'I... I messed up...'
With two minds and the doubled benefits of [Soul Watch], Ariandel possessed an extraordinary mental capacity. He could focus entirely on the battle and still drift into thought.
To obtain the first of the keys, the Carapace Centurion had to be slain after being struck by lightning... but Ariandel had rushed the script too much. Now, as he watched his main body drive the Dream Blade into the monster's back, he could only lament the lost Memory...
'I'll have to create another opportunity somehow to claim the armor.'
Exasperated, he watched the blade sink deeper into the equivalent of the Carapace Centurion's nape under the weight of his strength.
The poor creature shuddered, fighting the inevitable.
'Man... how tenacious is this little guy?' A long silver sword was deeply embedded in the creature's neck, and yet the Spell had not yet proclaimed its death.
'I should twist the bla—'
CRACK BOOM!—
'Huh? What is this strange feeling... between one mind clouded and another lulled into slumber? Why is everything so white?'
In that moment, a mighty bolt of lightning struck the heart of the small island.
Given the monster's towering height, the lightning was instantly drawn to the hilt of the sword planted in its body, pointing skyward at a perfect angle. The long blade in Ariandel's hands became, quite suddenly, a lightning rod.
In a single instant, hundreds of millions of volts surged through the bodies linked by the silver blade.
In a blinding flash, the main body blacked out, and the Refraction was left split between its own mind and the drowsy consciousness of its master. Wisps of smoke rose from the armored body and the fallen form atop it, both unmoving.
Surreally, arcs of residual electricity danced along the monster's chitin, slowly gathering around the crimson patterns. Under that influence, the pattern shifted, turning incandescent white.
The Refraction stared at it, stunned.
'By the dead go—'
But before she could finish the thought, Ariandel's mind returned from the beyond.
'Cy-n-Co-z-da-naTion!' he wailed, as pain struck him like a searing blade — cutting through every nerve, swift and merciless.
It was as though he were being torn apart from within, unbearable heat mixed with a vibration that made his very bones feel ready to burst. Every muscle spasmed violently, as if his body were trying to escape itself.
The thunder's roar still echoed in their minds, muffled by the scream they had no freedom to unleash.
"A-Ariandel!" cried Sunless, seeing Ariandel's body writhing, still clutching the sword tightly, his face contorted with pain.
"It's all right, Sunny. Don't worry too much," Artisan of Fantasy answered, now with his mind detached from the main body.
"A normal person has a decent chance of surviving a lightning strike, even more so someone like me."
He smiled, trying to seem nonchalant, but his friend, still horrified, could not tear his gaze away from the Refraction's body that spoke to him.
Before either Sunless or Nephis could form a word, a grunt was heard from the Carapace Centurion. And at last, the Spell whispered:
[You have slain an awakened monster, Carapace Centurion.]
[You have received a Memory: Starlight Legion Armor.]
[Your soul shines even brighter.]
"It's fine, everyone. The monster just died," Ariandel informed them with his usual pleasant grace, as if his shredded and still electrified body atop the smoldering chitin were no issue at all.
"Is the one up there the original?" Sunless muttered, more to himself than to Artisan of Fantasy.
"Are you all right?" asked Nephis, her expression impassive.
In truth, the Mental Sense indicated that her inner state differed from what her face revealed, but this hardly seemed the time to explore the discrepancy.
Ariandel looked from Sunless to Nephis, smiling gently, and replied:
"All right? Well... being 'all right' is subjective... How good are you at healing, and could you help with my main body?"
He then turned his awareness to the torn, burned, and numb form that was failing for reasons he preferred not to reflect upon, focusing instead against the piercing pain.
'Oh gods...' he lamented as he slowly rose from the burning chitin. 'Everything... hurts...'
Ariandel inhaled deeply, exhaled with effort, and leapt away from the second tier awakened roasting pan.
'Everything!'
His body sagged so low he had to brace himself with a knee and both palms. He retrieved the Refraction, breathed again, and tried to steady himself.
Looking at his friends — their dear, worried faces — Ariandel straightened with a faint, unshakable smile. Taking the first step, then the second, he stood tall and said:
"Please... if you wouldn't mind, of course."
Nephis blinked; Ariandel's relaxed manner, even in such a wretched state, left her momentarily at a loss.
Then her gaze grew strange... distant, as if haunted by painful memories.
She ground her teeth, hesitated for a heartbeat, then stepped closer. Another flash of lightning brutally illuminated the extent of Artisan of Fantasy's wounds.
The skin, once vibrant, was now marred by intricate blood-red arabesques — the cruel path the lightning had traced. Exposed patches where the cloth bindings hadn't protected him were burned and blackened. Even his once-proud braid was now shredded and brittle.
Nephis stopped before him, fighting the instinct to recoil. Her body trembled slightly, and her dilated pupils, nearly black, betrayed her barely-contained agony.
For a moment, her eyes met Ariandel's. He still wore that polite smile, but his calm gaze seemed to be seeing something far beyond.
Nephis's expression hardened. Still afraid, but resigned, she raised her hands to his face — burning hot to the touch, while hers were pale and cold.
Then, a soft, radiant light bloomed beneath her palms, reflecting in her grey eyes like two white dancing sparks.
Almost immediately, the face of the Changing Star twisted into a grimace of excruciating pain, and she let out a terrible, muffled cry.
Her skin turned as white as paper, and as she bit her lower lip, small drops of blood trickled down to her chin.
As the light intensified, Nephis shut her eyes tight, hot tears streaming down her pale, tortured face.
Ariandel, meanwhile, calmly reflected on the comfort brought by this new sensation. The pain receded from his body, replaced by a gentle, all-encompassing warmth. He felt as though he were being purified by something immaculate and sacred.
By a white, pure, and cleansing flame.
Under the influence of that flame, his broken body began to mend. Fractured and scorched bones were reinforced, relieved of the pressure that had threatened to shatter them.
Torn muscles and burned skin regenerated, becoming whole once more. Melted lungs and an exhausted heart were revived, instantly strong and healthy.
As he moved his chest and drew in a fresh breath, Ariandel heard Nephis's anguished moan. The white light beneath her skin dimmed and vanished, allowing the rightful darkness to reclaim its place.
Staggering back a few steps, Nephis collapsed to her knees, bracing herself with trembling hands, and vomited violently. Her whole body shook uncontrollably, as if on the verge of convulsing.
As the tremors waned, she lay down on the ground, motionless, letting the rain trickle down her face and drip from her parted lips.
Sunless watched them both, confused and horrified.
A whisper escaped his pale lips:
"Condemnation..."