134 Map of the Cosmos

My eyes filled with darkness as I saw thick mists in my vision. A thunderous rumble echoed in my ears as I wondered what was happening. And then I felt it.

I felt myself locked into it. My body felt layered in something that wasn't mine. I couldn't control myself. My body began to move on its own. My will didn't react to my will or thoughts. I just moved. Looking about left and right as I moved forward.

I caught an image in the mists reflected dozens of times over. A woman clothed in starlight. Nox. The form I had known originally was different from this one though. The vibe she gave off was more angry, shadowed, and corrupt it seemed. Like her once light filled powers were dimming and becoming dark. Void like.

Her veiled hood pulsed with misty waves that danced out of it's confines.

"I have fought you for 1458 years, 7 months, and 3 days. And still you rose to fight me after your every failure. Now I will destroy you completely today. Even if I have to shatter myself to pieces to do it." She growled as a multi-eyed beast rose before her. Much smaller than I had originally seen of him. Beholder.

"My life is endless. Neither of us can truly die now you know. You are tied to me. And me to you. You can shatter yourself into millions of pieces. But we will never fail to live. Never fail to die. Stuck in this endless limbo of shadows, starlight, and blood. So I will offer you this again. Come with me. Shatter the world's and devour their Starlight. Swallow the universe in our power. All you have to say is yes." It squeaked out.

"Say yes to getting revenge on those who chained you here. Yes to getting your freedom back. Your life back. Just say Yes."

Nox's feelings flooded me. And the memories of the thousands of times he's offered this. Always looking for a crack in her emotions. Her life had been shot to hell for this eternity of fighting. And this offer finally found the crack that had formed over the thousand some years of fighting. And it sucked itself into it.

Her fear and anger surfaced even more now. She knew about the tie that had formed between her and Beholder. Neither could die. And neither could truly live. But what if the fighting stopped? What if they decided to leave this place?

She shifted her head to seem like she was looking at Beholder. "What about my freedom? Will you leave me alone? Leave my part of the universe alone if I set us both free? Never see me or my lands again?" She growled as her hate flowed through her venom slicked powers.

Beholder's eyes all focused on Nox again. On me.

"You have my Oath of the Chaotic Void. My Origin is on the line. I will not bother your part of the universe as long as you exist wholly exist in it. That is my bond." He said as a red glow eminated from his core and flashed through his eyes making a string of chaotic letters that entered Nox's right hand which hung at her side.

She raised her hand which now bore an eye emblem with a star embedded in the middle. "Then let's go. I still bear the Map of the Cosmos. I will help get us out of here. But you will not lay a finger on my part of the universe. As per your bond." She said as she turned away and started moving up the mist as though it was stairs.

"I will open the way. Then you and I will never see each other again." She said as she began to sing.

Heavy drums seemed to echo from that shadows. A slow beat like a heart pumping the music through the air around Nox. The mist she emitted seemed to shake and vibrate with the pulsing beat.

A squeal like howl of a bagpipe filled the air as she began to sing and stomp her feet in rhythm to the music. Her stomping becoming a jig. And her jig a flourishing dance. Fiddles soon joined in as She began to swirl and move about. Her body twisting here and there making the air shake even more.

Nox didn't sing this time which I felt let down about. Her voice was beautiful and full of emotion the last I heard it. But this time... was different. It was like her eyes were lost and her mouth didn't change no matter the playful motions of her dance and the call of the music.

Soon her powers truly took hold of the surroundings as a crack appeared in the air before her dancing form. Her dress had become looser yet smaller so she wouldn't trip as she moved. Black and White ribbons now adorned her arms trailing behind her as she moved.

The crack shook heavily and opened wider revealing golden light pouring forth.

"More Nox! Only a little more and we are both free!" Beholder squeaked. Nox was sweating profusely and her dance was slowing yet the crack opened till it was 3 feet wide and the other side could be clearly seen.

"You've done your part now. Let's go and never see each other again." Beholder squeaked as it floated through the dimensional crack. "Indeed." A tired and grumpy Nox grunted as she followed suit.

