I panted. Complaints filled my body now that I was relatively safe from death for a few seconds. God I’m so sore…and those cuts and burns are fresh with pain. I paused and listened in as I heard something. Was his body convulsing?

I could hear small movements come from the corpse in front of me…but I wasn’t too worried. The stone was now lodged in his eye, and most likely his brain now.

“I won…” I couldn’t muster any other words.

I couldn’t budge any movement…and my world seemed grey.

Grey…

The world…lost its color!

Something changed.

The surroundings darkened. It was as if the world itself had lost its color. No…it truly had!

The crown!

I screamed and felt a physical change as the crown began to encroach me completely. Blood trickled down from my forehead as it had finally seemed to affect me physically. Am I going to die? A flower bloomed completely on the band of thorns.

A flower!

I sat up in horror, ignoring the harrowing pain from my wounds. More flowers began to bloom. They covered my vision slightly. “You’re joking right?!” I watched in terror as a single petal fell from the flower. It glided down, shifting slowly to the left and right as it cut through the air.

I felt my hair stand on end.

This was dangerous!

The petal hit the floor…and instantly my vision darkened.

No longer was I in a forest. I could see nothing. Darkness surrounded me.

It was still the Vast, or was it? It was too hard to tell where I was. I had no permanence in my surroundings. Only one thing was clear.

It’s hot. So hot! The fire that burned my flesh off was nothing compared to this! There was nothing comparable to this! An inconceivably heavy pressure weighed down my surroundings. Fear crawled up my spine as I felt something observing me.

I began to holler and scream in pain.

My flesh melted off. I felt a blistering pain as I felt my tongue become a mushy substance. The insane heat was gone as fast as it had arrived. It was the result of my nerves being completely burnt through. Disgusting noises echoed in the dark space as my flesh and body dripped down onto the floor.

Chunks of mangled and burnt leather looking pieces of me hit the floor with a squelch. I couldn’t even scream. My hearing disappeared, only vision remained. I felt my nose drop to the ground as my eyes darted around in panic.

I tried to move only to collapse with a disgusting thud. How was I not dead?! My head hit the ground and faced upwards as it melted slowly. Only my eyes remained. Is this it?! My vision darted around once more…only to pause on a behemoth above me.

I did not care about anything else anymore.

A horrifying sight filled my vision. A glowing symbol hovered in the sky. It was a tetradecagon which seemed to resemble an emblem. The red hue it emitted was baleful and demonic. 3 ran across its surface, each intersecting into one another. These streaks were present in every flat side of the shape. Which were gigantic in size.

Eyes filled every orifice of the shape. All of them stared down at me…or well what was left of me. The shape exploded outwards.

The explosion rumbled through the dark space and the brightness of it would’ve blinded me if it weren’t for the anomalous circumstance of my eyes not being harmed at all. Once the brightness of the explosion died down after its initial force I could see the result of it, in all its red fiery glory.

It had become an Ophanim shaped creature. A red sphere of horribly bright blood red light laid in the middle as its “wheels” circled ominously. Countless and eldritch looking eyes sprawled across every inch of these “wheels”. The wheels burned a demonic flame. The eyes locked onto me. Their gaze was holy. It was as if their very observation could burn through me.

The crown floated above my head.

A petal began to fall once again.

It cut through the air in sways.. Fire exploded outwards and decimated the surroundings. The sky itself, even if dark and seemingly infinitely far away, began to burn. The wheels of the Ophanim began to spin rapidly, almost as if it was panicking. It spun at an insane speed, so much so that I could see sound being torn apart by the sheer speed. Then it was so fast I could no longer see their movement. The petal was oblivious to all this however.

Slowly and peacefully the petal swayed and tapped the ground right next to where the other petal had fallen. My surroundings instantly changed.

I was now laying on a grey ground.

“Gah!”

I gasped and clutched my body. I was alive! My body was back. “What the hell was that?!” Where the hell am I? I clutched at my clothing and stayed immobile. I was afraid to move, unsure whether my body would be torn apart by some unseen horror again. Nothing felt real. It was hard to breathe, and I felt like my body would crumble if I moved it too suddenly.

