Have you ever visited a place that felt too perfect to be real? Our little princess here has, a majestic garden, abandoned by humanity, and one where only light would dare enter.
This place was her origin, her birthplace.
She did not know why her parents decided that an ancient garden abandoned by time would be the best place to give birth to their daughter, but she did not complain.
But what does this have to do with anything? Well, today the princess was going to visit the same garden, and she could not control her excitement.
At this very moment, the princess was sleeping inside her royal carriage alongside one of her most trusted knights, one who, even being a full-fledged knight, was just a few weeks older than the princess herself.
The two of them had been friends since childhood. The young knight came from a powerful family that served directly under the king, meaning even with his small body, he could defeat the mightiest of giants with just a stone and his sling.
That was why an angel would let itself rest in a world where even the slightest moment of vulnerability meant being devoured by the evil beings hiding in the shadows inside The Abyss.
Funny thing, the royal family had a big controversy back in the day because of these two. The other nobles came to their throats to ask why the king had married their beautiful daughter to a barbarian.
A rumor started spreading that the princess and the knight were in a relationship. Keep in mind, they had barely just gained consciousness.
Sometimes I wonder how humanity has survived until this point. Luckily, the king told them the truth, and things settled down. Still, a few hate the guts of the little knight because of this.
Back to the road.
The horses galloped with their strong legs traversing the harsh terrain, while at the same time being careful not to wake the little princess, as even they knew her status.
With the fiercest of all the horses carrying the royal carriage, it did not take long for them to arrive at their destination.
Seeing this, the knight slowly poked the princess's shoulder, waking her up.
Opening her eyes, she stared into the galaxy bestowed upon her and the darkness around it. Well, at least that was what she thought she had been staring at, but instead it was just her loyal knight.
His violet eyes had always attracted attention, and with his hair being a darker shade than even the abyss, it was easy to get caught up in it.
The knight was used to it by now, though.
[...]
A bright smile appeared on the girl's face as her bare feet stepped on the grass of the mythical garden. This was where she had been born, her home.
Running around the ancient garden with a bright smile worth millions of stars still burning on her face, she kneeled down at the beautiful roses. Some of them were crimson red, just like her blood, some white, as pure as the snow and her soul, and some golden, just like her stunning eyes.
It was as if this whole place belonged to her, and she belonged to it.
She picked up one of the roses and brought it up to her nose, inhaling its beautiful odor through her small and marble-like nostrils.
But that was when she saw it, causing her smile to fall straight to the ground.
A withered rose, one whose color was so black that even her light could not penetrate.
Coming from this one rose was an eerie aura, like it was not supposed to be here, yet here it was.
The princess backed away from it, ignoring her senses, which told her to leave the garden at that moment.
As the princess continued to explore the garden, it appeared again.
The same feeling she had felt inside the infinite library, yet this time it was stronger.
Her bones... they felt as if an inferno was burning inside them. The voices were clearer, and she was able to understand them.
Another pair of golden chains appeared on her arms, tightening their grip, leaving small marks on her pale and frail skin.
Then, they started pulling her towards a part of the garden she had never explored before.
She tried to oppose them, but it only hurt her even more. So she called the knight to help her, but he just stared at her.
No, he was staring past her.
For some reason, it was as if he were completely oblivious to her existence.
There was nothing to do but follow the lead of the chains.
[...]
The princess's eyes widened as she examined her surroundings. She remembered this place; it was the same as the one from inside the book.
Before, she had thought all that had happened was a dream, but this was real.
And in front of her stood a ruined pedestal with a bright sword made out of pure light buried inside it.
As the chains disappeared from her arms, she noticed the marks they had left behind. How was she going to explain this to her parents?
Wait, never mind that, she was free. The chains were gone.
Yet she did not want to leave.
As she stared at the beautiful sword, she felt someone hug her from behind, and not long after, two hands made out of nothing but blinding light appeared. The figure whispered into her ear.
"Quite a beauty, isn't it, my child?" They chuckled. "This is my gift to you. All you have to do is accept it. After that, all the power in the world will be yours."
Iris listened closely to the words, not letting one pass by. Did they mean that if she accepted their gift, she would finally awaken? Or was it something else?
Nevertheless, she was not going to let this opportunity go.
The princess stepped forward, each step filled with hunger and determination, as the being continued to encourage her.
"That's it, only a little left, and all will praise you."
The little princess reached forward, hesitating a little, just like before with the book. But unlike that time, she was quicker to make up her mind.
As her fragile hand touched the radiating light of the sword, she started to feel dizzy. Not long after, she felt as if she had not slept for centuries.
Luckily, she stayed awake long enough to hear the last words of the mysterious being.
"Good job... my vessel." Then the world went dark.
[...]
Some days had passed since then. The princess had just finished eating with her family and was walking inside one of the many corridors of the castle.
Stopping by one of the windows, she looked outside, staring at a gigantic stone wall. This wall separated the Blue Rose district, the place where nobility resided, and the Withered Rose district, reserved for the commoners.
She had never visited it, but she heard from her siblings that it was just as beautiful beyond the wall as it was inside.
She sighed.
How much she wanted to visit it. Well, she had wanted to for a while, but now she had a special reason.
"If any monsters are hiding beyond this wall, I'll kill them all."
Then a screen appeared in front of her eyes.
[Character Codex: Sync Stable]
Name: Iris Vaeloria
Age: 9
Race: Human
Affiliation: Royal Family
[Path]: —Vessel of Praise—
A realm beyond thought, beyond limit. Only the gentle may rise.
Knowledge Rank — [Fragment]
>1/1000 knowledge shard
Codex Class — [Reader]
> Sync Rate: 1%
Affinity: —Praise—
>A gentle light rests within you. It waits to bloom.
[Affinity Bane]:—Hollow Applause—
Dream Resonance: 1/100
[Dream Resonance Thresholds]
<1 — No Resonance:The Vessel has no connection to the World Above.
1-19 — Awakening:The Vessel begins to feel subtle guidance from the World Above, gaining small bursts of clarity.
20-49 — Growing Connection:The Vessel feels the World Above guiding her more strongly, her powers slowly becoming more accessible.
50-79 — Symbiosis: The Vessel and the World Above are in harmony, enhancing her abilities and granting her increased strength and control.
>80 — Perfect Harmony:The Vessel fully integrates with the World Above, her powers fully awakened and under her control, guiding her in every action.
[ Resonance Pulse Log]
[Dream Resonance: 1]- The God of Praise has complimented your golden heart!
[Skills/Abilities]
ACCESS LOCKED — Conditions not met.Note: The World Above may forcefully activate the vessel's abilities until conditions are met.