>> Of course They knew when a piece went missing. The Astral Plane is akin to an extension of Sarandiel's soul, Their domain in the way that the branches of a tree are a functional piece of the organism. It contributes to Their madness, the perpetual feeling of a corner of Their awareness and power left jaggedly empty in addition to the void previously left behind in Their sight, the gaps in Their conscious view constantly aggravating the previously omniscient god. The piece isn't destroyed, at least, They can feel that confidently; it has instead been taken. Out of this universe, out of Their reach, an extremely distant sense of self so far out as to be inert and uncontrollable to its possessor.
This angers Them to no end. In the midst of corruption crawling across the plane, Their struggles to maintain balance without the focus They used to have, that They need in the increasingly strained present, someone or something had brazenly stolen from Them. Given the distance, it could only be one of two entities: Seculus or Madison. They've put little effort into observing or manipulating the first, less useful fallen angel since her banishment, she could have been up to anything, potentially a plan to take from Them while They were at Their most strained.
Madison, however, couldn't possibly possess that kind of power. But could his allies? Could and would those ridiculous friends of his bother to assist in claiming the puppet his own corner of the Astral Plane? Why would he even bother? It's long since become clear that the ever-regenerating tool has no need whatsoever to visit any version of the Astral Plane to regain soul energy, and given his extended occupation of the place before escaping to the Material Plane, They would and do think he would wish not to return. Madison's motivation for the transgression is lacking, but ever since that disgusting, corrupted facsimile of their puppet enchanted him with magic intricately crafted for the singular task of keeping Them out, They have no idea of his attempted growth, newfound knowledge, or recently gained assets. Yet another deep aggravation that draws hairline cracks through Their soul.
Despite Their uncertainty as to the culprit, They can only see a single method to retrieve it. There remains a link, as faint as it is, that a tiny bit of Their awareness still knows. To focus on that point, to channel Their sight along that trailing string, would lead Them to it. The obstacle remains of the fragment's interdimensionally external nature, but if They simply don't leave Their universe in the process of reaching out, there should be no problem. Like a thin, sturdy elastic, stretching the boundaries of Their reality to push on beyond its place in the multiverse, perhaps They can still make, at bare minimum, spiritual contact with Their domain. There's no way to know if that in particular will work, but They will try nonetheless. There is no other option. It must succeed. It will succeed. They will retrieve Their lost piece, and then return to Their struggle of a purpose with slightly more ease of mind. There is no other option.
jacobvanloon
2087
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