External reference: Crater of the Fallen Star Chapter 1: Descent

The Time and Space Between Time and Space: Domain of the Axolotl

A simple gray triangle floated in a starry void amid pink and blue cotton candy clouds. After a time period which might have been anywhere from a second to a thousand years, a single eye opened in the triangle's center, and thin black limbs unfolded from its sides.

The triangle seemed disheartened, its eye drooping a bit upon noticing its appearance, but that quickly faded.

"Yes! It worked!" said a high-pitched voice which seemed to come from the triangle's general direction, despite it not having any kind of mouth. "Take that, Stanley! Take that, Sixer!"

"WHAT WORKED, CIPHER? BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING."

This second voice was infinitely deep and calm, echoing across the equally infinite starry expanse.

The triangle turned around to face the source of the second voice, an iridescent white salamander the size of a whale. "I'm here, aren't I?" it said, "That must mean you're about to tell me where, when, and how I'll be reincarnated. What'll it be? A lizard? A bird? Oh no, I got it…" The triangle's eye narrowed, and its voice expressed clear disgust. "I'm gonna be one of those disgusting meat puppets who call themselves 'humans', right? You want me to learn a lesson about the 'power of love' or some other kind of sentimental, mushy gunk, right? Please don't tell me I'm gonna be related to the Pines family…"

"YOU WON'T BE," answered the Axolotl, "BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT BEING REINCARNATED. YOU DID NOT INVOKE MY NAME."

Again the triangle's eye widened, this time in indignation. "Of course I did!... Hey, isn't 'Axolotl' what those Aztecs used to call you? Those guys were fun! But why'd you stick their name for you in the Invocation?"

"I HAVE MANY NAMES FROM MANY CIVILIZATIONS ACROSS THE MULTIVERSE. 'AXOLOTL' IS SIMPLY ONE THE SHORTEST AND MOST EASILY TRANSLATED, SO IT IS THE BEST SUITED FOR THE TERMINAL INVOCATION. WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE HAD TO CALL UPON ME AS "DEFENDER OF ORDER, PRESERVER OF LIFE, GRAND SUPREME ARBITER OF SOULS"? OR PERHAPS "[unprintable in any earthly language, but it's like 27 syllables and means something similar to the previous titles]"?

"...No. That's why I used 'Axolotl'," The triangle answered, now seeming confused. "So how long am I waiting around here before you send me to my new life where I'll… what was it you said… 'absolve my crime' or something?"

Now the titanic amphibian looked slightly frustrated. Its small black eyes narrowed, at least. "I REPEAT, YOUDID NOT INVOKE MY NAME. HAD YOU TRULY DESIRED REDEMPTION, INSTEAD OF SIMPLY AN AVOIDANCE OF CONSEQUENCES, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE WAITED UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE."

Now the triangle sounded scared. "W-what's going to happen to me now?"

"I HAVEN'T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA. MOST LIKELY SOME MANNER OF AFTERLIFE. AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE, I CAN'T IMAGINE IT WILL BE A PARTICULARLY PLEASANT ONE."

A section of the cotton-candy clouds spirals open like the eye of a hurricane. Nothing is visible within, yet it is not black, white, gray, or any other color. It is simply nothing.

"AH… SPEAKING OF WHICH…"

"NO! This can't be the end! Save me!" The triangle screamed as it was drawn inorexably back toward the unknowable vortex. "A-x-o-l-o-t-l, my time has come to burn! I invoke the ancient power that I may return!"

The Axolotl shook its head. "EVEN IF I WANTED TO HELP YOU, I CANNOT. YOU ARE OUT OF MY HANDS NOW, CIPHER. FAREWELL."

Still screaming, Bill vanishes into the hole, which snaps shut behind him.

The Axolotl shook its massive head in disappointment. "SO MUCH WASTED POTENTIAL... CIPHER COULD HAVE BEEN TRULY GREAT, IF ONLY HE HAD ACCEPTED MY FIRST OFFER, ALL THOSE EONS AGO."

A patch of starry sky detached itself from the whole and resolved into a vaguely humanoid figure.

"Why did I need to see that?" a new voice said, coming from the small figure.

"YOU HAVE ASSUMED THE POSITION CIPHER COULD NOT SEE AS SUPERIOR," the Axolotl replied, "I CAN ONLY HOPE YOU WILL NOT LET THE POWER CORRUPT YOU AS HE DID."

"I think I understand…" the second voice said thoughtfully, but with a hint of regret. "But I wish I didn't have to."

The Axolotl sighed, blowing away the clouds in his immediate vicinity. "SUCH IS THE BURDEN OF THE POWER YOU NOW WIELD. BUT THAT HESITATION IS EXACTLY WHY I TRUST THAT YOU ARE THE RIGHT ONE TO WIELD IT."