“You’re telling me he came from a world without blood and war?” Elizabeth couldn’t help but question Izic.

Having gotten most of her questions answered, she planned to digest and integrate this new information. There wasn’t a terribly large amount of things she could do with soul force. Only a unique existence could accept outside soul force without abnormal effects.

Now her attention was on the boy inside. When she first appeared, he was struggling immensely. Now, in a short period of time, he was no longer a prey but a hunter.

“Not where he came from. Pain is a wonderful motivational tool. Though I will admit, he does have a little amount of talent.”

Inside the magic circle was Leo. By this time, he had hunted the fog creatures in the void. When he finally figured a way to hunt them, the last one died before the void disappeared.

In its place was now a strange forest. Maybe a magic forest? He couldn’t be certain at first. Seemingly going in circles, he had started to mark his pathing. Trees that looked similar while being in different areas were shifting. Literally, the trees were moving.

He could find trees with complete markings that don’t point in the right direction. Others had half or just pieces of the marking. Partially a relief he wasn’t going insane again. Another part of his mind was reeling by this strange environment. Making matters worse, the fog creatures were back.

Inside that hidden space, there was still a large number of cracks and fractures. After hunting down all three fog creatures in the void. There were areas with far less damage. One section was completely free of any cracks or fractures. In that very area, was a rune that lit up slowly.

Before, everything was easier. A void was empty without any other obstacles. When he believed he was going to die. Izic would activate outside runes, the fog creatures would be brought forth and everything they ate would be spat out. Or almost everything.

He could feel that each time, there would be pieces missing. It was hard to determine at first. The only indication was inside a zone of cracks and fractures. It was very difficult to know if there were a few more fissures.

Panic started to set in around the fiftieth time. Though this was an estimation. He couldn’t tell how long he had been inside. When he agreed to work with Izic he was brought to a hidden location. Somewhere underground and given a rune to memorize. Once he could outline the rune from memory forward and backward, he was shoved inside.

Leo had no idea if he had been here years like it felt, or if it was only months. In fact, because of his previous dissociation with time. It could be possible he had already started to forget things. If that was the case, just like when he made it out of the room. It was impossible to gauge how long he had honestly been trapped underground.

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He had stopped tracking time. Partially because it was pointless and painful. More importantly, he had noticed he had forgotten things. From little things to entire days that disappeared from memory. Only for him to be exploring, finding something from a previous exploration, only then realizing he had done this exact same thing multiple times before. He had just simply forgotten, time and time again.

This time was slightly better. Emotionally, far worst. As the rune inside that space lit up, a more solidified dagger appeared. Watching his surroundings, he couldn’t find anything that would correspond to the unnatural sense of there being a problem.

Soon the problem made itself known, a claw with four fingers, appeared from above at a downward angle. This was the issue he was currently having.

From three to four was only an increase of a single digit. However, these four clawed fog creatures were faster. Combined with some living instinct, or possibly just having an environment to move around in. Attacks came from all directions. Even once from the ground.

Making no noise, not a smell. All five senses were useless. Leo’s mind suddenly shook intensely.

Looking down, he saw two middle claws coming up from the ground. Instead of following up like they had since the beginning. For the first time, this creature came from below without extending out. Essentially nailing his foot to the ground, only the nail came from underground.

From an uncanny unrealism, to a neck tingling. This feeling of danger didn’t come from below. Unsure of how, he barely checked his surroundings as his head was down. Leaning back, he brought his head up as he sliced upward.

Once again, a fog creature appeared above. A circular condensation of fog was seen sliding through the air towards him. One limb extended out as the fog, solidified into a solid. A claw could be seen at the end.

Bringing the dagger up, he sliced off the extension. The fog visibly shuttered. No noise escaped as it flew off into the distance. Ignoring the limb and claw that fell to the floor, Leo quickly stabbed the dagger into the ground.

Claws once stabbed into his foot, shuttered before solidifying into fog as it faded into the ground like water. Taking the second of a break, surveying his surroundings. Stabbing the dagger into the claw on the ground. A cool, refreshing burst of energy injected itself into his mind.

In a similar fashion from before, once stabbed into the claw. An almost watery substance was created as solid became fog. This time, the fog was absorbed not by the ground. Instead, the dagger in his arm collected this substance like a sponge.

Outside the magic circle, Elizabeth couldn’t help but comment, “The raw sensitivity of a soul is just too magical. It is too bad such a thing couldn’t be useful starting out.”

A scoff could be heard to the side, “If our souls were exposed as we started out, no one would survive. Unlike him, any damage we take to our souls is fatal. Even if they could survive the pain, they would be insane.”

A dissatisfied expression could be seen on her face. She didn’t bicker with him, “Makes you wonder, souls are so magical. Tell me, do you think there is a god above the universe?”

Izic didn’t answer immediately, instead his face was stoic, “Who knows. Personally, I think the soul is too perfect. Such things in my experience generally only exist as a miracle. In a sense, it isn’t that the soul is perfect. It's perfect only because that is the only way it can exist."

“Can that really be true? Can’t he be an example of an alternative? Meaning, an imperfect soul is also possible? Or are you still implying, you didn’t make him but simply created the vessel?”

A strange smile appeared on his face, “Are you calling me a god? Is this payback?”

Elizabeth gave up bothering with this guy. When he gets like this, he won’t answer and just muddy the water.