TheIcMan

Sorry. This is a reupload from a chapter I had deleted recently. Didn't feel like it was good in any way shape or form. And cause of that I had severe writer's block. But boom, baybee it's back. Let's go.

The chilling, freezing gusts forced Avice awake. With half-opened eyes and blurry, misty vision, she slowly rose her head and glanced around. Where am I…? Straining herself to get a good grasp of what her surroundings looked like, she groaned heavily. Her entire body felt much heavier than normal - as if she’d put on a couple hundred pounds of weight. Her vision coming back, she finally realized how terrifying this situation was. Pitch black darkness blanketed the room. Avice didn’t even know if she was in a room in the first place. She tried to wrap her arms around her body to get herself warm, but something stopped her from moving. Wait… With chattering teeth, she glanced down, and gulped.

A cold, skin-piercing sensation pressed firmly against her back. Iron claps restrained her arms at her sides, and wires wrapped around her legs. Nothing was around her. She was alone. “H-Hello…?” she called out. “I-Is anyone there?” Avice’s voice quivered. Despite the short amount of time she’d been in this world, she’d unfortunately gotten comfortable to the company of others, regardless if she trusted them or not. If she had someone else to talk to, then she didn’t need to focus on whatever she was thinking. But now… “Dall? Achaea? W-Where am I?”

“Good morning, Dear.” 

“Achaea…” Avice mumbled. “Can you tell me where I am?”

“You don’t need to know that, right now…” she said. 

She could hear her voice, yes, but Achaea herself was nowhere to be seen. She swung her head side to side, her hair getting caught in her mouth as she desperately tried to find out what was happening. Then, she came into view.

Looking as far up as she can, Avice caught the sight of a different looking Achaea. Instead of the silky, ornate robes she wore before, she now donned a military uniform - a button-down, leather jacket covered in medals and badges over her chest. The usual color remained the same - a deep shade of violet. Achaea wore a simple, calm smile. Avice nearly rejoiced at the sight when she realized what that expression meant. 

“Your monstrous body seems perfectly fine to me, young Avice…”

“’Monstrous’…?”

Achaea clapped, the sound echoing throughout the chamber. The room lit up as if the sun had just appeared. Avice shut her eyes at the sudden brightness. Once the pain had died down, the entire room finally came into view. 

Huge pillars of white stone stretched from the floor to the incredibly high ceiling. Electrical wires and chords dangled from up high all the way down and snaked around the entire floor in a messy pattern. Scores of bones and dust scattered around the area, and spider webs strewn about everywhere. No other color existed in this room other than white. It all felt like a scientist’s laboratory. Once she thought of that comparison, her fingertips froze and her mouth dried up. I’m in trouble… she thought.

“Are you okay there, Avice?” a familiar voice called out to her, and her stomach sank. 

Avice raised her head, and three people stood at her side - two girls and one boy. The blond girl stood closest to her and had a giant smile on her face. The boy next to her, too, had a smile, but he seemed a bit more bashful. And the red-haired girl had her hands folded over each other, a calm-look on her face. 

“S-Sam, Kale, Ruby…” She could barely make those words come out her mouth.

“Hi, Avice,” Kale said sweetly. “You look like you’re in a lot of trouble…” He chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. 

“For real, Ava, what do you think you’re doing getting caught up in all of this mess without us? I thought we were in it together,” Sam said with a smirk. 

“There’s no way,” Avice muttered. “You can’t-”

“They’re real, Avice,” Achaea cut her off. “At least, they can be as real to you as they are to everyone else. Don’t you think that’d be a fine thing to have while living out your final moments?”

“’Final moments’?” Avice’s voice grew hoarse. “What do you mean?” A blazing hot feeling surged from her heart. 

“It’s quite simple, Avice.” Achaea stepped away. “While I despise your very existence, I do at least have some semblance of Aldrianity in me to give you some comfort during your death.”

“My ‘death’, Achaea what are you talking about?”

