the palace of the black king

LIRAN'S POV:

Derek stood alongside me, and together we cast our gaze skyward, beholding the distant celestial bodies that adorned the expanse above us. They appeared immeasurably distant, suspended in ethereal majesty...

Derek: Pray tell, what are these enigmatic entities? Might they be stars?

Me: Indeed, they are akin to stars, my dear friend. Rythmeus enlightened me regarding their nature. These stars are boundless in number, each one surpassing the previous in its unfathomable remoteness.

Derek: And what course of action shall we pursue in light of this revelation?...

Me: Let us ascend, Derek, into the heavens themselves...

Following that decision, we took flight, soaring through the heavens.

Derek: Astonishing! This realm is truly awe-inspiring... We possess the capacity to engage in a multitude of endeavors here. For our ultimate objective lies within the hallowed domain of the Black King, situated high above and transcendent to the chaotic lands below.

In order to attain communion with "him," we must transcend this realm.

Derek: Well, that certainly sounds intriguing... I suppose it will be an interesting experience.

As we continued our ascent, soaring higher and higher, we eventually arrived at the first star. Surprisingly, nothing adverse occurred; we remained unscathed, enveloped in a soothing warmth.

The ambiance here is rather serene.

Derek: This is truly fascinating!

Me: Indeed, Derek. In this realm, the concept of infinity takes on a heightened complexity and renders our previous notions irrelevant. Each succeeding star surpasses the previous one in magnitude and grandeur.

It's as if every star encompasses an infinitely greater expanse than the one before it... We are traversing realms of ever-increasing infinities, growing in complexity and wonder.

Derek: Hold on a moment... Higher infinities? What on earth does that even mean?

Me: Well, Derek, given that we find ourselves in a realm that transcends the confines of the "physical universe," our understanding of what constitutes "infinity" becomes convoluted and inconsequential in this extraordinary place.

This realm lies beyond the boundaries of our traditional notions of "logic" and "illogic." It may seem perplexing, but it aligns with the nature of dreams, which often appear strange and illogical to our waking selves.

So the concepts of infinitude become intricate and utterly inconsequential in this context... and all of mathematics become irrelevant here...

Derek: Indeed... I am not particularly fond of your 'intellectual mathematics' nonsense. Let us proceed, shall we...

Liran: Hehe, very well.

Subsequently, we resumed our celestial journey, approaching the second star, which boasts greater magnificence and presents greater challenges... and then,

We found ourselves already there.

Derek: ?!... How on earth did this happen?...

Liran, do you possess extraordinary abilities or similar faculties?

Me: Hm... as I don't perceive any tangible sensations in this realm, it seems as though I have acclimated to it effortlessly. It's almost as if I possess a certain mastery over this domain, allowing me to manipulate it. We may, perhaps, transcend this realm...

And judging by appearances, my powers have ensured your safety in my company, granting you the capacity to accompany me to these celestial bodies.

Derek: I comprehend... let us press on.

Subsequently, we continued our ascent, reaching the third star... and then the fourth star. We persisted in this manner for a while, as an inexhaustible multitude of these stars stretched before us. Each stellar entity surpassed its predecessor in grandeur and posed increasingly formidable challenges.

I recollect the teachings of Rythmeus regarding this realm—a realm known as the "Lands of Chaos." Within this vast expanse, there exist infinite strata, with each successive layer that is completely innaccessible to the previous and dwarfs its preceding counterpart in sheer magnitude... the lands of chaos is a realm that contains all of what is possible and impossible, conceivable and inconceivable...

The sheer vastness of the Lands of Chaos is a source of profound fascination. Derek and I, thus far, have only traversed a solitary layer within this boundless domain. Every layer is adorned with these countless celestial bodies, and each star outshines the previous one in both magnitude and difficulty of access.

We continued our ascension, soaring ever higher...

Derek: Goodness... where in the world are we? The profusion of stars is truly overwhelming!

Me: ... all of this merely constitutes a solitary stratum amidst an infinite array of layers.

Derek: What?!... Oh dear, let us hasten towards that accursed black king without further ado!

We continued our ascent relentlessly, and with each successive star I encountered, I remained impervious to any sensations. I harbored an unshakable belief that we possessed the capacity to transcend these bounds—I was resolute.

And then, we transcended the confines of this particular stratum; we ascended to the second layer.

Derek: ?!

We now found ourselves in a superior stratum, one that resided entirely above its predecessor...

As Derek and I gazed back at the previous layer, it appeared insignificant in comparison. We effortlessly wielded the power to manipulate and govern that antecedent realm as if it were a mere narrative or a volume within a library.

