A breathless gasp tore from KiAera's lips as she woke, her lungs greedily pulling in air. Her eyes flew open, blinking rapidly as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Her body felt… strange. Light and hollow, as if she had been asleep for centuries yet had no dreams to show for it.

  Startled, she found herself sitting in what could only be described as the most comfortable chair she had ever experienced. It was a plush, velvet cloud sparkling with stars, set in a space filled with floating books, scrolls, and celestial bodies drifting far beyond her reach.

  Her hands grasped at the thin purple gown draped over her. It felt odd. Where was her gear? Who had changed her? She inhaled deeply, appreciating the crisp air that carried the faint scent of parchment, accompanied by a distant hum—soft yet ever-present—mingling with the sound of pages turning.

  There was no one else here.

  "Hello?" she called out.

  "Well, hello there," came an unexpected voice.

  KiAera jumped at the sound. Whipping around, her breath caught as she took in the figure sitting before her. A luminous, towering humanoid perched upon an enormous throne—silent, still, radiating power.

  The being studied her, but she couldn't read its expression, especially when its head was composed of flames, shifting and shimmering like the aurora borealis.

  "Lo! Woah! And behold!" she blurted, scrambling to her feet. "You're a gorgeous fellow."

  Her hand shot to her waist. Nothing. She reached behind her. Still nothing.

  A cold sweat broke out, and her stomach twisted. Where was her sword? Her rifle? Her pistol? She knew she had them before she… before she… The memory slipped just out of reach.

  "Wait… what am I doing here? Where is here?"

  The being's flames twitched.

  "Where?" it repeated. "I'll answer that soon enough. As for your other question…"

  Its voice was calm, absolute: "You are here because you died."

  The revelation struck her hard—like a collapsing pipe slamming into her head. The memories of Earth, that metal prick, and space rushed back.

  The being snapped several times, rudely yanking her back to the present. "Enough. I don't care what he's done to you. But it's interesting. You were acquainted with that one's creature. She's here, too. Somewhere."

  That one's creature? KiAera thought. Why was it so hard for her to remember that little monster…?

  "Oh, right. I neglected to introduce myself," the being said, reclining and resting an elbow on the armrest. He pressed his knuckles to his gaseous head as he recited in a monotonous tone, "I am Abeion, the great and all-powerful. I seek nothingness, I rule over nothingness, and I reject everything except nothingness."

  "Hold on."

  "Sure."

  "What do you mean I died? I'm right here in front of you. Living, breathing, talking, and moving. How is that dead?" She smacked her chest, drawing deep, rapid breaths, counting silently in an attempt to keep an impending panic at bay.

  "You're right, you're hare," came a snide voice from behind.

  KiAera turned and shuddered. Floating behind her was a woman with long, two-toned hair that was neatly braided at the back. The woman appeared angelic, radiating an otherworldly beauty, with wings that shimmered and shifted mesmerizingly from black to white, engraved with strange symbols. Her piercing dark eyes were fixed on Abeion as she shot him a mischievous smile.

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  KiAera was at a loss for words as she stared at this newcomer. She had no idea who the woman was, yet her instincts screamed at her to keep her distance from the Predator, the Devourer, the Omega Hunter… DeNultra.

  What? Who was—

  "Spectacular intuition," a guttural voice whispered in her head.

  Abeion's flames burned brighter, and he sneered at the woman. "Oh? The Devil has arrived. To what do I owe the displeasure?"

  "Is that what you think of me?" DeNultra replied, placing a hand on her hip and laughing. "How cruel of you. I'm merely an angel trying to guide this poor mortal toward a better life."

  She then turned her gaze to KiAera and smiled. "It's a pleasure to eat you. Don't bother listening to that Sovereign of Nothingness—I asked him to revive you for your sake."

  KiAera felt a chill run down her spine; there was something in the way DeNultra spoke that made her skin crawl.

  Abeion's flames flickered and warmed her as he snorted, "As if, you deceiver."

  DeNultra shot Abeion a withered look. "You are quite rude. I've done nothing to warrant such behavior, I'm simply trying to help her."

