"And where did I find myself?" I asked myself, at a loss. I could not detect any energy flows at my destination. Absolute emptiness, a vacuum, bothered me. I had never encountered such a scene before, nor had I ever contemplated it. It was inconceivable. I did not dismiss the possibility of a location devoid of magical energy, psychic, or astral forces, but under the arched dome of the hall where the portal had deposited me, there was no trace of any known force. Not even in outer space would one encounter such a phenomenon. Every inanimate object possesses an astral body, and by virtue of its existence, it projects an information matrix through astral energy. Just as every living being emanates its aura into the surrounding space, dissipating the energies of its subtle bodies, from the vital with prana to the mental or sensory with mana.
There was nothingness here at all! It was utterly absurd! And in such circumstances, I felt like a mute, blind, and simultaneously paralyzed person, who had access only to their mind and thoughts. I had long been accustomed to perceiving the world through the sensibilities of spiritual and mystical energies. Vision, hearing, olfaction, and tactile sensation had long since ceased to be my primary senses for perceiving space and reality. Here, once again, I felt like an ordinary human being, to whom the mystical was inaccessible.
In my quest to unravel the mystery, I harnessed a multitude of disparate forces, each serving as a catalyst to activate a series of techniques and incantations designed to scan the surroundings for any irregularities, akin to a form of echolocation. Yet, these efforts yielded no tangible results, akin to spilling water in a desert, where it is instantaneously absorbed by the sands, drinking it up and evaporating without leaving a trace.
It seems as if the very fabric of this local space is akin to an ancient vampire, having been famished for millennia and voraciously devouring power from every source within its reach. Every bit of power I had radiated into the space, whether structured into intricate spells or simply emitted as ordinary radiation, dissipated into the local void, utterly undermining my initial assumptions about how such an event should unfold. This energy flowed away, leaving behind my magical constructs shattered, and the liberated energy from the intricate weaves of mysticism vanished in an untraceable direction. My attempts to discern its path were futile, limited as they were by the very techniques of mysticism that were themselves destroyed in this hostile environment for all forms of energy. It was maddening.
Well, if that is the case, then I shall have to make do with what is at hand and rely on my ordinary senses of sight, hearing, and smell, which were available to me within the armour thanks to the fact that a portion of it, at my behest, had become permeable to gases but impervious to harmful energy or any other aggressive factor. However, tactile sensations, regrettably, were not afforded to me within the confines of the armour.
As I surveyed the chamber in which I now found myself, it was difficult to believe that this edifice had been constructed by the hands of the Aztecs or their forebears, let alone that it was the work of the fabled race.
The chamber was a symmetrical nine-sided rectilinear space, measuring one hundred meters in length and fifty meters in height. I found myself in the very heart of this hall, allowing me to take in my surroundings with ease, for the space was devoid of any furnishings, leaving only the frescoes adorning the walls as the sole objects of interest. These artworks, spanning the entirety of the pentagonal perimeter, graced the walls from floor to ceiling, imbuing the chamber with a sense of artistic grandeur.
The presence of additional records in an as-yet unidentified language, which bore a visual resemblance to Akkadian cuneiform, piqued my curiosity. Indeed, this language proved to be noteworthy due to its intricate mental information matrix, akin in complexity to those of the sophisticated fairy civilizations I was familiar with.
Furthermore, to fully comprehend and decipher this language, I had to engage in a process of mental contemplation and analysis, employing a mental framework I had constructed in my imagination. Direct mental and energetic interaction with the inscriptions on the walls proved impossible, as the environment itself seemed to crumble and consume everything in its path, including any attempts at establishing communication with the infosphere. This impeded my ability to fully grasp the entirety of the information contained within the inscriptions.
And as soon as I reconstructed these recordings in my mind's eye, a magical, astral, and sensual backdrop to the text, derived directly from the infosphere of the multiverse, came to me. When this occurred, I was quite astonished to find that I had partially comprehended this language. It was akin to a Russian person reading a text in Ukrainian or Belarusian, for example. I could discern approximately thirty percent of the text and concluded that its authors were members of the snake tribe, albeit with a distinct dialect of their own.
