Beyond Parallel

chapter 5 Unknown's Gifts

The creature reached into the leaves with one of it's four arms, soon after its hand receded and in its grip was a fruit. It looked incandescent and almost transparent. The flesh beneath its skin churned and shifted from a white radiance similar to that of the leaves, to a black pungent aura of onyx. The fruit looked small, but Kreed knew that this was only an illusion, since it was grasped in the large claws of the creature. Its presence was almost undetectable. It felt no different than that of a normal fruit. Yet its sight was chilling and mysterious.

The creature handed Kreed the fruit and instantly, his body convulsed. His mind was restored and his soul repaired itself. Kreed was shaken to the core.

A second later Kreed could move and feel his body, unlike he had ever been able to before. The only thing that reminded him of his past pain was the gripping hunger that tore at him from within.

Kreed was dazed, the only thing that brought him back was the sounding of the voice from before.

["You have obtained a relic, Peach of existence"]

The voice sounded as artificial as it had before, but this time it was emotionless.

Kreed shuddered.

"That my child, is the voice of the mind. 'Asterion'" exclaimed the creature.

"I am afraid that once you've gained an incline of divinity, you will be able to hear the voice."

Lifting it's two top hands the creature spoke once more.

"Since you've heard it, I should grant you ample status as such."

Two beams of red radiant light hlashed from the base of the creatures claws. And in them two items appeared. In the left hand of the creature appeared a silver ball. It was rounder than Kreed could imagine. And in the other appeared two ebony coloured chains. They gave of a sense of pure and holy, authority.

As the creature handed them to Kreed the fruit that he held disappeared with a flash. Only because his mind had been renewed and refreshed did he notice a single wisp of light entered his body. Noticing this Kreed couldn't help but wonder how much he had missed.

Kreed accepted the chain and silver ball just as he had with the fruit and just as he had expected the voice sounded once more.

["You have obtained a relic, sphere of the Boundless"]

["You have obtained a relic, chain of territory"]

The creature smiled as the objects disappeared once more breaking into a rain of sparks. Soon two similar wisp of light found there way into Kreed's body.

With a puzzled look on his face Kreed asked.

"What happened? Did they fuse with me?"

As if to answer the creature pointed to it's heart.

"Fuse? What a strange way of putting it. No rather they were attached to your soul. It's an ability that all who hear 'Asterion's' voice possess. You can give and receive relics.

Focus your mind and you should be able to feel your souls presence."

Trying to confirm the creatures words Kreed, closed his eyes and tried to learn of any foreign existence which he had never felt before. Surely enough Kreed noticed something. It felt unique and uncharted. With the new clarity Kreed had received from the mysterious fruit, he tried grasping the feeling.

He felt his mind, drift and as he came to he found himself in the midst of a great darkness. In it's center was a single orb of bright, resounding light. It looked like a star in the dark expanse of the universe. Around the orb were three similar specks of light.