Ethan's main body entered the negative plane.
Deep within the overlapping folds of non-space, something stirred.
The Presence.
It was the Negative Plane's immune system, a sentient force of nature tasked with the execution of interlopers. It didn't have a face, only a vast, looming consciousness that permeated the darkness.
The moment Ethan's boots touched the nothingness, the Presence felt the ripple.
To the executioner, Ethan was a recurring infection. A parasite that had escaped its clutches once before.
"Vermin," a voice boomed, vibrating through Ethan's very marrow. It wasn't sound; it was a psychic assault that tore at the atoms of his soul.
"How dare you enter my domain again?"
The Presence didn't wait for an answer. It didn't care for motives.
It simply reached out with the power of Erasure.
A wave of absolute non-existence rolled toward Ethan, designed to delete his timeline, his physical matter, and his memory from the fabric of reality.
