Abyssal Awakening-Chapter 680: Isolde’s Smile

Giving most of the information she had regarding Eldritch Energy to Suyin, Alice gave her the time she needed to formulate some experiments that she could do while they had some privacy.

During this time, since she couldn't contribute much else, Alice decided to roam the city and look for Jin and Isolde.

The first that Alice found was Isolde who spent the time caring for those affected by the battle.

To Alice's surprise, Isolde wasn't just talented with her. . . sculptures. She seemed to be a master of instruments as well. Disguising her 'limbs' as dark silken flowing energy, she played a variety of instruments at the same time, holding a small concert of sorts in the main square.

Those plagued with dark thoughts were distracted and sat down to enjoy the music.

There were no bewitching effects, no Sigil abilities. Just her pure talent for music and offering those seeking escape a moment of distraction.

To turn their attention away from the gruesome reality.

People who had requests would tell her roughly what they wanted to hear and if Isolde didn't know about the piece, she would improvise and make something new.

Alice had to admit, even she found herself sitting down and enjoying the music on a rooftop.

A moment for her to glance up at the sky and wonder about her own future.

She could see a path laid out in front of her.

A path of blood and chaos. To kill, kill and kill again.

But what's at the end of that path? Beyond being someone who can kill, what else is she?

This wasn't the first time she's had this thought. Was her goal to achieve Godhood? But what else? To put it bluntly, Alice didn't know what it meant to be a Goddess.

She didn't know the tasks she should follow. Hell, she doesn't even have any followers that believe in her.

How can she recreate Ayr without subjects?

Though. . . Alice never saw herself as someone to lead the masses. If she were to become a Goddess, the most that she imagines herself doing is maintaining the peace of the Abyss. Perhaps making it so that people don't get killed by the side effects of drinking Abyss Blood.

Or rather, maybe it's better for this world to not have such a thing to begin with.

Outer Gods, the Three Main Gods, Will of the Abyss.

These. . . 'divinities' think nothing of the common people. They see them as pawns in their game.

'Though. . . I suppose there are some exceptions.' Alice paused, glancing down at Isolde who was the vessel for Zal-Ka'Rith.

An Outer God he maybe but a fair one at that. His punishments are cruel but his gifts are bountiful. A being that prides himself on fairness. An opportunity for equal exchange, not giving or receiving more than they are willing to reciprocate.

In this aspect, Alice couldn't help but wonder if there are other Outer Gods that are like him.

Ones that might be willing to become an all-

[Don't get your hopes up. Zal-Ka'Rith, while an ally right now, only did so because he found you interesting. Had you not interested him, he would've sought to end you during the time you were trapped. Finding him is already a miracle if I'm being honest, finding another. . . I doubt it.] Cayla interrupted Alice's thought before she could finish.

Even now, Cayla was doubtful towards Zal-Ka'Rith. But it's indeed true that he hasn't pulled anything suspicious yet.

Cryptic, yes.

Suspicious? Not quite.

In fact, he's been rather truthful regarding his allegiance and code of conduct.

'Are they really that much of an exception?' Alice asked curiously as her knowledge of Outer Gods were lacking.

As someone who was there when a battle between this realm and the Outer Gods were waged, Cayla knows a lot more.

Crossing her legs, Cayla leaned back a little while tapping her finger on the table.

She was trying to think about how to explain what kind of existence they were to Alice.

[Outer Gods are. . . To put it bluntly, they are fundamentally different to us. We are completely incapable of coexisting and that's not concerning the properties of their power.

[They think of every living being as their pawns, vessels waiting for their selection. If humans are born with the instinct to survive, the Outer Gods are born with the instinct to assimilate. It is the core of their being.

[Perhaps it's because of Zal-Ka'Rith's inquisitive nature that allowed him to understand humans a little more. But that nature is deeply engrained into the fact that he's born as the Writhing Script. A being that records and understands. A rare instance where a bridge can be formed between two very different beings.] Cayla explained.

