Eleven: The Sequel of AlterMyth

The Ninomae-Tsukumo Theorem of Mythical Physics

Prologue

Star-swept mahogany bookshelves and impractical spiral staircase to and from nowhere flanked Sana Tsukumo as she and Yatagarasu made their way through the anomaly of the Cosmic Void. Her footsteps echoed weakly, parts of it bouncing off of the scant furniture and the stairs while the vast majority was swallowed up by the nothingness of space. Hardly a sound reached Sana's ears, so the beating of her heart filled her mind with tension.

The layout of the space was labyrinthine, filled with improbable physics and optical illusions that made Sana double back. Her only indicator that she was moving in the right direction was that more and more bookshelves manifested, filled with books whose titles she couldn't read.

"What's all this stuff, Yatagarasu?" Sana asked, brushing her hand against a row of book covers while she passed them by, "Real books?"

" I wish I could tell you, Space child. " Yatagarasu apologized, " They're written in strange languages that I have never encountered before. " The miniaturized creature looked up from his golden ring cage and turned to the smoldering remains of the tomb world far in the distance, " I wouldn't be surprised if these are works from that doomed society. "

"Like an ark of some sort?" Sana hummed.

" Perhaps. " Yatagarasu agreed, " But if that is the case... then who has been collecting all of these tomes? How did they end up in the Cosmic Void? " He squinted and scanned through the bookshelves once more, " This way of organization, though. By year, then by author and by color. Meticulous and deliberate. How familiar. Could it be...? "

Before Yatagarasu could finish his train of thought, wisps of purple magic coalesced behind him and Sana. The miniaturized beast's orange hue went pale and he urged, " Space child, get down! "

Sana, shocked by her ancient companion's panic, dropped down to the marble floor. All of a sudden, a long, plump purple tentacle coalesced from the purple wisps and shot over Sana's head.

"Holy cow!" Sana gasped, "That's a big bugger!"

Moments later, more wisps of purple magic started forming around Sana and Yatagarasu. The ex-astronaut picked herself up from the marble floor, grabbed Yatagarasu's ring cage and booked it.

Tentacles started shooting out of tiny portals, missing Sana by mere inches. They slammed into the marble floors, rocking the ground beneath Sana's feet. Every strike threatened to throw Sana off balance.

Then, eventually, it did.

Sana mistepped and stumbled forward. Then, while Sana fell, another small portal appeared. A plump tentacle shot through, its point poised to pierce the falling Sana's heart.

It was at this time that Yatagarasu gave his telepathic instructions. " Your magic, Space child! Use it as I tell you! "

Wisps of golden magic appeared around Sana's hands. Then, when Sana landed on her hands, gravity intensified in a ring around her for a brief moment. The strange tentacle bent down into the ground, missing Sana once more.

"D-did I do that!?" Sana couldn't believe her eyes.

" You did. But we're not out of danger yet. " Yatagarasu warned, eyeing the downed tentacle buried in marble, " This power reminds me of something sinister. These are the appendages of a Priestess of the Manipulator! "

"You think it's the Manipulator?" Sana asked, watching the downed tentacle disappear before her eyes.

" That is my fear, Space child. If this is the realm of a Priestess, then we are in grave danger. " Yatagarasu turned to Sana and urged, " The choice is yours to make. We may flee this place and seek help - or we can try to slay this wretched creature posthaste! "