In a grey, endless expanse, similar to the abyss in everything except colour, a lone soul released small, rhythmic pulses.
These pulses were not that of a heartbeat, nor were they similar to the standard communication between souls, but something eerily strange. Silent but thunderously loud, pitifully weak while having the ability to overpower anything that came into contact with it.
The soul continued to exist, though was slightly confused at its current predicament. It had only been to this place once, when its original body, on a small, insignificant planet called Earth, had come to an abrupt end.
Just like every time it had been killed, the soul's memories of its previous incarnations were fuzzy and intangible. Yet, the laws of the abyss, as well as the ability to think logically, were still present. The soul knew that it had to consolidate its gains and losses from its previous life, mainly the essence it had absorbed before it would be able to recall anything in detail.
["Return to the cycle."]
An immense wave of energy, transmitting a feeling or emotion that the soul could easily translate into words, flooded over it.
Though it had never been told what the existence was, the soul instinctively knew. It was a feeling that every mortal creature, especially one that could retain its memories after its demise, would know.
It was Death.
After shuddering a moment, just like it had done during its first passing, the soul ignored the sensation.
No matter how alluring the feeling was, subtly offering peace and redemption, it wasn't in the soul's nature to surrender, especially to something as permanent as death.
The pulse emanating from the soul became stronger, causing the surrounding energy to fluctuate, as if whatever Death was, had become furious. ["Return to the cycle. Cleanse the corruption that has stained your existence."]
The soul's consciousness was shocked. From the laws that it somehow knew, it understood that it would only be asked to return once.
While the current situation was already strange, as it had passed through before the soul hadn't really been concerned. It believed, even though it didn't currently understand what it was due to the vague memories, that it would return to the abyss soon.
However, being asked a second time, and sensing the anger and disgust of the unknown existence the soul believed to be Death, it couldn't help but shudder.
["Return to the cycle."]
Moments later, or it could have been an eternity as there was no sense of time in the grey world, the energy smashed into the soul like a tidal wave, causing the soul's consciousness to feel as if it was a small paddle boat amongst a raging storm.
Suddenly, as if simulated by the disruption caused to its consciousness, what felt like an endless amount of energy erupted from the soul's depths and repelled the invading force.
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The energy wasn't pure, nor was it peaceful. To the soul, it felt similar to its own but more tortured, resentful and... mindless. As if its consciousness had been removed.
The endless grey appeared to shake violently, as a small, black dot appeared nearby, quickly followed by others.
["The Cycle must be preserved."]
An Enormous crushing force descended upon the soul, yet with the constant stream of energy that was erupting from within, it was barely able to hold out.
The soul instinctively knew if the energy were to crush it, it's existence would end and, instead of fear, was instantly enraged. Not only did it resist with everything it had, it even started a furious counterattack, attempting to destroy as much as the foreign power that was attacking it as possible.
It may cease to exist, but it would take its due before then.
Under pressure, the consciousness' mindset turned feral. The thought that it had to kill or be killed resonated within the soul and, a few moments later, another boundless energy descended upon the grey world.
There were no words expressed this time, just a rumbling growl that could cause any mortal body to explode. However, though this energy was unintelligible in conventional terms, the meaning behind it was, strangely, clear.
It wanted the soul to submit to it. To become one with the law of nature. Both hunter and prey.
The soul, already at its limits shook for a bit as it reduced in size, the pressure of Death condensing its shape yet, it instead of becoming dispirited or submitting, it actually roared back in defiance.
While it was nowhere near the power of the beastial-like existence, the energy rippling from the soul was equally as vicious, leaving no room for compromise of retreat.
In essence, the words transmitted could be interpreted in many ways but the fundamental message was that, if the existences thought they had the ability, then they should attempt it. However, the price they would have to pay would not be worth the result.
A more straightforward, childish interpretation would be 'Make Me.'
If the soul wouldn't submit to death, why would it kneel before a weaker, less fundamental law?
There was also one seemingly insignificant, but crucial, detail to be gleaned from this energy. The Soul had used words, not feelings to transmit its message.
It may have reverted to a feral, beast-like state, but had not lost the intelligence, nor its sense of self that had been ingrained into its soul by countless, bitter, lifetimes.
It wasn't genuinely sentient, yet neither was it a beast. It was a contradiction that shouldn't exist.
The beast-like existence seemed to be engaged and released another rumbling growl, much more potent than the last.
As the energy swept past the small, black dots and towards the soul, something strange happened.
Thin, black cracks erupted from the spots in all directions at an incredible rate, immediately catching the soul's attention.
The void-like black lines seemed so familiar and welcoming, something it yearned for, that the soul couldn't help but move towards the densest cluster.
"From the darkness, I am born~." The energy pulse from the soul revealed a sentence that seemed to be deeply engraved into the soul, causing specific memories to flood back into its mind's eye.
["Abomination!"] Death, as well as the beastial existence's energies, seemed to recoil from the cracks in the grey space as if they were the most deadly poison.
The reduced pressure allowed the soul to start expanding again, yet due to all of the extra power that had come from an unknown source within, it continued to grow past its original size.
Along with its growth came the rest of its memories.
"To the darkness, I shall return." While it was still comparable to an ant when put up against the energy of Death and the beast-like existence, the soul's power rumbled outwards, the waves perfectly matching the strange beat that had been emanating from it at the beginning.
When the soul's energy touched the cracks, it didn't recoil like the others but flooded towards it like a lost child returning to its parent.
["And from the darkness"] An old, soul-chilling, hiss-like voice caused the grey world to dim significantly as the cracks spread at an outstanding speed. ["You shall be reborn. Arise, Nyx, adopted daughter of Darkness, the Shadow Princess.]
An earth-shattering roar, along with a shriek that sounded like it had come from the depths of hell erupted from the two previous existence as they retreated from the encroaching darkness.