Time and Location Invalid
Error ―̴―̸∴̶≠̴∬̸̶͢†̵‡̷∝̵∮̵―̶―̷
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"Mmmm…" Slowly waking up through a wave of lethargy, I instinctively tried to rub my eye with my wing as if it were a habit.
But.. there was nothing. I couldn't feel my shoulder moving, nor the sensation of stretching my legs and neck.
-H..huh?!- Instantly jolting awake in a panic, I opened my 'eyes' only to be presented with a 3D view of my surroundings as if the environment was directly printed into my mind.
I was in the middle of a huge grass prairie, surrounded by endless rolling hills beneath a cloudless sky.
But.. it looked like nothing else I had ever seen.
Completely devoid of color, everything around me was covered in an unholy amalgamation of raw information that took upon the appearance of black strings or tendrils, forming the shapes of everything from blades of grass to nearly invisible particles of dust floating through the air.
It was as if I wasn't 'seeing' the environment at all, and more so.. feeling it.
However, there was one glaring exception.
Myself.
Floating just off the ground, my body was nothing more than an amorphous cloud of seemingly intangible white particles.
I had no limbs or defining features, let alone anything like organs or flesh, and while I could 'see' particles of dust and ash blowing through my body, I couldn't feel anything like I normally did.
It was as if I was in another state of existence.. one that brought upon a sense of confusion and panic before an eerie familiarity surfaced, reminiscent of the familiarity I had when I first hatched. -W..what the hell is happening…-
Lowering my focus toward the ground, my confusion slowly began turning into curiosity, and my panicked mind started to ease. -What is all this…-
Picking out a single, waving blade of grass, I lowered myself toward it until it appeared to enter the edge of my body, when, seemingly out of nowhere, the amount of detail my mind visualized multiplied exponentially. -W..woah… It's like a microscope but…- My focus wasn't limited to just one layer of what I was looking at.
I could see every tiny detail, regardless of what would normally be in the way.
And as I pulled myself closer, that amount of detail I could visualize only continued to compound, exposing the endlessly nested strings inside strings, going from encompassing the entire blade of grass, to singular cells, their organelles, and even... -Atoms?-
Finally finding my limit, I found myself staring at a bundle of strings stemming from a speck so tiny it was almost impossible for me to fathom. -It's vibrating slightly… Is that really.. an atom?-
I was hesitant to even propose that idea, but with exactly sixteen distinct particles, each visualized as an individual string, it was a shockingly plausible theory. -Considering it's in a plant, it must be oxygen…-
Pausing to try and wrap my head around what it was I was looking at, I felt my mind endlessly tripping over itself.
As someone with a deep knowledge of science, I knew it was impossible, but… -Nothing tells me this could be anything else…-
As time came to pass, my mind started to adapt, tripping less and less before sprinting, racing to come up with theories on everything I was experiencing without caring about their validity or plausibility.
It was like I was taking the moment to verify countless theories I had.
But, it wasn't all verifying old theories. -From what I've seen, each string is attached to smaller and smaller sources of energy, going from encompassing the entire blade of grass, to its cells, to its atoms… That would imply each string is attached to some kind of aspect or attribute of the object…-
Trying to wrap my mind around it, I visualized it as tiers of a program, going from what is displayed and obvious, and working my way down to the source code that made it all work, tying each string to a set of attributes or variables that could be manipulated.
-But.. why is my mind interpreting it all as strings…- They were indescribable masses of pure information I couldn't even begin to decipher. -But they have to have that form for a reason…-
Although I didn't understand where the familiarity I felt was coming from.. I trusted it. -Could it be my brain trying to simplify it all?-
Instinctually reaching out with the energy my body was made of, I grabbed onto the clump of 'strings' connected to the atom's nucleus and gently pulled on it.
*Woom* Almost instantly, an unrecognizable noise sounded and the atom began multiplying into hundreds, then thousands, then millions of nearly identical versions of itself, all seemingly occupying the same space with only the slightest of alterations between each. -Huh… The harder I pull.. the more atoms I see…-
But they weren't other atoms at all, rather, they were simply the visualizations of a single atom's future.
It was a theory I came up with on a whim, but after watching the vibrating atom continuously follow a distinct path through the opaque visualizations, the theory quickly gained traction.
But as my curiosity grew, and I unknowingly pulled on the string harder and harder, the number of atoms multiplied exponentially before finally, "AAGHH-!" I let out a helpless wail.
*Vwop* Letting go of the string, the countless atoms I was visualizing instantly snapped back into a single point, leaving the atom as if I never touched it.
