40 Ascension

A terrible pressure spawned inside my head. My consciousness started to fade. I just kept swinging my sword. It was all I could do.

[-Level Increased-]

The level increases were growing further and further apart, but I paid it no heed. I was getting close...

A waterfall stretched out in front of me, and I could hear it roaring like a lion. A young girl was by my side, holding a fishing pole. Her smile brightened up the gloomy morning. Then she slipped and fell into the water. I dove after her, grabbing her hand. I couldn't find footing in the rushing water. With a heavy heart, I used what strength I had to toss my daughter out of the rapids. She cried out as I fell over the edge, but I was content. To die saving someone I love… That's a fine way to go out.

…

I was running! The pack howled. I howled too. Pup stolen. Man smell. We chase. We hunt. Save child!

…

My body ached. I had bruises in spots I didn't know could bruise. Master claimed it was for my assassin training, but I think he really did it because he wanted to. I hobbled over to the mirror in the corner of the room. My face was bruised bad. Thankfully, my hair was already red. If I was born a blonde I'm certain the blood would have stained it.

Tomorrow is my first big test. I don't know if I can handle it. I've never taken a life before, and I don't really want to. Master will probably get rid of me if I don't, though. He wants me to take over his legacy… I can't let him down. Not after all he's done for me. I will do what I must.

…

The sky thundered and the clouds shined brighter than the stars behind them. I had finally evolved. Three hundred years I had spent in waiting. Father couldn't stop me now. He promised.

I cast my eyes out and stared at the view one last time. The humans have built wonders. I wanted to see them. I wanted to meet them. They were such a small race, but so lively. I'll be careful not to scare them. I'll greet them in the ancient language. Surely that will warm them up to me.

This world is vast, and I want to see all of it. One day, I'll return to the mountain. Until then… Farewell, Father.

…

Memories. My head was filled with memories I'd never seen before. They played all at once. It overwhelmed me. Hallucinations distracted me and I found my attacks slowing. The monsters were landing blows on my body. It was disgraceful to let something as low as a rank 6 even touch me.

I could feel my eyes watering. The images, sounds, smells, tastes, and fears of my past lives and of those souls I've absorbed in this world all began to assault me.

[-Level Increased-]

I could see what they've seen.

[-Level Increased-]

I could feel their emotions.

[-Level Increased-]

It wasn't just their memories. Thoughts pervaded too. I wasn't just a spectator. These weren't movies… These were me.

They were me.

Every crushing defeat, every overwhelming win, every death, and every birth coalesced in the space between my ears.

Between our ears.

Once I conquered China. I've been a mother, before. I've been a father too. I've had innumerable families and I cared about each and every one.

The memories slowed and the universe grew. I could see it. I could see the mana holding this plane of existence together. I could see the runes scribed onto it, trapping and forcefully breaking down the dying souls. More importantly, I could see the souls too. They wailed as they shattered.

There was another soul, within me. I could see him, now. He looked so familiar, but I couldn't put a name to his face.

[Solution: The user's memory of this guide have been tampered with.]

Ah. Why does he call himself 'this guide' when I can clearly see his soul?

[Solution: The user is currently undergoing ascension. This guide must remain professional in order to provide needed assistance.]

What a strange soul. It addresses me as 'The User'. I wonder why it does so? Why doesn't it just call out my name…

What is my name?

[Solution: The user's name is Calliope.]

My name is Calliope? Ah, I think I do remember being called that. It's faint, though. Isn't it strange? I've had thousands of names, but I can't seem to remember any of them.

[Solution: When a body dies its name dies with it. The user's current body is named Calliope.]

Interesting. So I am Calliope? This husk is quite nice. Whoever designed it had a flair for the arts.

I looked around at all the body parts littering the ground. How delightful! I could make a husk easily with them. This extra soul shouldn't be in the same husk with me. I could just remove it, but seeing how the other souls suffer and cry in pain when they touch the runes bound to this reality, that would be cruel.

With a wave of my hand, the body parts began to break down into their base forms. I reorganized them and built them up into a proper husk. It was male with long golden hair and a terrific body. It was quite well made, if I do say so myself.

Next I extracted the extra soul from my husk. The process of transferring souls into new host bodies was terribly exhausting, but it felt right.

[Solution: Calliope!]

The soul cried out in alarm, but that was to be expected. It did feel oddly nice when it called my name. It's a shame I couldn't remember its name.

The soul was fused into the husk, but it would need time to properly acclimate to it. It wasn't a terribly powerful soul, so it would acclimate quickly.

It took maybe an hour at most before the body woke up. He looked at me with a puzzled expression before looking down at his own hands.

"H-how? Calliope… What have you done?" He asked, looking terribly estranged.

"I do not wish to share this husk with another soul, so I created you your own," I replied, flipping my hand with my speech.

For some reason, he hit his knees and began crying into his hands. The monsters in the area stopped approaching. Perhaps they could sense that part of me was the same as them. I could remember the suffering. I could remember the pleasure in finding rat carcasses to devour. A life of undeath was a terrible fate. Feeling your insides rot was a torture I wouldn't wish on even the vilest of souls.

"Calliope, are you still you?" Asked the man.

"I am me," I said with a sour look, "I do not know who me is, but I am me. Who are you?"

"... Gone?" He mumbled.

"Gone? I am right here. I am Calliope," I said.

"No. I meant Nox! He's always been in my head. He's always been locking pieces of me away… And now he's gone…"

The man ran towards me. I could tell he had no hostile intentions, so I didn't stop him. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. It was a bit weird since his body was naked, but I'm the one who made that body so it wasn't that weird. He sobbed on my shoulder. He must have been suffering a terrible weight…

A strange pulse ran through me. I could feel my memories begin to resurface.

I was floating in an endless void. All around me memories, black and marred with cracks, receded. In the center stood a golden ball. It was calling to me.

I moved forward slowly. The ball was emitting a terribly strong light, but it didn't hurt. It felt warm.

I reached my hands forward and thrust them into the ball.

New memories. Memories of my last life. Memories of my adventure in the Gransus Kingdom. Memories of my friends. Memories of me. Memories of Nox… And memories of RED.

I opened my eyes and met RED's stare. His new body was my avatar from Saga Heroes Online, an avatar I based on my real life looks. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a bit awkward staring down a naked fantasy of my old self.

"Hey, RED," I said with a smile.

"Welcome back, Calliope."