Power of Zero

Cipher awoke on a beautiful grassy plain, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight for the first time in this strange, new world. He reached toward the sky, half expecting to feel... something. Yet, his body felt the same, unchanged—though perhaps lighter somehow, as if the weight of his old life had been lifted. Even the sky above seemed oddly familiar.

Did the voice set it up like this to make me feel more comfortable?

The thought lingered as he sat up, his silver eyes sweeping across rolling green hills that stretched endlessly. The grass swayed gently in the breeze, rippling like waves beneath the soft kiss of the wind. Cipher closed his eyes, letting the breeze brush his face. For the first time in either life, he allowed himself to simply exist in the moment, free of pain, free of expectation.

But that peace couldn't last.

The memory of his death crept back into his mind—his parents, their betrayal. He still couldn't fully process it. His chest tightened as he tried to piece it all together. Was I really that bad of a son? Was I too weak?

His thoughts spiraled until, in a burst of self-reproach, he muttered aloud, "I left food out... that's why... I'm such an idiot."

As ridiculous as the thought was, he latched onto it, desperate for any explanation. But the illusion shattered as movement caught his attention.

Across the plain, a strange creature emerged from the grass. It resembled a bear, though with slick black fur and two large, circular ears that shimmered slightly in the light—like speakers. The oddest part was its behavior: it would take a few steps, pause, then clap its paws together. Each clap released a visible pulse through the grass, bending the blades outward in gentle ripples.

Cipher's mind raced, recalling the voice's words: Anything and everything can exist here. Magic among countless other wonders.

So... could I do that too?

The idea struck him suddenly. Why not try? He raised his hands, rolling his shoulders back and bending his knees slightly, trying to focus on the idea of amplifying sound just like the creature.

CLAP!

The sound exploded from his hands, deafening and sharp. His entire body tensed from the shock as a visible pulse radiated out from the impact, flattening the grass around him in a wide circle.

"Ahhh—!" Cipher staggered, clutching his ears, the pain ringing in his head. Yet, through the discomfort, part of him was amazed. That actually worked?

But his wonder quickly faded when he noticed the creature turning toward him.

It tilted its head, its oversized ears twitching in his direction.

Cipher's pulse spiked. The creature—no, the Blaper (bear + clapper, obviously)—began moving his way, faster than before.

Cipher noticed other details as it closed the distance. The sheen of something sharp extending from its paws, so thin it was barely visible until it caught the sunlight. Claws. Long ones.

Run? Fight? What should I do?

Then the voice spoke again in his mind, calm but urgent.

"You have options. First, you can run into the tightly packed forest behind you, or you could try to outrun the creature you've named Blaper. I recommend the forest for the highest likelihood of survival."

Cipher spun, heart pounding, and saw the treeline in the distance. No, not trees. Giant metal spires, needle-thin and packed closely together.

"Wait—those aren't trees! Those are needles on sticks!"

"Technically, it is called the Forest of Metal Trees," the voice corrected.

Cipher's gaze flicked back to the Blaper, which was closing fast. It wasn't charging yet, but its pace had quickened.

No time.

He sprinted toward the metal forest. His chest burned, his legs strained, but fear kept him moving. For a brief moment, a thought flashed through his mind: What if I die again?

Panic surged through him. But—

Wait.

I can't die...

The realization snapped back to him, yet the primal fear still gripped his chest, overpowering logic. In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten.

His foot caught a rock, and he stumbled but kept running.

Reaching the edge of the metal trees, Cipher grabbed the nearest spire and began to climb. The surface was smooth, but his grip held firm, as if his body just knew how to adjust to this world's physics. He was halfway up when the voice spoke again, more exasperated this time.

"There is one significant flaw in your current plan."

Cipher growled under his breath, "And what would that be?"

"Blapers can climb."

"...Oh, come on!"

He glanced down just in time to see the Blaper reach the base of the tree, its claws glinting as it reared back—

And then it clapped.

The shockwave hit the base of the tree, vibrating it violently. Cipher lost his grip, sliding several feet before he caught himself again.

Think! Think!

Suddenly, inspiration struck. If it could use sound to attack...

Cipher cupped his hands together and focused harder than before. This time, he imagined the energy of the clap condensing, focused.

CLAP!

The pulse shot downward this time, slamming into the Blaper. The creature stumbled back with a startled grunt, its claws retracting slightly.

Cipher didn't wait for a second chance. Pushing off the tree, he aimed his hands down again and released another amplified clap mid-air. The blast propelled him further, sending him flipping backwards to land a few feet away from the Blaper.

It roared, clearly enraged now.

Cipher met its glare, heart hammering but steady.

I'm not dying again. I refuse.