Coalescence | Ch. VI [SL]

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:07 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

The voice was... strange. It didn't seem to be uniquely masculine nor feminine, and it didn't seem to be speaking one distinct language she could identify. She couldn't help but wonder if it was something within the rift, or if it was the voice of the Fractured Sky itself-- if it even had a voice, that is.

Curious, Atani was drawn in closer. She followed the voice, keeping to the walls and shadows, until she was finally face to face with the Fractured Sky itself. Her eyes were drawn wide as she gazed at the rift. It was impressive even from a distance, but up close? This was nothing like the rifts she had seen tear open in Orchidia and Astera.

She had never felt so much power concentrated in one space before. Her hair blew back. The air surrounding her felt like it was charged with static. Bolts of what she assumed was pure magical energy arced off of the orb in the centre.

WC: 165 | 165/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

It was like she was looking at a black hole-- Was it? She had only heard about those things in theory, but it fit every description. The perfectly round singularity, the glowing event horizon that cast a shadow over it all... It was incredible.

"Closer..." she heard the voice say. It was like a whisper coming from the void itself. It startled her, causing Atani to take a tentative step back. The voice had spoken in Fiorian, and it sounded like it could have come from a woman-- a humanoid woman. It was becoming more distinctive.

Taking a deep breath, Atani pressed onward. She glanced nervously at the bolts of energy that seemed to be growing in both frequency and intensity.

She could do this. Just a little bit further.

"Closer..." the voice said again. It was louder this time, and after it spoke, a bolt of energy struck down by Atani's feet.

WC: 153 | 318/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

Seeing it strike so close, Atani let out a sharp gasp that verged on the edge of a scream. She peddled back and held her hand tight against her. Her heart was racing. She looked towards the Fractured Sky again, as if she was expecting it to say something else, but instead it just sent another bolt her way.

It moved at lightning speed. She wasn't able to do anything. She hadn't exactly felt it hit her body, but her vision became blinded by the light. Even squinting her eyes and shielding them with her arm, all she could see was pure white light. It burned. She felt like she grunted from the force or the shock, but she couldn't hear a thing. She couldn't even hear the wind whistling by her ears anymore.

She couldn't see; she couldn't hear; she couldn't feel the bolt of energy strike her body.

WC: 150 | 468/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

Of course, when the light subsided and all that was left around her was a field of darkness with no discernable noise or temperature, her first thought was that she might have died. After all, this was an entity with essentially limitless power. It could have very well assumed none of her potential sacrifices were of great significance and decided to take her life right then and there as a substitute, vaporizing her without a trace.

But this wasn't the afterlife.

Not that she knew what that felt like, but she could just tell.

The air was... different. It still felt like air from around the Fractured Sky, all tingly and static like, though she still could neither hear nor feel the wind from before. It was so dark, she couldn't even see her own hand in front of her, but she could still feel it; she knew her body was still there.

WC: 153 | 621/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

Well... she was here. In the void, in the Fractured Sky itself maybe? Perhaps this was where she was supposed to offer her sacrifice. It would have been nice to receive some sort of instruction-- surely that would not be difficult for something as powerful as the Fractured Sky-- but she proceeded with the assumption that this is what she was supposed to do anyway.

"So... Fractured Sky?" Atani asked aloud, wondering if she would even get a response.

She didn't.

The elf shook her head and began to think about everything she was going to offer it: the spiritual ties to her bloodline, the physical manifestations of her research... What else did it want? She supposed she could offer up some connections she had made while in Fiore, all her 'unnatural' connections that her family in Athalran so much disapproved of, but they were still of great importance to her.

WC: 151 | 772/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

"Help..."

Atani paused her train of thought. She hadn't even said anything aloud, she hadn't verbally or physically offered anything to the Fractured Sky, but she was already hearing a voice?

"Help me..."

It was the same voice she had heard earlier. She was sure of it. But it was much clearer now, and instead of it telling her to come closer, it was asking her to help? Help who? Help with what?

After the voice spoke, a light appeared in the distance. It was dim, but impossible to miss in the pitch black void. Atani squinted her eyes and leaned in closer. She had no idea what in the realm it could be. But, taking a step forward, she found that she was able to move towards it in the void. It was impossible to tell how far she was from anything, or how far this void stretched, but she was able to progress closer.

WC: 156 | 928/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:09 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

For the longest time, it felt as if Atani had been on solid ground. But then, out of nowhere, she felt her boots step in something wet. It startled her, having not seen the reflection of the liquid in the light. Curious, she crouched down and dipped her hand. Not being able to tell its color, she brought it to her nose to sniff. Luckily, it just seemed to be water, though she didn't understand why there would be water in the middle of a black hole-- if that's even where she was.

