Something Else

The limp and lifeless body that was swollen and turned purple from the harsh beating was slowly levitating off the ground and being put together like angels playing with a puzzle.

She was beautiful, in terms of the Vola lookalike who was still at the front door kneeling with her mouth wired shut, the woman levitating was leagues ahead in beauty.

Her beauty was angelic and it seemed as if the room was becoming bright and hot based on the phenomenon in front of Mari.

"What's going on?" Asked Mari.

She was mesmerized at the spectacle occurring in front of her. She was almost speechless but the fatigue that swelled inside of her has long abandoned the wall that stopped her inner thoughts.

"General candidate, I don't think this is going well." Said Cameron.

"I can tell." Said Mari.

Mari was mesmerized but beneath the bright light show that was happening she felt something hidden in the heat of the aura radiating. It wasn't danger but something far more mysterious. It was something that Mari had never felt before.

"Limitless. This lady is not able to be controlled by the goddess!" Mari hushed under tongue.

She didn't want to doubt the power of the goddess but in front of her was something that couldn't be explained.

"Cameron! Who is this?" Asked Mari.

"Her name is Friday. She's an ordinary berry picker like my past self!" Proclaimed Cameron.

"No. This lady isn't meant to be here. She's not responding to the call of the goddess." Said Mari.

The shining body that was levitating began to slowly float back onto the ground. It was a beautiful spectacle. It was the sight of a new god. Mari didn't know it but Friday was someone that had a long road to travel down.

The body of Friday tippy toed back to the ground and collapsed with a silent bang.

Mari didn't feel any life force coming from the body that collapsed. It was more like it was only a vessel that ran out of juice.

"It didn't work, General candidate." Said Cameron.

"Yes. I think her life belongs someplace else and can't be dragged down to be lead by someone like me. Pity, that aura was something far more dangerous than my husband." Said Mari.

When she met Kai she lost to him at a sword competition and during that competition she shivered at the sight at such a tall and handsome figure. It wasn't the sight that sewed her mouth shut, but it was something far more deep than that. Kai gave Mari the feeling of something that was limitless and far more dangerous than fighting against dungeon monsters lead by the powers of gods.

"General candidate, we still have Vola here kneeling down." Said Cameron.

"Oh so your name is Vola?" Asked Mari.

There was no response from the lady that was left in front of the house kneeling. She was quiet because she was commanded not to speak unless allowed.

"You may speak now." Said Mari.

"Yes. I'm Vola!"

Mari didn't understand what was happening.

"Why would Vola the taskmaster ask me to save these ladies?" Thought Mari.

"Lady! Please let me go." Spoke Vola.

"Hold on. I'm curious." Said Mari.

As of late curiosity has gotten the best to Mari. This was because her fatigue had hushed her inner voice that allowed for her to be a well mannered and well kind lady.

She was thinking about the Vola taskmaster and the Vola that knelt there in front of her. She wondered what would happen if she turned her into one of the undead under her service.

"Would I be able to force her to somehow connect with the real one and maybe tell me everything she knows?" Thought Mari.

This way of thinking was extremely skewed. This was the trial of illusions. It was more likely that turning this Vola would have no effect to the real Vola, but Mari once again didn't listen to her rational thinking. Mari instead saw something interesting and decided to continue with seeing it through. This was the new Mari that was developing.

"Cameron, I order you to turn Vola." Ordered Mari.

"Yes General Candidate." Declared Cameron.

Cameron slowly walked in front of Vola and knelt close to her. It was an intimate moment. Two friends as close as family were about to share a bond under the order of the goddess.

"Share the darkness with me and serve our goddess of the undead." Said Cameron.

Cameron siphoned the dark energy around Mari and was able to manipulate it to surround Vola.

What happened with Friday and Cameron didn't happen. Vola simply shimmered slightly and started to close in onto her knees. She looked like she was being folded like clean laundry.

At the same time a dark fog was enveloping Vola. The fog scattered light and hid the body of Vola. She slowly started to disappear in front of the two.

"What's going on Cameron?" Asked Mari.

"I believe Vola is needed someplace else by the goddess." Said Cameron.

"Thank you again" said Vola.

Mari was dumbfounded. Is this a reenactment of her becoming a servant to the goddess? If this was what happened then Cameron should not be able to follow her outside of the illusion and her declaration earlier should not carry as much weight as it did before.

"This is so strange." Said Mari.

"Sorry general candidate. I was not able to be of any use to you." Said Cameron.

"No don't worry about it." Said Mari.

Mari didn't know if this was meant to happen or if there was truly otherworldly powers at work here. This entire situation was a huge mess and Mari was far too overwhelmed with fatigue to continue to knock her brain at what happened.

"This shouldn't matter to my trial. I need to focus." Said Mari.

"General candidate, allow me to assist you in traveling to the village nearby." Said Cameron.

"Why?" Asked Mari.

"Your will in your thoughts shared a hint of your task." Said Cameron.

"Hmm so there's more that this strange energy is able to do." Thought Mari.

This was only the beginning. The dark energy that surrounded the two was something far more powerful and a direct connection with the goddess of undead. Mari still have yet to wonder about this because what she saw was able to direct her attention to something else.