The accursed pages coalesced rapidly before being promptly wrapped in a binder alongside the Quill.
"That?"
"Curses?"
"..."
The first three voices belonged to Nemora, Elden, and Jill, respectively.
"Little dummy? Are those floaty, weird, splodgy Curses yours?"
Then ca Hilda's; she seed to link the Book of Heresy to my existence intuitively. According to her, it doesn't sound like she can recognise my Manifestation.
Just as I can't recognise their Manifestations.
Back when her lustful green eyes had appeared, it didn't seem like she paid attention to when I summoned the Book of Heresy; this was a new sight for her.
Nevertheless, I ignored their voices. Fluttering the pages open, I turned to the first page. Right below the previous lines, I added a-
"Sister? What is that book?"
But then Es stated sothing I hadn't expected.
No.
It was sothing I should have expected.
It was obvious, I had rely overlooked it.
My Curses and Es's Curses. Those two factors compose my existence; they compose my Manifestation.
Therefore, it is only natural that Es can see my Manifestation.
It only makes sense.
...Grind.
My teeth ran over themselves, shaving away at layers of enal and bone. The Quill darted into the book and within seconds-
[Body - Move - 45 Minutes]
[Body Amplification - 100% - 45 Minutes]
A bolt of Curses crashed out of my body and into the Book of Heresy then-
CRASH!
-it darted back into my body, filling it to the brim with euphoric strength. The pain dissipated, and all movent capabilities returned to this useless creature's body.
I had to ignore Es for the mont; not just her, but also the others.
There was no ti to explain.
Raising my arms, I gripped Hilda's hand and peeled them off. Dropping to the ground, I tapped my boots on the quarterdeck and drew everyone's curious eyes. They all witnessed the odd sight of blurry Curses gushing into my body.
Only Es, my beloved sister, had a clear view of what had happened.
Dashing by Hilda, I slamd my open palm on the railing, and, "Ha!" I swung myself over, stepping onto the closest section of scaffolding.
With all eyes on the back of my head-
"Follow ."
-I released my order, dove my consciousness into my body, and reined in my Curses.
I took them under certain control.
The flurry of Curses gushed into my legs, cracking and rebuilding the bones, tendons, and muscles; the dark pants covering my calves began to shred, revealing the pale, smooth skin beneath them.
Crack.
The floorboards beneath my feet splintered as-
Swish!
-I darted forward into the air, whipping my golden hair as I soared through the skies of the cave.
This is insane.
I didn't think the Second Step was this powerful...
Casting my gaze across the ant-like buildings littered beneath , I honed my vision on the most important part of the cave;
With buildings zipping beneath ;
With the air crackling in my eardrums;
With my clothes flapping erratically in the wind;
I stared at it.
A Crown.
Incomplete, tiny, and nowhere near as thick as Finnie's, but a crown nonetheless; a crown adorned with three upside-down crosses.
It hovered far above Yulei's head, at the end of a trail of white haze escaping her scalp.
Taking a deep breath mid-air, a splurge of Curses pushed into my lungs, trachea, and vocal cords:
"Vanessa! Hildekar! Get Yulei out of there!"
An explosive sound blew out of my mouth, rattling the two teenagers awake. Their heads shot up as they spotted monts later-
"Stop staring! Move her!"
I reiterated it.
I had to.
It was going to be another 20 or so seconds before I got there, and in that ti...
She might die.
Biting my lips; what the hell is that? What is that crown? Why is there one forming above Yulei? Is it linked to Flamm's?
Blasting through the skies, I rapidly approached the trio.
Vanessa and Hildekar ran to Yulei's side and, apparently spotting sothing on Yulei's face that I couldn't see from this distance, I could observe a glimr of fear splurge from their faces.
Suddenly-
FLASH!
An explosion of deep, orangish-blue light rushed from behind .
Then ca the-
CRACKLE-!!!
A thundering blast of cacophonous noise splattered the atmosphere, sending vibrations searing through my veins from behind.
My eyes instantly turned backwards.
And, in that sa instant, she entered my vision.
Right in front of , covered from tip-to-toe in slithering lines of fla-imbued lightning, with curtains of snow-white hair swaying with the explosions of lightning, with golden eyes oozing with flas staring into my eyes...
Es?
"Let's go." Her words trickled directly into my ears.
