Part 2

Alicia white

Yggdrasil time [23:22] 

Paracelsus of Bella Montiri Gavela | Mind 

 

The haunting echoes of the Phantasm ceased as Alicia’s view shifted to the snowy landscape, the heavy snowfall obscuring the distant horizons with white. The howling winds filled her ears, and she realized she had successfully entered Bella’s mind.

Contrasting the views of the Boundary and the present, the shift from the endless expanse of water to the snowy desert before her made it feel as though she had been suddenly teleported to a different location. 

The blinding white landscape stretched before her, and as the icy winds whipped around her, Alicia noticed her veil hat flapping. Before she could react, it was swept away into the swirling snow, disappearing from sight in an instant.

Alicia’s face twisted into a sour expression as she furrowed her brows in discontent. ‘So this is Bella’s Paracelsus,’ She thought.

She turned her head, scanning her surroundings - the sides, behind, and below. A thick blanket of snow covered everything in sight, swallowing her feet into the overgrown drifts.

‘How unsurprising, Bella has crafted her Paracelsus to counteract my own… Nevertheless…’

She was surprised at how little the freezing temperatures affected her, considering her initial impression of the icy-land. The strangeness of the situation continued as she could hear the violent turbulence of the snowstorm.

Alicia recalled, ‘Even when evoking the flames in Erwin’s Paracelsus, I failed to sense its warmth.’

Shifting her focus on her body, Alicia noticed an inexplicable change: her once twisted arm and cut-open wrist were now completely healed, as if the injuries had never occurred. Dumbfounded, she continued to realize that her appearance had returned to that when in the Medium, and the bell hanging from her belt had also been restored.

‘Recalling her attack, I praised Bella’s exceptional skill. Not only did she wield such a primitive weapon with mastery, but also deftly executed the act of severing my hand.’ Alicia mused in awe. 

Then, she noticed that her arming sword appeared missing. Despite this troubling discovery, she ignored it and pressed on.

As she continued inspecting her body, she commanded her augment to conduct a brief assessment of her body. She suddenly flinched as she was startled by the given information by her Augment - her own body did not exist.

With a pensive mien, she assumes an idea, ‘Could it be… My current form is disparate from my physical one? It would seem to coincide with the notion that possession is akin to a psychic attack, leaving me in a state resembling that of an ethereal form; a consciousness. How peculiar, quite intriguing.’

Alicia pondered for a moment before clicking her tongue. ‘Without the A-cells in my body, it is impossible to enhance my body or undergo any biological changes in my current state.’

Numerous questions inundated her mind, but time was not a luxury she could afford. She resolved to refocus on the present, scanning her surroundings once more before taking a step.

‘A snowstorm, with no daylight in sight and a thick accumulation of snow.’ Alicia discerned.

With every step forward, Alicia’s feet sank into the thick snow. She reached for the bell hanging from her belt and commanded her augment to summon a fireball in front of her. As it appeared, a sudden realization hit her, plunging her into contemplation.

‘This certainly poses a contradiction, does it not? The conscious augment functions independently to process my commands, and in the event of its inability to do so, it seeks a biological mind as support. Yet, what becomes of the situation should the biological mind be absent? The task remains unexecuted, although there is a possibility that Bella’s biological mind would handle it.’

As Alicia continues to contemplate her knowledge, a clear answer presents upon her. ‘No, that is implausible. That will never happen. A biological mind has its own identity and is bound solely to its respective identity, akin to the body and consciousness, as well as the augment cells and conscious augment.’

Alicia pressed forward through the heavy snow, while her thoughts swirled with plans and considering entering the Boundary. She wondered if it was possible to see Bella’s Mindsphere while being in the Boundary. 

In the distance, Alicia noticed a black object peeking out from the white snow. Curiosity piqued, she closed the distance to investigate and discovered a black flower.

‘How odd.’

Alicia knelt down and reached out to touch the mysterious black flower sprouting in the snowy lands, struggling to recall any memories or knowledge of such an unusual sight.

As Alicia reached for the black flowers, she felt something restraining her legs - long, vine-like tentacles wrapped around her. With a quick thought, she commanded her augment to summon extreme heat around, rapidly melting the snow into warm water, wetting her clothes and the surrounding ice. Through the haze, she saw what was restraining her.

Seeing the bluish vine-like tentacles restraining her legs, she instinctively tried to chime the bell. But before she could, the melting ice beneath her suddenly collapsed. Frantically, she clung onto something and latched onto the edge of the thick ice, feeling the wet surface beneath her fingertips as the bluish vines continued to pull her downwards.

Panic coursed through her, yet  she maintained a calm mind as her eyes shifted at the sight of several tentacles sprouting from the fleshy ground, pulsating and oozing a sickly pale yellow liquid. The repulsive sight was accompanied by a horrendous smell that assaulted Alicia’s senses. She spotted the bell nestled in the yellow puddle, emitting black smoke and bubbling violently.

