Amanises's POV
Time passed in a strange, comfortable haze as Theo continued petting her. His fingers worked through her dark fur with ease, scratching those spots behind her ears that made her melt. The sensation was foreign, overwhelming for her.
When was the last time anyone touched me with such... care?
But as the sun began its descent toward the horizon, painting the grassland in shades of gold and amber, Theo's hand stilled. The petting stopped.
Amanises's eyes snapped open, a small whine escaping her throat before she could stop it.
Wait, did I just whine? That's... that was embarrassing! Ughh!!!-
"Oh, sorry," Theo said, noticing her reaction. "Just got distracted by the sunset. Pretty, isn't it?"
He stopped because of a sunset? I mean... it is pretty, but...
"I wasn't... I didn't need you to keep petting me," she said quickly, her ears flattening slightly. "I was just resting."
But his hands felt so nice...
Reality crept back in as the peaceful moment ended. Wait. Who am I, where am I, what am I doing??? Scratch that, first things first. Where exactly am I? The question disrupted her contentment. This isn't anywhere I recognize. Not the territories of any Ancient God I know of.
The grassland stretched endlessly in every direction. No landmarks, no familiar patterns, nothing that would help her navigate back to... well, anywhere. The weight of being completely lost settled over her like a cold blanket.
And night is coming.
Her six eyes tracked the darkening sky with growing unease. Night in this world brought dangers. There were minions of some Ancient God that prowled in darkness, entities that fed on the unwary. Even as a Sequence 2, she preferred having shelter when the sun disappeared.
Sigh... I don't even know what kinds of threats exist in this place.
"Hmm," Theo said suddenly, following her gaze to the sunset. "Getting pretty dark. We should probably find somewhere to stay for the night."
Find somewhere? Amanises looked around the empty grassland again. There's nothing here. No buildings, no caves, no shelter of any kind.
"There's nowhere to go," she said, a hint of worry creeping into her voice. "This place is completely empty."
Theo stood up, brushing grass off his clothes with casual confidence. "Well, this is a dream, right? Might as well make ourselves a proper home."
Make... a home?
"What do you mean?" she asked, genuinely curious despite herself.
Before she could think more about it, Theo closed his eyes and that focused expression from when he'd created the chair crossed his face.
"Let's see... something cozy but with style. Medieval style, maybe...? Hmmm... those cool tower rooms like in Harry Potter would be nice..."
The air around them began to change.
What...
Amanises's spirituality screamed a warning. Power was gathering, reality bending, space itself starting to warp in front of her. But not in any way she recognized. This wasn't an authority or some beyonder power. This was something else entirely, something that made the hair on her neck stand on end.
This level of power...! truly... what is he!?
Her mood shifted instantly from curious to terrified. "Stop! What are you doing?!" she yelped, scrambling backwards. "Why are you bending s-!"
"Just making us a house, calm down" Theo cut her off calmly, eyes still closed. "Dream logic, remember?"
Dream logic? Is this guy just insane?
A portal tore open in the empty air about twenty feet away. Not like the clean spatial rifts she'd seen Flegrea create where he connected two spots with one another, fooling space, but a swirling vortex of absolute darkness that seemed to drink in the fading sunlight. The edges crackled with energies that made her demonic nature recoil.
"THE ABYSS!?!?!?" she shrieked, her massive form trembling. "You just opened a portal to the Abyss! Are you completely mad?!"
That's... that's a connection to the Abyss!!! I just heard Flegrea talk about it, a place of chaos and corruption, where only beings like demons could live in. How is he opening a portal to the Abyss like it's nothing!?
"The what now?" Theo opened his eyes and looked at the portal with mild interest. "Oh, that's what this place is called? Cool name for a dream."
He doesn't even know what the Abyss is?! How can someone with this much power be so clueless!? Or is he just acting?
But even as terror tried to claw its way up her throat, something else pushed it down... Her spirituality stopped sending the danger signals as she suddenly felt invisible arms wrapped around her, shielding her from the overwhelming malevolence pouring through the portal.
... I should be corrupted just looking at this, right? The Abyss should be eating away at my sanity. But I feel... safe?
Her mood swung again, from terror to confusion to a strange sense of security.
"I... I don't understand," she whispered, her voice much smaller now. "How are you protecting me from the corruption?"
"Protecting you from what?" Theo asked, genuinely confused. "It's just a doorway. See? Totally safe."
Just a doorway? JUST A DOORWAY?! Maybe he's the God of Pranksters... Wait, that's Flegrea...
Through the portal, something was taking shape. Stone began materializing, grey blocks appearing one by one with perfect precision. Walls rose from nothing, tall windows appeared, framed in dark wood and fitted with glass that sparkled in the dying light.
"There we go," Theo said with satisfaction, as if he'd just picked out a restaurant for dinner. "Medieval castle aesthetic with modern comfort. Perfect for a fantasy dream."
