Abyssal Awakening

Blinking her eyes, Suyin froze up as Alice's words reverberated in her mind.

Alice wanted her to figure out how Eldritch Energy operates?

This singular question was like a bomb going off in her mind.

First and foremost, help her figure out.

This simple line. . . it verified the fact that Alice could access this energy. Heck, she could control it to some extent! If not, why would she need help to figure out?

Second of all, Eldritch Energy.

It has a name.

It's different to Abyssal Energy and Holy which are relatively well known. Void was a strange subject since not many could put it to use and it's mostly used as a realm for them to store treasures in vaults.

But this? This is a third unknown energy. So far, they simply called it corrupted energy. A unique signature that they've seen in the recent uprise in cultists.

With so many unknown factors around this energy. . .

If she was to help Alice figure it out. . .

She'll be able to publish research about it worldwide, spreading her name and even exposing the world to her gadgets. It will no longer be limited to the boundaries of Sikha.

Instead, everyone in the world could get access!

Just thinking about it made Suyin tremble as she revealed a goofy smile with an equally goofy laugh when thinking about the possibilities.

"Hehe~ Hehehehe~ Heheheahahahaha~"

". . ." Staring at Suyin blankly, Alice was speechless.

Perhaps being a researcher had a requirement that Alice didn't know about. That being a personality that flips on the moment research is mentioned.

Elara was like this, Caera was also like this. Both researchers that Alice knew on a deeper level had shown sides like this and now added to the mix was Bai Suyin.

Once a pattern forms, maybe it's not a coincidence or exception anymore.

"Alright, we can do it. I'll help you figure out how Eldritch Energy works and in return, you'll help me with the counterattack!" Suyin rubbed her hands together.

For a moment, Alice swore she could see hearts in her eyes.

Nodding her head hesitantly, she watched as Suyin grab a communication orb and connected to one of her subordinates.

"Inform the soldiers to rest as much as they can and give them some luxuries as well. Send the scouts out to secure our perimeter and notify us the moment they spot an ambush or the next wave of attacks. Keep in contact and report every minute. Keep coms open so if anything happens we know. We'll make an announcement in 2 to 3 days." She ordered.

Without questioning the choice, her subordinate nodded and ended the call.

"Alright, that gives us around 3 days of privacy hehehehehe~" Suyin glanced back at Alice who was sitting on the chair.

"Am I performing the experiments on you or someone else?" She asked curiously.

"Both. I got a bit of Eldritch energy in me and my student was modified by a ritual that they caused. His body is now entirely made up of this energy."

Nodding her head, Suyin began to note stuff down as she had Alice explain everything she knew about this energy.

How it assimilates, mutates and merges with other stuff.

"Wait hold on. How do you know what it does with the other sources of energy?" Suyin blinked her eyes.

Without saying much else, Alice snapped her finger.

First, a portal to the Void opened up, exuding Void energy.

Then came her standard Sigil powers flowing with Abyssal Energy.

Summoning the Crown of the Abyss, holy energy was now present.

Looking at the energy readings on her monitoring device, Suyin widened her eyes before a wide grin appeared once more.

"Oh hou~ Ohohoho~ Three??? You actually have three sources in you?!" Suyin couldn't hold back her drool as Alice shook her head.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Alice allowed Alyss to take over.

Golden chains clasped around her limbs and the energy readings now turned to Eldritch.

"FOUR?!?!" Suyin stumbled off her chair.

Having Abyss energy was a given.

Void? Byproduct of a Sigil.

Holy? Could be a religious woman.

But Eldritch as well?! How the hell is her body containing all of these different sources? Especially when, according to Alice, Eldritch merges and corrupts everything else.

If that was completely true, she should be corrupted by now yet she was fine.

Swallowing her saliva and wiping away her drool, Suyin tried her best to compose herself.

"Oh my gods, no wonder my babies short circuited."

Pacing around for a moment, Suyin began to rummage through all of her gadgets, even tossing some over her head at moments.

Avoiding the flying debris, Alice watched silently.

She could see Suyin's mind turning rapidly while thinking up of certain tests that they could do.

'Imagine how she'll react if she knew you could switch your Sigils or copy others.' Alyss chuckled.

Seeing someone get this excited about something was rather charming to see.

'She's already losing it as it is. Let's not give her more information that could break her mentally.' Alice waved her hand.

