凌舞 - Shinomi - Eclipse Dance

A typical Grimoire. You'd think it's a book, right? You'd only be half correct if that's what you thought. A Grimoire is just an object that contains information. What kind of information? Any kind, really. But we're not interested in random data. We're talking about Grimoires for magic! As such, what kind of Grimoire does Shinomi have? If you've been following along, you've actually already seen mentions of it. That's right! It's the Stone of Wisdom. The very Gem Grimoire that Shinomi fused into their skull.

I wasn't supposed to literally fuse myself with the stone… rather… acquire the knowledge contained within. Alas, I was foolish and had misinterpreted what the great alchemist Dododo meant by fusing it with myself. I was meant to truly become one with the knowledge hidden within, thus finding out the truth about eternal life. Now that wisdom is lost to me forever…

Or is it?

Question. What makes the world tick? What is the world made of? Why is the world experienced in a sequential motion? What is change? It is all a transition from one state of being to another. Whilst, originally, but a small portion of the studies that lead one to understand the laws of this world, it is one that possibly has been studying the most important aspects of these laws themselves - and that is: transmutation. The art of turning one metal into another, the art of extracting healing properties from a plant, or conversely poison. The act of harnessing the natural resources of the world, refining them or redefining their function. Changing them into something that was not, could not or would have not been otherwise. To take the laws that govern this world and use them to shape and mold one's surroundings to their liking - that is Alchemy.

So how come that Shinomi had been experiencing strange dreams of late? The world being intangible, indecipherable symbols forming words - hovering - seemingly attached to all the things they see in their dreams. Countless symbols, an unfeasible amount. Just looking at it seems like a mess. When touched, they bounced like fragile shards of glass being flicked with the tip of a finger. Looking at these symbols, some of them repeating, similar symbols being attached to similar objects. Some symbols being constant and attached to everything no matter the object. Shinomi wondered what they could be. But what was more worrying was why they were seeing the dreams only now. 

It's been over a year since I woke up, yet the dreams have only now begun appearing. Some kind of a mental attack? Is someone trying to manipulate my mind, my thoughts? 

The dreams, they seem to contradict the laws of the world that I know of, yet also seem to be somewhat similar. Was I wrong about something? Or perhaps was my approach good, yet the conclusions wrong? Why am I letting this affect me? Of course. I'm merely curious about what this conspiracy enveloping my mind contains. But I must not let it consume me. Must not let it distract me from my path to Sempervi…v..v..

"[...] after producing the soul core, direct collected essence of a living being inside of the core by coercion. Once taken root, the core will attempt to re-animate the body it has been laid in. [...]"

In a newly built, though still severely lacking in equipment and resources, laboratory. Shinomi attempts to create a soul containing vessel. Shinomi, having lost their body once, had become obsessed with attaining a method to not need to rely on a single body. As such, they had turned to research on the essence of life.

Alright, now I just need a one to four mixture of magic essence and crying obsidian dust…

Mixing together carefully measured components, they procured a special concoction that could guide the essence that they had been storing in their tome. Essence, that they had collected from gathering fragments of souls. Needless to say, since this soul is put together from fragments and was never a whole soul in the first place, it will not retain any coherent knowledge or experience of those that these fragments were collected from. However, a new soul is still a soul.

Guiding their willpower into the tome, it began releasing the essence stored within. And as it touched the mixture that had been drawn into a magic circle, it began condensing into the focal point rather than dispersing away. In the focal point, of course, lay the Soul Core.

Finally, fully gathered and imbued, Shinomi waited for a reaction.

No results this time either. This marks experiment 42 a failure.

However, as Shinomi was packing stuff up for the day, a slight sliver appeared from within the pink mucous body.

Eh?

Curious, Shinomi decided to observe from a closer angle to make sure what they had noticed was not just a trick on the eyes, but clear fluid motion inside the slime.

Could this be…?