What an extraordinary revelation! I had previously been convinced that all sentient beings whose essence is that of a snake communicate exclusively in an unalterable form of the serpentine tongue. And so it appears.
Nonetheless, the language of dragons, while sharing a more intricate and refined form of the serpentine, is also quite elusive for a creature descended from the lineage of snakes. It is nearly impossible to comprehend it. Hence, the race whose writings I am currently endeavoring to decipher was undoubtedly more than simply a nation originating from a reptilian progenitor.
But let us return to the walls, or rather, to the frescoes and cuneiform inscriptions on them. The imagery I encountered represented a fusion of Egyptian, South American, and Asian ancient art, with no clear predominance of any particular style. One cannot immediately determine which style dominated the frescoes, as they conveyed an image of a city populated by anthropomorphic beings that could be classified as lizards or snakes — reptiles, in short. The images depicted their lifestyle and culture.
On one such panel, it is evident that a solemn ritual involving numerous human sacrifices is depicted, with the main priest-like figure cutting out the hearts of the victims, and it becomes clear from the continuation of the narrative along the wall that he subsequently consumes them all. Needless to say, it does not take seven brains to guess the purpose of this act.. Regardless of the diversity of civilizations and the multitude of distinctions between magical schools and branches, the core principles of ritual practice remain constant. Even here, one interpretation of the ritual of assimilation, the appropriation of power, is employed, but if that is the case, then were all those who underwent this process endowed with extraordinary abilities? Goodness gracious!
The depiction on the mural appears to be nothing more than a mere fabrication! It is highly unlikely that the artist would have chosen to indulge in flights of fancy and embellishment in his work. Such discrepancies, even in the context of a mere visual representation, are not conducive to magical manifestations, implying that the imagery must be rooted in truth and accuracy.
If this is the case, then during these rituals, hundreds or perhaps thousands of intellectually gifted individuals, either under the guidance of a local snake priest or simply endowed with a supernatural ability (I am not yet certain whether the locals venerate or once venerated any deities), were likely involved in the process.
Having traversed the entire hall, meticulously examining each text and inspecting the frescoes, I have arrived at the conclusion that the civilization that once inhabited this place, or perhaps even continues to do so, was characterized by a profound cruelty, with humans serving as disenfranchised livestock. This implies that, should I encounter any locals here, they would be a priori adversaries of humanity, and consequently, of mine. Nonetheless, I assume the role of a divine human, even going so far as to sever their hair.
My initial apprehensions regarding the possibility of encountering any form of life in this desolate environment were well-founded. In a realm where the energy field was entirely absent, the surrounding void acted as a relentless vacuum, devouring any source of vitality and dispersing it in an untraceable direction.
Had I not donned the impenetrable adamantine armor, which encased my very essence, I would have perished in this inhospitable realm. The atmosphere was hostile and insatiable.
With a sigh, I resolved to venture forth and explore the surroundings. It was disheartening to feel the limitations imposed upon me, as my aura was diminished due to my inability to fully extend it. While I could attempt to restore my senses, I was nearly certain that such an endeavor would prove futile.
Thus, I proceeded with caution, attentively listening to the sounds, which were not present, or rather, they were there, but were produced solely by my footsteps on the dusty stone floor, accompanied by the clinking of small debris. I exited through one of the eight stone portals leading to the exterior.
In each wall, precisely at its center, there existed wide sash windows crafted from jade. Once beyond the confines of the hall's walls, I found myself standing on a vast stone plateau, exposed to the blazing, albeit non-warming, "sun". To be more precise, this was my initial perception, but it transpired that this was not a naturally occurring feature nor a plateau in the conventional sense. The location itself, upon which the structure rested, resembling a diminutive pyramidal edifice with a truncated apex akin to those constructed by the civilizations of South American natives, proved to be the summit of an immense pyramid, the extent of which I cannot even begin to estimate. My senses were limited, and my sight only extended up to the point concealed by the clouds.. It was no less than Mount Everest in size, for it soared up into the sky that its summit towered above the clouds.
