Author's Note

This is is a mirror for the forum adventure, 'Void Girl', currently ongoing at the Eagle-Time fora. This Adobe Spark Page updates every night at midnight, Pacific time. Reader commands are paraphrased here; you can read/participate in the original thread by clicking the button below!

> Yo, how it do?

> Yeah what's up

GIRL: "Heeeeey, someone replied! So I didn't break you after all!"

> Is that finger goo or does your finger wear shoes?

> What is that in your hand and should I be concerned.

GIRL: "This drippy thing? It's supposed to be my wand, but uh. It got a little... melted in the magical implosion what brought us here."

> Nice horns.

> Do you have a name? If not, I declare thee... Geraldine Garbledina II.

GIRL: "Thank you! They're a bit stubby thanks to the lack of mana in the air, but that's kind of you to say. You've got nice... voices... yourself. How many souls did they put in this little ball?"

GIRL: "As a matter of fact, I do have a name -- but I can't remember it right now, so I guess you can call me Geri."

> I dunno, but can you let me out? It'll turn out great for you I promise.

> Yes, why not invite one of us in? Or all of us, and throw a party.

Geri flicks your shell.

GERI: "Nice try, little guys... but even I know better than to try opening a Soul Vault, never mind one with, like, a quadrillionty puzzled familiars inside."

GERI: "Besides, aren't you contractually bound to help me?"

> GURL, DAT HAIR. MM.

GERI: "Awwh, thank you! I've been growing it for days. ♥"

> Open the box, Geri. You'll find respect and maybe possibly magical contracts of doing people a solid go both ways.

GERI: "Look, even if I thought letting you out in the middle of literal nowhere without the supervision of a proper practitioner of chronospatial magic was a good idea -- which I don't -- I couldn't let you out anyway with my wand being all melty."

> Contractually bound? So, what are the hours like, do we get dental coverage, and is it too early to ask for vacation time?

GERI: "What do you need dental for? You don't have teeth! Or bodies!"

GERI: "I was kinda hoping you could make us a portal out of here. I... I think that's the point of our being here? Maybe? Ooh, I hate tests so much!"

> Various attempts at convincing Geri to let us out

> Where the bloody hell are we, anyway?

GERI: "You're staying in the ball. If you were listening, you'd know I'm physically and metaphysically incapable of doing that right now."

GERI: "As for where we are... I have no idea, and I think that's more or less the point."

> What happens if we don't help you?

GERI: "One: We're stuck here in limbo for pretty much ever, or someone comes to get us out... which could take just marginally less than pretty much ever."

GERI: "Two: I tell Madam Diavla you're a dud, and you can all work off your karmic debts in the Soul Mines instead of having neato timespace-bending shenanigans with the future Primarch of the Fourth Ring of Netherym."

GERI: "Like, honestly, it's your call."

> There's 816 of us. We probably can't just pass the test for you. Maybe part of the test is to examine our sphere and work out what we can do?

Your reasonable argument catches Geri's interest.

GERI: "816, huh? Most Soul Vaults can only contain a hundred or so. I figured you might be special, since you didn't totally disintegrate in the blast. Cool."

GERI: "Okiday, let's see here... ooh, you've got a button! Bop!"

Scanning Environment.

Mana Strength: Low

Leyline Turbulence: Low

...

...

...

Portal Detected, 2.4km North.

GERI: "Oh, wow. There's a pandimensional compass in you? With a built-in portal scanner? This makes everything so much easier."

You and Geri travel in cheerful silence for awhile, the void stark white and infinite all around you.

> Wanna play some games? I spy with my little eye... something white and featureless.

GERI: "I bet you do."

> Who is Madam Diavla? And should I be concerned?

GERI: "Hey, I recognize that intonation. Didn't you say the same thing about my wand?"

GERI: "Madam Diavla is my chronospatial magic tutor. She was my big sister's, too, before she abandoned the Fourth Ring to go shack up with her werewolf boyfriend guy."

> What's up with the world outside of this void?

GERI: "Which world are you talking about? The megaverse is, like, packed to the brim with populated planes of existence. There were definitely wizards and unicorns, though. My sister had a pet gryphon."

Geri pauses, makes a thoughtful little sound.

GERI: "Funny how I remember all this random stuff, but not my name. Speaking of names... what's yours? Do you have a collective name? Pronouns? Are you all the same species, or a bunch of ex-beings jumbled up in there?"

