpo nodded slowly and began to move forward again, although he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them.
Xinpo began moving again, flapping his wings as though flying through the liquid while holding onto the tube, letting its slippery smooth surface glide along the inside of his arms.
He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but neither his eyes nor Jarow's senses could discern anything out of the ordinary. His sense of time was new to him, so Xinpo had no clue how much longer he traveled like this.
Being so focused on what he felt rather than what he could see, he found himself moving rapidly towards a solid mass. He had to flap his wings backwards rapidly to stop his movement before he slammed into the wall of darkness which seemingly just appeared before him.
"What happened? Did you see something?" Jarow asked as they came to a sudden halt.
"Just this wall in front of us," Xinpo said. He wondered if Jarow couldn't perceive it. "Can't you sense it?"
Xinpo felt an itchy feeling on his neck again before Jarow answered. "There's a wall? I don't sense anything there."
Xinpo reached out his hand and touched the solid surface. It was cold and hard, with small peaks and valleys. It wasn't rough, but it wasn't flat either. A memory of Jarow's came to him: a name: obsidian.
"It's here alright. It feels like a huge wall of obsidian. It's like glass, but dark and thick," Xinpo said as he used the butt of the sword to knock on the wall.
“Then the tube ends here as well?” Jarow asked.
Xinpo looked at the tube and traced it to the base of the wall. It did indeed look as though it was attached to the sheet of obsidian before him.
“It looks like it, but the opening is much too small for me to fit through,” Xinpo told Jarow. “Can you sense anything on the other side?”
The itching sensation, which Xinpo now associated with the time it took Jarow to think about something, began again. Xinpo wondered if Jarow had felt a similar sensation while he had pondered things.
“I can, but I can’t figure out what I feel. I can’t sense the wall there, but I can’t tell what’s beyond either. Without knowing there is something there, I wouldn’t be able to tell there was a change at all,” Jarow answered confusedly.
They both took a moment to consider their situation.
"How should I proceed then? I know I'm not going to fit through that wall," Xinpo said.
"Can you use Passe-partout?" Jarow asked, although he already knew the answer.
Xinpo mentally touched the button and a transparent circle appeared in his vision. It clung to the wall, not allowing the marker to move beyond. He swung the circle around in all directions and found he could move the marker out within the liquid, but not past the wall.
"It won't let me past this wall," Xinpo responded.
"How about Dispel? Do you think it's magical?" Jarow suggested.
Xinpo placed the sword in his inventory and hoped that Dispel wouldn't affect the Aether Skin. He held out his hands and used the ability. A strange blue-hued light entered the liquid but reflected off the wall and had no effect on anything that Xinpo could tell.
"Nope. That didn't work either," Xinpo told Jarow after the ability stopped. "I could do Complete Cleanse, but I doubt it'd do anything either."
"Can't hurt. Just make sure to close your eyes, that light is blinding," Jarow said with a mental shrug.
Xinpo closed his eyes as Jarow suggested, before casting Complete Cleanse. He could sense the glow of the spell through his closed eyelids, and he could also feel what he could only describe as a rebound of the light coming from the wall. Once the flashes passed, he opened his eyes, expecting to see the wall standing just as it had been.
To his utter astonishment, as his eyes slowly opened, a huge opening stood before him. The hole created was only about twenty feet in diameter, and even as he stared at it in amazement, the hole began to close, regenerating like small crystals forming unnaturally fast.
Xinpo realized the hole wasn't going to last long at the current speed at which it was mending itself. He looked past the opening, but could see nothing but darkness. Even in this dark place where his vision still allowed him to see, the darkness before him loomed as a void of utter and unending darkness. Terror gripped his heart.
"Xinpo, I can sense the spell made a hole, but it's closing. Move through it!" Jarow urged.
Xinpo remained frozen. He could deal with the darkness he was in, but the void at which he stared was something completely different. This void wasn't just the lack of light, it was the complete and utter lack of anything.
As if he looked directly into the center of a black hole, Xinpo could tell there was no moving forward. There was no way to move forward, no possibility of escape or even continued existence in that void. He doubted even his soul would survive if he stepped into the void before him.
"No, we can't go this way. There's nothing but an end there," Xinpo mentally spoke. He couldn't withdraw his focus from the space of nothingness and the terror it induced.
"What do you mean? I can sense the Aether just beyond the wall. I can almost feel the Void Weaver's tentacles writhing just beyond the hole you created. Just move through and we can continue towards our universe," Jarow said, still confused by Xinpo's resistance.
There was a pause as Xinpo stared at the nothingness. He could see the opening reforming, closing in, the crystalline structure growing at an alarming rate. But he couldn't bring himself to move. He couldn't dissuade his brain to believe Jarow over what he saw.
"It's the void, Jarow! We will both die if I move forward!" Xinpo all but screamed inside his head.
Xinpo's fear was clearly evident, but Jarow had difficulty understanding. It was so clear to his senses. He couldn't see through Xinpo's eyes though and knew just how difficult it could be to override visual stimuli. He could tell there was more to Xinpo's terror though, some paranoia or internal fear which Jarow himself hadn't dealt with.
"Hey, Xinpo. Trust me this time. I always did my best and trusted you. You saved my life and helped me more times than I can count. Now it's your turn to do the same. Close your eyes and move forward. I know it's difficult, but if you don't move now, we may be trapped in here longer. At least until Complete Cleanse resets, but we don't know if it'll work again this way. You should move forward now," Jarow tried to convince his soul partner in a soothing and rational voice.
Xinpo didn't truly understand why this frightened him so much either. He could tell it was irrational, something which shouldn't be an issue for him. He trusted Jarow, and he trusted the senses which Jarow now had because he had had the same senses when their roles were reversed.
Then something clicked in Xinpo's mind. He had this new-found body and perspective. He could see and feel, and he had only just begun to scratch the surface of the senses that would accompany this new body. The darkness now before him, the lack of sight, reminded him of how it felt before. How it felt to be trapped within the blade, without the sensations this body had. It represented what it would be like to return to that place, to switch roles once again with Jarow. It was something he feared, he dreaded. But if it meant Jarow would be free again, he would do it.
Xinpo knew that if necessary, he would return to the blade he had been housed in. But he also knew that Jarow was the one without a body now, trapped in the place where he himself used to be. He had to do what he could in this body, not only for Jarow, but for the universe and everything in it. That thought freed Xinpo from his self-imposed prison.
He opened his eyes and saw the crystalline hole quickly closing. Without further hesitation, he flew into the void.