Jennie's brows furrowed the second Zazm stepped out of the swirling portal in front of her.
"Where have you been?" she asked, arms crossed, clearly holding back a week's worth of questions. "It's been an entire week! You didn't even leave your number—how was I supposed to contact you?"
Zazm didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smirked, that typical laid-back expression playing on his face. "Ah, right… forgot to ask for your number."
Jennie blinked. "Seriously?"
"And," he continued casually, "I figured you were probably busy with your art stuff or something. I always seem to show up when I need something anyway."
Jennie tilted her head, confused. "So what is it this time? What do you want to know?"
Zazm didn't reply—he just raised a hand and opened a portal behind him. A ripple of swirling shadow twisted through space, casting strange black light across the ground.
"Come with me."
Jennie hesitated for just a second before stepping through the portal behind him.
The second she emerged on the other side, her breath caught.
"Wha… what the hell—" she whispered.
They were in the shadow dimension, but it was nothing like before. What used to be a void of endless black—a pit of eerie silence and suffocating stillness—was now transformed.
At the center stood a massive obsidian castle, towering into the black sky. Its architecture was gothic and regal, decorated with gleaming dark spires and stained-glass windows that glowed faintly with violet energy. All around it, stretching beyond what Jennie could even see, was a sea of pure black flowers, dancing softly in a nonexistent wind. Small buildings surrounded the main castle—sleek and shadowy, yet distinctly shaped and beautiful.
The sky above was still the same infinite darkness, yet somehow now it felt alive, almost humming with power.
Jennie took several steps forward, her eyes wide. "This is… insane. This is beautiful. But also terrifying. Where did this even come from?"
Zazm, hands in his pockets, started walking slowly toward the castle. "Do you like it?" he asked over his shoulder with a smile.
"Like it?! This is the coolest thing I've ever seen! But seriously—how is this here? What is all this?!"
Zazm didn't stop. As they passed a tall, spiraling structure to their left, he casually pointed at it.
"That's the library. It's packed with books—real ones, from real places. Don't ask how."
He pointed to a slightly smaller building to their right. "And that's basically a food court. Whatever food you think of, it's there."
Jennie looked at him like he was completely out of his mind. "Why is there a food court in the shadow dimension?! What is this place now?!"
Zazm just chuckled and kept walking. "Just walk. I'll explain once we get to the castle."
Jennie huffed, but followed him anyway, her eyes darting everywhere, trying to take in the overwhelming surreal beauty of the realm that had once been nothing but darkness.
As they walked through the immense castle, Jennie couldn't help but be in awe. The **interior** was just as impressive as the exterior. Massive **black halls** stretched before them, adorned with luxurious **carpets** that felt like silk beneath their feet. **Bright, glowing lights** filled the castle, their soft golden glow casting an almost ethereal ambiance. Everywhere she looked, **black paintings** hung on the walls, abstract but beautiful, with intricate designs that seemed to shift ever so slightly when she wasn't looking directly at them.
Zazm, noticing her amazement, casually spoke, breaking the silence. "We were thinking we needed a place to hang out or train, and this... well, this happened."
Jennie turned to him, confused. "This *just happened*?"
"Yeah, since everything here is controlled by **Nox**, it was pretty simple. He just shaped all this stuff for us. We just had to add the interior, the furnishings, the details. And... well, as you can see, this is what we ended up with."
Jennie couldn't believe how massive it all was, still absorbing the scale of the place. She smiled in wonder, glancing around. "I think you guys might've *overdone* it. This place is *glorious*."
Zazm laughed, his hands in his pockets as he walked ahead. "It's worth it."
They continued their walk, each step taking them deeper into the grandeur of the castle, but just as they reached another hall, **a massive dark hallway** materialized before them. Jennie froze for a moment, eyeing the new path. It was different—much more **decorated**, with an eerie glow. Black **silk curtains** hung on either side, and the floor was lined with deep red carpets, its stark contrast against the surrounding shadows making the hall seem both **inviting** and **unnerving** at the same time.
She pointed down the hallway, raising an eyebrow. "That looks... *scary*. Where does it lead?"
Zazm didn't hesitate, a smirk forming on his face as he waved it off. "It looks cool, right? Now, let's continue."
Jennie narrowed her eyes. "Where does it *really* lead?"
Zazm shot her a wink, his expression playful. "Ah, if I tell you, it'll ruin the fun. You'll just have to see for yourself."
