The Past Ahead - an Empires SMP AU

Chapter 7 - Inside

           The self-appointed princess of Dawn wandered through her empire, feeling bored. It was high noon, the time of day that made everyone feel drowsy and suddenly acquire the urge to take a nap under a sweet-smelling tree. Except for Gem. She loved the sun, and wanted to spend as much time in it as possible. Awake. Or at least her character for this dimension did. The real Gem? She wasn't exactly sure. She'd played so many different characters across so many different dimensions as a shapeshifting celestial being that she was starting to forget what she would act like without anyone watching.

           A small war waged in her mind. She was feeling the burden of having to portray two different people at the same time lately, with her having a Gem persona in Hermitcraft as well as in Empires. These days she felt like doing anything to relieve some of the burden she had put on her back as the price for her fun. Even telling everyone her secret, so they wouldn't be surprised if she never showed up one day. But you can't tell, a voice whispered. Best case scenario, they still accept you but don't feel like trusting you anymore. Worst case scenario, they stop being friends. 

           But they were fine with Lizzie secretly being a cat and not telling them all this time, Gem argued back. That was because they all already knew she was a cat. She's terrible at keeping secrets. Gem groaned audibly and then covered her mouth, wondering if anyone saw. Fortunately, no one was around to wonder why the princess of Dawn looked so troubled at her 'favorite time of the day'. She decided to leave for Hermitcraft. It was a little earlier than she had planned, but on Hermitcraft the hermits knew about the fourth wall and what she did for lore, they knew about her multiple personas, and she wouldn't have to worry about the possibility of telling anyone her secret. 

           With that thought in mind she warped time and space around her and prepared to teleport to the other dimension. Then, just as her body was slipping into a different plane of existence as it left this world, she noticed something at the corner of her eye. Or more accurately, someone. A dark figure was standing in her peripheral vision and she shivered. Gem hadn't noticed him arrive, then she realized that he must've always been in this dimension between dimensions, and she had only noticed him now as she was leaving this world. 

           And now he had noticed her. 

           Gem hesitated for a second, then willed her multiversal teleporting powers to deposit her in this between-place, which she quickly realized was the spectral plane that spirits and souls wandered before and after death. That realization didn't make her any less nervous. She really didn't like traversing between dimensions like this; the last time she had tried anything remotely similar to that she had gotten stuck between worlds for a week and even after she escaped everything was blurry to her for a month. But still, maybe this new person had gotten stuck like she had, and so he needed help. Gem approached him cautiously. He looked at her and grinned maniacally, reaching out with his clawed hand to touch her

           And then

                          she

                               wasn't

                                       herself

                                                  anym

                                                                 o

                                                                         r

                                                                                e

           He was surprised at how easily he could take over this new being. And that he could take over this being. With his figurative hands he clutched her soul and learned to manipulate her actions. This being was powerful. He wasn't entirely sure what she was yet, but all he knew was that she would be useful. But not now. Not yet. As much as he relished having a new form in this way, he had to learn more about this new gift of possession that he suddenly had. And how to use it to its fullest potential. But first he had to get out of this between-place. With enough effort and concentration and practice, he activated his host's teleportation ability and teleported to the empire she ruled. Soon he would rule it, and all the empires in the multiverse as well. 

          This celestial being, her power can take me to all the other worlds. And I will conquer them all. But not yet, not while this one is still ripe for the taking. 

           He noted that in the time it had taken him to get used to her power and use it to bring him to this world, the sun had already set and the moon was full and rising. He set the celestial in her bed and hoped that when he left her body, she would assume she had a strange dream and not think anymore of it. It wasn't wise to have anyone learn of his presence in this world yet. 

           Gem woke up with a start in her bed, moonlight shining through her open window. 

           What happened? How did I get here? 

           She had a vague memory of trying to leave for Hermitcraft, but that was it. Or was it? Was there something about the spectral plane, and her finding a dark figure within it? She shook her head. It was just a bad dream. 

           Then why did it feel like something had gone horribly, horribly wrong?