Time passed as I attempted to process the horrifyingly real death I had just gone through. I couldn’t help but hyperventilate as I stared away into the grey expanse in front of me. Whatever was happening it was real. I had just died and returned. The pain was too real to reject.

Tears welled up in my eyes. What in the world just happened?! I sat up and touched my forehead, and sure enough the crown was still there, mysterious as ever. I couldn’t tell but something felt like it had changed. The band of thorns was evolving with each piece of me it devoured, and I had no way of knowing when it would stop.

I smacked the grey ground with my fist. A thud echoed through the surroundings.

“I didn’t sign up for this.” A shaky and broken voice was all I could muster. A scowl stretched across my face. Tears began to drip down my cheeks.

“Oh but you did!” A cackle echoed throughout the surroundings, its hoarse nature quickly changed into a voice which was strikingly similar to mine.

Huh?! My vision darted around. “Who’s there?!”

I turned my head and subconsciously blinked, only for the surroundings to suddenly change. I was startled by the change and yelped. The surrounding space changed, yet was still grey. A new addition had been made to it however. Countless, and I mean an insane amount of threads of different sizes and color stretched out towards the horizon.

All the threads, some truly titanic in size and others minuscule and almost undetectable stretched towards a singularity, where I could see a silhouette floating, pierced by these countless threads.

I was drawn in. I attempted to walk towards it subconsciously, but no matter how much I walked I would never get any closer. However I continued to walk towards this singularity and silhouette. My pace was slow.

“Who…are you?”

I decided to ask the very first thing which came to mind. A chuckle and the figure shaking its head was my reply.

“No no, That's not what we were talking about.”

“Huh?”

“You said you didn't sign up for this, correct?”

I felt a cold sweat. Was this guy mocking me?

“Yeah…I did, and it's true.”

The laugh once again permeated my hearing. I flinched as I saw the figure bobbing up and down in its weird crucified-like stance.

“The thing is, you did. Since the moment that bastard put me on your little head, I've been subject to such a boring show! I mean…get over yourself! You really think that promise you made wasn't gonna string you into danger? You read those books, you saw those reports. You know how hard it is to simply survive in this place yet you still have the balls to say you didn't sign up for it?!”

The silhouette lectured me. Yet even if he was right…even if he was reading through me…What did he know?! I clenched my fists tightly.

“Oh I know a lot alright! I've been watching every step of your pathetic journey, I've been subject to every small memory you reject. Your laziness, your guilt, your weakness. All of it…and honestly I can't help but be surprised you're not dead!”

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He read my mind?! A chuckle interrupted my thoughts.

“You’re preeeetty slow aren't you?”

I snapped back.

“Oh shut up!”

Laughter filled my hearing.

“Man you are such a freak though, I mean what type of person keeps a monologue of everything they do so uniformly constant in their head?! Even I was shocked! I guess it does make watching you interesting though.”

I paused slightly. My fingers wrapped around each other. I felt rather neutral in this space, as if a fiery sword had not plunged into my shoulder minutes ago. Even with this neutrality. Even with all the pain I had been subject to gone…I felt a deeper miasma of feelings surrounding me. This voice…whatever it may be was breaking me apart slowly. And I could only reply.

“I guess you're right about the whole I didn't sign up for this thing, but I still think it's unreasonable for me to have to be burnt alive on my first day here! A-and how do you explain this crown?!”

A small sigh escaped my lips. The figure reluctantly huffed. I felt incomplete. My answer was incomplete. My thoughts were incomplete.

I knew that something was wrong. Yet…

It was hopeless to acknowledge something was wrong…if I didn’t know what.

“Don't give me that!”

My brow raised upwards. What did he mean?

“What I mean is don't give me that bullcrap! I mean you're acting as if you understand your problem, and what I told you, and you brush it off to me subconsciously but spend your time thinking about it so intensely that you make the problem bigger because you never get to the part where you actually fix it!”

I hissed. This guy really read through me. I wasn't too shocked though, it's not like I didn't expect whatever this thing was, who could read my mind, and who knew me extensively…to not lecture me. Even if I wasn’t shocked…I sighed. I stayed motionless for a bit, contemplating what was being said to me. I decided to ask a simple question to change the topic.

