Most of Ana’s time in Machaeverosa was spent battling monsters and wandering the forest in a spiral. Disregarding monsters and magical beasts, the Fire Elementalist met with two others before Xyn, Cabrena and Drazal in that order.

  The Conqueror was heaven-sent, descending on a beam of pure white light. She came at night, three hours after Ana’s transmigration, once she had sufficiently cooled down.

  The pair had tea and chatted, talking past each other for the most part. It was weird but pleasant. Also, enlightening. In her cryptic way, Cabrena conveyed the existence of the multiverse and the transmigration force which compels others to Machaeverosa. The mistress of stars vanished after downing her drink, leaving Ana with more questions than answers.

  Not a day later, she had some of her questions answered as a spectre appeared before her: the Fiend of Knowledge, Drazal. She went from annoyed to infuriated in the span of thirty minutes. Xyn questioned what was said, but Ana wasn’t forthcoming. Her enmity, though, was a different story. It spilt from her like a burst dam.

  “Nonsense. That cur knows nothing of my nation, my people, or me. All he knows is how to stir up chaos. What a foul existence. Should the opportunity arise, I’ll purge his hateful soul.”

  Xyn fed off her negative energy, nodding along. “He is a bastard, true. I ended up having a fallout with him as well. Still, I am grateful to him. Without his information, I’d have a much harder time finding you.”

  “He told you about me? What did he say?”

  “That you were a cat chasing its tail, and that you did not take kindly to your home nation being insulted.”

  “The latter is true, and I guess the former as well. I was moving in circles after all.”

  For as unpleasant an experience as Drazal was for Ana, the ancient Karma user was an eye-opener and widener. Through him, the multiverse became a concrete concept in her head. She learned about the demons and their propensity to invade other realms.

  That said, one could only squeeze so much information within half an hour. Ana’s knowledge of the multiverse was surface-level and like a moon loved by craters, full of holes. Xyn identified these gaps as she spoke while wrestling with his gaze.

  “Okay, that’s about it, satisfied?”

  “Hardly,” Xyn said with a played-up scoff. “You skimmed past the best part.”

  Ana tilted her head. “Best part? What would that be?”

  The Void Prince had the biscuit in his right hand do a few twirls in the air before having its pointy end aim toward the golden-haired beauty. “You, of course.”

  Ana recoiled, like a mundane shot by a gun. The psionic’s words, gestures, and nonchalant delivery combined to form an unblockable attack. It was the equivalent of a paintball, carrying red paint. A ripple spread from her chest outward, and a wave of scarlet spread across her face. A blush. Her cheeks were crimson before she knew it.

  Xyn’s eyes flickered as he recognised the aftermath. Score, he thought with a smile. He hadn’t intended it, but he would take the victory.

  “Ah, I guess I was light on the details. What do you want to know?”

  “As much as you’re willing to tell me. Your upbringing, beliefs, your day-to-day, what you like to do for fun, friends, family, your lovers…anything and everything. I’m interested.”

  Ana couldn’t meet his gaze at the moment. “I can see that,” she said, her voice quiet.

  “Of course, I’ll return the favour. I give as good as I get. Better even.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that.” Ana breathed out, and a long blink saw her regain her composure. “Fine. I don’t mind. My story is well-known. Where to start?”

  ***

  So different from me, the thought passed through Xyn’s head as he listened to the Sun Maiden’s account.

  Ana started with her family. With her mother and father. There were no siblings to mention. She was an only child.

  “I’ve heard the stereotypes, but they don’t apply to me. I was never short of love. Mother and father drowned me in it. Also, I have a lot of cousins who kept me company.”

  She spent a great deal on her family members. A complex tree took root in Xyn’s mind, each branch holding at least one anecdote. Nearly twenty minutes elapsed on the topic alone. The Void Prince didn’t rush her. He was happy to hear her speak forever.

  Her family loved her, she loved them, and they shared many relationship-building moments... was the gist of her account. Were her voice text in a book, he’d have fallen asleep. However, they were not. The smile plastered on her face as she told her account made it worth a listen.

  “What about friends? You’ve yet to mention any.”

  At the words, Ana’s expression dimmed. She looked at the fireplace. “Friends. Hmm, I don’t have any.”

  “Really?” Xyn asked, not hiding his surprise.

