Chapter 454: The twin seas

Chapter 454: The twin seas

Sofia counted the seconds, alone with nothing but her own thoughts to keep her company. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, new system windows appeared again.

[I’m almost done, we will be free in a moment.]

Great. Thanks. Are you going to start to explain?

[I would not know where to start. I thought we had more time, I miscalculated, sorry.]

No point apologizing, let’s focus on getting through this, I just need information.

[Sadly, despite utilizing all the holes our enemies left in the system’s protection, I still cannot upload data directly to you. I will compile a few answers to your most pressing questions for now.]

And to think we were moved to the Draconic system to be safer...

[Sen likely did not know that even the Draconic section was compromised. But he could be one of our enemies, still.]

Really, Sen? That feels wrong.

[It’s hard to judge. As it is we cannot trust anyone within the system’s staff.]

Do you think Everelle was in on this whole thing? Since this happened during our duel?

[Unlikely, but perhaps. I have compiled a few lists, get through them quickly, we’re going to be free any second now, and I have no idea what’s waiting for us ‘outside’.]

Understood.

A few new system windows using the condensed quest formatting appeared, without her skills for fast reading, Sofia went through them one by one.

[Quest: Who is ‘Mr Scribe’?

Requirements:

Scribes are created at birth by extending your brain and soul within the mana plane.A majority of the time, we do not think in understandable thoughts and speech.There are many restrictions on a Scribe’s behavior, am I currently using the ennemie’s attack on the system to our advantage to bypass this.]

[Quest: Who are we up against?

Requirements:

Among our enemies are Tier 4 scribes, the remnant scribes of dead high-level people who have been assimilated within the system workforce.They have joined hand with Scripture and possibly other Gods.There is at least one Archangel within their ranks. Possibly more.I do not know the Identity of the voice and I do not know what they want to accomplish.]

[Quest: What now?

Requirements:

As soon as possible, use the Key to hide from the system.We will cheat our own way through the filter, but that means we are still under the no-healing restriction. Just follow my instructions later.To begin with, I need the upgrade to tier 3, this should still be obtainable.Although I am able to communicate right now, this will not last, and it impedes my ability to help with your spells. We must make the most of it while we can.]

Sofia felt that she had learned a lot from these few lines but she still had many questions. The most pressing one she just blurted out.

What about the others? Are they fine?

[Everyone sharing the Lord’s mark I can tell is still alive. I am blind beyone that.]

Ormoncleth’s and Aphenoreth’s.

“Since when have you-”

The scribe did not even need to hear the full question before he answered.

[When Sorrow first used our ennemies’ pathways to grant her skill upon us.]

So VPPV was always in your plans? What if I had used any other keyword combination?!

[Again, we share half a brain. I am not always right in my predictions on your choices, but this outcome was likely, if not, I would have found another way.]

What about the graveyard, did you intend for it to be used like I do?

[Not at all. This design, like many, was mostly created by the High Scribes.]

Alright, sorry for all the questions, let’s get out of here, I think I should be able to move now.

Step by step, Sofia moved to reach the stairs, her movements were slow and weighty. Moving in this realm felt like moving underwater. Illusory chains appeared when she distanced herself from the wall, restraining her and pulling her back, they were stronger than her. She pulled against them, resisting with all her might and looking at the empty Scribe’s window for help. A flash of red light illuminated the room and the chains shattered like broken glass.

Freedom. Thank you Lords.

Climbing the steps one by one, Sofia left the basement. The stairs led to a small abandoned stone hut in slight disrepair. There were wooden buckets, nets and fishing rods, though everything felt uncanny as it was all reflecting the same shade of purplish blue.

“A fisherman’s hut? I should go outside, but... Should we not focus on trying to leave this realm?”

[We need a God’s help. As it is, I know no other way to leave.]

Sofia looked around the hut. “Then, could this place be owned by the voice? Would that make them one of the Gods?”

[I am as lost as you are.]

Sofia sighed. “Let’s seek a God, then. There’s only fifty percent chance of them being part of the enemy, we have survived worse odds.”

[On the bright side, I believe Pareth and Bookie should be taking care of our physical body as we speak.]

“They feel closer than before. They must be worried sick. Let’s hurried up out of here.”

Grabbing the rusty handle of the decrepit wooden door, Sofia left the small fisherman hut.

Outside, everything was still in different shades of the same color. There were no sounds other than the unsettling low rumbling of the sea. Sofia was in the port of a large city. There were no people or ships, just old, decrepit houses and an empty wharf leading to the sea on one side, and winding city streets leading to a tall castle on the other. The sunlight emanating from Sofia spread far, but things in the distance were still blurry, the sky, especially, looked like a second roiling sea. The sky was what Sofia had been hearing.

“Were there civilizations in the Gods’ realm? Just where did that voice take us?”