I know you can hear me…

—so tell me. How do I use this thing? 

 (…..)

 Are you still not going to reveal yourself? Author? Or are you planning on playing dumb?

 This wolf will get us unless you tell me how to use this thing, so…tell me. HOW DO I USE IT?

 (Very well, I’m not who you think I am, but… I cannot let you die either,) the voice said.

—I knew it. There really was someone here.

 “HUMAAAN!” the wolf cried.

 It kept attacking, and it kept sending bladed icicles and tearing up the ground. I kept avoiding the attack using Spark in succession.

—hurry!

 (Calm down…you're so troublesome, I don’t know everything, you know?)

—then what?

 (Tsk… Very well. Orb of Disintegration, type: Artefact, page 745: offensive properties: Disintegrate Designate. Defensive properties: Incinerating Prism. How to use it? Pour mana in at a stable rate; error notice; too much or too little will end the chant.)

 Following the instructions, I kept dodging the wolf’s attack and channelled mana into the Artifact.

 “PESKY HUMAN! STOP MOVING AROUND SO MUCH!” 

 The wolf kept crying and howling; it stomped on the ground, tearing it up, and spikes of ice surfaced. Harsh storms sent pieces of Absolute Frost everywhere and crystalised its surroundings until they shattered.

 In turn, I grabbed a piece of Absolute Frost and repelled other pieces with it. The wolf jumped towards me, and it had a charged breath attack ready.

 I used Spark to distance myself, and the whole area blew up and crystalised. It swung its tail and shattered all the ice, letting the wind carry the shards.

 As for the other wolves, they went into hiding.

—how much longer?

 (About 20% charged,) the voice replied.

—how much mana does this thing need!?

 (It all depends on the output; you could release it now if you wanted.)

 I clenched the orb.

—what would 20% do?  

(Based on the Mythic Beast’s magical and physical resistance, a charge of 20% would probably cause severe damage if hit directly in the head.)

—it wouldn’t kill it…?

 (Affirmative, Mythic Beast such as this has a high instant kill resistance.)  

—a high what?

 (…a plot device, so to say.)

—even if it’s fully charged, it won’t die?

 (Speculated results: unknown,) the voice said.  

 I got agitated and dashed toward the wolf. If it doesn’t die from 100%, then I could at least injure it now and take it down slowly.

 “HUUH!? TIRED OF RUNNING? HUUUMAAAN!!?”

 The wolf howled, and blades of ice tore through the ground at horrifyingly fast speeds.

 After dodging the blades as I kept marching forward, I realised that the sky was filled with icicles, and all of it was raining down at the same time.

*Tsk*

 Using Spark and enchanting the icicle in my hand with electricity, I hurriedly dashed through the dreadful rain and landed on the wolf’s back.

—got you!  

 In an instant, I pierced the wolf’s spine and sent a strong electrical current throughout its body. And in what felt like an instant, the wolf twitched and the effect of Spark worse off.  

 “AHHHHHGGGHHHH!!!???”

 With a loud screeching howl, the wolf and I were sent into the sky.  Neither the wolf nor I had anywhere to go, and it was perfect.

 (Are you ready?) the voice asked.

—yes.  

 The orb was in front of me, and the magic that it emitted was truly horrifying. And my whole world had gone completely silent.

 

— :::: —

 

 When I came to, everything around me was nothing but white, cold, empty space. I could not feel, but… I got up and walked around. There was no shadow, no sound of my footsteps, nothing but white.  

—where…is this?

“You’re awake, Leon Shellheart,” someone said.

 I turned around and saw a light blond man with green, listless eyes.

 “…are you?”

 “—I am not,” he replied. He looked at himself and at me as if pondering about what to say. “I’m not The Author. However, I do resemble him, I suppose.”

 I felt disappointed hearing that.  “I see…” I replied in a calm manner. But the way he looked at me, he probably noticed that I was disappointed.

 “Well, even if I’m not him, I can give you some valuable information.”

 “…you didn’t seem so willing to cooperate before, though?” I remarked.

