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42.36% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 997: Illusion

Kapitel 997: Illusion

Relying on the 'directions' he had received from the glowing bone, Vahn eventually found himself at the base of the 78th Floor's wall. Much like the ground, the walls were also comprised of compacted bones which seemed to stretch upwards forever. Though the ceiling was only around 2km above him, seeing the wall disappear into the everpresent mist caused Vahn to feel as if any attempt to scale the wall would be an eternal endeavor. He didn't know why but the wall called out to him but, refusing to give in to such whims, Vahn shook his head to clear his thoughts as he asked, "What is going on, Sis? It feels like my mind is clouded, even though I shouldn't be affected by the illusion..."

Vahn had already noticed that something was 'wrong' about the 78th Floor but it wasn't until silence greeted him that he understood things had gone awry. His mind seemed to shrink at that very moment before, just as he had done before, Vahn sent out a powerful pulse with his [Will of the Emperor]. As a secondary measure, Vahn mustered up his Source Energy to create a membrane around his mind while covering his body with [Vis Maxima]. The moment he did so, Sis's voice echoed within his mind as she worriedly stated, (*I thought you would never break out of it. This place is more dangerous than we suspected, Vahn. You should find the others and leave as soon as possible.*)

Hearing Sis's voice caused Vahn to calm down considerably as he looked around and noticed that, instead of bones lining the floor and wall, there was nothing but simple bedrock in its place. He didn't know what the illusion was supposed to represent but, now that he had broken free, Vahn felt as though a weight had been lifted off his mind as clarity returned to him. The unfortunate outcome of this clarity was the realization that all of the bones he had collected were fake and, instead of having looted several precious materials, Vahn had simply been throwing stones into his Inventory. After tossing them aside, Vahn shook his head before transforming into his Qinglong form and taking to the sky.

While searching for Jeanne and Helen, Vahn asked, ("Is this phenomenon the result of an Innate? I thought [Will of the Emperor] would protect my mind from normal illusions..."). In response to this, Sis explained in a patient tone, (*Though it isn't too dissimilar, I believe this illusion is more the result of a Divinity rather than an Innate. You were able to resist it at the beginning but there was a gap created when you began to exercise your power directly. Since you believed you were in the clear, you fell victim to the effects of the illusion without even realizing it. The lack of any other dangers prevented you from realizing something was wrong until you finally reached the wall and tried to call out to me.*)

Since the odds of Sis being wrong were minuscule, Vahn assumed her conjecture was correct and, considering that his soul was still only Tier 3, it wasn't too difficult to believe he had fallen victim to a Divinity. The question then became, which god had a Divinity related to Illusions and how did they come to reside within the Dungeon. Though the simplest answer was that Nuwa was involved, which made sense considering that the mirror didn't give any information about the 78th Floor, none of the information he possessed associated Nuwa with a Divinity related to Illusions. It was one of the more abstract Laws so, while some gods possessed minor Divinities related to it, there were very few gods that had enough mastery over Illusion to exercise influence over him.

With his mind wandering, Vahn found himself flying through the sky over a vast plain where an incalculable number of soldiers were enthralled in an endless struggle. His flying speed slowed to a stop as Vahn looked out over the bloodshed, feeling of detachment and contempt welling up inside of him. Understanding this was yet another illusion, Vahn focused his mind once again, only to hear Sis loudly 'yelling', (*Damnit Vahn, stay focused...!*). Since she never cursed, or yelled for that matter, Vahn nearly fell out of the sky upon hearing Sis' outburst resonate through his mind. Fortunately, he was able to catch himself quickly as Sis' rather embarrassed voice sounded within the back of his mind like a tiny mouse squeak, (*Sorry, you started drifting so I...*)

Shaking his head, Vahn allowed a smile to spread across his lips as he amusedly said, "You are becoming more human every day, Sis. How cute..." Having long developed the habit of teasing girls, Vahn couldn't help but remark about how 'human' Sis' actions had been. This seemed to cause her even greater embarrassment as anxiety that wasn't his own seemed to spread through his mind before fading away into nothingness. Then, as if nothing had happened, Sis' calm and cool voice explained, (*You should keep your focus from hereon, Vahn. Whoever is creating these illusions isn't to be trifled with. I couldn't even tell when you fell under its influence the second time...please, be careful.*)

Hearing the concern in Sis' voice, Vahn gave an understanding nod as he focused his mind to the extreme while, back within Babel Tower, he entered into a deep meditation with Fenrir sitting in his lap. With his main body listening to the indiscernible words uttered by the [Mantra of Eternity], Vahn found that his mind became infinitely more clear than before. He hadn't even noticed that his mind was so burdened until it had been removed entirely. Sis also seemed to notice this, remarking, ("The [Mantra of Eternity] seems to be far beyond the Tier of this Record...*) As she had spent several hundred years analyzing it at this point, without any progress, Sis was often surprised by the seemingly endless functionality contained by the mysterious mantra.