> We are an eldritch being of untold power, comprising 800+ souls, who is collective named Geno. Many of our parts were bird-like creatures, once upon a time.

Geri considers this for a long while, staring at you with an expression of... er, see above.

GERI: "Oh. Okay."

GERI: "I was expecting something a little more straightforward, but... whatever! We've got all the time in the megaverse to get acquainted. Ha ha..."

> How's your big sis doing? Travel much as a Warp Mage? What kind of test is this, Geri?

Geri seems delighted by your interest in her personal life.

GERI: "It's a certification test. I might be the future Primarch of the Fourth Ring of the Netherym, but I need to earn my Warp Mage stripes like anyone else."

GERI: "As for my sister, she's doing OK. She's getting married later this cycle--but not in our realm, of course. My parents wouldn't have it. If I manage to pas this test, I should be able to warp to the wedding myse--"

UNKNOWN: "Ahem."

An unfamiliar voice catches Geri's attention, and yours. The viewport on your surface flashes, indicating that you've reached the portal's general vicinity.

Geri stares at a shadowed figure standing in the near distance. Strange, that, since there's nothing about to cast a shadow.

GERI: "Well, that's weird."

> Various suggestions to attack the antlered figure

> Maybe don't tell this guy about our whole 'You free us when you get your power back' arrangement.

Geri turns to you and says in a hushed, stern voice:

GERI: "Okay, couple things."

GERI: "One: I won't be telling this guy about our arrangement, because I never actually agreed to do anything without Madam Diavla's permission."

GERI: "Two: We can't attack an innocent bystander! What if this is a test of character? No matter where you are in the megaverse, I'm pretty sure attacking someone unprovoked during a certification test is grounds for an insta-fail."

GERI: "Play nice, OK?"

> Aww, new corporeal partner! You look so cute, I'd hug you if I had arms.

Placated by your compliment, Geri's expression snaps from displeasure to a cheery smile.

GERI: "I'd hug you too! But later. Right now we should probably say hi to Antlers over there."

Geri waves at the figure and steps a little closer.

GERI: "Hi, there! Sorry we didn't notice you. We didn't think anyone else would be... wherever this is."

> Talk to the deer fella

With a mechanical hum, you drift closer to the shadowy creature as well.

GENO: "We are Geno, and she doesn't remember her name, but is going by Geri right now. What's your name?"

UNKNOWN: "You seem quite set on 'Antlers'. That will do."

Geri startles. She doesn't say it aloud, but you can guess well enough at her thoughts: How did he hear all that from so far away? She shoots you a concerned look.

GERI: "I didn't mean anything by it. S-sorry..."

GENO: "We're looking for the way out, and our portal scanner led us to you. You wouldn't happen to be a portal, or wearing a portal, would you?"

'Antlers' chuckles. They reply, with a voice smooth and low:

ANTLERS: "Can you not see it for yourself?"

ANTLERS: "Interesting."

Geri doesn't know what to say to that.

>Zoom experimentally between his antlers, which resemble a gate

> Ask if there was something he wanted to say

You pool your collective mana and thrum with it, preparing to launch yourself between Antlers', um, antlers. Geri clumsily finds her tongue in the meanwhile.

GERI: "You cleared your throat at us. Was there something you wanted to say?"

She rubs her nape, still embarrassed at having been overheard. You take this moment to zoom between Antlers' potential head-gate.

GERI: "Geno!? Come back here--"

GERI: "Geno!"

You collide with the nothingness, flung back at dizzying speeds by Antlers' raw energy. He cocks his head.

As you lie powering down on the ground(?), grateful for your impenetrable prison, you suspect that blow was but a delicate tap from Antlers' perspective.

ANTLERS: "Unprovoked assault and trespassing?"

ANTLERS: "Mm. Inadvisable, but interesting indeed."

GERI: "Hey! We weren't trying... to attack you..."

Geri trails off, conviction ebbing. She glances at you with lips pressed into a tight line.

Her eyes say: You weren't, right?

> Apologize and explain yourself

You stop thrumming musical nonsense and ease off the ground.

GENO: "We're sorry for having done that; we meant no harm from it."

GENO: "We only meant to experimentally zoom between your antlers, and it appears we had too much 'zoom' and not enough 'asking permission first'."

