Abyssal Awakening-Chapter 740: Yvael’s Footsteps
Chapter 740: Yvael’s Footsteps
“She was the one who created the Ritual style of casting and established the system of contracts. If it wasn’t for her, the Eclipse might not be what it is today.”
Alice felt her heart skip a beat.
Yvael Velcarion. . . A single woman who existed before the formation of Ayr was. . .
Responsible for every school of casting and even ritual casting?
In an age where information was unknown, she alone stood at the top, pioneering the various methods of manipulating energy. Methods that even Gods saw fit to use in order to receive offering from their followers.
What they deem as common knowledge now was all. . .
“Damn. . .” Alice muttered.
“Yeah, that’s a pretty accurate reaction. But in order to achieve the level of progress that she achieved, you can imagine the sacrifices it’s built upon.” Cayla reminded as Alice nodded with a slight frown on her face.
“Regardless, I don’t believe I need to say more on why she shouldn’t be looked into. As great as she was, a woman like this is better off being forgotten, no matter how impressive her feats may be.” Cayla shrugged.
Had Yvael stuck with just advancing standard casting, her name would’ve been carved into the history books for all to see and know about. But because of the lines that she crossed, the taboos that she violated, her existence was erased.
To ensure that the next generation and the generations that are to follow will never step onto the same path as that woman.
Though. . .
Turning her gaze towards Alice, Cayla felt a little ominous.
Alice was. . . strange to say the least.
In the time that she’s gotten to know this split haired girl, Cayla understood one thing.
When inspiration strikes, not even Alice can stop it. The way she sees the world, how she theorises on the combination of energy and even creating false resonances.
Conventional wisdom and logic does not apply to her. She’s someone who breaks out of the common shell and transcends beyond. A pioneer.
Though in this case, perhaps that’s not the truth.
Every idea, every combination. . . they have all been applying the foundation’s of Yvael’s wisdom to an unnaturally high degree. Uncanny even.
All this time, Cayla thought of it as a coincidence. That anyone, with Alice’s experience and training, guidance under Kaden and his tutoring in the Inverted World would be able to reach this stage.
But, now that Yvael’s name has been brought up, Cayla couldn’t help but take a step back and observe the situation as a whole.
Based on what Alice had said, she shouldn’t have gotten prior knowledge on casting before Kaden.
And Kaden only taught her the fundamentals of casting. How to modify and make things more efficient.
He taught her Emission, Channelling and Convergence.
But Alice on her own figured out Binding, Transmutation, Invocation and Fracturing all on her own.
Then there’s also learning about establishing contracts between her and Alyss.
Ritual casts aren’t unfamiliar either.
And to apply all of that self discovered knowledge into triggered casts. . .
Something was wrong.
It felt like the discoveries that Alice had made was following in Yvael’s shadow. Each step that Alice took traced Yvael’s and perhaps, they’ll end up at the same destination.
Once would be a coincidence, twice would be luck. But more than that? And for it to keep repeating?
Then that’s design.
When the right conditions are met, the right sparks of inspiration, it’s as though Alice’s mind unlocks a piece of knowledge and applies it to her current powers. Enhancing her casting to the next level.
And eventually, she’ll reach the level of Yvael.
Had she not mentioned Yvael, Cayla might not have noticed that something was wrong until it was too late.
But now that the connection has been made, it was impossible not to notice.
‘Telling her to stop casting isn’t an option either. . . She needs this kind of power to deal with the dangers ahead. Without the foundation of Yvael’s knowledge somehow being traced with each discovery, Alice would’ve died many times already.’ Cayla frowned.
The fact that Alice was walking Yvael’s path sent alarm bells ringing in Cayla’s mind but she had to force herself to ignore it.
“Ah!!!” Blinking her eyes, Cayla didn’t notice Alice poking the tip of her nose.
“I didn’t think even dear Cayla would lose herself in deep thought like this.” Alice chuckled as Cayla took a step back with an embarrassed blush.
“You’re worried aren’t you?” Alice stood up and leaned against the railings of the second floor.
She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling with no end. This library that seemed to stretch on forever.