“I mean exactly what I said,” Achaea’s sweet-sounding voice abruptly switched into a bitter, malicious one. “I’ve waited. I’ve waited so long for this very moment. Centuries and centuries of unbearable pain and agony…”

“What do you want with me?” Even Avice was surprised at how angry her voice sounded. 

“What do I want?” Achaea responded. “I want you to suffer. That’s it, quite frankly.”

Avice’s face fell. Thousands of questions danced in her head, and the most important and prevalent came to her mouth first - “Why…?”

“That’s a heavy question, Avice…” Achaea whispered. “To simplify it? I abhor your very existence. Someone like you should never have been born.”

Despairing at what she’d just heard, the words stirring in her head fell out of her mouth one by one. “B-But why? You promised me you would get me home!” Avice yelled. “I wanted to trust you! I wanted to trust someone!” She gritted her teeth. “You taught me how to Pull the Spirits. You told me we were the same! What do you mean you hate me? I haven’t done anything to you. Nothing. And you’re telling me you want me to die…?” Avice snarled and yanked on her restraints. “This is bullshit!”

“Bullshit or not, this is reality,” Achaea spat. “And you whine that I ‘promised’ you. Promises are nothing but empty words - meaningless sounds people make to feel good about themselves. You should know this above all people, Avice. The minute you accepted my empty offer was the moment I knew you were nothing but a fool.”

Avice’s heart stung. Dammit, she cursed. Dammit, dammit, dammit! I’m so stupid… She knew that something was off about Achaea, and that something dangerous could happen if she didn’t pay attention. Even if she had those suspicions, she couldn’t help but have hope. Nothing else could have driven her so far. But that had done nothing to prepare her for the words she’d heard.

“S-So… there’s no way home?”

“Of course not. Such magic is far beyond what a single Aldrian can do. Give up.”

Those words crushed her heart. Her lips quivered, and her fists whitened by her tightening fists. Hatred, anger, sadness, despair… every negative emotion possible filled her being. Give up… Those simple words resonated deepest. They’re the words she’d believed life had been throwing at her since her birth. 

“Now then, I believe it’s time for the show.” Achaea snapped her fingers, and a deep chill coursed through Avice’s bones. 

Thousands to millions of colored orbs appeared seemingly out of nowhere around the room. However, compared to what she’d seen before, these Spirits barely moved, not even a single flicker among any of them. They gently floated around, circling around the table Avice lied upon. A couple of them came closer, some of them carrying wicker baskets filled with white, squared pads and a bundle of syringes. Avice grimaced at the sight. But she knew she didn’t have time to worry about that. 

She closed her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. “S-Spirits of Gaea,” Avice said slowly. “Come to my aid. Help me.” She spoke with as much power and authority in her voice as she could muster. Nothing responded to her. The strings to Pull them didn’t appear. The Spirits continued floating. 

“I applaud you for even trying, Avice,” Achaea chuckled. “I’m afraid they won’t listen to anyone but me. I’ve had centuries to beat them into submission, after all.”

Avice cowled. She recalled their child-like voices, and the joy in their voices when she spoke to them. “You beat them?”

“Of course I did,” Achaea responded. She slammed her fist against the table, right next to Avice’s head. “We Aldrians were the most powerful species on Eden. Nothing except for the Elemental Gods themselves were above us. Even if we’re stripped of our ability to manipulate Spirits we’d reign supreme. Spirits are tools. Weapons gifted to us to unite the world.”

“But we’re the last of our kind, right?” Avice asked with a smirk. “Some powerful people you were supposed to be. If our ‘species’ really fell apart, then something incredibly stupid must’ve happened to wipe you all out,” she spoke with as much venom as she could. This was the usual tactic - anger her opponent as much as she could so that they can make mistakes. 

However, the explosive anger she’d expected didn’t come. Instead, Achaea said, “I realize this. It truly was, quite literally, stupidity that had caused our downfall. And who else could have been responsible for such a thing?”

Avice shivered. 

Snap. Snap.