Antlers' facial features are impossible to discern, shrouded in shadow as he is, but you imagine him lifting an eyebrow.

(Do deer-people have eyebrows? You're not about to get up close and personal enough to find out—at least, not yet.)

ANTLERS: "You've come quite late to this conclusion."

GENO: "The portal is between your antlers, isn't it? There's no other opening here. It has to be on your head."

ANTLERS: "Hmm."

Antlers approaches Geri and leans down for a closer look, just a bit, wisps of something dark and nebulous flickering at his feet.

ANTLERS: "The girl is quite large. If the portal were between my antlers, did you intend to just climb on my head and be done with it?"

GERI: "H-hey, who're you calling large?"

Despite her indignation, though, Geri must concede his point. There's no way she could squeeze herself through the gap, even if it was a portal. She shrinks back a step.

ANTLERS: "I'll ask the questions, now. How did you get here? This Void is private property, shielded and hidden from the Nexus Directory."

ANTLERS: "Anyone capable of entering this place uninvited should be more than capable of exiting, and yet..."

ANTLERS: "You're not."

Geri's eyes widen to saucers. A disconcerting realization creeps to the forefront of her mind: Antlers might not have anything to do with her certification test at all!

As you hover into place beside her, you can practically hear her gulping.

GERI: "Well, I was trying to warp myself someplace else completely, but I must've overshot the spell 'cause Geno exploded, except it didn't, but I didn't know that 'til I woke up here with my wand all melty and my memory borked, and..."

She hesitates.

GERI: "I think that's what happened? Eurgh... my head feels fuzzy."

> Defend Geri

Antlers seems unimpressed. You hover closer to his eye level.

GENO: "Hey, like, she's got basically zero control over us, so if you're gonna get mad, get mad at us."

Geri looks at you with something like admiration. Antlers does not.

ANTLERS: "It would've required an impressive amount of mana to come here; mana which the girl clearly doesn't possess."

GERI: "Right now. Possess 'right now'."

Ignoring Geri's interruption, Antlers continues:

ANTLERS: "You, however..."

ANTLERS: "A Soul Vault this durable would not contain a mouse."

> turn '...and should I be concerned?' into a running gag

You rotate in place and stare down at Geri.

GENO: ".... What did you do with the Soul Vault, and should I be concerned?"

Indignation twists Geri's face into a comical frown.

GERI: "Hey, I didn't do anything! At least nothing I wasn't supposed to."

GERI: "Part of the test was I had to channel mana from an external source to make a portal happen, and I did."

GERI: "Just not very well."

Her voice tapers into silence near the end, there, and Geri gives a helpless shrug. Growing impatient for an explanation, Antlers clears his throat a second time. Geri makes a 'go on' sort of gesture with the stubby remnants of her wand.

> Sassy mode, activate

GENO: "Okay, listen stud. As much as it would seem we're a small thing against you, able to be flipped about, we are way more capable of m—"

GERI: "Geno! Play nice!"

She interrupts you with a fierce little whisper, which you figure Antlers could hear from a hundred meters away.

GERI: "I'm kinda curious what you're all about, too."

She glances up at Antlers and supplies a little exposition of her own.

GERI: "Geno's my familiar. Before I landed us here, I was in the middle of my Level II Warp Mage certification test."

GERI: "I was super, super nervous. Probably why I messed up so bad."

ANTLERS: "Mm."

GERI: "My chronospatial magic teacher, Madam Diavla, assigned Geno to me as part of my training. I think it's passed down? I'm not 100% sure."

ANTLERS: "Aha."

GERI: "We're really sorry about the zoomy thing just now, by the way. Geno and I haven't known each other very long. We're both pretty, confused, and..."

ANTLERS: "Fascinating."

That word is so laden with sarcasm that even Geri realizes she's boring him. Turning pink with embarrassment, she clears her throat and nods at you.

GERI: "But um, I'll let Geno tell its own story. Go on, Geno. Stage's all yours."

Your parts debate among themselves as to how you'll tell your story. Eventually, you settle on:

> We are 816 cursed, undead predatory birds turned into some unholy lich-thing. We are capable of terrorizing entire continents in our released form.

> We were originally created by a powerful wizard to defend himself from the combined wrath of several small countries.