Even at this altitude, however, I did not experience the refreshing and tenuous nature of the air. While I did not require respiration and could abstain from breathing for as long as I desired, having become a deity, my physical form had entered a new phase of evolution, entirely reliant on replenishing its reserves from my energetic resources within the realms of the soul. It was therefore natural for me to observe the odours and composition of atmospheric gases.
Thus, what is my point? The local surroundings were dismal, and the lack of any discernible energy field rendered the environment stagnant. As one might anticipate, there was no wind, nor low pressure, nor any other factors indicative of physical interaction between the environment and the objects within it. Moreover, the sun's warmth was absent. The atmosphere itself exuded a melancholic atmosphere that profoundly affected one's emotions. The silence was oppressive.. It was morally difficult for me to experience the absence of even the faintest flicker of life. However, I mustered my resolve and resolved to look around, seeking guidance on the path forward.
A fleeting thought crossed my mind, prompting me to rush around the summit at full speed. After scanning each slope, I discovered that they were all identical. In the center, a broad staircase descended into the depths, lost amidst the clouds. I failed to discern any distinction at the octagonal pyramid. Determined to begin my descent, I chose the side that appeared to be the final destination on my tour.
The descent itself presented no difficulties, I proceeded calmly, without haste or acceleration. However, due to the peculiarities of the energetic situation, I was extremely focused and on edge. A thought crept into my mind that, in the context of this particular location and its potential threat to my safety, my intuition might have been misguided.
It was as if this place had been torn from the fabric of the universe, isolated and shielded by a barrier that prevented it from being affected by the interconnected currents of the world. In such a scenario, my intuition, deeply rooted in the informational field of the multiverse, might find it difficult to accurately assess the level of danger and lethality posed by this spatial anomaly.
The instant this notion crossed my mind, a staff-spear materialized in my left hand like a bolt from the sky, while an anti-demonic chain coiled around my right, its thirst for formidable adversaries unquenched, eager to sate itself on their strength and vital essence, thus augmenting its own power.
It is a curious phenomenon that deserves attention. Each demonologist's anti-demonic chain is unique in its nature, differing from that of another magician. While it may not possess a fully developed soul, a surrogate emerges, and if my chain reminded me of her aspirations and desires, it was like a ravenous glutton for souls, eager to devour a powerful opponent and grow stronger through their suffering. In contrast, Alfonso's chain manifested a maniacal urge to pounce upon its victim and inflict pain, causing the unfortunate individual to descend into madness.
On the other hand, Maria's chain harbors a singular goal: to protect its master. Its nature resembles that of a fiercely loyal and aggressive dog, ready to defend its owner from any perceived threats.
Now, with my primary instruments in hand, my steadfast companions on the path of great sorcery, I was filled with a sense of contentment with my accomplishments and a profound sense of security. The confidence that filled my heart was a testament to the fact that I had arrived at the pinnacle of my dreams, which were shared by the vast majority of those endowed with talent.
Yet, either I had become intoxicated with success, or I had always been flawed in my approach, but it was not enough for me. It was not the end of my journey. I did not intend to rest on my achievements. My ambition was to ascend to the very top of the hierarchy, where even entities such as Khorne, Tzeentch, Lolth, and Dormammu, among others, would be compelled to avoid me, fearing even the prospect of confrontation.
And as soon as my manly composure recalled to me my goals and aspirations, I felt a surge of confidence, and with a malicious grin on my face I proceeded downwards. The direction of my thoughts and my mood had undergone a dramatic shift. If earlier I had hoped that my adventure and my visit to these locations would conclude without violence or deadly combat, now I desired it with every fibre of my being. I sought a foe with whom I could engage in a fierce struggle, subjugate, dominate, either destroy or enslave — there was no middle ground.