With renewed confidence and a stark increase in his source energy replenishment, Vahn expanded his domain to nearly two kilometers as he streaked through the empty room. The room was remarkably bare so he was hopeful that finding Jeanne and Helen wouldn't be much of an issue, even if the surface area he would need to cover was quite large. Hopefully, though he didn't hold out much hope this was the case, both girls would have been unaffected by the illusion. At the very least, it didn't seem as if the illusion was intended to cause harm so there was a fair chance he would find them somewhat shaken but otherwise okay. What he didn't account for was the fact that, much like the several minutes Fenrir had experienced during the single second she was gone, the passage of time within an illusion was far beyond any expectations Vahn could have...

---

Within a tent located near the frontlines of an ongoing battle, Jeanne was sitting with a wooden basin filled with murky water as she dressed a puncture wound on her abdomen. It had already been three years since she had started fighting and, though she was far from being considered an adult, she had recently celebrated her eleventh birthday amidst the company of a few trusted companions. Though she would often feel that something was 'wrong', especially after receiving an injury, Jeanne now credited her knowledge of the future as a form of Clairvoyance, much like the upper echelons of the army. Unlike the strange memories she had of her 'past', where the same men treated her with scorn and contempt, they now treated her with respect. There were still some that looked at her developing body with eyes that caused her spine to tingle but, compared to what she 'remembered', things were much better than they had been previously...

After cleaning her wound, Jeanne applied a balm made from herbs before dressing the wound with the cleanest bandages she could find. Around the same time, a brown-haired woman named Maya entered into the tent and, seeing the young girl failing to apply the bandages adequately, quickly made her way to Jeanne's side to assist. Though the latter had panicked a little upon hearing someone enter her tent, seeing the smiling face of her trusted friend caused a small smile to spread across Jeanne's face as she meekly replied, "Thank you, Maya..." This caused the far more mature woman to smile radiantly as she deftly tied the bandages while saying, "Think nothing of it, Jeanne. If not for you, I wouldn't even be here to help dress your wounds. Please, promise me you'll take better care of yourself in the future...we all rely on you more than you know..."

Hearing Maya's words, Jeanne felt a bit of warmth spread through her heart that caused the strange incongruity in her mind to fade away. She had been in a strange state ever since the tip of an enemy's spear cut through her armor as, for reasons she was unaware, reason told her that such a thing should have been impossible. As this wasn't the first time such a thing had happened, Jeanne credited to battle fatigue as she internally reminded herself that, while some may jokingly refer to her as the Invincible Saintess, she was still just a human. She was just as susceptible to fatigue as anyone else and, if injured, she would bleed all the same...

With the help of Maya, Jeanne's wound was quickly dressed and, though it wasn't recommended to move around in armor with such injuries, the latter ignored her friend's advice before dawning her armor once again. She didn't like to walk around the camp, where very few females were allowed to trespass, without wearing her armor. Though she had been accepted as a soldier by most of her fellow countrymen, there were more than a few who believed that women shouldn't be allowed on the battlefield. Many of the exceptions to this rule were those with medical knowledge and, in nine out of ten cases, women of 'questionable' morals who were intended to boost the morale of common soldiers. Even Maya was in the latter category and, if not for Jeanne's intervention, she may have lost her life after a particularly brutal battle had caused some of the men to become unruly...

Helping Jeanne into her armor, Maya absentmindedly commented, "You will become a beautiful woman in the future...its a shame you hide your figure behind so much armor. Though a battlefield may not be the ideal place, young women are meant to blossom in the open, not be hidden away from sight..." With her own attire consisting of nothing more than a bodice, showing off her ample cleavage, and a tattered skirt, Maya couldn't fathom how Jeanne could wear armor over the majority of her body. Though she was arguably stronger than most of the male soldiers, much to their chagrin, seeing an eleven-year-old girl wearing full plate armor was a peculiar sight for both allies and enemies alike.

