Cracking Ice

  It felt like the world froze to a standstill. Any moment now his body could shatter from the growing frost, but until then he had to be answered.

  The sudden plummeting in temperature made it as if he was diving into freezing water.

  ?the storm in her eyes had calmed, and only then did Blade notice her eyes. Almost a perfect reflection of Indra’s if everything was the opposite color. Red had become icy blue, and black became white. The flash of emotion had made that clearer.

  ?“So you know my brother? I have never seen you around here before.”

  ?Blade was pleased his guess had been correct. Yet feeling the ice creep through his body. The frost felt like jagged spikes through his veins, making each second last eternally longer than the previous one.

  ?“The more you struggle, the more the ice will freeze you.”

  The words were meant to give him just enough time to explain himself.

  ?"I'll explain, just please break the ice holding me.”

  ?The woman contemplated it for a moment before turning around as she uttered the word.

  ?"Shatter."

  ?The ice shattered at the command, and Blade quickly felt the heat return to him. The ice that had crept up his leg was gone, and that was when Blade realized the cold no longer affected him. Like the woman in front of him was bending the laws of the world to make him immune, at least for now. Stumbling a bit on the frozen ground, he looked at her, eyes filled with curiosity.

  ?"So you're Indra's sister, right? I know it might seem rude, but I would like it if you could tell me a bit about yourself.”

  ?The woman paused momentarily, her legs shifting in the snow to give him a look over, before she conceded.

  ?"My name is Iris. Indra is my twin brother, if you must know. But is it not courtesy to give your own name before you ask somebody else's?"

  ?"Sorry, my name is Blade. Nice meeting you, Iris.”

  ?Blade answered, offering his hand for a handshake, though it was left cold as Iris continued walking, ignoring his presence entirely. Catching up with her, Blade could only walk with her, wanting to remain with this girl.

  ?"Well, it seems you are quite good with ice magic.”

  ?Blade tried, though her response remained cold and distant.

  ?"It's my authority, nothing special.”

  ?"Authority?"

  ?The confusion in his voice was the first thing from him that finally garnered Iris's interest, or more so curiosity, as she said.

  ?"You don't know what an authority is? How come you seem to know my brother, yet you don't know what authorities are? I struggle to follow how that tracks.”

  ?She said as she gestured to his intact body. Blade smiled, not sure how offended he should be by her words, before explaining himself.

  ?"It's a bit of a story.”

  ?“Go ahead, I’m listening.”

  ?“Well—”

  ?Blade said sheepishly before beginning to tell her about the events so far, though, just like with Indra, he skipped the fact that he was human and that he came from another plane entirely.

  ?When he was done, she stood still for a bit, formulating her response.

  ?"I see. So you were simply transported here, huh? Well, that explains some of it. I guess Indra must not have told you about authorities, because you already have one.”

  ?"I do?"

  ?"So you didn't even notice? Have you not appraised yourself?”

  ?Only then did Blade remember how Indra had said something about appraising him.

  ?“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”

  ?Blade said before focusing his mora in his eyes as he looked at himself. All he saw was name, titles, and something called Absolute Authorities.

  ?“I can see my status, but I still don't know what authorities are.”

  ?As he said it, he looked at Iris, only to see nothing different about her.

  ?“Don’t bother. You can’t see mine.”

  It made sense, though he wondered if it was due to the difference in strength or simply a way to stop others from checking. Yet it also explained why Indra and Leo had known his title. Yet as he looked closer at his status, where a name should have been, question marks took its place. As if the world itself was unsure of his existence. It was weird, like a piece of something that should not exist, yet for now he glossed over it.

  ?"You said something about not knowing what an authority was? It's a root in simple terms. Concepts like air, fire, or ice. They are all concepts that you can find in almost all realities. In truth they are nothing more than the branches to these roots. These roots are then called Absolute Authorities.”

  ?Blade nodded, now with a better understanding of what authorities were. Seeing as he understood, she continued.

  ?"Indra has the Absolute Authority of fire, and I have the authority of ice. You… you have the authority of weapons.”

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  ?"Weapons?"

  ?Blade repeated as he began thinking. How had he gained these authorities? He had only been here for a short while, but then it hit him.

  ?The man he first fought when he got there. Leo and his siblings. All of them were exceptional in one weapon. The reason for this must have been these Absolute Authorities. Yet he needed confirmation.

  ?"What happens with an authority when its wielder dies?"

  ?"If they die to another the killer gains that Absolute Authority if the essence is absorbed. If not the authority holder reincarnates”

  ?Essence? Another new word, yet this one Blade could guess what it was. When he had killed Leo and his siblings, he had seen this colored, otherworldly substance in their hearts. That would most likely be what this essence was. He could only thank himself for being overly cautious, while Iris continued speaking.

  ?"It is possible that when the origin holder reincarnates, they aren't exactly the same person, though that only happens when their essence is tampered with. Though it's rare, the newly reincarnated person is not that much different from the past, as they still hold the memories and core traits from the original one.”

  ?As she said this, she created two balls of ice. One with sharp spikes, representing the original authority holder, and another with spikes, though less sharp, representing how after reincarnating they changed, though not a lot. Afterward, destroying them both. Yet this caused more questions to arise in Blade, as he voiced his next one.

  “Who did you kill then for your authority?”

  Blade found himself asking. It came as a bit of a surprise, even for Iris. Yet she calmed down quickly.

  ?"I’m an Origin, a name given to people who have had their authority from the start.”

  ?She said, pausing for a moment before adding.

  ?“And guessing from your question, I'll take it you are not one.”