At last, I had passed the point where the clouds obscured my view of the city below the pyramid's base, and I descended with caution.
The city was not merely breathtaking, but also utterly overwhelming. Its expanse was so vast that from a vantage point several kilometres above, I could not fully perceive it with my eyes, embracing it in its entirety. Everywhere, in every direction, as far as my vision could reach, the city was adorned with palaces, homes, and structures of unknown purpose, arranged in meticulous geometric order. However, there was no sign of life anywhere. Not a single creature, not even a plant, could be seen. Only the skeletal remains of petrified trees, their trunks standing like sentinels along the city's wide avenues, met my gaze.
Descending, I found myself before a paved avenue a hundred metres wide, seemingly stretching to the horizon. Along this avenue, palaces stood, housing the highest echelons of local nobility, as my intuition and rationality suggested. Each palace boasted at least eight storeys, towering a hundred metres above the ground, constructed of sandstone with intricate carvings. The palaces were unenclosed, surrounded by what must have once been parks and gardens, now reduced to lifeless, stone-like skeletons of trees.
Driven by intrigue and the desire for comprehension, I sought to uncover the cause of this sudden demise. Entering the closest palace to the pyramid's base, I encountered evidence of the former inhabitants' demise as soon as I stepped through the front doors.
Upon entering, at the very threshold, I observed several pieces of jewelry scattered on the floor. Had they not previously been purely ornamental, they would likely have been artifacts.
The six sets of wrist and ankle bracelets I discovered were ostentatious in design, and given their composition — an alloy of gold, silver, and unfamiliar metals interspersed with jade — along with their unwieldy shape and size, it is reasonable to surmise that they once served as vessels for magical energies. This conjecture is supported by the specific metals used in their construction. Moreover, given their proximity to one another, it appears that they belonged to members of the guard, and it is unfortunate that they likely met their demise suddenly and violently.
It appears that this occurred some time ago, as no trace of decay or decomposition remains from the corpses, only their adornments and, presumably, their weapons.. Their weapons were six khopesh swords crafted from an alloy that, to my consternation, contained a minuscule amount of adamantium!
There was no doubt in my mind that these weapons belonged to ordinary warriors of this realm, but the mere presence of a trace of the so-called "killer of gods" sent shivers down my spine, awakening a sense of dread at the thought of the power once wielded by a civilization now lost to obscurity. Something had erased them from the face of this magical world overnight, though I still harbored doubts about my location in the magical realm connected to Earth. Neither I, nor any other ancient sorcerers whose records have survived to this day, have been able to determine even the approximate boundaries of this magical realm. Thus, it is possible that this anomalous spatial region, isolated from the rest of the universe, continues to exist, and it is my task to unravel its mysteries.
After a leisurely stroll around the estate, I came upon an armory that housed a hundred sets of chain-mail armor and a corresponding arsenal of weapons, including khopesh swords and spears, all crafted with a subtle infusion of adamant. The armory and barracks occupied the ground floor of the palace, while on the upper floors I encountered a plethora of exquisite decorations and other interior items crafted from precious metal alloys — clear remnants of a bygone era.
My disappointment was palpable as I realized that I would not be able to study these once-vibrant artifacts or delve into the intricate magical weaves that characterized this civilization of serpentine intelligences. As a being with a snake-like essence, I believed that their magical system would resonate with me, offering a logical understanding that would come almost instinctively. However, such is life, and what is lost is lost.
After leaving the initial palace, I started to venture away from the core of the city. As I presume, this structure was the central edifice of the urban landscape, yet my intention was to explore its periphery, which led me to follow the principal thoroughfare, commencing from the staircase that brought me through the portal and into this realm.
Alas, I was unable to summon anyone to assist me, and thus the illusory duplicates I had previously created, which were stationed in my domain, were beyond my reach. This was a most disconcerting discovery. Not only was I unable to summon assistance, but I was also unable to move from this location myself.