-F..fuck that hurt…- It felt like my consciousness itself was splitting, fraying like a rope under high tension, and even after I stopped, the pain didn't immediately stop. -I should really be more careful fucking with things I can't even begin to fathom…-
Finally taking a moment to try and catch my breath, ignoring the mentally numbing familiarity I felt from everything to heighten my senses with caution, I subconsciously lifted my cloud-like form into the air completely effortlessly. -Woah…- So much so that it was distracting.
Without being restricted by things like momentum, inertia, and gravity, I could move with even the slightest subconscious thought. It was like my body was outside the bounds of physics entirely.
But while it only caused more questions to surface in my mind, there was nothing I could do but wait until I learned more. -I can't let myself bite off more than I can chew again…-
Eventually calming my curiosity down to a point where I could control it, I looked up from the endless blanket of strings covering the ground and focused on the distant, bent horizon, where I eventually spotted a small pond with a single stubby tree hanging over the water. -Huh? What's that doing there…-
It felt completely out of place, being perched on a small hill overlooking the pond with no other tree in sight.
Touting a trunk several meters wide, with several low-hanging branches that loomed over the water some forty meters away, it was clearly a tree as old as time. With its canopy decorated with flowers akin to a magnolia, and its shade cast over the tiny hill overlooking the pond, it was indescribably picturesque. -It wouldn't surprise me if it was planted there…-
At first, it was just an idle thought, but as I neared it and noticed just how isolated it was, it became more and more plausible. -That would imply I'm not alone in this realm…-
Not giving that idea any thought, I continued closer and closer, before eventually spotting what looked like a figure seated at the base of the tree's trunk.
-W..Who..?- It looked almost human, but its body, unlike everything else around, had color…
It was the same kind of being I was, but the implications of that realization only set in after I found myself staring at it, and felt my gut twist. -Ah.. maybe I should.. keep my distance…- Wanting to exercise on the side of caution, I quickly, but carefully descended toward the ground before eventually hiding behind the horizon.
"Phew…" -I don't know what exactly I am, or what this realm is.. but until I do, I'm not taking any chances…-
However, as I got ready to start floating off in the opposite direction, I found that I had already rolled the dice.
And it rolled low.
Seeing a figure suddenly appear over the horizon behind me, I tensed. "H-Huh?!" It was a stunningly beautiful woman with long black hair and a glimmering red silk dress made of the same flowing white particles that composed my body.
But instead of her wide smile bringing me a sense of comfort, it made my instincts scream. -That thing is DANGEROUS!- Every fiber of my body screamed at me to run away at that moment, but even if I ran.. I wouldn't have escaped.
In the time it took for someone to blink, the monster in the form of a woman vanished before time around me seemed to stop in its tracks, and she appeared directly next to me. *Vwoop*
It didn't even give me the chance to react before it opened its mouth to speak with a chilling, feminine voice. "Y̵̘̓̋o̵͈̰̯͂̈́͗̀ų̶̞̄͆̿̃ ̶̲̣͑̑͐̂f̴͔͓̏e̸͍̭̜͒̓͒̚ė̶̘͓̗̍̕l̸̨͉͉͝ ̷̨̹̂f̸̢̯̒͝a̶͈͔̝̪͂̒m̴̨͇͙̱̊̓̈͝i̸̙͇͋͗͑ͅͅl̸͚̠͓̾͑́į̸̧̰͆̍̄a̵̘̩̱͗͝ŕ̶̩̬̟"
Completely unable to understand the 'language' it spoke, I instinctually responded by vibrating the particles at the center of my body. "W..wh..what a..are you…"
"O̴̲̭̒h̸̛͚͌,̵̝͔̌ ̷͖̱̎̃y̴̘͗̿ơ̴̧u̷͔̤͛̌ ̷̮̋̅a̷͎̓̓r̸̜̙̀e̵͕͙͛ń̷̛̖'̷̠̽t̵̺̳͠ ̵̝͠ȁ̷͕ẇ̸̝̼a̶͎͋̾ŕ̶̦͉ē̸̟͐?̸̗̄"
Somehow picking out the words 'aren't aware' from the chaos of indescribable noises, I responded shakily. "N..no..?"
