At the top of a soaring white tower lay a sealed chamber, and within, a young girl named was its prisoner. Only a single round window connected it to the outside world, and it opened only on starry nights, moonless nights. Thus, knew nothing of the sun, the moon, the mountain mists, or the songs from the world below.
Even loneliness was an unfamiliar word to , much like the world itself. As she gazed into the night sky, the stars seemed almost within reach, and a vast emptiness began to take shape within her. It grew so immense that even all of the stars could not fill it.
One day, a distant, resounding chant from below drew from her thoughts. But as she turned to the window in confusion, a streak of crimson seeped through, creeping slowly toward her. Outside, there were no stars to be seen, only crimson.
did not know what this crimson was or what it wanted. Yet, driven by curiosity, she reached out and touched it—a voice seemed to echo from within. She wanted it to stay and keep her company. Without warning, the crimson that had covered the sky bellowed and writhed violently before being consumed in an instant. And in that moment, an overwhelming power flooded into , accompanied by countless memories of ages past.
She came to know the crimson.
It was the Lord of Gluttony, a primordial god at the apex of existence. Its will drifted through the world like wind-borne spores, ever seeking the finest flavors of life. In one memory, it took the form of fungi, clung to the crown of a nimble fawn, and slowly savored the essence of its life over months. In another, it took on a form that blotted out the sky, swallowing an entire bustling metropolis in mere moments.
She came to know herself as well.
She was a perfect offering, cultivated by a human kingdom to be sacrificed to the Lord of Gluttony. Imprisoned in that tower since childhood, she had known neither the world nor its people—only existing as an untouched offering, awaiting to be devoured. That is, until the vast void within her turned upon the god itself.
None of this mattered anymore.
now bore the power and memories that once belonged to the Lord of Gluttony, inheriting the weariness and detachment born of endless time, all of which sank quietly into the depths of her soul.
The naive, blank girl awoke, stepping into the clamor and vitality of the world, already drawn—without knowing it—toward her next feast.
The chamber was flooded with sunlight, along with the distant clamor from below. peered down with joy and curiosity. She yearned to join the crowd—fill her emptiness with their restless vitality. She plucked the sky from the window and shaped it into an umbrella, and leapt gently from the tower. The power once belonging to the Lord of Gluttony now flowed at her command. Upon the surface of the umbrella lingered the remnants of the ancient being, and the starry sky that had been her only companion in memory.
touched down on the streets below. The surrounding clamor wrapped around her like warm light. Along the bustling alleys, curling smokestacks from kitchens and children playing in the streets caught her eye. A genuine joy stirred within her heart. With brisk steps, she walked toward them.
Then the hunger that slumbered within her caught the scent of a feast and quietly awakened. Boundless power surged through her, and her gaze turned hollow in an instant. The god's power seeped outward from the umbrella, and a thought arose: "Do these frail existences not know that eternity awaited the devoured?"
Driven by insatiable hunger, the remnants of the Lord of Gluttony transformed into a nightmare that shrouded the city. The warmth froze in an instant, as every living presence was drawn into the void. From the tallest trees to the smallest trace of moss, all was erased within the crimson tide, leaving behind nothing but a hollow silence.
What remained of the Lord of Gluttony's will writhed in madness, yet the void within was too vast. All its bellowing and struggle were in vain as it ultimately dissolved into her will. The crimson receded, and the remnants returned to the umbrella.
A deathly silence fell upon the city, interrupted only by the wind howling through the empty alleys.
awoke amidst the hollowed ruins, her gaze blank with confusion. She remembered nothing of the crimson that had swept across the land—nothing of the lives that vanished in an instant. She only knew that the warmth that had just embraced her was suddenly gone. The emptiness returned once more, carrying a deep sense of loss. "Where did everyone go?"
She tightened her grip on the umbrella, the longing for that warmth still guiding her forward. Across the land, she followed an instinct toward the next city. "I'll be able to find that warmth again…"
"...right?"