Without minding Maya's words, Jeanne picked up her beaten and battered kite shield before strapping it to her back. Lastly, she picked up a highly polished sword which, unlike the rest of her equipment, was exceptionally well maintained. It was her most important possession and, though it lacked a sheath, Jeanne had a blacksmith fabricate a slot in her kite shield where it could be seated outside of combat. Though this made it harder to draw in an emergency situation, Jeanne rarely ever dropped her guard and, using her 'Clairvoyance', dealt with most enemies before they could present a real threat. Even amidst a group of seasoned warriors who were more than twice her age, there were none who were her equal with the blade, something she often had to prove when some of the rowdier troops had too much liquor.

After readying herself, Jeanne had Maya tie her ashen-hair up into a tight knot before stepping out of her tent which was located a fair distance away from the men's quarters. There was a seemingly invisible barrier surrounding her tent that nobody dared trespass as even the Commanders of the army knew better than to antagonize the young girl who had won them victory after victory. One had tried to force Jeanne to become his Paige, intending to raise up the girl as a young bride due to her already striking beauty, but the only thing he got for his troubles was the loss of both hands. Though this would have resulted in a heavy punishment for most other soldiers, the fact that Jeanne had slain more than a hundred enemies in the previous battle caused the upper echelons to excuse her behavior. They would rather retire an errant Knight that had lost his hands than imprison a capable warrior that single-handedly outperformed most squadrons...

From the moment Jeanne stepped out of her tent, the surrounding atmosphere seemed to change as, instead of the gloom of a battlefield, a slight fervor began to spread throughout the area. Though she wasn't preparing to enter the fray just yet, Jeanne's presence seemed to inspire everyone in the vicinity as they all raised their heads just a bit higher as the youthful girl walked through their encampment. Many even had genuine respect visible in their gazes as they gave small nods to Jeanne in passing before making way so as not to impede her passage. To these men, Jeanne returned a courteous nod before continuing on her way, blue eyes fixed on the horizon where, just as it had for the previous three years, the sun was beginning to rise on yet another battlefield...

---

With his speed, Vahn was quickly mapping large sections of the 78th Floor before, after nearly two full hours had passed, he finally detected a second presence within his domain. Sensing the familiar fluctuations, Vahn released a small sigh before quickly beelining towards Helen's location. He would have preferred to find Jeanne first but, considering the reality of their situation, Vahn knew it was likely far worse to leave Helen alone in such a situation. Upon reaching her location, however, Vahn's mind almost completely blanked as, standing in the middle of a devastated landscape, Helen could be seen with a dazed expression as tears poured down her face. Though this alone was a sight to behold, it was the fact that Helen's clothes had been disintegrated that caused Vahn's momentary stupor...

Before he had realized it, Vahn found himself within the ruins of an ancient shrine that hadn't held up against the test of time. The surrounding stone pillars seemed to have suffered the effects of hundreds of years of weathering while several spots had outright decayed as a result of encroaching moss. There was a stagnant smell in the air that overlapped with a peculiar sweetness that caused his heart to itch madly after a brief inhalation. Fortunately, though his mind was influenced by the illusion, Vahn's body quickly rejected the invasive aroma as he shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. This time, however, the illusion seemed far more persistent and, before he could break free, Vahn was distracted when a familiar figure appeared before him.

Though reason told him this was just part of the illusion, another part of Vahn recognized the entity before him as a 'real' existence, even if he couldn't actually sense her. The reason for his distraction was because, though her hair was a different color, being a vibrant leafy green, the 'woman' before him was a carbon copy of Kali. Much like her crimson-haired counterpart, the figure before him wore attire that couldn't be considered modest in the slightest. Unlike Kali, however, her clothes weren't adorned with bones and silken fabric and were instead comprised of a peculiar cloth that seemed to be formed of the same mist that pervaded the entirety of the 78th Floor. It was for this reason that Vahn felt that the entity before him was 'real', even though the form she had taken was very likely just an extension of her Divinity...

