A/N: The chapter ahead has been grammar-checked but may need proofreading and editing. The author will do so if she has free time in the future.
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The sun showers the Warlock Empire with its brilliant grace. The people in the Heart Palace start the day with the preparations for the Princess's celebratory banquet, hosted by the Imperial Family.
The banquet is open to everyone. Commoners are granted access to the most prestigious imperial Palace: the Heart Palace. Its yard is enormous enough to entertain thousands of guests. The Empire sure is busy.
While the family is busy controlling the preparations, the twins, Ascel and Eddrien, are tasked to babysit their sister. They are in her luxurious cotton candy-colored nursery room. As they were previously ladies, they played dress-up with Azarese.
"I don't think she looks good in that. Try the white dress," Ascel commented while fixing the ribbon on his baby sister's head.
Their baby sister yawned and smiled. Eddrien squealed lowly, pinching the dress out of feels. Ascel pinched Azarese's cheek lightly.
"Cute."
Eddrien took the white dress and placed it on Azarese's body, checking if it suited her. "Uhm, I don't think so. What about red? She needs to stand out! It's her day!" Then, he turned around to gather all the red dresses scattered on the bed.
The twins' eyes twinkled at that one perfect red dress for their little sister.
"Yep. Definitely. That's the one," they synchronize while nodding and grinning.
Azarese's consciousness watches how things are going on in the same void, sitting comfortably on her blood-dripping throne. She's amused to see how everyone is so invested in her birthday. After all that effort, she still can't feel appreciation. Not the slightest.
"Hey," she said, calling her other self.
The kind and good Azarese showed up beside her with a sweet smile. "Yes? Are you sad? What should we play?"
She rolled her eyes and landed them on her other self, "Take over."
A question mark popped atop her head. "Take...over?"
Azarese crossed her legs and rested her chin on her knuckles. She looked back at the events happening before her, then remembered the words from the thing she had met before.
"...Your first life is only damned. This life may be hell."
She wasted enough time contemplating and understanding the tides of her new life. She's still looking for a reason to continue the second chance given to her. A complete family is not enough. All the cruel deeds she did are embedded in her, and she won't forget that. She won't even seek atonement, for it is her revenge on people who have wronged her. They could have begun a new life without her. That would have been much better. She can picture a more harmonious and peaceful world without her.
"Take over that body. Use it at your will. Call for me, and I will answer."
History ought to repeat itself. That's why she will sacrifice her other self to see if the same thing will happen. Will they torment her for being cursed? Take advantage of her kindness? Take her for granted? Treat her like a fool?
"But---"
Azarese refused to hear her and flicked her finger, putting her other self's consciousness to her body.
"I should find my sealed curses," she murmured to herself. She and her other self are one. Whatever her other self does is a part of her will because kindness and goodness are once part of her nature.
And they betrayed her.
(Consciousness) Holy Azarese Elyzena's POV
There are only two things that I don't know about myself: my Bloodline and my curses.
First, my Bloodline. Bloodline doesn't pertain to my birth origins, but the magic that only one lineage shares, the magic that is passed down from the very first wielder to this day. Only Imperial families and distinguished creatures possess Bloodlines.
The Bloodline of Warlocks is Creation, Copy Bloodline for Vernignac, Absorption for Sacremore, Barrier for Devereux, and finally, Reality Warping for Axeore.
Our Creation Bloodline was distinguished to be omnipotent. Creation is creation. I, myself, can be like the being that created us, the Creator. However, our Bloodline is not studied broadly, for my mother, the last known wielder before me, broke her essence beyond repair to annihilate the Veils during the Armageddon War. Core Essence is like a machine that stores, filters, and regenerates our essence, allowing us to use magic limitlessly. With my mother's core broken, overusing her magic led to her declining health. Our essence is one of the fundamental factors that grant us continuous regeneration.
[A/N: Essence - a term used to pertain to mana or energy.]
I am not a physician or doctor handling these matters, so I am not quite knowledgeable about them. Though I did try to study it, I lost interest halfway and dumped it. Earthlings manage the experimentation and tests about every little thing in this world.
I never manifested my Bloodline before because my curses are uncontrollable. Since they are beyond my control, they took the lives of my family and caused damnation to my life. I don't know myself as a Warlock, only as an aggressive and murderous Dragunovv. So, while my other self deals with everyone, I find the truth about my soul and essence.
But how would I do it? Is it even possible in my state?
I closed my eyes and felt the flow of essence throughout my body. It is strong and travels quickly in every vein. I tried locating its epicenter, but I failed to do so. I can't pinpoint my core.
"You are..."
I slowly opened my eyes and saw my reflection.
"Are you an illusion or one of my personalities?" I asked, raising my hand, trying to reach her. She did not do the same. Therefore, she's not my reflection.
"You can't go further,"
I heard my voice coming from behind. I tilted my body slightly toward its direction and saw my golden clone. The second is my appearance now in this second life—horned, clawed, and silver.
