After a good night's sleep, Ice woke up feeling sharper than ever. Even though sunlight now poured into the room with greater intensity thanks to their elevation, it still felt like a luxury compared to everything he had endured before arriving here.
He could almost forget he was still in a deadly prison. Almost.
His resolve remained the same. He would do whatever it took to get them out of this place, for himself, for Celestia, and to honor Jilius' last wish.
And perhaps, more importantly, for himself.
"So, you're ready," Elpis said.
"Yes," Ice nodded
"Then let's go." Elpis smiled and led the way toward the stairs.
Ice picked up Ray's sword, descended, and stepped outside the house. Elpis guided him to a quiet corner behind the building before stopping.
"So how do we do this?" Ice asked curiously.
"Honestly? I don't know. There's no universal method. Everyone's relationship with essence is personal. Just feel it. Clear your mind, understand yourself, and let your mind lead the way. Usually, it doesn't take long to open the door." He raised a hand in farewell. "Good luck." With that, he left.
Ice exhaled a long sigh and leaned against the wall.
Not only did he have to sense something he had only just learned about the day before, but he also had to figure it out quickly and alone.
Ray and Celestia hadn't awakened yet. So maybe that was why they had been deemed unworthy for a bond by the Repentant.
It was as if he were the only one the Repentant acknowledged, even though he himself wasn't awakened yet.
That alone didn't explain why he had been chosen, but it was clear he couldn't afford to let their only chance slip away.
'A Cursed Recognition, Indeed.'
Balancing on one foot, he began tossing the sword into the air, catching it again and again.
'This is going to be though'
He had no idea where to start. His only point of reference was Jilius' final battle. At some point during that fight, he was certain he had felt something, but it had been fleeting, almost meaningless.
Now he needed to prolong that sensation, to delve into his subconscious as Elpis had advised. Clear the mind. Understand yourself.
Strangely, it was surprisingly easy to empty his thoughts when he focused on the rhythm of the sword toss.
But understanding himself… that was going to be far more difficult.
He didn't even know who he was.
He could have been a prince from some faraway land, or a nameless beggar from the streets.
He knew nothing about his past, and yet paradoxically, he knew much. He didn't know where he came from, or whether he had parents or family besides Celestia.
And yet, he could speak clearly, retained basic knowledge like his name and approximate age. It made no sense.
"I think that's enough for today."
Ice almost jumped, startled by Elpis, who had returned unnoticed while he was lost in thought.
"You've been tossing that sword around for a few hours now," Elpis said, amused.
Ice rubbed the back of his neck. "Didn't realize that much time had passed. I guess it just… calms me down."
"Here. Take this. Might be easier on your arm."
Elpis rummaged in his pocket and tossed him a coin.
'Why does he even carry something liké this around?' Ice wondered.
He caught it. "Thanks."
"Come on, let's eat. Your friends are waiting."
Ice nodded and followed him back inside. They rejoined the others in the main room.
"So, you're super powerful now too?" Celestia teased, running toward him.
Ice raised a hand to stop her from getting too close.
"As if it worked that quickly."
"So, any progress?" Candice asked.
"I think so," Ice replied. "I just need to find one last missing piece."
Candice smiled, her expression radiant.
"Good luck, then."
He watched her walk over to Natasha and offer her a meal.
And in the brief glance they exchanged, the same unspoken tension returned, quiet but unmistakable.
'I knew there was something going on between them.'
"I hope she didn't poison her though," Ice muttered under his breath with a shiver.
Then Candice turned toward Elpis, her face almost grim.
"I think it's about to begin."
Elpis' face darkened too.
"Looks like you'll have to go back in right away, Little Ice."
Ice's eyes lit up. "Good. I can't lose this momentum now."
Elpis grinned. "That's the spirit."
Ice gave a small nod, then stood and walked back out to the rear of the house. He still didn't know exactly what was happening, or what Candice had meant, but he could feel it now. The sensation was clearer than ever. He was close. So close.
Just one more step…
Leaning against the wall again, he began tossing the coin this time, eyes fixed on it as it danced through the air.
'Back to it, then.'
The final piece of the puzzle was self-understanding.
He hadn't reflected on it deeply since his arrival. But maybe that didn't matter. What mattered now wasn't who he used to be, but what he wanted moving forward.
Escape the prison? Sure. But then what?
Live on the run like a fugitive?
No. That wasn't freedom.
What he desired, just as much as escape, was the power to protect that freedom—for himself, and for Celestia. This girl he had barely known a week, yet already mattered more than anything else.
And to achieve that, he first had to awaken.
And to awaken, he had to know himself.
A faint smile touched his lips, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of white light as a glowing door slowly materialized before him.
He didn't need to search for his identity.
He had known it, in truth, for a long time.
Since the moment he opened his eyes in this strange place.
Maybe even before that.
'' Ice.''
And for now, that was more than enough for the challenges ahead.
Solving the vast enigma of his past would only matter if he lived long enough to uncover it.
The dead, after all, have no future.