The First Trial's Bodies

"Next up is Belle Asterio. The one I think with the most potential, she holds the abilities of Demos, the fourth White Stone. Belle has the ability to create ice in any environment with water, and that includes the air as it holds moisture in it. However, Belle feels the repercussions the most intensely, which holds her back. She has blonde hair, like you, but a little more red." Eo explained to me.

"And, is there anybody else I should look out for? Anybody that could be as valuable as Shike as an ally?" I asked Eo, and she seemed to find an answer.

"Buusu, and her allies. Buusu has the ability to travel at the speed of light. She's probably a core element in the resistance against Illya... but getting her out of The First Trial without a body is impossible. She needs a body." Eo explained.

"E-Excuse me? She needs a body? Doesn't she have one?" Lia asked Eo. I was confused as well...

"The people of The First Trial are souls brought into existence by imagination and strands. They are pure strand beings, with the exception of Sky and Illya of course. Without real bodies, whether they're made from strands or not, they would have nowhere to go. And... The First Trial housing all of those people... they would die upon extraction. They are trapped there, and that is their purpose." Eo said.

I wasn't sure if I was the only one who noticed, but Eo is becoming more and more human as we continue talking... almost as if we knew her all along. Her mission has seemed to derive from getting Illya out of that dome, and more from rescuing the innocent and stopping Illya. I wonder what changed within her...

"I understand... you're saying they were never supposed to survive The First Trial? I understand... to turn Sky into a Deity, he must kill everything precious to him. Dani, don't you see? That's what Zeal meant. That's why our lives were meaningless... it's because we were supposed to die by Sky's hand so he could turn into a Deity... how could Zeal know something like that?" Carl said.

I was impressed by the level of thought Carl just randomly had that pulled that thought into his head. But, he was anything but incorrect. He was spot on. It made sense to me now as well.

"Then those people... Shike, Belle, Alexia, Buusu, and her allies, they are all destined to die... and they have no bodies in this world... how do we get them bodies?" I asked Eo, hoping for a sure answer that would produce results.

"That's easy. Ask a Deity to give it to them." She bluntly said.

Oh no... I know where this is going.

"I can extract them then when I get that Deity DNA... but how would I give them bodies? How would that make sense?" I asked Eo again, waiting for more answers.

"The Deity of any caliber can give out Seven different bodies to lucky, or unlucky, candidates, and turn them into White Stones," Eo said.

And that's when it all started to connect.

"Illya... she said she revived Sky, and she did so with that White Stone, didn't she?! She gave them all bodies because she was Deity... and I can give out seven bodies... then I can only pull Seven People out of The First Trial, can't I?" I asked Eo. She smiled, knowing I nailed her idea right on the head, and nodded.

"Precisely. That's why you're going in there. To give them information. To give them the hope they need to stand against Illya. This is a battle on two different fronts, and Shike, Belle, Alexia, Buusu, Mitra, Myth, and I stand at the base of it. We will push Illya out of The First Trial, and you will battle her here. That is my final plan." Eo stated.

That damn girl... that was really smart...

"Then, we have no time to waste, I'll get in there... how do I bestow the White Stones... and wait... Shike already had a White Stone..." I commented.

"By my decree... you link to them once you get the Deity DNA. That must be your first priority, finding the DNA of a Deity and implanting it into your body, however you deem necessary. You need that DNA... it all rides on that DNA." Eo said. I was kind of getting sick of that word now.

"Okay, I get it. I'll go in then. How will I know where to find them?" I asked Eo my last question.

"Oh, you'll see it. Get into The First Trial and jump off the edge of that infinite lake. That's when you'll be able to tell. Here's a tip, when you land from that height, reinforce your legs and ankles before anything else. It'll save your life." Eo said.

That kind of scared me... but there's no time for fear, not when things need to be done.

"Got it. I'm going to try to go in now." I told Eo, turning around again, sticking my hand underneath the dome, and touching Sky's shoulders.

It was like a magnet, but I was attached to him, and couldn't break apart. Has he gotten... bigger? No... it doesn't look like he has much muscle...

I couldn't describe it, but I started to blink very slowly, hoping to transition into that world, and I soon did... but felt something missing...

…

…

…

I woke up in that world, almost completely submerged in the black water.

It wasn't like water, it was heavy and sticky. It was like slime, and I couldn't pull my body from it.

I could feel those thoughts start to climb from my stomach... no... I can't fall to them... I have things I need to do.

I struggled, moving my body in a rigid way to push myself out and start running, but I could just barely lift my arms above the surface.

I pushed down on the slime, slowly wriggling my body out until my chest had finally stood above the slime. I wasn't sure why it was so thick now, of all times, but I didn't care. I want out.

I struggled more and more, eventually pushing my body out, and looking around.

The edge... where is the edge of this damn place?!

I kept looking around and felt lost around my surroundings... until I felt it.

A pressure.

An intense pressure that made me immediately scared.

Something... is to my right...

I turned my head and saw an abnormal girl with strange clothing and even stranger hair. I almost fell, but I was able to calm myself down and look at her at eye level.

She was the same height as me...

"Who the hell are you?" I asked her. Her face remained latent... almost... static...

"I am called Providia Achamo. And you are?" She asked me.

"Dani Asterio. I'm here for Sky and the others. Where can I find them?" I asked Providia.

Such a weird name... and such a weird girl...

"Over there. Sky has just triumphed over me in battle and will now fight Providence Achamo. The fight rides on him for who wins and becomes the stronger Deity." Providia stated.

Then... I was right on time!