Chương 141: 56. This Feels Strange

Whoever is hiding in our head is extremely good at covering their tracks. I've scoured our entire room for any sign of evidence—an item out of place, a note that nobody wrote, anything—but it's completely clean. Trying to force them out by getting other headmates to yield hasn't worked, either. If not for the anomalous class and odd behaviour, I'd feel like I was just being paranoid. One or the other, I could see myself letting go, but both? There has to be more to this.

"Vi, please," Maggie groans.

"We've been at this for hours. If there's a mystery headmate, we're not finding her this way."

"I'd ask how you'd feel about having some unknown stranger potentially capable of hijacking our body at a moment's notice," I hiss.

"But it's literally already happened to us once. No offence, Evelyn, but I'm not letting that happen again."

"Understandable," Eva replies.

"But Magdalena is right—you're not getting anywhere with this."

"Maggie, weren't you able to examine our soul before?" I suggest.

"Can you do that again?"

"I was still pretty high on magical strain back then," she says.

"I might be able to repeat that trick, but it would absolutely be chaos magic and probably hit me pretty hard with the backlash."

"I hope I don't need to tell you why I disapprove of that idea," Eva adds. I pace a circuit around the room, chewing on my thumbnail.

"But it would work, wouldn't it? It would only be for a moment—just long enough to confirm our suspicions."

"They're only your suspicions, for the record," Maggie argues.

"And no, I can't guarantee that. It didn't reveal E'ava when I did it before, and Talla's spell didn't see it either." So even making the attempt would mean making Maggie even more unhinged than usual, possibly for nothing. I guess that's not worth it.

"Why not try a spell of our own?" Allie suggests.

"A proper one—not chaos magic. It's a good opportunity to test your theory that the spells you create are context sensitive." That's a good point, actually. I've only got a few data points, but further confirmation couldn't hurt. I think I also need to accept that not every potential spell can be held in reserve like that. Only a crazy person would try to invent new spells and techniques in the middle of combat. Or Maggie, but I repeat myself.

"One issue with that," I muse.

"What skill could we even use for that? I've taken notes on all of our options, and I don't think any of them come even close."

"You're such a fucking nerd, Vi," Maggie grouses.

"You've had access to magic for months and invented all of three spells."

"And you've created zero," I retort.

"Your point?"

"I don't need Engie's crutches," she scoffs.

"And I'm keeping myself occupied with Nipper's training, since you're all so insistent on suppressing me. You're not ready for the spells I'd make." Ugh, she's such an edgelord.

"Fine, that still doesn't answer my question."

"Well, what about the new one?" Allie suggests." [Daydream]? Heck, maybe you don't even need to make it a spell—just switch to the class and use the skill as it is." I hadn't thought of that, but now that she mentions it, that's actually pretty convenient. Maybe even too convenient.

"Could that be a trap?" I wonder aloud.

"They've hidden themselves this entire time, so it seems a little suspicious that they would suddenly leave us with something that could reveal them."

"It could also be a gift," Eva points out.

"Perhaps from that mysterious voice that spoke to you through the [Angel]."

"Maybe, but I don't think—wait, you know about that?!"

"I'm disappointed that you thought you were keeping it secret," she sighs.

"It spoke to me as well—through the [Guardian], when you almost died after escaping the demon." Huh. I guess it could be, but I'm skeptical. Either way, I'm getting sick of all these mysteries.

"I'm hesitant to use any 'gifts' offered up by the [World Engine] or its agents," I say.

"The ones we've been offered so far have usually been poisoned in some way."

"Yeah, but it was always clear from the description," Allie points out.

"I don't see anything wrong with the [Dreamer] class." She's right. Nothing stands out as wrong about it, aside from the fact that we somehow mastered it without even realizing. Looking at it from another angle, if the mystery stranger couldn't communicate with us, then maybe this class is their way of trying to reach out. Too many questions. We're not getting anywhere like this, so I just have to make a decision.

"I'll try the spell. I don't trust the class yet, but just creating the spell should be harmless enough."

"Whatever, just get on with it," Maggie sneers. Ignoring her, I close my eyes to meditate on our [Pyrothaumaturgy] skill. As always, I envision the spell I'm trying to make as a kind of puzzle, with the skills I'm trying to fit together as the pieces. This one feels harder than the others I've made, though. The pieces don't want to fit together, and when they do it feels like it's the wrong shape. It occurs to me that there could be multiple solutions. In fact, there must be, since spells are unique to each person.

Once connected, the pieces will lock into place, but there are many ways to connect them. The shape I'm looking for feels possible, just complicated. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. I've solved worse, though. With some careful work analyzing how the pieces can fit together and a bit of persistence, they eventually click together in my head and resolve into something close to what I was looking for.

[Oneiric Mirage] Call forth a hazy image from within your subconscious.

"That doesn't seem too bad," Allie comments.

"It doesn't look very useful, either," Maggie says.

"It might work," I murmur uncertainly.

"And it probably can't hurt to try." Normally, I'd be more cautious, but curiosity is getting the better of me. I need to know what's going on here, and anything that gets me closer to answers is worth a try. Casting the spell feels strange. I can tell that I'm supposed to guide the image, but it's like trying to push fog. I can't control it, only influence it. I try to focus on my suspicions, a secretive enemy trying to act against us behind the scenes, an opponent hidden in plain sight.

The air in front of me shimmers like water, muted colors coalescing into something akin to an image projected onto mist, hazy and wavering. Before me, I see the image of... me. Like I'm staring into a dirty mirror. The image of me blinks, then looks down at her hands before raising her head again to meet my eyes. Or... my chin?

"Wow, nice fucking job, idiot," Maggie jeers, her voice matching the movements of the image's mouth even as the sound comes from within my own head.