The next mont, she was directly by my side with a hand wrapped around my waist.
And, by the next mont...
Light.
Sound.
My eyes were too slow to capture it.
My body: weak.
My senses: fragile.
...And all that remained was a clutter of debris soaring in the skies around us. Snakes of lightning blasted outward whilst the ground directly beneath us singed and lted from the inhumanely hot flas.
With my feet firmly planted on the molten ground, I too could now take a look at Yulei's face. She sat in her wheelchair less than 20 tres across from us with the other two by her side.
What the fuck.
Those three words imdiately ca to the forefront after I saw Yulei's face.
Her eyes lay glaring open with a plethora of tears streaming down her cheeks; her mouth hung wide open with drool dribbling down her lips; her pupils were blown; her breath seed to co out in gurgles erratically.
It was wrong.
Everything about the situation was wrong.
"Is she dying?!"
It didn't take a genius in Hildekar's position to realise that. Her soul was flying high into the sky, transforming her body into a hollow shell.
Hildekar and Vanessa each grabbed onto an arm with veins popping out of their heads. The forces streaming through them as they tried to pull Yulei out of her wheelchair were staggering; had that been a normal girl, her limbs would have been torn off and shredded instantly.
"Es!" Tapping my sister on her back, bolts of lightning proliferated from us; they exploded all around us. Es pulled directly to Yulei, wasting little to no ti in the process.
Arriving by her side, "Hildekar, Vanessa, step back."
My voice ca out confidently with reassurance dripping within it, but, truthfully:
I don't know what to do.
I could see the white haze, but I couldn't control it.
Not unless I add another line into my Book of Heresy; but I don't know if my body can handle a backlash of that sort of intensity.
I've already overdrafted it, to add another-
"Save her."
A hand landed on my back.
A small, comforting hand.
My sister's hand.
With that, no hesitation remained.
The Book of Heresy coalesced once again.
...But then my body felt a change; a radical, hefty, purifying change.
It ca from my head; from my scalp.
"Manifestation..."
Es's voice whispered in my ear; it trickled through my ear canal teasingly, longingly.
"...don't use yours."
Then ca the power.
A pure, soul-lifting power.
My existence was rising.
Literally.
I could feel my Authority over the world ascending; I could feel my control over the surrounding domain solidifying.
Es's Manifestation.
Even my Curses, my abhorrent Curses could, at a mont's notice, rot the surroundings within seconds; turning all into ashen, plagued dust.
"Go."
Es didn't have to speak further.
It's on .
I'm the only one who can see the white haze.
I have to save her.
But how?
I crunched my teeth.
Standing in front of the dying, food-loving, Remmy-loving, adorable girl who Hilda considers her best friend...
I must save her.
If not for Es's sake, then for Hilda's sake.
I planted my hands on her shoulders; how do I do it?
Touch.
Es's hand landed on my back once more.
And, this ti-
My thoughts sped up.
Rapidly.
To the brink of insanity, my brain began firing neurons as if there was no tomorrow.
.....
I cannot Curse her, that will kill her.
Force won't work.
Book of Heresy is overdrafted, and Es won't let use it.
Souls.
My answer lies there.
Why can I see souls?
Why can I see life?
What's unique about ?
What have I been missing?
Where is my answer?
.....
I paused.
Then, in the reflection of Yulei's blown pupils, I witnessed my eyes.
My white eyes.
.....
Ah.
It's been there all along?
Why haven't I seen it?
No.
I know why.
Authority, my Authority wasn't high enough.
Thank you, sister.
I love you.
.....
Hildekar and Vanessa are by my side.
Es is behind .
In the sky, approaching rapidly, are Hilda, Nemora, Elden, and Jill
In front of , Yulei.
And, oozing from her existence is the white haze, her soul.
And, above us, looming tragically, is a white crown adorned with three upside-down crosses.
All eyes, intentional, unintentional, or perhaps laced with hidden intention, were glued to at that mont.
And, at that sa mont.
Upon my comprehension;
Upon the understanding of my existence;
Of my eyes;
These pure, beautiful white eyes;
...Silence.
The cave turned silent.
The sound of breathing, the ground rumbling, the vibrations; all of it fell in line with the silence.
With that being the case, I, Alora of Light, the Ghost of The Palace, The Canary-
I opened my eyes for the first ti.
Reviews
All reviews (0)