The world outside was a blur of muted sounds and distant light, but for Elias, his eyes were closed his posture,that of a sleeper as he lay motionless in his bed with the gentle rising and falling of his chest. Yet he was wide awake. He was here, in the vast, tranquil expanse of his Spirit-Domain, his personal sanctuary. The surface of the ominous black water that had once churned with chaos now lay perfectly still, a shimmering obsidian mirror reflecting the dim, internal luminescence that emanated from everywhere and nowhere, the Flow of his energy under his feet taking the shape of an infinity symbol. The clouds, which had shrouded the sky above, had descended, not as a storm, but as soft, shimmering flakes of light, drifting lazily through the boundless space. They caught the faint glow, creating a surreal, almost cosmic atmosphere. It was as if he were walking through the very heart of the universe, a silent, star-dusted void that was utterly his own. His own Trait sigil still remain shrouded above the symbol of infinity.
He walked on the surface of the calm water, his bare feet causing gentle ripples that spread outwards, disturbing the perfect reflection of the descending flakes. Each ripple was a testament to his presence, a subtle assertion of his will within this internal landscape. The silence here was profound, broken only by the faint, rhythmic pulse of his own Flow, a deep, resonant hum that was both within him and all around him.
Despite the profound calm of his domain, the memory of the Awakened Beast, that malevolent force from a week ago, still lingered like a cold shadow. He was deeply, fundamentally scared by it. Like a rabbit paralyzed by the fear of a wolf.Its evil had felt like a tangible hunger, a desire to devour him whole, to extinguish his very essence. He could still feel the phantom chill of its gaze, the terrifying sensation of being noticed.
But then, a strange, perplexing thought surfaced, a sensation he couldn't reconcile. He blinked, even within his closed eyes, trying to make sense of it. He had also felt its… pain? The word felt alien, wrong, attached to something so utterly malevolent. Why had he used that word? Why was that creature in pain?He didn't know. It was a fleeting, unsettling paradox that he tucked away, a mystery for another time.
After that incident, he had retreated here, into the vast, protective embrace of his Spirit-Domain within the balance of Flow and Anti-Flow. He had allowed himself to sink into this ocean , seeking solace, safety, and a desperate understanding. He had felt the creature's intent to kill him with chilling clarity, as if there was a single, fragile sheet of paper separating him from death, yet he could feel its cold, predatory breath seeping through it, a promise of oblivion. It was a reminder that even in this other reality,the world was not the ideal place.
'That's right,the world is cruel. The world is unfair.'
Several thoughts had raced through his mind then, forming the bedrock of his will to extend his life.
If he got killed, his mother, Lady Elara, would be heartbroken, her gentle joy replaced by an unbearable sorrow. He couldn't have another person feel pain over his desicion to end his life,the look of pain of his previous parents,of Liv flashing through his mind. No, he wouldn't die now, he had to make sure of it.
If he died, he wouldn't learn about the intricate workings of this new universe, the secrets of Flow, or the truth about his own existence. He wouldn't get to test the limits of his Flow, the boundless power that now resided within him.
And worst of all, that bastard Deus would undoubtedly mock and berate him, his resonant voice echoing with triumphant scorn.
He thought the same things that had gone through his head as he sank to the bottom of that murky river as Ethan Aquah, the moment before his old life ended.
He didn't want to die.
Not like this.
Not killed by some abomination, some nameless horror.
And certainly not before he could gather enough power to face Deus when he eventually died.
Surely, Flow existed even in that sterile, White Room where Deus was watching, otherwise, Deus wouldn't have been able to reincarnate him, would he?
That was another, potent reason why he didn't want to die. He had questions, so many questions, and he needed to find the answers. He'd die, sure, but by his own terms. Till then, he had to live. Live to defy a deity in life, and mock him in death.
It was, he knew, a very hypocritical and delusional belief, taking into account everything that led up to this moment,but it was his truth, the defiant spark that kept him going.
In the week since that terrifying encounter, he had made profound discoveries about his Spirit-Domain. He realized that this internal universe was not merely a reflection of his Flow, but a direct extension of his will. This was after he manifest a single tornado inadvertently by thinking it.He then theorized that could manifest anything here, shape the very essence of his Flow into tangible forms. This was his soul after all.
He had started small, experimenting with simple shapes like cubes,diamonds and spheres. He also managed to manifest a few other geometric shapes but the more complex the shape,the more difficult it became becoming bubbles of liquid but maintaining the vague shapes he wanted. He then tried using his Flow to form weapons but they were ephemeral, dissolving back into the black water if he tried to grasp them. As he suspected, his understanding of Flow was still lacking. Well it was to be expected. What his cousin had taught him were the basics after all. Still he tried. It was a frustrating, yet exhilarating, learning process, something to take his mind off of the earlier fear.
But for the past week, he had learned something far more potent. He could manifest whole storms within his Spirit-Domain. It wasn't hard, as that was its initial, turbulent state anyway. He could summon them, control them, unleash them all to an extent. The storms here were breathtakingly powerful. Tornadoes, dark and swirling, would rise from the black water below, their funnels sucking at the surface. Whirlpools, vast and destructive, would churn beneath his feet. Vortexes, like inverted cosmic maelstroms, would descend from the shimmering expanse above. And, imitating Aina's suppressive Flow, he could even create chilling voids in the middle of these storms, pockets of absolute stillness that devoured all energy but he didn't really understand them and so could only keep them up for a limited time and within a limited range within this infinite space. Doing so also out strain on him as his vessel and mind weren't strong enough for the power of his Soul.
These internal storms were so potent, so real, that their echoes sometimes bled into the physical world ,perhaps due to his still mediocre circulation of Flow. He remembered one time, just a few days ago. He had been "asleep," lost in a particularly violent internal storm which itself had lasted for only a few moments, but had accidentally destroyed a piece of furniture in his room. A loud CRACK had startled Miss Gable, his kind maid, who had been bringing in his freshly laundered clothes. She had shrieked, dropping the basket, her face a mask of terror at the splintered remains of his bedside table.
Elias had feigned sleep, but the incident had been a stark reminder of the raw power he wielded and his potential.
He realized that he could do all this manifestation by understanding what exactly he was trying to do. The more he understood,the more he could do within his Domain,the more he could manifest.
' I wonder how powerful my Spirit Domain will get if I ascend high enough?'
Right now, though, he was walking in the calm of his personal universe, the destructive storms quelled. The shimmering flakes of light descended around him, each one a tiny galaxy. He thought to himself that this incredible internal space, this boundless sanctuary, deserved a name. A proper name. He smiled faintly.
'I'll do it later.'
He opened his eyes.
The soft, internal light of his Spirit-Domain vanished, replaced by the bright, familiar sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. He was no longer walking on tranquil water, but found himself floating several feet in the air above his bed, suspended by an unseen force.
He blinked , confused and looked down. There, standing below him, was Aina. Her usual deadpan expression was firmly in place, her posture impeccable with her hands crossed loosely in front of her. She looked up at him, her eyes unreadable.
"Oh, you're awake." she said, her voice flat, utterly devoid of surprise or concern.
"I was just about to wake you up."
'This crazy... Who wakes someone up by dropping them?"