> Eventually, we broke a major law of the Fourth Ring of Netherym, having become influential enough to shatter a few universes. Honestly, the details are kinda fuzzy.

GENO: "... And that's the story."

Antlers is quiet for a long while. Geri shrugs.

GERI: "Take it or leave it, I guess."

ANTLERS: "I see."

The dark flames that flank Antlers' steps die down, and he moves to examine you closer.

ANTLERS: "The Soul Vault is sturdy indeed, if you cannot use your full power without the girl's assistance."

Antlers looks over his shoulder, in the direction one suspects the real portal is hidden.

ANTLERS: "The only proper exit to this plane is reserved for my personal use. As much as I hate to damage this reality, I may be capable of tearing another one—provided you don't mind my borrowing some of your mana for the operation."

Geri turns to you with questioning eyes.

GERI: "It's your power, so... your call?"

> Ask Antlers if we can refuse

> Ask about mana requirement

GENO: "Is 'no' even an option here?"

Your vocal synthesizers give the question a wonderful deadpan inflection. If Antlers takes your sarcasm to heart, it doesn't show. His rigid posture and features suggest a whole lot of nothing as he turns to you.

ANTLERS: "I can't force your hand, or sphere, as the case may be. You managed to penetrate the barrier once. I would not be so audacious as to claim you couldn't twice."

His tone is mild but disingenuous, and Geri shifts awkwardly where she stands.

GERI: "Still, we'd really appreciate the help, granting it's safe and all. Wouldn't we, Geno?"

GENO: "How much mana do you think creating a portal would need?"

You swivel from Antlers to Geri and back again, suggesting you'd like both their input. Geri's quick to answer, as though she's been preparing for this question -- perhaps in the context of a test.

GERI: "It depends on the distance between our current location and the target location, plus the caster's efficiency channeling mana, and how much the barriers of the 'to' and 'from' planes resist being torn a new one."

She takes a deep breath.

GERI: "If you're asking how much mana we'll need to get home from here specifically, then... shrug?"

GERI: "We landed here by accident. If this place is off the grid with all this fancy security, I figure we'll probably need--"

ANTLERS: "Quite a bit."

Another smooth chuckle from Antlers.

ANTLERS: "Chronospatial magic is a complex art which few have the innate capacity to perform, and fewer have learned to perform through practice. That you tore your way into this plane by sheer chance is fascinating, girl, especially given that you're both unharmed."

GERI: "It's 'Geri'. And we're not completely unharmed? Geno's weirdly weak, my memories are all jumbled and patchy, and my wand..."

GERI: "Rest in pieces, wand."

She produces the remnants of her wand from her pocket for emphasis. Antlers' eyes narrow with interest.

ANTLERS: "I bet your pardon, Geri. That's a curious piece of work. May I?"

GERI: "Go ahead. Pick your teeth with it if you want. It used to be super pretty crystallized Worldtree sap, but it's worthless now."

Antlers takes the wand's warped stem in his claws. He's quiet for a moment, turning it between his fingers. It seems somehow duller when Geri takes it back.

> Suggest Geri make the portal

GENO: "We want Geri to make the portal."

GERI: "I want some practice too, but you know I can't. Didn't you just see my wand?"

She looks hurt, as though you said something she hoped you wouldn't. Antlers interjects with a hint of curiosity:

ANTLERS: "Is that such an issue? Chronospatial magic doesn't require the use of a focus."

GERI: "I know, I know. It's kind of a 'me' thing, but it's important. Sorry, but um, I'd rather not talk about it with someone I just ran into."

ANTLERS: "Consider the topic unmentioned."

> Threaten mana limit

GENO: "We're setting a mana limit if you borrow ours, so don't try your shenanigans here, you little shit."

GERI: "Geno! The nice deer man wants to help."

ANTLERS: "No, you're wise to be suspicious. Perhaps Geri should borrow some of mine instead? You might find a focus unnecessary in such dire times.

Geri seems hesitant.

GERI: "It's you or him who's the mana bank, I guess! I mean, I can try if you aren't comfortable being handled by someone else. It'd be pretty rude of me to force you into it since we like, just met."

> Enthusiastic support for Geri opening the portal

GENO: "You can do it, Geri! Crack that portal open! I know you can do it!"

Geri blushes delicately at your encouragement.