As if to answer his speculation, the petite figure showed a mischevious smile before bringing her index finger to rest on her lower lip as she remarked, "How peculiar...you seem to recognize me? Tell me, boy, what exactly are you? Why have you trespassed my domain? What do you seek to gain from conquering the Dungeon...?" Though this was just the tip of the iceberg in regards to questions she wanted answering, they were the most 'important' for the time being. Before Vahn could answer, however, the goddess seemed to realize something as she floated off her feet, closing the distance between herself and Vahn as she exclaimed, "Before you ask, my name is Maya. Now, don't want my time and answer my questions, okay~?"

Unlike Kali, Maya seemed infinitely more child-like, causing Vahn's stupor to persist for longer than he would have liked before he finally recovered his senses. Seeing Maya only a few centimeters away from his face, Vahn took a step back while raising his hand to prevent her from getting closer as he asked, "Are you the one who created the mist outside? What are your intentions...?"

Though she had snickered playfully when Vahn backed away from her, Maya showed a deep frown after hearing Vahn's questions. Still floating in the air, she pulled out a large body pillow from nowhere before hugging it tightly as she complained, "What kind of idiot answers questions with more questions? I already gave you the answer to one question so the least you could do is answer one of mine...!" Even though Vahn hadn't asked for her name, Maya knew it would be one of the first questions that came to mind so she had gotten it out of the way. At the same time, this gave her leverage to force Vahn into a disadvantage where she could get a better grasp of his character.

Feeling that the situation would become far more troublesome if he offended what was very likely a powerful goddess, Vahn lowered his hand before giving an apologetic nod as he stated, "I did not mean to upset you...I am just worried about my companions. To answer your questions, you have a similar appearance to another Goddess I've met. As for what I am, my species qualifies me as a Progenitor. My purpose here is not to trespass your territory while my reason for conquering the Dungeon is out of necessity..." It wasn't accurate to say he 'needed' to conquer the Dungeon but, considering that he was nearing Tier 4 and would lose the opportunity soon, Vahn felt that it wasn't wrong to make such a claim.

While Vahn was speaking, Maya continued to hug her pillow as she rolled upside down and watched him with a curious expression on her face. She had the ability to discern all truths so, hearing Vahn claim to know a Goddess that matched her appearance had caught her interest. At the same time, though there were some falsehoods within his words, she could tell that he wasn't exactly lying to her when he claimed to be a Progenitor and wanted to conquer the Dungeon out of necessity. Though she had never seen a Progenitor before, Maya knew what they were and, if Vahn was truly a Progenitor, his chances of conquering the Dungeon were much higher than most. What she was most curious about, however, was why he believed conquering the Dungeon was a necessity, even though he didn't seem particularly interested in doing so. Though she hadn't been able to peer directly into his mind, as something prevented her from doing so, she had still been able to glean a few insights into the type of person he 'should' be...

Without hiding her curiosity at all, Maya continued to roll through the air while holding eye contact with Vahn the entire time. Just as he was about to open his mouth to ask her a few questions of his own, Maya's body began to blur away as a startled expression appeared on her face. She turned her head to look towards the interior of the shrine before quickly looking back at Vahn, an even more mischievous smile on her face as she said, "You know, at the rate things are going, that little one will break completely. I don't know why you brought her here but it is very dangerous if you allow her to be alone much longer...I wonder what you will do, fufufufu~." Then, without explaining anything, the figure of Maya disappeared from the shrine as an ear-shattering scream echoed from the shrine's interior. Hearing this, Vahn's heart twisted in his chest as, even though he knew they were trapped in an illusion, hearing the pain in Helen's voice was like having a dagger pierce his heart...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'There are no absolutes','Jeanne :O...','The Mischevious Maya')

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Kapitel 998: Release

Following the scream to its source, Vahn found Helen at the very center of the ruined shrine. Fortunately, unlike her real-world counterpart, this version of Helen remained fully clothed as fragments of broken mirrors danced around her in a clear violation of gravitational laws. Reflected within these mirrors were various versions of Jeanne and, each possessing subtle differences, be it the color of their hair or something as simple as the expression on their faces. There were even some who seemed genuinely happy, casting radiant smiles from their faces that seemed to light up the surroundings. Strangely, though it didn't seem as if she were in any danger, Helen was curled up in a ball hugging her knees as these images danced around her...

