Given An Unwanted Second Chance

Chapter 58

Everyone grab your notebooks, it's info-dump time!

(Eclipse so deserves some answers 😅)

~~~~~

You can do it, young one...

I took a shuddering breath, weakly opening my eyes.

...eyes?  Wait, I still have two?  I thought getting knocked unconscious reverted me...?

I coughed harshly, wrapping my arms tightly around my chest.  "O-Oww..."

Breathe, little one.  You're okay.  I have you.

I actually took the time to register what my eyes were seeing.

Also...uh, what my EYES were seeing.  Both.  I had full eyesight??

Anyway, it was...dark.  Completely dark.  I could somehow see myself clearly, but nothing beyond.

I seemed to still be in my human form, which was confusing.

Are you with me?

"W-Who...who's there...?"  I whispered, my chest pulsing almost painfully.

I have always been here, little one.  I am so thankful I can finally properly contact you.

I coughed again, looking around more.  My gaze snapped to a gathering of...what I could only call visible energy.  It swirled into a viewable form of...some kind.  Humanoid in shape, but that was all.

"What...?"

You must be terribly confused.  Let me introduce myself now that you have autonomy and memory retention.

THAT threw me for a loop, but I listened to the faintly familiar feminine voice.

I am Fate.  I am one of three who preside over the omniverse.

I blinked.  "What did you mean by me now having autonomy and memory retention?"

Fate sighed softly, but it didn't sound annoyed.  It sounded...exhausted?  That...is a very long tale for one of your lifespan, young one.  I will try to condense it as best I can, but...

I rubbed my chest slightly, the pulsing pain dulled for the most part.  "Please...tell me.  I have been so confused about nearly everything."

Fate nodded, and she waved a hand.  A fuzzy bubble appeared, and within it, I saw my original form tied to a tree, looking confused.  "No? Our multiverse is the first as all multiverses after branch from it. Comparable to a tree. We're the roots. Take us away and everything topples. I doubt anyone would be granted a second to realize what was happening before everything ceased to exist."

The bubble closed, and I turned my own confused face towards her.  "I remember saying that...what about it?"

A very applicable comparison.  Your multiverse is the root of all life after.  All multiverses.  She paused, her next words sounding pained.  Even...your original one.

I jolted a bit.  "Y-You mean...my birth multiverse?"

Yes.  Your birth multiverse...is dead.

"How...?"

A dead branch that fell from the tree, a few bits of life still clinging to it.  It is why your birth multiverse had no semblance of the magic you see everywhere else.  Once the magic seeped away, it continued for a few thousand more years before simply...dissipating.

She wrapped her arms around her form.  I worked together with Life and Destiny to ferry as many lost souls to other multiverses as possible.  You yourself passed a few years before it completely died.