As his eyes closed, Callum began to float once again. However the once empty expanse was not that way anymore.
Floating in the endless white expanse was the entire citadel and country side that became the crater. Shocked by this revelation Callum made an attempt to find his way to the citadel.
However there was no solid ground under his feet so no matter how much he flailed his body. He remained fixed in the place he was floating.
Callum tried to will himself forward but still nothing happened. Then the flood of sensations finally registered to him.
He was still reeling from the shock so he had missed a vital feeling this entire time. He could feel every movement that took place within the floating country. He made an attempt to focus on the sensations but it began to overwhelm his body.
Like thousands of insects crawling across his skin, every step taken. Every object touched, he could feel all of it. His nerves were being overwhelmed by the constant barrage of sensation.
Like water trickling on your forehead for a long period of time. While the sensation itself didn't hurt. The sheer volume of light touches and never ending assault of it all began to cause him intense pain.
Callums body began to shake from pain and convulse, on the verge of a pain induced seizure he opened his eyes.
Back to the center of the crater. His mind was shattered, his body was covered in aches. The magnitude of it all was taking it's toll.
He sat for a while, still at the center of the crater. Then he closed his eyes once more.
The onslaught of sensations started once again. The feeling of thousands of pins and needles pricking into his skin all across his body.
Nevertheless he persevered. The more his mind began to clear the more he noticed things. This entire void was his ability.
Realization finally setting in. His body was tired from the injection so he never even took the time to test his new abilities yet. His first use of them happened in his sleep and caused a catastrophic event.
Callum looked at the palms of his hands, the power to call on an endless void.
The power to create a realm outside the controlling hands of the gods. The extent of his abilities was still untested but with what he saw so far. He was beginning to feel a strong sense of control.
Excited by the revelations of what this new ability can do, Callums mind began pondering what other things he can do within it.
"I'll have to explore all my possibilities and prioritize mastering this ability. But first, I'm starving." He glanced around him. Days worth of travel sat between him and the edge of the crater.
"How the hell am I supposed to get out of this thing." Callum scratched the back of his head before coming up with an idea.
'Verotide was capable of creating a wormhole from the null world, to the void and then from the void to earth. If I was granted his abilities, does that mean I can do the same?'
Callum closed his eyes, returning back to the void. While there he made note of a few things.
In the void he could feel the movement of every living creature. But if he focused his mind on his body. He could feel the hard ground he was sitting on.
He started connecting dots within his mind.
'Verotide traveled through the void as a whole. But I'm only travelling through it with my conscience. Is that why moving my body doesn't allow me to move within the void?'
Questions and coinciding answers flooded through Callums head. Millions of ideas and tests began forming as his inquisitive mind flowed.
As his mind clouded with thoughts, the sensations of the void became less pronounced. Noticing that he was now sitting within the void without being overwhelmed by sensation.
Callum attempted to focus on a single sensation. One sensation was heavier and stronger than the rest so he focused on that one.
He focused intensely on it, singling out the heavy sensation. Until finally the void shifted.
Instead of Callums body moving towards the sensation, the sensation shifted towards Callum. Like he was the center of the universe and he was beckoning the source of it to approach him. Using an almighty force like that of gravity.
The country approached him until he found himself being put into the woods. However, discovering what was causing the sensation was a terrifying experience.
As the void pulled the source directly to him, it put him into the hands of true horror. He quickly recognized what part of the country he had found.
The scene acting as a marker and a guide for how wide the bite of Verotide had affected the planet.
Standing in front of Callum was a beaten and torn through steel wall. The wall of his former home, Androphera.
In the woods at the base of the slum, stood a monster with mountainous peaks of muscle rolling under its black and red skin. The eyes flickered with black flames of malice as it turned.
The eyes of the beast peering directly at Callum.
Madness sparked a smile across the beasts face as it turned fully and began to rush at him.
The sight of the beast froze Callums mind.
Memories of the day his life first changed flickered into his mind, causing a paralysis to take over his body.
All he could do is watch as the monstrosity barrelled it's way to him. It's hand reaching out to claim Callum as it's next meal.
"Dammit all, I finally gain power and now the reaper comes to claim my life in the form of a mad giant."
The fingers clench at Callums body, causing him to tense with fear. But no pressure was applied to him.
The gnarled fingers of the beast tore through the empty space. Phasing straight through Callum.
The beast roared in anger and thrashed again but to no avail. Callum was there as an astral projection with no physical body.
A gleeful laugh erupted from Callum.
"This is amazing, even the twisted hands of fate can't reach me here." Callum couldn't help but lose himself in laughter.
The beast roared and started swinging with a wild fervor. The sight of the flailing beast did nothing but increase the glee of Callum.
A sense of omnipotence started arising within him. As he realized that this void is his world. He can summon things to him, physical harm would just phase through him. Only two beings he knew of could enter or exit. One was him and the other was Verotide.
He felt like a god who's archenemy was the ancient evil from which his powers originate.
His lips curled with madness and power began to go to his head.
Losing himself in thoughts of governing the new little world growing within his ability.
"I am god here" the thought made the young man stand proud even in the presence of the giant who has destroyed his world previously.
"Nothing can hurt me here." He started a spiral of self inflating egoistic thinking. Before being interrupted by the sound of rumbling.
He quickly realized that his stomach was the source of the rumbling. As if a retort from the real gods. His fantasy was cut short by the reality that was his bodily functions.
He opened his eyes to work on finding a way out of the threat of dying from starvation or dehydration before ever leaving the crater.