Written in a book of notes: 

Experiment 42:

Parameters:

⎓∷ᒷᓭ⍑ !¡╎リ٠|٠ ⊣JJ!¡ ||J⚍リ⊣|:╎リ⊣ ʖJ↸||,

1 ℸJ 4 ᒲ╎ ̇/ℸ⚍∷ᒷ J⎓ ᒲᔑ⊣╎ᓵ ᒷᓭᓭᒷリᓵᒷ ᔑリ↸ ᓵ∷||╎リ⊣ Jʖᓭ╎↸╎ᔑリ ᒲ╎ ̇

/ℸ⚍∷ᒷ,

                   30 |:ᒷ⍊ᒷ|:ᓭ J⎓ ᒷᓭᓭᒷリᓵᒷ J⎓ |:╎⎓ᒷ

Methodology: 

⊣⚍╎↸ᒷ ℸ⍑ᒷ ᒷᓭᓭᒷリᓵᒷ J⎓ |:╎⎓ᒷ ℸ⍑∷J⚍⊣⍑ ᔑリ ᒷᓭℸᔑʖ|:╎ᓭ⍑ᒷ↸ ᒲᔑ⊣╎ᓵ 

ᓵ╎∷ᓵ|:ᒷ ᓵJリ↸⚍╎ℸ ╎リℸJ ℸ⍑ᒷ ᓭJ⚍|: ᓵJ∷ᒷ.

Results: Failure to imbue the essence into the Soul Core.

                             Success. Soul Core was imbued with the essence of life

                                 without error.

In the deep depths of the underground, a slime is looking through a cave system to find some materials to sustain their research. Upon their search they stumble upon a large cave expansion.

Excellent. It will be easy to find the ore here.

The slime crept across the cave, not realizing they were intruding upon someone's territory. Fixated on their search for alchemical materials, they moved past a huge dragon sleeping. And it was not until the slime found what they were looking for that the dragon would wake.

Sensing the intent and greed that the slime exuded upon finding the ore they needed, the dragon immediately opened their eyes. Not even waiting to courteously inquire the intruder their intentions, the dragon breathed fire towards the pest. 

Noticing sudden bright light behind them, the slime rose a wall of earth in panic at the cost of precious magical energy that their new body wasn't very well accustomed to store yet. While the earth blocked the brunt of the force, it liquified and turned to a molten puddle on the ground.

Shocked at this revelation, the slime retreated and shot multiple fireballs in retaliation, all for naught. The fire was so puny in comparison that the dragon didn't even smirk. Instead, it let loose another stream of fire. This one was different from the last, it was more fluid and concentrated. The surfaces that got struck by it remained aflame even if one would throw water on them. The slime was well aware of this phenomenon. It is a simple alchemical trick used most commonly during siege warfare. Times of when they had been employed by a lord to prepare defenses or wall breaching equipment came to their mind.

Seeing that fire didn't work, they used magic to throw the boulder and debris at the dragon, who could easily block the rocks like they were tiny pebbles with the swing of a hand or by just crushing the boulders between their jaws in show of intimidation.

In times, where your own weapon can't breach the enemies' defense, you must break them down from inside. In other words, an inside job.

The slime skidded around the cave expanse, hiding behind walls or raising them occasionally, would evade the dragon for a minute. During this minute, they were waiting for an opportunity to open their satchel and take out a poison.

It took multiple attempts, as the dragon would not consistently chew on the rocks the slime threw at them, but eventually, it bit down on a rock with poison stored inside of it.

Took the bite! Now, 'tis but a waiting game.

Noticing something wrong with them, the dragon entered a raging fit. Smashing anything and everything, throwing rocks back and breathing scorching fire to put an end to the surprisingly annoying pest who had inconvenienced them. But to no avail, the slime was indeed too slimy and could hide into nooks and crevices to bide time.

On its last breaths, the dragon laid silent. No longer having any stamina or strength, sapped to their lowest by the potent poison, they spoke:

"Meyvitaan! Sil ofanix laas. Fos saag."

