"What defines power? Is the ability to remake all of creation or to lay waste to entire armies? For me, the definition of power is knowing what to do with it and I still search for that reason." -Ahriman the Second, He who seeks purpose
We all wished for power at one point of our lives but sometimes, that power could be forced upon you. Power that you never wished for but given to you against your will.
Now the question is, what will I do with it?
With everything but my name and memories taken from me and my home separated by death itself, I will find my purpose in this new world... Now if only the natives would leave me alone to do so.
Within the Warp, deep in his domain and on top of his ever changing throne, Tzeentch pondered over a question that has been plaguing him. This was unique as the Chaos God of Change rarely focuses on a single thing for there was always a plan to be made, a scheme to be form, and a war to be brought by his followers. But this particular question has been bothering him, if he can be assumed male, for many years now, not that time existed in the Warp.
The question was simple. How would a mortal deal with the powers of Chaos if given to them unwillingly? Would the mortal go mad with thoughts of conquest or perhaps become a savior of the darkest kind? Would they become as twisted as his followers or stay sane and try to do good? The possibilities were endless.
Tzeentch decided that it was time for his question to be answered and, using his endless psychic might, extended beyond the Warp and beyond the universe that has caught the Chaos Gods attention. Despite what the mortals thought, the Warp simply didn't span one galaxy or even one universe, but rather the Endless-verse itself! The Endless-verse included every single universe in all of existence while a Multiverse refers to a cluster of universes.
This meant that the Chaos Gods, with the exception of Slaanesh who was technically born in this universe due to the Eldar and has yet reached the point where he/she can reached across universes, was known and feared to many divine beings in other universes. They were without a doubt the darkest beings in all of existence and were beings who shouldn't be trifled with. Many beings, both mortal and divine, had fallen to Khorne's rage, Nurgle's plagues, and Tzeentch's schemes without even knowing who they were.
The only reason why they were so focused on one universe was because that no other universe has ever offer them such a challenge but eventually it shall die and the Chaos Gods' attention shall be directed elsewhere.
Tzeentch knew that he couldn't use a mortal from that universe as they would either take their own life or be hunted down. No, he needed a mortal that would be able to fit what he needed. A mortal who walks the grey line between good and evil. A being who could easily become evil as well as become good. A mortal who will try to seek their purpose with powers forced upon them.
Its been many eons since he looked at other universes and couldn't help but take in the sights so to speak.
A blond hair mortal with some Lesser Demon of Khorne sealed within his stomach. He gave it a fright when he briefly flared his power within it's seal.
A group of mortals that actually called themselves "Shinigamis" battled another group of mortals over a fake city. Tzeentch remembered corrupting one of their own with promises of being a God.
A mortal made of rubber battling three others that had power over light, ice, and magma. Those fruits that gave them those powers were an experiment by one of his Lords of Change if he recalled correctly.
So many more and finally he found a mortal that was perfect. Best of all was his knowledge of the Warp, though he did consider it fictional that would change soon, and what his ultimate goal in life is. Waiting for the mortal to sleep, Tzeentch reached into his dream and pulled.
Outside a book shop, a line of excited readers that extended for miles and in front of all them was a man signing their books. An old couple watched in awe as the donations box was stuffed with so much money that they were going to need another one soon.
"There is no way we can repay you for this Zach," The woman in her seventies wearing a simple green sweater with a white shirt underneath and a fading yellow dress. Her husband wore a blue shirt with jeans and was counting the amount of donations they had so far, eyes widening as the number kept going up.
The man had raven black hair with tan skin, built in terms of lean and mean, and had dark brown eyes, He wore a grey shirt with black pants and signed yet another one of his books. The excited teen squealed in joy and rushed off, another one taking her place quickly. He looked at the old couple with a gentle smile.
"And I've told you before that you don't need to repay me," Another signature, another happy reader. "When I heard that the grandchildren of the couple that encouraged to start writing needed a transplant that the family couldn't afford, how I could ignore that? I'm doing this simply because I want to thank you two for everything you've done to help me."
