“W-why are you following us” mumbled Jessica.

“Your friend there promised to feed me up. I spared your lives on a whim just because she agreed to help me” grunted Kailu.

“Is it true?”

“Yeah, that guy is pretty strong. But just so you know, we’re not your slaves. If you’re really, well, going to die without a soul to devour then we might as well help you. But don’t think you’ll have it your way. I'm doing this out of pity not out of fear” said Aletha confidently without even looking back.

Jessica stared at Aletha’s back and a certain image of the past arised within her mind.

“Aletha, that flames that engulfed your body, is that your soulnature?” she asked.

Aletha pondered for a bit and said: “Yeah I guess so”.

“How does it feel? You’ve discovered it pretty fast” said Jessica happily.

“It feels like shit. The heat, the tenseness. It doesn't feel good."

Aletha mused for a bit and pursed her lip, then continued: 

"And...I just felt something boiling within me, suffocating me. I just wanted to burn everything. Even now I even want to burn that fucker’s face.”

“Heh, you can try little maiden. But your weak ass can't defeat me. I’ll just give you ten times more of a beating.” said Kailu tauntingly.

There was a spark of rage within her being. But Aletha was quick to realize that and observe it. Aletha wasn’t joking about wanting to burn stuff. The moment he said those words, she wanted to destroy him. But she had to hold the urge. This boiling energy that rose from the depth of her being. It was scary.     

Her body was hot and her bones ached a bit. But despite all that, there was a deep urge for violence within her. Almost like there was a hidden beast crawling under her skin.

Aletha walked forward without uttering anything. All she was concerned about was pushing down whatever that was trying to jump out of her being. She knew that repression was bad. She had heard about the negative consequences of suppressing one's anger. 

But the thought of losing control made her sweat. And this wasn't just regular anger. During the fight with Kailu just now. There was a moment she realized she had no control over anything. Her body moved on it's own and attacked him. It was scary.   

I won't hurt anyone. I'm not like...him 

She looked at the blue orb between her arms and sighed.        

They were out of the narrow pathway and walked along the dark road Aletha and Jessica were previously treading upon.

“Jessica, you said you have awakened me up, right?” asked Aletha coldly.

“Yeah” said Jessica with a bit of fear in her tone.

“Thanks”.

That was all what she wanted to say to her friend. Jessica did not explain it. But Aletha had already figured everything out. Why she had to awaken her. 

“Jessica, how do you awaken someone? Is there a way to awaken dad into this world? This blue orb. It can be used to awaken dad, right? No. I bet this orb will transform and take the form of my dad as soon as I do something to it. Did I get this right?”

“Yeah...how did you figure that out? Everything you said is pretty much right” said Jessica with great confusion.

“I just connected the dots” said Aletha proudly.

“Yes, you can do that. But…are you sure?” asked Jessica doubtingly.

“What kind of a question is that? If I don’t awaken him, then he’s just nothing but a vegetable that is begging to be killed by assholes such as him” said Aletha while turning her head angrily towards Kailu.   

“You can. But it will halve the strength of your powers. I should have said this before. I knew about this. And when I awakened you, I felt it much harder to summon huge objects with my imagination. And I was able to do way more in the past than just materialize a car on top of someone” said Jessica.

Aletha looked at the blue orb in her hands. Her dad was sleeping soundly. Even if she did awaken him. Would it be right to just wake someone up in a creepy place like this? Her father would definitely whine and complain about it.

“It’s better that you don’t do it. And besides, middle-aged blockheads like that guy need to eat quite an energy to be awakened” said Kailu with scorn.

“How do you know that?” asked Aletha as she turned her head around and frowned towards him.

“Bitch, I ate your daddy’s energy. I know when someone tastes bad” said Kailu angrily.

“Language!” reminded Jessica.

“Thanks Cap. But I stand for freedom of speech” said Kailu with a grin.                       

The walls that surrounded them began to close in on them. Their path was becoming narrower as they trod forward. The torches that were placed above them slowly began to decrease in frequency. And soon they entered into such darkness that the stone pavement beneath them could not be seen. The only light source left was the ghostly soulorb.   

“It’s k-kinda scary” said Jessica.

“Hey, girlie, why don’t you engulf yourself in fire and light the way with your burning body” said Kailu.

“Do I look like a terrorist to you?” hissed Aletha. 

And besides, I have to lose a little bit of self-control to activate my soulnature, don't I?