Purpose

The world was dark. It was the same inky black that drifted from the quills of pens, and it was the sort of soft velvet that only the richest people that could buy. It enveloped everyone and everything that dared traverse within it. Nothing after nothing poured out of it. Not a sigh, not a sound, not a sensation.
It was emptiness.
That’s what the soul thought, at least. But it’s not like they knew anything else to begin with. This was their only memory out of two. All they knew was this blackness and then… a strange feeling that rested deep within them. A hope to see someone again, someone that was important to them. But who? No one lived here. There was no one to see, and nowhere else to go. They knew this well - they’d tried to call out into the nothingness before. But they didn’t have a voice.
All they were left with was the deep ache of loneliness and the realization that they were in nothing, they were nothing, and only nothingness awaited them.
How long had they been there, anyway? One week? One month? Two years? Time flowed differently there, they thought, or maybe it just felt long because there was nothing to accompany them. They were truly alone.
Drifting through this empty space one day, however, brought them somewhere. A voice called out to them softly, and they could feel its importance in their very being. It sounded determined. Sure. Powerful. They ceased their drifting and paused, hoping that the voice would call out to them again.
“Lonan…” it murmured, hardly a whisper. “It’s your time, now. It’s time for you to leave this place and go on a journey.”
Lonan? Was that their name? The voice laughed, as if it could hear their thoughts. It was light and airy. Almost like windchimes, they decided. But what were windchimes, anyway? They’d never seen them in the vast expanse they called home. The word was unfamiliar.
“Yes… You’re Lonan. I am currently transferring all the knowledge in the world to you. Can you feel it? The knowledge of the ages?”
It was true. They could feel the their brain filling up… Or, that’s what it felt like, at least. They were still made of dust and nothingness. But now they were armed with knowledge and seemingly limitless magic.
“Very good…” the voice said softly. Lonan could hear the smile in the voice. “You are to accompany a girl named Lani on her journey to break the binding magic seals in several areas in order to get the flow of magic in Aitaran - that’s where you’re going to be - back to normal. Is that clear?”
Lonan thought for a moment. This was so sudden. Such a strange shift between where they had been a few moments before and what was happening now. And yet, they felt compelled to agree with the unknown voice. They felt as though it was the right thing to do, as if it was where they had to be. But one thing kept them from agreement. What about the person that occupied their heart? The one that they felt as though they needed to see?
The voice paused for a moment, as if still waiting for a response, before beginning to speak again. “I knew that you would wonder about that. Yes, I plan to help you on your quest to find this person. If you help me, I will help you. Agreed?”
The lone spirit relaxed at the proposal. So they’d finally meet this person… And they’d finally be free from the darkness that they called home. They heard the voice laugh again. Windchimes, clinking together in the wind.
“Very good. Now, let’s get you out of there.”
Lonan looked overhead as a pair of hands slowly materialized into existence. They were extremely pale and delicate, as if they’d never seen a day of hard labor. The nails were long painted ebony, like the space they occupied. They reached down to them, pushing and pulling on their body like clay. They formed a ball, then pulled along their edges, creating a shape, a vessel for a lost soul finally finding purpose. They felt their body take shape, all short legs and long cloaks. Lastly, a mask was formed. It was shaped like a bird, Lonan noted as it was placed on their face.
“Hold on tight.”
The command was issued to them as the world around them went from black to a zooming flurry of colors. They closed their eyes tightly, letting the two hands drag them along as they felt reality and the world they were coming from meld together. Wind rushed past them at high speeds and they felt as though they may drift into the flow of space and time itself. But then, silence.
Hushed voices greeted them as they blinked into existence. Or maybe the impact from coming to Aitaran had hurt their ears. Regardless, they opened their eyes slowly, forcing themselves to blink over and over again. The world was brighter than they could have ever imagined. They let their eyes drift around the room carefully, absorbing their surroundings slowly.
Large columns decorated the area, hugged close to the walls. They were cream, standing up straight on the marble floor. Beneath them was an ornate red carpet, brimming with gold highlights and small details. It led out of the room, through a doorway that seemed far off. As they examined their surroundings, they scrunched their masked eyebrows together as if trying to remember something. Something about this place felt familiar, but not quite right. Like they had been here in someone else’s shoes before. But they shook the feeling off.
Behind them stood a man with flowing silver hair and a long white cloak. His eyes were completely white, a strange silvery sheen overtop of them, and a golden crown adorned his head. Reflexively, Lonan began to bow, feeling that it was the right thing to do. But the man simply laughed.
“Be at peace, Lonan. Welcome to the world. And welcome to your new partnership.”
They turned around to find a girl who couldn’t have been more than 19, her brown hair reaching her shoulders and a knife at her hip. She wore a corduroy jacket, and her scuffed up jeans were tucked into her short boots. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with apprehension and curiosity. She began to move her left hand out, as if she were going to shake hands with them, but hesitated as she realized that Lonan didn’t have hands to shake with. Upon this realization, she let it rest at her side, stuffing it into her pocket and taking a deep breath before introducing herself.
“The name’s Lani. Nice to meet you.”