The old man let out a chuckled. "Yes you were quite the troublemarker. I remember you rigging one of your teacher's car with a stink bomb." Zach laughed at that. While his teenage years were a bit dark, it could have gone much worse if this couple didn't volunteer to watch over him. To him, he owned them everything and much more. Another teen came up with a book, only to gasp and drop it in fear and shock, his gaze directed upward.
Zach looked in his direction and almost had a heart attack.
A hole in the sky ripped itself into existence, the inside was an endless vortex of colors that gave him a headache from just looking at it. Suddenly a massive claw slowly came out of it, reaching down. Everyone screamed and ran but Zach stood still, not in shock or horror but because he simply couldn't move. Something kept him still and was helpless as the hand took and pulled him into the vortex.
Tzeentch stared at the young mortal child he held in his claws. The Chaos God current form was one of his Greater Daemons, a raven with midnight black wings wearing robes that rippled as if made of liquid instead of fabrics. The mortal, one of 16 years, was simply the same person just younger.
"Hello mortal," The mortal child shook in fear and was muttering, "This is just a nightmare," over and over. "This isn't a nightmare child. It is as real as pain," Tzeentch gave him a shock, making him scream. "Now do you know who I am?"
He shook, eyes wide from both fear and pain, and stuttered out. "S-Satan?" Another shock, another scream of pain.
"Here's a hint, one of my many titles is the Great Conspirator," The Chaos God waited for a minute as the mortal child slowly came to the horrible realization.
"Y-your T-Tzeentch a Chaos God," He spoke, disbelieve, as said Chaos God nodded his head. "But you're suppose to be fictional!"
Tzeentch chuckled, a mix of a crow's caw and a man's voice which made it sound frightening. "Ah but what one universe sees as mere fictional, another sees it as reality. I've seen countless universe to see that this is true. But I have not brought you here to discuss what is fiction and what is real," He raised the boy to eye level. "I have an offer for you Zach. An offer you will not refuse."
Zach looked Tzeentch in the eyes. "What offer?" There was still fear in his voice but now mixed in was determination and courage and his eyes was narrow instead of wide with fear like before. That spoke of promise.
"Power unlike any other. I will give you the powers for those who follow me. Think about it, the ability to change anything. To control spells of unmatched power. To be given access to this," He waved a claw and the surroundings changed into a realm that was constantly changing. The skies were an endless swirl of colors filled with Screamers while below laid the Crystal Labyrinth where untold numbers of beings were forever lost in. In the middle of that is the Impossible Fortress, doors slowly opening as if the Fortress itself was yawning or snapping shut like a great beast. Towers rose and fell while Lords of Change flew around it, few entered but the weaker ones dared not to get close or they may become apart of the Fortress.
If Tzeentch wasn't protecting Zach's mind, he would have gone mad several times over.
Despite everything, he couldn't but look around in horrified awe. Zach swallowed but steeled his nerves. "A-and if I refuse?"
"Then I will drag your home into the Warp where every single living being will be torn apart by Daemons and you'll be forced to live eternally knowing that your decision damned them all.' He stared at the Chaos God in shock, fear, and horror.
"Y-you can't do that," He whispered but only partly believed his words. He originally thought that Tzeentch existed only in Warhammer but here he was, held in said Chaos God's grip. Who knew what he was truly capable of.
Tzeentch lifted him so he could only see his eye. "Can't I?" Zach shook and tears fell from his eyes before he hung his head down. "So tell me, do you accept my offer?" Mutely, he nodded his head. Ah how easy mortals were to dance to his strings.
