All around me was nothing but blackness. Not in the way of a starless night. It was a dark, as black as the deepest recesses of a cave that drills into the very depth of a mountain. When I held my hand in front of me I could not even see anything. So I tried to hear. Even after some time I was unable to hear even the slightest sound, except for my own breath and heartbeat. Even in the gray lands the sound of the wind would give the place a less empty feel. Next I tried out my sense for mana, but that also didn't turn up anything close enough for me to find. I was completely alone again.

Yet the night seemed warmer without the wind I had experienced before. My mana was slowly regenerating, even while I was still isolating the light and I finally felt at peace. Looking around again I didn't even find the slightest trace of any light, and didn't feel any pressure to continue traveling right away.

I stayed right where I had appeared and almost immediately fell asleep. I can't even remember having a more refreshing sleep before in my whole life. When I finally woke up, I just relaxed for a while longer, enjoying the change of scenery.

After some more idling I decided to test out this place. The ground was strangely indeterminate. It was similar to soil in texture, but when I tried to take it out it lost its substance. The hole I had created slowly closed in until the ground was even again. I carefully walked around and the whole place seemed to be plane.

Since my mana seemed to regenerate on its own for now I tried using some to create a bit of fire for light. It took me a while to form the right image in my mind, of a warm and bright flickering flame. Then I took some mana and overlaid it with that image. I think I finally held a small flame in my hand, because I could feel the heat, but it wasn't actually capable of emitting light.

After extinguishing the flame I tried healing myself. Although the pressure of mana consumption had left me, I was still in the same bad state as before. I tried healing myself, but I could not access the power of light in me. No matter how I drew on its power the entire plane easily ignored any attempts and kept the light as tiny as a spark.

At least the exhaustion was gone. I began traveling. It was impossible to see anything, but the strange nature of the ground made walking easy. So far not even a single step hit in an unexpected way, so I began to walk more carelessly. Even after some more time I failed no step, so I stopped worrying.

After a while I heard something strange ahead of me. While I was wary, I still moved towards the sound. Even as I got closer its source did not seem to react at all. A constant whimpering was ringing out.

“Hello? Who is there?”

Whoever was there didn't even react and just continued on letting out the monotonous sounds.

“Can you hear me?”

Hearing no reaction I considered if I should move on or try to interact with whatever it was. In the gray lands I had not met anyone until I finally found that angel rock. If I were to leave now I might not meet anything for a very long time, so I decided to take the risk.

I tried to get as much information as I could. Considering that the ground was plane, the whimpering came from just above the ground. It didn't emit much mana, so it was probably not too strong. Or a trap. I still took the risk and stepped closer. I went close enough and touched whatever it was. It didn't even react and continued its suffering. The body was muddy, almost a bit like the soil around here, but also like soft meat.

Will I dissolve into the ground if I stay too long? Whatever it was probably no longer had a proper mind left and I saw no advantage in interacting any more. I looked for anything on it that might be of use to me. I was not to eager to check out the entirety of the body, so I only did a rough check of the surface, but sadly there seemed to be nothing.

“Stingy thingy.” Mumbling I continued on without any gains.

I soon realized, that this place was by far less devoid of life than my previous home. That is, if you can call it life. The whimpering thing was not the only unintelligible one out there.

“Whimper, whisper, pant and gurgle!”

“The hiss I did not want to meet, the chuckle far too evil.”

“Everyone around here is far too crazy I am telling you.”

Shalyne's voice is really beautiful, now that I think of it. Well it would be if it wasn't completely hoarse. It had been one of the strangest situations, when I had sung at a party my guild was holding. Talking in a different voice in game is one thing, but when you sing it resonates within you. I had had to get my bearings after the party and refused to sing since.

After my collapse I had mostly ignored my body. Good thing too, because is always continued hurting everywhere. But even aside from that I tried to think as little of it as possible. I wanted to avoid another trauma and put it in the back of my mind. But it still continued to nipple on the back of my head like a dark tooth.

No, it really continued to nipple like a dark tooth. I felt something strange on my head. I jumped forwards in surprise and grabbed whatever it was. Suddenly I held a tentacle in my hands. Its mouth was softly working on my head. I teared it off as strongly as I could and began to run away in the opposite direction.

Whatever had just attacked me, I had no interest in finding out. While I tried to escape I touched the back of my head for any injury. It still seemed alright, but I brushed it off several times and tried to find if anything was still there. I ran and ran until I finally fell to the ground.