Meanwhile, Cayla was silent.

She sat behind her desk with an assortment of notes in front of her.

Her eyes stared blankly at the sheets.

After a brief moment, she let out a deep sigh.

It was lacking.

The information she has is lacking too much.

There was only one thing left for her to do.

Break Kaden's seal!

But breaking the Seal placed by the Apostle of Corruption was no easy task. It's one that Kaden confirmed himself. He can't remove it to end this 'training' period faster. A decision that Alice couldn't back out of.

Therefore, Cayla wanted to work on it from with.

This is a test for her as much as it is for Alice. To see if she could grow beyond her normal capabilities.

She's long past her prime. Hell, she might never reach it again after Nyer stole the other half of her.

But what she could do was forge a new path like Alice.

She can maintain her current abilities but develop more on top.

[Discard my current understanding of the world. I need to return to a foundational level. What is a curse?] Cayla closed her eyes.

A curse, to put bluntly, is a restriction placed on a person. It could be the curse of blindness that prevents them from using the sense of sight. A curse of deafness that prevents the use of hearing.

The more powerful curses involve eliminating the use of abilities or even thought.

But restriction. . . It only scratches the surface of the possibilities. Natural curses, ritualistic curses, there are many forms of curses in this world. Some are obvious, some are not.

Perhaps calling it a 'curse' is what causes some misconceptions regarding its origin and true nature.

A curse. . .

It's a command.

A result of the world reacting to a command centred around a person or place.

In other words, it's 'Law'.

Curse of Sealing?

It's a command placed onto her and the world. A command that prevents the use of the gifts that she was born with. A command that seals off the flow of energy flowing into her.

If so, then undoing it early would require a counter command. One that goes against the original directive.

But making a counter command against the curse placed by the Apostle of Corruption wasn't going to be easy. Especially since it's a curse placed by the Grimoire of Original Sin.

She needed to break it down further, to get into the roots of this command and break it apart.

[!!!] Pausing for a moment, Cayla opened her eyes.

She had an idea.

One that may loosen her bindings or if things go well, undo them completely.

And for that, she'll need Alyss's help.

Alice was going to be busy with experimenting so she might as well take this time to borrow Alyss. Of course, her idea was theory right now.

For all she knew, it might not work at all but it was worth a try.

###

Walking around the city, Isolde kneeled in front of a pair of children hugging each other. Without saying anything else, she handed them some clothes and food.

She didn't know their story, she didn't know anything about them. But what she did know was that this wasn't uncommon.

The consequences of battle.

Those who never return, leaving behind their families.

'Do they remind you of the little ones you used to look after?' Zal-Ka'Rith asked as Isolde paused and nodded her head.

'Is. . . Is it possible for you to see if these little ones have anyone to care for them?' Isolde asked.

'It is possible. But I've already borrowed your body too much. If I try again so soon. . . I don't think your vessel can hold on.' Zal-Ka'Rith replied.

Currently, Isolde was his eyes to observe Alice's actions. Losing her would be akin to losing his ticket to entertainment and that's not what he wanted.

Isolde understood her Lord's methods. She knew that she was asking a lot for a pair of people she had no knowledge of.

But she didn't want to see the little ones suffer. They don't deserve this kind of life.

'Hold their hand. One each. I'll see if they have any blood connections alive nearby.' Zal-Ka'Rith let out a soft sigh, surprising Isolde.

'Surprised? You've done me a great service. Is it not natural that I reply in kind? Law of equivalent exchange.' He chuckled as Isolde didn't hesitate to hold their hands.

For a brief moment, dark energy flowed from Isolde's fingertips and poked a small pin sized hole into the little one's palms.

Taking a drop of blood from each of them, Zal-Ka'Rith was silent.

'There is one weak signature. It seems to be surrounded by a lot of other weak signatures which I can only assume to be wounded soldiers. I don't suggest taking the little ones there as they might see a gruesome sight.'

Letting out a sigh of relief, Isolde patted their heads before standing up and walking away.

Just knowing that they had someone alive who could look after them gave her a sense of peace.

'Thank you, my Lord.'

Unlike the three Gods, Zal-Ka'Rith actually made a move to help her. The Law of Equal exchange, to put herself at the table to bargain with the Gods.

For Zal-Ka'Rith, Isolde was willing to offer her everything.