"The offer is simple, I will give you not just power but the form, armor and weapons of one of my most powerful Sorcerers. You will be free to do what you wish the power. If you become a destroyer or savior, I shall not care as long as you do something. However this comes at a price, your life," Zach's head snapped to him, jaw dropped. "I mean your life in your universe but I shall give you a deal. When you wake up next morning, you won't remember a thing and continue your normal routine. However on your way to school, you notice a man getting mugged in an alley and decided to help. Alas the man pulls a knife and you take the hit to protect the man, dying before help could arrive. The man, a Dr. Harrow who believes in repaying debts with a passion, would later develop a cure to Cancer, becoming famous worldwide. However, upon accepting his reward, he could speak about you from what he learnt from your family and friends and thank you, immortalizing your name in history."
"After all, your greatest goal is to simply be remembered forever. To never be buried under the sands of time."
The teen thought this over and despite the dying part, it did sound kinda of good.
"Or I could simply kill you in your sleep right here and now," Tzeentch added.
"I'll take the first offer," Zach said in defeat as Tzeentch grinned.
"Good now there will be a few perks include in this offer. One is that you'll be able to summon and control any of my Lesser Daemons and use the Warp as freely as you wish, provided that you don't try to tap into Nurgle's or Khorne's powers. Also you'll be able to summon the Rubric Marines to do your bidding," Tzeentch held out one claw, a Rubric Marine standing there in all it's silent glory. "But now without a price which will reveal itself in time. Finally your new form will also include a higher intelligence than you have now, gifting you with a dangerous mind," Zach felt insulted at that comment. "However, while you will have power, you shall have none of the experience nor the training. This means that if you stupidly let the power go to your head, you will fall easily so I'm going to assign you a guide of sorts to help you. Now is there anything you wish to say mortal?."
"Yeah, why me?" He asked. "Out of billions of people, why me?"
Tzeentch brought him close once more. "Because, despite knowing what your goal is, you still don't know how you'll achieve it. This dream was being a writer who's works outshines even Shakespeare, your last dream was building a monument that shall stand against even time and the one before that was being an infamous robber who robbed the White House. You know your goal but not the path to take toward it. Now is that all child?'
Zach didn't say anything but rather did something that caught even Tzeentch by surprise. He spat in the Chaos God's eye.
Tzeentch reeled back, surprise on his face for the first time in eons before roaring with laughter. "Oh you are going to one fun puppet to watch." With that, the Chaos God then threw Zach out of his realm and out of his sleep before reappearing back on his throne. 'Now the question is, where shall I send him to?' A quick look and he found the perfect world to send his new puppet to. A quick look and he found the perfect one and just to spite him for the spitting in his eye, he was going to make his new puppet's arrival VERY noticeable.
Princess Celestia stared at the Mare in the Moon with sorrow in her eyes. 'Just one more month sister and I will be able to say how sorry I am to you,' She directed her gaze to her student Twilight Sparkle and her dragon Spike, the former falling asleep in her room after studying herself to sleep and the latter who followed her to keep her company. 'At least these past few years have be fun with Twilight and Spike around.'
She cast one last look at the moon once more before noticing something odd in the sky. Something that was...colorful? Celestia used her magic to probe the oddity... and immediately regretted it.
The alicorn saw all of Equestria burning in ever changing fires. Earth Ponies and Unicorns chased on the ground by creatures unlike anything she seen before, magic spewing from them effortlessly while in sky Pegasi were attacked by what she could only describe as sky sharks that emitted terrifying screams. In front of her stood a bipedal figure, taller than her, most of it's features hidden from her by some sort of colorful mist. What she could make out was a staff in one hand, a book in another, and long horns that extended over it's head.
Then it's head turned to her, glowing red eyes freezing her to her spot.
In those eyes Celestia saw a being crueler than King Sombra, more twisted than Discord, and darker than Nightmare Moon. She saw a being who would destroy everything she knew simply to see how long it would take it to do so. A monster unlike anything she ever faced before.
It lifted it's staff and a bolt of pink lightning shot toward her and the only thing she could do was scream.
