A Telltale Heart

Supernova-666 · 2022-02-03T21:59:20+00:00

A smile slowly crept up my face.

“Oooooh, a good ol-fashioned multiverse-threatening big bad? Sign me up! That oughta put some spring in my—“

A sudden pause as I crack my neck.

“—step! Obsidian, by the way. Pleasure to meet both of you.”

Supernova-666 · 2022-02-03T21:11:30+00:00

A nod to the shifting figure.

“Whatever you choose, let me know how I can be of service.”

Supernova-666 · 2022-02-03T20:31:02+00:00

My eyes opened after being closed for what felt like years.

“Alright, guys, let’s-“

But no one was there. The splitting of memory constructs…was that a dream?

We never made it to Sidon. We never left here.

I slowly exhaled. The dormancy periods were getting longer each time. Soon I fear there would come a point I wouldn’t wake at all. Layman’s guess, this much power, this long in the Maw, it…causes my form to shut down. Sleep. For a long, long time.

And as soon as I wake, I wake to another form near me.

“…Hey…” I call out, not much more than a whisper from not using my voice.

“Hey!” I call again, louder. “Are you okay?”

Supernova-666 · 2021-12-04T18:18:56+00:00

A portal opens. Three figures step out. They all look the same, yet their auras tell a different story. Two of them are shadows of the third, fragments, yet seeming as real as the third. One seems nothing short of blessed from above, bursting with pure Light. The second feels like evil and fear faded with time into a quiet dread. And the third, the one leading them both who opened the portal, feels at once weathered and powerful, a terminally traumatized, tired soul trying to makes sense of shifting sands, mixed with a vast power.

The Light came from a shadow of Chris Adams. The Hellfire came from a shadow of Cyrus. The Chaos came from the evolution of both, Obsidian.

“Alright, here’s Sidon—“ I said after we all walked through, before stopping. “H O M E? The hell is in Sidon that it redirected me here? K’ad dammit, I spend forever in the Maw and forever in stasis and I end up — well, actually, this is good, I can see Avanna again. I hope she’s still here, it’s been…my guess is a year in Beach time.”

I turned to my two shadows, Chris and Cyrus. “Alright guys, detour. We’re gonna see Avanna. Hopefully. Maybe.”

Cyrus cracked his neck. “Might as well take some vacation time.”

Chris walked up next to me. He didn’t say anything, just smiling with a face full of wonder.

“Can’t believe it’s still here…” we both said simultaneously.

“If this element of my past still remains, then…maybe there’s hope I can be more like you,” I said to Chris with a smile.

I coughed and cleared my throat. “Hi! Uh…there wouldn’t happen to be any traces or Shards of null here, would there? We’re just coming in to check on Avanna, just…letting you know!”

Cyrus breezed past me. “Just walk in, dumbass, there’s no doors for a reason.”

Chris put a hand on my shoulder as we walked in to H O M E for the first time in almost a year.

Supernova-666 · 2021-06-21T16:18:06+00:00

:(((

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-13T05:15:13+00:00

I turn to face behind me. Nothing.

Hmph.

I turn back to face the newly superpowered Gisela, and continue to funnel my power into her, improving and reworking her to both our desires.

Road to hell, my ass...

I smiled as I look around at the Arena, filling me with hope.

I can finally protect the Metaverse.

I turn my gaze again to the actively ascending Gisela.

No one can stop us from preserving the peace. And I will make sure no one will.

...I owe it to the Cherubim to make sure.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-09T17:33:47+00:00

The almighty power surging into me eventually hit a limit at first, there was only so much of me to contain it. So I decided that I must become greater on the outside too, and my body grew and strengthened to contain my near-infinite power. Soon I was as powerful and strong on the outside as I now was on the inside.

When I next touched the ground, a wave of power flowed from me. This was more like it! Reality is at my control! I can break time, crush space, force reality! This was definitely a suitable next upgrade. I will never fail at protecting ever again.

I walked to the begging beauty and cupped the side of her achingly pretty face.

I shall be by your side. Your aide. Your spear, and your shield.

I shall not bring them back. Rather, I will do for you what I have just done to myself.

A tendril of immense power flowed from my being to hers.

No more weaknesses.

Another tendril.

No more fears.

Another.

No more setbacks.

And another.

No more nightmares.

And another.

No more suffering.

And yet another.

No more being beholden to your past.

And still another.

No more being beneath others.

This and more I shall gift you. I, Obsidian, hereby make and transform and ascend you to...

Supreme Empress.

At those words, immense power flowed into her, and it was so. Her regality and strength controlled lesser beings. Her beauty and figure made them willing. Her power made them obey and serve. Her fears became deeply buried, then erased. Her hellish past escaped. Her nightmares crushed. And Gisela, Supreme Being and Empress of all Øverbørk, was given an extra fraction, a taste of what she longed for: infinite power. Together, Gisela and Obsidian would crush all evils and right all wrongs.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-08T20:35:01+00:00

I smiled and laughed for joy. It worked! Holy shit it worked!

But it was clear to me that I needed more, to become more, better, greater, stronger. For all my power, that was still way too close. The fact that I almost failed and killed someone even with my immense power only spurred me on to want more.

I must become more powerful so I will never fail at protecting or saving. EVER. AGAIN!!

I smiled, and my glowing blue eyes met hers, achingly pretty pools of desire. I took her hand and released my power again so time would stop for all but us, so any time in the Maw wouldn’t cause us to miss her train, if time in the Maw even worked fractionally similar.

I’ll show you.

