Renari, still processing the impossible whiteness surrounding him, tilted his head, his mundane brown eyes blinking. "Huh? A deal?" The words felt oddly flat in this boundless expanse.
Valemina, the eleven-foot Catalyst Spirit, shifted slightly on her invisible throne, her silver hair shimmering like liquid moonlight. "Yes, Renari. A deal." Her voice, a low hum that resonated within him, held an ancient amusement.
"But… where exactly am I?" Renari asked, a faint tremor of confusion in his tone. "I'm supposed to be dead, aren't I? Is this… the afterlife? Because if it is, it's really minimalist. No pearly gates, no fiery pits, just… white." He gestured around at the infinite, unblemished expanse.
Valemina let out a soft, melodic chuckle, a sound like wind chimes in a forgotten garden. "Kind of, I suppose you could say that this is my version of the afterlife. More accurately, this is my domain. And yes, it's a bit lonely here. More like… existentially depressing, wouldn't you say?" She sighed dramatically, the sound surprisingly human for a cosmic entity.
"But anyway, you asked about the deal."
Renari, ever the pragmatist, cut to the chase. "Right. The deal. What is it?"
Her amethyst eyes sparkled, and a smirk, both alluring and slightly mischievous, spread across her perfect features. "I want to test my ability on a mortal. Oh, I've done it before, of course. Sent countless souls to the heavens, or guided them to reincarnation. But that process, you see, it always removes their memories. A fresh slate for a fresh start, as they say." She paused, her gaze lingering on him. "But I have a… proposition. Something different."
Renari eyed her skeptically. "A proposition from a cosmic being in a literal void? This sounds less like a deal and more like a cosmic 'Would you kindly…' scenario." He thought about his fleeting heroic act, the grenade, the feeling of dying. He'd achieved his one cool moment. What more was there to lose? "Alright, lay it on me. What kind of 'different' are we talking about?"
"Excellent!" Valemina clapped her hands together, the sound echoing softly in the emptiness. "It's quite simple, really. I wish to send you into an alternative reality. One that is similar to your own, yes, but with major, fundamental differences. Primarily, it does not have the energy restrictions of your world. Think of it as… a more 'organic' reality. More vibrant, more raw, more… fantastic."
Renari's mind raced. An alternative reality? No energy restrictions? That sounded like a superpower waiting to happen, or a horrific way to get eaten by a dragon. He crossed his arms, a slight frown on his face. "Fine. But I'm not doing it for free. You send me to some weird fantasy world, you owe me something. Like… an actual cool ability.'"
Valemina's smirk widened. "A fair negotiation for a mortal, Renari. I can certainly accommodate that." She leaned forward, her impossibly long fingers reaching out. Before Renari could react, her cool, soft touch settled on his forehead. A strange warmth spread through him, a subtle hum beneath his skin, like dormant gears whirring to life.
"Ah, yes," she murmured, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Your ability… it seems to be called Recoil. How… unique. I wonder how you will make it useful." She pulled her hand back, her eyes twinkling.
"Are you ready, Renari?"
He took a deep breath. He was dead anyway, right? What was the worst that could happen? "As I'll ever be," he said, a sigh escaping him.
With a final, decisive snap of her fingers, the infinite white world dissolved, and Renari vanished as if he had never been there.
The Desert Forest
The transition was jarring. One moment, blinding white. The next, a blast of hot air, the smell of dry earth and unfamiliar flora, and the intense, unfiltered glare of a sun that felt too close. Renari's eyes shot open, blinking rapidly, trying to adjust. He was lying face-down on coarse, reddish sand, surrounded by gnarled, alien-looking trees with leathery leaves. This was a desert forest. A very, very dry desert forest.
"Ugh, dammit!" Renari yelled, pushing himself up, his voice raspy from the sudden dryness. He dusted off his new attire: a sleek, almost form-fitting black outfit, surprisingly comfortable despite the heat, with an oversized black cape flowing dramatically over his shoulders. A black mask, made of a soft, breathable material, rested around his neck, and black gloves covered his hands.
Just then, something fluttered down from the sky. He snatched it out of the air. It was a small, ornate card, inscribed with elegant, flowing script.
To my dearest accidental agent, Renari,
Oops! I forgot to tell you the destination would be random! Tee hee! My bad!
Those clothes, by the way, I thought they'd suit your mobility. Plus, I thought they'd look good on you anyway. Good luck! Until we meet again… between life and death.
Your friendly neighborhood Catalyst Spirit,
Valemina
Renari crumpled the card in his gloved hand. "Random?! You just randomly dropped me into some alien desert?! And 'tee hee'?! What kind of cosmic being acts like a giggling teenager?!"
"I swear when one day I get to you I am going to smack you on the head".
He tossed the card away in frustration"damn it!", the dramatic cape flaring slightly as he turned.
Hours passed. The sun climbed higher, relentless. Renari, surprisingly, found himself adapting. His mind, usually preoccupied, shifted into survival mode.
He foraged for moisture-filled roots, dug a shallow, makeshift shelter under a twisted tree, and even managed to start a small, smokeless fire using dry leaves and a piece of polished obsidian he found. It was all disturbingly familiar. He'd gone camping once, a disastrous trip where he'd been betrayed by his "friends" and left in the woods for a few hours as a "prank."
