The Test

"It's been so long, Team Asterio! You guys look pretty scary now, but not as scary as you used to. Let's see... before, you were able to take one of my eyes out and that was about it. An arm and an eye for me, and just an eye for you. That seems like a pretty unfair trade, doesn't it?" Providence playfully asked my parents.

"Never seeing you again wouldn't have been the worst fate, but here we are. What do you want, Providence?" Dad asked her.

"It's what we all want. As the Three Deities, we all have a common interest, don't we, Illya?" Providence turned her head to see Illya unconscious, and then playfully pouted. Why could she act like that? Was she really that strong?

Acting so blissful and playful during a harsh time like this... she was starting to scare me.

"An interest we all want...? You don't mean..." Mom's speech cut out as Providence agreed with her, whatever they were talking about.

"I spent fourteen years in this goddamn world raising him, and more in the previous world. I won't let you take him from me." Mom said.

"That's okay. Because I'm not asking. But, before I begin, Providia, I want you to go check on him. See how strong he is. Is he worth my time?" Providence asked her friend.

Providia slowly walked over to my position, and before I could get up and run, she summoned a dome made of my strands around me and I fell to the ground beside Illya, Shike, Belle, and Alexia. Boo and the others were split apart.

"You are Sky Asterio. I am Providia Achamo. We are both the daughter and son of two powerful entities who have ultimate control over this world." Providia told me.

"I'm aware... are you not trying to kill me?" I asked her. She shook her head and sat down completely on the ground with her legs crossed, all while keeping her head on my position.

"I am only here to test your strength after you have regained your composure and stamina. For now, I stand to watch over you to make sure Illya cannot interfere." Providia told me.

"Then... are you really my enemy? And, why do you look so weird? And why are you here?" I asked her all at once.

"No. I look weird because it is how you are able to perceive me with the strands in your body, as I am a Strand-Entity. I am here to test your strength after you regain your composure and stamina." Providia repeated herself.

"A Strand-Entity... what does that mean?" I asked her.

"I am not made of organic material like you are. To me, this means nothing." As she explained, she slit her wrists with a saber and let the blood fall down her arm.

"Hey! Don't kill yourself..." I told her, covering her wound. Once I put my hands on it, however, it was healed. I was beyond confused, as I didn't know I could heal anybody that fast... but I didn't do anything. That was all due to Providia's work.

"How are you going to test me? Can I prepare?" I asked Providia after a moment of silence. She shook her head and her one golden and one black eye with crosses for pupils gazed deep into my soul.

"I will try to kill you, and you will defend your life by trying to take mine. If I lose, I will combine with you to make you more powerful. If I win, you will restart your life here until you are strong enough." She told me.

"I have to kill you...? I don't want to do that. I just want to stop Providence and save my friends." I explained it to Providia, but she didn't seem to care.

"It's not my job to care about your wishes. I am here to make you more powerful. Providence will not be stopped, she is far too powerful for your parents." Providia told me.

"You don't know my mom and Dad... Providence is already dead." I told Providia while looking back at the group of three.

"Sky Asterio... how many times do you think we've had this conversation? How many times do you believe you were reset here?" She asked me. I stopped for a moment, thinking about how many times I've done this... but I couldn't remember. Did she wipe my memories?! Has the truth really been hidden for this long?!

"It doesn't matter how many times we've done this. This will be the last. Providence will not win against Mom and Dad!" I yelled out to Providia. She didn't even flinch as I rose my voice at her, she only nodded and turned her head.

"You will see, Sky Asterio, that your parents are still not strong enough for Providence. There is a reason she is feared by all." Providia told me.

"You don't get it either, Providia. Miss Ali and Mister Lucas are stronger than you'd believe. Mister Lucas held off every single Rubeki while we fought off the Horsemen." Belle told Providia.

"No, he didn't Death absorbed them to make himself more powerful. I saw your fight with Death, Sky Asterio. You couldn't even fight him, I don't know how you plan to fight me." Providia told me.

"It doesn't matter. I'll find a way, and I'll free you from Providence." I told Providia, refusing to move my head from Mom's position.

"I am not there unwilling. By Providence's side is where I belong. Unless you plan to kill yourself in the process, you are still not strong enough to beat me, let alone Providence. Your strand usage is too low, not even on Illya's level, not on Shike's level. I've never seen you go all out while you have been living in The First Trial." Providia told me.

"You've been watching me...?" I felt creeped out as she nodded and continued with her conversation like it was nothing.

"I have been. Unless you've been hiding your true power from me, you should just forfeit and let me kill you to restart your time here." Providia told me.