Ash once again found himself inside the 'space'. He had fallen asleep in his room, which in reality was much more like a prison cell, but the priests didn't care. To them, he was and would always be inferior. He clenched his teeth and silently wished, things could be different.

"But theycould be,Mr. Tsuga".

The voice from the last dream was back. It seemed to be in the room somewhere, but Ash couldn't see it's owner, no matter how hard he looked.

"I simply ask of you to state your desire".

The voice's owner seemed to be able to read Ash's mind, which greatly unsettled him, but like many other things, Ash could do naught but stare at the darkness around him.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Ash demanded.

He was tired of not knowing. Ash wanted to know how he could change things, but alas, he didn't know what to do it. It frustrated him.

A tearing sound could be heard as a new crack in his skin opened. Strangely, it didn't hurt.

"You know what you wan't Ash. All you need to do is say it out loud. I can make it happen".

The voice was appealing to Ash, he couldn't deny it, but he didn't trust a man who wouldn't show himself.

"I cannot tell you whatI am, but I can tell you what I do".

Ash was surprised that the voice, that had only been responding up until now, was actually attempting to further the conversation. Ash was about to say "yes", but the voice had already anticipated what he would say, and started talking.

"I am a tradesman of sorts. I deal in change. I make people realize their desires, no matter how grand they might be. I grant them what they need to make their desires a reality. I have saved countries, killed dictators, cured diseases, made kings of peasants and gods of slaves. How would you like to become a god?" The voice asked.

The voice spoke ofexchanging, 'but what currency buys godhood?' Ash thought.

"That depends on the person" The voice said, not elaborating.

"Please elaborate. Is this some kind of deal with the devil, where I have to sell my soul for power?" Ash asked.

There was no way a voice in his head could save him from slavery. No one could.

"Your soul in exchange for godhood? That hardly seems like a fair trade" The voice said, laughing at the question, as if it had just heard the funniest things in it's life, assuming it was alive.

The conversation was starting to bore Ash, seeing as he was getting nowhere with his mysterious companion.

Crack.

A new crack had appeared on Ash's arm, starting from his eye, reaching his wrist. It looked like the darkness around Ash was seeping into the cracks.

"I see you have quite the affinity for Negative Energy".

"Negative energy?" Ash had never heard of such a thing, and was therefor confused.

"That's a story for another time. You're an interesting customer. I will make sure to keep an eye out for you, Mr. Tsuga"

Ash woke up in his bed. It was full of blood from a wound that stemmed from his eye, and lead to his hand...