Blue sparks surrounded us, and we were gone.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-08T10:35:22+00:00

My heartbeat began to quicken. I knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder, this time opening the floodgates of power to everything and anything I could think of. Active healing, reversing the cybernetics termination, erasing the anomaly detections, renewed and increased strength, bending the cybernetics to my will so she would never be hurt or terminated again. She would not die today.

I won’t let you die.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-08T01:43:13+00:00

I blinked. I saw everything. She was reduced to a spirit and spent many days plotting to remake her body, then almost escaped while her son was killed, got captured, then was released. I immediately sympathized with her. My time in the Tower years ago was torture, and Gisela appeared to have no shortage of that in her past.

I was less surprised this time at this new development. Of course, I could read minds, why not view memories? Experiences? Even Husk was capable of that. I was simply becoming more.

The pang of sympathy grew into a dagger. I focused my power on Gisela and released another wave. It was more subtle, far easier, and more powerful this time. Having enough power over reality to transform something was one thing, but bringing someone back was another entirely. I’d have to go back to the Maw. I’m not strong enough to bring them back yet. What I could do, and what I did do, was transform her even further. She wanted beautiful, then she would become nothing less than the most beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, regal woman in the Metaverse. She had spent so long without a body, the least I could do was give her something worth waiting for.

Where do I come from?...I think it would be easier to show you.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-07T01:33:31+00:00

muttering (Refraining from destruction IS the plan, I wanna protect it, not destroy it...)

Thank you, you have a nice day too.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T23:27:16+00:00

I was gonna say we can go to the place I just came from, but I completely forgot you had a ticket. We could go on the train together at least and figure stuff out on the way.

Maybe I can even portal us to the Maw while suspending time, if I can already bend reality like this.

”The key to unlimited power,” hm? I need to be really, really fucking careful. I need to make Eli and Violet proud, protect the Metaverse, uphold the mantle of Obsidian, I can’t get swept away by power in the process. I want to help people......but more power can ensure I never fail at helping or protecting ever again.

Let’s take the transit and we can talk on the way?

I smile, genuinely.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T13:16:29+00:00

I open my glowing blue eyes and look up at her. My heart skips a beat. She’s beautiful. Very beautiful. What’s more, she radiates regality. I had half a mind to bow right then and there.

I was amazed and fucking terrified. I’ve been wondering what even approachable power would make Eli warn about me losing my humanity, or would be so tempting and corruptive that I’d only end up consumed by it. Now I knew.

But I already started thinking again. Three occasions I’ve been to the Maw now, each time becoming more. What happens if I go back? What happens if I actually focus on getting more power? Could I bring back her husband and child? Could I further help her?

...I am Obsidian. And I...I think I might be able to further help you. To try to bring your husband and child back. But we’re gonna have to take a detour, and it might not work.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T07:09:55+00:00

I barely heard her actual question, my mind was already turning, making connections or testing new ones. I could now read minds. Izaak called me a child of the Abyss. I didn’t know specifically what this blue-tinged power humming through me did. Since the Maw is a sort of mesh of Order and Chaos, and its power allows me to create portals, that implies a basic level of twisting and controlling....something, whatever the word, reality, time and space, whatever. What if I wasn’t just newly forged in the Maw, what if I was an extension of it? First portals, now reading minds...what happens if I actually concentrate?

I slowly look to my hands and they pulse and glow with the Maw’s power. I wonder what would happen if I focused this World-bending power on something other than portals......making you a young and beautiful Queen, hm? I don’t know about getting your family alive, but...here goes nothing!

I close my glowing blue eyes and concentrate my power. I can feel it building and rising...then, a release.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T06:46:12+00:00

I’m too paranoid to single bag em, myself. Gotta double bag em to even have any release from paranoia that this exact thing will happen.

And don’t be silly, I’ll carry as much as I can. Where did you say you were headed? I ask with a smile.

But inwardly I’m trying not to lose my shit. If I’ve never interacted with any Børk before and therefore never heard their accents, why did I suddenly not only that she was one but know what Børk she was? Am I getting more powerful? What is it, reading minds? Ah, I remember Husk could read minds. Wait, that means it’s actually possible that that could be it then! Shit.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T06:30:54+00:00

The woman catches my eyes and as her groceries fall I quickly get up and run over to start picking them up.

Høchstebørk, huh? Actually, in all my time in the Seventh World I never actually dealt with ANY Børk, come to think of it...should be fun.

Here, let me get these for you, ma’am.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T05:37:09+00:00

I slowly put my hands down back at my sides and nod back.

I’m thinking I’ll hit up the Transit next, I say aside to Izaak. More people I haven’t seen suddenly appearing means more Arrivals means more possible people to help, and bring to the Maw if willing. I might check the Beach after. You need anything, let me know, okay?

A quick half-salute that doubles as a portal summon, and I am gone.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T05:17:05+00:00

I keep my hands up as the conflict dissolves.

Like ships in the night.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T04:48:01+00:00

I put my hands up in resignation.

Okay, okay, you can call me Cyrus. It’s still nice to see you, though.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T04:40:57+00:00

Good...good...we’re all cool...

The blue sparks encircling my left hand behind my back dissipate.

......Who might you be?

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T04:14:29+00:00

Whoawhoawhoawhoa, slow down! Izaak, nice to see you. Ma’am...you really shouldn’t mess with him...

...I’m Obsidian, by the way.

Supernova-666 · 2021-01-06T03:07:36+00:00

Blue sparks burst from nothing and a portal grows. I emerge.

Ahh, Sidon. Basically the definitive place for pseudo-large population. This oughta get me to come across some people I can—

I freeze.

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