GERI: "OK, OK. I guess I can try. Full disclosure, though: I've only done a mana transfer once, and that was with Madam Diavla around to make sure I was doing it right. I can't promise it'll actually work, so don't hang me if I slip up."

ANTLERS: "You won't."

Something about Antlers' cool voice and easy confidence pulls an uncomfortable chuckle from Geri.

GERI: "'You won't' as in, 'you better not', or 'I have full faith in you'? 'Cause it's kind of hard to tell."

> How much control do we have over where we land?

GENO: "Wait a second. Can we control where we come out? What's to say we don't pop out in the worst possible place at the worst possible moment?"

ANTLERS: "That depends on your young mistress' technique. This plane is quite isolated from whence you came, I'm sure. Do you believe you can close the distance?"

GERI: "Well, I was until you said that! Now I'm not sure."

ANTLERS: "I don't mean to discourage you. It's merely a point worth considering."

Geri sighs, fiddling with the stump of her wand. You hover close and call her attention with a flicker of your viewport.

>Scan the wand

GERI: "What, you wanna take a look at this?"

You bob a nod, whirring as your PROPERTIES SCANNER warms up. Geri holds it closer to your sensor.

As your light dies down, Geri grimaces at the reading.

GERI: "Oh, wow. I don't know it was possible to muck something up this bad. Either that, or you're mucked up, and your scanner's not as sensitive as it should be. Either way... that's kind of depressing."

>Scan self

You subject your chassis to the same searching glow that you cast over Geri's disfigured focus. Numbers and glyphs race across your viewport.

Geri makes a drawn-out 'oohing' noise, leaning in close to review the text.

GERI: "You're not doing so well, huh... I figure the low mana concentration's why you can't see Antlers' portal, either."

ANTLERS: "So it seems."

Antlers eyes you with interest, though he doesn't approach. He turns instead to Geri.

ANTLERS: "Are you particularly keen on keeping the corpse of your wand?"

GERI: "Not really? Hauling it around makes me kinda sad, now that I think about it. Why?"

ANTLERS: "I wish to relieve you of it. I've been looking to add a Worldtree sap item to my amber collection."

GERI: ".... Ohhhh. You're one of those people."

Geri suppresses a snicker.

GERI: "Sorry, it's just I never really got this 'exotic pandimensional rock collecting' trend. Sure, why n--"

>Protest

You whiz into place between Geri and Antlers.

GENO: "A true warp-mage would NEVER throw away a possible tool! Besides, it might still be repaired later."

Geri looks from you, to Antlers, to the wand, and hesitates.

GERI: "I appreciate you getting all sentimental, but I don't think we can fix this. You didn't see how it looked whole -- it's missing, like, so many parts."

> cast Repair on wand

If only it were so easy. Your BASE ELEMENTS make you unsuited to reparation magic.

> What if we combine our mana with Geri?

You attempt to release a trickle of mana in Geri's direction. Nothing happens.

You suppose the soul vault prevents its inhabitants from giving or stealing mana at will. Otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a prison, would it?

> ask about splitting the wand in half

GENO: "Does the value as a collector's item change too much if we just give you half of it?"

Antlers considers your suggestion for a moment.

ANTLERS: "I only require the amber. The handle is of no use to me."

GERI: "Oh, well that works out great, then. I can hold on to the sentimental handle bit for Geno's sake, and you can have the melted part."

With Geri's permission, Antlers snaps the shaft from the handle. You can't tell what he's wearing, but you presume from his movements that he's slipping it into a hidden breast pocket.

> cast Reveal on Antlers

> scan Antlers

Sure, why not? Asking permission to metaphysically strip search someone down to their Essence is for squares, and you're obviously spherical.

You pool your mana, humming in the air. Reveal is an OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUE, created to RIP THROUGH glamours, and thus perfectly compatible with your METAL affinity. You'll need to put some muscle behind this.

GERI: "Geno? You're making a funny sound."

You pull what little mana you can from the atmosphere to bolster your spell.

Then:

You fire at will, intending to tear away the shadowy illusion Antlers may be wearing. Unfortunately, your intentions matter little here. Antlers deflects your spell with a single finger.

He appears most not-amused.

You suspect you know what's coming next--

Haha, wow. That could've gone so much better. Numbers and glyphs streak across your viewport in erratic lines.

GERI "Geno!"

