n

n

n'Yeah, but our connection won't be as simple as with the headset or cabin. I won't be able to keep it up for more than an hour or two at a time.'

n'Two's plenty. Hopefully, I can get a better plan in the first hour.'

nNaturally, Eldrian wasn't going to return to his previous hiding place. They had quickly learned that constantly moving was the best way to stay hidden. Finding an abandoned building in the older part of the city, they made themselves at home.

n'Right, here we go.'

nEldrian closed his eyes and helped Two alter a part of their mentality to a similar frequency as the headset's connection. This was similar to how telepathy worked, but the amount of information needing to be processed made it far harder. Hence the time limit.

n...

nEldrian opened his eyes in the realm of souls, exactly where he had logged out from only to find his life turned upside down. He did not move anywhere in here, for this was where he needed to be for answers.

nAfter a few minutes, Ziraili appeared. She kept her distance out of fear of Eldrian's reaction, waiting for him to speak first.

nEldrian didn't, he waited until GAIA arrived. The mixed deity looked at Eldrian in astonishment.

n

"Interesting, you made your own connection.

"

n

"You knew I could.

" Eldrian countered.

n

"We suspected, but our assumption was it would take you a few years. Indeed, you keep surpassing expectations.

"

n

"I assume you know why I am here.

"

n

"You want answers.

"

n

"Yes, and the foremost one is; how did you plan to use me as a bridge between Earth and the simulation.

"

n

"Ah, that would be just as how you have managed to re-enter right now.

"

n

"No, this connection is temporary and being maintained by Two. What is the permanent connection you spoke of?

"

nGAIA nodded,

"Indeed, there is a permanent connection inside of you that we hoped to use. You went and made your own connection instead, that was reckless.

"

n

"Yeah-yeah. Don't bother with reckless talk. What is the permanent connection?

"

nGAIA laughed, being dismissed was something they had never experienced before. It was a refreshing novelty.

n

"You are the permanent connection.

"

n

"I want details, what of me?

"

n

"What of you? You.

" GAIA answered, seemingly confused at how Eldrian wasn't able to understand this.

n

"Me?

" Eldrian asked, certainly not understanding. He took a few minutes to ponder this.

"Do you mean the reason why I've turned into an elf?

"

n

"You're not an elf. You are a human-elf hybrid.

"

n

"So a half-elf?

"

n

"No, a hybrid.

"

nEldrian frowned, somehow he understood that this classification was the crux to his question. After a few more minutes of pondering he turned his focus to when he had been disconnected from his body. Somehow he knew that that was the key.

n

"I see, I am over-connected. Should I split myself to establish the bridge?

" Eldrian questioned, more to himself than to the gods before him.

n

"Split yourself? How would that even be possible.

" GAIA questioned and Eldrian turned to scrutinize the mixed deity.

n

"I see, that isn't it. Rather, it is being able to be both, neither, or either.

" Eldrian nodded,

"Thanks, that helped.

"

n

"Impressive, that was quick,

" GAIA mumbled as Eldrian disappeared.

n

"What did he mean?

" Ziraili asked.

n

"Ah, he realized he is like us. We can take on our personal allocations, or be one. That is more or less what he meant.

"

n...

n'That was quick.' Two huffed and puffed, even just the ten or twenty minutes that it had taken had consumed a great deal of his mental stamina. He needed a proper rest.

n

"Yeah, GAIA was very helpful. I think we are like it.

"

n'Do you mean you and me, or our body and the avatar?' Two questioned.

n

"Both, I think we should learn how to shapeshift.

"

n'Shapeshift, you must be kidding. How are we supposed to do that?'

n

"No idea, but Ceph was able to do it as an Alicorn with little to no training. Thus I think it isn't really shapeshifting, or rather it isn't a spell, rather I think it is about envisioning yourself as a certain form.

"

n'That sounds crazy.'

n

"Maybe, but it's worth a shot. I know the other way won't work.

"

nTwo nodded, indeed, after just that one attempt he did not want to do that again.

n...

nA week past and the two finally managed to find a clue. It took a lot of soul searching but they found it. Naturally, they were inside a different abandoned building for reasons.

n

"So, it's as simple as that.

"

n'Are we sure we want to try this?' Two asked, knowing that there was no going back did not make this idea any more pleasing.

n

"No, but things are not going well for the kingdom of Taurus and I have quite a few friends there that I don't want to abandon.

"

nNodding, Two felt the same even though he had never interacted with them. His existence, his life, it was a strange one. Despite the strangeness, he somehow didn't care and just accepted it.

n'Okay, ready when you are.'

nNodding, Eldrian focused on himself. On Earth, they had very little mana actually inside them but now Eldrian used that little mana he had to mimic his old self and his avatar as 3D ethereal spell modules.

nOnce these two 'bodies' were made, they burned themselves into Eldrian's subconscious. Consuming the mana in doing so. A totally new and confusing experience, but Eldrian ignored the questions he had.

nFocussing on the human one, Eldrian could feel himself slowly feeling stranger and stranger. Stopping that, he instead focused on the elven avatar. As he did, he became sleepy.

n...

n

"Did we do it?

" Eldrian asked while looking around the realm of souls. It appeared different from before, it now resembled the magic abyss more than hell and heaven.

n

"Fascinating, I feel so enlivened.

" Two commented besides Eldrian.

n

"I guess if you're here too that means it worked a bit too well.

" Eldrian sighed as it meant that their body on Earth was now basically a lifeless corpse.

n

"No- Ah, maybe... But, right of course...

"

n

"Two, what's going on?

"

n

"I can still feel the connection with our body, like-

"

n

"Ah, I see. You were originally a part of my subconscious. So you might have a better link to it than me. Two, would you mind?

"

n

"Ah yes, of course. I'll make sure nothing strange happens.

" Nodding, Two disappeared and a few minutes later GAIA returned.

n

"Ziraili?

" Eldrian asked and GAIA sighed.

n

"She felt you wouldn't be able to forgive her. She didn't want to bother you.

"

nNodding, Eldrian decided to not speak on that right now.

"Right, then let's get to business. I assume this way of entering will have a few problems.

"

n

"Indeed, the first is you no longer have access to the interface nor to temple resurrection.

"

nEldrian frowned, those were two massive problems.

"Death, will it be permanent?

"

n

"No, you have a Zoe partner and you can use that as a point of resurrection.

"

n

"The cost?

" Eldrian questioned, recalling that the description had described it as 99% loss in all stats, extremely weak state for 2 weeks, and 10 level loss. Hopefully, it would not be that severe.

nAN: A big thank you to everyone who continues to read and support the story on WN.

n