Chapter 7: The Void

Corvo awakened from his slumber. A feeling of unease permeated him as he looked around his room. In the distance, he heard a spectral choir singing a version of Drunken Whaler. He opened the door of his room and was stunned.

A series of islands extended into an infinite and empty space. It was a scene that Corvo recognized from a painting he had seen in Serkonos. The Void. Realm of the Outsider.

"Greetings, Corvo." a voice announced.

"Who said that? Where are you?" Corvo asked, quaking in his boots.

Just then, a well-dressed gentleman with pitch-black eyes materialized in front of Corvo Attano.

"I am The Outsider." the man announced.

"What are you doing with me? Aren't you only supposed to be summoned with arcane ceremonies?" Corvo asked.

"I do as I please. Deal with it." The Outsider snarked before disappearing.

Where am I? Emily thought as she awakened from her drug-induced sleep.

"Boo." a voice announced.

Emily screamed as a well-dressed gentleman with pitch-black eyes materialized in front of her.

"Greetings, Emily Kaldwin. I am the Outsider." The Outsider announced.

"Get away from me!" Emily screamed.

"Look, I'm on a schedule here." The Outsider replied, drawing a piece of paper from his overcoat.

Emily was speechless.

"Ah yes. 6th of the Month of Seeds, 12 am. Give Corvo my mark. 12 oh 1, give Emily my mark." The Outsider read.

The Outsider checked a watch that he had mystically produced from his trousers.

"12 oh 5. Well, I'm a little behind schedule. Guess I'll start with you." The Outsider remarked.

"What do you mean by that?" Emily fearfully asked.

"Just extend your hand." The Outsider ordered.

Emily found herself unable to not do so. The Outsider murmured something. After that, Emily felt a burning sensation on the back of her hand. To her horror, she watched as an arcane symbol etched itself on the back of her hand. With that, the Outsider produced a hat from the Void, tipped it, and then vanished.

Back at his island, Corvo was throwing pebbles into the Void when The Outsider materialized back.

"My mark." The Outsider announced.

Corvo felt a sting on the back of his hand and watched as the symbol of The Outsider materialized there. It was glowing.

"My power." The Outsider intoned.

Corvo heard a rushing noise and then materialized some distance away.

"What sorcery is this?" Corvo asked.

"I call it the Blink. It's a teleport ability capable of moving you about 500 feet." The Outsider answered.

Corvo then concentrated on the ability. Suddenly, he found himself moving. After several uses of this, he found himself on a stairway. He could swear that he could see The Outsider floating through the void with a brush and a shower cap. Just then, The Outsider materialized in front of him wearing a dress and lipstick. Corvo winced at the entity's pale skin, of which too much was visible.

"Take this, Corvo." The Outsider intoned, tossing a large object into Corvo's hands.

Corvo looked at the item. It resembled a human heart.

"Is this your idea of a joke?" Corvo yelled.

"I had it repurposed into a device capable of reading minds and finding runes and bone charms." The Outsider exposited.

And with that, The Outsider vanished back into the Void, leaving Corvo with the Heart.

"Hello, Corvo." the Heart announced.

Corvo followed the Heart's beating toward a rune on a far-off island. And once again, The Outsider appeared. This time, he was wearing some odd uniform and had an eyepatch. In his mouth was a cigarette.

"Use these runes to gain access to my gifts." The Outsider ordered.

"And is this the end of my audience with you?" Corvo asked.

"For the time being. Right now, I must train someone else." The Outsider answered before fading.