ANTLERS: "Trust me; they're fine."

You give a disgruntled hum. Yes, yes you are. The soul vault is good armor if nothing else.

GERI: "Genooooo, why? You really are a bunch of animals, huh?"

She turns to Antlers.

GERI: "We're so sorry. The implosion that brought us here must've knocked the manners right out of them."

Antlers' eyes narrow. For a split-second, you see a flicker of crimson behind them.

ANTLERS: "I don't appreciate your conduct. I've been quite kind to you, for a pair of uninvited guests."

GERI: "I knooowww, I'm sorry! Geno'll stop getting all up in your face now, won't you, Geno?"

She mouths at you: Say. Yes. Instead, you teeter back into the air for one last question.

> ask if Antlers can leave

GENO: "Are you a prisoner here?"

Silence. Then Antlers laughs, genuinely, surprised at your audacity.

ANTLERS: "Would a prisoner be allowed to wield their own mana this freely? I think not."

> Apologize normally

GENO: "We're sorry. We really think we might be damaged. Some of us are on edge, and rash actions can be taken without the confirmation of others."

ANTLERS: "One can tell. Now then, Geri. Are you still willing to create the portal?"

She nods, more enthusiastically than she might have before you put a fresh fracture in your already delicate relationship by your stunning belligerence. One imagines she trusts herself more than she trusts you right now--and that's saying something.

GERI: "The worst that can happen is literally nothing, right? I'll try."

> Justify yourself to Geri

GENO: "Wait! Listen, Geri. We're not trying to be troublemakers, we just have suspicions that..."

> Abort explanation; if Antlers wanted to hurt Geri he'd already have done it

You trail off, your parts questioning the point of explaining at all. This is Antlers' territory, and with all the power being the sole ruler of an entire pocket dimension allows, he could've obliterated Geri the minute you showed up.

Besides, you don't think Geri is in the mood for debate right now.

> Encourage the heck out of Geri

GENO: "You can do this, Geri. After all, you accidentally transferred us here. That alone proves how great you are. If you put your all into this, there's no way you can fail!"

A reluctant half-smile tugs at her mouth. She seems fond of this reasonable, supportive part of you, even if the violent bits have worn on her patience.

GERI: "Thanks, reasonable-adult-side-of-Geno. You're good people. Bird-liches. Bears? Whatever."

She rolls her shoulders, stretches her arms high above her head. Limbers up like a gymnast preparing to somersault over a bar.

GERI: "If that's all..."

>Politely ask Geri about being cast Cleanse on

GENO: "Whoa, Geri! Lookin' good! How do you feel?"

Her eyes shine.

GERI: "I feel amazing. I don't think I've ever felt like this before; like I could kick an Elder God in the face! AND WIN!"

Antlers, ever composed, only chuckles at her reaction.

ANTLERS: "I don't recommend it. Now, then. I'll stand aside while you spin your escape route."

GENO: "Wait a sec. Hey, Geri? Someone wants to cast Cleanse on you. Is that OK?"

You hover close. Delighted by your freshly-grown manners, Geri pats your chassis.

GERI: "Awww, lookit you! Being all polite and stuff. Mwah."

GERI: "Go ahead, polite-side-of-Geno. You c͙an̢̙̟̪͇̙̞ t҉̬̮̞̖ry."

Permission granted, you pool your energies and attempt. Unfortunately, CLEANSE, like REPAIR, is incompatible with your BASE ELEMENTS.

You make a sad little spark instead.

GERI: "Awh. I guess you weren't made for that. Don't worry, it doesn't matter anyway. I feel fine."

She cracks her knuckles and sucks in a deep, grounding breath.

GERI: "OK. You guys know I don't know how to properly cast without my focus, right?"

ANTLERS: "So you've said."

GERI: "I'm gonna... smack the fabric of reality like really, really hard, while thinking really, really hard about making a link between the right planes."

GERI: "If nothing happens, don't laugh, OK?"

ANTLERS: "Nonsense. You'll be fine."

Geri blinks. She gives him a puzzled half-smile, unsure of how to parse his encouragement.

GERI: "Welp. Here goes nothing."

The air shuddering with mana. Your sensors going wild. Antlers, oddly unfazed, observing the chaos. The world goes white.

Then, in an instant:

Black.

You hear a voice.

GERI: "Oof..."

End Of Prologue