Ch: 118.1

I need to hurry!

The rotating whisps of the goddesses’ power were spinning as fast as I could control them and were cutting through the soul horror experience like butter, yet everything wasn’t smooth sailing. The whisps were slowly shrinking, but that wasn’t the most significant problem; I was.

It felt like I was being crushed under a mountain of pressure, and it was only getting worse the deeper I went. Of course, my current form was just my consciousness manifest, so I didn’t need to breathe. This was a good thing because if this were my real body facing this level of pressure, it would’ve been reduced to paste a long time ago.

Only my willpower kept me going, and I was worried that might soon give out, too, because it wasn't just the pressure I felt. While standing on the top of the soul horror experience, there was a disconnect between my consciousness and my soul. But now that I was closing the distance between the two, that connection was once again strengthening, and I could feel the strain my soul was under and couldn't imagine how it hadn't crumbled by now.

My soul was desperately trying to lighten its load by absorbing as much experience as possible, but there was simply too much for it to handle.

Even if I reach my soul and escape before my body attacks Tabitha, I’m not sure what will be waiting for me on the other side. The pain I was experiencing was already pushing the limits of what was endurable, and according to the goddesses, it would be worse when I returned to the real world, and my consciousness and soul were once again united.

There was a real possibility I might die immediately after I regained consciousness, but that was a better alternative than becoming a monster if you ask me. And besides, if I die, Tabitha won't need to worry about me when she escapes. So there was that, at least.

I know I’m being negative, but I was trying to look on the bright side of things. I really was.

There was no way I could predict the pain level I would experience once I freed myself. Of course, I wasn't going to give up without a fight, but I wasn’t going to form any unreal expectations either.

I feel the soul horror experience shifting around me and push harder. I lost my view of the outside world, but the tremors were a sign my body was still absorbing experience with Soul Devourer, and I refused to believe the added experience I was feeling was from Tabitha. The added experience made my digging harder but also meant I still had time. When the experience stops flowing in, that's what I fear the most.

I was almost there; I could feel myself getting closer to my soul!

I just need to push harder. If I can do that, I’ll ma…...

Just then, I feel the soul horror experience settle around me and stop moving entirely.

“No!” Ignoring all the pressure and pain, I put everything into controlling the goddesses’ fragments. If the experience around me settled, it meant no more was being absorbed, and if no more was being absorbed….

I was out of time.

With reckless abandon, I hurl myself downward. I was pushing so hard; my consciousness was right up against the gods' power and was being torn apart like everything else. The pain didn't matter; only reaching my soul did.

I desperately wanted to uncover my soul, and every second I didn’t, I felt an invisible scythe inch closer to my neck.

Then it happened; the dull grey experience of the soul horrors is ripped away to reveal the fake grass I knew and loved. I wasted so much time meticulously forming every single blade I'd recognize it anywhere. The goddesses’ fragments were damn near reduced to nothing, but I didn’t care. Reaching out, my consciousness once again touches my soul, and through the unbelievable pain, I felt joy.

It only took a split second, and I was finally back in the real world. And as fate had it, I was standing in front of Tabitha…...

With over a dozen spectral arms stabbed into her chest.

I could feel her soul in the palm of my skill's grasp. With one tiny movement, Tabitha's strong soul would be shredded to pieces, and I'd gain the power I always wanted. It would be so easy, a voice whispered in the back of my mind.

“You’re back," Tabitha's casual remark sends my mind reeling. "So, these arms are what you used to kill the soul horrors, interesting.”

She could see them!? Was it because I was holding touching her soul, or did she unlock a new skill?

“That’s what you have to say,” tears streak down my cheeks. She could see the arms, and feel me grabbing her soul, so why wasn't she looking at me like a monster? “I could kill you,” I hiccup through the tears.

“And?” Tabitha’s unshakable eyes bypassed what little defenses I had left. “I was prepared to die for you; that hasn't changed. Whatever happens, as long as you survive, I’ll die with a smile on my face.” Her mouth slowly morphs into her trademark battle grin. “That said, I preferred it if I didn’t die today. Can you retract your skill?”

