Power of Zero

Axel scratched the back of his head, his expression thoughtful. "That's a little harder to explain. First, you need to understand that without darkness, there is no need for light. This world will always have light, and in turn, there will always be darkness. Humans and creatures here are born with a small amount of darkness. Fear, for instance. It spawns from different places, and if left unchecked, it can be catastrophic—leading to extreme darkness. But having no fear can be just as dangerous." Axel paused for emphasis. "A skydiver jumps by letting go of his or her fear of height and embracing it. That doesn't mean they lack fear; if they did, they wouldn't wear a parachute. The fear of death, or of going... *" Axel clapped his hands together with a loud splat sound, "that's what makes them put the parachute on and check it."

Cipher, fully immersed in the conversation, couldn't help but wonder, "So, how do I fit into all this? As a Knight of Light, if I see a Shimmer—should I just let it roam? What if it attacks someone?"

Axel laughed, a deep, rumbling chuckle, as though he were relishing the moment. It was a familiar, almost uncle-like laugh, though it came with a trace of amusement at Cipher's earnestness. "Ah, I see you've already had your first experience with a nightmare—a 'Shimmer,' no less. Well, congratulations. The last Knight who fought one of those had to get his arm reattached." Axel shook his head with mock sympathy. "To answer your question: yes and no. If you see a nightmare heading toward a town, eliminate it. But if it's in the wild, and it's not causing harm, it's better to leave it be. Even if you go on a rampage and destroy an entire species of nightmares, another one will inevitably pop up to take its place—and the new type may be worse than the one you eradicated."

Cipher understood what Axel was saying but was taken aback by the casual way Axel mentioned reattaching a limb. His curiosity couldn't be contained. "Is that commonplace around here? Is it easy to just... reattach a limb?"

Axel gave a short, amused laugh at Cipher's expense before answering, "No and no. It just so happened that particular Knight didn't like to listen very well." He paused, eyes narrowing as if remembering something. "And yes, while it's not exactly easy to reattach a limb, it's not impossible either—assuming you have the whole thing." Axel gave a shrug, as if the details didn't matter. "But don't worry, you won't have to deal with that. Not anytime soon, anyway."

Cipher thought back to his conversation with the Goddess of the Void, recalling the immortality she had granted him. Axel nodded knowingly, continuing, "That's correct. You've been given immortality, but that doesn't mean you can't die or experience worse than death. If you're captured, you could be tortured endlessly without hope of reprieve. You can be decapitated, poisoned, suffocated, or even burned to a crisp—but with time, you'll regenerate. It may seem great, but it's not all-powerful. If your existence is erased, or if there's not a single cell left to regenerate from, you won't come back. Simple as that."

He met Cipher's gaze with a seriousness that made the gravity of his words clear. "I give you this warning as I've given to all the Knights before you. These powers, if obtained by the darkness, could destroy this world. Any questions so far?"

Cipher was starting to feel the weight of the conversation. His arm had gone numb from resting on the table, and he hadn't realized how long they'd been talking. Something didn't quite feel right—Axel's ability to answer him without words, the odd sensation in his hand, and the last lingering question in his mind about this world's name.

Axel raised a hand to stop Cipher's train of thought and answered, as though reading his mind. "In a previous life, I was continuously lied to. When I arrived in this world, I was given the ability to read minds, making it harder for others to deceive me. That end table your hand is resting on? It's providing your partner a constant stream of information. It's done by sending electrical pulses through your nerves. That's why your hand feels 'asleep.' The sensation will go away once you remove it."

Cipher blinked in surprise, but Axel wasn't done yet. With a subtle gesture, a screen appeared before them, displaying various images. "Now, as for this world's name…" Axel continued, "This world is loosely tied to Earth. Every time someone dreams, a version of themselves experiences a small portion of this world. They don't physically manifest here, but it's as though they're seeing through a camera lens. That's how legends, folktales, fairytales, and other stories are born on Earth. People recall the experiences they had in this world, though often they change the details based on their preferences or what they can remember."

He gestured to the screen. "You'll find many, if not all, of the stories and creatures from Earth here. But remember, the reality of this world is often very different from what's told on Earth. Research is essential."

Axel looked at his watch, then gave a small nod. "Now, I think we've covered enough for today. It's getting close to lunch, and I think it would be best if we complete the 'Assigning Ceremony' before then. Please follow me."

Standing up, Axel adjusted his glasses and offered a hand to Cipher. As Cipher got up, he realized his hand had regained its feeling. The numbness was gone, leaving him to wonder just how much more there was to learn in this strange new world.

Axel led him down another hallway to a small, circular room. The air was cool, and Cipher could see a large, round table at the center, glowing softly. The table had indents carved into its surface, and Cipher assumed it was where he was meant to place his hands.

Axel pressed a button on the table, causing it to light up. "This machine is built to materialize the weapon or weapons bonded to you. They'll grow stronger alongside you. The Goddess of the Void has already selected your weapon or weapons. All that's left for you to do is place your hands on the indents in front of you."

Cipher walked toward the table, excitement and nervousness mixing in his chest. He placed both hands in the indents, eager but unsure of what to expect.