"You turned me into a ghost." I click my tongue in irritation and swipe my hand through the image, causing it to dissipate.

"I tried to think of one of us acting against the interests of the rest," I say.

"I don't have precise control over what appears."

"Oh, real fucking nice. How am I still the one that shows up?" Maggie grumbles.

"Shouldn't it at least be E'ava?"

"Who knows?" I reply with a shrug.

"Let me try again..." Okay, okay. One of us who isn't part of the group. An outsider in our own head. Again, a hazy image forms—this time a Fa'aun. She has reddish orange fur, wavy horns, glasses... our clothes. Oh, I should have guessed.

"This feels strange," Eva comments, stepping from side to side and examining her own form.

"My fur color wasn't this orange before, and I seem to have your hairstyle? I'm not actually seeing anything through the illusion, but I can sort of feel it when I move."

"Sorry, Eva, I didn't think that one through." The image disappears, but I feel the sensation of a shrug from her.

"Not at all. It was interesting to see myself again, or something like it." I can already feel a dull ache forming behind my eyes, so I don't think I can keep this up much longer. One more try. Just don't make an image of Allie this time or I'll die of embarrassment. The spell latches onto that stray thought as though it has a mind of its own, and before I have time to panic, the image reconstitutes itself once more into my own familiar form.

I'm just about ready to bury my face in my palms and call this whole thing a wash, but then I realize what I'm seeing. It is us, but not the way we look now. In the hazy image, she's wearing a long pink and white nightgown that I've never seen before in my life. Her hair is long—longer than it was when we first arrived in this world. In fact, it's longer than it's ever been, falling in loose messy locks all the way down to her ankles.

The image isn't wearing glasses, either, but I can't see the color of her eyes—they're closed. Her head lolls forward as her chest rises and falls in a gentle rhythm. Sleeping. All I can do is stare wordlessly. Her feet don't touch the ground, hovering just above it like a ghost. It should be creepy, but she just looks so peaceful in her weightless slumber. I don't know where the certainty comes from, but this must be our [Dreamer]. The only question is... who is she?

"What the fuck?" Maggie whispers, as though afraid she'll wake the dreamer up.

"Is she real?" Allie asks in a similarly hushed tone.

"She feels real." That's a good way to put it. Even though it's just supposed to be an image conjured up from my subconscious, the mirage has an indescribable weight to it. The image is just an image, but what it represents is as real as my own beating heart.

"Are you certain this isn't just a figment of your imagination?" Eva asks.

"You've used it to create images of us, but surely that's not all the spell can do."

"You're right, but I feel sure," I whisper in reply. I don't even know why we're whispering. Whoever she is, this is just an image—she can't hear us.

"What now, then?" Evelyn asks.

"Do we try to wake her?"

"No, I..." I don't know how to explain it.

"I don't think so. I'm satisfied with this."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I don't think she's a threat." With a thought, I banish the image and return to my notes. I thought I'd be shaken by this discovery, but if anything it only puts me at ease. There's something familiar about her, apart from the obvious—I just can't put my finger on it.

"Earth, third planet, home," I recite idly.

"Saturn, sixth planet, rings." It's a lot like our missing memories. There's a pathway there, but it just ends abruptly. But I know that I know her, and I trust her. The [Dreamer] class is safe. It's just her way of helping us.

"Alright, then," I say, snapping myself out of the reverie.

"Let's move on. If we include the new class, then we have three options for our two-star fusion." I may as well start with the two combinations with [Dreamer]. [Tier 1 Oneirocritic]** Using your own mastery of dreams, you interpret and guide others through their own subconscious minds. Skill - Dream Reading: Dramatically increased Awareness and Ego when recalling or interpreting dreams. Skill - Phantasmagoria: Create a mental reconstruction of a dream that you have recalled or interpreted. Attribute bonus: Ego.

Advancement: Interpret dreams. With [Teacher], the class stacks Ego. The skills are pretty narrow and have questionable utility, but it seems like it would be pretty easy to advance. What about [Student]? [Tier 1 Lucid Dreamer]** As you've studied your own dreams, the line between the dreaming and waking worlds blurs. Your conscious and subconscious working in concert to shape your dreams into something almost real. Skill - Lucid Dream: You remain aware while sleeping and gain limited control over your dreams.

Skill - Sleep Practice: A small portion of experience is retained when training in a lucid dream. Attribute bonuses: Ego, Will. Advancement: Explore the world of your subconscious mind. That's interesting. I've always found the idea of lucid dreams to be fascinating, but I almost never have normal dreams, much less lucid ones. Being able to study in your sleep sounds pretty nice, though.

"Both of those would probably be useful for remembering some of the weird dreams I've had," Allie muses.

"Are you interested in taking one of them, then?" I offer.

"I'm not sure yet. Let's see what else we've got." Okay. Last one is what we originally expected to take. [Tier 1 Graduate]** You've completed your basic education, and even learned to impart those lessons onto others. But as any true scholar knows, the quest for knowledge is never ending, and yours has only just begun. Skill - Lecture: Dramatically increased Awareness, Ego, and Will for you and students while teaching. Skill - Cramming: Gain perfect recall of a one hour period, lasting up to one day.

Attribute bonuses: Ego, Will. Advancement: Continue your education.

"It feels cheap to get a class like that without actually getting our degree," Allison muses.

"It looks really good, though."

"Talla mentioned that she took a similar one during her own studies," I add.

"And I can see why. The Learning or Education or whatever domain this is seems like a very flexible one."

"More like the Nerd domain," Maggie quips.

"But I suppose it suits us."

"Well, those are our options," I declare.

"All that's left now is to choose."