Ch.35 Source

While the mages ran around like headless chickens, Malpetios found himself in a stalemate. The mages couldn't do enough damage to overcome my King Lily's healing rate, and he could not pick off any more mages with their Leader's constant attacks.

He decided to focus on the Knight, only to see him close to the exit, quickly moving the maze around while ordering my Puppy to harass him I managed to buy more time. I then subconsciously took a look at my Balance Scale room, momentarily stopping in confusion. "I seem to have forgotten something?"

Malpetios could not get the feeling that he should be doing something in this room out of his mind, yet could not understand why. The room was in perfect condition and before the invaders left he could not reset or order the slimes to move... right?

"Dear?" Q'ill called out to me, snapping me out of my confusion as I focused on her. "Did you forget something? Does it have something to do with the phrase you asked me to remember? Taking in what Q'ill said, Malpetios could feel the wrongness vastly increasing to the point of hate, a sense of animosity towards Q'ill started to grow in me.

In that instant, my mental force started to boil out of control. "GET OUT!" For the first time, I was able to clearly feel something akin to a veil was clouding my thoughts, the animosity to Q'ill so foreign my mind rejected it completely, as I lash at it with my mental force. At that moment the System acted up.

[Warning. The Host is attacking himself. Host should cease this action before irreversible damage is done to your soul.]

I immediately stopped attacking, my mind clearing up, allowing me to finally find where the wrongness was coming from. The 'veil' for lack of a better way to describe it, was gone the second I was distracted. I could now understand that my actions were breaking rules set up by... someone. Is it the world's will?

But why would the world's will not simply tell me the rules and warned me when I could not do something? "Dear, are you alright?!" Q'ill was looking at me, fear and worry all over her face. "Yes, I am fine!" I replied as she asks me more questions, "what happen to you? Your core has a crack on it!"

I created some water under me, using it as a mirror, I saw my core had a small crack on it, the prismatic colors looking pale around it. "I can't feel any pain?" hearing me Q'ill started to worry something was wrong with me and ask what was happening, to my surprise, however, she seems to not understand me.

Anything I said about the Rules she would nod and say, 'as it should be', then forget anything that contradicts that logic. Every time I tried to explain why the rules don't work she would respond with, 'that's silly dear that's against the rules'. She seems to have the same problem I had but the thought of something being wrong never crosses her mind.

Not getting anywhere, I ask her to remind me of what I told her and see if anything happens. She nodded and said, "I did not order the metal slimes to wait". As she said it my mind started to cloud over, the veil reappearing apparently weaker from my last attack. As I prepare my mental force I am reminded of the crack in my Core. "Wait, no! I can't attack", instead I yell at the system to do something.

[Scanning host soul... Complete. No anomaly detected.]

What do you mean nothing is wrong?! I can clearly feel something invading my th-thoughts... wait... what am I doing, Q'ill is the one suggesting I should tell the slimes to continue gathering energy, how could she even think of something that would break the ru-rules!?

I started to lose myself again, only being able to recognize something was wrong due to Q'ill. Not caring anymore I attacked the veil with my mental force, prompting a system warning and a worried yell from Q'ill at my bigger crack. I once again yell at the System to find what is wrong!

[No anomaly detected. Sending query to the Main system... Failed. Bridge to Main System is damage do to Host previous Request. Searching Memory banks. Searching... Searching... solution found.]

My core turned mostly red the moment I was reminded of my outburst, the hate, fear, and pain from both me and the Child's memories making me do something so stupid. Returning back to my prismatic colors a second later, I focus on the solution the System found.

[Unknown will fragment memories extracted. Suggesting the Host find a stronger soul or opposing will to apply pressure unto yours. This action will condense your soul or will, allowing for a deeper more narrow search.]

So I need someone to apply pressure unto my soul? I thought about asking Q'ill but she will definitely disagree with my crack already scaring her. I need someone that hates me or is an enemy and won't be worried about hurting me. I thought about the Knight but he would require all my attention to fight or I am most likely dead.

I then remember something, "Mr. Muscles!" That's right, I still have a will fragment in my Mindscape an extremely strong one.

"Muscles?" Q'ill looked at me with a dubious look on her face, "I don't think Cores can grow muscles, are you trying to grow some, and that's why your core is cracking? Please stop that dear you do not need muscles even if you want to show off some, make a giant or troll and Boss Fusion with them, they are walking muscles he-he."

I turned red again and tried to explain the situation only to get the same, 'that's silly dear' response, sense what I am doing can basically be considered trying to escape the rules control.

Focusing back at the fight outside I noticed the mage's Life aura getting smaller, this made it a lot easier for me and my boss to absorb the Elemental Mana they keep using on spells. The Leader started to order them to retrieve back outside, my boss however was not gonna let them go easily.

I brought out my window interface about to click (Log in) with my mental force only to stop. Wait, what if I try to order the Snow Slimes now? I tried and it nearly worked, however as I pushed the slimes to follow my orders a sudden sense of danger strikes me, the feeling nothing like the veil, it was cold and emotionless but more importantly I could actually feel it coming from somewhere in my mindscape.

The slimes when back into place ignoring my commands further, I quickly go inside my Mindscape leaving behind a worried Q'ill as I chase that feeling.