  “Yeah. The closest things to friends I have are my cousins. I have subordinates and family, but friends…and relatedly lovers are not possible for me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Ana sighed. “I’m the Sun Maiden. To you, that means little, but it is a big deal in my universe. I’m a demi-god in my world. Not just power-wise, but how I’m viewed. I’m closer to a concept than a person to the residents of my realm. Thus, friends were never a thing for me. Reverence and love are the only things directed at me. Nothing else.”

  “Nothing else,” Xyn repeated with a frayed forehead. “I find that hard - no, impossible to believe. I’m sure people have felt something else while looking at you.”

  “Like lust?”

  Xyn’s face flickered. “F-For example, yes.”

  “Never. Not once. Even the most pent-up of teenagers never directed lust my way.”

  “Impossible,” Xyn’ said seriously, adamant. He couldn’t help but sweep his gaze over her front. The sight of her in the sundress nearly overwhelmed him. Five unbroken seconds was his limit. If I’m this badly affected, a lesser would practically explode. “You must have been mistaken. That’s a hill I’ll die on, endlessly.”

  Ana showed a wry smile. “It’s the truth, though. I can’t be mistaken,” she said as he had the Truth Stone glow.

  Xyn furrowed a brow. “Explain.”

  “I said I was a good judge of character, right? I’m not just relying on my mundane instincts. Shroud of Paranoia. One of my Charms. It passively allows me to sense anyone who gazes at me, and where. My body heats up wherever another’s attention is on.”

  The Sun Maiden’s lips curled up as the psionic’s face turned pale.

  “You hide it well behind your gentlemanly facade, but your gaze reveals all; you’ve all but scorched me with your leering.” She patted her ample bosom. “With all your staring, you could fry eggs on my chest. Or ass. Or lips. How perverted.”

  Xyn’s jaw dropped, and his face flushed crimson at the revelation. He had no words. Overwhelmed by shame, he collapsed into himself, like a snowman before the noon sun. He masked his face with his hands as he squirmed on the couch.

  Ana ate up his reaction, and her laughter rang out throughout the lodge.

  “Ahaha, you’re adorable.”

  “You…you’re not mad?” Xyn asked, still maintaining his flesh mask. He spread his hands enough to peek through.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “No,” Ana waved her hand. “Not at all. Rather, I find it quite pleasing.”

  “Hm?” Xyn’s heart skipped a beat, and he resurrected from his slump, sitting upright.

  Ana raised a peace sign. “Shroud of Paranoia has two enchantments. The passive one I’ve mentioned, and a secondary active one. The latter allows me to read one’s surface-level emotions and intentions, and what confirmed to me that you’re a horny, but good apple. This Charm has also been used to confirm the feelings of my people towards me. Love, reverence and hope are truly the be-all and end-all. As such, a lustful gaze has never landed on me…till yours.”

  “And you like it?”

  Ana’s cheeks turned a tad red. “Pretty much. In part due to the novelty, but mainly because…Xyn, you’re quite the fetching fellow, yourself.” Her eyes narrowed as she locked onto the psionic. A lustful light swirled within her blue waters. “So, I don’t mind your naughty gaze. Looking is fine, understandable,” she said with a smile. Ana had many things to be proud of, and her body was near the top of that list. “That said, I won’t give you false hope. A lover is impossible for me.”

  Affected by the seriousness Ana radiated, Xyn’s posture straightened. He directed a questioning look.

  “I’m the Sun Maiden, not Sun Vixen. My maidenhood is tied to my powers.”

  “It is?” Xyn’s brows shot up.

  “Yeah. To cross the line with me is to go out with a bang. My final seal would break, and an explosion would eradicate everything within dozens of kilometres, at least.”

  “A good death,” Xyn nodded at his words, which flowed like lightning out of his lips.

  Ana’s face cracked into a smile. “Maybe. A better death would be killing the Demon King, which I intend to do.”

  “Then, the best death would be old age, having overcome both the Demon King and this maidenhood restriction. Let’s aim for that.”

  The Sun Maiden’s smile turned wry.

  “Ah, wait,” Xyn said, remembering, “does that mean you flashed me on purpose?”

  Ana needed a second to recall what he was referring to. She shook her head. “No,” she said, and then did a rapid outfit change, switching into her battle gear before returning to her sundress.

  It was the Void Prince’s turn to become wry. He had caught nothing this time. So, it was purposeful. He sighed. “Were I of normal means, I would have exploded several times over.”

