Chapter 1063 (1/2)

While Randidly narrowed his focus and immerse himself in the sensation, the sense of fulfillment from the expulsion of Nether once more threatened to engulf him. As much as he had been reinforced from his repeated successes over the Eidolon Crucible, it was still dangerous to expose himself to too much to its influence.

Which was exactly the opinion of the main body that Randidly could feel through the anger, helplessness, and fear that was radiating palpably through their connection. Randidly wasting his time testing the sensation was not bringing the main body any sense of security.

Randidly pressed his lips into a line. And suddenly you are completely capable of understanding what is going on with me huh? How convenient.

Then again, the arrival of the Nether Well in his chest was probably an extremely noticeable event for the main body. Suddenly one of the images was being isolated from outside influences, and also became a font of Nether, which had thus far proven to be an extremely destabilizing influence on all of Randidly.

And yet…

No, not yet. Randidly ignored the increasingly desperate flow of Aether from the main body and immersed himself in the Nether Well that was quickly ingratiating itself into his existence. The sensation of wholeness from release grew and grew until it became all Randidly could sense. The sensation of his image body faded away to nothing. The feeling was so consuming that even his sharpened will wavered. But suddenly, Randidly sensed that the Nether Well had completely finished connecting to him.

At this point, they had become one.

The natural thrill in that knowledge was primal. Just like with an Aether Crossroads, it was profoundly instinctually rewarding to be part of this eternal cycle of energy. So much so that the first time one experienced the sensation it was too overwhelming to parse apart. You could only allow yourself to be swept away by it.

Of course, Randidly realized he had been correct before; this was not his first time experiencing this sensation. It was exactly the same as releasing Aether.

This is what happens with Nether Wells, Randidly abruptly realized. They latch onto images and become one with them. But the image is surprised b the feeling of release and completely lets their sense of self be washed away. They become suicide bombers eventually.

Yet I wonder if the Nether Well does this purposefully… there isn’t any malice that I can feel from the Nether Well itself, it is simply a facet of the natural world. It fulfills its purpose. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t entities that release Nether Wells toward the Aether Zone purposefully…

Yet all those thoughts were too light to exist anymore and were born away in the flood of Nether emerging now from Randidly’s core. Everything without weight was dragged away. Randidly didn’t attempt to hold onto those minor thoughts at all; instead, he allowed them to be dragged inexorably away in the swirl of Nether. What remained was purpose, and Randidly honed and hammered that until it was hard as a diamond and as cutting as a butcher knife. Then he began to follow the flow of Nether.

It was not an easy journey. His mind shook and ebbed. His awareness was becoming fuzzy from the accumulated wounds his image body had suffered in the initial surge of Nether. Without repairs, he was slowly degrading. Still, Randidly persevered, allowing his perception to swim outward in that wide sea.

Because to pull back the exploding flood of Nether, Randidly would need to allow himself to go to the very edge of this expulsion. He would need to be completely lost in it.

Because then he would find the core. So Randidly swam, ripping through the tangled lines of gleaming moonlight around him.

Although Randidly tried his best to trim unnecessary thoughts, the escalating emotions from the main body were a constant source of instability. And every wavering moment of hesitation would cost him, so Randidly was forced to stop in his pursuit and pivot to address the main body’s demands.

With brutal intensity, the main body pressed with his Willpower, thrusting Aether out toward Randidly and demanding that he use it to reverse whatever was happening. And the main body really leaned on him, demanding that something be done.

Do you trust me? Randidly asked solemnly. This is not what we need to fear.

The main body hesitated. Some of the weight was removed. The Aether coiled ineffectually inside Randidly’s chest, waiting for an outlet.

I want to try, Randidly said again. He hated how soft the words sounded, even to him. But he couldn’t deny that the main body was the source of everything. He felt an almost instinctual subserviency to it. Which was infuriating.

It was also true.

This was his rebellious stand, however. He would not give in on this issue. The Nether Well shouldn’t be expelled. There was potential here. Randidly truly wanted to see the end of this.

The Nether continued to batter at Randidly’s distracted sense of purpose while the main body weighed the decision. Randidly felt the fuzziness dig inward from the edges of his mind, seeking to corrupt his core.

Please, hurry.

There was a pause, and then a sigh that reverberated through Randidly’s entire existence. Such a choice is dangerous. You will become a monster. Not literally, but something that the System hates to his core. Something even more reviled than a Heretic. In its mind, Aether and Nether cannot coexist. We have already attracted so much attention… it is dangerous to take on another aspect of the unusual.

...Monsters have long claws.

So they do. And it’s not like the System has ever been our ally. For a split second, a vicious smile reverberated through their connection. One that was immediately mirrored on Randidly’s own face. And then the main body withdrew his focus, taking his Aether with it.