Blue and giant, the mushrooms glowed like spotlights, the pillar-like rays touching the blanket of dark clouds. Together they formed a maze, a mesmerising one.

  Instead of admiring the scenery, Ana and Xyn viewed the section of forestry as an obstacle course. A race was proposed, and the two set off. On their respective Traveller Boards, they kept to the darkness of night, zigzagging and zagging.

  Two more circuits followed the mushroom maze before Ana declared herself the victor of their competition.

  [[We didn't agree on the number of races,]] Xyn complained.

  [[Everyone knows it's best out of three. Don't pout.]]

  [[Not.]]

  Ana smiled as her disk became close neighbours with Xyn's. The pair flew side by side through the night sky, occasionally bumping edges. Thirty minutes separated them from their destination: Sov's temple. They could reach it sooner, but decided some time for mental prep was necessary, thus their shenanigans.

  [[Tell me more about Sov. You said he was a tragic character. Tell me his story.]]

  [[Sure,]] Xyn replied, letting his mind drift back in time. [[As mentioned, Sov is a beastkin, the bottom of the rung in terms of power by race. Thanks to this weakness, they and tragedy are well met. This was the case after the Great Shift, but also before, especially before. Human-like, but not human, they were regarded as lesser and a large portion of their kind ended up being enslaved.]]

  [[Despicable,]] Ana couldn't help but comment.

  [[Yeah, and a reality. Beastkin were routinely oppressed by humans. They lived in the forests and mountains in small mobile tribes, never allowed to build anything approaching a real civilisation. Sov was born in this cruel world, where only despair awaited him. Then, when he was a teenager, his world, his universe, was shattered.]]

  [[The Great Shift and Scramble.]]

  [It was a nightmare to the residents of this world, but more so for the humans than the beastkin, who were used to being scattered and trampled upon. Then, the Towers of Ascension became a thing. I didn't mention this, but it came as a worldwide psychic announcement.]]

  [[That must have been shocking.]]

  [[It was. To all. To the beastkin, it was heaven-sent, a way to overturn the status quo. Tribes everywhere flocked to the Towers. Sov and the rest of his tribe's warriors, a few dozen at most, made the journey as well.]]

  [[And succeeded against all odds. Sounds like a heroic tale to me.]]

  Xyn shook his head gently. [[What I've left out of this story is beastkins’ attachment to each other, especially to those in their same tribe, of their same subspecies. Culturally, socially, and perhaps on the level of their soul, the bonds between beastkin are extraordinarily strong. And Sov, even among other beastkin, was especially attached to his tribe of wolfkin.]]

  The Sun Maiden's face darkened as he braced herself for the dark turn. [[His victory came at a cost...]]

  [[The ultimate cost. One which made everything worthless. All his fellow warriors died during the climb. The how behind that is unknown. That alone would be terrible, but not the worst-case scenario, which is what played out. Returning to his village, he found a crater, painted with the blood of his beloved. None of his tribe survived the attack.]]

  [[Who?]] Ana asked, anger seeping into her voice.

  Xyn made a defeated face. [[No one knows. From what I heard, the whole region was riddled with craters. It was, more likely than not, collateral damage that happened when powerhouses were flinging attacks at each other. Back then, that sort of random destruction was commonplace.]]

  [[Tragic,]] the Flame Elementalist said with a stormy expression.

  [[That's not the be-all and end-all of Sov's tragedy. He first sought out any survivors. Failing and having no obvious target, he went on a rampage. And with his newfound power, he did a lot of damage. He fought in a blind rage. All who met his eyes were a valid target. This led to some memorable clashes. This went on for years, before stopping at Curos.]]

  [[The one who turned the God of Blood and Slaughter into paste?]]

  [[That one, yes. Interestingly, their meeting ended up being the perfect therapy session for each other. I said that they're laid back now, well, that battle is what cooled down their hot heads. After days of fighting and getting nowhere, they stopped, reflected on their current paths and changed their ways. Curos became a wanderer, and Sov became a solitary hermit.]]

  [[Why's he called the Monk, though?]]

  [[Because of the white robes he wears. He got that from Curos apparently, who wears the same thing.]]

  [[Hm. So, he stays in his temple all day and night, doing what?]]

  [[Two things. Half of the time, he spends in a magically induced state of meditation where he relives his memories of his life in his tribe. The other half, starting from when the sun sets, is spent experimenting. His sole goal is to reverse time. It's why he sought out the Naveks in the first place and the reason for their long-standing relationship.]]

  [[Has he made any inroads?]]

  [[No, at least, that's what Tonak said. The arrow of time points one way. For all the absurdities in the multiverse, no magic has been shown to reverse this direction.]]

