In the morning of the next day, I woke up to a sight that would make any man jealous. Both Anna and Anise ended up snuggling closer to me during the night and were sleeping peacefully with their heads on my chest. A small smile appeared in the corner of my lips and, not wanting to disturb their sleep, I asked Ai to pull me inside my soul space.
Entering the familiar white expanse of space, Ai appeared next to me and said:
"Ethan, you should hurry and go on with your soul evolution as fast as possible."
I nodded and replied: "I'll do it after I check something out."
Ai looked at me confused, but I just turned towards the small patch of darkness and started walking towards it. Ai quickly skipped after me and said: "I don't think that's a wise decision and it might not even let you in."
"I know, but since the evolution of my soul might prove dangerous, I want to at least try to chat with it once more."
As I reached the border of the darkness, I extended my hand and it indeed let me in without any issue. Ai tried to do that same but was rejected just as the last time.
Since I was allowed passage inside, I slowly started walking forward through the black tentacles, towards the shinning red eyes in the distance. Once there, I looked up towards them and asked: "Do you know why I'm here?"
The eyes shinned bright red for a second in answer as a tentacle came towards me. I wanted to take a step back, but resisted the instinctual fear I was feeling and held my ground. The tentacle stopped in arm's reach of me and the eyes shinned once again.
"Do you want me to touch it?" I asked.
Seeing the eyes shine once more, I sighed and slowly extended my hand towards the tentacle. Once I did, the tentacle coiled itself around my arm and pulled me downwards through a small crack in my soul space. I let out a startled cry and try to resist, but it was too strong and soon it finished pulling me through the crack, bringing me into a pitch black world. The only source of light inside this dark world was the small white ball I was sitting upon, which I figured must be my soul space seen from the outside, and two red eyes far into the distance.
The tentacle released me and the same hoarse voice I heard the last time I entered the dark zone inside my soul space sounded once again.
"Why are you fighting against me? I'm a part of you. We are one and the same."
It's voice brought chills down my spectral back, all my instincts screaming at me to run, run as fast as possible, but where was I supposed to run?. Doing my best to suppress my fear, I looked into the endless darkness and asked: "Who are you?"
As my words sounded through the dark space, the pair of red eyes into the distance flickered and the voice replied.
"I've been called many names, too many to even keep count, none of them meaning a single thing to you, to us, but that's not the reason you came to me. Evolve your soul without worry, I'm not your enemy. Never was."
As his words ended, before I could ask another question, another tentacle pulled me back inside my soul space, this time ending up outside the border of the dark zone. Ai manifested next to me and asked: "Where did you go? I couldn't locate your consciousness at all."
I explained to her that I was pulled outside my soul space and the words that being said at which Ai frowned and replied: "That was too dangerous. Don't do that ever again. Whatever that thing said, I don't think you can trust it anyways."
I nodded, but for some reason, I felt that it was telling the truth. What point was there in lying since I had to evolve my soul either way?
"Are the girls awake?" I asked as I pushed those thoughts away.
"Yes, they are speaking quietly with each other at this moment."
"All right then, send me back. Sorry for worrying you like that."
Opening my eyes back inside the inn room, Anise and Anna looked up to me and said:
"Morning, Ethan."
"Good morning."
I replied before giving each of them a kiss on the forehead and saying: "I already told you I'm about to evolve my soul. That will help me heal it as well. I'm going to do that now and I wanted to let you know beforehand since I'll be unconscious for an unknown period of time."
Anna was the first one to reply as she said: "In that case, can you please send me back to the Blessed Battalion. I've already been away for too long and I also have to check on mother as well."
I nodded and we got up from the bed. We both got dressed and I teleported us inside the Battalion leader's house. Once there, Anna tiptoed to give me a kiss on the lips before saying: "Please come back as soon as you're done with your soul evolution. I don't really understand how that works, but good luck anyway."
"Thank you. I'm going now. I love you, Anna."
"I love you too, Ethan." She replied and I teleported back inside the inn room. Anise was still waiting for me on the bed and said as soon as I appeared: "Do you know how long you'll be out?"
I shook my head and answered: "I don't know for sure, but hopefully it won't be too long."
She nodded and said: "Then, I think you should do it inside Cloven Academy. The Capital is not really a peaceful place right now and we don't know what will happen if the rebellion decides to act while you are unconscious."
Thinking that it was actually a good idea, I agreed and teleported both of us to Anise's room inside the academy. Once there, she said to me: "I'll go and let mother know. You can start as soon as you want. I'll watch over your body so you don't have to worry about anything."
I nodded and we both shared a kiss before she walked out of her room and started walking towards her mother's office. Being left alone, I laid down on the bed and said to Ai: "I guess we can start."
[All right. I'll put your consciousness into slumber and start working on extending your soul space.]