She got up from her squatted position and continued her trek towards the light. The further she went, the deeper the water became, but she could finally make out a distinct shape the light made. If she wasn't mistaken, it was... a flower bud? And a sizable one at that. She didn't understand why that would be in the void either, but she supposed it made just as much sense as the water did.

WC: 167 | 1095/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:09 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

The water around the flower bud went up to just shy of Atani's knees. When she approached it, she could feel the light give off a radiating warmth. Beneath the golden glow, the petals were a pale shade of pink. The way they were folded up and how the bud floated on a bed of water... This was a lotus flower, wasn't it-- and an impressively sized one at that.

"Closer..."

Atani furrowed her brows. The voice seemed to be coming from the flower itself. Was this some sort of test from the Fractured Sky? She reached out to touch the flower. As her hand pressed against the soft petals, she could feel it become warmer. Then, it began to move.

Atani retracted her hand and took a step back, sending ripples throughout the water. She watched as the lotus glowed brightly; it began to bloom. As it opened, she could see that something-- no, someone-- inside.

WC: 157 | 1252/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:09 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

It was... a woman. In the centre of the lotus, she laid in the child position. She had long, voluminous, silvery hair. Even as it was tied back in a ponytail, it cascaded all around her body. As the flower slowly continued to bloom, she sat up in rhythm with it. Her hair spilled from around her shoulders to down her back as the woman straightened her posture. Once the flower had fully opened, she turned her head towards Atani. The woman stared at her with a set of bright, curious, golden eyes.

"You... freed me." It sounded almost like both a question and a statement, but regardless it was laced with surprise. "To whom do I owe my thanks?"

"I... uh... My name is Atani." She was taken aback. When coming to the Fractured Sky, the last thing she expected to find was a woman trapped in a lotus pod. "Who are you?"

WC: 154 | 1406/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:10 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

"You... don't know?" the woman asked. She frowned as she gazed at her reflection in the water. "Oh, how long it's been... Nobody even recognizes me anymore. Perhaps you know the name Yuan?" She looked back up at Atani, hopeful that the name might have rung some bells, but she was just as clueless as she was before.

"I'm sorry, I don't..."

"It's fine," she sighed. "It has been centuries since I walked your mortal world, but when I did, nearly everyone knew the name of Yuan. The Goddess of Mercy, they called me."

"A... goddess?"

Atani wasn't sure if she believed it or not, but maybe... Maybe she had heard the name before, now that she thought of it. She must have been a minor goddess, or perhaps one that had just been long forgotten. She wasn't even sure which pantheon Yuan supposedly belonged to, though judging by the name she wondered if it was Sin's.

WC: 157 | 1563/1600

**Atani** · Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:10 pm

Epithet :

The Sylvan Fay

Guild :

Rune Knight

Jewels :

4,840,250

Rank :

B-Rank

Race :

Athlas Elf

Experience :

154,625

Reputation :

9,300

Class :

Paladin

Magic :

Yuan, the Goddess of the Mercy

Aura :

Empress

Strength :

1

Speed :

13

Constitution :

61

Endurance :

9

Intelligence :

211

Mana :

2,975

Body :

Fafnirskin

Cape :

Heart Cape (ↂ)

Ring :

Ring of Hrava

Modification :

Divinitas (Permanent)

"Yes, a goddess. Is it not obvious?" Yuan examined her body, as if to double check she still looked how she did centuries ago. "I guess after spending this much time in the void, one loses their divine glow. Well, no matter."

She shifted to the edge of the flower and dangled her legs in the water. She looked at Atani once more.

"I must thank you for freeing me. Would you like a gift perhaps? Everyone likes a gift~"

"What... kind of gift?" Atani sounded suspicious, and rightfully so. It wasn't everyday you sacrificed everything to some magical rift in the sky, only to rescue a goddess from the void and supposedly receive a present from them.

"Well, it depends. Here, let me see your hands."

Yuan held her hands out for Atani to grab, and she allowed the goddess to take them. A soft blue glow emerged from their grasp, and Yuan sweetly smiled.

"A healer... Just like me. What a rare talent to come by. I could lend you some of my powers, but it would come at a cost."

WC: 183 | 1746/1600

Coalescence | Ch. VI [SL]

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:07 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:08 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:09 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:09 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:09 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:10 pm

Tue Aug 22, 2023 5:10 pm

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