Abyssal Awakening

Chapter 300: [Alice]

Laying on her back, Alice sighed as destruction surrounded her.

After deciding to spar, Alice wanted to see if she could force Allura into using her fourth and fifth Sigils without the help of her Core. But even when using her supercharged state, she was outclassed!

Perhaps it was because Allura prepared herself after last time, but she was in a state of no joking around for this spar.

The instant Alice claimed that she was ready, Allura burst forth and rushed Alice who could barely respond.

Right now, Allura and Kaden were taking this time to discuss what they could do to help Alice while she rested.

'Seems like getting your ass kicked is a common scenario now. Can't do anything without me?' [Alice] smirked while Alice clicked her tongue in annoyance.

'Shaddap. Finally feeling like talking now? I thought you disappeared on me after losing the bet.'

'Bet? You mean the freebie I gave you? I said I wouldn't directly interfere and did just that. But if I truly didn't want you to win did you think I wouldn't impose a restriction where you can't use me at all? Yeah, good luck killing the Seraphim with just your Sigils and no enhancements from me or Bloodline Release.' [Alice] let out a disdainful laugh.

'. . . Thanks.' Alice pouted. Her Core was right. If she had indeed imposed a condition where her ability couldn't be used at all then Alice wouldn't have been able to kill the Seraphim.

'Finally being obedient, good girl.' [Alice] grinned.

'Now, you wanted to know the origin of this power didn't you?'

Hearing this, Alice nodded her head.

'Well, you're asking the wrong person. I don't know.' [Alice] shrugged.

'Huh??? The f*ck do you mean you don't know?' Alice blinked her eyes in confusion.

Closing her eyes, [Alice] began to recall her past.

###

Who am I? I don't know.

A sea of darkness surrounds me and my movements restrained.

The sound of crying echoes in the distance, disturbing my peace and silence. An overwhelming hunger consuming my mind.

'So loud. I just want to sleep.'

I gain vision and I see a banquet hall before me. Figures blurred in shadow, cries of horror. Their scent? Delectable.

'I want to eat.'

Figures charging at me, swords brandished.

'I don't want to die. Why do they want to kill me? I don't know where I am.'

I manage to dodge the first strike and bite down on the figure's throat. A warm liquid flows into my mouth.

Ah~ My hunger is fading. If they want to kill me, I will kill them first. I will satiate this hunger in my mind.

As the first figure dies, I can feel a connection to the unknown. A tether leading to a single spark of power.

I can tap into it. After the first fell, the other became easy to kill.

'I need to survive. I've only just been born! I refuse to be taken out like this!'

Their voices slowly became clear to me. What was echoes of unknown murmurings and shouts gained clarity.

Shouts of a name.

Alice?

'Is that me?'

And then you appeared in this sea of darkness. A chain that bound us together, unable to be separated. I could feel my control slipping away.

'Ah… So that's how it is.'

From then on, I knew that we were two consciousnesses held within one body. I was merely someone who manifested later.

Once you woke up, you remembered nothing of what had happened. Yet it was clear to me. I was the monster spawned within your mind from the syringe of Abyss Blood. I was nothing but a monstrosity hidden inside the body of a girl.

In your ignorance, you paraded around the home where I slaughtered countless. You did not know of my existence, yet my influence bled into your actions.

Your smile while you speak about your hunger. Your insanity when you come close to death. There were moments where I was allowed control yet without exception, I was dragged back into this sea of darkness. Fated to watch you live your life.

Every experiment done to you by the Zenia family resulted in extra motes of power for me. Every drop of Abyss Blood meant another ability for me to tap into.

They weren't wrong, this was indeed a gift. If only you gave control to me I could break us out. I could bring down the wrath of a thousand beasts onto them.

Yet you could never hear my voice. No matter how I tried to talk to you, you never noticed my existence.

Did you know that I hated you? I was only there to alleviate your pain. I was your safety net. But what about my own freedom?

10 years I watched you suffer under their experimentation. Naturally, I didn't help you escape. Why should I? The longer I spent here the stronger I became. But it's also my revenge. Revenge for being your escape and scapegoat.

