A Transcender's Guide To Another World 43 Chapter 43: Opacity

"Give me a reason why I should forge a pact with you? What's in it for me?"

She snorted, trying to contain the urge to laugh, her eyes twinkled with amus.e.m.e.nt.

I glared at her.

"Why of course, power! Power, my future host! Power to decimate your enemies and conquer continents. Power to hold the fate of other mortals on the top your own palms. Power to make them grovel and submit to you in fear of being obliterated," Adelrinthia said fervently.

"Are you sure you're a spirit and not a demon instead?" I said jokingly.

She c.o.c.ked her head sideways, uncomprehending of my previous remark, "Is that what you thought I am?"

Huh? I asked internally to Ellariel, "Hey, I thought you said she was a spirit? You sure about that?"

"I…"

Adelrinthia chuckled, "I thought you'd already seen through my disguise. Perhaps I've overestimated the strength you currently possessed. You're in a much weaker state that I could've possibly imagined, but it matters not any longer. You would still fight to your death in attempts to defy me nonetheless."

"d.a.m.n right, I would."

"Then, will you accept the contract, my future host? All my power for the low-price of letting me inhabit your body as my vessel", she tip-toed around me with a feline grace, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Not yet, let me think about it for a moment" I grouched.

"As you wish, my future host," she said with her gaze fixed on me, green eyes tinged with a hint of antic.i.p.ation.

I still haven't forgiven her for scaring the sh*t out of me with her threats. I seriously thought that she was gonna kill me. And I hate that. I hate being threatened. I hate being afraid. The reason I didn't outrightly refused the new terms of the contract is out of debt that I owed her for saving my life and Bastion's - despite her doing it out of her personal hidden agenda. I decided to lay down the facts at hand to make it easier to think.

The gains: Power (duh) and Diana's person back.

The loss: Another voice inside my head, potentially as patronizing as Ellariel, maybe worse.

The risk: There's some hidden price I didn't know about. Also, she might hijack my body if not handled with care.

I also reviewed the terms I offered her and found no loophole that she could openly exploit. The terms were identical to the ones I'd negotiated with Ellariel, except for the absence of obligations on my part. Which really bugs me. What are her intention for only forming a contract with me, offering power, demanding nothing in particular but the creation of the pact itself. If that isn't shady, then what is? The only free cheese is on a mousetrap. As such, I turned internally to Ellariel, asking for a second opinion. At first, I thought that she would've adamantly reject the prospect of having another roommate residing in my body. Little did I know, she not only didn't object but also cooperated and offered objective opinions regarding the issue at hand. However, I couldn't help but being joyful at her suddenly change of att.i.tude. I guess she had finally acknowledged me after witnessing how dauntless I am when facing off with Adelrinthia.

Based on what Ellariel said, there's basically no way for Adelrinthia to hoodwink me in any part of the contract (aside from denying me the privilege of her knowledge and power - which I can live without). I could also snub her consciousness and prevent her from surfacing just in case she gets annoying, which I doubt she would, understanding the terms of the contract.

The best case scenario is that I could access her power as my freely as my own, like I did with Ellariel's, which you gotta admit, is pretty dang cool - materializing a sword out of thin air, gaining superhuman agility, strength, and healing.

The worst scenario being that she refuses to cooperate and I had to seal her to prevent her from being a nuisance.

I ruffled my hair, still failing to figure out the reason behind her willingness to accept such a one-sided deal in the first place. Desperate much?

"Any thoughts on that?" I asked internally.

"No, my host," Ellariel swiftly replied.

"Very well, then. I'll ask her."

I redirected my attention to Adelrinthia, "Tell me and tell it true, why?"

"Could be more specific, my future host?" she sn.i.g.g.e.red, playing the same game as I did. One moment she's cute and childish, another moment she's s.e.xy and mature, then cold and vicious, but now she's just plain irritating. I didn't like how she changes her facets so effortlessly in a such a short span of time.

I glowered at her, "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Hurry up and cough out everything." I didn't inquire about anything specific in hopes I might stumble upon some answers to questions that I never even considered asking.

Without warning, the ground shook again. The halted scene played and paused in intervals, reminding me of a buffering video.

Adelrinthia sighed grimly, "It appears that I'm running out of time."

"What do you mean?"

"Precisely as it sounds. My existence is fading. And soon."

"And what would happen to Di, your current host?" I blurted out without thinking.

She regarded me for a moment. Noticing my concerned expression, she put up a nonchalant face and shrugged, "Who knows?"

Cr*p. She got me. "Ellariel, what happens if the ent.i.ty within the vessel die? How will it affect the host?"

"I… have no idea," her tone hesitant.

I cursed underneath my breath. I neutralize my expression, turning to Adelrinthia.

I tried to smile to show indifference, but my cheeks twitched halfway, shattering my attempts to exude apathy. Sweet bejeesus, I can't just keep cool knowing that a girl's life is at stake here.

Adelrinthia put her wrist on her forehead, "Oh, I feel my consciousness fading away.," she acted out with dramatism.

G.o.dd.a.m.nit. That half-a.s.s act isn't going to fool anyone  Time. I need a little more time to think.

"Oh no, I'm slipping away," she swayed like gra.s.s, blown by the wind.

She glanced at me, "Anytime now."

"Oh, shut up!" I snapped.

She went limp and collapsed to the ground. I sucked the air, trying to remain calm. "Your acting sucks. I'll accept the contract as soon as you tell me what I want to know."

The sky of the illusory world cracked, authentic sunlight leaking through the gaps.

My expression darkened, "Uhhh, Adelrinthia? Diana?"

No response.

The scene began to blur, the dissonance intensifying, phantom images of Rando, Liarelle, and Sigrid coming into sight. The stability of the timeless dimension started to falter, impendingly conjoining with the mortal plane.

I ran to Adelrinthia/Diana's body, shaking her up in a futile attempt to wake her up.

"Oy, wake up. Stop s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around. I'll accept the contract if you swear to explain to me about your reasons later," I said meekly.

Her body started to take on an ethereal form, becoming translucent and losing opacity with every pa.s.sing second.

I broke into a cold sweat. d.a.m.n it! d.a.m.n it! I spat out a chain of profanities. "Fine! The contract! Let it be forged!"

And then the world stopped again.

"The contract is made, the pact is sealed."