White.

Silent.

Still.

Jonah wasn't sure how long he'd stared into the blank nothingness that surrounded him when "thought" finally returned.

It could have been five seconds or five years.

The first thing to return was confusion. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten here, or where he came from. Even his name seemed like a distant, faded memory from a time he couldn't remember.

Strangely though, he felt calm.

As strange and timeless as the white space seemed, it carried an air of peace and stability to it, as if it would never change, no matter how much time passed.

Until it did.

Suddenly, Jonah noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning around (or at least the closest facsimile of 'turning' one can do in a featureless white void), Jonah saw the shape of 'something' move past him. Again, he turned, only to barely miss the figure.

Jonah called out with both curiosity and caution.

[Jonah]: "Hello? Is anyone there? Where are we?"

Still, the figure seemed to avoid his gaze as a voice called out from behind him.

[Seed of Breath]: "Do you want Power?"

Though quiet, spoken almost in a whisper, the voice carried with it a sense of timelessness that shook the white void around them.

Despite that, the voice seemed almost emotionless. There was no feeling or subtext to it; no maliciousness or curiosity, no implied meaning or sly undertones one might expect in a conversation with a stranger.

It was merely a... question—one as raw and pure as the white void around them.

Jonah tilted(?) his head, and returned his own question to his evasive guest.

[Jonah]: "What do you mean?"

Again, the voice sounded from behind him,

[Seed of Breath]: "Do you want Power?"

Jonah spoke up, a louder, growing frustrated

[Jonah]: "I don't understand! Power? Power to do what? Why am I here? Who are you? What's going on here?!"

His brow crinkling, he tried to drag out the memories he couldn't seem to recall.

Jonah swung around once more, his mouth open to continue venting his frustration, and froze.

The scene in front of him had changed. Where once was a featureless white void, now he floated in an endless sea of crystal clear water. Jonah could see neither the bottom nor the surface. The seas themselves would have been near invisible, if not for the countless trillions of brightly colored strings they carried on their currents.

The strange strings stretched from horizon to horizon, intersecting with others in seemingly random ways. Sometimes they overlapped, only milometers away from touching, but just barely passing by. Other times they collided, tangling and forming thick knots before continuing on their way.

Others seemed frayed and sickly, like even a gentle breeze could snap them. In fact, as he watched, several were tossed about by the current, strained by some unseen force until they snapped with a pop. The strings then lost their color as they floated in the invisible sea, and quickly dissolved into nothingness.

The only evidence they had even been there to start with, was the knots they had formed with other strings.

That's when Jonah noticed it.

There in front of him, close enough to touch, was a strangely familiar string. Like the others, it stretched from horizon to horizon. There was nothing to really distinguish it from the other strings. Like the others, it formed its knots and swayed on the current, and yet he felt a kinship he couldn't quite place.

At that moment, the brightly lit waters were thrown into dim shadow as a massive figure passed over him. Looking up from the familiar string, Jonah noticed what appeared to be a gargantuan fish, swimming through the waters. Despite its size, the creature nimbly swam between the treads, not even seeming to stir the current they rode until they stopped in from of Jonah.

The being was one of the strangest creatures Jonah could ever remember seeing (not that he could remember much right now). Its size was close to that of a Blue Whale, but its body shape was closer to a Sailfish, though its "beak" was much shorter.

Its streamlined body seemed to be carved from stone, the glow of molten power pouring from cracks that lined its body. The 'Sail' on its back seemed to be tiny, but towering mountains, capped with glistening snow. A fierce storm surrounded them, and the soft howling of the wind was accompanied by the crack of thunder and flash of lightning.

But what struck Jonah the most, was the sheer amount of 'life' that covered the being. All along its body, tiny forests of tiny trees sprung up. Great vines stretched into the cracks of its body, seeking the warmth. Small flocks of birds flew up and migrated to a different area.

In the next moment, as if someone had hit the fast forward button, something terrible happened. A great fire sprung up and devoured the forests, spreading smoke and death. The birds fell from the sky, and the forests turned charred and black. The bright, glowing power deep within the cracks dimmed and faded until there was nothing left.

Jonah stared in shock and wonder, confused about what had happened when he noticed specks of green on the side of the 'Sailfish's' sail. Like a cascade, the green bits multiplied and flowed down, quickly reclaiming the burned and charred remains of the old forests and covering them once more in vibrant color. Until finally, life filled the creature once more.

It wasn't the same as before; Jonah could see places that were once plains had turned into rich forests, and sprawling rivers had dried into canyons and valleys.

No, 'Life' wasn't the same as it had been, but it was no less beautiful.

Again, some time passed. This time a dark rot took hold, the trees browning and dying as some kind of sickness took hold. It swept across the forests and plains, killing everything it touched until the entire Sailfish was brown and dry. And yet, like last time, tiny specks of green sprouted on random parts of the Sailfish's body, quickly reclaiming what had been lost.

Again and again, disasters struck, each time seeming to claim the life around them, only for life to spring back from the ashes.

Jonah didn't know how long he simply stood there and watched, captivated, as each breath brought new growth and life, while each exhale brought some new disaster and destruction.

