Abyssal Awakening

Alice furrowed her brows.

Of all the things that could happen...

Why did it have to be like this?

She couldn’t help but let out a deep exhale. One of resignation.

"My, my, don’t you just look adorable," Enris grinned.

She had returned to her female form, and unlike her usual careless presentation, she had actually taken the time to dress for the occasion. Perhaps it was because they stood within Verona’s dream. Perhaps she simply felt like indulging herself.

She had long grey hair that fluttered in the wind, contrasting with her slightly tanned skin. A pair of pale violet eyes held a trace of amusement.

Her bangs framed the side of her face.

This form was different from the one Alice was used to seeing. A different appearance, yet the divinity flowing through her body was the same.

Her clothes sat somewhere between uniform and casual wear.

A large white jacket hung loosely around her shoulders, leaving her arms free. Beneath that was a black-and-white dress that stopped at her thighs, paired with black tights and boots.

Simple, elegant, and definitely the kind of outfit that presented her as someone of high standing.

Then, compared to Enris, Alice couldn’t help but look down at herself.

She was...

Shorter than usual.

Much shorter.

So short, in fact, that she might have lost in height to a somewhat large plush toy.

Alice had regressed in age within this dream, to the body she had when she was around fifteen years old in the prison, halfway through her time locked up.

But it wasn’t quite the same either.

Her hair was still split between two colours, just like her eyes. More than that, though, red spider lilies decorated her left arm like a strange birthmark, with some climbing up her neck and onto her cheek.

She wore a simple, clean white dress, yet lacked any form of footwear.

Flicking her eyes between the two of them, Alice couldn’t help but feel as though this treatment was a little unfair.

"Honestly, why do you look so glum? At least when you look down, you can see your toes," Enris teased.

Alice tilted her head down.

With her regression in age, the modest bosom she had developed was now flat as a cutting board.

"Hehe..." She let out a self-mocking laugh before turning to Enris. "So why did you even bring me here? Surely you’re not just going to stand there and mock me for being flat-chested now, are you?" Alice asked.

"Oh no, far from it. In fact, I want to show you what kind of world this dream can bring. Perhaps we can even come to an agreement between the two of us." Enris narrowed her eyes as Alice creased her brows.

With her love for chaos, there was a good chance that Enris was indeed planning on betraying Nyer.

"Just show me what you want to show me. And make it quick." Alice gave up.

It wasn’t like Enris was showing hostility at the moment. Simply going along with the flow was probably the best choice she could make.

"Fufu~ Come on then. I wonder what kind of identity we should take. After all, I doubt Verona will perceive you as who she knows you to be. And if you cannot blend with this world, you’ll be rejected." Enris reached down, trying to pick Alice up, only for her hand to be slapped away.

"I can walk on my own. If anything, give me a pair of shoes." Alice clicked her tongue.

How dare she think she could pick her up as though she were her child.

"I’m afraid I have no power over you in this dream. It doesn’t belong to me, after all. It belongs to the Queen. The most I can do is change my appearance and give myself some nice clothes." Enris let out a soft laugh.

". . ."

"If you don’t like it, why don’t you give it a try as well? Don’t you have plenty of experience in dreams? Or are you saying... this is beyond you?" she smirked.

A vein bulged on Alice’s forehead as her smile twitched.

It was clear that this was provocation. However, Alice refused to be beaten.

Closing her eyes, she focused her mind.

To construct clothes in the Nightmare...

". . ."

She didn’t know how to do it. In the first place, what were the clothes even made of?

Her struggle was clearly noticed by the god, and her grin widened.

"What’s wrong? Struggling? Should I give you a hint?" Enris leaned over Alice, who pushed her head away.

"Tch, I’ll just get some shoes later. Just lead the bloody way." She huffed as Enris shrugged and walked ahead of Alice.

Strangely enough, even though her steps were the same as usual, the pace she walked at was much faster.