He'd learned a surprising amount that day. Turns out, being forgotten sometimes means you have to rely on yourself.
His stomach rumbled, a deep, cavernous growl that echoed his frustration. He was starving. "im hungry," he muttered to himself, patting his empty stomach.
"Alright,time to secure some rations."
He set off, cautiously scanning the sparse, alien foliage. The air was still and hot, broken only by the distant, chirping calls of unseen insects. Then, he spotted it. A creature, unlike anything he'd ever seen. It resembled a giant, six-legged armadillo, about the size of a large dog, covered in segmented, iridescent green scales. It was nibbling on some dry shrubbery, its two antennae twitching.
Fully convinced I'm in a fantasy-like world now, Renari thought, recalling Valemina's words about "organic reality." He crouched low, his newly acquired black cloak providing excellent camouflage against the dark, rust-colored landscape. He recalled every stealth mission from every video game he'd ever played. He visualized his target, analyzed its movements, calculated his pounce.
Alright, Renari, this is it. Operation: Dinner.
He sprang.
It was a complete, unmitigated disaster. He misjudged the creature's speed. It darted away with surprising agility, a flash of green scales disappearing behind a thicket of thorny bushes.
"Hey! Get back here, you overgrown reptile!" Renari roared, his stomach a betrayal. He wasn't giving up. He was hungry. He was famished. He bolted after it, ignoring the thorns that snagged at his cape, ignoring the oppressive heat. His body felt lighter than before, the ground seeming to glide beneath his feet. He realized with a jolt: Valemina said this world doesn't have energy restrictions! Is this… my power? Enhanced agility? Super speed? He pumped his legs harder, a strange exhilaration mixing with his hunger. This wasn't just chasing dinner; this was his first mission with his new, undefined abilities!
The chase led him deeper into a denser part of the forest, the ground growing softer, muddier. He finally lunged, tackling the scaly creature in a desperate, ungraceful embrace. But the momentum was too much. They slid. And slid. And slid right off the edge of a muddy bank, plummeting into… water.
A cold, murky splash enveloped him. He squeezed his eyes shut, but held onto the creature in a death grip, even as they sank.
He wasn't letting go. He was Renari, Accidental Agent, and he would not lose his dinner! He kicked, struggling against the current, the creature squirming in his arms. He felt his lungs burning, but a strange calm settled over him. He could… breathe? It wasn't full, deep breaths, but he wasn't drowning. He could just… exist in the water.
Moments later, Renari burst from the surface, gasping for air, water streaming from his face and hair. In his arms, he held the now-drowned, very much immobile, six-legged armadillo creature. He splashed to the shore, dripping, his dark clothes plastered to his skin. He held up his prize, a triumphant if bedraggled smile on his face.
"Ha! Don't underestimate the strength of an agent! Even a really, really average one!"
He sneezed, a shower of water droplets flying from his nose. "Okay, first, eat. Then, bath. Definitely bath."
He dragged the creature back to his makeshift camp. After a surprisingly difficult time skinning it with a sharp stone, he roasted a section over his small fire. He took a bite. His face crumpled. "Blech! No salt! This is… disappointing." He ate it anyway, grumbling about the lack of proper seasoning in alternate realities.
After his unseasoned meal, he returned to the lake, which was surprisingly clean and cool despite the muddy bank. He stripped off his clothes, placing them carefully on a dry rock. The water was refreshing, washing away the grime and the lingering taste of bland monster meat. As he scrubbed himself, he heard it. A low rumble, far off in the distance, growing steadily louder. It sounded like… rolling.
And then, faintly, the rhythmic thud of heavy footsteps.
He poked his head out of the water, eyes narrowed, and scanned the far end of the lake, towards the denser part of the desert forest. Through the foliage, he could make out massive, shadowy forms. Huge, muscular beasts, resembling colossal oxen, their forms hulking even from this distance, were pulling… carriages. And inside those carriages, he could discern figures. Small, human-like figures. They looked troubled. Seriously troubled.
A strange feeling settled over Renari. He looked down at his own hand, then back towards the distant caravan. He could see them with incredible clarity, details he shouldn't be able to pick out from this distance. His senses were enhanced.
That's why he could hold his breath for so long, maybe even "breathe" underwater. Valemina's "Recoil" ability… it was more than just agility maybe or not?
He quickly finished his bath, dried himself with his cape, and pulled his damp clothes back on. The thought of finding civilization, of delicious, salted meat, was a strong motivator. But something else stirred within him.
Maybe if I save them, I can find a town. And some proper dinner. He secured his meager camp, his new, more serious expression belying the hunger-fueled motivations.
.
Meanwhile, in the lead carriage of the troubled caravan,a short young female, adjusted the crimson scarf tied around her neck. Two small, obsidian-black horns protruded from her light pink hair, which was cut bluntly at her jawline. She wore a dark blue medieval battle dress, practical and slightly worn, but clearly designed for combat. Her dark blue eyes, usually sparking with youthful mischief, were now etched with a profound seriousness. She peered out from under the carriage flap, her gaze fixed on the endless, dusty horizon.
Master is gone, she thought, the words a cold knot in her stomach. The others are losing hope. I have to think of something. I have to.