“I don’t know,” I mumble. With the voice in my head ordering me to silence Tabitha, I didn’t trust my skill to listen to me. Then there was the pain in my chest; it was overwhelming. I could feel my soul trying to drag my consciousness back inside to help starve off the pain, but what would happen if I did that? Would my skill deactivate or resume what it was doing before I stopped it?

My breath turns ragged, and sweat starts to form on my back. I was doing my best not to move or accidentally trigger my skill, but the pain around my soul was increasing. Fast. All the experience I absorbed was crushing me from the inside out.

“Aaliyah, are you okay?” Tabitha notices my pain and is rightfully concerned.

“I don’t know what to do,” I admit in a panic. It was getting hard to think, which meant I would lose control.

"Calm yourself," Tabitha's authoritative voice draws my attention and keeps me from collapsing.

Through the tears streaming down my face, I pleadingly lock eyes with Tabitha.

“Your skill doesn’t control you; you do.” Even in her weakened state, even with her life literally in the palm of my hands, Tabitha projects an air of power and certainty.

“You don’t understand,” I bawl. “It hurts so much,” I shakily bring my real hands up to my chest.

“What’s causing you pain?” Tabitha doesn’t raise her voice, choosing to stay calm and composed.

"It's the soul horrors I absorbed," I whine, not even trying to hide the effects of my skill at this point.

For the briefest of moments, Tabitha’s eyes widen in surprise, but she quickly gets ahold of her emotions and continues to talk to me in a supportive tone. "I see; quite a skill you have there. Can you release any of it, lessen the pressure?”

All I can do is shake my head no in response. The darkness was closing in, and I could feel myself losing consciousness. Releasing some of the experience might help, but it could just as easily condense back into another soul horror.

“Alright then, share it with me,” Tabitha boldly suggests. “Can you do that?”

What! Did Tabitha suggest I pour the excess experience into her? But she doesn't have any soul skills or even Mental Resistance. Would she be able to survive such a thing? It was too big a risk. I again shook my head; no, but Tabitha noticed my hesitation.

"How many times will you save me today before you let me help you!?" Her calm demeanor finally snaps, and she yells at me. "I can't move; at least let me help you shoulder the burden you're carrying. If I die, then so be it."

The voice whispering to me tells me to do the opposite and absorb Tabitha’s soul, but I ignore it.

“Do you not trust me?” The look Tabitha gives me says it all. I saw her desire to protect me, the will to do whatever it took, and the resolve to accept the consequences; not trusting her would be equivalent to spitting on the relationship we’ve worked so hard to cultivate.

I trusted Tabitha, and she trusted me. So, I go for it.

Using Soul Manipulation, I channel the pressure threatening to break me back through Soul Devourer. I was already connected directly to Tabitha’s soul, so I might as well use the connection.

A sense of relief washes over me as I steadily channel the experience into Tabitha, but where I feel respite, Tabitha experiences hell. She took the first wave of experience like a champ, but after the second and third waves, she gritted her teeth so hard that her gums were bleeding, and she could no longer keep her light spell up.

“Do you need me to stop?” I groaned in the dark, there was still too much experience for me to handle, but I was worried for Tabitha’s safety.

“Don’t you dare," Tabitha bites back. "Keep going; I can take it."

Reluctantly, I continue. If Tabitha said she could take it, I had faith in her.

I am ready to send the next chunk of experience when I hear a voice in my ear out of nowhere. And it wasn’t the murderous psychotic one I was used to hearing when I used Soul Devourerer.

“How barbaric, you steal our power, and now you break even more taboos," Goddess Ilia’s voice sends shivers down my spine.

Was I really hearing her voice, or had all the pressure finally caught up to me?

“I should kill you for what you did,” Ilia threatens, and through all the soul horror experience still covering my soul, I feel a poke that feels like a branding iron against my soul.

That wasn't in my head, but how was Ilia interacting with me? I thought they could only make contact when a person unlocked a tier 6 skill. Don’t tell me!

