novelraw Chapter 253: The Anomaly Within
Chapter 253: The Anomaly Within
Chapter 253: The Anomaly Within Soren’s head throbbed with pain as the pastel-colored skies above stirred with unusual chaos. His vision had quickly returned to him, but there was still a heavy feeling that urged him to sleep a bit more.
Shaking away the drowsiness, he sighed while observing his surroundings.
I was right… It really did bring me back here…
Relief washed over him as the familiar sights of [The Faerie Court] reflected in his eyes. Although it was hazy, the colossal marble canopy was recognizable from miles away.
A slight smile tugged at his lips as he laid there, amidst the flowers and grass. Standing tall before him was the gateway to Yeongwon—a world he had somehow visited through his activation of [Worldsong Murmurs].
As he stared silently at the deactivated gate, a clear picture of everything he had experienced began to form. A few accurate conclusions could be made:
“Firstly, [Worldsong Murmurs] creates spirits based on the worldsongs I’ve chronicled or acquired. These spirits will manifest in the world the song originates from, causing my consciousness to awaken there as well.
“Secondly, these spirits—let’s call them Murmurs—do not count as Anchors in the eyes of [The Faerie Court]. I cannot use them to transport myself to that world directly.
“Thirdly, the Murmurs are independent creatures with their own intelligence. Although they appear somewhat dimwitted, I can’t discount the fact that my understanding of Yeongwon might be the cause… Perhaps if my Worldsong Embodiment is at a higher percentage, their awareness might increase.
“Moreover, the anima I am using to possess these spirits is likely limited by the same factor. If my understanding of Yeongwon is higher, I might be able to last longer in that state.”
After organizing his thoughts, Soren quickly came up with his next plan of action. He will need to return to Yarian to activate [Hymns of the Unseen] in order to [Record] the worldsong there. He could then try [Worldsong Murmurs] again to summon another spirit.
At the moment, a part of his psyche was still strangely connected to the Murmur he summoned in Yeongwon. He could mentally sense its existence, but awareness of its independent actions was limited.
Sure enough, that skill likely has its own sub-abilities… There was still much left to discover with [Worldsong Murmurs].
According to his somewhat limited understanding, ability rank ups usually entail some form of qualitative changes to how a skill operates. The higher the rank, the more complex its usage becomes. This was likely a phenomenon seen in all Soul Weapons.
With [Worldsong Murmurs], Soren was able to utilize all three of his Fairy Witness skills while possessing the Murmur’s body. This synergy likely never existed prior to its merger with his Soul Chain.
And the same likely applied to [Hymns of the Unseen]. He could now [Record] the vibrations he hears into their own entries. A different use case might exist if it was paired with [Eyes of the Fairy] as well.
“I’ve truly gained a lot…” He nodded with a tinge of satisfaction. Standing up, Soren stared silently at the gateway—a part of him couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Venerable Hae Ryeong, huh…” That old man had definitely left a strong impression. As strange as he was, there was no denying his strength. His final attack against that terrifying whale beast shook even his soul.
Between him and Mistress Solyara, who is stronger?
The thought made him wonder. However, he realized his framing might be too narrow to begin with. After all, Soren wasn’t even sure if Phantasms existed in that world.
“I wish I had a bit more time… I could have asked him about the Mystic Arts he mentioned.”
Regrettably, reactivating [Worldsong Murmurs] wasn’t currently possible. He could instinctively tell there was some kind of time limit or recharge period, but there was no way for him to sense what the duration was. Confirming that would likely require some experimenting…
I’ll just have to explore one thing at a time… He reassured himself with a nod.
Time slowed to a crawl as he stood there, thinking of what to do next. One silent moment after another passed, unchanging in their rhythm.
He continued being motionless, staring at nothing. For a while, even his thoughts disappeared.
A void filled with stillness and peace. And yet…
There was only one thing flickering in the darkness—a passing thought that should have long been forgotten remained luminous in his mind. Mute as a statue, Soren remained steady as any moment prior. But his mind was stirring slowly in a direction he did not expect.
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After what felt like an eternity, he slowly turned away from Yeongwon’s gateway. The blades of grass and flowers across the field remained as still as the sediment they resulted upon, but their vibrance came in shades. The distant light was casting shadows, forming a gradient that trailed toward the source.
Soren looked up to see his most familiar location within this isolated space. A colossal marble canopy with an eternal flame at its center. Like an oil lamp, it shined brightly within this ancient and lonely island. A beacon that draws its visitors near…
One step forward became two, then three, four, five… He didn’t know when he started walking, but he was aware of his destination: the pillar of light.
Like a moth drawn to a flame, he moved closer and closer—the allure of the light made the shadows across him weigh less and less. The warmth was just right. The brightness was pleasant and not blinding. His fears and worries seemed distant and weak.
