Unknown Influence (I)

"Caretaker" was the title given to her for what feels like eons ago. A title that signifies lots of things, however this title was one she never asked for, as it was more of a curse than a boon she thought to have achieved on the path of power.

The stronger she became, the harder it was to proceed further. Strength was all she desired no matter even if the source was questionable. Strength was all she needed as she stood ever so close of being a transcendent one, but eons passed and the desired strength of hers felt like was ever farther to achieve.

The title of the caretaker restrained her origin source to the world she was told to cater- Kemetor. A world of eternal struggle on the path of power.

She, as remembered was named Ishel, long- long time ago. She went on an everlasting journey to became the strongest as now she stood on a plane not anyone in mortal realm can ever thought to stand. Surrounded by ethereal beauty and resplendent glow of shimmering stars in the background.

Alas, her dreams to further attain power were shackled as she chose the easy way out.

The caretaker Ishel, stood at what seems like the edge of a crystal clear lake, surrounded by misty white clouds that shrouded the landscape in an ethereal glow.

She wore a long flowing robe made of shimmering white silk, billowing lightly in the breeze. Her silver hair cascaded down her back in gentle waves. Her looks painted a scenario of what one can call a picturesque beauty standing in a daze. She looked out across the lake with a pensive expression, her eyes unfocused as she gazed into the distance.

Her eyes as if any mortal ever looks directly into it, they would be lost forever in the beauty of those crystals. The crystal like eyes currently have a contemplative feel that was contrasting to the beauty of the surroundings.

As she stood there, her thoughts were tumultuous. Dangerous thoughts swirling in her mind and the allure of being ever so close to her dreams if she was to be successful on this endeavour.

Not so long ago, she came across a concept of a ceremony which can help her on the path to further increase her strength. It was called "the transmigration ceremony" from different worlds to her own. She stood at the edge of the lake as she thought about the transmigration ceremony. The ceremony to pull souls of foreign beings from different dimensional domains.

However, it also comes with horrendous dangers if she ever gets exposed. Moreover the dangers can also come from the foreign beings themselves. She knew this was a risky endeavour, fraught with unknown dangers and uncertainties. But she also knew it was necessary for her to achieve the status she always wished to attain.

It was necessary, however it could also endanger the balance of the world she was assigned as a caretaker of and in turn her own origin source.

But she has came a long way for now to turn back. Even if it meant to endanger herself, she would gamble for grater power, to brake the shackles that bind her. She could not wait any longer as now she has a glimmer of hope that could help shattering the shackles that constrain her from achieving true power that she always dreamt.

As she pondered this, she consulted with her own thoughts again and again before venturing into the unknown and performing the transmigration ceremony. This was what she attained from an unknown source that could possibly help her pull essences and origin source of different beings through the different dimensional domains to use for her own advancement.

Suddenly, the mist around her began to shift and swirl, coalescing into a series of shimmering images. She saw glimpses of other worlds with their own cultures, customs and conflicts. She has summoned these other world images to better understand the nature of the beings who inhabited them.

As she watched, the images began to shift and change, each ones offering a glimpse into a world with its own unique features and inhabitants. In one image, she saw a vast desert, with towering sand dunes and fierce sandstorms that raged across the landscape. In other, she saw a world covered in ice and snow, where the sun never rose and the only light came from the pale glow of moon and stars. And in another image, she saw a world full of water where there was no land of set foot in.

As she gazed upon each image, the caretaker felt a deep sense of wonder and awe. As she saw, each world was so different, with its own unique ecosystems, cultures and histories. She wants to travel to those wonderful places herself but alas, she is the one who is shackled and could not traverse. This is why she seeks for more power and the path of being a transcendent one.

So she watched and looked for a suitable world to pull the source from. Along with wonders of different worlds, also came a sense of concern. As she could not just carelessly pull any foreign soul who could challenge her own hegemony in this domain. And moreover, she could not pull any foreign essence and origin source from a domain that has their own caretaker.

She knew, that risks and rewards go hand in hand but she still wanted to scrutinize everything and not destroy herself before even achieving what she always hoped for.

With the wave of her hand the images began to fade and the screens surrounding her went dark. The caretaker's location then shifted from the edge of the lake to a dimly lit chamber with an ornate table in the centre along with a throne of ethereal beauty.

She then sat on the throne and closed her eyes, her mind racing with thoughts and plans of how to proceed with the transmigration ceremony to achieve her dreams.

"We must prepare for the transmigration ceremony. It is a delicate process and one that must be performed with utmost care and precision." (Ishel)

Her voice was sonorous but a monotone one. She voiced to particularly no one but a similarly monotone reply came which pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Ishel- sama, is it really the time my lady? How do we go about it? What steps must we take?"

A monotone voice of a follower for the caretake Ishel came out as she nodded, her expression serious. The caretaker gestured to the tomes and scrolls on the table.

"We had consulted these ancients texts and have already studied the rituals and spells necessary. We must also gather the required ingredients and prepare ourselves both mentally and spiritually for the tasks at hand." (Ishel)

Her follower nodded and leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the caretaker.

"My lady, and what of the risks involved? What if something goes wrong?"

The caretaker voiced out with a serious but determined expression.

"There are always risks involved in such endeavours. We must be prepared for the worst and have contingencies in place to deal with any unforeseen circumstances. We cannot let our fear of failure prevent us from taking actions. The fate of our world hangs in the balance." (Ishel)

The follower of hers nodded again, her own determination unwavering as she stood beside her lord.

"I am ready, my lady. I will do whatever it takes to the success of the ceremony."

The caretake smiled hearing the words of her follower, a sense of longing for power unfurling in her chest. Her deep thoughts unknown even to her follower.

"I have no doubt you will, together we will perform the transmigration ceremony. Call Thirteen and we will go forward with the ceremony. She must have already gathered all the required ingredients." (Ishel)

"Ah, Ishel sama, my lady. You need not worry as I thirteen have already gathered all the necessary ingredients you have commanded your servant to collect. Second, might you not stand in the way as I present everything to my lady. Ah my lady, I was worried you might have forgotten about your servant Thirteen, tee hee." (Thirteen)

A sonorous voice filled with life sounded from the opposite of the caretaker's throne. The other follower named Second looked disdainfully towards the upcoming voice.

"Behave, you are in the presence of my lady." (Second)

"Ah Second, might you always be like this. The monotonous way of your speaking is something I am not too fond of." (Thirteen)

"Huh, so you disdain my tone of speaking even though its similar to Ishel-sama." (Second)

"I don't disdain my lady's tone of speaking but you mimicking it. Tee hee." (Thirteen)

"Both of you stop bickering about your unnecessary banter and Second gather all the others. We must proceed with the ceremony without a further due." (Ishel)

Both of her follower's voice resounding in the dimly lit chamber in acknowledgement.

""As you wish Ishel-sama.""

The transmigration ceremony which offers plenty of wonders for herself but with unknown risks. Furthermore, a price needs to be paid for the ceremony to be successful. A price which could never be paid by a shackled origin source, however the concept she came across was with a tool of a transcendent one.

An alluring tool of wonder that she knew she could not utilize alone so she schemed. The caretaker of Kemetor, schemed against her own followers in the ethereal plane. Her thoughts ever so clear as nobody mattered on her path to achieve what she sought. But she didn't know that she wasn't the only one who schemed. She didn't know that an unknown being schemed against her, a being who sought for completely contrasting results than her own.