Paths Beyond (Under Rewrite)

And Grey disappeared into his mental space.

The placid water surrounded him, rippling gently beneath his feet, with the familiar pool of golden liquid in its usual spot. But something was different. In front of him stood a figure—not shrouded in light or obscured by mystery, but clear and vivid, sharper than anything he had ever seen, even in the outside world.

It was the image of a creature he had seen once before in his vision while comprehending the scroll—a beast carrying a world on its back. Though this version was smaller, less majestic, it was unmistakable. Grey didn't know what it was, only that its presence commanded his attention.

The voice that emanated from it was familiar but transformed. No longer strained or fractured, it was full of ancient authority, resounding with the weight of endless time. Each word seemed to echo through Grey's very being.

"This is the last time I will help you," it said, the voice reverberating through the silent expanse. "There will be nothing left of me after."

The creature continued, its tone unwavering. "I can stop your death. It was my fault for allowing you to see through my eyes in the first place. You must leave this place. Rise above all the rest."

"Wait!" Grey called out, his voice desperate as the creature began to fade, its form dissolving into the endless expanse of his mind. "Who are you? Tell me your name!"

The creature paused, its presence flickering like a dying ember. A whisper came back to him, soft yet unyielding, carrying an ancient truth.

"I once was Origin, home of the first life. My form is but an imitation of my descendants, the Turtles of Creation."

The name held weight, reverberating through Grey's thoughts. He felt its significance deep within him, as though it had always been a part of him, waiting to be uncovered.

As the final word left its being, Origin's form began to dissolve. A faint crackling sound filled the air as golden threads unraveled from its body, each strand transformed into an eruption of colors, glowing with immense light. The threads stretched outward, circling Grey like streams of liquid fire, their warmth brushing against his skin.

Grey gasped as the lights began to merge into him. The void he had felt—the emptiness that had gnawed at him even in this mental space—began to recede.

Above him, the creature's remaining form shimmered, its glowing veins dimming until it was nearly transparent. Origin's voice, faint but resolute, echoed one last time.

"Rise... and carry what I could not..."

And then it was gone.

Grey stood alone in the vast expanse of his mind, the weight of Origin's final words settling over him like an unshakable mantle. Though the ancient being had vanished, its essence lingered, a radiant light suffusing the space around him. That same light flowed outward, healing his broken body in the outside world.

Grey was suddenly forced from his mind, the biting cold of snow against his back jolting him to reality. Above him, he saw the shocked faces of Keen and Brawl, their expressions etched with a mixture of disbelief and relief. A few others had also arrived—Shot, Serene, and Aedric—each showing varying degrees of surprise and concern.

"Uh—what's wrong?" Grey asked, his voice hoarse and confused. For a moment, he struggled to reconcile what had just happened, still hardly believing that his body had nearly crumbled to dust.

"Grey, you—" Keen started, but before he could finish, someone pounced on Grey, wrapping their arms tightly around him.

"You—you were disappearing..." Serene sputtered, her voice trembling, remnants of earlier sobs still evident.