Jennie crossed her arms, giving him a suspicious look. "I knew you weren't going to tell me."
He just laughed again, leading the way down the eerie hallway, the shadows seeming to swallow them as they walked further into the heart of the castle.
As Jennie and Zazm reached the end of the dark hallway, they were met with an expansive hall that left her speechless. The room was **massive**, with **huge chandeliers** hanging from the ceiling, their dim lights casting a faint glow that barely illuminated the space. Several **luxurious carpets** covered the floor, their deep black patterns blending seamlessly into the rest of the shadowy room. Everything seemed perfect, but something felt off. The room was almost **eerily empty**.
Jennie squinted, noticing the odd absence of any furnishings or decoration beyond the basics. "Zazm, what's this huge room for? And why is it so dark here?"
Zazm looked at her with a grin, his usual playful demeanor returning. "Haven't you noticed? The entire castle is dark. This room is just... meant to be like this."
Jennie shook her head, not convinced. "No, this place feels *specifically* darker than the rest. It's almost... oppressive."
Zazm shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, some places are meant to feel like that. Just wait, it gets better."
Without another word, he suddenly pointed toward the center of the room. Jennie followed his gaze, and there, in the middle of the floor, was a **huge hole** surrounded by several **steep stairs** leading down into the darkness. The stairs were nearly invisible until she focused closely, her eyes widening with curiosity.
"What's that hole? And why are there stairs leading down from all four sides?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder.
Zazm's smile widened. "Come on, follow me and you'll see."
They made their way down the stairs, their footsteps echoing through the silence. As they reached the bottom, Jennie's eyes went wide at what lay before her.
In the center of the room stood a **huge round table** surrounded by **eight seats**, each one more impressive than the last. Jennie couldn't help but exclaim, "Woah, those are massive seats!" She couldn't believe how grand everything looked in this part of the castle.
Zazm chuckled softly, urging her to take a closer look. "Look again," he said, his tone a little more serious.
She looked harder, and her breath caught in her throat. What she had initially thought were regular seats were, in fact, **thrones**. Massive, imposing, and perfect in their design.
"No way," Jennie whispered in awe, her eyes now taking in the full scope of the thrones.
Zazm started walking toward the round table, and she followed him closely. As she approached, her eyes went straight to **Jahanox**, who was seated confidently on his throne. His throne had a distinct **mark** imprinted on the top, with **spikes** arching out behind it, making it look like something straight out of an ancient, royal game. The design of his mark glowed a soft **purple**, its hue blending with the **darkness** of the room, giving it an otherworldly and **heavenly** glow.
Jennie's attention shifted slightly, and she turned to see another figure sitting on a throne to the side. It was **Kiyomasa**, who still looked uneasy in his seat. Unlike Jahanox, who appeared at home, seated with the air of a ruler, Kiyomasa was still adjusting, his posture hesitant as if he wasn't entirely comfortable in his newfound role.
"Hey, Kiyomasa!" Jennie greeted him, her voice filled with warmth and excitement. She couldn't resist the pull of her artistic curiosity, and she quickly turned her attention back to the thrones.
She walked closer to Kiyomasa's throne, examining the intricate details. His throne was even more unique, designed with a **mark** representing each of the four elements— fire, water, earth, and wind — etched into the top.
The design was stunning, with each mark glowing faintly in the dark with their own colors.
The mark of fire glew orange and light red, while the wind mark was glowing in a green gue. The water mark on the other hand let out a light blue light and the earth mark was shining brown the blackness of the throne only making it look even cooler.
Kiyomasa, now a little more comfortable with the attention, began to explain, his voice a bit shy. "My throne... Well, it has a mark for each elemental. Fire, water, earth, wind. I... I thought it looked cool. And, uh, I wanted something to reflect all that power, you know?"
Jennie's eyes sparkled with admiration as she ran her fingers gently along the engravings. "It's amazing, Kiyomasa! You really put thought into it."
Zazm, now sitting at the round table, shot Jennie a grin. "Yeah, we all have our own thrones. Pretty cool, right?"
Jennie smiled back, her eyes still fixed on the impressive elemental throne. "Yeah... this is amazing. It's like something out of a fantasy story."
Jennie was just about to ask Zazm something when she suddenly heard a voice from behind her. "Hey, you didn't rate my throne!" Caspian's voice sounded amused, but there was an edge to it, as if he was mocking her for missing the obvious.