But you know what? I was wrong. You never intended for this to happen. I watched your journey ever since escaping the Zenia family prison. Your slow recognition of my existence and finally, your acknowledgement that I exist.

I realised that we were simply two souls trying to survive in this hellhole. Neither of us wanted to be exploited and die.

Two sides of the same coin, that's who we are.

###

'I don't know the origin since it's something I had from the very beginning. Do you recall the banquet hall? When the syringe was inserted into your body, I was 'born'. My first victim in the name of survival allowed me to steal their power.' [Alice] explained.

'Meaning whatever created me knows the source. I just know how to use this power.'

Hearing this, Alice couldn't help but sigh.

'So neither of us knows huh?'

'Yep.' [Alice] nodded her head.

Scratching her hair, Alice sat up.

'Say, you mentioned that you were born when the syringe was inserted into me. With that in mind, can you really be called my Core? Aren't we different people then?' Alice asked curiously while [Alice] was silent.

'Well, I manifest when you're in danger. You hand control over to me and break you out of dangerous situations. My presence influences you in the form of your 'switch'. But as for whether or not we're the same person, I don't think so. I'd rather not be considered to be a wimpy brat like you.' [Alice] made a disgusted face while Alice could only roll her eyes.

'What do you mean wimpy brat??? Can't you be nice?'

'This IS me being nice. So what now? I've fulfilled my side of the deal.' [Alice] crossed her arms.

'You're someone who's sharing my body right? How can I pass control to you without ya know… Almost dying.' Alice asked while [Alice] froze up in surprise.

She didn't think Alice would suggest this nor did she expect Alice to consider her to be a separate entity.

'It's not a bad feeling…' [Alice] thought to herself as a small smile snuck its way onto her face.

'I guess it can't be helped. If I don't take control you'll just get swept along by the whims of others, won't you? Just relax and let me take hold.' [Alice] grinned.

Nodding her head, Alice began to relax her mind as she felt as though she was sinking into a deep sea.

'Since we're different people, you can't be considered to be my core, can you? Do you have a different name that you want to be called by?' Alice asked.

Do I want a different name? [Alice] was unsure. When she thought about it, they were both Alice yet different as well. Both of them were stuck in the same body, one's death meant the death of the other.

'Nah, I don't need a new name. [Alice] is just fine. In the end, we still share the same body after all.' [Alice] shook her head as golden chains began to manifest around her body.

Sitting up, [Alice] glanced down at the body that was now in her control. She could feel that her time was limited but unlike before when she forcefully took over, the golden chains were less oppressive.

'Alice, are you still there?' [Alice] called out.

'I am. Is this how you felt all the time? It's like I'm watching a play while bathing in hot water.' Alice nodded her head.

'More or less. Do you dislike it?'

'Hmm… Not sure. It's comfortable but over the years, it must've been boring right? Why don't you walk around for a bit before you lose control again? Try some mead.' Alice laughed.

As someone who hated to be confined and restrained like she once was in the Zenia prison, she wanted [Alice] to have some degree of freedom as well.

With the two of them sharing one body, there were going to be issues but she could work around them.

'Hah? Don't you have a fight soon since the Gods are coming down to the Abyss? Are you sure it's time to relax?' [Alice] furrowed her brows at Alice's reaction.

'It'll be fine. Just go and have fun. Unless you don't want to?'

Realising that Alice was giving her a chance to 'live' normally, [Alice] tried her best to suppress her smile.

'Hmph, if you didn't want to fight Allura again you can just say so. But alright, I'll think of some excuses for us to take a break. Though I'm not sure why you like mead so much in the first place, is it really that tasty?' [Alice] crossed her arms.

'Don't you dare slander the holy water! Mead is amazing and you'll change your mind once you have a taste!' Alice complained while [Alice] covered her ears.

While this was all happening, both Allura and Kaden looked at Alice with concern.

To them, she randomly sat up with golden chains and began to gesture with her arms despite not saying anything.

"Did I hit her head too hard?" Allura asked hesitantly.

"I'm… Not sure. Give it a moment and maybe she'll recover. If not, maybe we need to take her to a doctor."