In the depths of the abyss where only ideas and thoughts existed, two lost souls drifted, their faint essence lingering in a place where nothing was meant to remain whole.
Time was an alien concept here, an indistinct blur of fleeting sensations. Yet, despite their fractured states, the two souls had somehow managed to find each other, sharing in endless conversation for what could only be described as an inestimable amount of time.
A silent presence observed them. The entity, vast as it was unknown, regarded the two with a curiosity that was far from normal. Souls were not meant to exist in this realm, least of all incomplete, fractured souls like these. No, this was the Realm of Thought, a place where form and meaning unraveled into pure concept, reduced to a nebulous state of ideas, yet these two clung stubbornly to their fragmented identities. The entity could no longer remain a passive witness. To allow this anomaly to continue unchecked was not merely unusual—it was a threat, one that went against the very thing this realm represented.
And so a decision was made. The being would intervene.
[WELCOME.]
The entity's voice reverberated throughout the void, less a sound than a command woven into the fabric of the realm. The two souls halted mid-conversation, silence falling over them as they comprehended what they had longed for—a presence beyond their own.
As they marveled, the featureless abyss began to shift. Ideas gained form, taking on the shape of an unearthly garden. Lush foliage bloomed around them in surreal colors, a paradise that transcended anything they'd known in their former lives. The souls themselves began to take on greater definition: one a brilliant white sphere, luminous and pristine, while the other appeared as an ink-black orb, exuding a subtle, sense of corruption.
The white soul, momentarily distracted by the appearance of their surroundings, regained her composure. "Finally, something to look at besides him."
"Why's mine so...dark and… murky?" the black one muttered, his tone skeptical. "I lived a decently honest life, didn't I?"
The white soul, distinctly unimpressed, gave a curt response. "Are you seriously surprised? Have you met yourself?"
"Hey!" he snapped back, mildly offended. "For your information, I've lived by my own values!"
"Which values exactly?"
"My desires, you overblown lightbulb!"
"Well, this 'lightbulb' was not the one whining about their form, now was she?"
[WELCOME.]
The entity repeated its greeting, louder this time, its tone as indifferent as before. Evidently, important matters required a third invocation.
Startled, the two souls ceased their bickering at once and turned to face the formless presence.
"Oh, great one! We are honored to be in your, uh, non-physical presence," the black one said, attempting a bow. It was difficult to tell in his amorphous state, but the intent was clear.
The white one interrupted. "Honored? We died, if you recall. Not exactly a 'happy to be here' scenario." She scoffed, her voice tinged with irritation. "I had quite a few things to finish."
"Oh? Would you prefer the alternative?" he drawled. "Caught by loan sharks, hmm?"
She paused, conceding his point with a sigh. "Fair enough." Clearing her nonexistent throat, she spoke with exaggerated reverence, "Oh, great one, we are... moderately content with our current state of affairs."
The entity, as always, ignored their petty exchanges.
[ONES WHO ENCROACH UPON THE FRINGES OF MY REALM, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?]
"Is this not… the afterlife?" the white soul inquired, casting a wary look around. Given their circumstances, the afterlife was the most logical destination.
[THIS IS NOT THE AFTERLIFE. THIS IS THE VOID BETWEEN WORLDS, THE REALM OF •••••••, WHERE ONLY ••••••• RESIDES.]
"Uh, pardon my asking but—could you repeat that?" she asked, bewildered by the words that seemed to dissolve mid-sentence.
[THIS IS THE VOID BETWEEN WORLDS, THE REALM OF •••••••, WHERE ONLY ••••••• RESIDES.]
"Yep, still not catching that," the black one mumbled, exchanging a look of confusion with his counterpart.
"Same here," she muttered, thoroughly perplexed. "It is as though the words are... blocked out."
"So… what now?" the black one asked, adopting a casual tone. "Do you guide us to the afterlife or send us back?"
[I AM NEITHER A GUIDE NOR A RETURN POINT.]
"Then… what happens to us? Are we just… stuck here?"
[I WILL HAVE YOU FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM THIS SPACE.]
They shared a sigh of relief. While escaping creditors had been a welcome reprieve, remaining in this void for eternity was less than ideal. The disorienting nature of this place gnawed at the edges of their existence, leaving them in a constant state of discomfort.
Then the weight of the entity's words sank in.
"Wait, 'removed' as in—"
[YOU WILL BE TERMINATED.]
"Eh?!"
"Excuse me?"
[YOU WILL BE TERMINATED, REMOVED FROM THE BOUNDARY, CEASE TO BE, EXTINGUISHED.]
A flicker of alarm passed between them, though the black soul tried to mask his unease with bravado. "Isn't there, y'know… a more 'alive' method available? Extermination feels a tad bit harsh, considering we didn't intend to trespass here."
The white soul shot him a glare, suspecting his ploy. "What are you doing?" she whispered.
"Trying to negotiate our way out of… whatever 'extinguishment' entails," he whispered back, a note of panic creeping into his tone.
[WOULD YOU PREFER REBIRTH?]
"Wait, rebirth? That's an option? Why didn't you lead with that instead of extermination?" he exclaimed, incredulous.
[YOU DID NOT ASK.]
The two souls fell silent, bewildered yet grateful for the option. They shared a look, a silent agreement passing between them. Voicing their frustrations to an entity that had given them form began to seem like a decision that was far from safe.
[WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED WITH REBIRTH?]
"YES!" they shouted in unison, seizing the opportunity.
[ALTHOUGH INCOMPLETE SOULS YOU MAY BE, SUITABLE BODIES SHALL BE PROVIDED TO AID IN RESTORATION.]
The black soul, now somewhat reassured, tilted his form in curiosity. "Wait… 'restoration'? Are you saying we're broken?" He paused, trying to sense any abnormalities. "I feel… fine, well, relatively speaking, currently a soul and all that."
[THAT IS ONLY DUE TO YOUR PROXIMITY TO ME.]
The entity's response was as indifferent as before. Then, without further elaboration, it began to shift the fabric of the void itself. Before the souls, a swirling gray vortex appeared, pulsating with an unearthly energy that tugged at their very essence.
"Wait! I still have questions!" the black one shouted, his voice growing distant as the vortex's pull intensified. "What kind of world are we going to?"
His voice, however, was quickly swallowed by the whirlpool of energy.
The white soul, too, struggled to resist the pull, but even she found herself helpless. Her voice echoed one last time, carrying a sense of finality. "If this leads to another mess, I will never forgive you for dragging me along—"
And with that, the two souls were swept into the vortex, their forms vanishing into the unknown.
As the vortex closed behind them, the entity's voice followed, resonating in the empty void.
[WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF PRAGEUS.]
The words lingered in the abyss for a moment before silence reclaimed the Realm of Thought. The entity withdrew, its task complete, as the two souls ventured toward a new fate, unaware of the world that awaited them.