The Key of Emptiness

Arman stirred from his rest, his body still aching, but his stomach louder than his pain. As he sat up, he placed a hand over his abdomen, feeling the hunger gnaw at him.

"Man, I'm starving…" he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "So much happened today, I forgot to eat."

His stomach growled in agreement, making him sigh as he got to his feet. Stepping out of his room, he was surprised to see Riyan walking toward him.

"Hey, Arman," Riyan greeted with a grin. "I was just coming to get you. Let's go eat. Everyone's waiting for us."

Arman blinked, then chuckled. "Good timing. I was just about to head out myself. Where are we eating?"

"They have a dining area here," Riyan explained. "Zubair and Riya are already there, waiting for us."

"Alright, let's go then."

The two walked through the dimly lit hallways of Mira Bagh Palace, their footsteps echoing softly against the marble floor. The further they went, the stronger the aroma of food became. Spices, grilled meats, and fresh bread filled the air, making Arman's mouth water. His exhaustion faded slightly, replaced by the promise of a good meal.

As they entered the grand dining hall, his eyes scanned the room. A large wooden table stood in the center, adorned with an array of dishes—steaming curries, freshly baked naan, skewers of kebabs, and bowls of fragrant rice. The sight alone made his hunger intensify.

At the table sat Zubair, Riya, Meera, and her parents. There were also two empty seats, clearly meant for them.

"Come on, sit down," Riya called, waving them over. "You guys took forever."

"Well, someone had to wake up first," Riyan teased, nudging Arman.

Arman chuckled as he took a seat next to Zubair. The moment he sat down, Meera's mother, a warm smile on her face, began serving food onto their plates.

"You all have had a long day," she said kindly. "Eat up, you'll need your strength."

Arman picked up his spoon, hesitating for only a second before digging in. The first bite sent an explosion of flavors across his tongue—spicy, savory, rich. His body immediately relaxed, finally getting the nourishment it had been denied all day.

"You like it?" Meera's father asked, watching him with amusement.

Arman swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, it's amazing."

As the meal went on, the conversation flowed easily. For a moment, everything felt normal—just a group of friends enjoying dinner together.

But then, a voice boomed in his mind.

"Hey, kid, eat faster. We need to start training."

Arman stopped mid-bite. What the hell?

"You won't even let me eat in peace?" he thought in frustration.

"I'm not the one in danger. I don't care if you train or not, but I won't save you next time if someone attacks you—or your friends."

Arman frowned. The spirit's words hit him hard. He sighed, shoving another bite into his mouth. Fine, fine. I'll eat fast.

Once he was done, he stood up. "Hey guys, I'm a little tired, so I'm going to my room. Hope you don't mind."

Riyan waved him off. "No problem, dude."

Without another word, Arman headed back to his room. As soon as he entered, he collapsed onto the bed. But instead of sleeping, he crossed his legs, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

Unlocking the Key of Emptiness

Arman focused, steadying his breath.

This time, as the lightness spread through his limbs, he didn't resist it.

The ringing in his ears grew louder. The feeling of floating intensified—

And suddenly, he felt detached.

His consciousness slipped from his body, and when he opened his eyes, he saw himself lying on the bed.

"I did it again," he thought, still finding the experience surreal.

He was floating mid-air, his form transparent like a phantom. Unlike last time, he didn't panic. He crossed his legs and closed his eyes once more, reaching out—not with his hands, but with his senses.

The world around him changed. He could feel something—something vast, flowing all around him like a silent river. A pure, green energy, smooth and fluid like water, surrounded him.

"So, how do I absorb this?" he asked the spirit.

The spirit's voice echoed calmly.

"You don't absorb it. You become it. Relax. Imagine yourself as water, flowing with the current. Spirit Energy is not something you take—it is something you blend with. If you try to control it forcefully, it will reject you."

Arman took a deep breath and followed the spirit's guidance. He let go of his tension. He stopped trying to take in the energy and instead imagined himself as a part of it.

Water. Flowing. Moving.

He was no longer a separate entity—he was the current itself.

And then—

A shift.

Something clicked deep within him, like a lock finally turning.

A sensation flooded his being—calm, boundless, infinite. For the first time, he wasn't forcing Spirit Energy to obey him. He was simply existing within it.

In that moment, he had unknowingly created something rare—something only those who truly understood Spirit Energy could achieve.

He had created the Key of Emptiness.

The spirit chuckled, its voice carrying a hint of pride.

"Not bad, kid. You've taken your first real step."

Arman opened his eyes, and before him, a strange, colorless key floated in midair. It shimmered with an eerie transparency, as if it existed and didn't at the same time.

Hesitantly, he reached out and grasped it.

Arman's fingers barely brushed against the floating key when a sudden chill gripped him. A shockwave of cold surged through his arm, spreading like icy veins beneath his skin. His breath hitched. The world around him quivered—rippling, folding inward—as if reality itself was gasping in response to his touch.

Then, with a sharp pull, the key dragged him forward.

A crack split open before him—thin as a thread, yet impossibly deep. It shimmered, shifting between existence and nothingness. Before he could react, an invisible force yanked him inside.

His stomach lurched.

His body twisted—no, stretched—as if he was slipping through the fabric of the world itself. A rush of air howled in his ears, but he couldn't feel wind against his skin. There was no up, no down, only the disorienting sensation of falling without moving.

Then—

Silence.

He landed, yet there was no impact. His feet touched something, but it wasn't solid. It was like standing on water without sinking, like floating on a surface that refused to let him through.

Arman's breath came shallow as his eyes darted around.

The world was… vast.

Not empty, not dark, but different.

Above him stretched an endless sky—not black, not blue, but a deep, shifting gray, like storm clouds frozen in motion. Faint pulses of light flickered within them, moving like veins through a slumbering titan.

And below—

He wasn't standing on ground.

Beneath him, a translucent plane stretched infinitely in all directions, reflecting the sky like a perfect mirror, yet it wasn't glass. With every step he took, the surface rippled, sending out waves of energy—energy he could feel, pressing against his skin like an unseen presence.

In the distance, colossal structures floated. Buildings? No, monoliths, ancient and unmoving, their surfaces carved with glowing symbols that pulsed like slow, rhythmic heartbeats. They weren't connected to anything—they simply existed, hanging in the endless expanse.

"This… isn't the same place as before," Arman muttered, voice barely above a whisper.

He remembered the first time—the black void, the nothingness, the way the spirit had brought him here. But this? This was different.

A voice, deep and amused, resonated in his mind.

"You're seeing it as it truly is now."

Arman turned sharply, scanning the emptiness.

"Before, you were only here because I brought you. You did not have the right to see. But now…"

A low chuckle echoed.

"Now, you hold the Key."

Arman's grip on the colorless key in his hand tightened. The smooth, weightless object felt warmer now, as if acknowledging his presence.

He exhaled slowly.

This wasn't just a space between worlds.

This was the Base Realm.