Heavily breathing, I counted the horns I collected from a few corpses. Finishing my count, I decided to use a bag that one of the minotaurs had dropped. This may be pointless, but everything here has felt so real. I didn’t know if I would be able to bring anything with me. I don’t even know how that would work. Would it just appear next to me when I woke up? I felt sweat pour down my forehead at the absurd thought.  How convenient. I don’t know if I can take these with me but I would regret not having them with me if I can. 

“Man, I wish I could have killed them all…” After my kill count had reached the twenties, the rest of the monsters just up and vanished. Then again I don’t think I would have done much damage. “Who would have thought you would break?” Staring down at my most trusted weapon, I couldn't help but feel sad. I’ve had this sword since day one. It’s gotten me out of so many tight spots and I doubt I would be alive without it.

My thoughts drifted away from the shattering of Evorsio. To think that this spell resurfaces buried trauma. I can worry about my failings as a person later. I need to find the others and regroup. While Rei and Imasu were good fighters, if the monsters were this strong, then I held no doubt that they were most likely struggling somewhere. Hopefully, it was just me that was separated from the group.

“Hopefully, they’re okay.” A shock ran through my body as I sensed a large amount of magi from the upcoming corridor on the left. Without a single thought I rushed towards the source. “Shit, what is happening?” I thought this was supposed to be simple and follow a certain path. There should be no complications or resistance when going through memories in an innerworld.

— — — — — 

My name is Ilphine Anantapur. I’m a single, twenty-three year old woman. I like dungeon diving with Edmund, eating with Edmund, and anything to do with Edmund. What I have is not a dislike but a strong hatred. I hate Rei Minamoto. If I could kill her, I would do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I have to work with her for my freedom.. I stood within the center of the room, watching as Edmund dashed through the doors of the chamber entrance. 

He unfortunately did not see Rei and Imasu preparing for an ambush. While they both prepared they’re sure hit spells, I would have to distract him. “Edmund? Where were you?!” I love him, truly I do. Sadly that love will not save him from paying with his life for my freedom. 

Edmund quickly approached me, grabbing my hand. In any other circumstance I would commend him for such a bold move but right now I could only feel melancholy.

“Ilphine, where are Rei and Imasu?” 

I was going to continue my act and respond but it seemed that Rei and Imasu were quicker with their attacks than I expected. Smiling at him sadly, I pushed him away from me as both of their spells covered him in orange flames. Two fireballs filled to the brim with mana. “Agh!” We all watched as his smoke covered body hit the ground.

“You two sure were quick, perhaps you both did care about Edmund, giving him such mercy.” Rei looked towards me with disgust. She never did hide how much she hated me, after all, I was the only one who could convince her now deceased husband to go against her word. Damn homewrecker. I was this close to winning his heart until you came. In my strong opinion, Rei should have never married Edmund. 

I would have been a better wife. That doesn’t matter now though.  “Oh come now, once we get out of here, we won’t have to see each other ever again.” We were all going to be put in different places, so I would never get my chance at making this wench stay dead. I’ll just have to hire an assassin. Smiling at her, I kept my loathing for her hidden. She merely huffed at me before walking to stand with me in the center of the room. 

I’m sorry Edmund, but such a deal was too good to pass up. This place is a goddamn nightmare. My want to live superseded my love for him. As we waited for the magic circle to do its job, we sat there for at least five minutes before worry filled the room. Had we been lied to, would we not get to live after we killed the target?

The sound of a dagger cutting through flesh interrupted my thoughts. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that Edmund could have lived. How?!

— — — — — 

Damn. They got me good, I should have died from that. I won’t worry about the technicalities though. I survived and that’s all that mattered. Standing back to back with Imasu, my knife coated in the blood from where I cut his arm off. “You know, things have been going pretty fast. But then again, in the real world, it would have only been ten minutes.” 

I would cry about the fact that these guys probably weren't real either when I had some rest. “So, is this another challenge that I have to face?” Turning around, I grabbed Imasu’s shoulder and then went to behead him. Luckily, Exerceo is made to cut through even the hardest of steel. Right as I was going to behead him, Rei’s glowing hands spouted a fireball at me. 

Idiot. I berated myself internally. Shoving Imasu away, I immediately put distance between myself and the other three. I didn’t hide my fascination as the fireball exploded where I previously stood, leaving scorch marks that stretched three meters in distance.

However it seems that the fireball had been a mere distraction. When I regained my bearings, they were gone. I felt a little sad at the thought of being betrayed by those I held close, but I didn’t stay on that topic too long. “Rei casted that spell faster than I expected.” My thoughts then focused on the topic of being fast. Did I get an increase in speed? I felt lighter than usual. Examining myself, I didn’t find any notable or unique changes to my body. If I had to take a guess, I would say I moved faster than Imasu.

Without any warning, the walls of the room started cracking. Red liquid began seeping through the cracks while the main entrance closed. “Are you serious right now?” I questioned as the walls began to degrade more. When will I catch a damn break? Despite how dire this situation is, I feel oddly calm. I don’t have a plan, though. I didn’t know what to do, I’ve never dealt with something like this

I could try and bust down the door. What if it’s resistant to magic? My own thoughts betrayed me. Every time I tried to come up with a solution, it was scrubbed away by my own self-doubt. My eyes widened in shock, although I shouldn't be feeling it. So much for worrying about it later.  I had been busy trying to avoid the feeling of heartache that it forced itself out. “I could see it now, ‘Edmund Neuer: Rising Star snuffed out by drowning.’ The media will have a field day with this one.” While I was here, I came to one belief due to my own conclusions.

Time has been passing by so quickly, some events have been different, and the others seemed to be living and breathing. There was no way I was inside my own soulscape. 

An inner world regardless of magic should follow the same fundamentals as astral projection. Let’s say my soul is brought into physicality when using the breaches Animus and Cor, breaches that actualize the mind and the heart, together. By doing tha, I am making the physical path of both breaches interwoven with each other, that then makes the path to the soul an actual concept. It turns an abstract path into a concrete one.  So tell me, Edith…

“Where the hell am I really?” I was a mix of confused and shocked, even a bit angry. I wasn’t in my soul, I was somewhere else. The fact that I was lied to in such a way was jarring, it was like those false advertisements that game masters from the west federation used to scam people. Lied to, betrayed, and I didn’t even get to ask Rei if she really loved me. I hadn’t moved from my spot since the door closed; somehow the water had finally broken through on all sides and filled the room up to my neck. Oh shit! A fun fact I would never share with anyone but my team: I cannot swim. 

As I searched for a way out in a panic, I considered all my options. This was not going to be my first time in deep water and probably would not be my last. I know it was pathetic to be scared of water when you can break a person in half.  

I couldn’t stop my panicked breathing. Flashes of falling helplessly in what felt like zero gravity. Not being able to rise as all you did was sink deeper into the abyss. I knew then, that my screams would reach no one, that my only hope was a miracle that someway or somehow I can surface. No, no, no. My own thoughts began to get muffled by liquid enveloping me, encasing my being. The water, unbiased, filled my lungs and dragged me deeper. No air. No hope. I should’ve just stayed in that… cell… My vision now became enveloped in darkness. My consciousness is fading.