Jennie quickly turned her head to look at his throne. Once again, she was left in awe. His throne, unlike the others, had a massive black cat's figure supporting it. The cat looked almost lifelike, its glossy fur darker than the night, and its claws were sharp and curved as they gripped the sides of the throne. The cat's eyes glowed ominously from the top, dark and menacing, adding to the intimidating look of the throne. The top of the throne featured a complex symbol—a mark of a cat, swirling and elegant, with an aura of power.
Jennie stared, her mouth agape. "Whoa, that looks incredible!" she exclaimed. "I mean, the way that huge cat is holding the throne... it's so intimidating! I love it!"
Caspian, who was lounging lazily in the throne, grinned lazily. "Yeah, I designed it to reflect my ability. You know, like a cat, I can copy any ability, so the throne's just a visual representation of that." His voice carried the usual smugness, but Jennie could tell there was an underlying pride in his tone.
Before Jennie could say anything else, Jahanox's voice cut through the air, sharp and curious. "Zazm, where the hell have you been? What took you so long?"
Zazm, standing next to Jennie, merely shrugged, flashing his signature smirk. "I was just giving her a tour of our little masterpiece here."
Jennie, still processing the grandeur of the thrones around her, turned to Jahanox with a look of surprise. "You must've spent so much time and effort creating all of this," she said with genuine admiration.
Jahanox looked at her, clearly frustrated. "All this only took a few hours to build, but we spent the entire week just fighting over designs and details. Honestly, it was more work arguing than actually creating."
Jennie smiled, her expression amused. "Sounds like you guys. Typical."
Jennie turned around at Zazm, he looked at her and asked, "What's up?"
"You're the only one left....., where's your throne?"
Jennie looked at Zazm curiously, and that mischievous grin of his grew even wider. "I'm glad you asked," he said, clearly pleased by her interest. He gestured for her to follow him.
They walked around to the opposite side of Jahanox's throne, and Jennie was immediately drawn to the throne in front of her. It was, without a doubt, the most striking one of all.
Zazm's throne was large and imposing, but it had an elegance to it that no other throne in the room could match. The backrest was constructed from a sleek, dark material that seemed to shimmer in the low light, giving off an almost ethereal glow.
The throne's form was angular and futuristic, like something from a time that had yet to come. At the center of the backrest was Zazm's mark—the symbol of his time and space manipulation abilities.
It was an intricate design of swirling, overlapping circles and sharp, geometric lines that seemed to fold in on themselves. The mark pulsed softly with a cool, glowing blue light, which contrasted beautifully with the deep black of the throne.
Around the throne, faint patterns—like the threads of time itself—were etched into the sides, almost as if the throne were alive, moving and shifting with the passage of time.
The armrests were designed to resemble the flow of time—fluid, smooth, and yet sturdy, giving the impression that whoever sat in it could control not just space, but the very fabric of reality itself. The base of the throne had subtle, shifting waves of light, as though space was bending under its weight.
Jennie gasped. "This... this is incredible. It's like it's made for someone who controls time and space. It feels... chilling."
Zazm chuckled, stepping confidently toward the throne. "It's exactly what I wanted. Something that speaks to my abilities. It's not just a throne—it's a symbol of control, of power over time and space."
Jennie stepped closer, her eyes tracing the glowing lines and designs of the throne. "I can see that. It looks like you could literally bend time just by sitting in it."
Zazm's grin widened as he flopped down into the seat, making it look effortless and natural. "That's the idea." He leaned back, clearly at ease in his seat, as if he was truly in control of everything around him.
The room seemed to take on a different feel now that Zazm was seated in his throne. The air felt charged with power, and the other thrones, despite their own unique designs, seemed to pale in comparison to Zazm's.
Jennie watched, still in awe, as Zazm gave her a playful wink. "See? Pretty cool, right?"
She nodded, her expression one of genuine admiration. "Definitely. It's like you belong here, in this throne, as if it was made just for you."
Jahanox clapped his hands, grabbing everyone's attention. "Alright, Jennie, choose any throne you'd like," he said with a grin.
Jennie scanned the room, her eyes moving from one throne to the next. She immediately noticed that four of the thrones were simple, with no design or unique features at all.
They looked entirely plain, unremarkable compared to the others. She pouted, looking disappointed. "Hey why are they all so simple?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Jahanox smirked, a playful glint in his eye. "Pick a throne first," he replied cryptically.