We possessed complete dominion over it... an astonishing revelation indeed.

Derek: Remarkable... This is an awe-inspiring spectacle. I have never witnessed or experienced anything of this magnitude before. With each passing layer and realm, I feel a growing sense of liberation.

Liran, how do you perceive this unfolding reality?

Me: To be honest, I find myself in a state of tranquility. I don't experience any overwhelming emotions in this journey.

Derek: I understand... Let us persist in our ascent, climbing ever higher.

Me: Agreed.

We continued our arduous ascent, venturing toward the intricate and lofty stars that posed even greater challenges to reach.

Undeterred, we persevered, reaching more and more stars until...

We arrived at the third layer.

Undaunted, we pressed on, transcending and traversing additional layers, even encountering ones that defied all logic... until, at one juncture, I became certain that we would eventually reach the abode of the black king.

And then...

We arrived at our destination.

We found ourselves within the confines of the black king's palace, but what lay before us was truly peculiar.

We stood on a desolate street, an exact replica of the very street where my mother resided. It was an uncanny sight, to say the least.

Me: ?...

DEREK'S POV:

We stood upon that familiar street, realizing that it was the very place where Liran's mother had resided. It was an eerie coincidence, and an unsettling feeling began to settle upon us.

Me: Liran, why have we been brought to this location?

Liran: I cannot fathom the reason. It is indeed peculiar.

Me: Well, let us continue exploring. Perhaps we will encounter someone or something that can shed light on this enigma.

Liran: Agreed.

With each step, we traversed the desolate street, encountering only vacant houses and an overwhelming sense of solitude.

As we proceeded, our journey led us to the house where Liran's mother once dwelled. However, an inexplicable unease gripped me at the sight. I sensed an ominous presence lurking behind those doors, a malevolence that threatened to consume our sanity.

In a desperate plea, I cried out:

Me: Liran! Please, do not open that door! Opening it will lead to dire consequences! I implore you, exercise caution!

LIRAN'S POV:

I heard Derek's desperate pleas and witnessed his overwhelming concern regarding what lay beyond the doors of my mother's house. However, for reasons unknown to me, I remained unaffected by his distress.

Derek: Please!... Don't do it! It will drive you to madness!

Me: ...

Despite Derek's words, I approached the door and mustered the courage to open it. What I encountered inside was a profoundly shocking sight.

There, before me, lay the lifeless body of a person. It was none other than my father.

Me: ...

My father... He had passed away when I was just a child, and now, in this surreal moment, I beheld him lying motionless on the floor.

The Black King had succumbed to the psychological battle.

Even though I saw my father's lifeless body, it failed to evoke any fear, terror, or even a sense of unease within me.

Derek: ?! That's your father... How can you remain so unaffected?

Me: I had a sense that something like this could occur. But even if I hadn't foreseen it, it wouldn't have troubled me in the least. I have grown accustomed to such sights.

Derek: What do you mean?

Me: You see... I have pondered many things, witnessed my loved ones and those dear to me perish repeatedly. I have witnessed their deaths time and again.

Eventually, it ceased to affect me. I grew accustomed to it. So, seeing my father here, lifeless, doesn't disturb me in the slightest. I feel remarkably calm, to be honest. However, there is more to be done now.

Derek: ?!

Suddenly, a radiant burst of light engulfed us, causing the very streets we stood upon to dissolve into nothingness.

And just like that, our surroundings transformed into an ethereal, colorless realm. We seemed to be suspended, no longer bound by the constraints of gravity.

Derek: ?!...

I surveyed this enigmatic realm, recognizing it as the palace of the black king. Even though his presence permeated every corner, I could sense that he was directly before us.

And then, he materialized.

The black king materialized before us, taking the form of a dark, humanoid figure.

Me: There you are.

I advanced toward him, driven by an unyielding determination. Soon, I stood face to face with him.

Without hesitation, I delivered a powerful punch, the impact creating a blinding burst of light that enveloped everything.

And in an instant, we returned to the physical universe.

We found ourselves in the desert, with Derek thrown back several feet, landing on the sandy ground.

Derek: Damn...

As for me, I too experienced the force of the impact, sliding across the sand for a brief moment before coming to a stop.

I was completely unaffected...

DEREK'S POV:

I gazed upon Liran, who stood a mere couple of feet distant, his countenance undisturbed by the resplendent luminescence that transported us back to this realm...

Such astonishment and bewilderment overcame me, yet I pondered: had we truly achieved it?

Had victory been attained?

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