  [[So, he's abandoned his present and future for nothing...]]

  [[Almost certainly.]]

  [[Tragic.]]

  [[Indeed.]]

  Silence followed the sombre agreement as the teenagers tried and failed to grasp the thoughts and emotions that compelled Sov to take the actions he did.

  A dozen minutes of contemplation ended as their destination appeared on the horizon. Noticing the structure at the same time, the two began their slow descent.

  Xyn leapt down and landed before the temple's entrance. A crooked archway. Ana followed his lead, joining his side and storing away her Traveller's Board.

  Sharing a look, the teenagers entered.

  Side by side, they walked up the cracked grey tiles as moonlight illuminated their figures. The temple’s glory days were long beyond it. Originally white, green and blue and crafted to perfection, now it was more broken than not.

  Wild plants sprouted without rhyme or reason, and the canals, which once were filled with clear water to allow one to see the black and white beads that spelt out the temple's mantra, were now swamp-green.

  Decrepit. Check, Xyn thought, remembering Tonak's description. Recalling more of the Elder's words, he directed his magical senses into the temple and... Blindspot check. I'm at the right place.

  Ana arrived at the same conclusion as she failed to observe a large section of the temple's insides.

  The teenagers' footsteps echoed softly in the serenity of the night. Each step was deliberate. Respectful even. Sov, being one of the peak figures of the multiverse, played its part, but even more influential in shaping the two's attitude was his story.

  The stairs were negotiated in sombre silence. On the plateau of grey tiles, they looked towards the temple proper. In the distance, the Temple of Ralu stood tall. Chark-white and mostly intact, it was huge and resembled a dome bearing no windows. Two maroon doors faced the stairs, making up an archway. They were shut. Not for long. Necessity trumped courtesy.

  Sharing a look and nod, the two pushed their way in. Into a vast darkness, they went. It was mostly empty save for the large pillars jutting up to support the high ceiling. The pair moved deeper, toward the Inner Chamber. According to Tonak, that's where he always was.

  [[That's eerie,]] Ana said, eyeing the layer of black that separated the chambers.

  [[Yeah,]] Xyn agreed as he too stared at the mystical darkness. Void-like, but not quite. Instead of destroying, it's more like a black hole, sucking up everything it comes in contact with. A type of anti-perception field.

  [[What now?]]

  [[We enter. That barrier is harmless, according to Tonak. I'll go first and make sure it's safe.]]

  [[No, if we're doing this, we'll go together.]]

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Xyn shook his head but wore a strange smile. [[Together then.]]

  Echoing the sentiment, the two determined youths passed through the veil of darkness as one.

  A lethargic noise, which didn’t hide its annoyance, echoed out as they crossed over. However, the two couldn't process it.

  Ah!?

  Xyn's confident stride crumbled immediately. The stone floor became mud beneath him, at least, that's what his loss of balance made it seem like.

  It was not an attack. He understood that in an instant. He was simply overwhelmed by the quantity and quality of mana within the chamber. It was incomparable to anything he had experienced. His soul vibrated, and his consciousness frayed.

  Down he tumbled, set to kneel before the Transcendent's mere presence.

  No!

  A surge of pride gave him a second wind. Xyn grabbed the wild reins and pulled with all he had. Right hand thrusting out, he became a human tripod for a second before pushing to reverse course. Upright, he wobbled for a second before fully anchoring himself.

  Proud of his feat, his eyes darted to Ana to check on her condition. Concern turned to anger as he took in her crumbled form. She was on her knees, her expression one of agony.

  [[Ana, are you alrigh-]]

  “Stop it...”

  Ana ignored Xyn as she directed her command toward the beastkin. Her voice was weak, but her tone echoed a deadly ultimatum. Her scrunched-up face flashed with desperation, resolve and then killing intent. Not getting the response she desired, fast enough, she moved.

  Wha-

  Xyn's mind blanked as he stared at the bizarre still image. Ana's blade was drawn and only inches away from the beastkin's neck. A rainbow-coloured barrier stopped her sword and then the Sun Maiden entirely, wrapping around her to form a prison. Sov remained seated and his eyes shut, nonchalant before the threat.

  "Ana, what are you doing!?"

  Again, Ana was deaf to the Void Prince. "Stop it, stop it, stop it..."

  Each repetition of the phrase saw the room's temperature rise. The flames in the braizers that lined the chamber's exterior went from red to gold, and from campfires to jet engines.

  The change confounded Xyn to no end. Nothing made sense about her actions. She was revving up with no signs of stopping. Nothing short of Supernova would free her from that barrier, and she looked to be rushing toward it for some reason.

