Chapter 40 The Trial

Joe’s eyes widened as he dropped to his stomach, sending the last creature over him. Just as the creature passed overhead, he jumped to his feet, making eye contact with Elysia’s panicked eyes as the creature charged toward her.

Elysia moved to jump into the water, but before she could take a step, the creature sliced with its right claw, cutting deep into her side. Burning pain filled her being as she shot off the pier, rag dolling through the air into the water.

An inky black substance circulated through her body through her bloodstream, paralyzing her body in agony as she sunk into the black depths. She fought to remain conscious, sucking in water, but her body had other ideas dimming her vision as a system notification dinged.

Warning! Forced Race Evolution Imminent.

Warning! Incompatible Race Evolution.

Warning! Unauthorized Access Detected.

Race Evolution Recalibrated.

Commencing Race Evolution Trial.

Elysia awakened with a groan, shooting upright gasping for breath, only to find herself somewhere new. Her earlier panic shifted to bewilderment as she scanned her surroundings. Where am I? Did that thing hit me harder than I thought?

For as far as the eye can see was a wasteland, with violet lightning arcing between cracks in the dark gray ground. A horrifying thought came to her, bringing tears to her eyes. Am I one of those things? Am I trapped in here until someone puts my rabid body down?

As if to answer her questions, a notification appeared in her vision.

Welcome Elysia Arashi to your trial! Your actions shall be judged. If found unworthy, you shall remain here until the end of your days. Good luck. You will need it.

Trial? What did I do? Whatever it was, I’m innocent!

Elysia raised to her feet, tears drying, determination taking hold. She spun in a circle before choosing a direction at random.

After walking for a half hour with no change to her scenery, sweat began to form on her naked body. The worsening aches throughout her body caused a frown. What’s wrong with me? Why am I tired already?

She willed her status to open to check if her charge was low, but nothing happened. A tremble ran through her body as her panic built, but she pushed it down as she grasped at her core. Her mind failed to connect to the core as if it didn’t exist, snapping her last thread of emotional control. A feeling of being unwhole assaulted her being.

Unable to continue, she dropped to the hard, dark gray ground. She curled into a ball as tears flowed. Brown hair fell into her eyes, causing her to jerk up. With a force of will, she smothered the empty feeling as her mind snapped into focus. As confirmation of her theory, she checked her arms, finding tan skin from many hours spent running outside. Trial? Is the trial about keeping my powers? Did I abuse them somehow? No, that doesn’t feel right.

Why do I feel so empty? It’s like someone tore something from me. Tears formed once more, but she shook her head, forcing a determined expression on her face even if she didn’t feel it. I can’t let myself wallow. If I want to escape, I need to keep pushing forward.

Elysia placed one foot in front of another as she tried her best to ignore the empty feeling eating at her.

A momentary warmth flooded into her, as if encouraging her to push on.

In front of her eyes, her surroundings morphed. Gone was the never-ending wasteland replaced with an ocean of lightning, with her standing on an island of dark gray ground the size of the inner field of a track. Her gaze landed on a figure cloaked in black standing at the other end of the island. The figure wielded a spear writhing in black lightning, staring her down with abyssal eyes piercing her down to her soul.

They stood in a standoff for several minutes before the figure walked toward her with a confident gait, spear held leisurely in its right hand. Once within ten meters, Elysia’s weakened non-system enhanced eyes finally took in the details of the figure. Every centimeter of the figure was inky black, but what caught her attention was its features. It was like looking at a corrupted mirror, turning her reflection black.

In a voice identical to hers but also not the same, the figure spoke. “Well, what do we have here? A lost lamb? Let’s send you back where you belong.”

Elysia’s survival instincts flared, sending her to the ground as a black spear flashed overhead. However, unlike most things she faced, the figure expected her to dive. It immediately stomped its inky boot down on her left wrist. A snap sounded, followed by stabbing pain as the boot lifted from her unnaturally bent wrist.

While cradling her limp wrist, Elysia climbed to her feet as inky Elysia stepped back, waiting for her. Anger flared as she stared into the cocky figure. “What’s your problem? You don’t matter. All you are is a test for me, the real Elysia. A rigged test at that.”

Inky Elysia’s ever present grin widened. “Oh, how cute. Who do you think gets your body once you fail?”

Elysia flinched but refused to give the bully satisfaction. She stood tall, staring into the abyssal eyes of her counterpart.

“Playing tough, huh? Let’s change that.” Commented the figure before blurring.

The next thing Elysia knew, she was on her knees with lava running down her hamstrings. Pushing through the pain, she tried to climb to her feet only for another strike to send her face first to the ground. Her nose smashed on the rock hard dark gray stone, causing her eyes to water.

Inky Elysia stared down at her spear lazily resting on her shoulders. “Oh, crying already? So weak.”

Elysia ground her teeth as she lifted her gaze to glare up at the infuriating being. “Fuck you! You aren’t real. No matter what you say, you exist for this trial, nothing more.”