"H̷̆͜ǫ̷͌h̷̖͆.̶̯̒.̸̫̿ ̵͇̾i̸̺͊s̷̩͊ ̷̖̍t̴̠̄h̸̤͋a̵̺̐t̸̬͒ ̵̪̄s̸̜͒o̶̲̒?̵͉̌?̸͍̝̎͝" Pulling herself back slightly, she tilted her head as if to ponder before the predatory expression on her face suddenly drained with annoyance. "T̵̜̐c̸̬̚ḥ̷̈́.̶̥̏.̶̜̆ ̵̯̈́l̷͕̀ǘ̴̠c̷̛̤k̸̦̒y̴͎̑ ̵̣̉b̵͌ͅà̶̻s̶̫̋t̵̯́a̴̙͌ṛ̴̊d̸̜͗.̴̧̊.̸̠͝.̵̠̓"
-H..huh..? L..lucky what?-
As it stared into the core of my body, its annoyed expression shifted to a forced smile in a flash. "W̸e̷l̵l̵,̸ ̵n̶o̶ ̶n̵e̶e̴d̷ ̵t̵o̵ ̶w̶o̵r̵r̵y̵.̵.̷.̴ ̴T̸h̶i̴s̷ ̵w̵o̸n̴'̶t̶ ̸b̶e̸ ̶t̵h̴e̴ ̸l̴a̵s̷t̷ ̴t̶i̷m̶e̷ ̵w̴e̶ ̴s̷e̸e̶ ̵e̸a̴c̵h̴ ̸o̷t̴h̶e̴r̶.̷"
It was like I was a mouse, staring at a cat peeking at me through a tiny hole in the wall.
Her expression was that of a disappointed predator.
But thankfully, that was the end of it. As a wave of fear washed through my mind, everything suddenly went dark, and I found myself in an endless abyss.
"HAH.. Hah.. hah…" It was odd, but anything was an improvement over where I was…
Eventually catching my breath, I tried to look around and recollect myself, but there was nothing to see. -Am I.. alive?-
Taking the moment to untangle my mess of thoughts, I tried to ignore everything related to the anomalous woman, and focus on the realm itself. -Hooh… Okay…-
But I quickly hit a wall: -Literally anything is possible…-
Having just reincarnated, the only limit to my theories was my imagination. -Can I even use physics as a narrowing factor with this?-
But after calming down and going at things more rationally, there were actually a few theories more plausible than the rest. With the most plausible of the bunch, somehow, being that the realm was the fourth dimension. -But, even if I ignore the insanity of that theory.. it's not a flawless idea…-
Immediately thinking back to the complicated and nearly impossible-to-comprehend theories I attempted to learn back on Earth, there did seem to be connections, but it was more like I was just viewing a piece of the puzzle. -If something in the fourth dimension can manipulate the flow of the third dimension, that could explain why time felt weirdly.. tangible, and why physics didn't apply to me…-
But the existence of me in itself was an anomaly I couldn't wrap my head around. -That eerie familiarity just throws a wrench into the mix too…- In that realm, I didn't feel like myself. It was almost exactly like when I first hatched out of the egg, but somehow.. more disconcerting.
It was a combination of ideas, theories, and sensations that did nothing but tie my brain in a knot, and suffocate me with anxiety and confusion. -Just what am I…-
But that question was something that would go unanswered.
"Mom!" Before I could give it any thought, an unfamiliar child's voice ripped through my train of thought like a boulder plowing through a house. "Bwovver is awake!"
*GASP* Jolting awake, I broke into a cold sweat and looked around in a panic only to find a tiny white dragon sitting at my feet and looking up at me like a curious puppy. -Are you.. Krystallo?-
We were both giant compared to what I remembered, with her being a little over two and a half meters tall, and me being closer to six. -Just how much time passed…-
"Big Bwovver!" *Pat* Quickly running up to me without giving me a moment to orient myself, Krystallo wrapped herself around my leg with a wide, childish smile.
But, while unbelievably cute, and giving me a sensation of warmth similar to when Mother would nuzzle against me, it still couldn't ease my lingering anxiety.
Feeling Mother's presence behind me, I nervously looked behind myself, only to find her towering figure staring at me with an expression of worry, and disbelief.
"V..Vasilias..?" Her voice gently quivered as her gaze eased and softened. "A..Are you really awake?" She sounded like she couldn't believe herself.
-W..Why is she about to cry…- I felt my chest twist as tears welled in her eyes. "Uh, I.. think so…"
She instantly broke into tears before her figure suddenly blurred and reappeared directly over me. "Thank the heavens you woke up…"
The fear that laced her voice hit my heart like a train as she pulled me into her chest with everything she had. "I-I'm sorry, Mother…" I spoke softly as I looked up from between her front legs.
But her embrace only tightened, as if she was anxious I would disappear at any moment. "Fourteen months… You were asleep for fourteen months…"
I instantly tensed as a sudden guilt was draped over my head. "I'm.. s..sorry-"
"Don't be… Please don't be…" Finally looking down at me, her crystallizing tears of ice fell past me before she pressed her snout into me.
Finally going silent, I closed my eyes and gave into my instincts, enjoying the warmth that seemed to flow from her to me, but even though that warm light could shine through the knot that had been woven in my mind, it couldn't untie it.
No matter how badly I wanted to give into my instincts and enjoy the moment, I couldn't simply forget everything I had just experienced.
My rationality didn't let me.
Everything I had experienced just an instant ago had suddenly become blurry, after all. -Just what the hell is happening to me…-