Chương 61: Perfect Soul

Imaging was the next step in Perception's ability. With it, an Ascendant could see the shape of their soul to an extent, almost like a faux shadow on a wall, but inside their head. Whereas Focused Perception, which Liesel currently used, was the ability to perceive her soul's structure and guess how it looked and felt from the energy emanating from it. With Soul Sense, Liesel could see the shape of her soul as if she had another pair of eyes outside her body, in the Soul Shade, looking into her soul.

Her soul was everything she had imagined. A slightly grey, translucent glob within her chest. Her Nebulous Core was white and glowing with energy. An amorphous ball of energy. The Soul Veins were similarly grey and translucent networks mirroring her nervous system, wrapping around her entire body. Beyond her Soul-Form, which should've been similar to her actual body in the Soul Shade, there was another exterior boundary that mirrored her actual body. This was the maximum space to which her Soul Form should expand.

This boundary was always the space that her physical body occupied in this reality. It also gave her an idea of how small her Soul Form truly was. The unraveled threads wormed inside and out of her Soul Form, stabbing into the boundary of her form to stretch the withering soul away from contacting the Rune Cage. They were not quite as clear as her Soul or the Nebulous Core. Her own Control clenched the Withering section on the underside.

The puncture was also sewn by the unraveled threads from one side, not quite perfectly to stop the withering. She observed it for a while, watching the fragments of her soul slowly fall out of the boundary of her soul like flakes of stardust drifting in the night sky. Liesel realized that she couldn't see anything beyond her own soul form. Does it work opposite of Perception, where I can only feel my own soul first, and then expand it outwards to feel the world beyond me?

On the list of things that she wanted to figure out with her new ability, she was most curious about what she had done in the Soul Sea while talking to the Reaper. She tried to find that raw emotion inside her again. Her heart quickened slightly, but she couldn't find the burning pulse of rage. She was too mentally exhausted to do that. Maybe after a little rest... She shook her head. The second attempt was worse. Perhaps the biggest reason was that she refused to search for a moment that could rile up her soul.

If I can see how it works once with Soul Sense, I might be able to replicate it without having to rely on my emotions to produce it. After another failed attempt, Liesel gave up. She'd get to it later. Now, the question was if she could meddle with the Soul Threads. She didn't feel comfortable tampering with the ones stretching her soul form away from the Rune Cage. If one snapped, she'd ruin her life instantly. What about the one sewed around the puncture?

Surprisingly, Liesel felt she could absorb the damage if it occurred. She mentally flexed the newly acquired limb gained from Soul Communion. First, she poked the safe part of her Soul Form. It was different than the Control, which could touch her soul too. The Soul Communion was like a secondary hand that existed within the Soul Shade. It worked in conjunction with the Sensitivity Attribute. Touching her soul form, Liesel could feel the texture—a half-filled water skin.

She kept poking and prodding her Soul Form, observing with the new sense and sensations, as the sections on the upper side slightly depressed and bobbled. Is Soul-Form supposed to be so thin...? Liesel felt that if she poked a little harder, she might create another tear and possibly exacerbate the Withering. She could instinctively feel the function of her Soul Communion and Soul Sense, but the actual skill... it was hard to fathom.

She knew it was there, and that it could grow, but no purpose was attributed to it. It was like a secondary Archetype by itself. Growing her Soul Abilities would grow the Soul Weaving Skill, and she may receive new abilities from it. But that's what it was, a way of acquiring function for her Archetype. It feels wrong to call it a skill. And I have not acquired any Traits, so the Archetype is still not complete. Still, that was something she could worry about later.

Once she felt a little more confident and acclimated to the Soul Communion, which was an odd name for a hand. Soul hand, Liesel decided to name it, reached down to the punctured area. Liesel's body tensed before the pain even came. She went there expecting a lot of it. Instead of translucent, that area was almost black, pulsing like an ugly wound. First, she applied even more pressure at the Control-imposed seal, trying to dampen the effect of shock that might relinquish her control, if only for a moment.

Two fingers reached the thread. She carefully felt their solid presence. And then she tried to pull it slightly, to observe if she could actually affect the threads and if they were solid. It was pulled like a physical thing in the real world. The problem was she was basically pulling on a stitch on a swollen wound. A pulse of white-hot pain rippled from that area. Liesel closed her eyes, exhaling. It came in a wave. The first one was overwhelming, and the second was slightly less but of the same magnitude.

Her mind almost couldn't fathom it beyond just freezing for a moment. The worst was the third. It was within the capacity of her mind to feel, a dot beneath the ceiling that she wished it had crossed like the first two. Her face turned red. Her ears rang like she was a pressure cooker about to explode. Each subsequent wave was slightly more bearable than the last. Her body was covered in a layer of cold sweat, and her heart was thumping faster than her limit. She exhaled again, opening her eyes.

Sweat over her brows blurred her vision. Still, Arval's silhouette was unmistakable. Liesel took a deep breath and said, "You are back."