  DeNultra descended onto a glimmering platform of light and offered KiAera a graceful curtsy. "KiAera," she said, "I am DeNultra—a Great Old One of sorts. I persuaded that pompous lightbulb over there to bring you back to life."

  Abeion's retort cut through the hush: "Better a beacon of light than the grotesqueness you represent."

  KiAera's pulse fluttered as she dared to speak. "Hello—still here. It's a pleasure to meet you, DeNultra." She bobbed her head in greeting, managing a stiff smile. "But…how did you know my name?"

  DeNultra's lips curved into something like a smile, fangs catching the glow at her cheekbones. "I know a great deal about you. I've been stalking you for some time now." A thrill of unease skated down KiAera's spine.

  Before KiAera could formulate a question, DeNultra waved a slender hand at her gown. "Look at how torn it is. Even the Weaver's finest can't withstand our presence here. Think of your attire as an hourglass," she tapped her temple.

  KiAera peered down in alarm. Her once-ankle-length dress was shredded nearly to her thighs, threads unraveling as the veil pulsed. "What…how?" she tugged at the tatters. She didn't understand how it worked—only that without it, she doubted she could stand.

  "Correct." DeNultra brushed past her, turned to Abeion and said, "The favor you seek from me is too insignificant. We need to find something more meaningful for her. Humans are delicate creatures, after all; she must be transformed into something more resilient to the elements." Her eyes sparkled with a plan. "Indeed, let's make her a Zeldritch."

  Abeion regarded DeNultra with suspicion. "What are you scheming this time, DeNultra? Why does it matter if she becomes a Zeldritch?"

  "Do you want her to be targeted, or to blend in and thrive? You, above all, should understand the importance of that."

  After a moment of contemplation, Abeion nodded, and KiAera sensed that DeNultra might've struck a chord with him. Turning toward her, Abeion asked, "Tell us, do you prefer rabbits or kittens? Which do you fancy?"

  "Uh, both, I guess?" KiAera arched a brow at the absurdity of the question.

  "Fascinating. Very well," Abeion continued. "There is a creature called a Merecritt—a blend of a cat, a rabbit, and a mouse. It possesses the ears and feet of a rabbit, the body and temperament of a cat, and the tail of a mouse. Are you interested?"

  Hesitantly, KiAera nodded, intrigued by the unusual creature Abeion described. "Yes, I would love to see it." She had no doubt about the existence of this cuddly chimera. "Can you bring it here?"

  "I cannot," Abeion replied. "It's not in this universe—it's in another one. But I can take you to it if you desire. Accept, or perish now."

  KiAera pressed her lips together and glanced nervously around. While she wasn't exactly threatened, lingering doubts about trusting either of these so-called "Great Ones" remained. And despite her reservations, her curiosity ultimately prevailed. After all, what did she have to lose? It was possible she might even gain a cute, cuddly companion.

  "Alright, take me to it," she finally conceded.

  She watched as Abeion's flames brightened as he snapped his fingers. "So you shall be."

  ???

  In a crystal-dense forest, a critter fell from a vortex, where a flame-headed entity loomed from the other side.

  "Welcome to Zeldritzon, mortal. You're welcome..." the entity's voice ceased as the portal imploded.

  「Damn, my head's pounding,」 the critter stirred.

  KiAera struggled against the haze and slowly crawled toward a purple-hued pond. As she caught sight of her reflection, her eyes widened. She gasped at the pitiful image staring back at her, illuminated by the waning moonlight.

  A small, adorable creature.

  She grabbed tufts—her once long hair, had become droopy ears, and her legs now resembled those of a rabbit, ending in cat-like paws. She felt soft, silky fur covering her body from head to toe. Most strikingly, her eyes had transformed into large, round orbs tinted with blue and purple, perfectly complementing the flickering flame atop her tail tip.

  "What? This is me!" she squeaked, her gaze missing the dim glow of her new mark. What had they done to her?

  If you're enjoying the journey so far, don't forget to favorite, rate, and follow the story! There's plenty more to arrive.

  Crystal Consumption Limit

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