Abyssal Awakening - Chapter 866

Chapter 866: Meaning Of Names

“You may call me Monika.” Monika introduced herself as she stood up and performed a polite bow.

Alice opened her mouth and paused for a slight moment.

“Agnelia.”

Using the name Alice, especially in Extalia was a little risky with the unknown dangers. In which case, it’s better to use the surname that Allura gave her.

“Agnelia… My oh my. Agne, the flame, the spark that defies. Lia, the boundless that wanders the realms. Combined into Agnelia, the light that defies and wanders the realms.

“A name representing the strength of loyalty and persistence. You have a wonderful name, little flame.” Monika closed her eyes with a smile.

Taking the moment to savour the meaning behind a single word.

“Are you… interested in the origin of names?” Alice asked curiously, sitting down.

The woman in front of her was rather strange. The only ‘life’ she has seen in the realm of nightmares thus far.

“Of course. Names are a wonderous thing don’t you think? Some believe that the name one receives dictates the direction of their life. Whether they know it or not, they tread upon a path already laid out before them.” Monika leaned back with a slight smile.

The light from the campfire causing her shadow to flicker slightly.

“What do you think the name Monika means?” She asked.

Alice shook her head.

“The roots of my name mean Advisor. The one who warns and the one who tells the truth. However, it also means the one who is alone. Moni, alone in darkness, the seer, the watcher. Ka, meaning the soul or the voice within.” Monika explained, resting her chin on her palm.

“So when you combine it.” She grinned.

“The lonesome watcher who warns.”

“Is that why you told me what this camp was?” Alice asked curiously. Most of the time people would simply ignore one another, at most make small talk when facing a situation like this. But Monika was giving her clarity in her time of blindness.

Monika tilted her head.

“Perhaps. As a witch of these lands, I’ve come across many travellers. People of all shapes and sizes, personalities varying from one extreme to another. Souls that weep, souls that cry out for battle.

“And without exception, I’ve given them the bare minimum they should know. Perhaps whoever gave me this name had already foreseen my actions. Rather than trying to defy what might not even be true, why not embrace said duty?” Monika chuckled.

“It’s not like I sit in one place waiting for travellers anyways, I don’t have that kind of leisure. This meeting between you and I, perhaps it’s ordained by fate. Who knows?”

Alice couldn’t help but chuckle. She found it a little crazy though perhaps with everything going on in their world, it might not be too insane.

“So you’re a big believer of fate? Do you ever think about the people that try to defy it?” Alice asked.

Since her wounds have healed in this place, it’s not bad to take this moment to rest and converse with Monika. She’s also the only living person thus far and her only source of information.

“When one sees the Cogwheel of fate turn, how can one not become a believer? The sequence of fate is simply a series of cogwheels connecting to each other. The choices change which cogwheel is placed as all options lead to certain possibilities.

“And when the wheels link up and turn, that’s when fate is set into motion. I’ve seen the machinations of fate thus who am I to deny the truth that I’ve witnessed?” Monika laughed.

Grabbing her staff, she tapped it against the ground and opened a small portal. From within the portal, a table appeared with two tea cups filled with tea.

“Care to have a drink? Little flame.” Monika offered.

It would be a little rude to reject thus Alice accepted.

She took a drink and to her surprise, felt a warmth spread through her body, invigorating her strength.

This… warmth.

She realised some of her strength has returned.

“Seems like the tea is much to your liking. I’ve offered this tea to all the travellers I’ve come across. Some accept and drink with glee, some reject with politeness. Some question what this tea is and some, like you, drink because you may find it rude otherwise.” Monika spoke calmly while sipping away at her own cup.

“In this land of nightmares, it’s not wise to take things as they are. What could be a cup of tea may in fact be a cup of blood and poison. What is a witch of these lands could in fact be a monster in waiting.” She warned, her eyes glowing softly under the shadow of her hat.

“I don’t see the reason why you would go for such a roundabout way to kill me. Especially considering I’m not all that strong right now.” Alice shrugged, finishing the tea and placing the cup back on the table.

“You speak truth. Why would I need to go for such an annoying method when ambushes are just so much better? They save the time and conserve the effort.” Monika laughed, placing her tea cup down.

“These campfires are your lifeline. Unlike humans, the beasts of these lands are moulded from shadows and fog. Their death is but temporary. But these campfires? They eternal.

“Even if a beast claws at your ankles, tears off your arm. So long as you can reach this safe anchor, they will dissipate to ash and fog, returning to whence they came. Your wounds will be healed but so too will the beast be ready for your return.” Monika lifted a butterfly from the branch before leaning towards Alice.

Looking at the butterfly from up close, Alice was about to say something when she saw a vision of the Informant. The finger on her lips as she warned Alice of three rules.

And the third of which…

Accept the world for what it is.

“I see. Since the butterflies lead me to this camp, are there more scattered through this city? Will the butterflies lead me to them as well? Or would they focus on this camp only.” Alice asked, glancing up at Monika.

A knowing smile hung on her lips and Alice felt a slight chill.

“Heeding warnings of those who came before are a good trait to have. You have a wonderful head on your shoulders little flame.” Monika praised, holding her finger over her lips.

“And yes, there are many camps like this throughout the city. They serve as the keys to your vision. The more you find, the lighter the fog becomes. And eventually, the city will reveal itself to you.” She nodded.

Raising her staff, she gave it a light wave and the butterflies showed a path leading out of the camp, towards the next destination.

“Are all destinations the same? Will I see others on my journey?”

Monika thought for a moment before shaking her head.

“Perhaps but I doubt it. This land is a vast one little flame. A delicate web threaded by the dreams of many. It’s lands reach beyond your wildest expectations. What you see may not even account for a single morsel of what this land may have to offer.”

“And yet you travel these lands without issue all the while.” Alice smiled, cutting Monika off.

“Heh~ Indeed, you have a good head on your shoulders little flame. The butterflies of these lands show the way. They will guide you to where you NEED to go.” Monika nodded her head.

“But if you wish to venture out to the far reaches of this land to find others… Well. You’ll find out in due time. This is something I’ll keep my silence on.” She crossed her legs with an amused smile.

“Though… what happened to your proclamation of wanting to leave this place?”

“I assume it’s going to be the same. I’ll find out in due time and it’s something you’ll keep your silence on.” Alice shrugged.

“You assume correct. Dreams and nightmares… they all end at a point. There is no eternal dream, not even in these lands.”

“Since we’ve talked this much, are there other rules you can tell me about? To better help me navigate this city.” Alice asked, placing the butterfly on her finger back onto the branch.

Monika folded her arms.

“I will let you know of two rules. All men are equal in the land of nightmares. We are all stripped down to our baser forms. Even if you lack the power in reality, you may earn what cannot be gained. And the method of doing so… is through the Nightmare’s Embryo.” She tapped her finger on the crystal embedded into her staff.

“This Embryo serves as both a guiding waypoint as well as a seed of power. Offer it to the branch and the path to power will open up. But you should always keep at least one with you at all times. For losing this Embryo means losing your path. And I don’t believe you want to wander these lands aimlessly.

“At the borders, you may get away with it. But after a certain distance… You may step down a path of no return. The ever shifting corridors that only these beings of beauty can guide you out of.” Monika warned ominously.

“I see…” Alice glanced down at her own crystals.

“And the second rule… Well. It’s more of a natural instinct than anything else. Try to avoid death as much as you can. The… generosity of this land is false. It may feel better than the Abyss but…” Monika trailed off.

“There is a good reason why this is called the Land of Nightmares.”