That comforting warmth stung the very depths of my being. I knew who it belonged to; it was you, my Void. The bond between our souls remained in place despite the Void's constant deterioration. But thanks to my soul's intervention, the Void received enough energy to stabilize itself.

While the stabilization process consumed an enormous amount of my energy, maintaining this state took only a tiny fraction. Either way, my soul had plenty of power. It was simply prodigious; the amount of energy was far colossal than my body and mind.

As I admired the beauty of this sight, I asked myself: what was I doing here? One thing led to another, and I snapped out of my torpor. Even so, it was difficult to reason or even to think at all. I couldn't understand why my mind was bogged down.

In time, however, my thoughts became more precise, and I understood what was going on here much better. My mind seemed to need healing. It took me a moment to detect an answer before I reprimanded myself harshly. If I could move my body, I'd undoubtedly have smashed my head against a wall to show my exasperation with myself.

I could see the significance of previous events: this extra energy came from my mind. Last time, it was my body, and now it was my mind. I hoped the permanent penalties would be manageable during the critical moments.

Penalties of the mind concerned me more than those of the body. After all, the mind's faculties can be helpful in a much more comprehensive range of situations. But I understood better the reason for my illusion of omnipotence: my judgment had temporarily withered. This must have been due to the deterioration of my mind due to exceeding its endurance capacities.

Indeed, I'd been using my mind's energy. This led me to ask another question: how had I converted this energy into another form, that of the soul? And in the other direction? Was it easier? More difficult? So many questions I wanted to answer. I suddenly discovered a passion for studying this force.

But thoughts of my present condition in this world dampened my fantasies. Even when I woke up, my plans seemed far away. My survival took precedence over everything else, and I had little time for such ventures. Trying to escape my own gloom, I glanced around.

The sight appealed to me; part of the Void was dealing with the girl's soul. My spirits lifted a little: my plan had succeeded since at least some of my soul's energy was being diverted by the Void to heal the girl. Especially as the power didn't seem to stay in the soul but was sent to another plane. I could only hope that the destination was her physical body.

A long time passed, or so I thought. I didn't know what was really going on inside. I held out hope that it hadn't been too long. After all, my body was vulnerable right now; anyone could kill me. Of course, the Void could reconstitute me, but apart from the price to be paid, they could always kill me repeatedly until my soul had no more energy to offer the Void. Or worse, my soul could be destroyed.

As I lamented, I felt my mind reconnect to my body and the etheric landscape fog over. Gradually, my senses returned. My awareness of the environment awakened, and my perception of time recalibrated. My muscles responded to my mind's call, spasming. Once the contractions had subsided, I was finally able to reclaim my body.

And it felt great, just like the face I could see through my half-drowsy eyes. Long, wavy hair in a perfectly balanced violet-blue with small streaks of captivating supernatural patterns adorned a face caught between youth and maturity.

Beside it were beautiful rectangular ears of shimmering metal, half hidden by her hair. Underneath, a cute, elegant little nose strutted amid unmarked cheeks. Not to be forgotten, too, was a small mouth embellished by pale pink lips that begged to be kissed.

My fascination with her face compelled me to turn my gaze to the rest of her figure. And I was pleasantly surprised by her transcendental beauty. She looked neither thin nor corpulent, and her height seemed similar to mine. While her limbs boasted an unfailing symmetry.

So her whole body was perfectly proportioned, for me of course, but still, she was gorgeous... Let's stop here! I won't reveal any more for the moment... my heart can't take it otherwise. I don't know if it's serenity or bitterness, though.

In short, his body seemed perfectly invigorated. The Void had indeed repaired his body. Which made me wonder? What did my body look like? I was astonished I hadn't asked myself the question earlier. After all, the circumstances didn't really lend themselves to it either. What else had I forgotten?

Suddenly, I was roused from my thoughts by a barely audible noise at my feet. The girl was about to awaken from her long lethargy, and I stepped back to give her the space she needed to wake up. At the same time, an apprehension I had to contain began manifesting itself in me.

She slowly began to move her limbs, gradually regaining complete control over her body. At the same time, her eyes struggled to open, taking the time necessary to adjust to the aggressive light of this place.

Finally, after a few minutes of effort, his eyes opened completely before scanning the room's elements with an absent gaze. Ten seconds or so passed, and a glimmer of awareness came into his eyes and…

I gasped in amazement and fright as the girl began to flail about. The jerky breathing, the haunted look in her eyes, and the weathervane-like bobbing of her head spoke volumes about the abuse the girl must have endured in the past.

She spent many minutes calming herself from her panic and looking around, sighing lightly. Indeed, she realized, she was hardly in the same place she remembered. In any case, she seemed to have noticed the state of her body, as she immediately inspected it in depth, her surprise gradually showing on her face.

Finally, she turned her head until her eyes rested on me. I confess that, for a moment, I was mesmerized by her intrigued gaze and beautiful heterochromatic eyes. Her right iris boasted a magnificent, shimmering violet, while her left iris was an intense, soothing, deep blue.

