Zalan's hand looked like a miniature version of the pale white as the orb in front of him that blended with the surface when he reached inside.
'What is happening?'
Seeing nothing has changed, Zalan looked up and down to orb to check if anything appeared different before stretching his hand even further in.
'This feels a lot like water'. Zalan noticed as he waved his submerged arm around. The sensation of calmly gliding his hands through the liquid in front seemed almost therapeutic.
Soon, Zalan's reached his arm further until the orb's surface was at his shoulder. Swiping his arm around trying to feel if anything other than liquid, a smile appeared on his lips when his hand hit a hard surface that prevented him from reaching further into the orb.
'Finally'
Immediately after contact, a subtle tickle started inching across Zalan's pale stubby arm. Starting with his forearm and eventually making it up his biceps, as he floated there watching the orb intently for changes.
"This isn't so bad" Zalan said as a slight tingling sensation now engulfed his arm. It felt ticklish. However in the next moments the dull tickle that appeared turned into a source of agony. It felt as if his arm was on fire, and the flames slowly climbed further up Zalan's arm. Akin a parasite slowly invading his body, the crawling pain it scaled up the arm, swirled a bit around his chest area before Zalan felt the pain being accumulated at the core.
'You just had to open your mouth! Idiot' Zalan thought before his face contorted.
"Hey is this suppose to be happening?!" Zalan asked out in a strained voice with little expectation of the voice returning. Contrary to his expectation of the silence, the voice rang out indifferently:
"I don't know."
"What!! Then what do I do?" Zalan spoke out in a startled manner.
"I don't know." the voice responded again before a slight pause. Keeping on the monotonous façade. Then quickly added:
"I've never seen this happen before."
'Never seen it happen?!!? And Before? What does he mean by before?' Zalan spared a second to the thought before deciding to pull his arm back. Surely it couldn't be that hard…right? After all, sticking it in was a breeze. But unfortunately, fate had other plans in mind. As he tried, the liquid solidified, effectively trapping his arm inside like dried cement.
"Why is my arm stuck?"
The voice didn't respond this time around. Seeing this, Zalan decided to just focus on minimizing the pain.
'Come on move!'
Zalan's mind was now a bit frantic as the suction force seemingly increased the harder he attempted to pull it out. But to no Avail, Zalan could only sit there and endure the pain. Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply — or at least wanting to since didn't have to breath — Zalan could only pull himself out his somber mood and continue trying to get information out of the voice.
"What is this thing? I've touched it, now answer me." Zalan demanded sternly
"Its a test" a voice said. But this time, a maniac like laugher rang out. The deep manly voice had been replaced by a high pitched feminine one. Along with it came much more and vigor and personality, but not the kind Zalan needed in his current situation.
Zalan eyes widened as an omniscious sensation suddenly flooded his body like the instinctive fear someone would feel standing within the same building with an unknown psychopathic killer. Additionally, now waves of heat poured into his arms following the exact path the pain took. Zalan suppressed the instinctive alarm within his head, masked his emotions, clenched his teeth, and continued to ask questions in a strained voice.
"A test for what?"
"To find a suitable vessel for the soul in front of you. And it seems like you are a perfect fit".
The voice replied before laughing out. Completely ignorant of the agony Zalan was in before adding:
"Oh and also your current soul will be destroyed, so we thank your for your sacrifice in advance". The voice added before it made an excited squeal--As if she laid her eyes on the cutest animal any woman has ever seen. However, what sounded like an joy to her had the exact opposite effect on Zalan.
The feminine voice's squeal planted a wretched and disproportional face of a monster in Zalan's head that he couldn't help but match it to the voice.
'The devil'
Shivers ran down his back as Zalan turned his head to glance around the darkness to see if the face he imagine manifested —to which, thankfully, it didn't. The pain also receded and slowly but surely, the white sphere in front of him shrinking in front of Zalan. White liquid concentrated into a vortex at Zalan's fingertips and gushed into his body. As soon as it shrank into an invisible dot, the devilish voice came back and rang inside Zalan's head. But not before Zalan felt his consciousness slipping once again
"Hehe it's working! Enjoy your final moments!"
***
Elsewhere, a deep growl reverberated from a creature shackled in chains within in its cell. Kneeled on the floor showcasing rows of grey abs and a scar full toned body with shackles around his neck, wrist, and feet, the Chasm-Born could only stare forward blankly. From the 9 distinct black horns resting on his head, each one a symbol of the bloodshed and mountain of corpses created in his wake, to its's red eyes that viewed both humans and Chasm-Borns lives with insect-like indifference, every part of this Chasm-Born would scream danger even to the bravest warriors.
The pale grey biceps bulged as it tried to rip apart the white chains around it to no avail. The cobweb of chains were anchored to a different part of the circular cell just to hold one being in place. However, despite his predicament, a smile appeared on his face as glowing red eyes glinted differently today. The blood red hue was nowhere to be seen when it flashed violet for a second before returning to a paler version of its original colour
"Finally a vessel has been found. Almighty Aktatin will be returning soon." the Chasm-Born spat through his ink-black teeth and mouth that were slowly shaping into a vicious smile.
***
"Not again" Zalan remarked slowly coming back to his sense. He hating the feeling of going unconscious only to wake up and not know what was happening. His current situation being one example of such.
The brightness of the sun above head cause Zalan to squint instinctively. Zalan sat up and glanced around at the place. Shielding his eyes from the sun, Zalan saw garden around him and various multicoloured trees hanging from sky of the place above him in the distance. Each one was almost 10 kilometers tall making the 'ground' see incredibly far away in Zalan's eyes.
'Why is there a sun in the middle of that forest?' Zalan thought before adding
"Its beautiful but where am I?"
Zalan glanced around in wonder taking in the breathtaking scene. However, the sensation disappeared instantly when he looked to side and saw a pair of grey feet standing right next to him.
'What the—?'
Tracing the beings grey legs up to its face, Zalan saw a pair of horrid red eyes staring back down at him. Even if everything in the distance looked so beautiful, none of it really mattered at the moment when he registered what he found unusual about the Chasm-Born staring at him.
'Oh you've got to be shitting me' Zalan thought, stupefied.
"T—ten...horns."
Shaking, Zalan could only stutter as he pointed his baby finger at the Chasm-Born. The Chasm-Born only looked down with a slight grin on his face.
"Ah you are finally awake." The Chasm-Born said before showcasing his razor black at Zalan and added:
"Long time no see old friend, who knew my soul would choose you to be my vessel".