"Awake young one."

Who are you? Are you speaking to me... I don't... hear... words. What is this?

"Do you not remember, child? We have walked a long road together. No, I suppose it is not surprising you do not remember."

What do you mean? Could you be a bit... simpler?

"Haha - of course Theo. Before you ask, my name is Zeraxes, and before you ask that question, yes, that was also the name of your world. Moving right along, yes, your world. There are many. I was the world seed of that place, and I am afraid I failed badly. Those you saw as the government, they were a cabal of very powerful wizards (yes, or warlocks as you call them, or wizards, or anything else we want to call them). Many years ago they managed to restrain me - they lacked one of your skills, a blood-pact mage, so they discovered a very clever alternative, they put me into, well, you could call it a coma. My skill passively allowed the world to continue rotating, kept everything in alignment and allowed life to continue, but I was not aware enough to interfere actively in any way. The woman named Sanguine was a frightening possibility that I could see even in my comatose state - the cabal was abusive, and cared little for any living under there power as you can attest, but that woman was actively, intentionally, and gleefully evil. Your torture was an artifact of that evil - she had no need to treat you as she did, it was entirely to tickle some desire of hers. In fact though, as it often is, her evil undid her. She believed you would be so broken as to not be a danger to her in any way, and so you stole her treasure away from her. If Sanguine had not bathed so eagerly in your blood, she could have simply put you to sleep, and your heart would have been pierced wholly on my spike. Doing so, by the way, would have allowed her to form a bond with me, and one that would have been much more terrifying than the one you requested. With your blood flowing over me, she could have enslaved me, and through me, the whole of the world of your birth. Any questions?"

I will wait to ask them. Don't worry, I have plenty.

"Heh. Fair enough. Quite possibly you will have more by the end of this conversation. Hmm. Where was I. Ah... I had two choices in that moment - Sanguine was completing her spell to bind me to herself, exactly as you were completing your own spell to bind me to you. I chose you."

I felt sorrow radiating from the being.

"Know that this choice has consequences young one. I will do my best, as I have done thus far, to preserve you and others from them. But not all are within my power. I must tell you child, that your world is most likely gone. Unless the creator saw fit to replace me in the moment I bound to you, that world was left without a guardian, without a stabilizing force. Within moments all life would have ceased. But enough of this - I can feel your despair and sorrow rising. We will speak more soon. Like I said, wake up!"

I opened my eyes to a forest - the sun had begun to rise, but the shade was deep where I was laying. Unlike the moment of healing I had felt long ago, now I ached, abominably, all over. But, blessedly, there was silence in my mind. I knew that the voice was still present, and I could feel it's home, like a bubble in my mind. Cautiously I pressed a mental finger into the bubble, praying to who knows who that it would not snap and leave me alone in this unknown place.

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"What is it Theo?"

Oh! Uh. Well, I was wondering if this was how I could reach you... also, can I call you something other than Zeraxes. I... don't know if I can bear to remember that all I know is gone."

"Very well little one - you are more correct than you know." (Sorrow flowed slowly along the edge of that bubble inside me). "I am no longer Zeraxes. That place is either gone, or held by another. What would you name me?"

Well - are you sure I should name you? It seems rather... presumptuous.

This time I was sure of what I felt along that bubble surface - amusement, along with, strangely enough, relief.

"I see you missed some things that I told you. I am bound to you know child. While the binding is not as strong nor as restrictive as the one that witch (in every since of the word) would have bound me with, I am still, in a very real way, yours. The 'bubble' you feel is a real presence I have within you, and were you to cut your chest open you would find my old physical container within you, near your heart. Indeed, shards of it now have spread throughout your body, and even your blood. While I am grateful for your consideration, and hope you continue to maintain our bond as a friendship, you indeed have the right to bestow a new name upon me."

...

My mind raced. Already some dark part of me coiled a little in anticipation; I could understand now the old Zeraxes' relief at my earlier thoughts. If I so chose, there was a world breaking power within my grasp. Even as that little thought uncoiled, it was drowned in a furious tide of my memory fragments - I withdrew my mind as swiftly as I could from that place. Soon enough it would demand my attention, to understand, and be healed, but I could not allow guilt and shame to break me at this moment.

Steward?

Amusement rippled a bit around the bubble.

"While I appreciate the sentiment Theo - I am not an position or title. I am a person, for all of our differences."

Oh damn. I didn't even... well, that makes sense. Err. How about... Stephanos?

"I gladly accept this name, Theopholus - now, I will rest for a time. Do not worry, I will still be here, and still be near. If you are remembering better than you might wish, or the desperation grows too strong, I will sense it. Even if you simply feel the need to speak to me, you know now how to reach me. I suggest you attend to the little one who saved you, even as you saved him. He has watched over you and waited for some days now."

Oh! I looked around, and found the silver eyes of the boy staring at me.