Embrace the Ether 1 The Transfer From Everything to Everything Else

The smell of blood filled the air, encapsulating itself into the senses of all unfortunate enough to be pulled into this cylindrical room, as a haze of mist and shadow seemed to coat the air, blocking everything from view.

Against one side of the room laid an older man, his innards carved out as his blood painted the walls behind him, his soul having already entered an eternal rest. The other side, there stood a young man, practically skin and bones.

His face hidden through silhouetted shadows, while markings resembling lightning etched across his bare back and arms.

"L-let me o-out..." The lone man demented, his eyes showed signs of disorientation as he fell towards the wall in a panic, "P-please, you don't h-have to keep doing this... you c-can let me go..."

From overhead, a monotone voice spoke, "My apologies, but that's not possible. Transfer commencing as pre-determined. All requisites have been met, making confirmation with Administrative assets."

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Countless beeping nodes sounded, blaring throughout the capsule room.

"Transfer prerequisite has been met. Good travels, Experiment XZ. May God bless you on your journey, may you find what we've been searching for."

"N-no!" The man screamed, scraping his nails bloody against the walls of the capsule.

"Are you awake?" The sudden words startled him, "It's quite a surprise, you know... I never would've thought they'd try to send someone else. Some poor, unlucky soul. Well, enough of that... Allow me to be the first to welcome you."

A genderless voice vibrated through the capsule as the mist faded, all sound seemed to evaporate into nothingness, even the body of the previously grotesque old man had vanished into thin air. All that remained was the lone man as he pushed his weight into the wall, rubbing his shoulder together against the blood from his prior spat.

"W-who are you?" He looked around, unable to see anyone, "Where..."

"Not now, child. The answers you seek and more await you, but not yet. Allow me to explain one thing, however, for you see you're currently in what's known as Juxtaposition, others refer to it simply as Transfer... but I find that name boring. You see, you're like an idea, that hasn't been thought of yet. You're being split, moved, from one point of Everything to another point, known as Ether, or... Everything Else."

"I don't... understand."

A dark and sinister chortle began to rupture through the air.

"Of course not, why would you? It's such an unimaginable concept actually, so how could you, one of such limited mental capacity be able to know what this all means? Oh, don't get me wrong... eventually you'll know what's needed, but for now just know you're no longer where you once were... nor are you whom you once were, in a way."

"Please... who put me here?" The demented man had finally begun to calm himself down as his eyes darted around the room. Now that his mind was clearer, he had plenty of questions that needed answers.

"It seems you've relaxed a bit, that's good... you'll need that mannerism if you intend to move forward from now on. Allow me to elaborate a bit. You've been placed in that place, from what I've come to understand, to achieve the will of those who put you there in the first place. What do they need? I'm unaware, but I'm sure you'll find your answer eventually, as long as you survive long enough."

"Wait, survive? You mean I can... d-die?"

"Well, of course. Everything dies, eventually. Even the limitless self-proclaimed immortals die, they've just never died before. The universe itself dies, all life dies, in fact... everything dies."

The man was shocked, his eyes gaped as he spoke, "Wait, isn't t-this new place... everything else?"

"Hah, you're a clever one. Well, you're partially right, you see—Ah, it seems you've arrived, we'll have to continue this discussion at a later date. In the meantime, I suggest you prepare yourself. Oh yes, another thing, this is very important."

The dark voice paused for a moment as if to taste the very air itself.

"Never, under any circumstances should you admit to being from outside this place, those here won't appreciate it. Not one bit. What you find here will be determined by you... my best advice to you would be this... never lose who you are, for this place will transform you if you're not careful."

"Wait, what do you m-mean by transform? Hello?"

Beep! Beep!

The systems of the capsule returned as the voice seemed to fade away, the room returned to normalcy, allowing the man, Experiment XZ, practically his first glance around the room since coming to his senses.

It was all too sterile as if scrubbed only moments ago. The sensation of worry he had only a few seconds ago had vanished as his mind cleared, allowing one thought after another to return to him. 'What sort of place was this?' 'Who was I just speaking to?' These were the sort of questions that occupied his mind.

The most important question of all, however, seemed to be one in particular. One question that stayed in the back of his mind as the capsule swayed about slightly.

'Who am I?'

Chapter end