Chapter 1963: A Meeting Of Two Soul Fragments
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Two Elaynes, separated by death, had fragmented into pieces. Through this singular event, Elayne was finally able to meet the other piece of herself that remained trapped within the Netherworld—the part that had fallen alongside her corpse.
But how?
How was any of this possible? To meet her other self in this space... Just what had she created by pouring her heart and raw emotions into that painting?
"How is this possible?" she whispered to herself. "I died... and yet our pieces were divided?"
"It seems even more complicated than that," said the second Elayne. "But you’re not entirely wrong. Still, you’re very different from me. I can’t find... any origin in you."
"...?"
"I believe you might be more than just a soul fragment," explained the Elayne of the Netherworld. "You might be what could save us all."
"...!" Elayne’s eyes widened in shock. "Wait, how? What’s happening? I don’t understand... Could it be these powers?"
She had acted mostly on impulse, driven by a storm of emotions—grief, longing, and unbearable sorrow. She had wanted everything she lost back. And by wishing for it so desperately, something within her powers had triggered a miracle.
What Elayne had achieved was an extraordinary fusion of several of her abilities and newly gained skills, all born from her fervent desire to reunite with what she had lost.
After their memories flowed between them, the Elayne from the Netherworld quickly understood what had happened. Having had more time to grieve and possessing the colder clarity of an undead, she could see things more clearly, unswayed by bursts of emotion.
"I see..." she said. "It has to do with that paintbrush. It is not the same as Morpheus. It is a beautiful creation—a crystallization and materialization of our memories and souls."
"?!"
"It is a dream given form. A wish," explained the Elayne from the Netherworld. "What you have attained is an incredible power, one that could finally bring all of us together... but it is not yet fully mature. It needs to grow stronger, other me."
"But how...?" Elayne asked, tears streaming down her face. "I painted... and then everyone felt so genuinely like themselves?"
"Because they were," her other self replied with a gentle smile. She reached out, wiped away Elayne’s tears, and kissed her forehead. "That paintbrush was born from our memories, our dreams, and everything that makes us who we are—fueled by the endless desire to restore what once was."
"...!"
"And the power it draws from—the Ink born from Dreams, the Ink born from Spirits—which you mixed together to create their vessels..." the other Elayne continued. "My vessel here brought us together, even if only for a moment."
"Then...?"
"There was another secret ingredient you used without realizing," she added. "Alongside the Canvas Domain, which created an endless space for your paint to expand, you must have activated Soul Canvas. That skill calls forth the souls of those with whom you’ve forged powerful bonds and empowers your paintings through Paint Projection, turning them into something real. The final piece... Ah, I see it now."
"The Dreamer Subclass!" Elayne exclaimed, the realization calming her as her mind began to work clearly. Despite her clumsy nature, she was far from foolish. When she focused, her sharp intellect always shone through.
"Exactly," the other Elayne nodded. "Two of its skills must have helped you."
"You’re right...!" Elayne said, relief washing over her. "Dream Walker let me step into this Dream Painting I created, and Dream Avatar allowed the souls of others to inhabit these Paint Spirits as avatars!"
"Yes. Dream Avatar isn’t limited to yourself—it can grant that power to others as well," the other Elayne confirmed. "Other me, while I’ve been struggling down here, fighting, growing, and saving people without ever losing my true self, I see that you’ve done the same."
Elayne nodded, letting out a soft sigh. "It hasn’t been easy... but it comforts me to know Mark is with you. And even if he’s a skeleton now, I’m happy he’s doing better than I imagined."
The other Elayne smiled warmly. "We’ve been working together, meeting remarkable people, and slowly uncovering the truth behind the Demon King of Death, the Netherworld, and how we might escape it."
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Elayne asked eagerly.
"Right now, you’ve done more than enough by giving me the relief of knowing my daughter and the girls are safe," said the other Elayne. "And through this dream, I’ve finally met the friends I’ve been searching for. Rita, Lily... everyone lost in the Netherworld. I’m so glad they’re somewhere."
"I can help you find them," Elayne offered. "You can’t sense where they are, can you?"
"No..." the other Elayne sighed. "No matter how hard I’ve tried to detect their presences, it’s only felt more hopeless... but perhaps you could help me, other me?"
"I will—no, I must!" Elayne declared, taking her other self’s hand. "Let’s paint it. A map! A map that will show us where all our beloved ones are. And with it, we’ll search for them together!"
"Yes, that sounds wonderful," her other self agreed. "But how?"
"To detect them..." Elayne murmured. "Would you lend me some of your Soul Essence?"
"Why?" her other self asked.
"I need the power you’ve cultivated on the other side—the nature of life and death you’ve been shaping," Elayne explained. "That incredible energy might be exactly what we need."
"I see. You want my nature as an undead," the other Elayne said, understanding. "Our friends lost here are likely undead as well. It makes sense. Very well."
They pressed their hands together and manifested the paintbrush once more. Their Soul Essences merged, along with their dreams and spiritual energies, blending into a beautiful rainbow paint.
This radiant paint flowed across a vast map of the Netherworld, the Real World, and even other realms, pinpointing the locations of everyone they had lost.
There, the Elayne trapped in the Netherworld finally saw the grand scale of this realm and the positions of her lost friends’ souls.
"Rita, Lily, Jenny, Silver, Belle..." her other half whispered with quiet determination. "I will find you no matter what."
At the same time, Elayne saw where the others might be. Her eyes widened as she spotted a path leading to Arcadia.
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