A sweet, mind-numbing aroma drifted around the room. She had smelled it before, right before she had lost her memory in the hallway. She remembered it to be a wonderful, entrancing scent. 

However, the second she inhaled it this time, Avice’s face twisted. She retched, her throat burning. 

She retched and screamed in pain, the veins all over her body popping up. 

Her skin crawled, and dry tears poured down her face. 

She coughed up a disturbing amount of blood, and continued doing so until she could barely breathe.

Avice gasped for air. Her lungs didn’t feel like they were functioning anymore.

Then, as soon as the pain came, it disappeared.

She wheezed and took in one big breath. She coughed and hung her head. “W-What was that…?” she asked hoarsely.

“The answer, dear Avice,” Achaea said. The table Avice lied down on creaked as it gradually turned upwards to make her stand up. Her three friends surrounded her, all of them with deep, sinister smiles on their faces. “Did you feel that?” Achaea moved around the table and stood directly in front of her now. Her eyes had reddened, and her fists clenched. “That’s the pain. The pain all of our innocent people suffered. The pain incurred by your hateful family.”

“M-My family?” 

The second she said that, an image flashed in her head. A burning city. A smiling man. Four great beings. Piles of dead bodies. The scent of ash in the air. 

“Spirits, prepare her.”

Following her commands, the lifeless Spirits carrying the baskets sat them down o the floor, and gathered up all of the white pads. The Spirits then floated towards her and pressed the pads all around her body - her arms, cheeks, legs, face… With the pads set in place, the Spirits glowed softly for a brief moment before disappearing entirely.

Avice blinked. What the hell is happening? What the hell is she talking about?! I don’t have family here! 

“Ah yes, that’s right. I had forgotten that you know nothing,” Achaea said, crossing her arms. “Even with a position as high as mine, they had never allowed me to see what they were doing. They called it a failsafe - a method to ensure the survival of our race…” Her voice grew softer. But then, she snapped. “But what was the point?” She raised her voice and closed in on Avice. She lifted a fist and slammed it into Avice’s stomach. “Why would you abandon all of your people… to save one girl? They chose you over millions!” Achaea yelled, continuously punching the lights out of Avice.

By the point Achaea was done, Avice had coughed up some more blood, and her cheeks and lips had swollen. “What’s your point…?” Avice squeaked out. “I don’t remember it. It has nothing to do with me.”

“It doesn’t?” Achaea asked. “Incorrect. Avice, do not antagonize me further. I’m getting plenty of joy from this.”

“Shut up! I’ve done nothing wrong! Don’t push your stupid revenge on me!”

Achaea slapped Avice and pulled her hair. “I’ve peered into your memories already, Avice dear. I know your wants, your needs, your deepest fears.” Once those words left her mouth, Ruby screamed in pain. Avice’s heart stirred and she glanced over worriedly. Her arms and legs were covered in blood, and she fell to her knees. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she desperately called for help. Then, two swords materialized and stabbed her. 

“R-Ruby!” Avice yelled.

Achaea pulled on her chin, forcing her to look away. “If you don’t keep your mouth shut, I’ll continue to terrorize you even further. Do you understand?”

Avice nodded helplessly. 

Then, Achaea smiled. “You know, Avice, I was proud of you for something. Taking care of my problematic child out there in the forest.” Achaea’s eyes flashed red.

Avice gulped. “C-Child?”

“Yes. My dear Spinwin, the gorgeous black spider.” Achaea’s face twisted and grew longer. “Do you know what I was forced to do down here in this gods-forbidden bunker?” More eyes appeared on her now round face, all eight of them seething a deep, crimson red. “Do you know how many monsters I fought to protect those who had survived? The number of them we had to eat to survive?” Her trousers dissolved away, revealing a solid black pillar where her legs should be. Then, her body rose higher up, and something happened. A gigantic bulbous body appeared. “I don’t remember when this had happened to me, but what I do know, is that your family is responsible.” Sprouting from that body came eight black, jagged, and hairy legs piercing the metal ground. 