A sharp smack hit Celestia's cheek snapping her out of her horrible vision and back into reality. The first thing she saw was the worried expression on Shining Armor's face along with Twilight who had tears running her face. It was then that she noticed that she was on the ground, her coat covered in a cold sweat and shaking from her ordeal. She blinked, feeling tears in her eyes and a copper taste in her mouth.
Shining Armor helped her stand back up, her legs shaking as he did. "Princess Celestia what happened to you? My sister told me that she woke up to see you on the floor, screaming."
The white alicorn didn't answer and instead slowly made her way back to her balcony. The colorful oddity was gone but Celestia had a horrible feeling that whatever it was, she hasn't seen the last of it.
'Uh my aching head. Man what happened last night?' I groggily thought, slowly opening my eyes to see a little red flower in front of me. 'What a pretty flower.' I closed my eyes to enjoy a few more- Wait flower? My night stand didn't have a flower on it.
My eyes snapped open to see that I wasn't in my room but rather outside, near a lake and surrounded by some flowers. I reached toward one of them to see if it was real when I noticed something wrong with me.
My hand wasn't the small, admittedly girl-like, hand I had my whole life but now a large armored blue hand that looked like I could crush a man's skull in.
'What the hell?' I stood up, noticing that I was much taller than before and slowly made my way to the lake. Once there, I stared in awe at the reflection that greeted me.
A huge figure stood in the water, covered head to toe with armor and robes over his legs. A gold helmet with six horns extending from it, two things hung down, looking like little skulls and finally a glowing blue eye were on my forehead that contracted with the two glowing red ones. To confirm who's reflection was it, I gave the middle finger which the reflection copied.
I knew who stood in the reflection all too well. 'Ahriman! How the fuck did I become Ahri-' My train of thought crashed when I suddenly remembered everything. Tzeentch, a Chaos God I thought was fictional, abducting me from my world and threatening to destroy it completely if I didn't agree to his offer. I remembered our conversation perfectly, right down to me spitting in his eye.
Despite my situation of being stranded in another world with absolutely no way home in a different body, I couldn't help but think.
'Why the fuck couldn't I become a Hive Tyrant? I barely know anything about Chaos!'
There are some people in the world that can respond to any unfamiliar situation with nothing less than a calm and rational mind.
I was not one of those people.
I spent at least ten minutes cursing at Tzeentch for taking away everything I knew, cursing this new body I have to get used to, cursing a rock I tripped on and ended face first in what I hoped was mud and just cursing at everything in general. Finally I managed to calm down enough to take note of my situation.
'Okay I'm currently Ahriman, or at least in his body, one of the most powerful Chaos Sorcerers in Warhammer 40k in another world. Said world might contain dangers that will could rip me apart like wet paper thrown into a paper shredder,'
I also noticed that near where I woke up was a staff that I felt drawn to, a smaller bolter that was, despite it's size, light as a feather, and a thick book with an ever changing rainbow of colors on it's cover. The colors would be flow like water one minute and be like a swirling vortex the next and it was labeled 'The Book of Change'.
The armor felt... oddly comfortable like it was a second skin. Unfortunately I couldn't say the same for the body itself because I was stumbling around for a few minutes, getting used to this body's dimensions. I guess the closest comparison to this would be like getting into a costume meant to make you look taller and wider like a suit of armor. You have to learn how to walk around with the new dimensions of being taller and wider otherwise you'll just keep bumping into things. After a few awkward minutes of learning how to walk without stumbling, I've noticed that my senses were incredibly heightened.
I could see a bird building a nest several hundred feet away, hear the footsteps of several small animals, and feel... two hearts beating!
I tried to block out all sounds but myself and was surprised to not just hear two hearts beating in my chest but also felt three lungs expanding! 'Okay despite the situation, that is cool,'
Deciding to explore a bit, I took the the staff in one hand and the book in the other, but wonder how I was going to carry the bolt pistol when it suddenly disappeared in a bright colorful burst of smoke. 'What the? Wait a minute, let's see,' I thought about it again, imagining it was in front of me and sure enough, it appeared right on the ground in another burst of smoke. 'Well that's a useful trick, at least I won't have to carry this stuff.'