Releasing a sigh, Vahn attempted to make his way over to Helen's side but he was quickly intercepted by a standing mirror that reflected, not Helen, but himself. This wasn't entirely accurate, however, as, instead of a direct reflection, what Vahn saw in the mirror was himself strapped to a table as mechanisms cycled his blood. Upon seeing this, Vahn raised his left brow in mild surprise before a smile naturally spread itself across his face. Then, choosing not to waste his time, Vahn reached out his hand before muttering, "Sorry, but I've already accepted who I am..." Even without him having to destroy the mirror personally, Vahn watched as it began to dissolve into dust while the version of himself within the mirror returned a smile.

Having received some insight as to the 'purpose' of the illusions now, Vahn understood why someone like Helen would never be able to break free. She already lived a delusional existence and, regardless of whether or not you tried to make her see 'reality', she would deny it with every fiber of her being. He didn't know exactly what she saw, or how long she was trapped within the illusion, but it was obvious the experience hadn't been kind to her. Since there was little chance she would break free on her own, Vahn pulled out a mantle from his Inventory before sending a pulse of Source Energy through his domain to forcibly dissolve the illusion. The naked Helen appeared before him just as he wrapped the mantle around her shoulders, the mist in her eyes slowly receding as awareness returned.

Seeing Helen's tear-stained face looking back at him in confusion, Vahn's own expression softened a bit as he lightly whispered, "Sorry for being late..." These words caused Helen to return to full clarity as realization dawned upon her. She quickly inspected the state of her body before hugging the mantle tightly around her shoulders, a deep frown marring her face as she said, "That was no normal illusion...it must have been the trick of a god..." Since 'normal' illusions would never have affected her, Helen knew the culprit behind her suffering, once again, had been a god. Remembering what she had to experience, Helen felt rage and shame bubbling up inside of her chest only to have it replaced with shock when Vahn nodded his head and explained, "Yes, her name is Maya."

Snapping her eyes back to Vahn, Helen asked, "You know her...?" To this, Vahn simply shook his head and explained, "She introduced herself when I came to help you. Earlier, when you screamed, she was ejected from the illusion somehow. I'm not entirely sure what happened..." Since the illusion was a product of Maya's Divinity, Vahn didn't understand why her body had faded away in the middle of their conversation. There was a lot more going on than he was aware of and, knowing it was very dangerous to leave things as they were, he held up his hand to stop Helen's inquiries, adding, "Jeanne is still in trouble. We can talk about what happened after reaching the 79th Floor..."

Before Helen could issue a complaint, Vahn pulled out a pile of neatly folded clothes before separating himself from Helen with a partition. Then, amidst the silence that had settled between them, Vahn reminded, "Change quickly so we can be on our way. If you fall into another illusion..." Hearing the sound of clothes begin to rustle, Vahn allowed his words to trail and instead focused on their surroundings to see if he could sense Maya. Unlike other gods, who seemed extremely limited in the use of their power, Maya was unique in the fact that it didn't seem as if she were restricted at all. Much like Ouranos, he couldn't even sense her presence and, seeing how her Divinity affected a region larger than 400km, it was impossible to consider this was her 'weakened' state...

After a few short minutes had passed, Helen moved aside the partition separating them, her expression already having returned to the cold and detached mask she had mastered. Vahn accepted the folded mantle from her before throwing it into his Inventory without a second thought. Though Helen's eyes seemed to flicker at this, Vahn wasn't too interested to know what delusion she had as he plainly stated, "We need to find Jeanne as soon as possible." This earned a curt nod from Helen as the runes in her eyes began to radiate with increased intensity. Then, without explaining what she was doing, Helen looked towards the East before extending out her finger and saying, "That way..." in her characteristically soft voice.

With no other leads, Vahn chose to trust Helen's judgment and began running at a pace that she would be able to match. Though it would have been faster to carry her, Vahn felt like it was very 'dangerous' to show too much sympathy to Helen in her current state. His understanding of women had increased with the passage of time but, no matter how much effort he put into 'figuring them out', Vahn was often surprised by the reactions of even his closest lovers. The meaning behind Maya's words had also escaped him as, though he knew Helen was undoubtedly very lonely, he had no means of opening her heart without, theoretically, getting together with her. This made it almost seem as if Maya was pushing him towards Helen, something the latter would have undoubtedly credited to her 'fate'...