  ?Blade could only nod, though he was left a bit wondering. He had never tried to absorb any of the essences of the ones he killed. He didn't even know about mora back then. Was piercing their hearts really enough to qualify as absorbing their essence? He decided it was best to keep it quiet, rather planning to ask later if he never got an answer.

  Yet the longer they walked, the more a question began gnawing on him.

  “What happens if an essence is destroyed?”

  Unprepared for the questions it caused Iris to momentarily stop, turning to him once again as she spoke.

  ?"I would guess it would mean the end for that concept everywhere.”

  Yet the way she said it, as if she wasn’t sure herself. It made Blade push on further.

  ?"What do you mean? It sounds like you don’t even believe the words you are saying"

  ?"I haven’t told a singular lie so far. Incapable of doing so, and the same is true of Indra.”

  The words were sharp, as she turned back to walk, yet stopped again at Blade’s tone.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to call you a liar. I’m just… confused…”

  She let out a breath before turning slightly.

  “If the root dies, so do the branches. No matter where they have spread. You should be able to figure out the rest.”

  The walk from there forth was silent, with their steps being the only source of sound in the ravine. Blade followed, even as his thoughts were frozen solid. He could have erased these weapons from all reality. What would have happened to those realities then? What would have happened to him, whose existence was so closely based around one? He had so many questions but could do nothing more than follow Iris as she walked. But surprisingly, she was the one to break the silence with a question of her own.

  ?“It is weird you don’t know that, though. When you gain authority, you also gain all the knowledge on how to use it. Both from the previous holder, but also from every branch there is.”

  ?Blade stayed quiet, unable to answer as he had nothing to say. What could he say?

  Because of this, he didn't notice when Iris stopped, walking right into her.

  ?"Oh sorry, I didn't mean it. I was tired and…”

  ?Though he was quickly shut up by her look.

  ?"Are you worried?"

  ?Iris asked calmly, willing to gloss over the accident.

  ?"Just surprised, I guess. I never thought about it. It just feels like I know nothing anymore.”

  ?"It's fine though, is it not?”

  ?"How could it?! Each passing moment, it feels like I'm being tossed in a new direction with no way of controlling anything. I'm too weak to be a substantial member or help. My body is too weak to compare. I couldn't even help Indra when we fought this suspicious woman, and now I'm stuck here. With no way of repaying you or even defending myself. I, I just—”

  ?Blade just stopped. Unable to find words to describe how he felt. He had reached a breaking point, overloaded with information and sudden existence-ending scenarios. Yet her next words stirred something in him.

  ?"But that's the point. That's why it's fine.”

  ?Iris said as she took another step and created a chair, as cold as ice, for him to sit down and shelter.

  ?"So what if you don't understand? Do you think that's a unique feeling for yourself?"

  ?Blade could only stare at her. Noticing how her tone sounded like a mix between calming determination and her seemingly normal coldness. Either way, it got him to at least rest enough to sit. It was a weird feeling. The chair was cold, yet felt warm nonetheless. Like being bathed in the warmest snow.

  ?"That wasn't what I meant—”

  ?"Don't lie. That's what you thought, wasn't it?"

  ?She said calmly, not buying or trying to listen to his excuses.

  ?"Well, sorry then—”

  ?"Don't apologize. It's natural, is it not? To rage at what feels like unfairness. Despite all our powers, the strongest are the ones most susceptible towards such feelings.”

  ?Her words confused Blade more than they assured. He felt like he was missing something, which only led him to ask:

  ?"What are you saying?"

  ?"I'm saying, I also don't like it. Not knowing, not understanding. Indra... my brother. Something happened long ago, something I still can’t understand. I seek answers only he can give, even if it kills me.”

  ?Iris said steadfastly, the first bit of emotion slipping into her voice as she stood in front of Blade, offering her hand.

  ?"I do not know what you might be going through. In fact, it would be rude of me to assume my pain can be compared to yours. Still, I have nearly died and am still standing here, so can you not do the same? Will you not rise for your goals?"

  ?A goal? Blade had never thought about it as such. He had fought, but had that ever truly been for a specific goal in mind? What would even be his goal? Yet then he remembered it. The voice he had heard before he was first transferred here, the questions he had unfulfilled. And his goal of finding out why him?

  ?He wanted answers and desired to learn more. His goal was his curiosity, and he couldn't stop while leaving it unsatisfied.

  ?And so with his morale lifted, he took her hand, but no moment lasted long. As the ground under them shattered and the walls fell. As electricity ruined everything.

  ?"What the!?"

  ?Though Blade couldn't finish, he was suddenly attacked by the same woman, barely managing to dodge as he was sent flying, saved by a pile of snow that Iris created behind him.

  ?Iris, less surprised, though curious about the woman who just attacked them, created a sword made of ice as she went to attack.

  ?"Don’t! She is strong enough to make Indra use his Ashura Karma or whatever!"

  ?Blade warned.

  ?At the warning, Iris came to a halt, trying to jump back, but not fast enough as she was quickly hit by multiple electric beasts the woman created and pushed into the icy wall.

  ?Blade, struggling to get up, was left wondering how she had found him and what this woman was after. This could no longer be a coincidence. He could no longer understand what was happening, yet he had to continue. To seek the answer he was missing, and so he stood. To fight, but also gain the answer he was seeking.

  Character Card:

  

  Name: Iris

  Age: Unknown

  Race: Unknown

  Mora: Icy blue

  Absolute Authority: Ice

  Title: Crystallized Lily

  Appearance: Iris is a girl with long white hair, and has ice blue eyes the color of ice, with a pure white six-pointed star in it.

  She wears an elegant white dress, with light blue ornaments and linings. She has small ornaments around her dress that are made of ethereal ice. She also has a moon droplet earring made of blue ice, on her left ear. On her feet she wears short high heels made of white ice.