Null lay in the hospital bed, the warmth of his friends and the playful nuzzle of Fang a new, comforting anchor against the terrifying echo that still reverberated within him. The white streaks in his golden hair, a map of his recent trauma, shimmered under the soft room lights. Fang, a tiny black dragon now dozing contentedly on his chest, let out a soft snore.
Suddenly, the world froze.
The gentle whir of the medical equipment died. The subtle, rhythmic rise and fall of Ashley's chest beside him ceased. Kai, mid-breath as he dozed, hung motionless. The dust motes suspended in the hospital air became perfectly still. Only Null and Fang remained conscious, their senses intact in the profound, impossible silence.
From the very fabric of the stopped time, a figure coalesced. It was a man, seemingly ordinary, with calm brown hair and a gentle, unassuming demeanor. But Null felt an overwhelming, indescribable presence emanating from him—a boundless, pure love that permeated every fiber of his being. The man's face was kind, serene, yet his eyes were covered by a simple, white blindfold, similar to a figure Null had once seen in a fleeting mental image, as if the true gaze beneath would be too immense, too profound for any mortal to bear. This was the Almighty.
Fang, instantly alert, sprang from Null's chest. The tiny dragon, shedding his playful facade, expanded slightly, his scales gaining an ethereal sheen. He then performed an ancient, complex bow, pressing his forehead to the ground in a gesture of absolute, unwavering reverence. His telepathic voice, usually light, was now filled with profound humility. "My Lord, it is an honor beyond measure to stand in your presence."
Null, guided by an instinct deeper than any memory, felt an overwhelming urge to do the same. He swung his legs off the bed, his knees hitting the floor with a soft thud that only he could hear. He bowed his head, his golden-yellow hair falling around his face, a gesture of respect born not of fear, but of an innate recognition of boundless compassion.
The Almighty's presence filled the room with an almost palpable warmth. His voice, gentle yet resonant, echoed directly within Null's mind, a melody of pure understanding. "Rise, Null. Both of you."
As Null cautiously stood, the Almighty's unseen gaze seemed to rest upon him. "You bear the mark of great power, Soren Asura, as well as great sorrow. The echoes of your past are stirring, and with them, the true nature of your lineage. You are not alone in this world, nor in your abilities."
The Almighty's voice softened, filled with a sorrowful wisdom. "The organization that targeted you, the one Smile Carson served, calls itself the Oculus Syndicate. They have marked you, raising a considerable bounty from the 'Stone Kingdom' that now seeks to control the balance of power in this era. But their machinations run deeper than mere capture."
A faint sigh, like the whisper of cosmic winds, filled the silence. "A great war is coming, child. One that has been brewing since the first rebellion. The Oculus Syndicate, in their misguided pursuit of power, has succeeded in the unthinkable: they have breached the deepest wards and summoned the Devil himselfback into this plane of existence."
Null's entire body tensed, an instinctual dread seizing him. The Devil. The name alone resonated with the chilling tales Fang had woven into his telepathic explanations about his lost history.
"You are not the only one attuned to the Prime Stones, Null," the Almighty continued, His voice regaining a note of serene strength. "**There are others like you, though few. They wield fragmented powers, ranked among the Tens of this world's strongest. They are scattered, often unaware of their true potential or their connection to the greater tapestry. And leading them, manipulating them, is the one they call the Stone King, a being who has claimed the very first Prime Stone, and whose rank stands alone at Number One."
A gentle light emanated from the Almighty's covered eyes, washing over Null. "Your lineage, your unique connection to the Unwritten King, means your power is immense, boundless, yet unrefined. It is like an ocean for a thirsting ant. To give you all of it at once would destroy you." A warm, soft energy flowed into Null's chest, mingling with the Prime Stone fragment he always carried. "Instead, know this: I have distributed portions of this vast potential, fragments of divine sugar, if you will, across your true echoes. With every memory, every fragment of your past you reclaim, every echo you unlock, a portion of that boundless power will integrate within you, shaping itself into new abilities that are uniquely yours."
A sense of profound peace settled over Null, a calming balm on his turbulent spirit. He felt a gentle 'click' deep within his being, a new layer of strength settling into place, a power not overwhelming like Reality Slayer, but a steady, foundational increase.
The Almighty's presence began to recede, fading like a dream. His voice, now distant, resonated with infinite love and hope. "Go forth, Null. Go forth, Fang. You are not alone. You are my light in the growing darkness."
And then, with a final, loving gaze from His obscured eyes, the Almighty vanished.
Time lurched forward, snapping back into motion with an almost audible thwip. The hospital room sprang back to life. The faint hum of the machines resumed, Ashley let out a small, sleepy sigh, and Kai stirred. Fang, still on Null's chest, let out another tiny, adorable snore, oblivious to the divine encounter.
