Chapter: 1
A crystal-white soul was speeding across the universe at a speed that defied the laws of physics, heading towards the core of the universe. Unlike the supernatural feat he was displaying, his thoughts remained quite mundane and normal.
As he saw himself being pulled through the universe, Ace formless face displayed an indescribable expression as these events unfolded. He was just an ordinary human being in the grand scheme of the world, gifted but not to the point of genius. While he had achievements to his name, they would be like a speck of dust in the ocean, insufficient for him to ever experience this marvelous phenomenon.
Some may ask why he was undermining himself so much, but they wouldn't understand the value of the knowledge and experience gained through traveling the universe. Having witnessed countless civilizations rise and fall throughout his journeys, it felt more like watching a movie to him.
Some were so technologically advanced that the humans of his world could never hope to replicate them. They had colonized thousands of solar systems and harnessed stars ten times larger than the largest fuel tank.
Some were so chaotic and barbaric that they made the world wars of his home world seem insignificant in comparison. Brutalization and the extinction of species were common occurrences in those worlds.
Some were simply beautiful and divine, with lush natural forests, endless rivers, and vast grasslands that could enchant any mortal or semi-divine being to give up everything just for a glimpse.
But after seeing countless worlds, he had come to the conclusion that while these worlds were extraordinary, his destination was something else, not mere sightseeing. If he were to trust his intuition, he was embarking on a remarkable journey and adventure.
As he lost himself in thought, he didn't realize when his surroundings slowly changed. It felt like he was swimming through a cosmic ocean at the speed of light rather than empty space.
"Sigh, I should have kept better track of time," Ace thought. His perception of time was so distorted that sometimes a moment felt like eternity, or eternity was condensed into a single moment.
Although he didn't sense through any of the five senses, it was useless once his surroundings changed. It behaved like dark matter but in a superfluid state. He could only sense the surroundings through his mind's eye, or perhaps it was his soul's eye. He had developed these senses when he had first seen another world. He had always wondered how he could see them and why his horizon was not focused on a single point due to light speed traveling. Only now did he understand that what he saw was likely the remnants of a long-lost civilization through his soul.
While he swam in the cosmic ocean like a fish in a pond, he found himself on top of a colossal structure, the most astounding and extraordinary structure he had ever seen or could possibly imagine.
It was so breathtaking that it would put the Pillars of Cosmos by Hubble to shame. It had eerie, dark pillar-like structures that appeared to be made of some cosmic dark material, and crystal-like particles that resembled small stars forming its dome. The pillars protruded from the interior wall of a dark molecular cloud, like stalagmites from the floor of a cavern.
As he marvelled at this magnificent structure, he noticed a change in his surroundings. It felt like gravity was pulling him towards the structure. He tried to swim against it, but the pull was so strong that he felt like a moth fighting against the sun.
As he felt himself being drawn into the structure, it was a horrifying sensation, as if every aspect of him was going to be squashed, yet it also felt peculiar, like transitioning between a dream and reality.
He tried to resist it with all his might, but it seemed that assimilation was inevitable. His strength proved futile, and as he underwent the process of assimilation, his thoughts gradually slowed until they ceased.
*
After a long period of time, a tremor spread throughout the universe from its core, awakening beings with an untold and incomprehensible amount of power, sufficient to crush anyone. However, their reactions were entirely different from what one would expect of such beings.
"How did it awaken?"
"It shouldn't have happened now."
Sigh. "So finally, * has an inheritor."
While the entire universe experienced chaos, the cause of the chaos slumbered like a beauty awaiting her kiss in an endless grand library.
"Hmm, where am I?" Ace thought. He looked around to find countless shelves filled with books of unknown origin.
What happened after 'It' started consuming me? I clearly felt my thoughts slowing down until they stopped. How am I even conscious now?
"Stop," Ace berated himself. Currently, it's not the optimal time to think about it. I should first check my surroundings.
Slowly, he got up and walked without a specific direction or destination, as everything felt the same, as if there was no center or corners. Describing the perception of space as having a direction would be misleading; it was vast yet felt incredibly small, like one could touch it all at once but also get lost in it, a space so eerie that it defied description. It was an indescribable space.
After five minutes of walking, he encountered what seemed no larger than a room, but the space around it kept coiling in on itself. Every inch appeared to be a dimension of its own, encompassing several shelves filled with books, sharing the same unnerving phenomenon.
Ace continued deeper into the strange space, only stopping when he sensed he had reached his destination, which was just a floating book. Feeling bewildered, he approached the book and touched it, a sense of tension mixed with curiosity and anticipation for something great already winning him over.
With a buzz, a jolt traveled through his hands and soul and he could feel it in real time, as if his inner voice were speaking. It provided him with information while forming the words in the book:
[Congratulations, Inheritor. You have been given a chance that many would have sold their souls for. Make the most of it and fulfill your destiny.]
*All other information will be provided to you in due time. You can check your status by turning the page.*
*
{So how was it? It was my first time writing it, so be merciful}