Her words barely ended when I felt my pupils growing heavier. I expected to end up completely unconscious, but was surprised to discover the experience was completely different.
After falling asleep inside Anise's room, I found myself floating inside a completely different room. It was a simple room, with only a small table and a simple bed in which a young kid, not looking older than ten, was sleeping. Noticing that there seemed to be light coming inside from a small window, I tried looking outside to see where I was, but I was surprised to find out that there was nothing outside.
Walking up to the door, I tried to open it only for my hand to pass through the handle, like I was some kind of ghost. Looking down and noticing that my feet were floating slightly above ground, I found that this idea, as ridiculous as it sounds, might actually be the truth.
Since I seem to be able to pass through objects, I decided to just float outside and see for myself where I was. Once I passed through one of the room's walls and stepped outside, I noticed that the exterior was indeed empty. It resembled my soul space.
Letting out a sigh, I returned back to the room from before and started pondering about what to do next. As I was in deep thought, a pleasant voice came from the outside:
"Iaoel, let's go. You can't sleep until noon again."
As the voice's words ended, the boy sleeping on the bed turned to the other side and covered his ears with the blanket. The voice from outside called out to him a couple more times until the door to the room opened and an angel walked inside.
At least that's what I always imagined an angel would look like. Pure white wings at his back, white hair and a pair of blue eyes, he inspired a feeling of awe inside me, making me feel unworthy to even exist in his presence. Looking up, I saw a feminine and delicate looking face. He was barefooted, with the only clothing item being a one piece simple white robe that extended to just underneath his knees.
With a sigh, the angel walked up to the bed and gently pulled the blanket away from the boy's head before saying: "Iaoel, today it's your ascension ceremony, you can't keep delaying it. The council has already gathered."
The boy called Iaoel protested a bit more before he finally relented and stood up. Using his hands to rub his eyes, he looked at the angel and said: "Why do I have to go that ceremony? I'm happy staying like this. Please, Rahmiel."
Rahmiel gave Iaoel a gentle smile and said: "You kept finding reasons to delay the ceremony for millions of years. The council has been lenient and I've been covering for you all the while, but with the Dark Star drawing ever closer, you can't delay it anymore. I know that you always loved your freedom and peace, but we must all gather together and fight against them."
"But…" The boy let out a sigh and nodded with reluctance before taking a moment to arrange his messed up white hair and following Rahmiel outside. Once they exited the room, I noticed that the room around me started blurring like it would disappear any moment, prompting me to follow after them. Walking outside, I was greeted by the most spectacular sight I've ever seen in both my lives. I was inside a completely white world, with angels flying about filling the entire sky. The ground, the grass, the trees, everything looked completely white and was covered by the same slight golden glow as the angels. It was a bit painful on the eyes, but was indeed mesmerizing.
"Did I die and arrived in Heaven?" I mumbled to myself as I followed after Rahmiel and Iaoel. They walked slowly while speaking to each other and greeting any other angel they passed by until they reached a circular house. After I followed them inside, I looked around and noticed that the entire building only had a circular table surrounding a white platform. At the table, eight angels were seated and fixed their eyes on Rahmiel and Iaoel as soon as they came inside. One of the angels said in a displeased tone: "Iaoel, how long do you plan on delaying your ceremony? The Dark Star will reach here in at most one more week."
"I'm here now, aren't I?" replied Iaoel with a snort, causing the other angels around the table to all frown.
Rahmiel placed a hand on Iaoel's shoulder and said in his usual gentle tone: "Go and sit on the platform. Don't argue with them."
Iaoel snorted one again and walked up to the platform in the middle. Rahmiel also walked up and took a seat at the table with the other angels.
I stayed to the side and observed the scene in front of me with intrigue. Once everyone took their place, they all stood up as the golden glow around them grew in size and started extending to the platform under Iaoel.
Rahmiel extended his hands upwards in a ritualistic manner and said: "Eternal Mother, I beseech You, please grace us with your presence once again and grant Your blessing upon this new member of our race. Please grant him the strength to join us in the upcoming war."
As his words ended, the walls of the building started shaking slightly, causing all the other angels at the table besides Rahmiel to hang their heads low. A small flow of green energy came from the ceiling and seeped into Iaoel's body, causing his body to be engulfed into a blinding golden-green light. It took a while for the light to finally recede and I was amazed to notice that Iaoel looked now completely different.
From an ten years looking kid, he turned into a young man, looking around twenty something years old. A pair of pure white wings now flapped gently around his back and he was covered by the same golden glow as the other angels. His short boyish hair new grew long enough to reach the middle of his back and his young and immature eyes turned more serious and dignified.
The new Iaoel fell to one knee and said in a strong voice, completely different from his previous childish one: "Thank you, Eternal Mother, for granting me your blessing."
