"You have completed your Mission."
The voice was faint, barely a whisper, but it stirred Null from the edge of unconsciousness. His eyes fluttered open, heavy and tired, only to find himself surrounded by an endless, impenetrable darkness. It was as if he had stepped into a void where light and shadow held no meaning. He raised his hand instinctively, but there was nothing—no sign of his body, just a vast emptiness that swallowed everything.
Disoriented, Null's mind clung to that lingering message, trying to make sense of it. Then, in the distance, he noticed a faint glow—a single pinpoint of light breaking through the darkness. It pulsed faintly, as if calling to him. Null took a step forward, then another, moving carefully toward it. But no matter how far he walked, the light remained just out of reach, always seeming a little farther away.
Frustration mounted as he quickened his pace, his steps echoing in the silence. But the more he tried to close the distance, the more it stretched, as if the light itself were slipping away. Determined, he broke into a run, yet the light drifted further, an elusive beacon in a realm where time and space had lost all meaning.
Frustrated Null, still tries to close the distance, then he notices that the unbearable pain and the scars all over his body were nowhere to be seen, his clothes which were torn up into pieces were looking like a new set of clothes. He notices that the black line strips on his right hand were still there. But Null's was still looking at that light.
As Null strained toward the elusive light in the darkness, he felt an intense pull, as though something deep within was drawing him back. The light, despite its distance, seemed to expand, consuming the shadows around him. It filled his vision, growing brighter until it was nearly blinding. A powerful rush overcame him, as if his very essence was being pulled from that shadowy place and thrust somewhere else. He couldn't fight the force; it was as if he were dissolving into the light itself.
Then, in an instant, the brightness faded, and the weight of his body returned. His senses reawakened, feeling the stiffness of his limbs, the faint humming of the capsule around him, and the slight ache in his head. His eyes cracked open, adjusting to the dim but familiar glow within the capsule. The sensation of the cold surface against his skin confirmed he was no longer in that dark, ethereal space.
Each slow breath grounded him in reality as he processed his surroundings, shaking off the surreal experience.
The moment Iris noticed his movement, her eyes widened in surprise. Without a word, she quickly turned and called for Selene, her voice carrying a mixture of relief and urgency. Null pressed his hands against the sides of the capsule, pushing himself up, though his limbs felt heavy and unresponsive. He took a shaky step out, finding that his entire body was numb, struggling to respond after the strange encounter in the void.
The surroundings were unchanged, sterile and silent, giving him the sense he hadn't been gone long. As he steadied himself, a familiar presence entered the room. Selene appeared, her figure graceful and unchanged, her dark blue hair cascading down, framing her strikingly beautiful face. She moved toward him with a calm expression, though her eyes held an unspoken question.
Selene stepped closer, her gaze fixed on Null's right hand, her eyes widening as she noticed the black line strips etched across his skin. Without hesitation, she gently took his hand, lifting it to examine the lines more closely. A flicker of awe and disbelief crossed her face. "Null," she murmured, almost to herself, "I knew you were special."
Null looked at her, confusion plain in his expression. "What... what are you talking about?"
Selene seemed to catch herself, pulling back from her amazement. She steadied her tone, though excitement still colored her voice. "After awakening, most people don't experience any visible changes on their bodies," she explained, her eyes still staring on his hand. "Any physical change or improvement on one's body is also considered incredibly rare. To possess them means you're... exceptional. It's the same as Theia – she also had these markings, though hers were white, a sign of her Divine Awakening."
She looked up at him, the intensity in her gaze clear. "The black line strips... I haven't seen before, I think no one has".
Null asked selene out of nowhere, "Then, can I become one of the Riftwalkers?"
Selene gazed at Null, taking a steadying breath before speaking, "You woke up after 7 days and this is the first thing you want to ask?"
Null shocked to hear it, asked her in a louder voice, "What? 7 days?"