‘This is bad! Augment, fi–!?’

As she tried to send a command, the pale blue tentacles abruptly tightened their grip, yanking her downward with unexpected force. Her fingers lost their grip, and she crashed onto the fleshy ground, submerged in a pool of sickly yellow liquid.

The force of her impact caused the yellow liquid to splash outward, showering the surroundings. As patches of ice and snow fell, her eyes widened, catching the instant melting as they made contact with the yellow liquid, sending ripples of heat and a sharp acrid scent through the air.

Her eyes trembled, she noticed her submerged bell, now distorted and partially gone. Her restrained legs grew numb, her skin became irritated, and her body started to overheat.

Bluish tentacles slithered toward her, ensnaring her form. As panic surged through Alicia’s mind, she commanded her augment to summon a swirling fire, encasing her body.

As the flames engulfed her, her clothes and flesh turned to charred ruins. Below her, a yellow puddle boiled from the heat, mingling with the fresh blood seeping from her open wounds. 

Her disintegrating feet revealed protruding bones as the acidic liquid continued to consume her body. An overwhelming scent assaulted her senses, leaving her engulfed in an unknown numbness.

Alicia struggled to hold back the urge to vomit from nauseating. She witnessed the bluish tentacles ignited from the fire she had summoned. The tentacles and the fleshy ground shake violently. 

As they thrashed into madness, acid splashed all around, burning her skin with a violent, sizzling noise. Her face caught by the acid, and the excruciating pain felt like boiling hot poison, causing her face to tear apart as if being stabbed by thousands of needles.

‘I cannot command my A-cells to excrete mucus! Augment, return me to my body!’

…

The arena fell silent as all eyes turned to the main stage. The bright lights illuminated the contestants, standing out against the dimly lit audience. Whether they were watching intently or communicating through in-game channels, the tension in the air was palpable.

On the stage, two royals faced each other, one kneeling and the other sitting cross-legged on the floor. They close their eyes, each focusing on the internal conflict brewing within Bella’s mind. Suddenly, Bella rose from her seat and approached her opponent, drawing Alicia’s sword from its sheath.

As Bella approached, Alicia regained her senses, her body fluctuating between her Phantasm and Medium forms,  alternating the appearance of horror and her usual appearance. She continued to spasm and breath erratically, clutching her chest in an attempt to ease the pain.

Alicia’s vision blurred, the sounds of her surroundings muffled. Collapsing to the ground, she struggled to catch her breath as a tangible, icy pain ached throughout her body, her mind feeling as if it were being squished. Suddenly, an unknown force pulled her body, lifting her into the air as she transitioned into her Medium form.

Bella halted her steps in front of the writhing, floating Alicia. She spoke with a commanding tone, “You would be wise to surrender.”

Alicia struggled to hear anything beyond the muffled voices and irritating ringing in her ears. She was unable to comprehend the unknown force pulling her body, her consciousness muddled and unable to regain control. It felt as if her body senses felt like it was fleeting away, barely holding on to dear life.

Alicia remained silent to her words, Bella moved closer, pressed her healed lips against Alicia’s delicate neck and ran her tongue over the skin. Opening her mouth to reveal the two sharp fangs as she sank them into Alicia’s neck, drinking her blood as Alicia’s body convulsed, faint murmurs escaping from her mouth.

Bella withdrew her mouth from Alicia’s neck with a wet sound, her red eyes glowing as she readied her sword, slicing Alicia’s arms off before striking at her heart. Alicia’s body spasmed violently before the movements subsided, and her lifeless body collapsed to the floor.

The arena was filled with the echo of Erwin’s booming voice as he declared, “Bella Gavela claims the victory!”

The arena reverberated with the deafening roar of the crowd, triumphant shouts rising above the din to create a jubilant atmosphere. Bella stood confidently, beaming as she waved at the adoring spectators, basking in the glow of her victory.

Seekers flying above swiftly descended, while the others emerged from the lower stages and contestant’s shadows. Desperately, they hurried to provide immediate healing, but before they could reach her, Alicia’s body erupted into flames. 

The flames intensified, swirling upwards to nearly two meters, engulfing the surroundings in searing heat. The seekers stood frozen, their expressions a mix of surprise and confusion. In the midst of the chaos, a voice echoed throughout the arena.

“Resurrection?” Erwin muttered, his word echoing through an amplified form. “Ah, my bad.”

Realizing his mistake, he quickly deactivated his ability. Bella repeated his words, pivoting her head above to face the flying Erwin as she asked, “Resurrection?”

