Chapter 60 : Turning Point (1)

We enter the cave, a place far from welcoming. It’s cold, but above all, this strange feeling of unease lingers, as if something invisible is sucking the air—or something else.

Our footsteps echo against the rocky walls of the cavern, each echo reminding us of how silent this place is. The further we go, the thicker the darkness becomes, swallowing the little light we have left.

The second princess of Voltruite… Seriously, what does she want from us?

We keep walking, cautious, when suddenly—

"OUWAAAAAAA!"

-THUD-

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Right now, Alfira is on the ground, her blond hair scattered like a broom against the rocky floor. She’s screaming, exaggerating (a lot) as usual.

"You're so clumsy, what a disgrace," murmurs Valentin, a mocking smile plastered on his face. He glances at a damp wall and, unable to hold back, chuckles softly, his laughter trailing into an echo.

I approach Alfira, still on the ground, and extend a hand to help her up.

"A-Aley… I didn’t fall on my own, okay?! Something made me trip!" she exclaims, panicked, her eyes wide as if she’s just seen a ghost.

"If you say so, Alfira…" I murmur, skeptical. Honestly, she’s clumsy. Everyone knows it.

"Call me Alfie… You call Elvaria ‘Elvie,’ don’t you?" she asks, her voice low, almost shy.

"That’s true…" I turn my head toward Elvie, curious about her reaction. She nods slightly with a small indulgent smile, implicitly giving me permission to call her that.

"Alright, Alfie. Grab my hand and get up."

"Thank you, Aley!" she says, a radiant smile on her face, as if she’s just received a medal. But as I pull her up to help, my vision blurs. A fleeting image overtakes me: Alfira, adorned with golden wings, wearing a shimmering dress that seems to absorb and reflect light. The vision vanishes as quickly as it appeared, leaving me momentarily speechless.

I gather myself as Elvie, standing behind us, moves toward the spot where Alfie tripped. She crouches down, staring intently at the ground.

"Aley, come here," she commands in a serious tone.

"I'm coming," I reply, starting to walk toward her. Valentin, intrigued, narrows his eyes before following us from a distance, his hands in his pockets as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

"There’s something on the ground," murmurs Elvie, squinting.

I crouch beside her and find a golden trinket, a sort of small orb, about the size of a coconut. It’s adorned with engraved patterns that seem to faintly glow.

"It’s pretty… Alfie tripped on this?" I ask, brushing my fingers against the golden surface.

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"Probably… But what is it?" asks Elvie, frowning.

Without warning, Valentin’s footsteps echo in the cavern as he approaches, hands still in his pockets. He stops at a reasonable distance, tilts his head slightly, and murmurs:

"An artifact."

I straighten up slightly, narrowing my eyes. A thought crosses my mind, impossible to ignore.

"Valentin, you know way too much for someone from another world…"

My words catch him off guard. He steps back, looking surprised, then recovers, shrugging with a nervous smile.

"No… Don’t take me for a genius. I once confused ‘potion’ with ‘poison.’ Trust me, the result wasn’t pretty."

I stare at him for a moment, then sigh.

"I take back what I said. I hope you’ve recovered."

"More or less," he mutters, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

After this little interlude, Elvie decides to pick up the golden trinket. She hands it to Alfie, who, with her already overloaded bag, grimaces slightly but handles it without complaining. She doesn’t have much choice, after all. If Githin were here, we would’ve dumped the task on him without hesitation.

We resume walking. The dark corridor eventually opens into a massive natural chamber. It feels like we’ve reached the very heart of the cave. Here, the air seems to vibrate. The magic is almost tangible, oppressive, and a strange sensation knots my stomach.

This is where the magic converges—it’s obvious. And if the dragon is anywhere, it has to be here.

The energy emanating from this chamber is identical to the one from the village. This isn’t a coincidence. Something bigger awaits us here, and I’m not sure we’re ready for it.

-Protocol Aleystria: 96 days remaining until the annihilation of all life.

Have you ever had this feeling? The one where you’re at the top of everything, as if the whole world were just a game and you, the ultimate player?

Well, forget that. Because right now, everything is a mess in my head. A massive wave of memories overwhelms me: my past, my future, who I am, who I will be. Who Aleystria, god of hatred, must become.

And amidst all this cerebral chaos, I recognize this feeling. This familiar sensation. It’s the one I get every time a new magic comes knocking at my door.

-Obtaining…

Ah, here we go.

-Deactivation of World Will functions: Unable to grant power to the god “Aleystria.”

"Pardon?!" I growl under my breath, already ready to get angry.

Then, as if by magic—pun intended—a voice echoes in my head. And not just any voice.

"Aley… how are you?"

"Oh, Veron… I suppose you’re doing fine, seeing as you’re talking from the afterlife."

"I suppose you can’t respond to me; this is just a pre-recorded message. But hey, you probably recognize my voice. If you’re hearing this message, it means you’ve found the cave where I hid my magic. Congratulations. I hope you still remember my name, but if you don’t, it’s me, Veron."

A brief laugh escapes me. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder, Sherlock."

"I’m giving you everything I hold most precious. Take care of my magic. But be careful: don’t rely too much on your old skills granted by the World Will. It can take them away if it feels threatened."

And here he goes again with his dramatic old-sage warnings.

"This is the primordial magic I offer you: my Will to Live. With it, you’ll be able to recreate your very first unique magic, the Original Will to Live."

"Great. Finally, some good news," I mutter.

-Obtaining: Veron’s Will To Live.

-Skill: Will To Live already acquired.

-Combining skills in progress…

-Unable to perform such a combination. Temporary function cancellation.

And then, a pause. Then the voice returns, more insidious.

"Oh, one last thing. The World Will will likely reject the skill. So, do it yourself. Repeat after me: ‘I, Aleystria, god of hatred, command you. Return to me what I rightfully gain, and hate me in return.’ That should work."

I blink, incredulous. "You’re serious, right?"

But no one answers. Not even Veron. What a surprise.

Fine, then.

I glance at my companions. They’re still there, their eyes fixed on the cave walls, visibly as puzzled as I am.

So, in a low voice, I murmur: "I, Aleystria, god of hatred, command you. Return to me what I rightfully gain, and hate me in return…"

And then, like something out of a bad movie, my body starts glowing. Not just a little, mind you. Like, a full-on halogen bulb.

-STRIA ACQUIRED: Will to Live -> First Star.