I made both the staff and bolt pistol disappear but when I tried it on the book, nothing happened. Another couple of tries and nothing. 'Fine then, I might as well read this thing,' I tried to open the book but it remained stubbornly shut even after I started using both hands.
"Damn it! I'm not in the mood to deal with a stubborn book!" I yelled in anger, throwing the book down to the dirt.
Only for it to stop itself and fly back up to eye level.
I stared at the book with unblinking eyes for a minute before it spoke. "Is that how you treat a book as great as me?"
Standing still for a few seconds, I immediately turned away from it and began to walk in a random direction. "Hey where do you think your going!?" It yelled at my back. The book sounded like Navi from Legend of Zelda which ticked me off more since I hated that damn thing. Even worse, it spoke inside my head.
"I can deal with a lot of shit but a talking floating book with an annoying ass voice is were I draw the line! I'm going to, I don't know, burn down a village or something." I replied as I stomped into a forest.
I wasn't going actually do something like that but I did needed to do something. It was how I calmed myself down. Unfortunately the book caught up with me and started to fly around my head, pestering me to stop. 'Then again, maybe I could burn down an abandon village.'
Max Claw wasn't the brightest manticore around but he certainly was one of the biggest. Very few would dare enter his territory and those that did were usually the timberwolves, cockatrice, and other manticores themselves. So Max was understandably surprised when he saw none of the three enter his territory.
It walked on it's hind legs, making him think it was one of those dogs, but it was far larger and not to mention it being blue and having several horns coming from it's head along with odd growths on it's back. Another thing was it's glowing red eyes that displayed a cold ruthless predator look and something colorful that seemed to be flying around it's head.
There was something off about this being but that didn't matter for it has invaded his territory and needed to learn it's lesson.
"WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY!" I roared, swatting at the book like it was an annoying fly but it dodged and weaved around my massive hands. It just wouldn't shut up and kept bragging about how 'lucky' I was to be in it's presence and how 'grateful' I should be that Tzeentch assigned it to be my guide.
Needlessly to say, I wanted to show how grateful I was using the bottom of my foot.
A deep growling broke me from my attempts to catch the book and we both turned to see a large creature that jumped out in front of us. At first I thought it was a lion with a red mane and dusty brown coat but then I noticed the bat-like wings and scorpion tail. It was about as large as I was with large teeth, big claws, and a predatory look in it's eyes.
Any other day I would be pissing myself with fear but not today. Not after all the shit I've been through and I wasn't in the mood to deal with even more. I was angry and now I had something to direct it on.
I took a step forward and it growled, preparing to lunge but froze when it met my eyes.
"I have no idea what the fuck you are but let me tell you right now that I don't care," I spoke, my rage-filled voice echoed through the forest which was now dead silent. I took another step forward and it took a step back but still managed a deep threatening growl. "You think your scary with those big teeth and claws? Well let me tell you something, you freakish offspring of a mass orgy gone wrong, the last dream I had I was taken by one of the most twisted gods in fiction."
Another step forward, another step back. I saw fear and hesitation appear in it's eyes.
"Shocked twice, making every cell in my body scream in pain."
Step forward, step back. It wanted to leave but my eyes kept it from running.
"Brought to a realm that nearly drove me mad and forced to accept a deal that left me with nothing from home but my name and memories."
Forward.
It was visibly shaking now. The predator was now the prey.
Back.
"And now I have to deal with this new body, a book that won't shut up, and a new world that I know nothing about but you know what? I'm glad you showed up because now," I held up a hand, aiming my palm at the lion thing. "I have something to vent all my frustration on." I imagined it burning, a ball of fire erupting from my hand and burning the thing to ashes.