The tentacle thing must have gone after me before it had started on my head, because the chance that I had randomly walked into its range was pretty low. So far nothing I had met was able to move around, so I was really worried. I carefully listened and activated my other senses. I had been too carefree, this was a dark place and there might be a lot of dangers I had ignored so far.

Once I could get up again I changed my direction a bit and kept up a harsh step. When I made my next break I finally felt a little bit safer. Thinking back to the event I realized that the tentacle was probably not all that dangerous. It must have been here for a long time and been weakened a lot, or it would not have been as easy to pluck it away from me. The fact that the touch of its mouth had been so soft was also an indication. Or did it not want to eat my meat, but my mind? I really have to be more careful. I vowed to myself to be more aware and keep to myself from now on.

“Light oh light where art thou? Come tell me where to gooo.”

The dark was nice when I came here, but it is starting to get on my nerves. It doesn't really offer much diversity. Sometimes it is a bit shy and tries to hide from you. At others its right in front of you that you can hardly see anything at all. That is the most annoying.

Every now and then I meet something that seems not completely lost to this place. Actual voices, beside mine. They have always been talking in strange tongues, and I was unable to communicate with any of them. I wonder why I could talk to the rock.

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Before me, right there in the dark someone cleared his throat. Was I too loud?

“Sorry, I sometimes forget that others are around, too. I surely won't disturb you any longer.”

“Is no problem.”

“Oh, then I don't mind me.”

Something seemed off. Did I just say that? I did say most of it, but all? Perhaps I misheard myself. Better ask anyway: “Was that someone else talking? Or me again? I am not sure really?”

“No, is me here.”

“There it was again, you are someone else? Why can you talk?”

“Give me moment, I good with language.”

“I will just wait then.”

I actually started thinking a bit. Perhaps I have to be cautious of the strange person in front of me. But it has been really long since I had any kind of communication, so it might be nice for a change of pace, even if it is dangerous.

“Okay now. Sorry for the delay, I had to take a moment to get attuned to your language.”

“It was actually really fast. I didn't know anyone could do that.”

“Call it a unique skill. I was wondering if it was worth trying to talk, but you seem to have at least some semblance of sanity left. I only get to talk to few people here.”

Pulling myself together I tried to focus my mind. It has been a while, since I tried thinking coherent thoughts. It is a kind of strain in a place like this. Something tells me this conversation might be too important to blow up.

“I... will try concentrate. What do you know of this place? I want to get out of here, but do not know how.”

He laughs to himself.

“Who doesn't want to get out of here. I mean, of those who are not already half part of the place itself. Yes, I do know the way. When I came here I thought I could easily escape with my knowledge, but the reality was a bit different. I have fruitlessly wandered around since then. You better accept that you will stay here until you become part of the dark.”

“Can you at least tell me? Even if I am unable to escape I would at least like to know the way.”

“If you wish, but it will do you no good. You have to find a light and follow it out of here.”

“I knew that much, but I have traveled everywhere and have not even seen a tiny spark of light everywhere.”

“I wasn't talking about some source of brightness. You have to find some last bit of light inside yourself and follow it out. Not very probable for someone who entered here to have something like that left.”

I looked into myself. The flicker of light was ever present, even when so heavily suppressed. I could have used this all the time I had been here?

“There is a small dot of light inside me. I didn't know I could use it to escape.”

He cackled.

“Very sweet. What you see is only a fragment of an illusion of a memory of light. In this place there CANNOT be light. If I had realized that before...”

“I don't care if you believe me. Will you tell me the rest?”

“Of course, of course. If you had light, just concentrate on it and wander around. As long as you hold your thoughts on light, you will begin to drift out of here.”

The method of travel reminded me of the strange way I had arrived here. Night had fallen over the gray lands and I had suddenly ended up here. Would I return to the same place? If I did, I might still have a chance to travel into the pure light, but I doubted it would be any easier to get out from there, than escaping this dark was. And no matter where, I wanted to get out of these ever monotonous hell like planes.

“If I get back to the place I came from I might just as well stay here. Can I choose a destination?”

Again he laughed. Every time he did, it sounded more desperate.

“Oh, you can not only choose a destination. You can go ANYWHERE. Well in theory of course. Once you drift out here, you must imagine the place you want to go. It's not that easy though. You will automatically drift towards places you resonate with. The more you belong somewhere, the stronger the pull. That basically means you will end up in a place you have already been at. Or, if your soul has some strong connection to some place you will go there. You should be able to feel, which places are real options to you. If your connection is to weak you will only fall back here.”