"What are you doing?"

"Messing with my Soul," Liesel answered, a little more composed than before.

"It hurts a little more than I expected."" A little?" Liesel nodded. Now that she took in her surroundings, it was already night.

"Are you going to sleep?"

"Not right now." Arval shook her head.

"I can't sleep after seeing you like this. First, you should eat." She peeled the thorny fruit.

"I am sure these are not poisoned."

"I retract my accusations," Liesel uttered. She accepted the soft pulp. It was bitter and sour. She didn't enjoy having a meal after that experience, but it was as good a time as any. No experience in a while had been appetizing. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Any moment now, the realm would be taking revenge on her for overstepping the line and upsetting Arval.

"Can you fix your soul now?" Arval asked, chewing the white thing.

"I am not sure that is a possibility yet," Liesel replied.

"The only way I know is possible in the world outside, where I can kill demons with a Materiality Core."

"You can fix your soul by killing other things?"

"No, but yes," Liesel replied.

"I will not elaborate on how it works."

"Well, you can't kill anything," Arval said.

"And you are not leaving this place, no matter what. So there's only one other option. Tell me how, and I might be able to figure something out. Better it be two minds than one." Liesel had no intention of exposing her skill in its entirety to a stranger, certainly not a child.

"I need a soul, let's just say, to fix my own."

"A whole soul?" Arval asked.

"Yes."

"What if you get a little soul? Can you fix yourself with that much, or prolong your life until Elder Ahura opens a way?"

"You should go to sleep," Liesel said.

"I will find a solution on my own."

"Yeah," Arval drawled, "But you can't. You know that. The best you will probably do is try to steal from the Primordial Core and die instantly." Liesel shook her head, sighing.

"Go to sleep, Child."

"Why are you so stubborn?!" Arval huffed.

"We are stuck! Let me help you. Don't you want to live?"

"At the cost of a child's soul, I'd rather not," Liesel said. She didn't even know how a little amount of soul would even work. And Liesel was very worried that she might just kill Arval by accident if she tried meddling with things she had no clue about. Arval huffed. She got to her feet and stomped away.

"It is late. You should consider going to sleep," Liesel said. There was a little hope that she might find something to steal soul from in the illusions.

"You are not my mom!" Sighing, Liesel peeled another fruit. She appreciated the sourness that came after the tongue-numbing bitterness. After a few minutes, Arval stomped back loudly. She seemed even more upset than before. She kept making noise as if to get Liesel's attention.

"Take deep breaths," Liesel said.

"Irrational decisions are rarely, if ever, fruitful. You may, probably will, regret it later. Is it worth offering your soul to a dishonorable wretch as I am?"

"I hate you," Arval huffed. She settled back on the stone bench. She peeled another fruit and chewed loudly while pulling out all the thorns from the peels. As Liesel eased into peeling another, the Rakamel lunged at her. Liesel's Materiality sprang into her veins, weaving into her flesh. She caught herself from twisting the outreaching arm and snapping it in an instant. Arval took Liesel's hand and clenched it tightly.

"What are you..." Liesel's voice trailed off. She may have felt overwhelmed if it had happened a few moments ago by the sheer weight of Arval's soul. But with Soul Sense, she could see the child's soul, perhaps because Arval was inviting her, and their hands were connected. It was unlike anything Liesel had seen. It was a Perfect Soul. Like she was observing Arval's golden statue. It was impossible to peer beneath the surface, as it was covered in layers of golden scales.

Arval let go of Liesel's hand and stepped back. Liesel felt that her Soul Sense was not enough to appreciate it fully.

"Was that... a perfect soul?" Liesel asked. Her heart was racing. It was no different than gazing up at a divine.

"You can see my soul?" Arval's eyes narrowed.

"Even I can't do that."

"Nothing beyond the golden scales covering it," Liesel intoned.

"You are quite a fortunate Ascendant."

"I wouldn't say that," Arval uttered.

"I'd rather exchange it with yours. That seems a much more pleasant life to live."

"If you were fortunate enough to be born in a middle-class family connected to an administrative branch that does not employ Ascendants, it might be true," Liesel said.

"Otherwise, you are a child blinded by your own woes to observe the objective reality around you."

"You are so strong for such a... fragile soul. I think I could've made a good living as a warrior too."

"I'd advise against using me as your benchmark for the Soul's importance. I am exceptionally gifted in every regard except for my Soul's capacity," Liesel uttered.

"Why did you show me your soul?"

"Where do you stand compared to an actual soldier of the same age?" Arval ignored her question. Her eyes said she wanted to use this opportunity to satiate her curiosity. And Liesel felt she had to entertain the child at least for a little while.

"A White Crusader may consider me worth drawing their weapon. They'd never, because they trample their enemy's ego and crush their morale under their boots. Drawing a weapon is a gesture of dignity to a weaker or an equal opponent, forbidden under all circumstances."