Erwin landed on the stage beside Bella, and casually explained, “It seems likely. I saw a similar sequence when Vanessa died. And seeing one from the Divineness, it seems very much similar.”

Bella muttered under her breath, “So both the Phoenix sisters can resurrect.”

Suddenly, the sounds of flapping wings echoed and Vanessa landed nearby. With a surprised expression, Vanessa exclaimed, “Woah, you totally murdered her!”

Looking bewildered, Bella raised a brow. “Murdered her?” she asked, “How come? I just pierced her chest, as usual.”

Baffled by her reply, Vanessa responded with a glare. “‘The usual’?” She repeated, “How about you wipe the blood off your mouth first?”

In response, a member of Bella’s Blood Eboneers quietly wiped the blood from Bella’s mouth. Bella then turned to Vanessa with a composed smile and said, “Decapitate her, cleave her body in half, crystallize her body. Alice always persists. Indeed, that’s how it works in the real world. Were you not the same with Hernese in the past?”

“Oh, not like that,” Vanessa waves her hands in a hurry, “I meant you two are constantly at each other’s throat.”

Upon hearing that, Bella went into deep thought, her brows furrowing before a smug grin spread across her face. “‘Each other’s throat’?” She repeated, “Pray tell, are you speaking in the literal sense or is it wrought with metaphor?”

For a moment, Bella’s words didn’t register in Vanessa’s mind. However, as soon as the realization dawned, Vanessa glared at her with such an intensity, the surroundings seemed to increase heat.

“Metaphorically,” Vanessa answered, devoid of expression. 

Bella exclaimed, her voice trembling with frustration, “Verily, this is a travesty! It is my rightful retribution after she skinned me alive last time! Her suffering does not suffice to repay the harm she caused me!”

Baffled, Vanessa stammered as she repeated, “Sk-skinned you alive?”

As they continued to chatter, the fire surrounding Alicia dissipated, revealing a large egg perched atop a smoldering heap of ashes. The pale egg emitted a bright red glow, with flickering sparks of flames appearing around it. Adding to the mystique, it was enveloped in an ethereal pale bluish smoke. 

Upon seeing this, Erwin commented, “That definitely looks like Vanessa’s resurrection. I’ll check our index for more information about resurrections.”

“Please do,” said Vanessa as she approached the egg with steady steps, sneaking a glance at Bella. “How did she fail to possess your body in the first place?”

“I had altered my mental realm to be similar to that of the Mysia Mountains environment,” Bella responded. “She was deceived by the Black Flower traps.”

With an exaggerated tone of disgust, Vanessa exclaimed, “Urgh! Those nasty things? Oh, and by the way, the index was updated earlier - the mental realms are now called Paracelsus.”

Bella followed Vanessa, with Erwin trailing far behind. Upon arriving, Vanessa knelt in front of the egg and placed her palm on it. At the instant, she felt its intense heat and quickly retreated.

“That’s very hot.” 

Vanessa quickly inspected her hand, now tinged with a reddish hue. The egg continued to emit a low, chilling red glow. 

Suddenly, the pulsed to an intensified vibrant red glow, spewing intense heat. Its temperature rose with each passing moment, filling Vanessa with a growing sense of unease. She swiftly stood up and retreated to the group.

“A defensive mechanism?” Vanessa murmured, her eyes narrowing as she turned to Erwin. “Any info, Erwin?”

“The index states there are prerequisite for resurrection,” Erwin responded, “The information checks out. When you died during the day, you didn’t resurrect and had to die, but when it happened at night, you were able to resurrect.”

“Mhm,” Vanessa nodded, then added, “And to be blasted by fire… Oh? Oh, yeah! Now that I think about it, I remember the amount of A-cells that I have before and after resurrection wasn’t the same. It seems like my resurrection also needed a certain number of A-cells before my death.”

“Specific number of A-cells…” Erwin muttered, his gaze shifting towards Vanessa.

Vanessa continued, “If it's like this, I wonder if her resurrection can only happen during the daytime and be blasted with some kind of divine power like holy water or something similar. Very symbolic, quite funny though.”

Bella remarked, “it seems rather unjust for you all to possess the ability of resurrection, am I not correct?”

“Why don’t you just create another avatar with resurrection traits? Something like a Fipedorns?” Erwin replied with a carefree tone, his gaze fixed on the holographic window that was invisible to others.

“Those vile furry beasts with elongated beaks and no eyes? I shall pass, thank you.” Bella scoffed, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

Erwin mindlessly responded quickly, “But you could pick the Origo and retain your appearance in the real world, no?”

“I would rather die than have their identity in my veins,” Bella declared with a shudder.

“Do you hate their identity that much?” Vaness retorted.

“Please. It’s only a mere preference of mine.”

Vanessa grinned and suggested, “How about Bibiet? They’re adorable creatures that can also come back to life.”

