Coalescence | Ch. VIII [SL]

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:17

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)

Her vision went dark as she tumbled through the portal. The last thing she felt was a sense of relief as Yuan's magic had no longer kept hold of her. She was free. She had escaped the void, and Yuan didn't have her precious vessel.

Or at least, that's what she thought.

Atani didn't know how long she had been blacked out on the ground. In reality, it could not have been more than a minute, but with the time difference in the void, when the elf woke she was in the dead of night; it had been daytime last she checked.

She groaned as she sat herself up from the ground. Her wrists bled, and her ankle was bent in a way she knew ankles were not supposed to bend. She winced as she brought her hands down to it. She tried to cast a basic healing spell, but nothing happened.

WC: 152 | 152/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:17

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)

"Rhaich," she cursed. Her mana reserves must have been depleted from that damned Yuan. She could still perform small feats of magic, but to heal something like a broken ankle? That would require a far greater amount of mana than what she had. At least the cuts on her wrists weren't too deep. They didn't require immediate attention; she could refrain from treating those while she waited for her energy to return to address her more serious injury.

When Atani had been ejected from the void, she had landed far enough away from the rift that she wasn't in danger of being hit from those bolts of energy anymore, though she could still feel the harsh winds whipping her short hair around, and she could still feel the charged air tingle against her skin.

She took a deep breath as she tried to gather her thoughts. She tried to focus on the existence of Mórinna.

WC: 155 | 307/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:17

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)

"Mórinna..." she spoke, praying to the gods she wouldn't get a response. "Odúleg hi?"

For a moment, there was silence, and Atani began to feel a bit of hope. But then it all came crashing down.

"Mórinna?" A familiar voice echoed in her mind. "Who's Mórinna?"

Atani's stomach dropped and she felt her blood run cold.

"Yuan..." she breathed. But no, how was that possible? It couldn't be possible. Atani remembered the goddess's spell losing its grip when she summoned that gush of water. She had been freed from her hold; she was sure of it.

Maybe... Maybe she was calling out from the void via telepathy, and that's why she was hearing the goddess in her mind. Yes, that must have been it. As soon as she could get herself away from the Fractured Sky, Yuan would be silenced, right?

"I'm afraid that will not work as well as you think, Atani."

WC: 153 | 460/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:18

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)

Atani froze. How did she... Did Yuan just read her mind?

"Get out of my mind," she grumbled. She held a palm to her temple as a sharp pain arced through her head. She dug her nails into her scalp as she tried to steady her breaths.

"I cannot do that, I'm afraid," Yuan replied. "Not without going back to the void, which I am sure neither of us want to return to."

"W- What do you mean?" Atani asked. Yuan was still in the void, wasn't she? She had to be. She hadn't seen her escape.

"You really don't know, do you?" Yuan let out a low chuckle. And Atani didn't know how she could know this, but she could tell the goddess was shaking her head. "I am in more than just your mind, Atani."

No.

She refused to believe Yuan had managed to escape with her as a vessel.

WC: 152 | 612/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:18

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)

"I know you can feel it," Yuan stated. "Just as I can feel that broken ankle as if it were my own."

Atani dragged her leg along the ground as she scooted further away from the Fractured Sky. She could hear both her and Yuan wince at the same time as her ankle was pulled in an awkward position.

"Shouldn't have-- nghh-- broken it then," Atani hissed back.

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought a mage as strong as you would be more than capable of healing it."

Atani rolled her eyes. She was under normal circumstances, but Yuan had been greedy with the amount of mana she had drained from her body. Surely, if she was a vessel for the goddess, Yuan would have known that. Or maybe she did, and she was just enjoying her time messing with Atani. Either way, it ticked her off. She was already in enough pain as it was; she didn't need someone egging it on.

WC: 162 | 774/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

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)

"Let's just say you're really inside my body--"

"-- and I am-- "

"You certainly sucked up enough of my mana back there. Why don't you do it?"