This was all he needed. Nothing else mattered in that moment.
Until, finally, it all shattered across the still void.
Soren took his final step, pausing before the familiar seat at the round table. His eyes remained fixed upon the radiant flame, now burning brightly a mere few feet away from him. His irises reflected back the flames…
“I really can’t get used to this silence.”
The sentence echoed out in all directions, never returning from the void.
“And I know you can’t either.”
“.....”
His staring continued for a while longer, before finally, he sighed.
“The strange desire you invoke in me is very familiar.” Soren whispered, his voice echoing in the void. “The Beacons of Guidance. You’re similar to them, aren’t you?”
Soren corrected his hat, but his eyes remained frozen upon the pillar of light—unblinking and unchanged. As if strings had been wrapped around his irises…
“Nice try,” he rasped, arms folded before his chest. “But I am not jumping into your warm embrace just yet.”
“.....”
Soren couldn’t help but frown. The ancient space’s silent tranquility had suddenly morphed into an oppressive stillness.
Because of his newly discovered abilities, his basic hearing had enhanced drastically. Although it was less perceptive compared to activating [Hymns of the Unseen], it was still good enough to sense certain sounds around him.
And yet, as he stood there, mere feet away from this radiant sun-like pillar, Soren couldn’t hear anything other than his own heartbeat. But that couldn’t be possible. His every instinct—no, even his soul itself—was telling him he wasn’t alone.
This space… There was something here he couldn’t perceive. An anomaly from within.
One that might have existed here far longer than he has…
“I’ve always found it strange. No text I’ve ever studied mentions a pillar of light being a necessity for a Runic Existence. I even intended to ask Mistress Sienna about the Beacons, suspecting a link… but the chance never came.
“So I settled on a simpler assumption. That you were tied to Figment—that you were merely a representation of his existence… Logic dictated that once I defeated him, you would also fade away.”
Soren took a slow breath, the air in the void suddenly felt thin.
“Obviously, that logic was flawed…”
A soft smile tugged at his lips, but the fear in his eyes continued to spread.
“Perhaps…” The sudden dryness of his throat made him pause, forcing him to swallow before continuing. “Perhaps I’ve been scrutinizing the wrong subject all along… I was so focused on the symptom that I ignored the true disease.”
His eyes narrowed, piercing through the soft yet unnerving light.
“Could it be that you are…”
Soren cut himself off. The words died on his tongue—his own soul screaming at him to keep them unspoken.
You… You’re the true paradox of my existence…
For a second, a sudden chill crawled across his skin. The inviting warmth of the light instantly turned frigid.
Although the air felt sickly, Soren forced his breathing to remain steady. An instinctive warning had flashed through his mind: Stay calm… Composure is key…
After a few more useless assurances, the question plaguing his mind once again beckoned for an answer:
What is it… What is this thing that’s plaguing my existence?...
Figment… Figment was only a tool that did its bidding? Was he always aware of this? Surely not… After all, that paradoxical entity was born from his personality. There was no way it would allow itself to be controlled…
Memories began to replay in his mind, dissecting every experience within this isolated space. Now that he was looking for it, several inconsistencies regarding Figment immediately stood out—clues he had previously ignored.
Firstly, Figment lacked the ability to directly read his thoughts; it only had access to what was [Record]ed. However, this defied all logic and reasoning. Figment and him were supposed to be two sides of the same Runic Existence. So how could they each hold independent thoughts from one another?
Secondly, there was the pillar of light itself. Figment seemed to embody its existence—the eternal flame shifting to reflect his changing emotions. And yet, whenever he conversed with Figment, staring at the pillar of light never evoked this magnetic allure to jump into the flame’s embrace…
The only other time I felt this urge to jump into the light was when I first arrived in the Faerie Court… before I fully engaged with him. After that, the sensation completely vanished…
Soren’s eyes widened as he stared deeply into the shimmering light.
The compulsion only exists when Figment doesn’t possess the flame!
That implied that the strange flame encompassing his Runic Existence was a separate entity entirely. One that likely preceded even Figment…
His mind raced to confirm the conclusion. It mirrored the phenomenon he observed in the Nagash Village. Back then, Elder Kaalan’s twin soul had also possessed the Beacon of Guidance, allowing him to manipulate its powers to a certain degree.
He speculated that perhaps Figment also took advantage of this. It could explain how he was able to control this subspace so naturally all the time…
However, there was one final oddity. A detail his mind had seemingly glossed over until this very moment, as if his subconscious has been suppressing it…
When I first arrived in this space, Figment explained that [The Faerie Court] was originally a relic left behind by the Creator of this universe. The One Above All…
Soren froze.
How…
How did he know that?
That… That was knowledge I never possessed to begin with!