For the second time today, my world dissolved, and I felt like I was being swallowed into a strange space.
It was all so confusing.
I still felt like myself, yet there was this unsettling sensation that my consciousness was somehow merged with the mask. Or maybe not. It was as if I was the mask itself, though that notion barely made any sense.
[A new host has been detected," a voice suddenly rumbled.]
I turned around, anticipating finally seeing someone behind me.
It had taken them long enough. But on turning... well, I saw nothing. At least not through my own eyes. What confronted me was the vast, dark, endless space that my consciousness now occupied.
[The summoner initiation will commence shortly. Would you like to terminate?" the voice echoed.]
I hesitated.
Terminate what?...what in hell was this?
Things were starting to sound more like the fanfic stuff I was so used to reading in my normal world. Except, this didn't resemble a system. No imaginary screen had burst out of nowhere and hovered before me. And I hadn't died, meeting some sadistic god who, for his own amusement, threw me into another life in a strange world.
I however couldn't really be sure, could I? I mean, I might have undergone all this, but they wiped my memory of it.
This whole situation made me sick just trying to figure it out. Actually, where was "here"? Panic began to claw in.
It was at this point that things began to be clear.
If what was happening to me was anything remotely related to what I read in web fictions, then there was a good chance I wasn't in the mainstream universe.
Based on what I had seen so far, Star Wars was a likely possibility. But then, one could never really be sure. So why was I not freaking out?...well maybe balls...though if things 'southed' real quick,I wont be having them for long
[Kindly respond, would you like to terminate?]
My drifting thoughts were pulled back to the issue at hand.
Well... would I like to proceed? And just what the hell was I proceeding with? What exactly was I being initiated into?
"No," I responded, surprised at the steadiness of my own voice. "Please proceed."
Silence followed, my thundering heart being the only thing that broke the tension. Then, suddenly, an exhilarating sensation washed over me. It was as if throngs of energy were reaching out, wrapping around my body, pulling me deeper into God knew what. The mask felt tighter on my face.
With a rush, I felt myself hurtling through space, or was it time? The distinction blurred as I was enveloped by a mixture of sensations.
Then, as suddenly as it began, everything stopped.
I found myself standing in another space. Floating was more like it. I mean, I was myself, except I couldn't see my feet... it's kinda hard to explain. The experience was similar to the concept of a virtual reality game I had seen in films.
The colors reflecting all around me were a blend of crimson and black. The place looked more like the place I had woken up in. As for what I was staring at, nothing made much sense. The concept was similar to that of a digital interface in games, portraying a player's stats. There were tabs and red menus and bar indicators, none of which made much sense.
[Welcome to the Sith mask. You have been initiated as the new summoner,]
the previous voice explained.
By now, I had come to terms with the fact that the voice was coming from the mask. Still, the repeated mention of initiation and summoner left me with more questions than answers. But I did not interrupt; I had a feeling that the mask or whoever was talking would explain it when they wanted and not a second sooner.
To my relief, that was exactly what they did next.
[By accepting the initiation, you have become a Force-sensitive being. This means you are now attuned to the Force and can learn and practice both the Dark Side and the Light Side of the Force.]
Just that line immediately caused a surge of adrenaline inside me.
"The fuck?"
Was I actually hearing this right?
Wait... could this be some kind of dream?
I mean, what did they mean I was now Force-sensitive?
I found it hard to believe that I had actually heard it right. So, I could actually now skillfully use all those weapons I had seen earlier? Well, earlier was a little bit off, seeing my actual body was probably still in that room.
I found myself now overwhelmed with the facts, but these confusions were drowned the next moment as the voice went on.
[The Sith mask's main ability is to allow the summoning functionality,]the voice went on, and a red dot immediately hovered on one of the sections in the display I was in, where the said summon name appeared.
[This ability allows the host to call any being as well as objects and cross over to or from any universe that the host is aware of.]
Okay, this was now cooking.
[However, depending on the complexity of that universe, the mask will need the host to have enough Dark Side Force energy to initiate and complete the summoning."
At this point, everything was sounding like those insane animes and mangas I looked down on.
Basically, if I was getting this right, the mask was just like a phone. It was useless unless one had accumulated enough Dark Side energy.
That realization made my soaring excitement deflate like a punctured balloon.
So how exactly was I going to charge it? Yes, I had become Force-sensitive, but to begin practicing and accumulating Dark Force powers, even the original Padawans needed to have a Sith mentor.
My worries were answered barely a second later.
"As of the moment, the Sith mask is fully charged and will respond to any task assigned by the summoner."
"Whoa! That solves it then."
After thoroughly being acquainted with most of the workings of the functionalities, the mask then introduced me to the next thing that completely blew my head.
It actually explained what I had found astounding when I first saw the weapons and the crystals in the room. You see, apparently, that room was what the mask referred to as the Sith Room of Wish, and just like its name, it was linked to the Sith mask and had the ability to fulfill the summoner's wish. In theory, it was more like the Room of Requirement from Hogwarts, except for the fact that only a Dark Side Force-sensitive being could access it.
As it turned out, all the while I had been wanting to leave the place, I could have just wished it, or for it to reveal a door... well, technically, I had not been initiated to become the summoner, but still, I could not wait to be back to the place.
At this point, I was now aware that the entire place was under me, and... God... all those weapons were mine? At the same time, I was conscious of the requirement to be stronger in the Dark Side abilities if I was to achieve anything in this... Wait... Where is this... Where am I?" I asked, as somehow, for no reason, I began to panic.
You know what they say about trusting your senses. It was legit as the mask or whoever was speaking confirmed my worst fear yet.
[You're currently in the DC Universe, specifically on Earth, specifically in Gotham.]
"The fuck!"
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