“Vanessa, if it were feasible, I’d have chosen Bibiet as my avatar race from the outset,” Bella replied.

“Then, why?”

“Well, alas, I am disheartened to say that I only share a meager 43 compatibility points with their identity, hence the answer is definitive no. I shall not select Bibiet.”

Bella continued, turning her body, “I must leave for now; I need to reprimand those incompetent generals for nearly submerging the army in the lake!”

Bella’s figure silently disappeared into thin air before Vanessa could reply. Vanessa then turned to Erwin and asked, “Any info?”

“I asked the forums, and my chat,” Erwin responded, shifting his gaze from the holographic window to Vanessa. “I’ve compiled a list that we can test, but to be honest, it doesn’t really make sense.”

In response, Vanessa let out a thoughtful hum under her breath. Extending her hand, she summoned a pillar of fire that consumed the egg entirely. The stage filled with an intense, bright fire, but after less than a minute, she canceled her ability and found no difference.

“No good.”

“Since she’s not resurrecting under the moonlight, maybe we should place the egg in sunlight instead?” Erwin suggested  awkwardly.

“The sun? Where? I don’t see it.” Vanessa responded, placing her hand over her brow and scanning the skies as if searching for something.

Erwin looked at her, unamused. Suddenly, a flapping sound grew louder before something landed behind them. Vanessa, who had been scanning the skies, saw who it was and exclaimed, “Ressavi!”

“Yo! What’s taking the resurrection so long?” Ressavi questioned. 

“We’re having trouble finding her requirements to resurrect her.” 

“Requirements? You need requirements to resurrect? Why?” 

“I am not so sure either.”

Ressavi asked, “If you’re having trouble, can’t you just tell her to choose to die and spawn?” After realizing, she added, “Oh, right. I almost forgot that she picked World Arise.”

Suddenly, Erwin snapped his finger as he opened his mouth, “Oh, this might actually work.”

Erwin caught their attention, prompting Vanessa to ask, “What is?”

Erwin explained, “My chat said that the requirements could be related to your racial traits. For example, Vanessa’s ‘Last Hope Radiance’ ability might indicate the requirements for resurrection during the night, as her true form glows during that time. Similarly, the Divineness’ ability, ‘Synonymous Radiance’, which activates in the Boundary, might indicate the requirements for resurrection.”

“Oh, yeah, I didn’t think about that. Chat is so smart,” Vanessa praised with a smile.

“But how are you gonna send the divineness’ egg to the Boundary?” Ressavi inquired, raising a brow.

“For that, I contacted my friend. I believe she has the ability to drag things to the Boundary.” 

As Erwin spoke confidently, the space next to him distorted,  revealing the shadowy figure of Lesny. Lesny glanced at her surroundings, and as she did, a holographic window popped up in front of Vanessa and Erwin, inviting them to a voice chat.

Without hesitation, both of them accepted the invitation. The shadowy figure tilted its body and the red ball within its body shifted along. 

Lesny’s voice, that of a young girl, echoed sweetly through the in-game channels as she shyly said, (He-hello.)

“Yo! could you do me a favor and send the Divineness to the Boundary?” Erwin greeted warmly, pointing his finger at the egg.

Lesny’s red ball seemed to shift, almost as if it were following Erwin’s finger. She then turned back to face Erwin before responding. (Sure, I don’t mind. But why?)

“I’ll explain it to you once we get there.”

Upon hearing this, Lesny responded with a nod and approached the egg, which was nearly as tall as she was.

“Oh, right. Erwin, you might want to ask other people too,” Vanessa gently reminded, her voice tinged with concern, “She might need something like fire to heat her up and be resurrected.”

“I’ve already taken care of that. Don’t worry,” Erwin reassured with a smile and a thumbs up.

As Lesny approached the egg, she removed her robe and the triangular hat. As she did, her shadowy form seemed to shift  and expand, taking on a larger and more rounded shape, nearly three times its usual size.

In an instant, the red balls inside the shadowy form moved to the edges before slowly extending out, forming several limbs that enveloped the egg. 

The egg underwent a gradual transformation, shifting to an eerie pale bluish-green color. The black smoke transformed into a ghostly white, and the sparkling fires changed their colors to an ethereal, sparkling bright blue.

(My ability works on it, but this is quite hot…) Lesny reported over the channel.

“Would you be okay?” Vanessa inquired, a note of concern in her voice..

(It’s nothing I can’t handle. thank you for worrying, milady.) Lesny replied nonchalantly, (Well then, see you on the other side.)

After Lesny disappeared into thin air together with the egg, Vanessa couldn’t help but open her mouth in astonishment, “Um, Did that girl… Just strip naked?”

Erwin quickly interjected, “Don’t even think about it.”