“I can tell ya know? That things are weird now that Yvael’s in the equation. I’m not so blind as to not realise how freakishly similar ‘my ideas’ and her ideas are. The way I approach casting, especially triggered casting that I haven’t seen before is practically a mirror image of what she does.
“Even now, now that I know who she is and what she’s responsible for, I can feel inspiration right around the corner. Like a thin veil between me and the next big idea. I just need one tiny push and no doubt recreate something that Yvael’s probably known for.” Alice chuckled, raising one hand above her.
She looked at her own flow of energy and for a moment, they felt foreign for her.
Alice understood Cayla’s gaze. One of wariness and worry.
Closing her eyes for a moment, Alice clenched her fist.
“I can probably do it.”
“Do what?” Cayla tilted her head in confusion.
“My sixth Sigil. I can probably figure out a way to form a resonance between three subjects. Yvael’s books, my Sigil and lastly, my own soul. I can overlay the ‘history’ of the books, the spells that was cast with my own soul and see if a connection is made.
“And if it is, I’ll probably be able to figure out the connection between us. Though. . .” Alice hesitated. “I’m not sure if there are any unintended side effects. Last time I overlayed the Jester Sigil, it felt as though a portion of the soul came alive. It even asked me a question.
“So what do you think? Should I give it a try?”
Furrowing her brows, Cayla paused in deep thought.
Indeed, if she was to overlay Yvael’s cast with the sixth Sigil, they might be able to figure out what happened to her and why Alice is rediscovering her ideas.
After a long pause, Cayla smiled and shook her head.
“I don’t think that’s quiet necessary. Yvael’s Yvael, you’re you. She’s simply a hollow of the past and you’re here in the now. No matter what kind of crime she committed, no matter the taboo’s that she violated, you two are separate entities.
“And I’ve known you long enough to know that you won’t turn out like her. Velouria accepted you as her successor after all.” Cayla grinned.
Indeed, it was foolish of her to even think about doubting in the first place. Even if Yvael’s involved, even if Alice is tracing her footsteps, at the end of the day, Alice wasn’t Yvael.
She is Alice Agnelia, a girl who’s finding her way through the world despite the heavy burden placed on her shoulder.
And as the Eye of the Abyss who’s accepted Alice as her master, Cayla’s role is to simply support Alice through her journey.
“You say that but you still doubted a little.” Alice chuckled, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.
“Oh hush it. Don’t act like you’ve never doubted and me and Alyss hadn’t needed to comfort your ass until you could stand on your own two feet again.” Cayla rolled her eyes, smacking Alice with her hand.
“Hey! That doubt and this doubt is very different okay? I can’t believe you would even doubt that I’ll start committing heresy in the name of finding ‘truth’ or some sh*t.” Alice grumbled, picking Cayla up as though she was a large doll.
“I forgive you for this okay? So you better forget about me sealing you.”
“Hell no! That’s different to this!” Cayla raged. “That was you stripping me of my power without consulting with me!
“And sure, maybe you won’t commit heresy in the name of truth but don’t act like you won’t do it if it meant making the best mead in the world.”
Hearing no response, Cayla paused and turned her head up.
She saw the awkward twitching smile on Alice’s face with the slightest hint of drool pooling in her mouth and a vein bulged on her neck.
“Gods dammit! Is alcohol all you think about woman!”
“What?! I mean, you can’t blame me right? Think about it. What is best anyways? That’s subjective right? So if a mead is considered the best, that means it fits everyone’s tastes! Sweet, spicy, sour and so on ya know? And it has to be good enough that it beats their favourite mead already!” Alice held Cayla away from her with how much she was throwing her tiny limbs around.
She felt like she was holding a feral cat right now.
“Who the hell commits taboo for mead!? I’m banning you from drinking for the next week!”
“WHAT!? You can’t do that to me!” Alice’s pupils constricted.
“Oh yes I can! Dammit you’re definitely not Yvael. You’re worse! At least she was gunning for truth! You’re gunning for a drink!”
With the two arguing, the security above couldn’t help but turn its head towards them. But after a brief moment, it chose to drift a little further away instead.
Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l
