Hmph. Once again, I am blocked access to a thread of time. I do feel tired however; I think I shall stop for now...

I simply fade out into the ether, not as compelled to watch the loops of time play out as I once had been. I attempt to bring a hand to my face, watching as the black goo solidifies into a more tangible white hardness. My hand, just as it has always been, long digits and porcelain bone. Good. So I still have some slight control over my form. I worry that it was lost to me, having been taken by the Void, when I was forced to become one with this place for the purposes of introspection and exploration. And to preserve the thin thread of my own existence.

As interesting and stimulating as it was watching the flows of time intermix and mingle into threads, following the timelines until I was forcibly extracted from them due to the powers of this place, one could only do that for so long before it too became boring. Or drive me any sooner into the depths of insanity. I needed something else to occupy my 'time' here; as nuanced as that distinction may seem to a place where time meant absolutely nothing at all.

For this place is sentient, a vast ever growing space that wishes to consume all and anything it encounters. My own mutilated form is proof of this; my muddled memories and fragmented soul, unable to feel much of anything anymore, a broken husk of a monster, my body damaged beyond any recognizable shape. 'A shell of my former self' would not even begin to convey the horrors that I have endured upon being thrust into this place. Even time itself is not truly safe; that too slowly being taken over by the expanding nothingness, stealing the seeds of possibility with it. Honestly, I am not truly sure why I still exist given this place's insatiable hunger. I should be gone, my very being wiped from every possible plane of existence, yet I am not. Though this is not to say this void completely leaves me alone.

It torments me; stealing my consciousness away right when I am on a breakthrough while studying this place, sometimes removing my ability to speak and form coherent words and thoughts, ripping away key details of timelines I am interested in from my memory. Maybe it simply sees me as not worth the time or energy; maybe I have become so entangled in the Void itself that it now sees me as a part of it. Maybe it enjoys watching me flounder so. I am not sure; I only know that every second I spend here I slowly lose more and more of myself.

Leaving is more or less impossible for me, however, having been stuck here for as long as I have. Every time I try to interact with or assert my existence into a timeline, I am stuck. Stopped, as if there is a barrier preventing me from coming into being. Pulled away from the spot in time back into this hellish place. I so dearly wish to leave, to find out who exactly I am and what was my purpose in life. I can barely remember my own name most of the time, my only real anchor to what is essentially the core of my 'self'. This place even wants to snatch that away from me. If I forget that, then I would be doomed.

Surely I was doing something important before I became stuck in this place. I know it. And I must get back to whatever it was I was doing. Yet aside from that one desire, I feel as empty and emotionless as before, despite the want to leave this place. That is the only thing I can feel now; an almost desperate need to leave here. It tugs at the singular fragment of my soul, almost like a warning of sorts.

At first, simply existing as myself took up most of my energy in this place—this Void; piecing together memories and lies, finding what was false distortions and what was real. Having only one tiny fragment of my soul made things difficult, my memories all scattered and none of the pieces lining up properly. I was only able to take away the tiniest hint of things, none of it helpful. I don't know exactly who I am, so far only able to recall my name, or even what I did to get here. If only I can find the other pieces, to regain my true body and soul, but it is nigh impossible with myself the way I am now.

Eventually I had been able to regain some semblance of what I had been, though keeping what little I can steady is like trying to hold water in one's hands. Was it even my real form, or a perversion of it, as this foul space seemed to do anything it touched? Black, vicious 'goo'—for lack of a better term—encased me like a cloak of sorts, writhing and pulsating with its own desires separate from my own. It wished to consume me, make me a part of itself completely, down to the very core of my shattered soul. I fight back, my own 'determination' keeping me in place and still somewhat sane. Until the urges pass and the Void decides to let me be, to allow me to explore the seeds of possibility within this space.

This is my existence. For how long I have repeated these acts I am not sure. It could be days, weeks—centuries even. I do not know. I only understand that something...changed during this monotonous routine. A small change anywhere else, but here, in this place, it was as though it shattered the very fabric of this sterile dimension.

