Learning Strand Incarnation Mode

"Well, to my main question. Eo, how many of them can corrupt their systems?" Dani asked.

"Hm? Corrupt? What does that mean?" I asked, but Eo and Dani didn't pay any attention to me.

"Here's the interesting part. None of them. They're not... Arkians, like you and your friends are. I know, it might seem complicated, but since this place isn't real, neither are their Systems. Until they get to the real world, there won't be manipulating their Systems at all." Eo explained.

They were talking about things that didn't make any sense...

"However... I can power them up. Belle, Alexia, do you remember the powers you used to trap Ali and Providence?" Eo finally turned to us and spoke words we could understand.

"Yes! Wait a minute... can we still use that now? Last time, we fell unconscious for a while... and... people died..." I mumbled. I didn't mean to make everybody feel bad about what I said, but I couldn't ignore what happened.

"You've made yourself more durable to that ability. I explained the name to you earlier, but it's called Strand Incarnation Mode. Or, SIM for short." She explained.

"SIM...? Does the name have to do with those things Sky could use?" Boo asked Eo again, pacing around the destroyed battlefield.

"Exactly. But, Sky doesn't just possess them. You all do too, that's how you have your abilities and why you can use them so well. Your Strands are categorized into abilities and are not universal like Sky's strands. That being said, you have a higher affinity for Strands that have to do with your abilities. Sky can't use Ice nearly as well as Belle, and Belle is the strongest ice user in the group. The same applies to everybody." Eo explained.

I think I was starting to get it now...

"So, you're saying that Sky has a special type of strands that can do anything, while our strands can only do one thing at a better rate than his strands?" I asked Eo. She snapped her fingers and nodded.

"What kind of monster is he... you're telling me he can use our abilities as well? Even if it's not as good as ours..." Mitra mumbled, but Dani seemed the most surprised.

"Eo... there was a huge ice wall on the Isle during our war that Sky summoned. Are you telling me that he wasn't using Belle's full power there?" She asked Eo.

Eo shook her head while smiling and looking at me.

"Does that give you confidence, Belle? Knowing that Sky can perform such a feat with lower use of your ability?" Eo asked me. I blushed a little but nodded in the end. It made me feel happy... in this extreme moment of weakness for me.

"I have to warn you, however. Another thing that Sky had to worry about while growing his powers was Insanity, an affliction that would implode one's brain... or, do what Corruption does to White Stones in the Real World." Eo told us again.

There was so much damn information...

"Then, is it dangerous for the surrounding people when they feel Insanity?" Myth finally asked Eo a question, and she nodded.

"The way your strands work is far too confusing to explain without proper studies and research but to make it simple, strands work with your brain directly and bring to life things you imagine. There is a limit to this, but when your strand usage exceeds your imagination, your strands start to corrode your brain and prevent you from not only accessing the same stockpile of strands but your ability completely. If you fall into Insanity for too long, the strands will burn your brain and leave you scarred forever, possibly even leaving you braindead." Eo said.

Holy shit...

"But, that's only if we fall into Insanity for too long, right? So, we don't have to worry about that." Alexia added on. Eo nodded, and I was brought back to reality from my worries. Sometimes, when you worry about what can go wrong, you don't think about what will go right...

"Then, how do we avoid it? What are the conditions for it?" Alexia asked, taking the lead again.

"Me." Eo blatantly said. We were all confused... but we all somehow agreed to it.

"What, will you stop us or something?" Boo asked, breaking the silence.

"No. My job as Illya's Assistant was to make sure that she could defuse Insanity, but also grow her powers to be an unstoppable Deity. Sticking with her this entire time taught me a lot of how to defuse Insanity by redirecting the power to myself, considering I'm nothing but a Catalyst for her power. It's a lot less confusing when you see it, but just know you'll be safe." She said.

"Then, why the hell would you tell us that if it wouldn't matter?" Boo asked, which she had a great point.

"Because if I die while weakening Illya, you should know about your limits to your power." She said.

"Die? You won't die, don't be ridiculous. Not as long as I'm here." Dani spoke up against Eo, but she shook her head again.

"No Catalyst can live without their host. If you kill Illya, I'll be dead, and if I fail in weakening her, I'll be dead. Whatever fate you seven bring upon Illya, I will end up dying either way." Eo said.

"Eo... I'm so sorry..." Dani said to her, but Eo didn't seem to care.

Why was everybody so okay with death? Even Dani seemed to be just fine with Eo dying... it didn't make any sense, why in the world was everybody so okay with it?

Not even my friends seemed to care Shike was dead.

Naomi's death affected me greatly, I still felt it, and Shike was like a dulling wound. I grew up with him, why don't I feel anything? I mean, I loved him, why can't I feel anything right now?

Does that make me a monster? Am I a bad person?

What about with Illya... is killing her the right thing to do? It is, right? I don't feel anything with Shike's death, so would killing her do anything?

What is wrong with me?

"Belle, are you alright?" Alexia asked me.

"Sorry, I'm just thinking about stuff right now... I'm alright." I said to her... but Eo and Dani didn't buy my lie.