A rift materialized in the pitch dark of space, from which emerged a dark-skinned man. He possessed long, silky black hair that flowed like a midnight river. He had appeared in the vast expanse of the cosmos, suspended just above a magnificent blue planet. As he beheld the celestial body, his eyes widened, and his heart quickened. 'Is that what I think it is?' he wondered, his gaze unwavering.
However, his initial elation quickly gave way to disappointment. While there were some similarities, the planet below was not his home. A sigh escaped his lips as he considered his next course of action.
As he prepared to descend onto the distant planet, a peculiar sensation prickled at the edges of his divine sense. Instantly, his senses went on high alert. This sensation was all too familiar, and it typically meant only one thing: he was being watched. Immediately, he took action, invoking one of his three major laws—the law of space—to warp away from his previous location.
Teleporting swiftly to the planet's surface, he wasted no time, repeating his actions until he materialized in a desolate section of an unfamiliar city. Confident that he'd shaken off the unseen pursuer, he narrowed his eyes, fixing a stern glare at the sky.
Remaining in this world for an extended period wasn't viable. The fast detection of his intrusion and the pinpointing of his location hinted at formidable beings on par with him. Caution was important, as any misstep might provoke the locals, potentially leading to a confrontation he wasn't prepared for.
With closed eyes, he directed his focus inward, attending to the lingering injuries. Despite his substantial progress in healing them, a few stubborn remnants persisted, preventing him from displaying his true strength. On a positive note, the curse that once plagued him was now dispelled.
The thought of the curse stirred memories of Jarek and his family, eliciting a small sigh. The weight of responsibility for their downfall lingered. Without his curse, their lives might have unfolded differently, shielded from the looming disaster he brought upon them. He had hoped to ensure their safety, and with his abilities, he might have succeeded. However, he had sensed his Master's arrival in that world and was frightened into leaving early.
'What's done is done,' he told himself. He found comfort in knowing that, at the very least, he had preserved the lives of Jarek and his sisters, leaving them gifts that would guarantee their safety in the years to come.
Dismissing those thoughts, the Observer brought his focus to his present situation. He was in an unfamiliar world with beings at the very least as strong as he was. He rationalized that as long as he stayed low-key, they shouldn't find trouble. Travelling between worlds was a taxing action, and to prevent further injuries he had decided to only do it as long as he got adequate rest between worlds.
So, he decided to stay here for a few days. Recover his energy, and then move on to the next world. Now, all he needed to do was to find a place to rest.
He gently spread out his divine sense, trying to get a feel of the place he found himself in. Soon a mental image of his surroundings appeared in his mind. After noting that for some strange reason, no one seemed to be outside nearby, he started to move.
As he walked, recalled what his divine sense had shown in. He was in a very large city, which had a unique pentagonal shape. The roughly circular core acted as a hub, dividing the metropolis into five distinct sections, each giving off a wholly unique ambiance.
The first section, elevated and proud, boasted towering schools and a colossal observatory. It seemed more like a college town than an actual part of the city. The second seemed more like a vacation spot, with small but beautiful buildings, parks, a river that meandered through it, and a massive crystalline cathedral.
The third section was a seemingly shady locale, unfolding as a vast slum harboring the poor and unfortunate. Amidst the destitution, architectural marvels like towering black spires and a concealed subterranean temple showcased unexpected grandeur. Next was the fourth section, which exuded opulence, and a strange obsession with symmetry with symmetrical buildings, amenities and more
. It was obvious at a glance that that was where the rich and powerful lived, and located there was a massive academy, almost rivaling those in the first section.
Lastly, is the section he was currently in, which seemed more quiet and more unassuming. And which currently had no one standing outside. The Observer could sense people standing in those buildings, and he felt a few watching him, but he ignored them and kept moving. Something about this place felt off and he had no intention of finding out what. Who knows if he might offend a powerhouse in the process? Someone had already locked on to him when he first arrived and he had no intention of catching the attention of another.
'Curiosity killed the cat,' he mused, deciding to turn a blind eye to the oddities of the people in this district. His focus shifted to what appeared to be the simplest escape – the city center. It served as a nexus, seamlessly blending the diverse sections of the city into one colossal district. Dominating its landscape was a towering clock, visible from every corner of the city. It made him wonder why they had done that. Was it purely to show off, or did people really need to know the time that badly?
As he neared the edges of his current district, he began to see a few people moving about, but the majority still were in their homes. A few tried to talk to him, but he could not understand their words. This was understandable, after all, people in different worlds evolved differently, and as such languages were always different.
He had a way to fix the understanding gap, but that was something he would do later, if he truly needed to, since the technique he had to use was a taxing one. Not taxing on his energy but on his mind. Therefore, he would delay using it as long as he possibly could.
As he neared the district's exit, a bell's toll cut through the air. The sound seemed to emanate from an empty patch in the sky, accompanied by an enigmatic will that washed over every inhabitant. The Observer, sensing its probing, endeavored to appear non-threatening as the will settled on him. His strategy proved effective as the will eventually moved on, leaving him untouched. Soft cries erupted from a nearby building as the will finally faded away.
Despite having had his curiosity stoked by the strangeness of this place, he eventually faced forward and moved to the next district.
By the time he got to the city center, it was almost completely dark. Even still, there was plenty of light from various lanterns, candles, and other sources of light. At the same time, despite it being so near night, there were still many people moving around, conversing in a strange language. All this created a vibrant scene as the Observer glided through the crowds.
He drew a fair bit of attention, but most onlookers seemed to have their minds swiftly cleared, turning away soon after noticing him. He was not in the mood to deal with unwanted attention and so he chose this method to avoid it.
Surveying the surroundings, the Observer sought a place to spend the night. His gaze settled on a small establishment that seemed suitable. Approaching, he was about to enter when he suddenly froze, sensing that something was off. Staring at the door, he tentatively reached out, only for his hand to pass through it as if it were a mere illusion.
Unfazed, he turned around, confirming what he suspected. His spatial sensitivity, a result of his mastering the law of space, hinted at his displacement from the city's true space. Someone, likely a powerful figure in this world, had shifted him just enough to prevent him from being able to interact with the city.
Standing behind him was a young boy with long black hair, an unnatural beauty radiating from his perfectly symmetrical features. The boy wore a black and white ensemble, each element perfectly mirrored on either side. The Observer's mind flashed to the symmetrical opulence of the city's fourth section, wondering if the boy had anything to do with it.
"Hello," the boy said, his smile wide. Surprised, the Observer raised an eyebrow. Somehow the boy had found a way to overcome the language barrier and speak to him.
"Hello. I hope you all don't mind my intrusion, I want to recover a bit and then I'll be on my way and out of your hair." The Observer explained, making his intentions clear. Since he could now understand the other party, it would be best to make it known that he had no intention of doing anything here.