A different presence came into being suddenly—one that I had never felt before in this odd space. It was...a tiny pinprick of light in this place of everlasting darkness. And it stayed, not warping between spaces almost instantly like other things I had felt while here, or consumed by the Void. It was actually constant—the flickers of another existence calling out to me in this empty place. It's possible I imagined this call, so desperate for another being to interact with, but it doesn't matter to me at this moment. I follow it, chasing after the tiny spark before the tendrils of the Void could claim it for its own. For that is what the Void does to things that try to enter its domain; it corrupts them, devours them wholly into itself until nothing of the original being is left. And something in me did not want that to happen to whatever tiny flicker of a being this was.

As I come closer, I can feel the weak pulse of what I begin to realize is a soul call out to me. It is so weak; I am astonished that it is still able to manifest. I move closer to the tiny heart, and feel my entire being seize up in shock as I examine it. So different from my own fragmented soul, the multi colored yet mostly indigo heart standing upright in the space, though an odd grey color seemed to coat the outside like a translucent shield, and it is filled with many different sized jagged cracks and splits.

Some of them are even starting to become filled with the same black liquid that was corrupting my own form and soul. So the Void is already trying to consume this small thing? I knew even with my limited memory that this was not a monster's soul, as those usually disappeared shortly after their host's physical form was gone. The only explanation that seemed likely was that it was a human soul. It is trembling horribly, as if it is going to shatter into pieces any moment from the strain of holding itself together against the pressure from the Void.

Of course I had seen a human before; a few of the timelines I have observed had shown glimpses of them, of their general shapes, along with the small humans who came underground and freed my people, this place not allowing me to see any further before ripping it from my grasp. I know little to nothing of their behavior, however, yet a chill in the fragments of my being told me that was not entirely true. Another lost memory?

I can feel the ever knowing encroaching presence that was the Void slowly begin to converge on the tiny soul. Some part of me is concerned for it, not wanting the only other existing thing here to be consumed and be left with nothingness again as my only companion. I carefully stretch a pale hand towards the small heart, which shakes horribly before it settles close enough before I can 'gather' it up my hands. I let it float near me, knowing enough to not touch it, and yet I can feel the pain and misery of the poor soul as if it were my own, the small thing shaking once more as a fleck of indigo began to chip off of the heart. The barrier of grey had shrunk slightly, becoming less transparent and showing off the color of the soul. Darkness begins to fill in the hole, some of the adjacent cracks becoming wider and filled with more dripping goo. Concern flashes across my being at that moment; is it already too late for them? No…

I am not too sure why I am concerned with this soul, aside from it being the only sentient thing I have interacted with in far too long. Am I being selfish in wanting to help it? Possibly. But I know I have to do something to help, lest it become lost to the Void forever. Worrying about the soul's condition, I do my best to keep the Void away, moving as far from the darkened tendrils as I can. I know it will reach us eventually, but I'd like some relative semblance of peace while I try to puzzle out this dilemma. Willing my concentration to focus, I perform a Check on the soul, hoping to glean any information I can.

???

HP: .000001/1

ATK: -10

DEF: .01

Simply wants to fade away into oblivion.*

I stare at the information presented to me, puzzled at the description. It wanted to die? Then if that was truly the case, why hadn't it given up by now? It's Hope is unbelievably low; I've never seen anything like it! I admittedly blanch at the tiny heart, worried for it and confused at the same time. As if it could sense my emotions—and it most likely is able to at the moment due to my being so close to it with its emotional barrier lowered—it shuddered again, though something akin to confusion began to emanate from it. Something I will have to apologize profusely for later. I doubt it understands the intimacy of my almost-touching it, as humans are woefully ignorant about matters of the soul, but that is for another time. Right now, I want to find a way to help it. I wish to make that known through my intent, but I don't think that's a safe thing to do with the Void so close by, and it feels too intimate. I steel myself, still wary of the odd cacophony of sounds that my throat now produces instead of words. It's difficult, but I manage to form some coherent speech despite not having anyone to actually talk to for who knows how long.

"How...have you...come to be...here?"

...I...don't know…*

To my relief it answers me, its speech also stilted and soft. I feel something emit from the small soul, before recognition slowly begins to dawn on it. Emotions I can no longer recognize or feel myself erupt from it then, as another small cracked piece falls off of the heart to disappear into the ether. Oh...oh no.