Avice stiffened at the sight. She couldn’t even muster any energy to scream in terror.

She had seen them in many books and stories. Something she hoped she’d never see in her entire life - the half-woman, half-spider monstrosity -  an Arachne.

“Do you see what I’ve become, Avice?” Achaea’s voice deepened and sounded much more like an animal than a person. 

Oh God… Someone, she thought. Her heart pounded in her ears. Help me, please, someone.

“Do you see what was forced on me? On our species?” Achaea turned to the two left standing. “Do it.”

It was then that the things that seemed like her friends grabbed the syringes in the baskets. 

Avice quivered and pleaded, “W-Wait. Don’t.” 

They stabbed her arms with the syringes. 

Avice didn’t even have time to wince from the pain, because as soon as whatever was in them entered her body, she screamed in agony. 

At first, it felt like her blood had caught fire and burnt her body from the inside. 

However, her brain soon turned to mush. 

Unbearable pain stung her head. Images of the people she cared about suffering and dying right before her eyes came one after another. 

Tears streamed down her cheeks. 

She gritted her teeth to stifle the pain, but her heart couldn’t hold it in anymore. 

Words she thought she’d never say to someone torturing her flowed out of her mouth. 

“I’m sorry!” She shut her eyes and struggled to move her body. “I’m sorry, please!”

“Yes… Yes!” Achaea moaned. Her blackened, hairy body shook in pleasure. “That’s it!”

“A-Achaea. I’m sorry. Please. Stop this.” Avice’s heart shattered into pieces. The dam that usually held her tears back collapsed. Snot dripped from her nose, and drool dripped from her mouth. “Please!”

“This is the pain of every single lost Aldrian soul. The pain that your father brought down upon every single one of us.”

Avice trembled. She bit her lip so hard she bled.

“The pain the gods suffered because of his pride.”

“…Please.”

Achaea’s face twisted further. She lifted one of her blackened legs and jabbed its sharp point in one of Avice’s arms, forcing her to cry out. “That’s what we all told to your father. To your mother. She raised another leg and stabbed her other arm. 

Avice’s vision fazed in and out, her consciousness barely holding on. Achaea ripped her away from the steel table and lifted her up to meet her at eye level. It felt like her arms were going to rip off any second.

“You once called me a sister, Avice,” Achaea muttered. “If everything had gone well, then we could’ve lived a happy life.”

“Achaea…?”

“But it’s a shame. Have fun with this.”

Achaea took two more of her legs and ran them straight through Avice’s stomach. For a second, her heart felt like it exploded into pieces. Achaea slammed Avice onto the ground and dug her spear-like limbs further into Avice’s body. 

Avice couldn’t scream. It was as if reality itself was disappearing before her eyes.

Achaea let her go, and wiped the blood against the floor. “I’m not finished, yet, Dear.”

“You can’t get up, can you Avice?” 

Avice’s nearly lifeless eyes twitched. A-Aria?

“Avice, my sweet, precious girl. I’m sorry,” Aria’s motherly voice called to her.

What do you mean…?

“The pain you’re suffering from. I can save you from this. I can help you get out of this situation. But the times I can do this are limited. Do you want my help?”

Achaea crawled forwards, her legs destroying the floor wherever she stepped. “Let’s continue this.”

Avice gazed up at the mortifying figure of a smiling, eight-eyed Achaea. 

Please… save me…

“That’s my girl.” Aria’s voice was no longer just in her head. No, the words came pouring out of Avice’s mouth. “Consider it done.”

Achaea suddenly trembled in fear as a massive rush of power surged out of nowhere. An overwhelming force touched her very soul. She gazed at the weak, bawling Avice, and her face fell. A purple outline had appeared around her body. Achaea crawled backwards, recognizing this magnificent sight. “You…”

Suddenly, Avice got up. The wounds all over her body burned a brilliant violet, and gradually closed themselves up. “Ah yes, it does feel great to have a normal body, albeit much weaker.” Her purple eyes glowed brightly, violet flames trailing off of her eyelashes. “And you, miss Achaea.” Achaea shuddered at her voice. “To think that you messed with our dear Princess like this… Oh how far you’ve fallen.”

