Chapter 434: The pull

We gathered at the cavern's heart, where Lost had cleared a spacious space for our assembly. My gaze roamed the cavern, entranced by the faintly glowing crystals, before ultimately fixing upon our peculiar host.

Sidus, Immy, and Breta bore solemn countenances, their expressions weighted with anticipation for her words. In contrast, Ynos and Essie displayed disinterest, engrossed in discourse regarding the abnormalities of mana.

"So, you said you come from Aynezh?" I asked.

Lost inclined her head in affirmation before responding, "Yes, that is my birthplace," she remarked, her mouth curling into a gentle smile. It was evident that the planet held cherished memories within her heart.

"And here is?" I asked while glancing at the cavern. 

Lost shook her head before speaking, "This plane doesn't have a name," she paused for a second before continuing, "Since it's situated at the edge, near the Void, no one comes here."

"You keep saying the Void, what is that exactly?" Immy jumped in and asked with a slight frown.

Lost's brows raised in surprise as she turned to face her, "You don't know, the Void?" She asked in disbelief.

"Are we supposed to?" Sidus asked with a frown. 

"Ah, no, I'm sorry, I suppose you don't. I forgot you guys are not from here," she shook her head and replied.

Sidus turned to look at me with a frown and I gave him a slight nod. 

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure we quite understand where, 'here' is supposed to be," I added.

"Oh, that's easy! You're at the edge of the of the universe!" She said with a strangely chirpy voice.

Her words prompted a furrow of my brow, and it seemed the others shared my sentiment. Even Ynos and Essie ceased their discussion, their attention drawn to the Dragoness as they gazed at her intently.

Lost seemed surprised by our reaction and spoke, "What's wrong? Are you guys central worlders?" 

"Central worlders?" I asked again in confusion.

"No, we are from the main plane," Breta replied. 

"Oh! Really?! That's amazing! I've never met anyone from the main world!" Lost suddenly stood up in excitement, her eyes brimming with newfound curiosity. 

I turned toward Breta and motioned for her to explain.

"Central worlders are those born in planets in the middle of the universe. That's where most of the battlefields against the Shades are. The main plane, however, is situated at the edge," she explained.

"The edge?" Immy mumbled. 

"So we didn't teleport too far?" Essie asked with a tilted head, "The main plane is close by?" She continued.

"Hmm? No? The main plane is on the other side of the Universe," Lost said calmly. 

For an instant, a hush fell over the cavern, the gravity of the revelation sinking in. Lost, however, appeared oblivious to the tension, her expression one of puzzlement as she regarded us with confusion.

After what felt like a few minutes, I shook my head and asked, "So does that mean we are back in Shade territory?" 

"Oh, no, they don't come here," She quickly replied. 

"How come?" Sidus couldn't help but ask, "Since you said no one stays here, is this world still part of Dragon territory?"

"Dragon territory? What do you mean?" Puzzled, Lost asked with her brows raised.

Sidus's frown deepened as he spoke, "Who rules this world? Who's territory does it belong to?"

"No one, of course. It's right by the Void, no one dares to come here."

"So it's neither Shade nor Dragon territory," I said to which she nodded.

"This entire area, with Aynezh included is not part of any territory. I think my mother called it, the free planes."

"Huh, is that so?"

"Yes, the battlefields, I hear, are so far away. I've never been to one before. I hear they can be quite chaotic!"

"That they are," I replied absentmindedly, my thoughts consumed by the information at hand as I tried to piece together a mental map of the universe.

To the far left lay the main plane, with the Void looming beyond. The central realms served as the primary battlegrounds. And presently, we found ourselves at the furthest right, with the Void at our backs.

"So the Void is the end?" Essie asked while scratching her head.

"Yes. Mother says that's where the world meets its end. There lies naught but emptiness, and any who venture into it are doomed to wander endlessly, unable to escape."

Upon hearing that, I couldn't shake the memory of the outlandish theory we had heard earlier. Could it possibly hold some truth? My breath quickened, my heart skipping a beat at the thought. If it were true, did that mean we were all akin to birds trapped in a cage?

It appeared I wasn't the sole one grappling with these thoughts, as Sidus, Immy, and Breta fell into deep contemplation, their auras displaying a hint of instability.

"Is that why the mana is strange in this place?" Ynos who was quiet this entire time, suddenly spoke with a frown.

"Strange?" Lost seemed confused for a second before realizing what Ynos was talking about, "Ah! Yes, Mother says it's the influence of the Void. The closer one is to it, the more erratic the mana becomes. I'm used to it, so I can't really tell the difference," she said with an embarrassed expression.

Ynos gave a nod in reply.

"And why can't you leave exactly?" I asked.

"The planet is dangerously close to the Void," Lost explained gravely. "The moment I depart the atmosphere, I risk being entrapped by its pull."

"How did you even get here?" Sidus asked with a frown.

Upon hearing this, Lost scratched her head in embarrassment before responding, "I... I was curious. Mother always cautioned me against venturing too near, but life in Aynezh grew boring, and Mother seldom allowed me interactions with mortals!" She paused briefly before continuing, "So I departed. My intention wasn't to arrive here; I was merely drawn by curiosity about the Void. But I underestimated its force and found myself crash-landing in this planet. It was either that or be drawn into the Void, forever lost."

"That's strange, we didn't feel any such pull when we came. And certainly didn't 'see' this Void that you are talking about," I replied with a frown.

"Of course, you can't see the Void, silly," Lost chuckled. "It's shrouded in darkness; what would there be to see?" She paused, then added, "But no pull? How is that possible? I barely managed to prevent myself from colliding with the two moons!"

"That's weird…" I frowned