CryptoGoat: The Whispering Beyond
CryptoGoat: The Whispering Beyond
CryptoGoat floated in the void, gripping the shard as its glow pulsed in sync with an ominous heartbeat echoing through the vast emptiness. The whisper returned, soft and unnerving:
“Welcome to the Beyond.”
CG’s horns flickered in confusion, casting faint chameleon-colored light that shifted unpredictably.
“Okay,” he muttered, his golden eyes narrowing. “This isn’t my usual kind of portal experience. Where’s the blinding chaos? The obligatory spinning vortex? This feels… unsettling.”
The shard in his hand grew warmer, tugging faintly as if urging him forward.
“Alright, shard,” CG said, shaking it slightly. “You better know where we’re going, or I’m billing you for emotional damages.”
The darkness ahead shimmered, revealing jagged, blackened walls that twisted into an ominous labyrinth. Crimson veins of light snaked along the surface, pulsating like a living organism.
“Great,” CG sighed. “A haunted maze. Just what I needed. Let’s hope there’s a souvenir shop at the end.”
The Maze of Echoes
Each step into the labyrinth brought faint whispers. At first, they were incoherent, a mix of languages and tones that felt like they were brushing against CG’s ears. But as he moved deeper, the voices grew clearer:
“Why do you wander?”
“Do you seek salvation… or truth?”
“Oh, I know what I’m seeking,” CG said aloud. “A way out. And maybe a snack.”
A particularly loud whisper startled him:
“Your destiny awaits!”
CG rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Can we skip the spooky prophecy and get to the part where I accidentally save the day?”
As he rounded another corner, the shard pulsed urgently, its light illuminating a faint figure huddled by a glowing console embedded in the wall.
The First Encounter
The figure flinched at the sound of his hooves. She turned, revealing a bipedal humanoid goat with light brown fur and glasses slipping down her nose. Her scarf was slightly singed, and her satchel spilled with strange gadgets.
“Whoa!” she exclaimed, raising a metallic gadget defensively.
“Easy there, MacGyver,” CG said, holding up his hands. “I’m not here to raid your snacks. Name’s CryptoGoat, time traveler extraordinaire and occasional multiverse troublemaker. You?”
The goat lowered her device cautiously. “Kelly Softmane. Inventor… or at least, I was until I ended up in this nightmare. Where are we?”
CG gestured vaguely around them. “The Beyond, apparently. Not exactly tourist-friendly.”
She squinted at him. “Wait. CryptoGoat? The goat who supposedly exists outside of time?”
CG flashed a confident grin. “Guilty. You’ve heard of me?”
Kelly adjusted her glasses. “Only as some myth engineers talk about. What are you doing here?”
“Probably the same thing you are—trying not to die while figuring out what this place wants,” CG said, tilting his head. “You look like you’ve been here for a while.”
“Long enough to know this maze is alive,” she replied. “And I’ve got zero answers, just questions.”
Shared Histories
As they walked, Kelly couldn’t resist probing. “So, what’s your deal? You’re supposed to be, what, ageless?”
CG chuckled. “More or less. Let’s just say I’ve been around since the universe first hit ‘start.’”
Kelly raised an eyebrow. “That’s… vague. What were you doing back then? Eating grass in some cosmic meadow?”
“Funny,” CG said, his tone amused. “No, I was just a regular goat on an ordinary planet until… something extraordinary happened. Let’s just say the universe had plans for me. Big ones.”
“Care to elaborate?” she pressed.
He hesitated, his golden eyes dimming slightly. “Ever heard of Sui?”
Kelly nodded. “Sure. Advanced tech, blockchain applications, the works. Why?”
“Sui isn’t just advanced tech,” CG said, his voice lowering. “It’s the soul of the multiverse. Every jump I make, every shard I collect—it’s all tied to Sui. Without it, everything unravels.”
Kelly’s eyes widened. “You’re saying… this tech keeps the multiverse stable?”
“Exactly,” CG replied. “And right now, it’s whispering that something’s wrong.”
The Guardians’ Arrival
Their conversation was interrupted by low growls. Shadowy creatures with glowing red eyes emerged from the walls, their forms shifting like liquid shadows.
“Friends of yours?” Kelly asked, clutching her satchel.
“Not unless I suddenly made enemies with living nightmares,” CG quipped.
The creatures lunged. CG’s horns flared brilliantly, casting beams of light that sliced through the shadows. Kelly tossed a gadget that exploded into a burst of blue light, disintegrating two of the creatures.
“Not bad, Softmane,” CG said, dodging a swipe from another shadow.
“Thanks,” she replied, adjusting her glasses. “You’re not too shabby yourself… for a legend.”
The Heart of the Beyond
After fending off the creatures, the duo reached the maze’s center. A massive crystal floated above a pedestal, pulsating in harmony with the shard in CG’s hand.
“This must be it,” Kelly said, her voice hushed.
CG approached cautiously, holding out the shard. “If this thing explodes, it’s been nice knowing you.”
The shard fused with the crystal, and a brilliant light engulfed them. Voices echoed in unison:
“Two paths converge. The Beyond welcomes its champions.”
Kelly shielded her eyes. “Champions? Of what?”
The light faded, revealing a swirling portal. CG glanced at her. “Ready for round two?”
“Not even a little,” she replied, stepping through with him.
To Be Continued…
As they emerged, the portal behind them collapsed, leaving only silence. A low hum filled the air, followed by a flickering light in the distance.
“Now what?” Kelly asked.
CG frowned. “Not sure. But if the multiverse is testing us, we’re about to find out why.”