That didn't happen.
What did happen was the lion-bat spontaneously catching on fire that was pink and blue, trying in vain to put it out by rolling on the ground. It took ten seconds but it might have well been ten hours from how painful it's roars was and that tears were actually falling from it's eyes. I watched with satisfaction as the fire burned until nothing remained of the lion-bat, not even ashes. I then noticed that I had gathered an audience of birds, squirrels, rabbits and other small forest animals.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT!" I bellowed shaking the trees and making them scatter in fear that this new predator would light them on fire.
I panted, more from emotional exhaustion, and finally the book spoke up. "Well that was certainly impressive. Your first spell and it was Flickering Fire of Tzeentch. Very well done mortal."
It was finally then that I took noticed of what was I did, the horrible reality of what I've done hitting me in the face like a sledgehammer.
"W-what did I do?"
"Simply put, you engulf that lion-bat in Warpfire which burns anything living right down to their very souls, effectively making them suffer before they die," The book answered, not noticing me stumbling to a tree, leaning on it for support.
I felt sick, sick that I killed an innocent creature without a hint of mercy and disgusted that I felt satisfaction in doing so.
"I didn't think you had it in you but I guess you prove me wrong. I suppose that teaching you won't be a huge waste of my time after all."
I remember it's roars and tears, how painful it's expression was as it burned.
"Still I would hate to be that thing. Warpfire ensures that it's very being is burned away, wiping it from existence in a slow burning death."
I shook my head, trying to forget how I felt about the lion-bat dying, how good it was to see it burn, to see it change.
"Alright then, lets find some place where we can stay because I don't feel like staying out here where- Say why are you-"
I heard no more as I fell back, darkness engulfing my vision as I did.
If a pony looks at Celestia now, they would see an alicorn with a calm and gentle smile, betraying no hint of the storm of emotions buried underneath. Ever since the vision, Celestia's mind been plagued with questions.
What was that being? Why was Equestria burning and her ponies slaughtered in cold blood? Who could be cruel enough to do so? However one question rang louder than all of those put together.
How can she prevent that vision from coming true?
"Uh Princess Celestia? Are you sure your okay?" Captain Shining Armor's voice snapped back into reality.
"Yes I'm perfectly fine. Why?" She asked looking at him.
The unicorn simply pointed a hoof at her desk. "For one, I don't think your desk needs your signature."
Celestia blinked before looking down and true to his word, her quill had craved her name into her wooden desk. The alicorn lightly blushed and repaired the damage.
"And two, you've been sitting there for nearly an hour just staring into space. I don't mean any disrespect Princess but if this keeps up I will call a Protocol Six." That made the alicorn wince, mostly out of embarrassment. Protocol Six basically gave the current captain of the royal guard the power to override her orders. It had been made several years ago by her last captain when she decided to try drinking to deal with the sorrow of her sister's banishment.
Who knew that her and alcohol would result in several bar owners becoming very rich overnight.
She sighed, walking to a window. "I'm sorry Captain Shining but I'm just... troubled by something. So why did you come here?"
Shining Armor stood respectfully behind her, his form as still as a statue. "The griffons have come to discuss trade and the minotaurs are coming later to speak to you about buying some land so they may expand." He spoke in a military tone.
"Very well, just tell the griffons I will be with them shortly and prepare a room for the minotaurs," He nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Celestia to stare out at Canterlot and beyond. She saw the lush forests and vast mountains, clouds pushed by pegasi for the rain, and unicorns and earth ponies finishing what they needed to do before said rain. Her sun stood above the skies bringing warmth and light to all those underneath.
It was impossible to imagine all of this destroyed and she swore that it never would.
'Uh my aching head,' I thought, slowly but surely drifted back to consciousness, my eyes still closed. Why did I black out?' The lion bat thing burning flashed into my head and the urge to fade back into unconsciousness came with it. Ugh that's right. I made that lion bat suffer.'