I paused for a second, under the sordid impression that I'd forgotten something important, that a contradiction was trying to manifest itself in my mind. A contradiction that seemed to have always been there and which, until then, had hidden itself from my rationality. Unfortunately, I couldn't go any further in understanding this uneasiness.

I left this strange feeling hanging in the air as the girl seemed to rise apprehensively. No doubt she was afraid of me... and I could understand her. Coming face to face with a stranger after what were undoubtedly traumatic experiences must have been an anxiety-provoking situation.

We looked into each other's eyes after a time that seemed as interminable as it was painful. The tension in the air was palpable until the girl's body separated from all its tension. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad this uncomfortable situation was over. She continued to stare at me, her expression uncertain and full of curiosity.

The girl obviously made her choice: she moved her lips and spoke... a language I didn't understand. She looked indignant at my lack of reaction or response. I didn't know exactly. I stepped back a little, a little afraid of her reaction. I really was a sissy back then, but fortunately, the ordeals I'd been through had forged me since then.

Fortunately, she finally changed her expression when she saw my reaction and approached me gently. Nevertheless, she kept a safe distance. Perhaps she sensed my distress at knowing she was too close to me. If I wanted her to understand the problem, I had no choice but to speak.

I put all my strength into my mouth to emit a coherent sound. And I half succeeded, trying to express something like, "You see, I can't understand you. If you understand me, will you nod your head? If you don't... well, you'll understand the current problem, I suppose", but in the end only managed to utter a half-incoherent stammer.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Unexpectedly, I assumed that my message had gotten through as she tilted her head to one side and bit her lip, looking confused. For my part, I'd better work on my vocalizations shortly.

So, the conclusion could have looked better: she didn't understand me. On the one hand, I was relieved to know that the misunderstanding was hardly one-sided. On the other, we were at an impasse, unable to communicate more than our intentions. Then again, intentions can be masked if the person is clever enough.

I was at an impasse, lost and completely bewildered by the situation. I pondered tirelessly, trying to achieve even a glimmer of understanding. I looked at the elements at my disposal, and all I could find relevant was our link.

Yes, the bond of the Void that united us now growing stronger all the time. I pondered this question, and a faint idea germinated within me. It had to be impossible, or I'd lose my mind. Nevertheless, I had no other relevant alternatives. I had to at least try this plan.

And I concentrated, trying to escape my senses; nothing physical had to exist. This plan was risky, leaving me in an uncomfortable situation at the mercy of a girl whose actions I could not predict. Despite this, my appreciation of the position convinced me she wouldn't attack. And I had no choice but to trust my mind.

I drifted into the tumultuous waters of the soul and the Void. Unlike the soul, which took on a sickly pallor, the Void seemed more vigorous than ever. No doubt the energy sent to my Void was exhausting it. I hoped my action wouldn't harm my soul; only time would tell. And it did, but not how I understood it at the time.

Through my Void, I felt the girl's soul vibrate with energy. But it wasn't enough, so I delved deeper, pushing the limits of my concentration. Incidentally, speaking of concentration, I find it harder to focus and think clearly and coherently. It wasn't a big difference, but it was noticeable.

And while I wondered if my mind had suffered any further damage, I managed to feel most of the pulsations of the girl's soul. I could now handle all the information transmissions between the different parts of her soul. Of course, I had yet to learn what this information meant.

Still, I had a small hope that the Void understood them. At least enough to send me only the information relevant to the current situation, i.e., that which contributed to communication and could be used to translate our words.

Since the soul was at the root of both body and mind, I hoped all information would pass through at some point. This was my only gamble, and I could only suggest this mission to the Void and wait for its response. It would be a problematic incitement, but in the end, I succeeded.

The will projected from my mind was well and genuinely inferior to what it had been before. I sighed inwardly, weary of discovering new permanent wounds in my mind. I wished it wouldn't reduce my intellectual and judgmental abilities. This prospect was very annoying.

I waited patiently until I felt a response from my Void. I was convinced that the Void was responding favorably. A fleeting thought occurred to me: was the Void's will asserting itself over time? And if so, would it ever become a conscious, autonomous entity? Intriguing as these questions were, I had to push them aside and refocus on the task at hand.

I felt my soul straining under the weight of my Void's incessant demands. The Void was voracious with energy, and my soul felt it all too well. For the first time, I felt a slight sensation of existential fatigue. The basis of my existence was weakening, and I instinctively understood the origin of this strange sensation.

My soul was exhausted from giving its energy to the Void. Indeed, it was astonishing that my soul didn't call on physical or spiritual energy to compensate. The body and mind were somehow not ready to give energy to the soul.

It didn't last long, or maybe it did - my perception of time was terrible. I could feel my Void working in the background. To what, I didn't know, but as long as it allowed me to chat with the girl, then it was irrelevant. Yet, part of me still yearned to be able to delve into these fascinating questions one day.

Deciding that I was useless other than to rehash a wish, I left this place. I refocused on my bodily sensations and opened my eyes. There were no bruises, abrasions, or other debilitating injuries. I was relieved to have had faith in this beautiful girl.