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. How have you been diverting your lust? It builds and builds and then all of a sudden, it’s slashed at. Why?”

  Ana had noticed it throughout the talk. Xyn would go blank-eyed and experience a surge of something that would disperse his emotions and make him unreadable. These happenings effectively reset him.

  “I’ll explain later. You still have much to tell me. Continue.”

  Ana nodded and refuelled with a cupcake before resuming.

  Ana was a princess, in name and blood only. Her upbringing was far removed from the ideas one would usually associate with royalty. She was raised as a warrior from as young as she could remember.

  “It was tough at times, but worth it. I’ve honed my abilities to perfection. It’s been said that I’m the strongest Sun Maiden ever…and I agree,” Ana said, looking at her clenched fist with satisfaction.

  “You don’t feel like you missed out on your childhood?”

  “Not at all. The training was hectic, but overall, it was fun, rewarding and satisfying. Growing stronger, getting praise, and fulfilling my duty…the combination made me happier than anyone else. Of that, I’m certain,” she said, and the fanaticism from earlier shone anew in her gaze.

  Xyn blinked away his gaze and distracted himself with a sip of apple juice. “I see. What do you like to do for fun?”

  “Hm, I didn’t have much time for hobbies. I like fighting, long baths and eating, especially sweets.”

  “I see that. You’ve consumed more than your body weight, already. Without your Charms, you’d have no teeth and be the size of a castle.”

  “Aha, that’s true.”

  Ana shared more of her pastimes. They were mostly archaic, simple board games involving cards and dice.

  The entertainment industry in her world wasn’t as developed as in Xyn’s. Digital media was light-years away. This made sense. The people of her world were too busy contending with the demon threat.

  “And that’s pretty much it,” Ana said, half an hour after Xyn’s inquiry. “Satisfied now?”

  “Hm, I don’t think I ever will be, but well, I can stomach this level of discontentment. What I don’t know now will be learned later, yep. Thanks for sharing, Ana.”

  The Sun Maiden sighed with a wry smile. “You’ll give as good as you get.”

  “Better even.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that. Now, go ahead, Void Prince, spill your guts.”

  Xyn fought off the intrusive thought that instructed him to follow the command, literally and nodded. “Right.”

  Xyn followed Ana’s example, only far more thorough and extravagant. This was to be expected. He had explained psionics and Universe 6’s history several times since he arrived in the Realm of Realms, and had improved with each retelling. On and above the table, Vanta and figures of bone moved in fluid motions, depicting the epic history of the Realm of Psionics.

  Ana ate it up, and the deserts - which kept on spawning into existence at the Void Prince’s will.

  Talk of empires spanning galaxies, aliens and the advanced technology at play, flawed Ana.

  Her world wasn’t exactly Stone Age, with its magic tech, but it might as well have been in comparison. Wrapping her head around things didn’t come easy. There was a steep learning curve to climb, but she wasn’t deterred.

  Her curiosity was a fierce headwind, pushing her forward. Pulling in the same direction was Xyn, who was an excellent teacher. Patient and creative, he used analogies and conjured visuals via Vanta and bone constructs to better answer the Sun Maiden’s questions.

  Needless to say, Ana appreciated his efforts. She was also mighty curious about his powers. The desire to ask the obvious was had, but Xyn shook his head.

  “We can do a show and tell later. Of course, it’ll be a trade. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

  “I don’t mind. My moveset is no secret in my world.”

  “Huh, well, mine’s the opposite. No one knows the full extent of my powers.”

  “Hmm, and you’d reveal that information to me, a stranger?”

  The Truth Stone shone blue at Xyn’s will. “Yeah, I would. I also have a knack for people. You’re a good apple.”

  Tangent had, Xyn continued.

  “Are you related to Rose? An ancestor of yours?”

  “Understandable assumption, but no, we’re not related at all. I checked thoroughly. Also, my makeup is rather unique.”

  Ana tilted her head. “How so? You had a mother and father, no?”

  The Void Prince had no immediate response. His black dots drifted to the flickering flames as the silence dragged on. “In a way, yes. In another way, no.”

  Xyn rose from his seat. Slowly, as though pulled by an invisible crane arm. He drifted to the fireplace, which his eyes never left. He stopped a metre before it and dropped down into a cross-legged position.