Null sat on the edge of the bed, his golden-yellow eyes wide with a mixture of awe and profound shock. The white streaks in his hair seemed to glow faintly. He looked at Fang, who now stretched lazily like a tiny, pampered housecat. Null's hand instinctively went to the Prime Stone fragment, feeling the new, integrated power. The knowledge imparted by the Almighty—the company, the war, the Devil, the other Prime Stone users, and the terrifying Rank #1 Stone King—swirled in his mind. He was no longer just an amnesiac boy; he was a pivotal piece in a cosmic war, a direct recipient of God's blessing, and a target for the newly unleashed Devil. The weight of it all was immense, yet... a strange, new resolve began to solidify within him.
The air in the hospital room, once still as glass, now hummed with the gentle chaos of life. Ashley stretched, her eyes fluttering open, and Kai, startled awake, let out a relieved shout. The small crowd around Null's bed stirred, their murmurs of concern quickly turning to relief. Fang, curled up on Null's chest, gave a sleepy, innocent wiggle. For everyone else, only a fraction of a second had passed. For Null, an eternity had unfolded.
He sat on the edge of the bed, the hum of the Prime Stone fragment in his pocket now deeper, resonating with a new, subtle power. His golden-yellow hair, now streaked conspicuously with white, gleamed under the room's fluorescent lights. The weight of God's words settled upon him, a monumental burden of knowledge in a mind still largely empty of personal memories. The Devil. A looming war. Other Prime Stone users, the Rank #1 Stone King. It was all too vast, too terrifying for a boy who couldn't even recall his own name. Yet, beneath the confusion, a new, cold clarity began to form. He wasn't just a victim of circumstance anymore; he was a piece in a divine game, blessed and warned by the Almighty himself.
Ashley was the first to notice the change in his hair. "Null, your hair! It's... white!" She reached out, gingerly touching a silvery streak. "Did the hospital do something? You look so..." She trailed off, searching for words, sensing a shift she couldn't articulate.
Kai leaned in, studying him. "Yeah, it's pretty wild. Suits you, though, man. Looks kinda... epic." His usual boisterousness was tempered by lingering worry. "Are you really okay, Null? You were out cold for a while."
Null looked at his friends, then down at the cute black dragon stirring on his chest. Fang. The name resonated with a strange rightness.
"They worry, Liege," Fang's telepathic voice chirped, a mischievous undertone despite the serious context. "As they should! You just pulled a stunt that would make most Prime users soil their elemental-infused pants. Good job, by the way. Very dramatic. I almost shed a tear. Almost."
You saw him, Null thought, his mind surprisingly clear despite the recent ordeal. He focused on Fang, a faint, almost imperceptible tremor running through him. You saw God.
Fang, still in his adorable, harmless form, managed to convey a psychic sigh. "Indeed, my Liege. A rare privilege. The Almighty doesn't often drop by for tea and existential dread. Lucky us, eh? He's quite the fan of yours, by the way. 'True golden angel' and all that. High praise, even from Him. You should frame it."
The Devil, Null thought, pushing past Fang's levity. He said the Devil has been summoned. The words were chilling even in the sterile hospital room.
Fang's tone shifted, a hint of ancient gravity briefly touching his voice before he quickly lightened it. "Ah, yes. That pesky little detail. Bit of a buzzkill, I know. Lucifer, back in the flesh, or... whatever form he prefers these days. Means things are about to get very 'interesting' for us. More 'interesting' than fighting your own repressed trauma in a haunted orphanage, which, let's be honest, was already pretty high on the 'interesting' scale." He ended with a cheerful tail wag, oblivious to Ashley's curious gaze.
Null, despite the internal turmoil, felt a flicker of something akin to a grim determination. The "ant and sugar" analogy resonated. He felt the subtle surge of power, a gentle but profound strengthening that integrated seamlessly with his existing abilities, ready for the next echo. His power was not just destructive; it was part of a grander design. He had been given a purpose, however daunting.
He looked at Kai and Ashley, their faces etched with concern. They couldn't understand the cosmic chess game he was now thrust into, but they were his anchors, his human connection to a world he was rapidly drifting from.
What do we do now? Null mentally asked Fang, the question carrying a weight that went beyond mere curiosity.
Fang stretched, then curled into a tighter ball on Null's chest, his voice a soft, reassuring hum. "For now, Liege, we recover. Then, we prepare. The world is about to get a lot bigger than Kaelyn, and a lot more dangerous. The Oculus Syndicate, the Prime Stone users, the Stone King, and the grand old Devil himself... they're all coming. But you, Soren Asura, you are the Unwritten King. And perhaps, as the Almighty said, a true golden angel. It's time to find out what that truly means. And maybe, just maybe, get you some real memories along the way. That's my job, after all."
Null closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He didn't know what lay ahead, but for the first time since his awakening, he didn't feel utterly lost. He had a warning, a purpose, a new power, and a ridiculously cute, surprisingly wise, black dragon guardian. The path was dark, but he was no longer walking it alone.
The end of chapter 27
See you next time