When a soul was in the threshold of true awareness, what followed was the profundity of true silence. And the projection of this massively significant silence, was the beginning of a soul's true becoming.

And deep in the threshold of the world of dreams, Ethera felt an awareness of herself floating in the light of dark energy of the underworld. As she floated, she saw a massive phantom-like landscape underneath her while her spirit soared, high above the dark sky.

Gradually, as she soared higher, the ghostly landscape began to change into a more recognizable one that was of utter wonder to the gazing eyes. Five infinite lucid oceans that seperated five un-ending realms.

The Underworld.

A lasting world of chaos that had infinite possibility of expansion. She had never seen the whole of the Tartarus realm before, talkless of the other realms. But, the way the world's landscape was naturally formed and carved, other realms would also be magnificient to behold.

As she continued to soar higher, the landscape continued to enlarge and the structures of the five dark realms of the Underworld began to take shape. She noticed five massive energy flares at the center of the realms which made her to wonder in bewilderment. Spiritual vision? The only plausible explanation for her to be seeing all these was due to an aesthetic spiritual vision. For, there was no way such divine energy flares could be seen with the naked immortal eyes.

Floating sensation. Spiritual vision.

Astral projection!

It had to be astral projection. Though, she had never used astral projection before due to the protection of her parents, she could identify one. She remembered their words of souls travelling to any part of the universe almost instantly. Much more faster and safer than the physical body. However, the deity wouldn't be able to alter much of anything with only the soul and the soul could still be intercepted and trapped by a more powerful deity.

For certainty, this astral projection wasn't of her doing. She wouldn't have initiated one before her awakening and moreover, she would have kept her conscious knowledge of her own soul's projection from the very beginning, if she was the one that actually performed it. Nevertheless, anything or anyone that instituted the astral projection of her soul without her knowledge of it from the start, must be exceedingly powerful. True, she was still a young deity who was yet to undergo awakening, she should still be aware of her soul's projection. For her not to be aware, extreme caution was needed.

Since she couldn't control her soul's projection and was still a young deity, she had to thread cautiously here. Deity or no deity, she could easily be trapped in here or even be killed without knowing any better. The thought gave her a degree of fear since she would soon be taking her first steps into the immortal life of a true deity.

The expansion of the landscape continued in a blur as everything melted away from her view. This made the floating soul of Ethera, ache badly prompting screams that couldn't be heard. As her spirit neared the point of combustion, the image slowed down and showed the scene of darkness. Complete darkness that engulfed her soul too.

Panic took hold of her as she strained her spiritual vision to no avail. Was her soul being trapped? Why? As she was wondering in total apprehension, she heard a gentle and soft voice that seemed to echoe from the distant.

\"The void. This is the true beginning.\"

A male husky voice sounded behind her.

\"Huh?\"

With a mind gripped with fear, Ethera turned to the source of the voice, only for her to continue seeing complete darkness. She looked sideways, to the same results. She tried to reach for her dimensional crystal, storage container, in order to take her defensive talisman but realized that she was in an astral projection.

\"Who... who are you?\"

\"Who I am, is not for you to know. Not yet, anyway. Since your power is still lacking. But, the time will come and won't be long. That, I can assure you, young immortal. Do you even know the great length I went through to be here, to bring you here?\"

\"To take my soul?\"

\"Take your soul?

A raspy laughter echoed forth from the sorrounding darkness.

\"To what purpose would that be, young immortal? I understand your concern but I never meant to startle you.\"

The already rattled Ethera, looked around in the darkness in utter disbelief. Not meant to startle her? 'But, you already did!' She wanted to scream and kick something, then, maybe whoever brought her here would simply throw her out of this place in annoyance.

\"Alright. Maybe, meant to startle you a little bit.\"

The raspy laughter ensued from the darkness again.

\"But, I won't throw you out yet. Now, you are wondering why you are here?\"

An entity that could read her mind? Slowly, Ethera calmed her jostled mind. Who knew maybe this entity would simply decide to chain her soul if she should slightly annoy him. After recovering herself, Ethera asked.

\"Yes.\"

\"I will get to that shortly. Meanwhile, the first question should be how you got here.\"

\"Astral projection?\"

\"Close, yet, far away. You see, young immortal, this is Astral-Dream Projection.\"

\"Astral-Dream projection? If it's a dream projection, don't I need to be induced with a dream since I don't sleep?\"

Ethera asked as she recollected the memories she had of her parents inducing her with dreams for her to sleep. Could she truly be here? An entity that could transport another deity soul in an astral-dream projection, must be at the stellar stage at the least. Evidence of the power of this entity.

\"Of course, we deities don't sleep unless we are induced with a dream. That's why I went to great length to induce you with one. And, don't ask me how. The reason why there is a huge difference between this and astral-projection. Dream projection has its own advantages. It can be used to transmit or communicate extremely important information since it is safe from interception unless the interceptor is exceedingly more powerful. This is the reason why astral-dream projection is much more difficult to initiate. Regarding what you are seeing, you can only be here through the Astral-Dream projection. If not, your soul would simply disintegrate.\"

\"Is that why I'm here? To see?\"

\"You are here to know. But first, for us to meet.\"

\"I can't even see you.\"

\"No, you can't. Not with the stage you are now. But don't worry, you will see me when the time comes. For now, Is there a better way to meet you than your introduction to the tiniest glimpse of what was? What was of the universe, of myself and of yourself? How we all came to be? This way, you will fully understand me when the time comes. Are you with me, young immortal?\"

\"Do I have any choice?\"

\"Yes. You can decide not to listen which will give me a reason to lock-up your soul.\"

\"Huh?\"

\"Hehehe. Good. Now that I have your undivided attention, there won't be any need for soul chains. Hehehe.\"

The husky voice produce a deep sounded laughter before profound silence engulfed the place.