In the blink of an eye, she was already far ahead of Alice.

"Can’t keep up? And here you were telling me to lead the way." She mocked, but Alice wasn’t bothered.

In fact, Alice welcomed it.

Right now, Enris was the one who wanted to show Alice something, not the other way around. If she wanted to walk ahead, then she was free to do so. But at the end of the day, she was the one who had to dictate their pace.

And since that was the case, Alice was going to take her time.

Alice trudged through the snow one step at a time, slowly waddling through the field of white as Enris’ smile twitched.

"What? Can’t walk ahead now?" Alice taunted after reaching Enris.

She would reach the destination in due time, but not at the speed Enris wanted.

Enris had to hold back a curse as she eventually let out a sigh and snapped her fingers.

A piece of her jacket broke off, transforming into a pair of shoes.

"Satisfied?" she sighed.

"Only if you give me my original height as well."

"No can do. That’s modifying your body. These shoes can be considered an extension of my clothes, after all." Enris shrugged as Alice let out a grumble but sped up slightly.

Soon, they arrived at a strange village surrounded by snow. Even from a distance, they could hear laughter while a large fire was kept alive in the centre.

Alice raised her eyebrows while Enris wasn’t surprised.

The closer they walked, the clearer the situation became.

An artificial paradise.

The village felt alive, as there was not a single house where the light was turned off. Smoke drifted up from the chimneys while the silhouettes of families could be seen through the frosted windows.

They were happy.

Not pretending to be. Not forcing smiles for one another’s sake, nor the kind that comes from mind control.

Truly happy.

A full meal.

A hot fire.

This was the kind of life that Alice also desired. One with Allura and Kaden and the others who were just as important in her life.

People like Alyss and Cayla.

This was fulfilment. The kind that could keep you going even after a long day of hard work. When things seemed tough and it became hard to continue.

Once you were submerged in this environment, you could feel your stress and worries disappearing.

That soft exhale after entering a hot bath, the kind that relaxed every muscle in your body.

The knowledge that tomorrow would come. And when it did, the people around you would still be there.

Safety.

That’s what it was.

"It’s different, isn’t it?" Enris smiled softly at the sight before them. "The harsh reality is that the North suffered through a period of heavy famine. Partially of my own creation, I must admit, but even so... they are alive. Here in this dream."

"Perhaps it’s self-indulgence, a reminder of what she couldn’t achieve. Most of these people are likely dead, after all." She shrugged.

Alice was silent.

"This has happened twice now to poor Verona. The first was during the great famine. The second was during her failed ascension. How many people do you think are still alive in the North?" Enris asked.

Alice clenched her fist. "How many?"

"Less than a city. The ascension was devastating, after all. When the divinity split itself off to become the false herald, it took countless lives with it to fuel its survival," Enris revealed.

"As a being that defied the natural order of this world, it spread corruption throughout the entire region. Had it not been for the Lords, Verona, and even a... strange entity filled with Eldritch energy," she narrowed her eyes, "it would be safe to say that everyone in the North would be dead, minus the strong."

". . ."

Alice’s pupils trembled as the severity of the news hit her like a hammer.

Most of the North was dead.

Even if Verona survived, even if they cleansed the land...

The people were no longer there...

"The Verona Queendom has fallen. What you are seeing before you is a Queen in denial." Enris did not care for the harshness of her words.

After all, it was the truth.

Like it or not, Alice had witnessed, or rather, seen, a moment that would be written down in the history books.

The year the nation of the North disappeared from the map for good.

"It’s a shame, isn’t it? Losing so many people." Enris exhaled softly. "Verona wanted power so that she could protect the North. But in doing so, she doomed it to its fate. Tell me, who do you think is at fault for the state of our world?" Enris glanced at Alice.

"But pointing fingers and blaming someone is ever so simple. The real question is..." She smiled.

"What must be done to avoid such a situation? How does one ’fix’ this world of ours?"