Fantasy dream? Amanises stared at the impossible structure taking shape. Three stories tall with twisted elegant towers, balconies, and what looked like a working chimney already releasing a warm glow from within. He thinks this is just... dream logic?
The building completed itself with a final pulse of power that made her spirituality jolt, then settled into perfect stillness. It looked like something from a storybook, ancient and mystical, yet somehow warm and inviting.
That's not possible. You can't just... create buildings, right? Her thoughts turned ridiculous again. Is he the God of Construction?
"Come on, Ame," Theo said with a smile, moving towards the portal.
"Ame?" she asked, startled by the sudden nickname.
"Yeah, Amanises is quite a mouthful. Hope you don't mind the nickname."
Her mood shifted again - from confusion to a warm flutter in her chest. Hela used to call me that. My best friend... the only person who ever...
"I... it's fine," she said softly, then caught herself being too vulnerable. "I mean, whatever you want to call me is your business. It doesn't matter to me."
But it does matter. Why does hearing him say it make me feel warm inside?
"Great! Let's check out our new place."
He wants me to go through... that? Into the Abyss?
Her mood swung back to panic. "Wait! I'm not going in there! That's the Abyss! It's suicide!"
"It's perfectly safe, Ame. I just made it... Trust me?"
Trust him? The word made her chest tighten. When was the last time anyone had asked for her trust so simply?
Every instinct screamed at her to run. The Abyss was Farbauti's domain. A place of madness and corruption where even she could be destroyed if she wasn't careful.
But that protective feeling hadn't wavered. If anything, it grew stronger as Theo approached the portal, like he was extending his invitation with each passing moment.
Is he... protecting me? This mysterious being I just met is shielding me from the Abyss itself?
Her mood shifted once more, from panic to cautious hope. Still... I need to stay alert. This level of power, this reality manipulation... even if he seems kind, I can't just...
"I'm only following because staying out here alone would be worse," she announced, trying to maintain some dignity as she padded toward the portal. "This doesn't mean I trust you completely."
Theo chuckled. "Of course not. Wouldn't want you to think I'm completely trustworthy after only knowing me for a few hours."
Is... is he teasing me?
The portal embraced them without harm, and suddenly they were standing inside what could only be described as the coziest living room she'd ever seen. Rich wooden furniture filled the space - overstuffed sofas in deep burgundy, a coffee table that looked hand-carved, bookshelves lined with leather-bound volumes. A fireplace crackled merrily in one corner, casting dancing shadows across walls decorated with tapestries and paintings.
This... this is inside the Abyss?
"Nice," Theo said, looking around with genuine pleasure. "My subconscious really went all out with the interior design."
Subconscious? Amanises padded carefully across floors covered in thick, soft rugs. Sigh... He still thinks this is a dream?
Maybe he's the God of Selective Awareness...
"Oh man, it even comes with entertainment," Theo continued, spotting what looked like a modern television mounted on one wall, somehow seamlessly integrated with the medieval aesthetic. "Want to watch something? I'm thinking maybe some Studio Ghibli. Something relaxing."
Television? In a medieval castle? Connected to the Abyss? Her blasphemous thoughts continued. Is he also the Deity of Impossible Technology Integration?
But even as her mind reeled at the impossibilities, her body was already responding to the overwhelming coziness. The warmth from the fireplace soaked into her fur, the soft rugs cushioned her paws, and the atmosphere was so inviting that her guard began dropping without her permission.
Her mood shifted again from bewilderment to reluctant comfort.
When Theo settled onto one of the large sofas and patted the cushion beside him, she found herself drawn over despite her internal protests.
"I suppose... I could rest here for a moment," she said, trying to sound indifferent as she climbed onto the absurdly comfortable sofa next to Theo. "Just to conserve energy."
"Sure..." Theo said with obvious amusement. "Very practical."
Ugh... Is he still teasing me? I'm so old... but why does that make my chest feel weird?
"I've never seen a 'movie' before," she admitted quietly, then quickly added, "Not that I'm particularly interested in your strange entertainment."
"Really? Oh, you're in for a treat then," Theo's eyes lit up with genuine excitement. "This one's about a girl who gets trapped in a spirit world. I think you might relate to it."
Trapped in another world? Her mood softened completely. That... that does sound familiar.
"Here we go," Theo said, somehow making the movie appear on the television. "Spirited Away. Perfect for our situation."
As the opening music began to play, Amanises felt her eyelids growing heavy despite herself. The combination of warmth, safety, and exhaustion from constant vigilance was overwhelming.
For the first time since arriving in this world, I don't have to worry about Flegrea finding me.
... Just for a little while, she thought, her massive head settling more comfortably on the sofa. I'll watch his movie and rest. I'm not letting my guard down completely. I'm just... strategically relaxing.
That's all.
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Author's Note: I guess I'll never be satisfied with this chapter, just re-did it since I kinda forgot I was adding that Amanises could talk, yet didn't make her talk and kinda forgot about it... xd...
Anyway, hope its a bit better, if not just skip it and lets put it under the rug.