“Whatever you say to make yourself feel better. Once this is over, you will have plenty of time to come to terms with the truth.”

With a force of will, Elysia forced herself back to her knees, blinking away tears of pain from her wrist, hamstrings, and back.

“Right where you belong on your knees.”

Elysia returned the figure’s look of disdain with one of her own. “Will you shut up? Is throwing insults and beating on a defenseless girl all you can do? How pathetic.”

“Oh? Is this where you gain some second wind and slay me? Let’s crush that, shall we?” commented inky Elysia tone dripping with sarcasm.

The black spear blurred toward her, slamming into her side. She flew into the air across the island, landing with a grotesque splat just before the edge dozens of meters away.

Inky Elysia appeared above her crumpled form. “What do you think? Was that a home run? Maybe I should try again just to be sure.”

Elysia’s unfocused eyes glared up at the figure as blood running from her lips, both arms bent underneath her.

Her defiance only proved to amuse inky Elysia. “Still got some fight left in you? Wonderful.”

While the figure focused down on her, Elysia’s low perspective caught several cracks forming on the island. The sight caused a smile to form.

For the first time, inky Elysia’s smile faltered. “Why are you smiling? Are you a masochist?”

Elysia opened her mouth to retort but only gurgled, blood pooling in her lungs. Blood spouted from her mouth, but she continued to smile, refusing to give the creature the satisfaction of breaking her.

While frowning, the figure stared down at its target, feeling something was off. “Enough of this. If you won’t give in, I’ll do it for you.”

Inky Elysia raised her spear to impale Elysia but stopped at the last second as she caught her target looking behind her. With unnatural grace, she spun, leveling her spear, but found nothing waiting for her. She turned back, then followed Elysia’s gaze, but still found nothing.

Rage flared as the figure raised her spear once more, aiming it at Elysia’s chest. “You won’t trick me! Your body shall be mine”

As the spear came down, the cracks only seen by Elysia spread under inky Elysia’s feet. The ground crumbled under her right foot, sending the stab wide right missing Elysia by mere centimeters. Inky Elysia hopped to the left, moving to thrust her spear once more, but she stepped right on a spider-webbed section. Her eyes widened before she disappeared into the violet sea of lightning below.

Tension released from Elysia’s body as her strong front shattered, replaced by a broken girl too damaged to even cry.

Soon, the spreading cracks approached her. Unable to move, she just closed her eyes as waited for the inevitable, praying all the pain was worth it.

Seconds later, the violet sea claimed her too. Her broken body plummeted into its depths. Instead of the expected agony, welcoming warmth spread through her body, washing away the pain. Consciousness left her as her body melted before compressing into a violet orb filled with churning lightning. The surrounding sea poured into the orb, filling it to the brim, somehow compressing further with each passing second.

Less than a minute later, the once vast ocean of lightning vanished, leaving nothing but black empty space with a violet sun at the center.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Elysia’s body remained on the sea floor. Under her armor, her veins shined like the sun lighting up the dark water as her core emptied of lightning. The lightning flowed through her body, fusing with the black substance. Her organs shut down as her body fell into a suspended state.

Outwardly she appeared to be sleeping, but inwardly it was a different story. Her core within her heart expanded to swallow her heart, leaving just the core in its place. The core pulsed like a heartbeat, sending glowing violet blood through her veins as it infused lightning into her every cell. Her wound stitched back together, leaving pristine skin over glowing veins.

Just as the wound sealed, another warning dinged within her unconscious mind.

Warning! Unable To Complete Transition.

Warning! Unauthorized Access Detected.

A violet streak of lightning descended, shattering through the dungeon barrier. It pierced through the water down to Elysia’s unconscious body. The lightning filled her core to the brim in an instant, continuing to fill it as more lightning pumped out into her body. Cracks formed on her core, sending a stream upward as it left violet streaks in her white hair.

Her core held on by a thread, spider-webbed with cracks, but it continued its job of transforming its body.

Seconds after it started, the transition completed, restarting her organs and returning consciousness.

Race Evolution Completed.

Elysia’s blinding amethyst eyes sprang open, leaving two light trails leading to the surface. Unbothered by the water, she shot to her feet. Lightning arced off her body, frying nearby fish as she turned her gaze toward the surface. Like a rocket, she shot to the surface, landing on the pier. Upon impact, cracks formed on the concrete pier. Her imperial gaze scanned her surroundings, finding Joe and the last creature in a clash on the pier.

Her burning bright veins lit up the night sky as she strode forward, lightning arching off her body with each step. She eyed the creature with disgust, raising her hand as if passing judgement. A lightning bolt shot into the sky from her outstretched hand.

Night turned to day as the violet bolt descended onto the creature with the might of Zeus. The bolt smited it, burning a hole through its body before grounding on the pier.

She next turned her gaze to Joe, who raised his swords toward her on instinct. A condescending sneer formed as she raised her hand to deliver her judgement once again, only for her body to freeze.

Elysia’s eyes rolled back as she collapsed to the pier, unconscious. Her veins dimmed but remained visible under the charred body armor.