  No, I've got to stop he-ah...

  Sov was faster. His right eye opened to reveal an electric blue orb. A blink was all it took. Ana's flame was snuffed out. All rigidity was lost as she collapsed onto the mattress.

  Xyn saw her fall and assumed the worst. That assumption saw the world stop and then shatter into countless silvery segments with Sov at its centre. His killing intent blinded him to the truth, only for a blink. Opening his eyes again, the Void Prince shifted his gaze from the unconscious Ana to Sov, who had expelled yet another sigh.

  [Uh, sorry about that.] Xyn said, genuinely apologetic.

  These things happen, I suppose, Sov projected with his will, an unbothered air swirling around him.

  [You get attacked often?]

  Being attacked and being disturbed, I consider both equally unpleasant. Why have you sought me out, wielder of the Void?

  [No great reason. More than anything else, I just wanted to see what a Transcendent is all about. I had high expectations, but you've surpassed them. Easily. I'm impressed, big guy.]

  Hm, I see. You've got what you came for, good. I'd appreciate it if you made yourself scarce. I'm on the verge of a breakthrough.

  [That's what you always say, says Tonak.]

  So he's the one who directed you to my doorstep. After all that I've done for him. Sov sighed. Paying gratitude with ingratitude. It's the way of this horrible world.

  The Transcendent wrapped Ana in another layer of rainbow-coloured aura and floated her toward Xyn. The bubble popped, and her unconscious body fell into his arms.

  I'm busy at the moment...and every moment after this one. Take your violent companion and be on your way.

  Xyn did not do as he was instructed. Instead, he lingered on the spot, in silence, and took the time to drink in everything.

  The dome-shaped chamber was twenty metres wide and ten metres high, and half-lit up by braziers, which had returned to burning with their regular orangy-red hues. Runic characters were inscribed on the grey bricks that made up the chamber's exterior. Xyn didn't understand the why but knew they were responsible for the sealing effect.

  The Void Prince directed his focus towards the beastkin. Visually, the Transcendent was mostly how he imagined him to be.

  Man and wolf in a ninety-to-ten ratio. Like a werewolf who had stopped his transformation just as it began. He could be mistaken for a middle-aged man, a handsome one at that. His skin was flawless, teal, and his hair was silver. A neatly trimmed full beard decorated his lower face and connected to a thick mane of hair, which flared outward behind his ears. It was stylish without coming off as trying to be - a kind of authentic coolness.

  He donned faded white robes lined with blue stripes. They were worn in places, yet impeccably clean. Xyn could appreciate that. The robes were slightly loose on his muscular form. The hermit was robust and likely stood over seven feet tall. "Likely" because Xyn was estimating. Sov was seated, his legs crossed. Like a monk would in his mind. However, zooming out corrupted the idea of him.

  Sov was seated on a giant circular mattress Xyn could only call a dog bed. He sat at the centre, surrounded by a bunch of teal-coloured pillows which formed a chair to support his body. He leaned to one side, letting his face rest on his palm.

  Xyn's focus on appearance and posture was fleeting. He was far more concerned with the other's mana.

  Sov's output was that of an ocean, and every rainbow-coloured drop was materialised.

  A whirlwind of colour engulfed the hermit's stationary form, making for a bewitching sight. It pulsated with each heartbeat, sending ripples of Transcendent energy to all parts of the chamber. It was these ripples which tripped up the teenagers and likely the cause behind Ana's uncharacteristic actions.

  The quantity and quality of magic were noteworthy, but it was what Sov was doing with his mana that truly arrested the psionic's attention. The ancient powerhouse was running no less than a dozen workings. While not considered the strongest, in terms of pure wizardry, Sov was second to none. Xyn was entranced.

  Monster core mana was at the centre of his experiments. They were products of Euen Cypress. If anyone could do something as impossible as time travel, it would be her.

  Every monster core was represented on the mattress. Energy was siphoned from each one, and the individual streams flowed to and fro across the room, fueling Sov and various mana constructs.

  Space winked with little to no pause as the orbs were replaced in real time. The rate convinced Xyn that the beastkin had set up killing arrays around various Monster Dungeons to keep up with demand.

  Sov's version of a Time Bubble, an hourglass that was almost certainly a Karma, chaos in the form of outlines of various shapes that spun and oscillated in place, a grey flame-like substance that was fueled solely through monster mana...

  Xyn was spoiled for choice. Each experiment was a marvel to behold. Thus, the Void Prince didn't hold back. In fact, with Ana in hand, he approached. Stopping at the mattress's edge, he fully expanded his Soul Shroud to better understand the magic at work.

