In the silent expanse of Elysium's Whisper, a soft hum reverberated through the air as ROSE stood by, her golden eyes fixed on Lucian. He remained seated in a deep meditative trance, completely still, his chest rising and falling slowly with the rhythm of his breathing.
The neuralink device, a delicate yet powerful connection between them, transmitted streams of information directly into her mind. Words were unnecessary, for their thoughts interwove seamlessly through the mental link.
Inside his soulspace, Lucian was not merely meditating—he was interrogating the black goo that had infiltrated Zeph. Due to the bond they shared as two parts of the same soul, Lucian could access Zeph's soulspace just as easily as his own. In fact, that was where he was now, standing at the boundary between their two vastly different worlds.
Zeph's soulspace, a landscape of serene beauty, stretched out before Lucian. The ground was covered in a calm, shallow lake with water that barely reached up to his ankles. The surface reflected the blue sky above like a mirror, with clouds resembling fluffy cotton candy floating lazily in the peaceful atmosphere.
Rays of light danced across the horizon, casting a warm glow over the land. It was a paradise, a vision of peace and tranquility—an oasis that echoed the innocence and purity of Zeph's soul.
But Lucian's focus wasn't on the beauty of the scene. His eyes were locked on the barrier that held the black goo creature captive, an abomination that had invaded Zeph's soul.
The creature's dark form pulsated with a menacing energy, yet even trapped behind the shimmering barrier, it radiated arrogance.
"What is your name?" Lucian's voice rang out coldly, slicing through the peaceful air like a blade.
From behind the barrier, the creature snarled, its voice a low, rumbling growl that seemed to shake the very foundation of the soulspace. "Mere mortals are not worthy of knowing my name."
Lucian's expression remained impassive, his eyes analyzing every detail of the creature. Despite the barrier's energy, which was steadily dissolving the creature's body, it continued to resist.
Wisps of black vapor trailed off it, dissipating into the lake, yet the goo seemed unfazed by the damage. It was clear that the soulspace's energy caused it pain, yet it remained defiant, its malevolent essence seeping into the water.
Lucian glanced down, noticing that the black liquid trailing from the creature's body wasn't harming Zeph's soulspace. Quite the opposite. As it dissolved into the water, the soulspace seemed to absorb it, the once-pristine land becoming more resilient, as if strengthened by the creature's essence. This intrigued Lucian, and the corners of his mouth curled into a faint, satisfied smile.
Zeph was safe.
But that wasn't enough for Lucian. His curiosity demanded more. He raised his hand, directing a pulse of energy from his own soul into the barrier, amplifying the torment that was already coursing through the creature. It let out a blood-curdling scream, its body writhing as the pain grew unbearable.
Lucian leaned forward slightly, his voice dripping with icy indifference. "How old are you?"
The creature panted heavily, its previous arrogance now dulled by the agony it could no longer deny. "I… I was born at the dawn of creation," it growled, each word strained. "I am as old as the universe itself. Perhaps a hundred billion years… I have never bothered to count."
"And what are you?" Lucian's gaze sharpened, like a predator closing in on its prey.
The creature's twisted form shifted slightly as it gathered what little strength it had left. "I do not know my kind," it admitted, its voice low and resentful. "I have never met another like me. I was born alone, and I will die alone."
For the first time, Lucian's interest was piqued. This creature—older than any god or celestial being he had ever encountered—had existed for so long, devouring everything in its path. It had no origin, no history, no species to claim. It was a mystery wrapped in a monstrous form, and Lucian's scientific mind buzzed with anticipation.
"Then what were you called?" Lucian asked, his tone quieter now but no less intense.
The creature hesitated, a long pause hanging in the air. Finally, it answered, "I have no name. But those who feared me… they called me Death, or the World Devourer."
"World Devourer?" Lucian repeated, his curiosity deepening. "Why?"
A guttural growl escaped the creature's maw. "Because from the moment I was born, I have been hungry. I devoured everything—planets, stars, mana, souls… I consume it all."
Lucian's heart quickened, though his expression remained controlled. A creature that could devour souls and mana? That was a rare phenomenon. He had seen entities that thrived on destruction, but this was something far more powerful.
His mind raced, already planning how he could dissect and study this being. What secrets could its body hold? How had it developed such abilities?
"You consume mana and souls?" Lucian asked, his voice sharp with intrigue. "How can you eat something that is immaterial, something that is pure energy?"
The creature's answer was reluctant, its voice lowering as if even it didn't fully understand its own existence. "I was born with the ability… I don't know how. It is as much a part of me as hunger itself."
Lucian's eyes narrowed. The answer didn't satisfy him, but it opened a door to endless possibilities. A creature that could interact with the very essence of souls—an energy that he himself had spent countless years studying, manipulating, and experimenting with. His lips curled into a dark smile as the thought of unraveling the mysteries of this creature filled him with excitement.
At that moment, a shiver rippled through the creature's body. It had sensed the shift in Lucian's emotions—the sudden surge of enthusiasm, the cold, clinical hunger for knowledge. The sensation was unfamiliar to the World Devourer, and it didn't know what to make of it. Fear? No… something else.
Lucian stepped back from the barrier, his mind calculating. Though he could access Zeph's soulspace, he lacked the ability to manipulate the barrier that held the creature. That would have to wait until Zeph awoke from his exhausted slumber. Only then could he truly begin his experiments.
Satisfied with the progress made, Lucian cast one last glance at the writhing creature behind the barrier. Its form was a shadow of what it once was, beaten down by pain and suffering, but it would serve its purpose soon enough.
Without another word, Lucian turned and left Zeph's soulspace, his mind already racing with the experiments and discoveries that awaited him.
And in the tranquil calm of Zeph's lake, the black goo continued to seep, its essence slowly absorbed into the soul.