I sat down in the middle of the pattern and gazed up at Kharon. “So, is there anything special I need to do?” I was a little uncomfortable since there was such an enormous gap in my knowledge. It felt like the information was there, but it felt like there was something more to it all.

“No, just cross your legs for now and look inwards.” Kharon’s arms appeared from his cloak once more as he crossed them. His red eyes flickered under his cloak, glowing softly like a pair of cinders.

Once more, my headache as more thoughts pushed their way into my mind. I was seeing a duality in things. I knew what this was, yet I also didn’t. It was almost as if things were coming at me in tandem. I bit my lip, trying to hold back the pain that was building in my head. Quickly, I crossed my legs and took a deep breath.

Darkness quickly choked out the silvery light, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts and the feeling of my heart beating in my chest. I took another deep breath and pushed all the extra things out of my mind. The strange buzzing in the room crept into me, causing my body to oscillate in time with it. It was a strange feeling, but it was also comforting.

I found myself slipping backwards as I focused on the buzz. It was as if I was falling from a great height, and a feeling deep within my gut told me that this was the right path. I embraced the feeling as I plunged, and a comfortable chill spread through my body, causing me to relax. As I felt myself fall further, the darkness that shrouded my vision gave way to a starry sky.

There were so many that I couldn’t even begin to count them all. It was as if an artist took a paintbrush and just splattered every available spot. They all flickered and scintillated at different intervals, though there seemed to be a pattern to it. It was almost like a heartbeat. Here, the energy seemed to stretch out in all directions, and I felt some sort of attachment to it. It seemed to beg me to almost stay and relish it.

But I kept falling. The stars above me pulled further away, and my hair whipped around me violently as I plunged. My thoughts strayed from me and for the first time since I woke up, I felt nothing but peace. It was all-consuming, and it didn’t falter, even as I plunged into a river. The chilled liquid coursed around me, and drug me further down. The sights above me faded away, and the faint traces of light became shrouded by the depths. I fell, and fell, until at last, the lights seemed to pierce the vast ocean that had drug me down.

The starry night sky was once again visible, this time through what looked to be a river that stretched into infinity. The stars glistened and pulsed, and I was awestruck by the sight. But now that my vision was wider, something else caught my attention. There was a large swath of the sky that was just dark. It was like the stars that were there had just vanished and staring at it gave me a sense of dread. It scintillated through my body in a quick pulse and I shifted my gaze away in fear. Whatever was there felt wrong.

I fell further down, and the sky above me rose even higher. The stars blended together into three large shapes that became cleared with each passing second. The first on the left was a large orb that pulsed like a heartbeat. All the lights from the stars had merged into a single radiant amber color that shifted and glistened in a way my mind couldn’t seem to comprehend.

The orb in the middle was barren and dark. No life radiated from it. There was nothing there outside of a sense of dread that lashed out at me. I shuddered once more, but tore my eyes away from it. Finally, on the right was an orb that was as silver as the room that I was meditating in. This one seemed to oscillate at strange intervals.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

I wonder what those orbs were? What did they mean? The thoughts swirled around my head as I plummeted faster than before. I reached out towards the orbs, calling for them. Something inside tugged at them, and a flicker of energy danced between my fingertips. It jumped out towards the orbs, crossing the vast distance between us in the blink of an eye.

The energy connected us, and in an instant I knew what I was staring at. The orb on the left was the path of Qi, and the Orb on the right was the path of Psion. Though the orb in the middle was dark, I still knew what it was. That was the path of the mage, but it was forever closed to me. But why was it?

I watched as the other two orbs came to life. The energies flickered and my fingertips turned amber, then silver as the orbs merged above me. The colors mixed and light flashed around me, fully illuminating the vast ocean. In a heartbeat, I realized what was happening. My core was awakening and looking for something to attune to. But just as the realization crossed me, I felt something yank me. The sky above me blurred as I was pulled to the side.

Night faded into day, and I once again stood in that field. I took a deep breath, and the sweet scents reached my nose, drawing me inwards. My heart beat slowed down and for once I felt truly at ease. “Come out. I know you are here.” I spoke in an octave above a whisper. Fear clashed with my peace, as I felt my legs tremble. The thought of the power that she radiated scared me to the depths of my being. But I would face her, regardless.

All it took was one blink, and she was there. It was like the air had birthed her from nothing. There wasn’t a sound, or a gust of air. Just one blink and she existed. Her purple cloak hung down to her knees and danced in the lifeless air. Emerald eyes regarded me with a sense of amusement as she gazed at me. I felt like I was being pulled apart layer by layer and observed with the utmost scrutiny.

“You came back faster than I had thought you would’ve. Not to mention, your attunements are now active. What did that old geezer do?” She poked at me playfully as she spoke and crossed her arm. Her weight shifted her to her right hip.

“He brought me to the meditation chambers. He told me the answers I was looking for, I’d find within me, so here I am.” I shrugged in response and I found myself mirroring her movements. She was me wasn’t she? Or was I her? The answer didn’t seem very clear to me.

“He must be in a rush, then. Normally, he’d be far more subtle. Oh well, it can’t be helped then. I suppose you have come to ask me who you are, and where you come from and what not.” She stared at me with those emerald flames and I shuddered at the power that lay inside of them.

I nodded once at her. There was no need to ask, she already knew.

“Your name is Calixa Wight. As for where you’ve come from. I have no clue. My soul was flung to the furthest reaches of reality when I shattered it. So there is no telling what world you came from. Finding you was a stroke of luck on my end.” She snapped her finger and behind her, a simple chair formed from the flowers.

My head suddenly wanted to shatter from the sheer amount of pressure that had turned up. My name was Calixa Wight. I.. I can’t remember where I’m from. Images flashed through my head, and I could faintly see outlines of people. People that I recognized as family. But I couldn’t see their faces. I couldn’t remember their names.

“But not only as you Calixa Wight. You are Calixa Asteria. The Empress of Asteria. You are me, and I am you. We are one, but separate.”

Another wave of pressure slammed into my head, and other images played. This time, they were projected into the surrounding air. I saw my past as clear as could be. No, not my past. Our past. I could see cities rising into the sky, and countless people mingling with each other. I could see a grand empire stretching from horizon to horizon, with everyone bowing their knees to me in honor and reverence. No, I was more than just an empress.

The image shifted and sounds reached my ears. It was a choir of countless voices. Prayers unheard and prayers answered. It reached into the depths of my soul as a wild cacophy of voices and slammed into me. I could hear everything and nothing all at once. It crushed my bieng, and I felt my mind start to fly apart. I was more than an Empress, I was a goddes.

“Ah, there you go. Now you are understanding.” The headache was forced from my head and my eyes landed on the woman across from me. I still had some questions that I needed answered.