A never-ending dance, the swaying of Life and Death.

It was the voice that once more pulled him from his trance, and Jonah finally realized that it was coming from this strange creature in from of him.

[Seed of Breath]: "The Power to change Fate."

Do you want powe

The words seemed to vibrate the strings around them. Almost as if the lines themselves were resonating and amplifying them.

Jonah called out again, his voice shaking.

[Jonah]: I still don't understand! What's going on, who are you?!

[Seed of Breath]:

"From the Void, sprang foundation. The 'Roots' on which all thing are built and to which all things return.

From the dust, 'Sinew' and flesh were formed. Giving shape to an Idea.

From the Creator, came the 'Breath' of Life. And with Life came Death.

Life and Death birthed 'Tears', both of Sadness and Joy. Together, they fell to water the earth.

From Man came Wonder, 'Echoes' of the Creator, limitless in their reach, but so very flawed.

From Man's actions, came the 'Threads' of Fate that bind all people together. Each a part of the greater work."

No less confused, Jonah looked down at the string in front of him, seen it vibrate alongside the others. It was then that Jonah noticed the weight in his hand. He looked down to see an ancient-looking pair of shears. They were dull, and without any kind of decoration, in fact, they seemed a little ragged. None the less, they pulsed with a power Jonah couldn't even begin to fathom.

Jonah looked at the familiar string in front of him in sadness. He looked down its twisted, knotted length, and memories returned to him, slowly. He followed the strings connected to each knot, and a name popped into his head, accompanied by memory and emotion.

One unusually large knot seemed to writhe and twist and reminded him of a rotting serpent. As he stared at the knot, his heart burned with anger, barely managing to tear his eyes away.

Returning his focus to the length of string in front of him, Jonah knitted his brow in frustration. He looked down the at strange shears and felt his heart beat faster, and his breath grow heavy. His hand shook, and an unknown terror welled up in him.

Instinctively, he understood what he was supposed to do.

And it terrified him.

[Jonah]: Wait, wait! The-there has to be some other way, right?!"

[Seed of Breath]: "Man does not put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."

Jonah could feel his breath coming faster now as cold sweat dripped down his face. His heart raced as he stared down at the vibrating string in front of him. He looked forward, towards the glistening, spotless length that represented an unknown and untouched future.

A nervous laugh escaped lips as he raised the shears with a shaking hand.

[Jonah]: "Its a test, right? That's what it is, just testing my resolve, right?! Tell me!"

Who knew what that future would hold. Did he really want to do this?

He asked one more time, his voice quiet and weak

[Jonah]: "Is there really no other way?"

[Seed of Breath]: "Do you want Power?"

The last bit of resistance crumbling at those words, Jonah slowly brought the shears up and placed the string between the blade.

[Jonah]: "Can you at least tell me... Who are you?"

The Sailfish was silent for a moment, before its voice echoed through the space, this time seeming as if several voices layered on top of each other.

"Við erum kölluð Gleipnir"

After a moment more of silence, Jonah gave one last breath and brought the blades down.

The effect was instant. With a snip, Jonah felt something snap inside of him.

A terrible weakness washed over him, and his body went limp. He could feel his vision start to fade, and the sounds of the current and strings around him grew muffled. The last thing he heard was the Sailfish's words echoing through the waters.

[Seed of Breath]: "Nothing comes without its Cost. But the price has been Paid..."

As the world faded around him, a small black box popped up in from of Jonah. And then the Darkness took him.

You have Died!

The being called 'Breath' watched at the young man in front of him went limp. The fear and pain in young man's eyes sparked memories the ancient creature had long thought lost to the flow of time. It felt the thing that used to be its heart, fill with sadness as he watched the boy's body slowly crumble into a fine dust.

This was always the hardest part. But it was a necessary one as well.

Had his predecessor felt this same pain when she had stood in this same place, so very, very long ago? Would the one who came after him, feel it too? Or would this be the final cycle? Would all of this tragedy and pain finally come to an end? Breath didn't know.

Only one did.

As he watched the boy's thread slowly dissolve, he couldn't help but sigh. If only he could see that end with his own eyes. Maybe. Maybe.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps broke Breath from its thoughts. Strange, since they were currently floating in the endless Sea of Time without any "ground" to speak of.

From a distance, the figure of a man approached. Neither the man's age nor appearance could be discerned as if it was continually shifting every time you took your eyes off him. The only thing that remained constant was the pitch-black Armani suit he wore.

As though detached from reality, he moved unaffected by the swirling current and myriad strings around him, his feet touching some unseen surface. Even his voice seemed ethereal and warped as he walked towards the swirling piles of ash and dust that use to be Jonah, and spoke.

[???]: "This is the one?"

[Seed of Breath]: "It is"

The man looked up at the creature raised a brow, before asking,

[???]: "Are you sure about this? We only have one shot, and you more than anyone else, knows what's at stake."

The Sailfish seemed to nod, in a way that only a fish could, and responded.