"I meant not your current state, but when you are healthy. Surely you are as strong as one, right?"

"And I gave the answer based on the same premise. I am nothing against a White Cruader."

"That can't be right. You are strong. Are they as strong as Drahk?"

"The Empire has many divisions even amongst the Crusaders, and at the pinnacle of it stand White Crusaders. They are the mightiest amongst all the mortal warriors in all the known realms. Every single one may as well be as strong as the highest elites of nations," Liesel said.

"I have no clue where Drahk stands among them." Arval listened intently.

"Say, why are you so fascinated by the Empire?" Liesel asked.

"Because I am born to destroy it," Arval said.

"I have the highest potential of any mortal race, and someday I will be the strongest beneath the creator. It is my duty to purge the evil that your Empire represents." Liesel held back a sigh. Yeah, that was about as dreamy a delusion as she'd expect from a non-human Ascendant race born with a perfect soul.

"Is that why your eyes have golden rings?" Liesel asked. She didn't know the direct cause, just that some individuals had them. Arval shook her head.

"I don't know why I have it. No one knows." Liesel decided to mark her hypothesis as plausible for now.

"Should you be offering help to a human if your goal is destruction of the Empire?"

"As you said, just because you are born in it doesn't make you guilty. You are powerless to change your origin." Liesel nodded. She decided it was not a conversation that would be fruitful.

"But you should be against the Empire on principle."

"Principal?" Liesel regarded the child. This was one conversation she'd rather not have. Because the Necropolis was going to be destroyed, Arval someday would see the world beyond the wastelands. She may even witness the might of the Empire that she believes she could harm.

"Do you want to spar with me?" Liesel asked, her voice dropping a pitch.

"You look weak as heck right now. I don't want to hurt you." Liesel got to her feet. She washed her hands by pouring water from a pitcher that the Realm had created. It was a never-ending supply she had used the entire day to drink from, too. She circled away from the stone bench. The bench was hard, but Liesel was growing accustomed to it. She didn't want to break it by accident.

"Right now?" Arval asked.

"You should wait until you have recovered." That was the point. Liesel didn't want to give the child any way to keep up with her delusion. Don't hesitate. Liesel reminded herself. She felt that, depending on how their fight went, Arval might live a little longer and actually make something of herself. Fruit can heal any injury.

"Fine," Arval growled. She washed her hands.

"Don't blame me if you die." They stood a meter apart.

"Come at me when you are ready," Liesel said.

"Don't mock me!" Arval lunged. Her claws glowed with Materiality as she swiped at Liesel in anger. Liesel burned Materiality into her feet, taking a step forward. She slapped the enchanted claw to the side. She grabbed Arval's arm, enforcing her own. She twisted it, not quite forceful enough to break it. Arval yanked it free, kicking Liesel's abdomen. Liesel dropped her faux seal on her soul. She discarded all sense of caution.

She took another step forward, stomping on the child's feet, who flinched, caught by surprise. Arval had never fought in actual close combat. Or perhaps this was a dishonorable move. Liesel layered her knuckles as she landed a strike on Arval's shoulder. The Rakamel child stumbled back. She had been raised with kindness, Liesel believed. Liesel grabbed the flailing arm, pulling the girl forward as she landed an enforced knee into the child's abdomen.

"Argh," the Rakamel grunted. Liesel would've liked to show a little kindness, but her own soul was withering. She yanked Arval up by her cape, and landed another strike on the side of her cheeks. The girl landed on her back lifelessly. Liesel regarded the girl. She was half tempted to break at least one limb to make sure the fear was etched into her bones. But some part of her remembered the girl bawling her eyes out, and she couldn't bring herself to enact the necessary cruelty. It was a failure on her side.

She exhaled, clamping down on her withering soul. Since she was not dead, she had been quick enough. Liesel washed her hand, which was covered in a little blood from Arval's nose. She dumped the rest of the water on the passed-out lady, who jolted upright.

"I..." Arval stared at her like she was seeing a ghost. Liesel settled back on the stone bench, folding her legs.

"I shall not make light of your desire. But your perspective is skewed. You know only a portion of history, from books that will not show you a real fruit, let alone true history. Think before you declare anyone as evil. Someday, you will see the grander world. Learn about it. Live in it, and then ask yourself what it is you want. Do not impose an unasked and untenable burden on the virtue of your soul's potential. You have not experienced violence."

"You think the Empire is not evil."

"By whose standard?" Liesel asked.

"It's everyone's standard. I thought you were better than this."

"Did I do something wrong by sparring with you, Arval?" Liesel asked.

"No."

"I did. The question is whether I was right to cross the line or not. You can answer that question in about a decade," Liesel said, smiling.

"What I think of the Laks Empire is immaterial, for I am not even a speck of dust in the shadow it casts." Arval glared at her.

"Will you tell me why you showed me your soul? Unless you are so upset that you want me to die now."

"I don't! I am gonna beat you!"