  Invading another's Soul Shroud; it was undoubtedly forward, rude even. Another Transcendent might smite him then and there, but Sov ignored him, treating him like air.

  Shots in the dark, all of them, Xyn thought, honing in on the other's Soul Shroud as he absorbed the monstrous mana into himself. It was clear from the breath on display that Sov was at the stage of throwing everything against the wall and hoping that something sticks. Still. After hundreds of years of experiments. It was impressive, but also pitiful.

  Feeling the emotion, Xyn ignited a black flame and had it float to the mattress's edge. It was an offering. Perhaps this unknown element would act as a catalyst.

  Sov's eyelids twitched. He recognised Xyn's gesture and sighed.

  Void magic has been thoroughly explored. It was one of my great hopes - dashed.

  Saying this, he materialised his own black flame atop his palm.

  Xyn's eyes flickered at the Void. [Rose? You learned it from her?]

  Indeed.

  [How did that meeting go? Knowing her, you must have come to blows, no?]

  Sov snuffed out his flame. Mana was wasted when we met. A great deal. An agreement was reached, and we never bothered with each other again.

  [You have a truce with Radae?]

  Unofficial, but yes. They don't bother me. I don't bother them.

  [I see,] the Void Prince voiced neutrally.

  He dismissed his Endera and continued to observe silently. If the other didn't mind, or didn't mind enough to do something about it, he would use it as a learning opportunity. It wasn't every day that one could study the work of a peak figure of the multiverse.

  Unable to remove the shameless label, he leaned into the identity. He got comfortable, summoning a couch and plopping down. That got an eye twitch and a sigh out of the beastkin, but nothing more.

  Nearly an hour passed before Xyn broke the silence with a question.

  [Why did she attack you?]

  I have no clue.

  Xyn accepted the answer with a hum. He believed the beastkin. [Why haven't you sent me away? Am I not a bother?]

  The words provoked the biggest sigh to date. You are, wielder of the Void. Your presence is an unwanted distraction. Forcefully removing is an option, but I have a feeling doing so will induce a bigger headache than simply allowing you to get bored.

  Xyn didn't know what to make of the other's reasoning. He let it roll inside his head. A glance to his right confirmed that Ana was still unconscious. Studying her exquisite facial features for a few seconds, he cradled her body anew and rose to his full height as the couch disappeared below him.

  [I'll take the hint and leave you be, Sov. Thanks for humouring me. I've learned much.]

  A grunt came in reply.

  Xyn accepted it with a wry smile. The Void Prince did a one-eighty and broke into stride.

  [Hey...] The psionic stopped before the black wall. Reminders to avoid the topic had fallen on deaf ears. He couldn't hold his tongue. [How long do you plan to live like this?]

  The ever-moving tundra of magic came to a halt in an instant.

  Xyn involuntarily gulped as his grip on Ana grew tighter. His tenseness vanished a second later as Sov's reply echoed in his mind.

  One hundred and thirteen years.

  The psionic's face warped at the specificity. [...What happens then?]

  A great reset, apparently.

  [Apparently,] Xyn repeated, his confusion deepening. [Explain.]

  According to Cabreno of the Stars, the multiverse is in a loop. It constantly repeats itself. The theory that Universe 7 is the origin of all worlds isn't just a theory to her, but a fact. The rest of the realms come later and form the multiverse. Then, after a time, everything resets.

  [Proof?] Xyn said, scepticism thick in his tone.

  I asked the same thing. The only proof she could point to was herself. Her Starlight Legacy’s Blessed of the Stars allows her mind to survive the loops and retain her memories. Her fortune-telling is a product of this retention. She can't see the future, only the past.

  Shock coursed through the young man. [Is that why her mind is so...loopy?]

  That's likely the case.

  [Hmm...interesting. I'd like to meet her. Can you arrange a meeting?]

  She's beyond me. I doubt even the Fiend of Knowledge could track her down reliably.

  [Did she say that you'd find success?]

  I asked, but no answer came. Instead, a ray of starlight engulfed me. I thought it was an attack. It was a blessing.

  [The same as hers?] Xyn guessed.

  Yes. In the next loop, I'll remember all I've experienced in this life. With that, avoiding what must be avoided will be a simple matter.

  Xyn felt the weight within the beastkin's words. Over a thousand years separated Sov from the tragedy, yet the scents of sorrow, regret and anger smelled fresh to his nose. He wanted to ask more of Sov, but couldn't bring himself to. He had long overstayed his welcome. Any more would hurt his consciousness.

  [Thank you, Sov. Goodbye.]

  The Void Prince didn't wait for a response and departed immediately, vanishing from the dark chamber.