CHAPTER 218

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Kneeling on the floor, I opened another book on the subject of soul transmutation and started to read, I had lost count of how many books I had read so far, or how many days I had spent in the library, weeks? Months? I guess it really didn't matter.

The book I had opened, described in great detail how to gain power through the absorption of other beings, and how the ritual in question changed depending on the being.

The process seemed easy enough. According to the book, all I had to do was carve a runic circle following clear instructions to summon the being I wanted to absorb, and then pull his soul into mine, overpowering his, with mine.

Needless to say, this particular spell was seemingly easy, was deceivingly hard, for it required a vast array of rather complicated runes and spells to work, with each one having to be perfect, for even the slightest mistake could lead to an unstable fusion.

But I wasn't worried, not for me, my powers left very little room for error, I was worried about Alice, and the damage she could do to my universe in this quest of hers.

"Why do you seek to absorb another being into you?" Cagliostro asked, snapping me out of my train of thought.

"Not that I want to, but is either that or the end of all life, possibly," I sighed, turning to face the old sorcerer.

"I see," Cagliostro nodded, seeming to muse over my answer, "Is it an absolute point you seek to prevent?"

I shook my head, my lips forming a thin line before answering, "No… It's complicated…" I sighed, brushing my hair with one hand as I tried to organize my thoughts.

"I find all stories have a beginning," Cagliostro smiled, taking a seat on the floor in front of me.

I chuckled, he was almost like the Ancient One, "I guess I can share if you are willing to hear." 

He nodded, giving me the green light to go.

"Well, let's see… Are you aware of the multiverse? Forget, stupid question, like sixty books you wrote talk about it," For a moment there, I had forgotten he was the author of several books I had read about the subject, "Anyway, a version of me, that's not really a version of me… came to our universe, and from the get-go, it was easy to see she was… unstable."

"How so?" Cagliostro asked.

"Well, she was the literal definition of crazy, but that was okay, it was… something I didn't mind that much," I sighed, closing my eyes for a second, "The thing was, I never felt completely relaxed around her, you see… my powers allow me to see and feel with certainty whose an ally or whose not, and she never was… an ally."

"But she wasn't an enemy either," Cagliostro concluded.

"Yes, she was in the in-between, the grey area, not an enemy, not an ally," I nodded, "I attributed that to her not trusting me, or to things of her past, and decided to give her time, but well… she decided to do something really dangerous, she decided to… eat a celestial, with an incomplete spell of yours."

"I see," Cagliostro sighed, "And I suppose you intend to do just that, but before her, right?"

"Yes, sadly, when I discovered what she was doing, I didn't… deal with her properly at the time, I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, to let her explain, but instead, she escaped my grasp, and is, as we speak, absorbing power to have enough to eat the celestial… and well… if she fails, we are fucked," I sighed.

"Do you seek to save her?" He asked, and for a moment, I pondered over his question, at one time, sure, I did, but now? No, she was far too dangerous, too unpredictable to be left alive, she was a threat I didn't have the luxury to ignore.

"No," I replied, my tone full of resolve as I looked into his eyes.

Cagliostro nodded, and without a word left without looking back, I wasn't sure if he was judging me or contemplating my answer, I honestly did not care, Alice had to die, she had carved her own destiny in blood, and now, she had to reap what she had sowed. After all, you eventually have to face up to the consequences of your actions.

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After a few extra days of research, it was time to test the spell and see how it worked at firsthand.

Drawing the runes on the floor with a simple thought, I pushed my body a few feet above the air, levitating my entire body while crossing my legs, setting myself in a comfortable sitting position midair.

"Here goes nothing," I said, activating the runic circle. Invoking my first creature, a giant black bird with six eyes, sighing I looked at the creature who defiantly roared in my face before proceeding with the spell.

Light pouring out of my eyes and mouth, I pushed the creature into a merging state, transforming his very being into pure energy as thousands of feathers flew off the creature merging with me, as the beast roared defiantly fighting my pull before I finally managed to absorb its entire being.

I panted, the merging process had been, weird.

I could feel the creature, no longer as an individual, but as a part of me.

I could also feel all of his power, being mine.

I was stronger, that much I knew, not by much, but enough to be noticeable, the creature itself had given me a few levels, just by consuming it.

Not only that but all that made this creature unique, his power, his memories, everything.

"Well, this will come in handy," But before I jumped the rope, I had to confirm it would not bring me any side effects, the last thing I wanted was to turn into an Eldritch being because of it.