 He went silent and coldly glared at me. “Anyhow, you probably want to know who I am, correct?”

 I reluctantly nodded. “Of course… You’re inside of my head and see and know what I do. Of course, I want to know who you are…”

 However, to my surprise, the figure scoffed and emotionlessly laughed. “Ahaha. You’re too self-conscious. Why would I bother watching over some human child?”

 “…..”

—he’s not wrong…but…

 “What am I supposed to believe then?”

 “…I am Entropy. I don’t have a personality or a way of thinking. I just am. If anything, this is the will of the soul reflected in my appearance, an individual called Atlas.”

—huh? He has the same name as Lottie’s Father? No…it must be his pen name.

 “…I have two souls?”

 “Negative, you have your own and a fading part of the individual Atlas. I operate on his memories and will soon fade as you wake up.”

 “…what?”

 “Are you going to waste this precious opportunity, Leon Shellheart?”

—he’s right…

 “First of all… What is this world?”

 “Negative: cannot answer.”

 “…then, what about the world I’m in?”

 “…Process Memories: Speculate: alternate world based on Cries & Echoes. Reasons for being alternate, answer: interdimensional interference, Atlas. Conclusion: Too many unknown variables and two detected. Now three, including Leon Shellheart.”

 “…is this world simulated…? You sound like a machine from his world…”

—huh…? A machine from his world? What am I even saying? I don’t even understand my own words anymore…

 “Negative.”

 “…then—”

—what do I want to ask? It’s not like it knows everything. After all, it’s based on Atlas’ memories and answers using his memories.

 “…where is Atlas?”

 “The individual known as Atlas is yet in this world.”

—yet in this world…? What is that supposed to mean?

 “What…does that mean?”

 “The individual Atlas is yet in this world.”

 “…will he be?”

 “Affirmative.”

 I don’t get it, what’s going on? I have these weird memories and even more weird memories of some girl I don’t even know. I don’t even know her face. But…unlike Atlas, she made me feel warm.

 “Why will you disappear? You mentioned that this body only had my soul and that Atlas’ was fading. What exactly does that mean?”

 “It means that Atlas’ soul will cease to coincide with yours. Hence, the reason for my disappearance.”

 “…why?”

 “Memory Recall: request granted. The individual Atlas used Request Entropy to sever your souls. And left you a part of his memories. However, since you didn’t know how to use the Orb of Disintegration, it is concluded that the shattered soul was corrupted, and memories were lost.”

 “…why would he do such a thing…?”

 “Answer: he did not want to overpower Leon Shellheart’s soul and take over the body. Hence, requesting Entropy to split them.”  

 …that psycho? Why would he care whether he took over my body or not? Well… I appreciate he didn’t, but I do remember being confused about my own existence. I should thank him…

 “…do you know the reason for the split?”

 “Answer: he thought it would be more entertaining to watch rather than play—in his own words.”

—he really was a psycho?

 “Then…can I have the memories? It appears that you have those lost memories…”  

 “Negative, you cannot. At his request to sustain me, these memories were the price, and since you used an Entropy spell, half of your life would be the price. However, the individual Atlas has a troublesome personality and speculated you’d resort to this one day. Hence, he paid the price in advance. Be grateful, human child.”

 “….:”

 The figure coldly looked at me and then turned away.

 “This is farewell then. You’ll shortly wake up—”

 “Wait! I have another question! I…I had these strange memories, but they don’t appear to be Atlas’ memories. I see a girl…and don’t know what she looks like or what she’s like. It’s a feeling, and I don’t know, but just know! Tell me!? What are they!?”

 The figure evilly grinned. “Answer: those are your memories—”

—what?

  As I was reaching out, I saw the ceiling. My body hurt so bad, yet I tried to get up. That was until I heard a light breath beside the bed. There was Rachel, but also a slightly chubby girl with blond hair.

—Lottie?

 Taking a closer look, the two girls slept on a chair beside one another, and both were holding my left hand.

 But…

—what is Lottie doing here…?