The Advent of Madness: My Twin Sister And I

The accursed pages coalesced rapidly before being promptly wrapped in a binder alongside the Quill.

"That?"

"Curses?"

"..."

The first three voices belonged to Nemora, Elden, and Jill, respectively.

"Little dummy? Are those floaty, weird, splodgy Curses yours?"

Then came Hilda's; she seemed to link the Book of Heresy to my existence intuitively. According to her, it doesn't sound like she can recognise my Manifestation.

Just as I can't recognise their Manifestations.

Back when her lustful green eyes had appeared, it didn't seem like she paid attention to when I summoned the Book of Heresy; this was a new sight for her.

Nevertheless, I ignored their voices. Fluttering the pages open, I turned to the first page. Right below the previous lines, I added a-

"Sister? What is that book?"

But then Esme stated something I hadn't expected.

No.

It was something I should have expected.

It was obvious, I had merely overlooked it.

My Curses and Esme's Curses. Those two factors compose my existence; they compose my Manifestation.

Therefore, it is only natural that Esme can see my Manifestation.

It only makes sense.

...Grind.

My teeth ran over themselves, shaving away at layers of enamel and bone. The Quill darted into the book and within seconds-

[Body - Move - 45 Minutes]

[Body Amplification - 100% - 45 Minutes]

A bolt of Curses crashed out of my body and into the Book of Heresy then-

CRASH!

-it darted back into my body, filling it to the brim with euphoric strength. The pain dissipated, and all movement capabilities returned to this useless creature's body.

I had to ignore Esme for the moment; not just her, but also the others.

There was no time to explain.

Raising my arms, I gripped Hilda's hand and peeled them off. Dropping to the ground, I tapped my boots on the quarterdeck and drew everyone's curious eyes. They all witnessed the odd sight of blurry Curses gushing into my body.

Only Esme, my beloved sister, had a clear view of what had happened.

Dashing by Hilda, I slammed my open palm on the railing, and, "Ha!" I swung myself over, stepping onto the closest section of scaffolding.

With all eyes on the back of my head-

"Follow me."

-I released my order, dove my consciousness into my body, and reined in my Curses.

I took them under certain control.

The flurry of Curses gushed into my legs, cracking and rebuilding the bones, tendons, and muscles; the dark pants covering my calves began to shred, revealing the pale, smooth skin beneath them.

Crack.

The floorboards beneath my feet splintered as-

Swish!

-I darted forward into the air, whipping my golden hair as I soared through the skies of the cave.

This is insane.

I didn't think the Second Step was this powerful...

Casting my gaze across the ant-like buildings littered beneath me, I honed my vision on the most important part of the cave;

With buildings zipping beneath me;

With the air crackling in my eardrums;

With my clothes flapping erratically in the wind;

I stared at it.

A Crown.

Incomplete, tiny, and nowhere near as thick as Finnie's, but a crown nonetheless; a crown adorned with three upside-down crosses.

It hovered far above Yulei's head, at the end of a trail of white haze escaping her scalp.

Taking a deep breath mid-air, a splurge of Curses pushed into my lungs, trachea, and vocal cords:

"Vanessa! Hildekar! Get Yulei out of there!"

An explosive sound blew out of my mouth, rattling the two teenagers awake. Their heads shot up as they spotted me moments later-

"Stop staring! Move her!"

I reiterated it.

I had to.

It was going to be another 20 or so seconds before I got there, and in that time...

She might die.

Biting my lips; what the hell is that? What is that crown? Why is there one forming above Yulei? Is it linked to Flamm's?

Blasting through the skies, I rapidly approached the trio. For origınal chapters go to novęlfire.net

Vanessa and Hildekar ran to Yulei's side and, apparently spotting something on Yulei's face that I couldn't see from this distance, I could observe a glimmer of fear splurge from their faces.

Suddenly-

FLASH!

An explosion of deep, orangish-blue light rushed from behind me.

Then came the-

CRACKLE-!!!

A thundering blast of cacophonous noise splattered the atmosphere, sending vibrations searing through my veins from behind.

My eyes instantly turned backwards.

And, in that same instant, she entered my vision.

Right in front of me, covered from tip-to-toe in slithering lines of flame-imbued lightning, with curtains of snow-white hair swaying with the explosions of lightning, with golden eyes oozing with flames staring into my eyes...

Esme?