The other angels around the table also fell to one knee as soon as Iaoel's words ended and said at the same time: "Thank you, Eternal Mother."
No answer came and Rahmiel was the first to stand up, followed by the other angels around the table. Once they were all up, Rahmiel said towards Iaoel:
"Rise, Iaoel the Eternal, rise and pick your place amongst our people."
Iaoel also stood up and looked around carefully for a moment before turning around and walking towards the exit. An anxious expression appeared on Rahmiel's face as he said: "Iaoel, please don't."
Iaoel stopped in his steps and turned towards Rahmiel as he said: "I'm sorry, Rahmiel, but I already told you along time ago that I'm not going to join you."
"But you now should be aware of the danger that awaits our race in the future, even more after receiving Mother's blessing. We need your help." Said Rahmiel.
Iaoel still shook his head and said: "Now I'm more sure than ever that we're going to lose. One of them is enough to take on more than ten of us and they even found a way to strip away our blessing of immortality. The war is already lost before it even started. As much as I respect you Rahmiel, if you can't see that…"
"Then are you going to just run away like a coward? I don't understand how Mother can even grant her blessing to a heretic like you." Said one of the other angels with his face twisted in anger.
"Running might seem disgraceful to you but it's also the only way of preserving our race. What difference one more body thrown into the pile of corpses will make. I'll leave and one day bring our entire race back." Replied Iaoel with conviction.
"But no eternal can be born outside Esseria. If we allow them to destroy our world, it will spell the end of our race forever." Replied Rahmiel.
"I'll find a way. There are endless words out there and we've been stubbornly holding onto our sense of supremacy and never wanted to interact with any of them simply because they were mortal. If our immortal race doesn't have the answer, maybe one of the mortal ones will. We already reached our limit and can't progress any further only relying on Mother's blessing."
"That is blasphemy!" yelled one of the other angels "It's a disgrace to the Eternal Mother's name to mix with mortals."
Iaoel shook his head and turned back to continue walking towards the exit. Rahmiel looked like he wanted to say something more but stopped himself in the end and stood back down at the table.
I followed after Iaoel since I seem to only be able to see the world around him. Once outside, Iaoel spread his wings and started flying up.
As I followed after him and the world under us started shrinking in size, I saw him finally stop and look back with a sad look. He sighed and mumbled: "I'm sorry, but our race is too weak to face them. You are all too stubborn to understand that. I'm sorry for leaving without even saying goodbye, but I promise you, no matter what, no matter how many years I have to search, I'll find a way to bring our people back. Rest in peace, my brothers and sisters, and trust that I will not let our race end with us."
With tear flowing down his cheeks, he turned around and started flying away. With no other choice, I followed after Iaoel as he kept flying through the dark space. After what felt like days, a huge asteroid appeared in front of us, an asteroid with familiar looking tentacles wriggling on it's surface.
Iaoel stopped quite a distance away from the asteroid that was slowly getting closer and mumbled: "I finally found them."
As his words ended, the world around me disappeared and I woke up back inside my soul space. Seeing me open my eyes, Ai said: "Congratulations, the soul evolution was completed without any issue."
I nodded silently at her words, but my mind was still on everything I saw inside that dream. Turning towards the dark space that was still inside my soul space, I looked at those tentacles wriggling peacefully and mumbled: "They are indeed the same. Was I related to that war in a previous life as well? If so, was I one of the invaders?". The tentacles inside my soul space seem to indicate that.
"Ethan? Are you all right?"
Ai's words brought me out of my reverie and made me turn towards her. Nodding once again, I stood up and said: "Yes. There are some things I'm confused about but that's not important right now. How long was I out?"
"One week."
"All right. Send me back. I want to let Anise and Anna know I'm all right."
Waking up inside Anise's room, seeing that I was alone, I asked Ai to show me my status since I wanted to know if anything changed.
[
Name: Ethan Knott
Age: Avatar 19;
Race: Avatar Human;
Soul: Tier II;
Experience: 4 865/800 000;
Health Points: 630/630;
Mana Points 1240/1240;
Level: 60;
Vitality: 63;
Strength: 66;
Dexterity : 64;
Intelligence: 124;
Resistance: 62;
0 free stat point
———
System Points: 413 429 350;
Spirit: 1000;
]
'Can I now increase my spirit again?'
[Yes. The next threshold for evolution is 10 000.]
'What about the cracks inside my soul space?'
[They have been fixed and the dark space stopped expanding. It looks like I won't have to pull you to the Nexus anyway, but I still suggest you hurry since, without the world will resisting the demons, their devouring speed must have increased as well.]
I nodded and slowly stood up and started walking towards the door. I planned to let Anise know I woke up before teleporting north and finally starting to work on increasing my level. With my soul now being tier two, I finally have a chance of fighting against Vannoth as long as my level reaches his.