"Why?" I questioned them both, but none of them replied. Another me was created; this time, it was a golden child.
[A/N: Golden child/silver child - refers to the colors of her appearance. Golden for her first life, silver for her second life.]
"They sealed everything away about us," my little me answered for me. I can't believe I adore myself. Doe eyes filled with innocence and sweetness... I want to tear her apart for being good.
"Who are you referring to? And why would 'they' do 'that' to me?" I kneel to her level and pat her head. She smiled like the good girl that she is.
"Why wonder? Aren't you a beast?"
My hand froze from that whisper. My eyes darted to whom the voice belonged and saw my clone in my incomplete Veil transformation. She's close to me, and her spikes are poking my skin. Her eyes are as dead as those I've murdered before, as black as my past and sins.
"There are three reasons why people seal things away. First, it's precious to them. Second, it's too powerful. And third, a monster that never should have been born. Do you think you have control over your powers, just like your Brother Izaac? Delusional,"
I stood up and faced her. "I can. You don't know me."
She grinned mockingly.
"Oh, of course I do; we are one. I am your holy devil, after all. Your Brother Izaac learned to control and suppress his powers during his embryonic stage. That's how great he is. And what about you? You are not a genius like your brothers. You are stupid—an idiot. You're weak. You said you could---then, why did your mother die? Why can't you make your curses listen to you? Why are you not like your strong, capable brothers?"
I flipped my hair and raised my eyebrows at her.
"And? Are you done talking bullshit? I applaud you for trying to poison my mind. I won't be insecure nor disheartened by your nonsense. I am not Brother Izaac. We are not one. He may be able to do it, but it doesn't mean I should be able to do the same. We're not on the same feats. I am Holy Azarese Elyzena, not Izaac Tyrant Eclipse. The world is yet to see who I truly am."
And with that, she dusts away. The others, too, leaving my little self. She went to me and held my hand. Then, she took me somewhere.
I let her drag me somewhere only she knows. She brought me to a bright place with clear skies. We are walking along a mirror-like surface, for it reflects the skies over us. We walked and walked until we stopped in front of a door and walls whose heights go past through the skies.
"They are sealed inside. Your powers," she told me in her tiny, sweet voice. I observe the door in front of me. It's not chained. Also, it's a simple gold door without any carvings or details. Completely plain. No doorknobs either.
I let her hand go and went to that door. I placed my hands on it to find it surprisingly warm.
"Our powers are warm, aren't they? Like the first sunrise after a violent storm,"
"Indeed. I wonder why they are sealed, too. 'They' could've sealed only my curses. Why my Bloodline as well?"
I wonder, asking the doors. I observe its entirety more, trying to figure out how to open it. I tried pushing it open with force and strength, but it won't budge.
"Maybe they are too much for you, or you can't handle them."
I look down at her. She's looking up at me, smiling mischievously. I only rolled my eyes at her.
"A power that great may not be bound to be under someone's control; that's why they have decided to seal it away with your curses. Or do you think there's something else?"
"Something else? Like what? An unknown reason?" She nodded.
An unknown reason why my Bloodline is sealed? Hmmm...
I can't conclude any.
"Shall we go back? The walls stretch infinitely if you're thinking of trying to see its end,"
"No, I won't. But it makes me proud to hear that it's infinite."
She giggled. "Right? We're that powerful! You're great." Her cheerfulness somehow made me smile a little.
Then I remembered I was once like that and frowned.
"I will try to reach someone so that you can leave me. Thank you for accompanying me and leading me the way here."
"No problem. We only have each other, after all. I wish you happiness. I wish our second life is filled with happiness, Azarese. I hope we won't be hurt anymore. I hope we will feel complete."
This child...
She waved her hands to me as she ran away. I wave my hand back, sending her out by watching her. She ran and ran until she became so far and so small and, soon, out of my sight. I instantly return my cold expression across my face.
I look back to those doors.
"Someday, I will be able to open you," I promised and walked away.
My powers were sealed, but my physical strength and abilities remained, as per what 'that being' told me. I am only powerless, but I'm strong. I could say I am in my Dragunovv state. In this world, the ability to use magic is a privilege. The powerful live a comfortable life full of praises and recognition, and the weak get to be stepped on. Strength alone is enough. If you want this rotten society to accept you, you must show them something unique and powerful. Something that will shake them. People sometimes don't care whether they are against someone more significant than them. Since I put that goody-shoes in control, people will see her as an easy target. They will bully, hurt, and use her however they can until she breaks.
Just like what they did to me last time.
That's why I will need someone to protect those goody shoes and my body—someone powerful, someone great.
I have one in mind, and I'll try to reach that one out using my consciousness.
And as those people wrong Good Azarese, once she breaks and realizes I've been right all along...
Hell and heaven will break loose for my second insanity.