After that I took a long time to think. He seemed lost in thought as well, so we kept our peace. The thing I feared most was the pull the gray lands had on me. So I would have to think of earth strong enough to go back there. I didn't want to consider the consequences my body brought with it, but getting out of here was more important than the kind of life I had afterwards.

“Thank you for your advise. I will try leaving now.”

“If you leave now, we will probably never meet here again. Why don't you stay a while longer? It is nice to have some company, if only for a while.”

“I will only forget about home, if I stay here too long, and then leaving would be pointless. It's better I get done with it.”

I got up and and concentrated on the spark of light in me. Then I walked away.

“Wait!”

The stranger shouted after me.

“If you really hold light, then I want to at least try leaving.”

“I thought you could only go places you know? I don't believe we have anything in common to go to the same place.”

Considering how fast he had learned the language there was no way he was anything remotely human. How could two people go to the same place if they hold nothing in common?

“We will not go to the same places. I will only be exiting here and be on my own way once we're out. If you can actually leave, you owe me at least this much for my knowledge.”

That was something I agreed with. His descriptions had been very detailed and seemed strangely sensible. I also didn't mind helping him out.

“So what do I do?”

I could hear him come close to me and then something touched my shoulder. I stretched out my right arm toward him and he grabbed it. That means, my upper arm was completely enveloped in some solid flesh. Somehow it did not feel intrusive and I was not overly worried. He spoke: “Go then.”

Again I focused on the light and let my mind go into it. Then I began to walk. It seemed different somehow. I didn't realize where I was going, only thinking of that piece of light in me. My entire focus was on it and it seemed to grow. I was walking toward it. At first it was only a very light speck of light, but then it began to envelop me.

All the while the stranger had my right arm completely enveloped and continued to keep step with me. He did not even speak once while I was concentrating on my task.

After some time I thought I could see the light I was concentrating on outside of me as well. I held my focus and took step after step. Finally we must have broken out of the dark. We began walking as if upon clouds. When the dawn began to settle in I looked to my side, but before my head had turned I was stopped by the strangers voice.

“Don't look. I am very different from you and you should not be distracted right now. Just continue walking forward.”

Retracting my head I picked up my focus again. The spark of light inside had grown and the dark was slowly pushed back. And so we continued, until I could finally see the sun.

“You have my gratitude. I will leave on my own way now. May you find your way to a good place.”

My arm was released and I could hear his steps walking of into the distance. I didn't even know his name, but anything he gave me was probably nothing I could pronounce or remember anyway, so I left the thought.

The area around me could not even be described as bizarre. Wherever I looked, worlds would flow into each other. Before me not a real sun, but an indescribable light brightly shone at me. If I put my gaze elsewhere the light didn't blind me at all. Behind me a gaping pit of darkness sprawled out into the neighboring worlds. Heavens collapsed in on themselves. Here and there a black hole consumed entire galaxies and yet it seemed as if I could look through them to places beyond.

Then something began to softly tug at my soul. An empty feeling, devoid of any substance. Suddenly, parts of the firmament disappeared completely, as if options were being barred from me. I instantly remembered the instructions. I did NOT want to return to the gray lands and focused entirely on my home, my few good friends, even my job. I could see the earth before my eye, felt it.

And felt it reject me. The earth was a place for humans and almost devoid of magic. And that were criteria I no longer fit in my current form. I had never felt so emotionally hurt as when your very home world turns away from you and the way I was pushed away to was only clear enough.

The multifariousness around me had been reduced to just a few places now. Desperately I looked around for some place, any place that would welcome me. I couldn't return there again, it would break me even more than it already had and I doubted I could escape there a second time even if I tried.

Stepping in the opposite direction of the gray monster that grasped at me. Trying to find a place that was still open to me I reached out with my hand. With my female, elven hand. Accepting some part within me I took one last step, to finally land on solid ground again.

Around me nothing but gray hills stretched out. Devastated I dropped on my knees, my hands before me on the ground. And then I saw the most beautiful thing in my entire life. Before me, just in front of my knees grew a wilting bunch of grass.

Suddenly a message popped up before me:

Shalyne has been recognized. Shalyne's attributes have been calculated. Class: Sorceress has been assigned. Profession: Enchanter has been assigned.

Dumbfounded I just sat there and blankly stared into the air. Just when I was coming out of it, I realized my mana had dropped radically and was just reaching zero. Unable to react I watched it empty.

Then I died.