I opened my eyes and was greeted with stalactites. 'Okay I'm in a cave but last I remember I was outside so who-'
"Its about time your awake," The book flew into my vision, annoyance in it's voice. "Do you know how hard it was to drag your big butt up a slope and into a cave?"
I stared at the book for a few seconds before closing my eyes. "Oi! I know that your eyes are closed behind that helmet! Get up so we can talk." It yelled and threw itself at my forehead, cover meeting helmet.
"I much rather dance with a starved bear after being dripped in meat sauce and honey than talk to you," I said, not in the mood to deal with this book and it's ego. "And besides talk about what? How great you are?"
"About our situation mortal. Like it or not, we're in this together so I want to go over the basics with you," That got my attention and I slowly sat back up, taking note of my surroundings. We were in a large cave with a blazing pink fire nearby. "Interested now? Okay then, the great Tzeentch assigned me to be your teacher and guide. I will be teaching you how to use the powers of Tzeentch as well as assist you in this world."
"How can a talking book with an ego problem teach me let alone assist me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"This 'book with an ego problem' happens to come from the Hidden Library itself so I'm filled with more knowledge than a mortal like you can ever achieve," It replied in a smug tone. "Anyways as for assisting you, I'm a lot more dangerous than I look."
Okay then, I stuck in an unfamiliar world in a new body with a talking book with an ego as my teacher/partner.
I sighed. 'And I thought school was tough.'
"So what's your name?" I asked, my question seemed to catch it off guard as it floated back slightly.
"Excuse me, my what?"
"Your name," I still hated this thing but at the very least I'm going to learn it's name. That way I don't have to refer it as 'talking book with an ego' all the time.
The book was silent for a minute before it spoke up. "My name is Mutatio, the Book of Change."
I raised an eyebrow at the name but shrugged it off. I vaguely remember that Daemons of Tzeentch tend to have weird names.
"Well my name's Zachary or Zach for short and by the way," I said and pointed to the fire. "Who made that?"
"I did," I stared at Mutatio for a few seconds before it asked. "What?"
"Nothing," A book that somehow made a fire doesn't even faze me considering what been going on.
Mutatio flew and landed near the fire. "We will begin our lessons tomorrow but for now, I suggest you get used to that body more." I nodded my head and paced around the cave, getting a better feeling of my new body.
It felt... empowering to be in this body after the awkwardness of getting used to it faded away. I experimented with my strength and found that I could crush rocks with ease, and that I could move faster than I ever could before. This, of course, led me to crashing face first into walls and shaking the cave with my impacts.
'I think that's enough practice for now,' I thought after pulling myself out of a wall for the fourth time. It didn't hurt but I still flinch as if it did. If anything, it felt like I jumping onto a mattress. You only felt the impact but no pain came with it. I guess it was because of this armor I was wearing and made my way to the mouth of the cave.
It appeared that I was out longer than I thought because a moon, with collection of craters that resembled a unicorn, hung high in the night sky with the stars keeping it company. Looking at those moon and stars made me realized something.
It wasn't the same. Everything was different.
The moon was larger than the one back home was and the stars were much more visible as well, none blocked out from pollution and the air was fresh in breath in.
To anyone else, it would be beautiful but to me, it was just a painful reminder of what I lost.
Everyone and everything I knew was gone, taken from me by Tzeentch and separated by death itself. I would never see my family and friends again, never get my diploma, and never make my mark on the world. At least, not in the way I wanted to.
All of it gone, with only my name and memories to remind me of it.
My body shook with grief but no matter how hard I wanted to, tears never seemed to fall. I could feel my heart- hearts, gripped by sadness and my throat constricted in sorrow but I simply couldn't form tears. So I cried without tears, that everything I had and everyone I knew was forever out of my reach. The future I would never have and the new path I was forced to take.
But above all, I cried without tears because of the fact that I never even got the chance to say goodbye.
