He was back in the void. Like a feather, he floated on invisible currents. He gave no resistance, no direction, or any desire to change. What did it matter to him? Everything was gone. Everything! His last attempt to get out from the shadow of the old man and make something of himself ended here.

Help us! Save us! Share your warmth!

There they were, acting as if he had the power to help them. Well, the joke is on you! I can’t save you. No one can, this is a cruel world where children are abused and discarded everyday! Do you hear me?

A small voice, the very first one he heard, replied for the first time. What other choice do we have? I don’t want to die! Save us!

Jack scoffed. I will find you someone that can help you, just leave me alone.

There is no one else! You are our last hope! Save us!

Jack finally began to consider answering this plea. His gut told him that doing so would fundamentally change him and there would be no going back. On the other hand, what was left for there to go back to? The old man, not a chance. Might as well take a chance. At this rate, someone was going to find his corpse in a gutter somewhere. Words he had suppressed his entire life, the words he wished his parents had told him, ripped out from somewhere deep.

I will help you! I will ignite a fire that burns away your fears and be your shelter! I will warm you when the world turns cold and nothing will be able to hurt you.

[THESE WORDS ARE ACCEPTED]

Crimson Flames ignited at the tips of Jack’s fingers and toes. This came as no surprise to Jack. It felt… right. Like he was a lump of worked clay about to go through the refiner's fire. That had always been his favorite story when his mother took him to church so long ago. When this force was done transforming him, he would become… something, something better. Someone capable of fulfilling his foolish promises. The Fire spread through him, changing him till all he knew was Fire. Never before had Jack known a time where he felt no pain and no fear. Only peace.

For the first time, Jack felt the void change. A pinpoint of light coalesced in front of him. It swirled like a galaxy condensed to the size of a quarter. Gradually, it expanded. At first, it was the size of a palm but it started to grow faster and faster. Now, it was several meters wide and was starting to tug on him. Somehow, he knew that this… thing was going to take him where he needed to go. Hopefully, this is a good idea. Geronimo! He entered the cosmic portal.

…

He was in the void again. Only this time it felt different, it was just more. Everywhere he looked, thousands of geometric patterns ranging from simple polyhedrons to some so complex, he couldn’t comprehend, danced together in scintillating patterns. Colors came into focus next. Pastels, earth tones, and even some neon colors joined the tapestry of shapes all around. It was as if a stained glass window decided to come to life and the individual pieces were dancing.

On center stage, was the largest mass of geometries. It was formed from a mix of stained glass and neon lights. The colored patterns outlined a writhing and twisting mass of shapes. The movement made it seem almost alive.

The largest and most compact cluster of shapes started moving. The great mass undulated in a hypnotic motion as it closed the gap. In the span of a heartbeat, he came face to face with what he guessed to be a giant eye in the center of the mass. No way! Shock and disbelief were all he could feel. Never before had a mortal ever beheld something so alien as this.

Wait, did it just blink?

The eye was a perfect polygon with so many sides that it seemed circular. Inside, acting as a pupil were shapes at once so simple and so complex that it seemed alien and unfathomable. It was like staring into a kaleidoscope, but so much more. As he noticed the strange being, the Great Eye almost seemed to focus on him like a camera focusing to take a photo.

Dangling underneath the mass were chains made of the same strange shapes that made up the rest of its body. Only that wasn’t true, he realized upon closer inspection. They were swaying slowly as if treading water.

Hello young traveler, what brings you to this place?

Gah! He thought. There’s a voice in my head! Jack quickly tried to hide all the thoughts he had of the creature to the back of his mind by imagining a blank wall, but It was like trying to hide an elephant, pointless.

He heard a strange noise that could only be interpreted as laughter. Be calm young traveler. I am not offended. Your antics are quite endearing. It would be a shame to harm you. At this, two of the chains (tentacles?) reached up and coiled around his torso lightly. Once it was done the creature spoke. I see now. You are that which is sought, a Champion. Your kind is very rare.

Jack attempted to open his mouth to reply, only to realize that he had no mouth! At that, he tried to move his hands but they were gone too. Oh god, where is my body!

I am not God! The voice boomed. My name is the Sentinel and I do not appreciate such filthy speech. Be wary of that which you invoke in this realm.

The great eye seemed to focus even more closely on him and Jack instinctively knew it was a bad sign. Your reaction is crude but understandable. I can sense the hand of one that far above even myself brought you here. Whether that was for your benefit…I do not know.

This time Jack tried thinking back at the creature. Where? When? How? What... why? The font of questions ended abruptly when a sensation of warmth enveloped his fevered thoughts.

Is that better, yes? Good! You are in the place in-between places. This is where everything exists in its most basic form. You can call it the Metaphysical realm. You were brought here without warning, so your confusion is understandable. I am in need of one such as yourself to assist me and you need to reach your destination in order to assist the little ones that called you. I say we make a deal.

What kind of deal? Jack replied. He wasn’t in the habit of making deals with anyone, let alone strange energy, tentacle… things.

Nothing onerous, I assure you. You will be my voice and my hand in a new world. Armies are preparing to march and children are suffering from neglect and predation. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! Millenia ago, I placed down sanctions on that world to deal with a situation like this. It is timely that you appear right when I need one such as yourself. Suspiciously so.

Everything shifted, Jack was now floating on the top of a dusty hill covered in sparse scrub grass. He panned his vision to take in his environment. Men and women clad in pelts and unprocessed plant mesh crowded the hill, gazes turned towards the heavens. He followed their gazes to see a rip in the fabric of reality. A tentacle, much like one of the sentinels, stuck out through the opening.

Many ages ago, I came to the world of Cognitum and taught them how to gather the power of creation as part of a grand experiment. All that listened here, took that knowledge back to their homes and began to develop it for themselves. They called it The Gifting.

The world changed. He was still in the same spot but it had changed drastically. Craters and furrows covered the land as far as the eye could see. The dead were everywhere, their frozen faces reflected the horror that swallowed the land preceding their demise.

They chose to use my gift to gather power. Serfs overthrew kings and nobles slaughtered each other in the streets. The land grew twisted and wild power infected all that was wholesome. A hundred factions vied for control of the land for centuries. Till only three remained.

The scene changed for the final time. Underbrush and disfigured weeds now filled the craters and the dead were now gone, though several suspicious mounds indicated where they had gone. Three giant enclaves surrounded the hill at an even distance from each other. From up high, it made a triangle. A blurry figure appeared from each tent as they converged on the peak of the hill.

They're selfish war could not be allowed to continue. I stepped in and ordered them to come to a summit that I hosted. There, I made two commandments. No more war. Provide for all children. If they ever broke my commandments, I would send my champion, The Adjudicator to balance the scales and bring judgment.

The scene faded and he was, once more, floating next to The Sentinel. The great being let out a sigh. They have broken the covenant bit by bit and now plan to outwardly defy me. Will you become my Adjudicator and protect those that cannot protect themselves? What do you say, little Flame?

Flame. Yes, that’s what he was. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had worried that he was now just a disembodied voice. He instinctively turned his vision inwards and saw a Crimson Fire, cheery and welcoming. He knew that this discovery was supposed to send him into a full on panic attack, he did. So why was he so calm?

I would like to become your Adjudicator but I have no body. What help could I possibly be?

That is of no consequence to one such as I, child. I will forge you a new vessel that can traverse the material plane. Will you accept my offer?

YES!

Excellent. Prepare for reentry.