I died...I was...tired. Tired of...everything. So I...ended it all.*

"...Oh…"

I suppose that explains the low Hope then. I reason, unable to feel anything despite something telling me that I should. To end one's own life voluntarily...I involuntarily shudder at the idea, some part of me still understanding the intent, my form flickering and sloshing around for a moment as the heart simply floats there. Worry flows through the soul, and then something else soon after as it floats erratically.

If I'm dead...are you the Reaper?*

I blink at the tiny heart, taking a moment to process its words. Reaper? What exactly is that? I can hazard a guess, from what little I've seen of humans.

"...this isn't...the afterlife...We are...in a space where...time and such no longer…matter. We are...in oblivion...to put it simply…"

It bobs up and down at my words. I stare at it, noticing that the odd grey barrier is slowly growing back. It shudders again, the barrier stopping for a moment as it speaks.

Huh. So I got my wish, then…*

"Wish…?"

To fade away into nothing...Though I suppose it's not really true. You're here; whoever you are.*

It answers matter of factly, beginning to float around me almost as if it is examining me. I let it, not sure what else to do at the moment. It starts to speak again, floating back in front of me as if we were two real people having a conversation and not just fragments of beings.

"You have a name? Mine's _."

"Ah...My name...Yes...I remember…"

I tell it my name, the single thing I can really remember about myself. It repeats it slowly, like a child learning a word for the first time. Maybe it is, sort of; I don't know much about human language compared to our own speech. I feel my whole being shudder then, I can only reason is the soul acknowledging my existence, making me less insubstantial than before. It is indescribable.

"Was there...nothing...kept you…"

I struggle to finish the thought; conversation is not easy with myself impaired like this. Thankfully it seems to notice my quandary, and I sense another nameless emotion emanating from it.

...Not really...That I can...think of at the moment…*

"Yet...you are...still alive..."

It shudders again, and I watch worriedly in case more of it starts to break off and disappear. It doesn't, thankfully, but the other new emotion still remains, more intense than before.

...Hah...Can't even die right…*

I stare at it, unable to comprehend its feelings. I notice the Void slowly start to move it's way towards us again, having only been a matter of time before it resumes it's quest to devour us both.

"Please...go back...before…"

Fine...but only if...you come along as well..*

"W-what? Perhaps you...misunderstood me. "

I do my best to focus on talking, knowing our time is short. If I can help this soul leave, then...I'm not sure. Why am I helping it? For my own ends? Which would be what? I don't know, other than my desire to leave here.

"...am not...here by choice. I...cannot leave...tried. But...this...sapped my...soul...is too weak…"

It doesn't respond for a few beats, before finally answering.

Then...if you can't leave alone...use my soul...*

"Do you...understand...what...are...saying? Fusing souls...a very intimate process…"

I feel the Void slowly begin to encroach on the pair of us, a feeling of pressure that wasn't there moments before starting to grow. It must want to consume us both; I know this feeling from it all too well.

I don't...think...we have time...to discuss this. Are you in...or not?*

I sigh, understanding that it is right and we have no other options. Even if it doesn't work, I can think of nothing worse that can happen to us than to be swallowed by the darkness we are surrounded by. I reach out for the tiny heart, which easily floats into my palm, actually touching it this time.

"Fine…"

I watch as the heart shudders again, noticing a faint red outline start to appear around its sickly indigo edges. This is unusual; though not unfamiliar to me for some reason I cannot place. My own broken, upside down piece appears soon after, making me frown at the sight of them. If my soul was similar to the little heart in front of me, and it was reduced to this...

The tiny heart is becoming a mix of purple right now, the cracks and other empty spaces being filled by the redness. I see a ripple in the darkness then, a cracked line of light as I feel my own soul start to pulse and waver with it. Something overwhelms me as I watch the purple and white souls start to fuse together, my small piece slotting on top of a cracked indigo heart as if it was meant for it to be there. The fracture in the darkness becomes wider, as I hear the will of the soul call out to the darkness around us.

"We...don't want...to be here anymore! We...want to live again!"

I watch as a power flows through this place, unlike anything I have felt ever. The cracks in the darkness become larger. Much bigger, until they actually begin to start to form a white hole in the Void itself. The pressure around us recedes slightly, as if the Void itself is being pushed back. I notice we are moving forwards, towards the light. As we enter it, one last thought enters my mind before I am faced with what seems like oblivion itself.

So this...is the power of a human soul...