“Is there a way for you to like not do that whole…reading my mind thing?”

The figure seemed to respect my choice of changing the topic. Almost as if its mockery had reached a limit.

“Sadly, no. I don't even know why it's a feature in this damned thing! I'm so tired of hearing teenage angst all day and night, at least you're not too bad with that.”

Wait…there were others other than me? Should I be proud? I sighed. It seemed like I had a whole new problem to deal with.

I looked around. The threads still stretched out seemingly infinitely.

“So what's with these?” I tapped one, and my hand simply went through it. The figure chuckled and seemed to look towards me.

“Well…I'd ask you if you knew but clearly you don't. Short story is that I'm trapped here due to these things, and I don't really think you can get them off.”

Great, so I have a hostage living in my forcefully inherited crown that tortures me periodically and eats away at my very soul.

“Yup, good job on summarizing it.”

“So are you like a voice in my head or what?”

I mean it was worth it to try right?

“Jeez did you hit your head while fighting that thing too?! No I'm not a voice in your head you self-centered dick!”

Guess that's that.

“Care to explain…what this crown is?” I mustered out the best question I could. I guess I should've asked about the Ophanim that charred my very mind but that can come later.

“Gosh I'll answer both your questions just stop thinking so much useless shit already!” The silhouette rocked violently in its floating position. The silhouette shook his head slightly as if un-amused and began to speak.

“Alright…it’s too hard to explain exactly what I see when I look at this crown as you call it, but just know that it’s not so much a crown as it is anything else.”

Huh?

“Meaning that this isn’t a crown?” I was confused.

“The thing is, this ‘crown’ has been many things before, of course it always involved some sort of consuming, and some sort of suffering…but it’s been stuff such as greaves, boots, gloves, an eye-patch. So many people have inherited this thing, but only you got this strange crown-like state. Someone even had a tooth replaced by it once! It burrowed into his nerves and caused them to grow thorns. He didn’t survive long after that…turning into a living flower.”

He breathed in.

“Are you religious or something? Why is it a martyr crown for you?” I shook my head. Religion wasn’t really going to help me continue living. “Some people would argue day and night with you for thinking that…but it’s understandable.”

I paced around.

“So who are you? Are you the crown’s owner or what?” The figure laughed.

“Making something like this is impossible in this world. I don’t even understand how it works. My memories are gone, and it seems like they’re sealed somewhere in this space. Just like how you can’t reach me no matter how much you walk, no one will ever find my memories no matter how much they look. Only the tiny and strange leaks of them are what you can see. Slowly as more people inherit this crown I regain memories slightly, even if little. Take for example this. That vision you had as you entered…it seemed to be part of my memories somewhat. However it was connected to wherever you are in the world right now. So don't think it isn't important.”

Woah woah. Memories? Sealed?! Related to the ashen forest? It’s all a bit confusing.

“Yup…besides some basic stuff and basically arbitrary decisions I don’t remember much before I became trapped in here. All I know is this thing has had multiple owners. All either forcefully causing someone to be cursed with it, or dying a horrible death. Thing is you can’t take this off no matter how much you try. Mainly because you’re human as far as I can see…and humans don’t really do well at removing eldritch artifacts from their bodies.”

I nodded. So I’m stuck with this guy and this crown. Great!

“I’m not that boring…” That’s not what I meant! I sighed. Why was this happening?

“Look…I'm sorry you had to go through that kid…but I can't deny that stuff like that is natural in this world. Don't worry though. It was all fake. Of course that entity certainly does exist somewhere out there but I wouldn't worry about it.

The creature chuckled. I smiled slightly. I guess that makes me feel a bit better.

“Well good news for you is that this crown has as far as I can tell one and only one ability exclusive to itself which is…storage!” My eyes lit up. I really lucked it out man! Trading eternal literal soul-splitting pain, for a backpack essentially. Hold on...did he say exclusively?

“Well yeah, most people that inherit this crown are affected by it in different ways, not that there hasn't been similar usages of it...but most of the time everyone has a unique way of using it. At least from what I've seen. Back to my point though...the storage is pretty large as you can tell. Infinite even. Feel free to put whatever you want here, and all you have to do is will for it to come out in the real world and it will!”