Thinking this far, a small frown adorned Vahn's face as a very real urge to send Helen back to the surface emerged in his heart. He knew she genuinely had a fate related to the Dungeon but, regardless of the machinations of gods and goddesses, he had no intention to fit into the mold they had formed. It was obvious that there was more going on in the Dungeon than he had expected and, though its purpose seemed to be the same as his expectations, it seemed like the opposite party was trying to make them follow a script of sorts. This annoyed Vahn a great deal as, though he was still affected by the Laws of Fate and Destiny at his current Soul Tier, the thought of anyone believing they could manipulate him to such an extent grated on his nerves...

Just as that thought crossed his mind, Vahn noticed his surroundings had changed once again, causing the frustration in his heart to bubble up and explode in an instant. The illusion around him shattered like a broken mirror as his feet slowed to a stop. Helen came to a stop at his side, mild confusion visible in her otherwise expressionless face. As for Vahn, his eyes had turned skyward for a brief moment before turning back to Helen, asking, "Which way...?"

Seeing the seriousness and 'anger' contained within Vahn's gaze, Helen nearly took a step back by instinct but ultimately managed to resist the urge as she reached forward and pointed once again. Vahn gave a curt nod in response before she suddenly felt as if her stomach was being tugged by an invisible force. Before she was able to issue a complaint, Helen found her surroundings changing rapidly as Vahn used his telekinesis to pull her along at a much faster speed than she was capable of moving herself. Helen's face morphed into a frown but she remained silent as, even more than Vahn, at least she would like to think, she was worried about her friend...

---

Now twenty-two years old, Jeanne was no longer the same young girl that had stumbled onto a battlefield years prior. Not only had she physically matured a great deal, even more than the version of herself that haunted her dreams, but her armor was far more immaculate than before. Instead of having to scrape together pieces that she had looted from the battlefield, she now had a full set of custom-made armor that perfectly conformed to her body and allowed her to move without restrictions. Though it was somewhat heavy, Jeanne felt comfortable in the armor, almost as if it was a second skin that she simply couldn't live without.

Unlike the 'past', where the war had stopped after driving away the enemies from her homeland, this time things had been significantly different. Jeanne had proactively moved her way up the ranks instead of simply becoming a 'symbol' within the army that could be used at their leisure. She no longer took orders from others and was now in charge of a full regiment of her own that, compared to all others, was vaunted as the most elite within the region. With her trusted companions at her side and capable soldiers under her command, Jeanne's Regiment had become similar to the spear she carried at her side, piercing into the enemies heart without mercy.

Jeanne was currently sitting on the back of a grey stallion as she looked up at a massive black fortress that had been built into the side of a mountain. She only had eighteen hundred men under her command while the enemy vastly outnumbered them three-to-one. Since they were also in a fortified position, the coming battle would be a hard-fought victory that would truly test whether or not her troops deserved to be called elites. If they emerged victoriously, there would be nothing to stop their conquest of the neighboring region that had greedily invaded their homeland more than a decade prior. Jeanne wanted them to pay for all the deaths they had caused and, now that she had a chance to fight back in a meaningful way, she hadn't wasted it.

From Jeanne's right, no longer wearing the outfit of a 'battlefield relief specialist', a mature beauty with curly green hair rode a red-haired mare. Like her Commander, she was wearing full-plate armor except, contrasting the more 'conventional' design, the breastplate had been constructed in such a way that it perfectly cradled her ample bosom. Jeanne often complained about the design but, according to its wearer, it distracted the enemies and provided her a slight edge against similarly skilled opponents. Though Jeanne would have rebutted almost anyone else as foolish, she invariably allowed this particular person to get away with a great deal as, over the years, they had become far closer than normal friends...

Gently flicking the reins of her horse, the green-haired woman came to Jeanne's side as she mused, "That is quite the welcome they have prepared for us..." In response to this, Jeanne's face adopted an eager smile before she turned to face the woman and said, "It would be a shame to keep them waiting, no? Come, Maya, let us away..." Though she was preparing to give a speech to her waiting troops, Jeanne's words trailed off when she saw her closest companion shake her head, an amused smile on her face. Just as her confusion began to compound, Jeanne's mind began to feel heavy as Maya asked, "Is this really what you want, Jeanne? Are you satisfied with being a spear instead of a shield...?"

