The scenery around her changed. "Black Flame, let's talk! I am tired of this torment!"
Ah, my host, my warden.
A mass of black fire formed before her.
"Why do you keep tormenting me? I thought we were finally reaching a consensus."
That was until I discovered your goal, host. I helped you devour the supreme god, and now I want to consume the world soul. It is simply our nature, my champion.
Aqua shook her head. "I cannot allow it!"
And yet, you have no choice. The nightmares will grow in intensity until you surrender to me, Blackflame Twilight.
"I really hate that title."
I know. I do wonder how long your mind will last. A horrible laugh echoed around her.
She clicked her tongue. She closed her fist. The bronze clockwork ticked around it, and the Black Flame found itself powerless. "Have you forgotten that I hold the power here?"
One might have wondered why she kept such a dangerous entity within herself instead of killing it. However, the answer was simple: The Black Flame's power was unique and could only exist within the universe while the entity itself lived.
Despite causing nightmares and torturing her mind, it was far too useful to throw away, and it knew it.
A chuckle echoed around her. I do enjoy how ruthless you are, Blackflame Twilight.
"I will not give you this world, it is my home, and I plan to make my life here."
Such a shame, but I have time.
She raised a finger. "However, there is one thing you could consume that would equal the world soul or even more."
The flame quieted down, its intensity waning. What?
Aqua grinned. She had a perfect bargaining chip. "How about you feast on the beast of 10 eyes?"
Ah, I sensed you consuming its spawn. It is a slippery creature.
Aqua crossed her arms. "I want you to stop causing my nightmares. I want to sleep and commune with the world soul, and I do not wish to expunge you, after all… You are rather useful."
Your threats are exquisite…
"It's a promise. If you dare do anything to the world soul, I will erase you."
Hmmm.
Aqua sighed. The black flame had never been able to hold such a complex conversation, yet it was the thing that made it so much easier to both threaten and subdue the black flame.
The beast for the world soul… I find that… acceptable.
Aqua smiled. "See, was it that hard? I know it's your nature to corrupt, destroy, and consume, but we are partners, even if you are one evil bastard."
She averted her gaze. "Less evil than that parasite at least," she muttered.
She approached the raging inferno of black fire and placed her hand inside. "Stop the nightmares, and I will bring you the feast. Do we have a pact?"
Yes. The the pact is made.
She nodded, despite the black flame causing a majority of the nightmares, it was unnatural for every single dream to be replaced. The Black Flame needed to calm down if she were to heal properly.
However, she was not naive enough to trust it fully. It was almost certain to seize an opportunity to corrupt her.
I will not consume the world soul of this world… for now.
The black flame coalesced, slowly taking a familiar shape. It gained long white hair and formed into the shape of Azure.
Aqua frowned. "Turn into something else. I will purge you if you turn into my Azure."
The black flame chuckled as its form changed to resemble Aqua. The hair turned red, and the skin was gray, and the false Aqua's eyes were completely black, with a small trail of black flame erupting.
"Wonderful, is it not, Blackflame Twilight?"
Even its voice resembled Aqua's, other than minor distortion.
Aqua sighed. At least it listened and did not take the form of my Azu.
"Why are you so cooperative?" She asked while crossing her arms.
The false Aqua let out a chuckle. She lunged forward and interlocked her fingers with Aqua and leaned toward her ear. "You promised me a grand feast that is the beast of 10 eyes. For that, I will stop trying to corrupt you, for now, that is."
Of course, she did not believe it in the slightest; if she had released it from within her mind, then it would have become a threat much worse than the beast.
"Good, we have a deal."
The false Aqua separated from her before offering her right hand.
Aqua stared down at it. Did it evolve again?
"This is how some of the mortals you consumed seal a deal, come."
"Sure…" She muttered before gripping her clone's hand and shaking it.
"Change and Rebirth, and me the Destruction and Consumption. We are rather compatible, are we not? And unlike that damned world soul, you are willing to cooperate, despite the threat of corruption. Perhaps that is why you are an even better aspect of change than the creature you call 'Sun God'."
It mocked her, yet she could not detect even a hint of malice.
The black flame wasn't evil, it merely acted according to its nature. It was not evil nor good, much like the beast of 10 eyes wasn't evil or good.
Soon, the false Aqua erupted in black fire and disappeared. Retreating deep within Aqua's mind.
The scenery changed, and she found herself in the void.
Finally, it was as if a massive boulder had been pushed from her heart. She closed her eyes and let herself be taken by the dream once more.
In the next moment, her eyes opened, and she did not find herself in her mindscape, but instead she was lying in a colorful meadow. A lazy river flowed through, while the sun gave a sense of solace and warmth.
Aqua enjoyed the surroundings for a moment before pushing herself up.
Something is wrong here.
Despite the peace, the flowers did not smell pleasant; instead, they were rotten.
Perhaps this is Valerie's mindscape. The meadow, being Valerie's mindscape, made sense to her and was likely the reason she needed to sleep.
The world soul was not powerful enough to manifest.
"Empress?" A voice reached her from behind.