Wait what.

“The real world?”

“Oh yeah…right now you’re passed out in your actual body, while the crown basically pulls your consciousness into itself. You can get out by willing it, but I’d suggest waiting as the crown does have one final aspect to it that will help you.”

I panicked slightly thinking about my defenseless body out in the dreadful ashes , but before I could voice these concerns the figure looked towards me, even if I could not see its face, I could feel its gaze.

“These threads are not what always have well…held me, sometimes it’s been a prison cell, a cage of water, a fiery pit, a crucifix. Countless things have prevented me from moving freely in this space, and it seems that they change according to the wearer. Their connection to them is always at a deeper level than I can tell. However these ‘threads’ are strange. They feel almost like this entire space. As if they belong here, with this crown’s otherworldly abilities and vastness…I’m not sure how to put it, but whatever these threads mean to you…they’re surely going to be important in the future.”

A slightly suffocating pressure surrounded me as the figure's speech paused. A serious tone replaced his previously slacked demeanor.

“Not my point though. Truth is, whether you like it or not...this is one fantastic chance, storage might not seem like a problem for someone that has nothing...but that will probably change for you soon. Don’t get cocky though. This doesn’t make you special. So many people have I seen die because they think they’re invincible…” The forlorn warning shook me slightly. I simply decided to agree.

“Alright. I understand…listen though, I don’t really wanna die due to those ‘ashes’ out there soooo I’ll come back to this space later. Can you communicate to me if I’m not here?” I asked…it would be nice to have a voice to hear.

“Nah. Sadly not. I can see and hear everything you experience, but It’s like watching a movie, you know?”

Ah. Well it was worth a try.

“Well. One last question. How do I know you haven’t lied about this at all?”

The figure chuckled.

“I’m sure you don’t trust me. However my grim reality has long been set in my mind. Don’t worry you don’t have to believe a word I said, but your survival allows for me to not have to reside on a corpse for an eternity before I’m able to move again…as such I’d appreciate it if you at least understood you can still die.”

I sighed. As distrustful as I wanted to be and was…this world didn’t always let you pick whether you could be or not. Some doubt remained deep within me…but I accepted it all.

“What is your name?” The thing clearly knew my recently acquired name if it read my mind…as such it’s only natural I wanted to know what it’s name was. “Call me Rheneas.” I nodded. A nice name indeed.

“I guess…see you later?” Rheneas' silhouette seemed pleased and nodded me away.

As I willed to leave…another petal began to fall. The petal swayed slowly. My senses exploded. A strong sense of impending doom filled my mind as the petal got closer to the floor. I could never get used to the feeling this thing gave me.

The petal hit the floor…and a sky stretched above me. The split between an aquatic-like blue and fiery orange in the sky was beautiful. Even though I was scared, and I was still in shock due to the experiences of the crown…the sunset was beautiful.

I sighed. The ground was slightly comfortable. I clenched my injured arm slightly. The fear of the Ophanim tainted my focus for a few seconds. “I have to get up.” I wiped off the dried blood that stemmed from my forehead, not without accidentally tapping the crown and hissing in pain.

I slowly got up. My left arm hung freely as it was numb. I looked down at where I had been lying. A large spot of blood stained the ashes. “Man…” I was slightly light headed due to the blood loss. Miraculously the wound had at least stopped bleeding due to the charred skin not being able to bleed correctly.

My eyes still looked at the distant sunset.

After a while of staring at the beauty of it I turned away. Towards the body of my attacker. I felt a pang in my heart as I saw the un-moving body. However that pang soon turned into a booming thud. The body wasn’t just immobile. Something stretched out of the corpse silently. The wind did not affect it…the surroundings were completely contrasted by it. It seemed to not belong to this space. An anomaly.

A fiery thread stretched outwards of the corpse. The mere sight of it made everything else in the world seem unimportant. My vision focused solely on it. My desire was solely to go up to it and touch it. My instinct was to pull on it.

My wild heartbeat’s rhythm was all I could hear.