[Seed of Breath]: "I Do. I have already made my Peace. I will follow the Maker's will, as I always have. I leave the rest in the boy's hands."

The man simply nodded.

[???]: "Very well."

With that, the man stretched out his hand and placed it within the swirling cloud of Jonah Dust, and spoke.

Unlike the ethereal voice of before, the voice he used seemed entirely different, as if it came from the very air. It thrummed with power, and the surrounding thread vibrated in harmony.

[???]: "𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝕲𝖔𝖉 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖊𝖉 𝖒𝖆𝖓 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖌𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉..."

As he spoke, the dust cloud writhed and swirled around. Slowly, the spinning vortex of Jonah Dust took on the vague shape of a man.

The man seemed to hesitate, before looking up at the Sailfish. Breath steeled his eyes and gave a sharp nod towards the man.

The man only sighed and stretched his hand towards the creature, palm facing upward.

Tiny motes of Mana began to flake off Breath and gather into the man's open palm. Slowly at first, then faster, until a virtual torrent poured out, condensing further as the tiny ball of light in the man's hand grew brighter.

As the light left Breath, his body began to wilt and crack, his stone scales crumble and slosh off, and his inner fire dimmed for the last time.

Finally, the last mote of Mana left the ancient creature who had seen the birth and death of stars, and the light of its eyes began to fade.

[???]: "...𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖓𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖑𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖔𝖋 𝖑𝖎𝖋𝖊;..."

The man brought the tiny, newborn star in his hand forward and stuck it between the slowly dissolving ends of the string Jonah had cut. Like living things, the strings began to flail about with wild intent, as if desperately searching for something. After a moment, they made contact with the glowing star and snapped onto it.

Suddenly, the string was pulled tight, and the tiny star flared with an even brighter light. When the fire died down, and the string was whole once more, a small, brightly glowing knot, newly formed at the spit.

[???]: "...𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖒𝖆𝖓 𝖇𝖊𝖈𝖆𝖒𝖊 𝖆 𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖑."

His job finished, the man simply shook his head and stared down at the knot, thinking about what it represented.

[???]: "Nothing comes without its cost. But the price has been paid..."

Sadness in his eyes, he turned towards the now decaying body of Breath and spoke once more.

[???]: "Goodbye, old friend. May we meet once more when the cycle ends."

And then he was gone.

In the silent sea of time, the body of an ancient being slowly eroded to dust. As the dust swirled around the currents, some of it was pulled into a small swirling vortex in the vague outline of a man. After a while, as more and more dust was pulled in, the image became clearer and more solid. Finally, a solid body was left floating in the waves.

Jonah's limp body drifted on the currents, as the infinite strings around him sung their song.

Jonah gasped for breath as his vision and awareness returned.

He swirled around, expecting to see the endless sea of strings and the massive Sailfish. Instead, he felt the fleshy floor beneath him and saw the familiar glow of [Mana Sight] vision. Around him, Titanspawns screamed and thrashed as the rotted in the icy blue mist.

He didn't know how long he had spent in that strange place. It felt like it was lifetimes, but at the same time, seconds. It didn't even look like much time, if any at all, had past in the real world.

What the hell was that?! He could remember bits and pieces, but it was like trying to remember a movie you'd seen years ago. Jonah grabbed his head and tried to shake away the disorientation when a screen popped into his vision.

System Reestablishing connection with Contestant #Sol-3-00000000001.

Please Stand By....

...........

System Reestablished.

Welcome back #Sol-3-00000000001!

WARNING!

System Anomaly Detected!

Attempting to contact System Administrator.

........

Contact Terminated (Override Code [א/-1] )

Scanning....

Anomaly rectified

Congratulations! Your Skill [Breathless] has Mutated!

Congratulations! Your Inborn Talent ["Fate's Cruel Design"] has Mutated!

Breath of the Ancients

(Seed of Breath)

Rank - C

(Core Skill)

["For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”]

Retains the functionality of [Breathless].

Your crystal alveoli have further mutated and evolved. They are now able to take the energy you breath in and convert into Mana imbued with a "Concept".

When you exhale this imbued Mana, it will take on the properties of that concept.

(For example, Mana imbued with the concept of "Heat" will be exhaled in the form of Flames).

The more complex and detailed the concept imbued concept, the greater the Mana needed to contain it and the less time it will remain.

This is a "Core Skill". Its level is limited by the average of all Sub-Skills.

Increase the effectiveness of all Sub-Skills by 5% per skill level of the Core Skill.

"Hands that changed Fate"

["The price has already been paid"]

Gain 200% increased Aggro from Hostile Monsters

Increase growth rate of Attuned creatures by 200% (E-rank)/100% (D-rank)/50% (C-rank)/25% (B-rank)/10% (A-rank). Depending on their Species rank.

Increase the number of Attuned Monsters by +5 for every 3 Class levels.

Allows attuned Monster to evolve based on certain conditions. (requires C-rank Skill "Genome Sequencing")

Staring at the screen, Jonah felt a grin spread across his face. Thoughts of strange white spaces and giant Sailfish faded from his memory, as he cracked his neck and stared at the approaching army of Titanspawn.

It was time to get ready.