Jennie sighed, rolling her eyes at his teasing. She walked across the room, studying the remaining thrones. After a moment, she pointed to the one opposite Kiyomasa, next to Jahanox's throne. "I'll take that one," she decided.
Jahanox nodded in approval, gesturing for her to go ahead. "Place your hand on it," he instructed.
Jennie walked toward the throne, glancing back at him for confirmation. She placed her hand on the cold surface, waiting for the next step. Jahanox gave her a reassuring nod. "Now, just imagine how you want it to look. Take your time."
Jennie stood there, lost in thought. A few minutes passed, and the others began to lose interest. Caspian lazily spoke up, "She's taking too long. When she's done, wake me up." He stretched out, not caring much for the process. Kiyomasa, who had been dozing off, jolted awake at Caspian's remark, rubbing his eyes.
Zazm, however, remained relaxed, reclining in his throne with his headphones on, completely absorbed in his music. Jahanox, still standing beside Jennie, waited patiently, his arms crossed.
Finally, Jennie broke the silence, her voice filled with excitement. "I'm done!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining.
Jahanox let out a sigh of relief. "Finally," he said with a smile. "Now, just think about what you want to design, and let the throne do the rest."
Jennie nodded eagerly and focused on the throne. Slowly, the empty, colorless seat began to shift. The cold, lifeless throne transformed in front of everyone's eyes. Its design became intricate and ethereal, something unlike any of the others.
The throne took on a flowing, artistic shape, almost as if it were alive. Delicate, fluid lines curled and twirled around the seat, making it appear both regal and dreamlike. The armrests extended like graceful wings, the edges soft and delicate, yet strong.
As the throne materialized, it began to glow with soft pastel colors, a combination of light blues, pinks, and purples. Glowing accents highlighted the smooth curves, giving it an otherworldly, celestial feel.
The backrest was tall, sculpted with elegant swirls, and at the top, the mark of invisibility and illusion was etched in glowing light. The design looked almost like a blend of a swirling mist and an abstract artistic pattern, constantly shifting as if the throne itself was a living entity, just like the powers Jennie held.
The others were stunned. Caspian, still leaning lazily on his throne, tilted his head, clearly impressed. Kiyomasa blinked a few times in disbelief at the beauty of the throne.
Zazm, who had removed his headphones, leaned forward, intrigued by Jennie's creation. Even Jahanox, usually hard to impress, couldn't hide the admiration in his eyes.
The throne was stunning, both delicate and powerful. It was a true reflection of Jennie's artistic nature, a seat that felt like it belonged in a dreamscape. It stood in contrast to the others, a perfect fusion of beauty and strength.
Jahanox broke the silence, raising an eyebrow. "What's that symbol at the top?" he asked, his tone curious.
Jennie smiled, proud of her work. "It's a combination of two famous concepts in the world of art: invisibility and illusion. I wanted to represent the power of both in a single design. The mark is a fusion of their symbolism — something that is both hidden and perceptible at the same time," she explained.
Her words left everyone in awe. Zazm grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "You definitely nailed it," he said, impressed by her creativity.
Caspian nodded, though he didn't seem too shocked. "Not bad, not bad," he remarked, looking back at his own throne, but his tone showed genuine respect for Jennie's work.
Kiyomasa, still in awe, finally found his voice. "It's amazing… It feels like… like it could be from another world."
Jahanox chuckled. "Yeah, it's pretty wild. It's definitely the most unique throne here."
Jennie beamed at their reactions. It was clear her artistic soul had poured into this creation, and it had earned the respect of her peers.
"Alright, now that you've chosen your throne, shall we get started?" Zazm asked, a playful smirk returning to his face.
Jennie jumped down on her throne clearly enjoying everything that had happened, she looked around at the three empty thrones, "If I'm not wrong these are for the other Catalysts?"
Jahanox nodded his head, "Yes and we'll talk about this today aswell but before that...."
Jahanox gave Zazm a pointed look. "Zazm has something for everyone," he said, his voice filled with a hint of mystery. Everyone turned their attention toward Zazm, eager to hear what he had planned.
Caspian, leaning back in his throne with a half-smirk, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What do you have for us, Zazm? Another one of your grand schemes?"
Kiyomasa, still trying to grasp the grandeur of the situation, nervously spoke up. "Yeah, what is it? Are we getting something cool?"
Jennie, so captivated by the thrones and their designs, had completely missed the magnificent table before. Now, her attention was drawn to it.
