Chapter 40: Ominous Voices

~Arika's POV~

When she saw Sin-Vira run into the cave, she looked back up at the peak and narrowed her eyes at it. The climb to the peak was quite high but was reachable so long as she was careful.

The reason she followed Sin-Vira out in the first place, was because she saw a vision where he was trapped in the mountain after lightning struck the peak. It happened when the room turned pure white.

It was likely just a coincidence, but she couldn't sit back and allow it to happen. She would rather make a fool out of herself than regret not preventing it.

She never believed in superstitions even though her existence was far from normal, but she was paranoid enough to not sit and let such a vivid image happen.

Arika began climbing towards the peak, with the staff tucked under the ribbon around her waist.

Halfway through her climb, her foot slipped from a loose footing and nearly fell. She managed to grip onto another footing and looked down. It would've been a nasty fall…

The peak of the mountain gave her enough room to stand with her feet planted firmly on the ground.

"This is such a bad idea…" she mumbled.

Though she was fully clothed, the buckets of rain pouring down still worked their way into her vessel. She could feel the water filling up her calves and made her feel heavier. Her insides were made of wood, she was drenched, her insides were filled with water, and held a pointed object with reach… perfect.

Arika began to second guess her risky decision and looked down at the metal staff. Her soul was the only part of her that couldn't be replaced. If lighting could destroy the soul, she would likely Just then, an ominous presence loomed from behind.

"If you fear dying, why bother risking it?" A deep voice asked. It didn't sound normal, almost divine. Maybe a subconscious she never knew existed.

When she whipped her head back, she saw no one around her. It was likely all in her head, but she answered regardless. "Because I want to save them."

"Save them? Or save… him?" the voice asked.

The question irritated her. To question her morals like that. "I want to save them all! If I can prevent anyone from dying, I'll do it!" she shouted. Raising the staff above her head and closing her eyes tightly. Death was something she experienced once. If she had to experience it again, it wouldn't be in vain this time.

The voice's deep chuckle echoed through her mind. They sounded amused by her answer.

"Good answer. Then I'll offer my assistance. To prevent your soul from shattering at least…"

Arika bit her bottom lip when she heard the sound of thunder. Soon after, she felt an agonizing sensation shoot through her. She screamed in a way she never thought she could. Parts of her gloves were burnt and the exposed parts were scorched black and her skin cracked.

Without the chance to process the agony, another bolt struck down and broke a part of her arm off. She could see the strings attached to her arm fraying and smoking. The pain wasn't something she had felt for over ten years. Shattering her ankle never hurt, her arm falling off, or her body being taken apart. It only stung. But the pain went straight to her soul and she could feel it crack slightly.

She wearily looked back to see a crowd of snapdragon workers pouring out of the cave. The pain was still aching, but it made her feel like the agony was worth it when she saw Sin-Vira running out.

"Do you want him to see you like this?" The voice asked.

Arika staggered as she looked at her destroyed arm. "N-no… he can't find out… l-like this…" she spoke in barely a whisper. She could feel her knees close to giving out on her. If she were to fall, she would be meeting the ground shortly.

"Then I shall interfere, but only a little. This story… amuses me…" the voice's echoing in her mind was the last she could process before dropping the staff and falling backward. Likely to her death or something worse.