Userkaf.
Like his presence, his name lingered in her mind like a constant companion as she navigated this strange new existence. The way he had appeared out of the darkness, catching her just before she shattered against the ground, still puzzled her. How did she know his name? How had she even come to know about the ancient castle he called home? It was as if merely thinking of him conjured the knowledge, and answers drifted into her mind as though she had always known.
The castle stood as a monument to a forgotten time, its black stone walls towered over the void like the last remnants of a bygone era. The air around it was thick with the weight of history and memories etched into the very fabric of the stones.
She approached the massive doors and they creaked open suddenly, revealing the dimly lit interior of the castle and Userkaf who had been waiting for her on the other side of the door.
Userkaf led her inside. He moved with the confidence of someone who had walked these halls for centuries, and she couldn't help but wonder how long he had been here, in this place so removed from the world she once knew.
They stopped in a large chamber. Its walls were lined with bookshelves overflowing with ancient tomes. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the room. Userkaf gestured for her to sit, and she took a seat in one of the high-backed chairs, feeling the weight of his gaze on her.
"You have questions," he stated plainly, his voice deep and resonant, like the echo of distant thunder.
She nodded, unsure of where to begin. "Why did you save me?" she asked the question that had been burning in her mind since the moment she had fallen.
Userkaf studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Because you were meant to be saved," he replied. "The void does not take souls at random. It chooses those who have a purpose, those who can withstand its power."
His words sent a chill down her spine. "What purpose?"
"To be a guardian," he responded. "To guide the lost souls trapped in the void, to help them find peace. It is a task that requires strength, compassion, and a will strong enough to resist the void's pull. You have all of these qualities, whether you realize it or not."
"And you?" she asked, searching his eyes for answers. "Why are you here?"
"I have been here for a long time," he responded quietly. "Long enough to know that the void is not just a prison. It is a test, a trial that each of us must endure. I am here to guide you, to help you find your way through the darkness, just as someone once did for me."
"Why me?" she asked, the question almost painful to voice. "What makes me different?"
Userkaf smiled faintly, a rare expression on his otherwise stern face. "The void saw something in you," he said. "Something that others might have overlooked. You have a strength that comes from pain, from suffering, and from the desire to protect others from the darkness you have known. That is what makes you different. That is what makes you worthy."
His words brought a lump to her throat, a mix of gratitude and fear swirling in her chest. "But I don't know how to be a guardian," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't know if I'm strong enough."
"You will learn," Userkaf said with quiet certainty. "I will teach you."
And so began her time in the castle, under Userkaf's guidance. Each day, they would explore the void together, searching for souls in need of release. He taught her how to wield the staff with precision and how to focus the void's power into something constructive rather than destructive. It was a delicate balance, one that required patience and control, but with Userkaf's steady hand, she began to understand how to harness the energy of the void without losing herself to it.
When satisfied, they would return to the castle, where Userkaf would tell her stories of the guardians who had come before them, of the challenges they had faced and the victories they had won.
As time passed, she began to feel more at home in the castle, more at peace with her role as a guardian. Userkaf was a patient teacher, never pushing her too hard but always encouraging her to push herself. He was more than a mentor—he was a guide, a protector, and perhaps, in time, even a friend.