Recognizing the ancient language, the slime could vaguely grasp the content of what the dragon was saying. 'Ofanix' was a term they had seen many times in literature pertaining to their studies, especially Stone of Wisdom, so they knew what the dragon was proposing. A soul in exchange for life. Did the dragon detect the necromantic energies in the potion or the slime to be able to realize what kind of bargain would sway them?

Scarily intelligent. Had they been awake and completely lucid when I entered the cave, there would have been no chance for me to escape.

"I accept."

Understanding the intent, the dragon seemed to be a bit relieved. And thus, a pact was forged.

Shinomi, having gained autonomy over their own new vessel, enlightened by the devastating outcome of their last experiment, thought things through and decided that losing their body to their experiments was not an optimal outcome. As such, it was time to devise a different approach.

" [...] In alchemy, there is a branch of study that devotes itself to the study of undeath and souls. It is theorized that in this way, one may come to learn of the secrets behind souls and thus attain the immortalization of their soul itself. [...]"

Perfect. This is what I must figure out.

Seems the enlightenment didn't really land the light on the fact that they still did not realize that one ought to not hastily push their own being to the forefront of magical studies and experimentation. Perhaps the study of necromancy will amend that lapse in judgment somehow?

The slime set out to plan a course towards the alchemical studies of necromancy!

Ah… What was I even doing…

In a dark room, walls melted and covered in some kind of gelatinous substance, Shinomi, opens their eyes.

Opens? I… I can't feel my eyelids. I… I can't see!

The gelatin, now slightly vibrating, begins to take a less viscous form and starts drooping down from the walls.

What was I even doing… ah… right… I thought I finally succeeded. The key to immortality. The Elixir of Life. I was making it… but… it seems I have failed…

The slime, slowly gathering in the middle of the room, where the bones of the dead necromancer lay.

Is this what the afterlife is like. Dark nothingness, empty. Devoid of any senses. Am I to be here for the rest of my existence?

The goo, converging around the bones, begins to evaporate the bones. Only the skull seems to be unaffected. Could there be some strange enhancement or enchantment upon the skull?

In the scriptures written by the renowned Alchemist, Dododo, they had noted that in order to become immortal, one ought to fuse themselves with the Stone of Wisdom. But alas. It seems it was either crazy ramblings or I failed to comprehend it. This is what I get for my reckless actions. Should have put more patience in that thick skull of mine, rather than infusing the Stone of Wisdom to it and then attempting the ritual like a moron. Ah! This fate o' mine. Cruel it may be, but the loss of my earthen cadav'r is truly unfortunate!

And as the internal ramblings of the Necromancer became more and more desperate, a sudden flash of light appeared inside of the skull. A spark of hope. A kindling lights up. Almost as if to resist the daring goop trying to consume it. No. It is, in fact, a show of resistance.

The forces of the goo and Flame of Wisdom entangle and in glorious combat are left stood at a standstill.

I wonder how much time has passed… If I am not insane already, then I reckon I will be soon.

The flame and slime battle, and as they continue this ceaseless fight, the slime bites the flame, the flame gnaws the slime.

Through their battle, the slime begins to take on the colour of the flame. And the flame seems to not mind the slime. And the slime seems to not mind the flame. An equilibrium? Nay, it is the synthesis of conflicting sides. A conflict reaches cooperation. Two opposing sides become one.

What?

The necromancer, almost as if shocked by the very power of existence itself, feeling shivers, ripples, going through them.

AAAAAAAAAAA!

The necromancer screams, but no voice comes out. They have finally gone mad. Or have they? With time passing, they begin to get used to their new sensations.

I was wrong. I am actually alive. I even have a body!

A slime, with a skull in the middle, begins to roll.

After exploring the room thoroughly, they find a hole to squeeze through from. Outside is a cave entrance, but nothing of their mystical laboratory remains. Was it looted? Decayed with time? Unclear, and Shinomi had no way to investigate it now either.

All that is certain, is that I must do my best to get accustomed to this body. Get accustomed, and continue my path of Alchemy!