Achaea hissed and lowered her body. “You’re not supposed to interfere. You’re not allowed!”

“I indeed made that promise, yes. But according to you, what use are they?” Avice, rather, the person controlling her, smirked. “You’ve committed grave sins as an Aldrian, girl.”

“I did what I must to survive,” Achaea growled. “You Royalty know nothing of our pain and suffering!”

“I know more pain and suffering than anyone, child.” Avice’s face darkened, and that same sudden rush of power came flowing back. “Do not think that you can succeed here… Avice is not destined to perish just yet.”

“I decide destiny! I am Achaea Andicta! I am the last survivor of the Aldrian race!”

“And I am Aria, protector of the one who will change the world.” With those words, Avice’s body flashed a brilliant violet hue, and the floor surrounding her melted into golden liquid. Aria spoke softly, “Burn this into your memory, Avice. This is what you’re capable of.”

Aria brought her hands together, and four colored balls - red, green, yellow, and white - flickered into existence. They swirled around and around until they merged into one - a swirling force of different colors. She opened her palms and thrust them out forwards towards Achaea. 

A powerful, ear-splitting beam of pure light shot out of her hands and blasted into Achaea, who had raised all of her legs in defense. That proved futile, as Achaea screamed in agony. Her black, arachnid legs melted with a hiss and filled the room with a disgusting stench.

After a few seconds of that unmatchable power, the beam had stopped, and Aria grinned. “There we go… That’s… how that’s… done.” The fire around her eyes disappeared, and Avice collapsed on the ground. 

She slowly blinked, trying to get herself together. Her body screamed in pain. Her muscles stiffened up and could barely move. Her breathing was ragged, and her eyes still strained to see. But the fact of the matter is that she escaped. Unrestrained.

“W-What the hell?” she heard someone’s voice. She lifted her head and found Dall standing there under the gateway of a hallway, his weapon in his hands, with a dumbfounded look on his face. “Avice! Avice, are you okay?!” He rushed towards her and ran his gaze over her, making sure nothing bad happened. 

“Where the hell did you come from?” she muttered. Despite her weak voice, her malicious glare took Dall off-guard. 

“I heard you screaming. I rushed as soon as I could, but this place is like a labyrinth,” he told her. “Come on, get up. Let’s get out of here.”

Suddenly, Achaea roared ferociously. “I’m not done with you yet, you disgusting child!”

Avice used Dall’s shoulder as a crutch and unsteadily stood. “She’s not down yet…?”

“Of course she isn’t. I’m not allowed to expend too much power,” Aria said. “The rest is up to you, now.”

The two of them looked at each other and nodded, then ran as quickly as they could towards the exit. Avice blinked hard and struggled to breathe. “You gotta explain everything she said, Aria,” she whispered.

“In due time, Avice. Just focus on the here and now. Your life depends on it.”

“And… thank you,” Avice finished.

“What did Achaea do to you…?” Dall asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it yet,” Avice responded. “Any ideas on how to get out of here?”

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I do.” 

Achaea roared behind them and swiftly carved her way through the small hallway. 

“It’s no guarantee, but it’s worth a shot,” he spoke confidently, yet his voice trembled. He guided her around a corner and kept running. “Do you trust me, Avice?”

She frowned when he had said that. Those words meant nothing to her. They shouldn’t have mattered in the first place. She didn’t think she could trust anyone anymore, other than the people she cared about. However, this was a life or death situation. She needed to do something with him, otherwise they’d both die. 

Then, an idea popped into her head. She lifted her right hand up, put all of her fingers down except her pinkie, and stared at Dall. 

He looked flabbergasted for a second, but then he did the same and wrapped his finger around hers. “I understand,” he said.

“Then good,” Avice smiled slightly. “Let’s get out of here.”