As I saw the crack sealing itself shut again before I felt a mental pull back to reality. The darkness filled caves that once held an ominous shadow and malicious intent. But now felt nothing but dusty but empty. I shook my head heavily trying to clear out my thoughts and sort my memories from Nox's. Her emotions had been truly palpable and almost overwhelming.

My skin was soaked with sweat as I sat there panting before realizing something heavy was laying across my legs.

I looked down to see a dark robed woman. The robes made of a thick black material dotted with golden starlight. A veil covered the upper part of her face revealing a pale lower face with rose red lips and a strong chin leading up a graceful jawline.

"Ehem." I coughed a little trying to catch this person's attention. I recognized the robes. But I wanted to be sure who this was before proceeding. "Nox... Can you get off me please? It's a little uncomfortable with the way I'm sitting." I groaned out as I realized sitting cross legged on the ground didn't support my shins or ankles weight wise.

The woman quickly jumped up before bowing. "My apologies Father. I didn't realize I was causing you discomfort." Her melodic voice echoed through the chamber.

I slowly stretched my sore legs before standing. My soreness slowly healing from the earth's power. Stiff muscles began to relax and warm once more.

I looked at Nox. Her demeanor after a hundred years had certainly changed. But I got the feeling that there was something more.

"You've changed alot the past century. More calm and peaceful than before." I commented as I looked her up and down. Her form was much more like a woman and less like a teenager. And knowing that I filtered the crystals I ate before giving the rest to her. I already understood something important about it all.

"So... how much more do you remember now? Nox. There's no way that you don't recall any memories from what I take in." I rumbled out.

Her bowing form seemed to freeze for a moment before she stood up straight again.

"I remember most of it. The time in the dark world and bits and pieces from before. But there's still large holes left. I don't remember who shattered me or where I actually came from before the fight with Beholder. And I just got back the fragments of escaping. I'm just... not as angry as I was before." She said as she ground her toes into the floor behind her.

I looked at her for a moment or two before letting out a sigh. "Well... if you do start feeling angry or alone. You know I'm around to help." I said as I gently patted her veiled head.

/Host has unlocked the shattered Map of the Cosmos from the memory fragments. Would you like to reassemble it?/ Sin chimed through my thoughts.

(Yes) I thought back.

/Confirmed. Redrawing and assembling map/ Sin chimed again as the darkness around me began to move.

Tendrils of inky darkness formed from the surroundings and swirled into my outstretched hands. They flowed like small streams of power as they compressed themselves before me.

First a small scrap of black paper appeared. No larger than nickle. Then it grew to the size of a dollar, a Toonie, a bill, a book, and then the size and thickness of a binder. It's cover was made of dense dark material with silver and gold lines depicting the sun, moon, and stars which swirled and turned on its surface.

I slowly opened the book and found a shifting sea of stars and planets. Solar systems and Galaxies danced before my eyes brilliantly lighting up the cavern with an etherial light. I tapped a planet and it rose from the page to float in front of my eyes.

Text began to form under the planet showing details and notes about what the world was. Who the affiliated gods were, and how long it would take to get there route wise. It was like a Galactic G*gle Maps.

"Wow. This is amazing." I whispered as I began to tap planets one by one and learn what was so special about them. Native species, Flora, Fauna, And even Gods I had never even heard of before.

Nox soon stood by my side her face lightly smiling as she watched my inquisitive and childish display.

"Perhaps we should save this for later Father. There are other shards to find. And no doubt it would benefit us both to find out if we can actually defeat beholder."

I smiled broadly as I gently shut the book. The sound of its cover and pages thudding closed echoed through the halls around us. "Too true daughter. Too true. Let's go make you whole again shall we?" I rumbled out with a grin as a blush covered Nox's cheeks. "What? you expect me to simply call you Nox when you insist on calling me Father. Doesn't seem fair. Does it?" I said as I ruffled her hair a little making a noticable mess beneath her veil.

"I don't necessarily...have a problem with it..." She said grinding her toes against the floor again shyly.