All spatial techniques, as well as any manifestations of magic that relied on weaves or other forms of energy manipulation, proved inaccessible. Even before any spells or enchantments could be activated, the surrounding environment erased their mental-informational framework and drained their power, scattering it into the void. It remained unclear to me how this energy from my failed attempts at magical manipulation was being expended. I could not discern its destination. It was as if the fabric of local reality itself was erasing it with an eraser, as if someone had conceptually distorted local reality in this region to nullify any form of energy.. And so, just as I was unable to conjure up my illusions in this place, I likewise did not find myself able to summon them hither. I was utterly disconnected from all that remained on the other side of the portal that led me here from Mexico.
In the early stages of my exploration of the city, I ventured into every other building I encountered along the way, but each of these proved to be no more than a facsimile of the preceding ones, devoid of any novelty or intriguing discoveries. Thus, the span between the buildings I investigated and those I visited grew increasingly longer. Initially, it was every fourth, then every eighth, until I eventually began skipping entire blocks, venturing into only the most noteworthy houses in the vicinity.
As I ventured further from the vicinity of the pyramid, the dwellings grew increasingly humble, culminating in palatial structures located in the third segment of the route along the broad avenue. Having traversed well over a hundred blocks, I estimated my distance in terms of kilometers, I no longer encountered items containing traces of adamant. Instead, I came across only a handful of objects crafted from the pristine metal of the god-slaying substance. Among these, there were five daggers, three swords, and three spear points, all featuring the unadulterated essence of adamant, constituting the pinnacle of divine weaponry.
My progress had been painfully slow, and I had resigned myself to the belief that I would not make any new acquaintances here. Suddenly, I sensed the presence of something grand and ineffable somewhere on the fringes of my perception, far ahead. I could not determine how distant the object of my attention might be, but what alarmed me most was the mere awareness of another presence in this place. A single thought echoed in my mind: "How is it possible? How have I done it, and what has made me aware of someone else's existence here?"
For there was nothing in the immediate surroundings that would have hinted at a change, no trace of energy that might have provided me with any clue about the nature of the place. I had relied solely on my own physical senses and abilities to navigate this world.
In the wake of my quest to comprehend and disentangle my emotions, I unwittingly unleashed a torrent of energy, emanating from myself, that radiated outward for several dozen kilometers. The magnitude of this surge was so immense that it gave rise to a gale-force wind, which began to devastate everything in its path, creating a massive sandstorm with me at its epicenter. This act caused my protective aura to momentarily extend beyond its usual boundaries, bursting free from its confines for several meters.
However, at that moment, I was not concerned about this, as the multitude of energies I had unleashed momentarily saturated the energetic backdrop, and thanks to this shield of power, the hostile environment was unable to immediately permeate my aura. With all the diverse energies in the surrounding space now belonging solely to me, I did not sense the resistance of an external field to my desire to explore the intricacies of the entity I had detected. However, I had not even had time to receive a response from my own energies, which would have provided me with information about the object I had identified.
Regrettably, my actions had drawn the attention of this being. The amount of power I had harnessed, had I intended it to be destructive, would have been sufficient to eradicate humanity and all life from the face of Earth. I might have marveled at the swift absorption of the energies I had released into the surroundings, with the creature rushing towards me, but at that moment, my focus was far from that.
The creature, which had managed to absorb and assimilate energy in the blink of an eye, was now standing before me. I had no time to react in any meaningful way, as I was writhing in agony from the tearing sensation caused by the loss of a small portion of my aura, which had escaped from beneath the protection of my armor. It was as though it had been lapped away by a rough, feline tongue.
If my previous injuries had affected my soul and caused me significant pain, these were nothing compared to what I was experiencing now. The most terrible shock of pain I could remember was nothing compared to the sensations tearing at my very core. This was because I had never sustained such injuries at once before.