The moment she heard Maya's question, visions of all the people Jeanne had ever killed began to play within her mind all at once. She suddenly felt extremely nauseous as, compared to her 'past' self, where she had disarmed her foes and left them alive, she had killed thousands of enemy soldiers this time around. Though it hadn't been easy, Jeanne had grown accustomed to death and, not wanting to be her 'weak' self that was taken advantage of, she pushed on tirelessly until finally reaching the point where she could deal real and lasting damage to her enemies.

After nearly falling from her horse, Jeanne righted herself before looking into Maya's eyes, a look of disbelief clouding her own as she shouted, "Who are you? What did you do with Maya!?" Jeanne felt as though an enemy mage had invaded her ranks and replaced her closest confidant but, seemingly unflustered by the accusation, Maya's smile just softened slightly as she explained, "I would have liked to see how far your convictions could have taken you, Jeanne. It really is a shame that our time together has come to an end..." As she spoke, Maya looked towards the distance where a loud commotion had just started. Jeanne's eyes followed Maya's, allowing her to see the image of a man 'breaking' through the sky as the world began to shatter apart like fragments of a mirror...

Seeing the once-familiar figure, Jeanne's eyes widened in shock as she habitually muttered, "My Lord..." in a sheepish tone that barely reached her own ears. Then, far clearer than her own words, the voice of Maya echoed, "You are what you choose to be, Jeanne. If you wish to live without regrets, you must forge a path all your own. Few are afforded the opportunity to 'correct' their past actions...but, are you satisfied with the person you have become...?"

Snapping her head back to Maya's location, Jeanne noticed that the woman had simply vanished, much like the rest of the world around her. A powerful feeling of loss spread through her heart as even the horse she was saddled to ceased to exist, dropping her unceremoniously towards the ground. Before she landed against the hard bedrock below, however, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her shoulders before gently lowering her onto a cushioned surface. Jeanne felt hot tears flowing from her eyes as she looked up into the same face that would often appear in the back of her mind whenever she did something she didn't truly believe just...

Seeing Jeanne's crying figure, Vahn felt her anguish as his own, causing his heart to twist painfully in his chest. Reaching out his hand, Vahn wiped away her tears with his finger before pulling Jeanne into a warm hug as he whispered, "It's okay, Jeanne...everything is okay now..." Though he wasn't exactly close enough to Jeanne to warrant such a response, Vahn could see the loss and confusion contained within her gaze. He had seen the two armies within the illusion she was trapped in and, noticing that even her appearance was drastically different from normal, it was obvious she had experienced something far different than Helen and himself...

Having Vahn embrace her made Jeanne feel suffocated as tears continued to pour down her face in even greater volume. Her memories returned to her like an unrelenting tide, washing away the fourteen that she had spent within the illusion. It was already becoming difficult to recall what had happened but, even if the memories faded, the emotions that had driven them still persisted. Jeanne felt incredible shame, not for having fallen into the illusion's trap, but as a result of becoming a person that was almost the complete opposite of everything she believed in. It felt as if her whole world had come crashing down and, instead of pride and dignity, the only things she felt right now were an overwhelming sense of shame, sadness, and, most heartbreakingly of all, warmth...

---

Though Helen felt greatly relieved when she and Vahn had found Jeanne, these feelings quickly faded when she saw the genuine concern Vahn had for the latter. Unlike when he had saved her, Vahn had tightly embraced Jeanne and immediately began trying to console her without even a second thought. It wasn't the same unceremonious response he had given her, almost as if the fact she had been trapped in an illusion was an 'inconvenience' to him. Seeing the stark contrast in how Vahn treated the two of them made Helen feel as though her speculation about the relationship between the two was undoubtedly true. Though her interactions with Jeanne over the past few days seemed to contradict this, Helen now felt as if she had been slapped in the face as the 'truth' was revealed before her very eyes. An overwhelming urge to shed tears welled up inside her fractured heart but, knowing there wouldn't be anyone to console her, Helen buried her emotions as deeply as possible before turning her eyes away from the scene of Vahn and Jeanne's embrace...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is a bit of a butthole, even if he has reason to be','I dreamed a dream of time gone by...','Hearbreak...')

(A/N: I have no idea what happened but I somehow ended up sleeping for 11 hours. I'm not the type that ever uses an alarm clock so I was genuinely shocked when I saw what time it was after sitting down at my computer. There will still be three chapters today but the release may be a few minutes later than the standard two hour window.)

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paypal.me/Einlion

Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE


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