Chapter 107: Awake

Living. To want to struggle to your hardest, no matter how it would impact the others around you just to protect your life, just so you could see another day's light. Isn't that just a natural desire?

Alena was desperate. Without thinking much anymore, she began the process of Possession. In truth, if Ilyin didn't have those somewhat conflicting, positive thoughts at this time, Alena would've been hit with a pain enough to take her life right now and then.

However, because Ilyin had been pandering about this matter, her hatred was temporarily relieved and it allowed access for Alena to get into her mind and do the Possession.

The link was then created, and new things became exposed to them. The true meaning of Possession was actually just  gaining the ability to enter your vassal, but Alena and Ilyin's link was much more stronger than that. It was bizarre in a sense that the two suddenly entered an euphoric realm where they were able to merge together and become one entity, and not just two selves mingled inside one vassal.

This was the goal, the one she had to do. It ended much faster and simpler than she thought, so Alena heaved a distressed sigh as she fell down to the space's floor, crouching while she felt the remaining pain start to fleet away, overcame by her joy and the newfound perks she had obtained.

Now that the link was established, she would be able to perform this Possession quirk any time she wanted. Not only that, since their connection was a special one, this efficiency would be heightened by a large amount.

Ilyin was still asleep, and she didn't know what happened to her. She just knew that she was suddenly faced with warmth, the contrast of her icy element. This warmth also brought her waves of pain, but due to the strange feeling, these pain strikes were nullified.

Everything ended peacefully. Alena, knowing that she had much more to do after this, returned back to the original world and was faced with Aria, who had an almost comical expression as she looked at the child in wonder when Alena finally woke up from her temporary slumber.

"..Your eyes.. they changed color," Aria gasped, stunned by the beauty of Alena's new pair of eyes. She observed the stark ice blue shade, which was extremely sharp and glowing. Alena looked even more prettier than before as the new colors suited her extremely well. The girl was simply striking and blinding.

Alena shrugged her head, not really noticing anything in her body's condition.  She perceived the change as part of what came about from her and Ilyin's fusion. At that time, she felt like the bond with her and the ice spirit increased not only as part of the Possession duty, but also another indescribable feeling that she went through. The ice blue eyes, going by that theory, should be because she inherited Ilyin's characteristic.

As if her and Ilyin's mind had a shared connection, she was able to hear Ilyin's genuine thoughts clearly during the time of their fusion. At the same time, Ilyin would also be able to do the same thing, just reversed. The spirit hearing her master's thoughts, how did she react? This was a question that even Alena couldn't answer because the connection immediately ruptured after she managed to form the Possession link she needed. It disconnected right before she was able to perceive what Ilyin had to say about her own thoughts.

She saw Ilyin's thoughts and how it suddenly changed towards the end after the fusion happened. Although she didn't know what caused the change, she felt very grateful as it was only because of that change that she was able to come out of the space and return here feeling a bit more energized than before.

Sighing, she went back to Aria's matters and questioned.

"..You too. Why are you so surprised? You don't.. seem to have encountered anything strange, right? There's no way that you would be acting this way just because you have seen my eyes.. What happened...? Ow!" Alena tiredly replied, her words a bit sluggish as her body limped against Aria.  She then clutched her hand, feeling an intense, stinging pain covering the entire body part. The ice that once covered the entire part was starting to melt, causing great pain for her.

Alena hissed, biting her lips to bear through the pain. After a few minutes, the condition finally began to recede and Alena was able to get a break. "..Is it a good thing if it melted down? It should be, right?" Alena asked. The ice formation was the result of Ilyin's resistance towards her. If it melted, then didn't it mean.. the spirit was already pacified?

She wished that was the case, but she couldn't be so sure.

"Well.. It would have to depend on your results. Did you truly succeed?" Aria asked, sensing an unfamiliar aura radiating from Alena. This meant that the girl had achieved something and gotten stronger. Whether or not this 'something' would be the one they were looking for, however, was a different case altogether.

"It should be so? I went through the descriptions you gave to me. I even formed a connection thing with Ilyin. If that wasn't it, then it would suck terribly," Alena scratched her head. From head to toe, she was covered in cold sweat. It was like half of her body was burning, and the other half was freezing. "My curse is still active, but I can feel myself fighting that pain. This newfound strength.. if it didn't come from Ilyin, then I don't know where it resulted from," Alena said.

"..Then, good for you. Congratulations. With that, you will be able to preserve your life. In truth, that was the only necessary criteria.. the rest of the ingredients are going to depend on yourself and your tolerance towards the curse," Aria warned. "The suffering won't end here. There will be another round before we are finally able to get out of here,"

Aria was caught in a dilemma whether or not she should tell the girl about the Tower, since it might distract her from the imminent disastrous event. "Alena.. about the surprise you saw on my face.." she dragged her words out.

"The Tower opened, right? In the summoning space, I was blocked off from the notification, but upon coming back here, those pesky ringing sounds bombarded me. It only took me a couple seconds to connect this matter to your distress." Alena giggled. "Don't worry, big sister. I won't be distracted. I know that the most important thing for me right now is to fight against this curse. We can talk about the Tower after I pass this condition of mine.. and come back alive," Alena gritted her teeth, determination spiking throughout her mind.

"Then, good luck. I will relay on to you the last steps of the Undertaking. You have to prepare yourself, both mentally and physically," Aria nodded, her expression hardening as she began to teach the child about what she should do after she conducts the Undertaking.

The child listened attentively to the elder's words, and by the time the instructions ended, several minutes had passed.

"It's time for  me to go.. I suppose," The thought of meeting Ilyin once again brought a tinge of uncertainty into Alena's heart as she didn't know whether or not the spirit will still be thirsty for her blood. Laughing internally, she reached out for a hug from Aria, which the elder accepted with a heavy heart.

"Come back alive, Alena Croft," Aria looked onto the serene child, who didn't look as if her life was on the rocks. The child was very calm and collected, she was rather confident about her situation. However, in her heart, there would still be fear creeping around. The moment she goes back into that dark space, who knew what she would experience?

The unknown curse. Aria set it on her mind that she definitely had to research on this matter further in the future, alongside the little girl. She had to come back alive. Before, she said that she wished to at least try out the Tower before she dies. The Tower had surfaced. The only thing left to do to successfully scratch off that plan from her bucket list was to actually survive.

Alena fell silent, because she couldn't promise the elder those words. There was no telling whether or not she would survive.

Alena flashed the elder with a last smile before sitting in a meditative position, going back into her summoning space in order to perform the Undertaking. Concentrating on a high level, she was able to slip into the space one more time.

Upon arriving there, she was instantly greeted by a menacing presence.

There was a pair of cold eyes that locked on to her, bringing her chills. However, instead of hostility, it was as if the pair of eyes were projecting confusion and curiosity. These pair of eyes belonged to her ice spirit.

Ilyin was awake.