At that moment, I was utterly incapacitated, unable to assess my adversary. In a single instant, he had drawn upon cosmic energies equivalent to the combined reserves of hundreds of archmages, effortlessly siphoning off a fraction of my aura — an emanation of my very soul, intricately intertwined with my spiritual realms. My second spiritual shell, along with my astral and sensual spirits, my mental body, and my magical intellect, were all simultaneously compromised.
It was as though I were being subjected to a simultaneous assault of high and low temperatures, and atop these sensations, sandpaper was being dragged across my entire skin, peeling away my epidermis down to the very muscles and, in some areas, even to the bone. I bled with every fiber of my being. Only my physical form, the immortal vessel, and my divine essence remained undamaged, and the atman, of course, was impervious to destruction. Moreover, I felt as though my aura were being stripped away from me, as if it were being plucked at by thousands of fishing hooks, attempting to drag it free from beneath the protection of my adamantine armor, exposing my soul to its reach.
In the face of this onslaught, all I could do was sever a portion of my aura myself, for I lacked the strength to contend with the monstrous force that assailed me.
As soon as I had achieved a semblance of safety, with nothing else threatening to devour me and I remained outside the confines of the armour, I sank into a state of oblivion. It was like a hermit crab retreating into its shell, momentarily unconscious. The pain had finally caught up with me.
I cannot say how long I remained in this state, as I had lost all connection with the infosphere. However, judging by the state of my psyche and its emanations, I estimate that I was unconscious for at least a month. My aura had nearly fully recovered, and the mental assistance I immediately provided it, utilizing my brain, swiftly brought me back to my former self. Only then did I decide to look around, at least from a mundane perspective, and attempt to grasp my current situation.
When I opened my eyes, I initially found myself disoriented, but after a minute and a half of surveying my surroundings, unsettling conjectures began to surface. Initially, I posited that I had somehow fallen into an enormous pit or cavern, at the base of which lay a plethora of unyielding weapons. Swords, spears, and shields crafted entirely from this metal were strewn about, as if I had been buried beneath them. However, as I extricated myself from the debris, surveyed my surroundings, and engaged in rational thought, a realization dawned upon me: I found myself within an abyssal cavity! I am utterly incapable of rising.
The immense wineskin, which I now inhabited and which I had initially identified as a stomach, was of considerable size. However, what truly astonished me, beyond the bizarre predicament in which I found myself, was the nature of the substance that comprised the tissues of its walls. It appeared that the entity that had consumed me was a manifestation of some kind of ethereal and energetic form of existence. Yet, why did it continue to exist, residing in a realm where all structured energy dissipated and flowed away into the unknown?
The answer, which was both obvious and logical, failed to satisfy me. This entity was the source of the emptiness in the energetic background here. Based on how swiftly it consumed all the energy I had released from the void and how effortlessly it was able to detach a portion of my divine essence from me, this being was incredibly potent and perhaps even stood a step above me in terms of its evolutionary advancement. No other being would have been capable of so easily and effortlessly attaching itself to my aura, preventing it from coiling up.
And so, what do we have in the end? The creature is a form of energy life. It is incredibly powerful, as its body tissues are a material manifestation of energy and can carry, according to my calculations, more than a hundred kilograms of adamantium in the form of weapons, which are abundant here. I mentioned earlier that this metal has a highly detrimental effect on any structured energy and creatures, at least henna, from direct contact with it. But if we consider that the creature itself is an analogue of the effect of adamant on energy, while being so voracious and powerful that it can devastate the entire surrounding area for hundreds of kilometres around from any manifestation of power, then it is difficult to imagine who could be my opponent and how to deal with this monster. The creature was truly extraordinary.
Now I must reflect deeply on what might have an impact on her and cause irreparable harm, sufficient to quell her resistance and allow me to seal her spirit within my staff.