If she could, now would be a really great time to do so. She hadn't gone this long with a broken bone since... Well, probably not since she was a child and hadn't yet mastered healing magic. She had almost forgotten how agonizing it felt.

"I can't," Yuan replied. "It takes more energy than you know to do what I did."

So, what, they were at a net zero in terms of magical energy? Everything Yuan took out of her was used to invade her body and escape the void? Apparently Yuan didn't anticipate that, or else they wouldn't be in the situation they currently found themselves in. Atani let out a sigh, then held her breath as she began to take off her boot.

WC: 151 | 925/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

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)

While she may not have had enough magical energy at her disposal to cast a healing spell, Atani still had plenty of experience in the medical field to know what to do. If she didn't, well, she would be a pretty poor excuse for a healer. It was different though, she had to admit, fixing a dislocation on oneself as opposed to another being.

"You're actually going to-- ?"

"We have to move, Yuan."

We? Gods, she hated that she had already used the term.

Usually, Atani gave her patients some sort of countdown to prepare, but she didn't exactly have that same luxury for herself. One hand on her heel, the other on the side of her foot, then...

"Gahhh!" Atani let out a scream as her ankle snapped back into place, though she tried her best to stifle it since she was admittedly still out in the open, right near the Fractured Sky.

WC: 154 | 1079/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

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)

Her ankle throbbed. Though the pain was marginally better now that it was back in place, there was still plenty of damaged bone and tissue that needed to be healed. She just needed to get someplace safe where she could recover her energy...

Okay, maybe just one more spell to help her get on her feet. After carefully putting back on her boot, Atani snapped her fingers and began to make swirling movements with her hand. She had intended to summon vines as a sort of splint, but nothing happened. She paused, thoroughly confused. This was an incredibly basic nature spell; it should cost her almost nothing.

"What are you doing?" Yuan asked, as if she was criticizing Atani's technique.

"My nature magic... It's not working."

"Nature?" She could hear Yuan laughing from within her mind. "Oh no, no, no. Nature and I do not mix. No vessel of mine could ever wield it."

WC: 154 | 1233/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

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 seemed like with every word the goddess spoke, her situation kept getting worse and worse. Atani looked at her hands. She tried everything she could in hopes of seeing a tinge of green in her magic circles, but all she could conjure were those of blue and gold.

"You stole my nature magic?"

"More like replaced-- upgraded, even. You're welcome~"

"Yuan-- !" Her voice rose in anger, then broke as she felt another bolt of pain in her head. It was much worse this time, and was clustered right behind her eye. She squeezed it shut and buried her head in her hand, palm pressing right on the brow line.

"What's... happening." Her voice was strained, and she winced as she felt a new set of pains settle towards the top of her head. Atani used her other hand to grasp one side. Her fingers were buried in her hair, then they ran over something hard.

WC: 156 | 1389/1600

**Atani** · Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:20

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)

No... it couldn't be.

Removing her hand from her head, Atani waved it towards the ground. An enchanted pool of water splashed against the hard surface, and she gazed at her reflection; her stomach dropped. She released the hand that had been covering her eye, and that all but confirmed it...

One of her eyes had turned from green to gold. Horns identical to Yuan's had begun to grow on both sides of her head. Even as she looked into the water, she could physically see her hair start to grow longer.

She was turning into Yuan.

Her heart pounded inside her chest. No, this couldn't happen. It was one thing to live with someone else's soul inside your body-- that, unfortunately, wasn't new to her-- but for them to take it over completely? Atani didn't even know that was possible, at least not for this kind of magic; she didn't know how to make it stop.

She had to get away. Maybe if she retreated far enough from the void, Yuan would be less likely to draw on its power. But damn it, her leg... No, she just had to push through. The longer Yuan stayed inside of her, the worse her state would become, and by that point a broken ankle would be the least of her worries.

WC: 220 | 1609/1600

Coalescence | Ch. VIII [SL]

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:17

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:17

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:17

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:18

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:18

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:19

Wed 23 Aug 2023, 01:20

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