Chapter 1109: Tracking Down Feris 2

"How long do you think I’ve been alive for? I was there when it happened.""???"

Alice had a look of disbelief on her face.

Though if one thought about it carefully, it wouldn’t be all that surprising for someone like Allura, who’s lived through the ages, to have witnessed everything.

"Weren’t you in the Abyss? How come you were on the surface when Feris clashed with the Realm Ruler of the Surface?" Alice asked curiously but Allura shook her head.

"Well... When I say I was there, what I meant was that I had seen the tail end of the battle as well as some of the clashes in between from afar. Just because I’ve lived long doesn’t automatically mean I was there for every major event." Allura explained.

"In fact, there were moments when momentous events had happened while I was underground, unaware of the movements of the surface. I just so happened to be glancing towards the Surface when a bunch of this stuff started to happen. I didn’t even know about the movements prior." She shrugged.

"But yes, in the what little I saw, Feris had indeed tapped into the power of Oblivion. Though shaky at best and she also wasn’t in the right state of mind. My theory is that she was so overwhelmed with anger that her thoughts synchronised to the point where she wanted to destroy anything and everything.

"A crude application of Oblivion but still Oblivion at the end of the day."

Alice glanced down at the ground.

"What... What do you think about what Feris had done? Do you agree with it?" Alice asked as Allura scratched her chin.

"To some degree, I think it’s rather justified. But that is limited to only what she did to the Realm Ruler and not the realm itself."

Hearing this, Alice realised that Allura knew the truth behind the matter.

Before she could even ask however, Allura placed her finger on Alice’s lips.

"You’re going to trace the history are you not? In this case, it is something you should see with your own eyes. Hear with your own ears. Only then, can you decide what you truly think about her actions rather than hearing it from someone else.

"Only then, can you determine whether or not Feris was justified in her actions."

This was simply another process in growing up. Alice needed to judge and make her own decisions regarding morals and the justification behind actions.

She could tell that Alice had many doubts in her mind as this was a delicate period for her growth.

No doubt that much of the things she experienced now and even the things she saw in the past would shape what kind of God she would become.

Would she be a benevolent one? Or would she be like Feris. Judging the world for its sins.

Ideally, she hoped Alice would be the former. A Goddess like Velouria who showered the world with love.

But that was Velouria, not Alice.

She wanted her to be like Velouria not Velouria herself. Different to what Nyer was trying to achieve.

Regardless of good or bad, the only thing that Allura could do as a mother was to help nudge Alice in the right direction while letting her be her own person.

To live a life of no regrets... A task that should sound easy yet difficult to accomplish.

Thinking about it for a moment, Alice nodded her head.

They were about to approach the last remaining trace of Feris she left in this world after all. The battlefield of which she utilised the powers of Oblivion.

With Yuna acting as the guide, it didn’t take them long to find the Root Gate that would lead them to their destination.

"Try not to stay there for too long. There’s no telling what kind of effect it might have on your body. There’s a solid reason why everyone says it’s uninhabitable." Yuna warned as Alice nodded her head.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped through, unaware of the sight she was about to see.

"!!!"

The moment she stepped through, goosebumps spread across her body. Every fibre of her body warned her of the dangers. Turn around and run. Don’t linger.

Her stomach churned as sweat dripped down her back.

The fear that one wrong step was all that it would take to erase her from this world...

Alice stumbled back as Allura managed to catch her just in time.

"This is what happens when you don’t care about anything. Oblivion just takes over." Allura spoke softly as her eyes gazed into the distance.

"I did come here once before. A few Lords wanted to see if we could fix this place up and make it usable again." Solana rested her fishing rod on her shoulder.

"I watched a pal reach his hand out and get his skin sucked away by a spatial fissure. Happened faster than any of us could’ve prepared for. One moment he was talking the next, he wasn’t. He stood there with muscle and bone exposed to the world." She exhaled softly.

"He wasn’t the only one either. You have to be careful with where you step. Sometimes there are traps beneath your feet. So unless you want to get your legs ripped out, don’t rush. Ah, try not to fly either. Flying would have you torn apart by the pull of multiple fissures rather than just one." Solana warned as her words painted a grim picture in Alice’s mind.

Abyss Lords losing their lives like flies when they enter this space.

The worst part? They weren’t even in the heart of this place. They were outside of the main danger zone yet Alice’s instincts were still going haywire.

There was only one way she could describe what she saw in the distance.

Destruction of the world.

The end of days.

A vast purple sky stretched outwards as the Void leaked into reality. No sun, no clouds, no stars. An endless expanse of violet light with cracks like glass. The distortion between realms as blackened earth stretched beneath their feet.

Chunks of stone floated in the air. Some larger than even the biggest buildings Alice had seen. Some were small, orbiting around these tiny islands.

There were even entire landscapes ripped out from the ground.

A mountain upside down, its peak pointing towards the bowls of the earth rather than the heavens.

Dormant Void energy hovered through land, waiting for any unsuspecting victim to walk through and fall victim to its pull.

If the world was a painting reflected through a mirror, this location was akin to the shattered fragments after a hammer had struck the surface.

But that was only if one saw the world through their own eyes.

For Alice and Cayla...

Cayla’s face paled while Alice had to hold back the urge to throw up.

This sickening energy... this malice.

Hatred. Anger. Sorrow.

Negative emotions sunk deep into her flesh as Alice had to hold her own arm to stop the shivering.

Through Revenant Recollection, she could see the lingering souls of those near the edges of this destruction. How their pain and regret held strong even after all this time...

"Take a deep breath." Allura reminded as Alice nodded her head.

Through her eyes, she could see the chaotic nature hidden from sight.

The twisting of countless energy strands.

Even if a path seems safe, there could be countless traps lingering on the path.

"The statue we’re looking for should be pretty deep into the danger zone. Do you need to take a break first or shall we go?" Solana asked.

Even though she’s been here before, she’d rather not spent too long here if possible.

After all... Alice hadn’t even seen what lies at the centre of this destruction.

"Let’s keep going. I can see the path forward, just follow behind me. Remember to step where I step. I’ll disguise myself to ensure that everyone can make it through." Alice shook her head.

Changing her appearance to match Allura, the tallest in their group, Alice started to make her way forward while the others followed.

One wrong step and any of them could be dragged away.

The closer they made to the centre, the harder it became to advance. The energy lingering in the air felt like static. Occasionally, the entire group would flinch.

An instinct trained by sensing killing intent. Certain strands that would drift by would hold the malice that Feris once held in her heart, now separate from her body.

One question lingered on Alice’s mind.

Even when she was held in the prison... has her hatred every reached such a level?

If her hatred was akin to a mountain, the traces left behind in Feris’ wake felt like malice of the world.

Absolute and undeniable.

This was the hatred of a Realm Ruler. A being rivalling that of the Gods.

In essence, this was ground zero for divine retribution.

Hell, even her weapons, Ruby, Helena and Leon transformed themselves into tiny shards that hovered around Alice’s wrist. They didn’t want to risk hiding between the folds of space when so many traps were scattered across the land.

Pausing for a moment, Alice exhaled softly.

The path before them was blocked.

Traps that lingered on the path between them and the centre of this destruction.

"I’ll deal with it." Solana volunteered as she reached into her bag and hooked a fish with her fishing rod.

Shifting her balance, she swung her arms and the fish was tossed towards the traps.

The moment she felt a pull, Solana dragged her arm back as a rush of water crashed into the path before them.

Then, in the middle of this tide, a gap started to open up as the group quickly rushed through.

Repeating this several times on their way in, they soon arrived at the epicentre of destruction.