The table was a masterpiece in its own right, far more than just a simple piece of furniture. The design was breathtaking, with its otherworldly elegance. It seemed as though it had been forged from the very essence of the shadow dimension itself.
The surface of the table was a smooth, glass-like material, shimmering with a purplish-black hue, like a reflection of a midnight sky filled with distant stars.
As she looked closer, intricate, geometric patterns swirled across the surface, glowing softly in shades of violet and deep indigo. The light radiating from the table was alive, flickering like the heartbeat of the dimension itself, pulsating with an ethereal glow.
Small, delicate orbs of light flickered across the surface, like tiny stars coming to life. Each movement in the room seemed to cause the colors to shift and change, giving the table a fluid, magical quality.
'Why is everything here so pretty,' she thought to herself.
Zazm placed his hand on the surface of the table, and almost immediately, a small stone appeared in front of each of them.
The stone was smooth, dark, and had a faint shimmer, as if it held an inner glow just waiting to be released. Zazm picked up one of the stones, holding it up for everyone to see, his smile widening.
"Let me show you how it works," he said, his voice calm yet full of excitement.
He continued, "Each of these stones contains my threads. And those threads will cover everyone else's threads."
Caspian, ever the skeptic, raised a hand, his curiosity piqued. "What's that supposed to do?" he asked, eyeing the stone in Zazm's hand.
Zazm smiled confidently. "The threads inside the stone are directly connected to the space of the shadow dimension, or more precisely, to your own thrones," he explained. "They create a link, a network that connects us all."
Jennie's eyes widened in surprise. "That's… impressive as hell," she exclaimed, clearly amazed by what Zazm had just revealed.
Jahanox leaned back in his throne, smirking. "So that's what you've been up to the past three days?" he said, impressed.
Zazm nodded, shrugging slightly. "I was tired of being the Uber driver, constantly picking everyone up and dropping them off," he said with a chuckle. "These stones took a lot of work, but it was worth it. Now, I won't have to do that. You can come here whenever you like."
Jennie, still processing, furrowed her brow. "But why connect it to the shadow dimension specifically?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Zazm's eyes gleamed as he answered. "The shadow dimension is a different space, far removed from Earth. While the entire Earth exists in the same space, connecting from one place to another in the same space would be much harder, a lot of work. But since the shadow dimension is a different space, it was like creating a gate. Much easier, much more efficient."
Everyone nodded in understanding as they each picked up their stone, intrigued by its smooth texture and subtle glow.
Zazm continued, "You can keep it in stone form if you prefer, but," he held his stone in the air, and it began to shift.
The stone morphed into a sleek earring, shimmering with a dark, metallic hue. Zazm pierced his ear with the sharp tip of the earring, the motion effortless, as the earring settled perfectly into place. "Or, you can convert it into whatever you like," he said, a confident smirk on his face.
Caspian was the first to react. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he quickly pulled out one of his earrings, throwing it out. With a flick of his wrist, he transformed the stone into a round, sleek earring. He swiftly wore it with a grin. "This looks sick," he said, his eyes gleaming. "A great addition to my collection."
Kiyomasa, always the more subdued one, created a ring from the stone and slid it onto his thumb, admiring the fit. "Not bad," he muttered, impressed with the transformation.
Jennie smiled as she watched the others, before deciding on her own choice. She turned the stone into a delicate necklace, the design ethereal, with intricate, flowing patterns that wrapped around the pendant.
It was beautiful, and she immediately put it on, her face lighting up with joy. "I love it," she said softly, admiring the way the necklace shimmered against her pale white skin.
Jahanox, not one to be left behind, turned the stone into a bracelet. The bracelet was dark and sleek, with intricate patterns running along its surface. He slid it onto the wrist that bore his mark, the mark glowing faintly against the contrast of the bracelet. "This works," he said, his tone calm but clearly satisfied with his choice.
Finally, Zazm smiled, admiring the way each of them had personalized their stones. He looked down at his own earring, which, though simple in design, exuded a cool vibe.
The earring was sleek, with sharp, angular lines that gave it a bold, modern look. It had a faint, dark sheen to it, and the edges of the earring glimmered subtly in the light.
You can come and go as you please, and the connections between us are stronger than ever."
The group stood in a comfortable silence for a moment, each of them admiring their new accessories, now more connected than ever before.
"All right," Zazm added with a casual shrug, "now we can actually get some work done."
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