[No, rare doesn't even come close to the anomaly that is Zal-Ka'Rith. If you're an anomaly of the human race that can ignore Abyss Blood defects, Zal-Ka'Rith's an anomaly of the Outer Gods.] She corrected herself.

Hearing Cayla give Zal-Ka'Rith this kind of evaluation, Alice began to see just how rare it is for him to be like this.

After all, in the history of the Abyss, only two people could shrug off the defects.

The Goddess and herself.

If an understanding could be reached between them, it would be a waste for Alice not to take advantage of this opportunity. To learn as much as possible.

However. . .

Being a being of fairness and someone who focuses on equivalent exchange, there was a chance that Zal-Ka'Rith could 'sell' her information to her enemies.

Even if an understanding could be reached, Alice had to be careful with what she exposed.

Isolde's concert lasted for around two hours. It gave the people the rest they needed and the distraction to dispel the gloom.

"I didn't know you were talented in music." Alice called out, landing next to Isolde who was still sitting down.

At this point, most of the people have already gone back to doing what they were doing earlier.

Only a few left behind to give her some extra words of thanks.

"It's a hobby I picked up in the past. I needed something to keep the children occupied after all. Picnics and music, that's how we spent most of our days. I did try to learn some woodworking so I could make toys for them." Isolde smiled softly.

"Though it was a little late for that when the time came." She shrugged while maintaining this smile.

But Alice saw it falter. There was a bitterness in the smile. But beneath it all, a silent rage.

No smile could hide that glimmer in her eyes, the slight furrowing of the brows and twitching in the corner of her lips.

"I must say, seems like they're the reason why you always keep a smile on your face, no matter how you feel." Alice glanced over, watching Isolde wave goodbye to the kids that stayed behind.

"Adults are the protective shield for children. This smile of mine is to reassure that everything is okay. If I can smile, they can smile too. They don't need to know the struggles just yet." Isolde chuckled before standing up.

She had already put away her instruments.

"Then what about when you're alone? Do you still need to smile?" Alice asked curiously.

Hearing this, Isolde paused.

A moment of silence stretched on before she nodded her head.

"Yes. Even alone, I need to smile. That way, I can remember what I'm doing all of this for."

Without waiting for Alice's reply, Isolde stepped away.

Her smile was forced, she wanted to stop but she couldn't.

She could still remember the days of peace. Moments where she would take them on a small hill, make them a picnic and enjoy the scenery of the river banks.

She would tell them how everything was going to be okay, that they had each other in this life.

That they had her.

How she would protect them all.

But in the end, it was all just a lie. None of what she said was true. She couldn't protect them, she couldn't keep them safe. What little she could give them wasn't enough.

While they struggled, others continued to take advantage of them.

When they needed medicine, when they needed food, the ones giving it always looked to extract more.

And the churches didn't help either.

No matter how she begged for their help, the excuse was always the same.

'We're doing everything we can.'

Thinking about this, Isolde clenched her fist around her arm as a vein bulged on her neck, but she kept her smile.

'My Lord, do you still recall our promise?' Isolde asked.

'Naturally. I don't forget the deals that I've made.' Zal-Ka'Rith reassured.

He knew that there was only one thing that Isolde desired in this world. For Lumiria to suffer a fate worse than death!

She wanted the Goddess of the Moon to suffer, to torment, to cry out in pain. To beg, to weep.

She wanted the Goddess to become an ugly mess begging for mercy. For all the lives that she stole, for the lives that she took from Isolde's embrace.

The children didn't deserve the fate that she bestowed onto them.

Immortality? To live on in the afterlife? It was all bullsh*t. She was simply a false idol collecting souls for her own enjoyment, her own nourishment.

Her twisted hobby.

As long as Lumiria dies, she'll even sign a contract with the devil. Though perhaps, to them, she already has.

A sinner that has reached an agreement with an Outer God. To shake the foundations of their realm.

For her, this smile was a promise. A promise to the children that she lost. A promise that she'll avenge them no matter what.