We were walking down a gravel path in silence, the location of the last of the resources were in some mountain somewhere and it was a bit of a walk away. We occasionally went past a few dragons and some farmer's field who Sylvia was very intent on avoiding for the sake of trying not to make me kill people. We were in some open plains right about then; nobody was in sight and the previously burnt dragon kingdom was in the distance. The entire rag tag bunch was silent, odd but nonetheless a relief from how annoyingly they usually shout at the top of their lungs like the rambunctious bunch they are. Sylvia looked deep in thought and Flare had a rather familiar face of annoyance that I'd often see on myself whenever I was with someone I wasn't fond of; funnily enough she was glaring at Sylvia like she was the bloody devil.

"So... you're Flaryvna?" Unexpectedly Sylvia had broken the silence, she didn't turn around to look at us or anything and instead kept walking.

"What of it?" Flare returned with a huff, she folded her arms like that did something to torment Sylvia.

Ewan, I can hear your thoughts.

You think that like it's meant to torment me.

"You're the minor Goddess of Fire, Flames and Keeper of Phoenixes, aren't you?"

"High Goddess, and fomer Keeper of Phoenixes." Sylvia stopped in her tracks as did we, she turned around with a single green eyebrow raised.

"How did you become a High Goddess?" In response to Sylvia's question Flare just looked over to me and Sylvia's eyes followed with an exhausted sigh. "So you've incarnated into Alfred and somehow you became a High Goddess. That makes no sense."

"Right, infants making it rain fire and casually heading out to assassinate a dragon king makes so much sense to begin with." I added in.

You're not helping.

You're very keen on helping her despite you seeming to have quite the dislike for her.

... That's because if we don't tell her things she'll be an idiot an keep being annoying for the duration she's around us.

I think the Flare that switched isn't the Flare we got back.

I know, it's quite the improvment actually. She doesn't shout about and whine like a child.

I don't do that!

Yes, yes you do.

Do not!

Do to!

Both of you are whining like children.

Oh bloody hell, Sylvia's speaking. Did any of you get what she was saying for the first part?

Something about all that being explainable by me incarnating into you and whatnot.

"... so how did you all of a sudden become a High Goddess?" Sylvia sternly asked, me and Flare looked at one another expecting some sort of explanation to enter our heads. I wasn't bothered to explain and I'm sure Flare doesn't know how to explain it.

"We did things that ended up making us associated with certain domains which therefore granted us the powers over said domains." Flare actually explained it. Flare! The paedophilic goddess who wants me to commit incest!

Right... even I have to admit it's terrifying me a bit.

Oh! I should have known! Give me a second!

ANALYSING SOUL OF P1 AND MP1 ANALYSIS OF SOUL P1 AND MP1: FINAL PHASE OF SOULDER

What's Soulder?

And what's with the P1 and MP1?

Those are just ways to identify your souls. Soulder on the otherhand is the process of merging two souls which are bound together by some form of link. In the process a dominant soul engulfs a lesser soul which involves the lesser soul becoming like the dominant soul.

NO!

Well I suppose this-

I'M BEING DOMINANTED BY EWAN?

It seems like some things aren't changing. Anyway, I suppose this explains Flare's sudden changes but does it normally take this long to happen.

It happens rather slowly, in fact you've only started going through the process recently, it's a surprise that you're able to dominate an immortal's soul Ewan and much more surprising that it's happened so quickly.

Well, considering all the things that have happened...

Ewan, Sylvia's talking.

Right, forgot about her.

"Can you repeat that?" Sylvia looked like she probably wanted to hit me but released all her frustration once again into a sigh; she seemed to have quite the self-control.

"I said that if it was so easy to get power then all the Gods would've done it."

Well... she made a good point. Why haven't those other wankers done this already?

Some sort of constitutional law? Never really read any of those.

Hey! Almighty Index, we could use some help right about now!

"Do you two honestly have no idea how you've obtained your power?" While me and Flare awaited Sophia's answer Sylvia looked at us like we were quite possibly the biggest idiots she could've seen. I take it that she's taking advantage of the fact we can't kill her.