"Let's go." Her words trickled directly into my ears.

The next moment, she was directly by my side with a hand wrapped around my waist.

And, by the next moment...

Light.

Sound.

My eyes were too slow to capture it.

My body: weak.

My senses: fragile.

...And all that remained was a clutter of debris soaring in the skies around us. Snakes of lightning blasted outward whilst the ground directly beneath us singed and melted from the inhumanely hot flames.

With my feet firmly planted on the molten ground, I too could now take a look at Yulei's face. She sat in her wheelchair less than 20 metres across from us with the other two by her side.

What the fuck.

Those three words immediately came to the forefront after I saw Yulei's face.

Her eyes lay glaring open with a plethora of tears streaming down her cheeks; her mouth hung wide open with drool dribbling down her lips; her pupils were blown; her breath seemed to come out in gurgles erratically.

It was wrong.

Everything about the situation was wrong.

"Is she dying?!"

It didn't take a genius in Hildekar's position to realise that. Her soul was flying high into the sky, transforming her body into a hollow shell.

Hildekar and Vanessa each grabbed onto an arm with veins popping out of their heads. The forces streaming through them as they tried to pull Yulei out of her wheelchair were staggering; had that been a normal girl, her limbs would have been torn off and shredded instantly.

"Esme!" Tapping my sister on her back, bolts of lightning proliferated from us; they exploded all around us. Esme pulled me directly to Yulei, wasting little to no time in the process.

Arriving by her side, "Hildekar, Vanessa, step back."

My voice came out confidently with reassurance dripping within it, but, truthfully:

I don't know what to do.

I could see the white haze, but I couldn't control it.

Not unless I add another line into my Book of Heresy; but I don't know if my body can handle a backlash of that sort of intensity.

I've already overdrafted it, to add another-

"Save her."

A hand landed on my back.

A small, comforting hand.

My sister's hand.

With that, no hesitation remained.

The Book of Heresy coalesced once again.

...But then my body felt a change; a radical, hefty, purifying change.

It came from my head; from my scalp.

"Manifestation..."

Esme's voice whispered in my ear; it trickled through my ear canal teasingly, longingly.

"...don't use yours."

Then came the power.

A pure, soul-lifting power.

My existence was rising.

Literally.

I could feel my Authority over the world ascending; I could feel my control over the surrounding domain solidifying.

Esme's Manifestation.

Even my Curses, my abhorrent Curses could, at a moment's notice, rot the surroundings within seconds; turning all into ashen, plagued dust.

"Go."

Esme didn't have to speak further.

It's on me.

I'm the only one who can see the white haze.

I have to save her.

But how?

I crunched my teeth.

Standing in front of the dying, food-loving, Remmy-loving, adorable girl who Hilda considers her best friend...

I must save her.

If not for Esme's sake, then for Hilda's sake.

I planted my hands on her shoulders; how do I do it?

Touch.

Esme's hand landed on my back once more.

And, this time-

My thoughts sped up.

Rapidly.

To the brink of insanity, my brain began firing neurons as if there was no tomorrow.

.....

I cannot Curse her, that will kill her.

Force won't work.

Book of Heresy is overdrafted, and Esme won't let me use it.

Souls.

My answer lies there.

Why can I see souls?

Why can I see life?

What's unique about me?

What have I been missing?

Where is my answer?

.....

I paused.

Then, in the reflection of Yulei's blown pupils, I witnessed my eyes.

My white eyes.

.....

Ah.

It's been there all along?

Why haven't I seen it?

No.

I know why.

Authority, my Authority wasn't high enough.

Thank you, sister.

I love you.

.....

Hildekar and Vanessa are by my side.

Esme is behind me.

In the sky, approaching rapidly, are Hilda, Nemora, Elden, and Jill

In front of me, Yulei.

And, oozing from her existence is the white haze, her soul.

And, above us, looming tragically, is a white crown adorned with three upside-down crosses.

All eyes, intentional, unintentional, or perhaps laced with hidden intention, were glued to me at that moment.

And, at that same moment.

Upon my comprehension;

Upon the understanding of my existence;

Of my eyes;

These pure, beautiful white eyes;

...Silence.

The cave turned silent.

The sound of breathing, the ground rumbling, the vibrations; all of it fell in line with the silence.

With that being the case, I, Alora of Light, the Ghost of The Palace, The Canary-

I opened my eyes for the first time.