I had already attempted to strike the walls of her stomach with my adamantine-tipped staff, but to no avail. Employing all the physical might I could muster in a single thrust, akin to a lance, I succeeded in penetrating her ethereal tissue by only a few centimeters. However, as soon as I withdrew the staff, the wound instantaneously healed. The creature did not even register my presence, for I felt no tremors or alterations in my position in relation to the spatial coordinates. Having consumed me, the monstrosity likely lies dormant, either in slumber or simply biding its time for another fool to enter its domain and be invited to the banquet table.
Certainly, I had two avenues of escape from this predicament, and I suspect many are aware of this fact. As the saying goes, when one is trapped, there are at least two ways out. However, should I even consider leaving before devising a strategy to confront the monster?
This entity was so swift that I barely had time to react, only to realize that it had already consumed me. Its speed was extraordinary, and the damage I sustained at that instant, as it seized upon a portion of my vulnerable aura, was not due to my negligence. Rather, it was a consequence of my own lack of reflexes.
Thus, why would I venture outside its stomach, knowing that within moments I would find myself back within its confines? Should I choose one of the exits leading to the outside, exposing myself to the enemy, they would surely notice my presence. With my diminished strength and sluggishness, I cannot simply flee.
Alright, I have an almost infinite amount of time at my disposal here. The armour protects my soul from the corrosive effects of the entity, so it is time and past time to commence with my experiments, seeking to inflict at least some harm on the creature whose physical form is impervious even to adamantium. Aye...
I commenced my endeavors incrementally, employing mana of various elemental hues to gauge the impact on the tissue of the monstrous stomach. However, these attempts proved futile, as the mana was simply absorbed by the creature's digestive system, leaving no discernible effect.
My mana, regardless of its color or elemental composition, was assimilated by the gastric tissues of the abomination over the course of years. The only notable difference I observed was that light-based mana seemed to have a slightly more detrimental effect, though the creature's regenerative abilities were so formidable that no overt or tangible damage could be attributed to it.
Conversely, dark-based mana was consumed with remarkable swiftness, and as I delved deeper into the essence of this creature, I realized that its etheric stomach mirrored its capacity to assimilate any energy. This revelation confirmed my initial suspicions.. It is the stomach of this creature that represents the epicenter of the adverse situation in this realm of the magical world, and it is likely the most heavily fortified part of it, as there is no other explanation for why this creature has not absorbed the energies of the entire universe yet.
The stomach embodies the creature's remarkable capacity to assimilate any form of energy with astonishing swiftness. After my initial efforts with mana, I attempted to harm the stomach using prana, imbuing it with various energies ranging from cold to fire. Then, I endeavored to influence the monster's tissues using the power of sensual spirit and psi, each attempt resulting in a progressively worsening state of frustration. Nothing seemed to affect it. My only remaining option was my own divine manifestation, but even that was limited to my personal reserves, which were exclusive to me. At that moment, my spirits were at their lowest ebb.. But finding myself trapped here, I was unaware of how my prolonged stay in this hostile environment, sealed off by a barrier, might affect my physical forms that remained on the other side of the gateway. For all seven of my bodies, we shared a single soul. Attempting to comprehend the very concept of such a state, I strained my mind to the point of exhaustion, yet that is not the crux of the matter at hand.
What I did comprehend was that I existed in seven different locations simultaneously, yet in the eyes of the universe, I remained a singular entity, indivisible. Prior to this realization, I had not given much thought to the question of how the trauma experienced by one aspect of my soul might impact the others. After all, there is only one soul, and if I had recently endured agony here, it is reasonable to assume that the bodies that remained with my partners also shared in the full extent of the suffering I endured during my encounter with the devourer. Indeed, that creature truly deserves its moniker, for even the pure Nekros herself was consumed by it with great delight, and it seems to me that it was even beneficial to her.
Alas, I do hope that at the time of my ignominious condition, my other selves were not with my wives. But whom am I trying to deceive? Knowing their morals and characters, they would not allow me to leave of their own volition. However, they are now isolated from the world, there.