“That’s correct,” the ice-cold voice of Goddess Ebeon’s voice whispers in my other ear. "Ilia wanted to drag you into your soul out of spite to talk and confront you there, but I convinced her otherwise. Congratulations, you’re the first mortal in a long time to unlock not one, but two tier 6 skills, even though they’re both his.”

“Thanks,” I nervously answer under my breath. Even if I had been louder, I doubt Tabitha would’ve noticed with how much pain she was in, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

I’m about to send over the experience I was planning to before the goddesses made their presence known, but this time, it's Ebeon who interrupts me. “Don’t be so forceful; sense the skill you unlocked,"she directs me.

It was hard to sense anything with my soul still covered. But surprisingly, Sense Soul easily pierces through the barrier, and I feel my new skill.

“It’s called Experience Transfer,” Ebeon whispers in my ear. “It’s just as dangerous as Soul Devourer, though, for different reasons. I don't suppose I need to tell you what those are?”

She really didn’t. If knowledge of Soul Devourer would make me a target, Experience Transfer would place a neon sign over my head saying ‘use me’ in bold letters. If Tabitha and I survive long enough to make it out of the Endless Forest, I would need to have a long chat with her about what she witnessed today. But I didn’t have time to worry about that now.

With the help of Experience Transfer, I can feed a steady stream of soul horror experience into Tabitha instead of sending it over in clumps. Of course, it's still painful for her, but at least I’m not making it worse by arbitrarily cramming it into her soul.

I monitor Tabitha as I continue with the transfer, but eventually, I reach a point where the pain in my soul is more reasonable, and I can stop. With the pain reduced to a manageable level, I can think more clearly, and I have no problem dismissing Soul Devourer without harming Tabitha’s soul. At least not any more than I already have.

As soon as my skill dissipates, all the energy leaves my body, and I collapse to the ground next to Tabitha.

“Very good,” Ebeon’s approving voice rings in my ear. "We cannot maintain this connection long, so we'll have to wait until next time to talk formally."

“What makes you think they’ll be a next time?” I whisper in such a quiet voice it’s barely even audible to me.

“Call it a hunch,” I hear the mirth in the goddess of death's voice. “Don’t die too soon,” she says before I feel her presence vanish.

I'm about to let out a sigh of relief when I'm reminded more than one god is watching me. “Try to so much as touch the remaining parts of us in your soul, and I'll do things that will make you wish for my sister's embrace," Ilia angrily hisses in my ear before she, too, vanishes.

I lay in silence, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but after five minutes of nothing happening, I finally allowed my body to relax. I was more than sore, and my soul was furiously working on converting the remaining experience covering my soul. There was no doubt in my mind there was enough to gain me a few levels, and that was after I transferred the majority to Tabitha. Though she had no resistance to it, thankfully, Tabitha's higher level and strong will allowed her to shoulder a considerable amount of the burden.

I wasn’t sure if she was still awake or not, but I could hear her labored breathing, so at least I knew she was alive. Was there any doubt…. Yes, a lot, actually, but I suppose I should’ve known better than to write Tabitha off, even with her injuries.

Speaking of which, I wasn’t much better. I might not have been in control of my body, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t feeling the effects of what it did. Now that there wasn’t an emergency to worry about, I couldn’t bring myself to twitch a finger, let alone move a limb.

I’m struggling to keep my eyes open and can't think of a reason why I should. If there's anything else down here, I'm sorry, but that’s it. Thankfully I don’t think we have to worry about that. With how aggressive the soul horrors were, there shouldn’t be anything else down here, and the fighting had to have drawn every last one of them to us.

So, with that in mind, I give up trying to stay awake and let sleep take me. I've earned that much.

**********

2,500 words.

What do you think, like the chapter? You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to see so many people comment on how they wanted Aaliyah to help Tabitha reach level 100 so many chapters ago, knowing full well this is where I wanted things to go and not to spoil it.

And don't worry; there will be limits on the skill, seeing how Aaliyah just got it.

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed myself.

I'll read all your comments tomorrow, and as always, stay safe.