Return of the Fallen Volume 12 Chapter 2
Sharing Arc’s senses, Kazuki took a look down at his body, or rather the lack of body. His body was no more. Instead what he saw was Arc’s original form that he knew. The Gosechu box floated silently in Chaotic space. Inscriptions written in the ancient language lit up across Arc’s body. He was no longer in his ring form leading Kazuki to ask.
(My body was destroyed and yours, why did you return to this box shape?)
(Interesting. You seem to have little concern when it comes to your lack of physical form but are more intrigued as to my reversion. Can you not look around and understand? Must I explain everything?)
Kazuki went quiet for a moment and observed the current situation. Time and space continuously bent and folded all around. At the same time, cosmic bodies the size of Lower Realms collided and exploded repeatedly. Waves of strange power struck Arc multiple times and each time this happened Kazuki could feel Arc using its power to defend itself. Now it was all coming together.
(You are…conserving energy.)
(Ding ding ding ding. Exactly. Existing as a ring was simple enough and used such an insignificant amount of energy to maintain that it was laughable but after getting dragged into this place I had to cut multiple corners just to maintain this state. By the way, you’re welcome.)
Kazuki didn’t need a guess to realize that Arc had somehow saved him once again. Although his body and even his aura were gone, his consciousness was still around. This though begged the question.
(Arc, you did something to end up in that state, no for both of us to end up like this, and I can’t even feel my aura…Can we just cut to the chase and you tell me what in the 7 Realms of Hell happened.)
To his surprise, Arc really did just that. Arc stopped rubbing it in and cut through all the shit.
(The moment we got sucked into Chaotic space, you were instantly torn to shreds.)
(I already know that. I’m asking about my aura, my soul. If I am here, I should still be able to feel my aura but it’s like there’s just nothing left.)
(Correct.)
…
(What?)
Kazuki was stunned as Arc continued.
(Before you interrupted me I was going to mention this. You were obliterated from your physical body down to every atom all the way to the aether of your soul. There was truly nothing left. You died in body mind and soul just then.)
No words could describe how Kazuki felt at this moment. He simply couldn’t think of anything.
(Luckily I am the one true. I was forced to use every ounce of my Origin energy and even had to borrow some from the blank book and the dull sword just to recover you. Now I owe those two Artifacts so you best be ever fucking grateful. This debt I owe is now your debt to them. Remember that.)
Kazuki instinctively looked down at his storage ring where the blank book and the sword Artifact were but, of course, his ring was destroyed and so too was his hand and everything else with it.
As he thought about the two of them, just like that the two of them appeared within Arc. The blank book and the sword floated in front of Kazuki before to his surprise he heard a soft and angelic-like voice.
(Arc is correct but also wrong. We used the last of our Oring energy to help but it was Arc who asked for our help. Therefore it is Arc who owes us but you still owe from earlier so your debt with us still stands. You must fulfill your promise and see to it we are returned to our previous master.)
Arc was annoyed.
(Shut it you empty book. I owe you nothing! In the end, if you did not spare some energy Kazuki would no longer exist and therefore his promise could never be fulfilled. It is his debt and his alone and you know it!)
The empty book grumbled and mumbled something but it was difficult to make out. It seemed to know its place in this regard and did not argue.
Kazuki though was just glad to still exist in whatever instance that may currently be.
Kazuki sincerely thanked the two of them.
(As you have said I owe you both and I have no intention of going back on my word.)
The sword danced around a bit as if it were happy while the book interpreted the large sword’s movements.
(Sword is glad that its power did not go to waste. I as well am thankful. Most beings are selfish and greedy, though I guess we will see as things go forward.)
Kazuki looked at the sword and book with curiosity.
(Um…Book is it?)
(You may call me Codex and the dopy sword dancing around. You may just address it as Sword.)
(Right. I was wondering something. How is it that I can communicate with you? You and Arc may both be Artifacts but Arc, not to inflate its ego but Arc is special. If I’m not recognized as your master, I shouldn’t be able to hear you right? So how are we communicating?)
Codex tilted slightly, motioning at Arc and Arc answered itself.
(This goes back to what I was saying before you two morons went off on your own tangent. In order to bring you back, it required some…workarounds. Borrowing the book and sword’s energy, I used everything I could and paused time at the exact moment of your destruction. I could not recover your body and your soul was already set to scatter and explode all at once. Still, I took in every last bit of those fragments, and in something I know I may end up regretting, I fused a part of me to you or rather to your soul. All that you are, technically speaking is now a small sliver of me or rather I am a part of you. However you wish to define it, the point is, you and I are no longer separate entities, at least not fully.)
Once more another bomb was dropped and Kazuki was dumbfounded.
(We…we are together.)
Arc was just honest and told Kazuki everything.
(Yes in some places. You see, my almighty soul is far and away superior to your measly tattered soul fragments. Because of this, you have just barely managed to stay in existence. Hmph, if I had my missing piece I would not have had to fuse with you. I could have simply gone back to before your soul was destroyed. Hell, I could have gone back to before you and I were ever sucked into this place and wiped the floor with that bastard Adigus.)
(Stop, wait a second, let me think…Are you saying, I am trapped and stuck together with you for…forever?)
(Don’t sound too excited. The damage to your soul was extensive but since I am a part of you, this damage will naturally revert and you will be whole once again though with some of me along with it. Eventually, you will have your aura once more, and at that point as long as there is enough magical energy around, it will take nothing for you to make a new body. Though since I am with you now, the body will not exactly be the same.)
Kazuki was now realizing a million different things. The reason his thoughts had begun to drag and slow and then disappear entirely. it was because his soul had been scattered and was actively being obliterated. His thoughts only returned after Arc had fused part of itself with Kazuki to protect his soul and as the pieces were actively recovering, his thoughts and consciousness had returned.
(You did not answer my question. Is this forever? Will I always have a part of you attached to me, fused to my soul?)
Arc laughed.
(Do you think this almighty one would ever allow such a thing? Don’t be so stupid Kazuki. I kept you alive for a single purpose, my missing piece. Removing you from me would be simply like removing a stain and nothing more. The situation simply required me to get creative to keep you in existence.)
(Great. So what do we need to do to separate ourselves from one another?)
(So impatient. Funny if you could tap into the power I contain and control it, the enemies you so desperately fight, the foes you bet your life on defeating could all be wiped from this Realm and all Realms with a mere thought. Yet instead of trying to gain some advantages and insights into the depths of my power, you are oh so ready to run away. I wonder if you can even comprehend just how fortunate you are. How many would give up everything just to get a small taste of my power? Kazuki you are a strange one indeed.)
Kazuki did not care about Arc’s so-called power. He still didn’t even necessarily believe such a power existed. Otherwise, the person with such power would rule everything everywhere all at once. Arc though was a mere Artifact that could not even traverse the realms without energy.
(Oh so great and powerful being, just tell me how we can separate from one another as quickly as possible.)
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