  Ana watched on curiously. He was mostly shadowed thanks to the bright light in his foreground, but from her angle, she could capture a slice of his face. His expression was blank, yet she could sense the solemn emotions that swam beneath it. She stayed silent, waiting patiently for what was to come.

  “I said I give as good as I get, and you weren’t shy about your story, so I’ll make good on my word.”

  The Truth Stone in his palm glowed blue, and he began his account. It strongly overlapped with the information found in Drazal’s article, though Xyn filled in some critical gaps.

  “To my mother, I was nothing more than her art piece. Even without my incident, I’d have likely ended up in that orphanage. She could have visited any time, but she didn’t. Not once. Not in person or via a screen. It wasn’t fear that kept her at bay. She never loved me. Not as a person, anyway.”

  Xyn tried for a neutral tone, but bitterness couldn’t help but leak out. Recounting the details, his form shrank while the darkness around him grew.

  “She did not love me as a person, as a mother would love her son, as a mother should love their son. And for a great deal of time, she did not even love me as an art piece. Many speculate on her purpose. Was she trying to create an Abberant? No. Her primary goal was to create twins, bearing contrasting colour schemes. One would have white hair and eyes, and the other would have a black pair. When I alone popped out, she was profoundly disappointed.”

  Another Xyn appeared near the kitchen. White matched his designation, bearing snow-white hair and eyes to match. The duplicate lingered long enough to show a melancholic smile before vanishing from existence.

  “At sixteen, I visited her and revealed Monochrome, my duplication ability. She was ecstatic at the discovery. I was no stain on her record, after all. No, I was her magnum opus, her greatest creation. Her art piece.”

  The final words were barbed wire on Xyn’s tongue, at least that’s what his expression told of as he said it.

  “She loved what I was, but she could never love me as a person. She said so in words and not words. It was to be expected. I expected it…but…”

  The Void Prince’s lips quivered as all words failed to reach him. His mind blanked as a torrent of emotions overwhelmed him. But before they could, something else interupted them - a sensation. Ana. She hadn’t moved quickly by even mundane standards, yet to Xyn, she might as well have teleported.

  The Sun Maiden had been silently listening till then; however, she could restrain herself no longer.

  “That was awful. I’m sorry you had to go through something like that, Xyn,” she said, squeezing him tighter.

  Wrapped up from behind, the Void Prince’s mental cogs were slow to process reality. He suspected that even plugging in X-8 wouldn’t help his current situation.

  His lips vibrated, but words remained hard to come by. Trying and failing for a few seconds, he ceased trying to talk and instead shut his eyes and relished in the one-side hug. It was warm. It was pleasant. It was something he didn’t know he needed, materialised.

  He felt tears welling up within. Had anyone ever had his back? Or comforted him? If so, he couldn’t recall such a time. Xyn let it build and let it fall.

  Ana wasn’t repelled by the onset of vibrations. Rather, she only tightened her embrace as the psionic’s body shook. Nothing could separate him from her.

  “I’m here,” she whispered the words as the wood crackled. They felt right, perfect even. Both would agree.

  Wrapped in light and darkness, and bathing in literal and metaphoric heat, the pair swayed back and forth for time unknown.

  “Thank you, Ana.”

  The words flowed out of Xyn once his tears dried up and his composure returned.

  “No problem. It’s good to get things out of your system, and your dam seemed to be full.”

  “Yeah,” Xyn admitted. He had shed tears on account of being moved by art or fiction, but he had never cried for his own sake before. It was novel.

  Also…

  Embarrassing. What the Hell am I doing? She must think I’m lame.

  As if confirming his thoughts, Ana chose that moment to unclasp herself from him.

  “Ah?”

  “Hm?”

  “Ah, no, nothing,” he said, but his disappointment couldn’t be more apparent.

  “Nothing, huh?” Ana said, glancing at her chest with a proud glint in her eyes.

  “Yeah, nothing. Thanks for having my back, literally.”

  “Anytime. We’re fated companions, aren't we?”

  “Anytime?” Xyn said, his voice doing an odd inflexion.

  "The Sun Maiden smirked. “Maybe not anytime.”

  “I see,” Xyn said, accepting the answer for what it was. “Shall I continue? There’s not much more to say.”

  “Even so, I’d like to hear it all,” she responded, returning to her seat, and staining her hands with sugar.

  “Very well.”