(Amina Moria POV)
It was a couple of weeks after the Ausburn Massacre. The school and the government by extension came under fire from the public.
Luckily the nobles didn't start going against the government. There were only a few noble children that were killed and none of them were from nobles with long histories like the 15 royals.
However, we students have already put the incident at the back of our minds. Most of us had gotten over the incident and put it in the back of our minds. Only a few still needed to take therapy sessions. The rest of us only cared about the class we were going to attend.
Excitement could be felt in the air. Everyone waited in anticipation for this mage class to start. Today was the day we would learn how to enter our souls.
The main reason for everyone's excitement was our increase in strength. I was probably going to reach B rank after this. Ever since this was first revealed, many of my peers attempted to enter their souls prematurely with little luck so far.
The class soon started and we were taught the technique. It wasn't hard as it involved us meditating and cycling mana throughout our body in a certain way to relax the body.
It wasn't dangerous by any means but required immense mana control. If the technique was messed up somehow, then we would have to restart it from the beginning.
No wonder nobody could discover it. All the steps must be completed to perfection otherwise it wouldn't activate. I wondered how the first person discovered the technique.
One upside to this situation was that once we entered the {Soul Space} for the first time, the subsequent times are much easier.
It took me 5 minutes before I sensed the technique activating. It felt like I was sucked into my body. It was an uncomfortable experience and it felt like I blacked out.
When I awoke, I was lying on the grass in a massive forest. I quickly remembered the first thing the teacher asked us to do. I used mana to reinforce my soul so that I didn't accidentally damage it.
'Wait, I'm naked.'
I noticed that appeared here without any clothing on.
I imagined myself wearing some clothes and a simple white dress with a black belt buckle wrapped around me. The clothes that were created didn't feel like clothes. It felt like I was wearing air.
The area around me was unlike any forest I'd seen before. The forest was spooky with the sky being blood red. It was something straight out of a horror film where ghosts could jump you at any moment.
Though others would be terrified or wary, I was completely calm. I was at peace and found this haunted forest to be a great place to sit down and read a book.
As I strolled around, I saw trees that were shaped like my close relatives and family. I even saw a ghost that looked identical to Jules.
The teacher said that your soul would manifest as a place you feel at peace at. It would show your desires and the people you most care about. It was a place tailor-made for you.
I made my way to the centre of the forest. Unlike most others, I wasn't alone here. I had another soul inside of me.
As I passed the clearing, I saw the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life. Even Veronica, who was prettier than a model wasn't her equal.
She had black and dark blue hair with perfect assets. She was as tall as me and almost reminded me of a succubus. I subconsciously compared myself with her and was disappointed with the results.
She was held up by vines as if chained to the tree.
"It's nice to finally meet you face to face Amina Moria."
Her silky voice unlike before was enchanting, almost like she was putting me under her spell. There wasn't a trace of mana used. Realising her intention, I quickly snapped out of it.
I couldn't let her trick me. Soul attribute users who have already used {Soul Absorption} had to be extra careful when entering their soul. Once a soul is sealed, it cannot fight back, but if they accidentally weaken the seal, the soul you trapped could attack them.
This usually results in deaths for both parties as the body cannot handle two souls in a contest for control. Since the soul that is sealed is always stronger than the user (if the soul attribute user is stronger then he would've already acquired all the soul's abilities and it would be dead), death is guaranteed.
But I suspected if she escaped, then everyone in school would die. She was able to survive as only a soul-based lifeform without any physical body. This rule probably didn't apply to her.
"Based on your voice before, I thought you'd be a terrifying monster."
"Monsters can come in any shape and size. I just happen to be a pretty woman."
As she spoke, she tried to speak it in a way that made it seem she was trying to seduce me. Well, it wasn't seduction per se, it was like trying to control me to do her bidding. But I held on strong.
After she spoke, she stared at my face and sighed.
"I'm disappointed that I couldn't tempt you. Any man would listen to what I'd say just by seeing me and hearing my voice. Though you are a straight girl with immense willpower, so it makes sense. I'm not as good as... never mind, you don't need to know."
She expressed her disgruntlement when she couldn't make me do her bidding. But I didn't care about her antics. I cared more about her and her abilities. I wanted to know why I wasn't getting any of them.
"So what do I call you?"
"Hmm... I guess it wouldn't hurt. My name is Aether."
I was going to ask directly ask her about why I wasn't getting her abilities, but then I realised she had no reason to tell me and would only trick me.
"Well I'm sure you have many burning questions for me Amina, but I'm not interested in answering. Though I appreciate you finally allowing me to sense mana out of your body. I could only see through your 5 basic senses before."
She closed her eyes for a second before they quickly snapped back open.
"HOLY SHIT!"