"It just happens." Flare stated the fact we've already established without directly stating it.

Oh shut up!

"Regardless of how we obtained our power you said you would take us to where the resources for our ritual was." I reminded her, Sylvia all but dramatically extended her arm behind her to the very large, open and empty plains.

"I don't see anything." It appeared that the final stage of soul-merging didn't give Flare any common sense.

Excuse me?

We're in a world where we just made it rain fire and had alter-egos of ourselves bring everyone we killed back to life; hence there's a high chance that there's something invisible here especially if it's hiding the dragon's resources for a wishing ritual.

And what if there isn't?

Then I'm willing to go through the pain just to kill Sylvia.

What if we revive her?

Then it was worth it for those few seconds.

"They told me about this place when they discussed the ingredients. It's some secret and sacred mountain that can be accessed as long as you are powerful enough to dispel the illusion around it." Sylvia explained. "I expect that you two will be doing so."

Flare disappeared with no words but gave Sylvia a very snooty face, who just responded with her own evil eyes towards Flare.

Right, here's a void ability;

[And thus to all with essence shall fall into the unending chasm and the roots of the lower air shall recede]

Flare is that you trying to kill Sylvia?

Just say [Negate]

I outstretched my hand towards the area Sylvia introduced, "[Negate]"

It was then an earthquake suddenly struck and the area in front of us looked as if the air itself was crumbling and a million invisible bricks had fallen. Then before us a mountain appeared that was decorated in more marble than their city; just their entrance was surrounded by pillars and the stairs themselves had an occasional arc every fifty steps or so. The mountain itself put the dwarves' from earlier to shame, if the dragons had no idea where we were they did now.

Isn't that... I thought it was just a story.

What was just a story?

It's about the fall of the Aeglian Empire, the greatest empire till this day established by Aliki the Scarlet Dragon. I don't know much about her story or much about this mountain but I do know that it had something to do with the fifth dragon emperor being betrayed at this mountain and thus being named Mark of Betrayal.

Okay, let me get this straight: my sister who betrayed me and tried to make me good took me to a place named Mark of Betrayal.

... Oh that coniving, little, inbred piece of shit!

Once again Flare appeared besides me with her scythe in hand and Sylvia who was lost in awe and staring at the mountain that had appeared suddenly had Flare's scythe pointed at her neck. She snapped her head towards Flare who looked about as angry as playing Mass Effect 3 and hating the ending.

"Right! So, you little traitor, you decided that betraying us once is not good enough so you decided to do it twice!" Flare declared and Sylvia looked very, very confused.

"Where did you get that idea?" She looked to me and I gave her an energetic shrug.

"Where did I get the idea? How about from the fact that you literally just took us to the Mark of Betrayal?" Sylvia looked to the mountain with what seemed like genuine shock, she then suddenly began laughing and returned to looking at Flare but only calmed her laughs into giggles.

Right, you converted into me from hanging out with me and she went insane. I really bring out the best in people.

"S-Seriously," she giggled, "I don't think i've heard such butchered logic before."

Why that-

Flare, she's completely right. I don't think I've ever heard someone sound so stupid.

Sophia, where did you run of to?

Is that really important? I think-

No idea, for some reason I was suddenly disconnected.

Guys! She literally-

Well, I suppose now that you're back you can answer our question. How do we get our powers?

Fool me once shame on you, fool me-

... I think she's gone again. I think talking about our powers disconnects her.

Guess that means we'll never learn. Now come on! She is totally going to betray us!

Flare your logic is stating that if she took us to Paris, the city of love, then she'd be planning to make love to us.

That's totally possible and you know it!

Right, but that's correlation, not causation.

"...Second of all, for me to be betraying you I would have to have your trust. This clearly proves I don't." Sylvia pointed out, Flare had let her scythe down... for now. She still sent bitchy eyes towards Sylvia.

What was her first point?

Never heard and don't want to.

"Right, now onto this damn mountain!" I declared; and thus we began our annoyingly long climb.