The Calling

"How do I get to them? Eo told me to jump," I said, looking around for the ledge.

"Eo? So... she has broken her pact..." Providia muttered.

"Her pact? What does that mean?" I asked her while walking around to find the ledge.

"Her pact with Providence and I, to let Sky live in this world while we train him to be a Deity. He was pretty strong when he killed me." She said.

Huh?

"Killed you? I don't think he did that, considering you're still here and talking to me." I told her.

Dammit... where is this ledge?!

"I'm a Strand-Entity, I don't die from losing my body. In other words, I'm wondering how you got here since I wasn't tracing you... what do you want from here?" Providia asked me.

"I want Deity DNA," I told her.

Providia instantly raised her finger and pointed to our left-hand side.

"If you want Deity DNA, it's because something bad is going to happen. The ledge is over there. Down there is Ali Asterio, mother of Sky, Providence, and Illya. The three Deities in this world all possess DNA, but getting the DNA from Ali would provide you with the highest chance of survival from whatever it is you want to fight." Providia told me.

"I want to fight Illya. What are my chances of success with Ali's DNA?" I asked Providia again. She went silent for a moment, looking at the ground as we both ran over to the ledge she pointed out and held up one finger.

"One percent." She said to me.

"One percent?! Get real, that bitch doesn't have much longer if I keep getting mad." I told Providia.

Calm down Dani... calm down... even one percent is still a chance...

"Illya may have broken her pact with us because of Eo, but that doesn't mean that she's not smart and powerful. Illya has her standing for a reason, as we all do. I can't fight her, and I'm pretty sure I can kill you... so I don't think you have a high chance of winning." Providia told me.

"Sorry, but I have nothing to prove to you right now to suede your thinking in a different direction. I don't think Illya will survive against me, not after I get this DNA." I told the strange girl.

"So be it, but I also don't think you understand what Illya is like at full power. I don't know you, but I can almost guarantee that you have not even seen her fight." She told me.

Damn... she was right. I never even seen Illya think she was in danger... was I in over my head?

I can't think those things... Eo, and even Umbra had recognized my strength, knowing how different we were from each other... I have to do this, whether I lose or not.

"No, I haven't. I haven't seen her fight seriously... but I'm not here to watch, I'm here to do. Is that the ledge I need to jump off of?" I asked Providia.

"Precisely. Once your jump off that, I cannot help you out anymore, so I'll explain everything I can on the way." She said, beginning her explanation.

Seizing DNA from either Deity is no simple task, and must be done with consent between both parties. You seem to have a White Stone... you can't obtain Deity DNA unless you're fully corrupt. Do you meet those requirements?" She asked me again.

"Yes, I've met maximum Corruption. Why do I need to be fully Corrupt? I never understood that." I told Providia.

"You've ruined yourself. You've destroyed what it means to be an independent human, and you have depended on others for power during your struggles, which means that your vessel is open. System Corruption is a warning that you expose your vessel to Deities who may need your strands or body to replenish their own. You're vulnerable, that is all." Providia said.

I understand... that's why Illya waited until Sky's Corruption was at the maximum level. Without it, she couldn't have controlled him... I understand...

"Then, Providia, does that mean Illya can get into my body?" I asked her while we continued to run.

"I've already tried to possess you to replenish myself, and no, I haven't been able to control you. You must be a special case, which makes you a threat to Illya." She said. And she said it so calmly! She tried to possess me?

Why am I a special case? This is just creating more questions than answering them...

Providia stopped quickly by sliding on the ground and she peered over the edge as we finally got to it.

Looking over the edge was... a nightmare... the ground was raised, destroyed, and littered with sparkling strands. There was a dome, just like in the real world. And there were attacks going on that I couldn't process...

The air was shaking with the intensity of the attacks! What the hell is going on down there?!

"That is Ali. The girl with the markings on her face, without the weird clothing. Right now, she's holding off Providence. I'm thoroughly impressed... I did not expect Ali to put up this much opposition against Providence. Now is a prime time to strike." Providia told me.

[DODGE DANI]

I back-stepped just in time to escape a flying saber from Providia's hand tracing the lining of my neck.

"I'm curious about your vessel. I want it." She said.

I dodged backward as far as I could while keeping her in my vision, summoning a saber in my hand to defend if need be. Why did she wait this long to strike?!

"Now is really not the time. I don't have the energy nor power to fight you. Let me get what I want and I'll leave you alone." I demanded from the girl.

This isn't good! If I fight Providia, then I risk throwing myself under Corruption just to win... can I even win against her? I couldn't sense her attack with this very obvious newfound sixth sense that I had in my body ever since I got this White Stone...

"Leave her alone, Providia."

[Leave her alone, Providia]

The text and speech followed right behind each other in an echo as a girl walking barefoot in the black water passed by my side while wielding a red saber in her right hand.

"What are you doing here?" Providia asked her.

Dammit... what the hell is going on right now?

"Son of a bitch... that's why I can't possess her. You already got her, Faith!" Providia screamed at the little girl standing beside me... who I now knew to be Faith...

Faith...?

Like... Faith Asterio...?