In fact, she was staring at me, seeming to want to ask me something. But I still didn't understand a word she was saying. But I didn't despair, having the impression that some words were becoming vaguely comprehensible as the minutes passed. Though slow, the Void was definitely getting the job done.

The girl stopped talking, and I seized the opportunity to converse in my turn. She didn't understand me, of course, but I could see a glimmer of understanding after a few minutes. She seemed more and more intrigued as I spoke. We went on talking for at least an hour, until…

"So what did you do?" the girl asked me.

I understood what she was saying, and I was thrilled. It was undoubtedly a rough approximation of what she'd said. Nevertheless, the gist of the intention was there, and that was enough to finally start our conversation.

So I wasted no time replying, "I don't know if I can trust you, so I'll just say it's thanks to the Void."

She thought briefly, seeming confused by my words before muttering, "I see... Perhaps it's magic? But in this class... No, especially since... No runes…"

I was dumbfounded; I should never have understood those words since I hadn't heard them. My ears couldn't pick them up because of the distance. Did this mean that we could talk to each other no matter how far away we were? If this proved true, it would undoubtedly be an undeniable asset.

I snapped out of my reflection to see her staring at me and suddenly realized that my thoughts had distracted me from these words. I was going to have to be more attentive now.

Her lips moved to form a new question: "What's your name?"

"Name", a word that left me stunned. I realized that I didn't know my name at all. It wasn't as if I had to have a name; it was more like I'd never had a name. And that fact didn't strike me as odd.

I refocused, seeing she was waiting for my answer: "I don't have a name, and I don't see the point."

She didn't need to know about my amnesia; I didn't know her well enough to trust her with such personal information. I hoped that my intuition was correct and that this decision would not be detrimental to me later on.

For her part, she looked at me with a troubled expression before exhaling and saying: "So, you have no class, I presume, or am I mistaken?"

I tilted my head, not understanding the word "class" meaning. So naturally, I could only reply: "Sorry. But what is a class? This jargon is too technical for me."

As soon as I'd uttered my reply, his expression became bewildered. It was the first time I'd seen the girl so surprised; I had the impression she couldn't believe what I was telling her.

And so it was only natural that I added, holding her gaze: "Don't look so upset; for some reason, I really don't know what a class is. And besides, now that I think about it, I don't know your name? Or perhaps you don't have a class like me, it would seem?"

She looked thoughtful at my words. I didn't know what had gone through her mind at that moment. But her answer puzzled me; after all, she had a thousand and one reasons to be puzzled by me.

Even the reason she gave didn't convince me then, and it was a long time before I discovered the true meaning of her words. How I wish I'd known sooner... Anyway, I've already divulged too many of my laments.

She exclaimed serenely: "My name is... No, I don't need it. Just give me a new name. A name that will stick in my soul forever. Also... I'd be delighted to accompany you on your journey. And... no, I don't have a class right now."

I was so taken aback by his answer that I could only babble in response. My mind could no longer function to think of coherent words. I had a lot of questions to ask, but only one really mattered to me: "Why do you want to travel with me?"

His face broke into a pleasant smile, though I wasn't sure if it was out of sincerity or duplicity. All I knew was that I shouldn't let my guard down in her presence.

She then confided: "You're my savior. And before you deny it, know that it's only from my point of view, waking up in the middle of an unknown place with a beautiful little girl. And if you also found me, then you might know why I want a new identity and why I want to start from the very beginning."

For a moment, I was dubious about his words. My intuition whispered to me that this reason wasn't wrong in itself but that it was still incomplete. The beautiful girl hadn't told me everything, and I could only be wary.

Nevertheless, I could hardly lecture her on this point... I kept a few secrets I would only expose to people briefly. I didn't understand at the time how right I was about my last and most important secret.

You may also wonder why I didn't tell you where I found it. It would have inconvenienced us both. Neither of us would have wanted to expose herself past. After all, the girl didn't ask why I didn't know about my class and, therefore, my past indirectly.

It was on these unspoken facts and secrets that I had no choice but to answer, especially if I wanted to travel safely and serenely. So I replied with a playful face, half laughing at my words: "Of course! I accept your offer. Until fate does us part, we'll travel together like two soulmates!"

I thought momentarily and concluded, probably smirking: "My new soulmate... Systalia."

How I had misjudged my words. It was too late for me to realize the true meaning of my words. If only I'd understood it then, I might not have spoken of fate or said it more seriously. Fate is a power no one should play with, even more so for soul mates blessed by the Void.

Not to mention the name I inflicted on her, which I anchored so deep in her Soul that it would become her curse and her chains. That name is perhaps one of the only regrets I still carry to this day and a fault I'll never be able to forgive myself for.

It may have hurt me later, but from my assessment of the situation, my safest choice was to accept the trip with her. Whether I was right in my gamble remains to be seen, and even now, I am still determining. Of course, it's not for the same reasons as my younger self, yet it's a legitimate question.

And I'll keep asking it until the end of my days, until eternity separates me from our first meeting, until eternity separates me from you, until the System separates me from you, until the end of the eternal System separates me from you... my soul mate, Systalia.