Chapter 113: Viviane’s Rebirth

[ Memory - Unknown Cabin - 5th Century ]

"You died."

The declaration hangs in the air, a strange truth made worse by the gust of wind echoing around the cabin after Nimue's words. Naturally, her past self recoils, but the present Viviane knows exactly where this is going.

'Ah. This must be it, then,' the observing Viviane muses, taking in the scene through the disoriented eyes of her younger self.

A strained chuckle was all her past could manage as she slowly pushes herself upright from the bed. "That's silly, Mother! Enough with the games, where is this place?"

Nimue lowers her gaze, her bangs shadowing a growing upset. "You don't remember anything?"

The young Viviane flinches to her tense tone. "Mother?"

"Right now, you're in my home — a sanctuary where I can ignore the matters of men and their shaky rulers... at least, until now."

Lifting her gaze to Viviane, pain creases around Nimue's eyes before continuing. "Now, why do you think you were brought to me?"

The candle lights flicker as the air weighs down between them.

Viviane swallows, worried over the circumstances that led her here. She almost doesn't want to remember, but...

"I was... training with Arthur after finishing my scribing with Merlin," she answers, lowering her head as she thinks back. "After that...!"

Eyes widening, she snaps back to her guardian. "We were attacked! I think it was... yes, a group of Saxons had infiltrated somehow. Arthur and I tried to take up arms, but then... I don't know, it happened all so fast."

"You were struck while protecting him, my dear," Nimue answers, a deeply seated anger rising from her throat, stunning the girl.

"W...what?"

Growling, Nimue collapses a hand over Viviane's own. "I should've never left you with Merlin. He promised me he would protect you, and look what happened!"

"N-no, please, what do you mean?" Viviane begs, straightening. "If I died, how am I here with you?"

Nimue's face relaxes as anger turns into regret, twisting the enchantress' beauty. She hesitates for a few seconds before shutting her eyes.

"Because I gave you a part of myself as you were dying."

The wind howls again, its chill freezing Viviane. Her gaze loses focus, only now recognizing how distant her environment has become. From the cabin's air, stirred by whispers from the breaths outside, to the glow of the candlelights, her surroundings fail to bring any sense of warmth or stimulation.

But the worst of it all, the cool touch of her beloved caretaker's hands on top of hers?

Dull.

She stares blankly ahead, registering the sensations that now avoid her. Her only comfort is the sight of Nimue and her voice, but the diminished reaction to life sends a frightening jolt through her.

"A...ah...!"

Viviane shakes, pulling her hands away from Nimue and frantically placing one to her chest. If it wasn't clear before, the lack of any beating within her finally nails it in. With it, she lifts her other hand into view, an intuition of control feeding through her fear. Wishing it isn't so, the pigment of her hands nonetheless fades to her will, revealing a blue, gelatinous surface.

She died as a human.

At the same time...

'Wait, I was blue to begin with?!' the present Viviane cries behind the wavering eyes of her past self.

It might be good that she's simply an invisible observer, lest she completely undermine the terror welling inside her younger self. Viviane thought she had lost her silver base as a consequence of exiting through Anne, but was she mistaken?

Regardless, she watches, feeling the panic of this past moment spread through her. She half-expects herself to scream about now, but Nimue wraps her close, her hand tight against the back of Viviane's head.

"What else could I do?" Nimue stresses, her voice a crack. "When Merlin brought you to me, there was little time. It was either let you pass on or..."

"Turn me into a remnant," Viviane finishes ghastly. She stares past Nimue's shoulder before narrowing. "W-why? Merlin would've never agreed to—"

"He did. I would've never forgiven him otherwise if I didn't get the chance to see you, to have you taken away from me like the ones before."

"He...did?"

Nimue pulls away, thinning her lips. "It might not look it, but he treasures you just as much as I do." She shuts her eyes. "So, please, don't give up."

Viviane's face creases, lips burning with confusion and fear. Not knowing what else to do, she tightens her hold against Nimue. "I... I can't feel you anymore."

"I know."

"I'm scared. Will I live forever like you?"

"Possibly."

"But you didn't have to do anything. I wouldn't have been sad if you let me..."

"Stop," Nimue demands, clenching her teeth. "I know the risks of adding a remnant to the world, so I've always held back watching many of my children reach the end of their natural life, but you... it's too soon. You've struggled to the end while carrying more life than anyone I've seen in decades. The name I gave you isn't just for show."

"Mother..."

Nimue smiles weakly, cupping Viviane's pale cheeks. "I know it won't make up for my failures. You can blame me for turning you into something horrible, but even so, I want to see you grow just like the child I raised before you."

"O-oh..." Viviane holds back a choke. Although unsure how to feel at this moment of her transformation, she leans into her guardian to calm herself.

They separate after some silence. "W...who was the child you took in before?" Viviane asks.

A bitter smile laces the enchantress' face. "A boy named Lancelot."

"Lancelot? Then... my brother?"

Taken aback, Nimue raises a brow. "I suppose you could say that, but then you would have many brothers and sisters spread across time. Even Merlin would be considered your brother."

"Ugh!" Viviane visibly winces before glancing away. "N-nevermind then."

Nimue suppresses herself from laughing. While the mood improves between them, she can't stop her lips from bowing down as she remembers him.

The light in her eyes fade. "Up to when he came to me in a basket, evading all that would've destroyed him, in the end I... I couldn't protect him."

There it was — a small sentence of the past that echoed through the current Viviane, starting from Anne. This time, there's no mistaking the pain and voice of the mother it belonged to.

'Then, the basket I saw floating repeatedly in my prison...'

Was she experiencing Nimue's regrets this whole time?

Before the current Viviane can consider this development, her thoughts are broken to another hug. With it, her view fades to dark as she's enveloped by that of a mother rather than an enchantress.

"So please, forgive me, child," Nimue whispers. "Forgive me for being so selfish and wanting you to live."

Existing to modern day, Viviane clearly didn't have much of a choice but to live. She's not sure if she can forgive, having experienced her later imprisonment where death would've been better; however, the maternal care she sees resonates all too deeply for her.

More than forgive, she wants to move on and hold Daniel again.

Just as she was Nimue's child, he is her child. Extending Amy, she can't feel grateful enough that she was able to carry through the astronomer's love, to find solace in him and others beside her.

'But I don't understand, how could this woman...no, my Mother, be a threat that Merlin feared?' she wonders.

She won't get any answers as the memory fades away, but Viviane hopes more will come from within her. For now, she focuses on an artistic child who has become her anchor in this life.

Her love.

She hopes that, whatever happens by her existence, she can live to see the next day, providing the same or better love than Nimue and Amy showed.

...

..

.

"Vida? Vida?"

[ Mary's Apartment ]

Opening her eyes, said fusion inhales silently. "She" blinks a few times, returning to her true surroundings.

In front of her, squeezing herself on the couch, Mary smiles crookedly, a small relief guiding her lips.

"How do you feel, love? Any sort of stimulation that knocked some lost memories out?"

Taking a moment to appreciate the cool air of the air conditioning, she clears herself. "Ah, unexpectedly, a big one, but I don't have to explain since it's your turn now."

Mary wiggles her lips. "Oh? You're going to transfer to me so soon?"

Vida hums, drawing closer. "Yes. You don't mind if we cut to the chase?"

Standing up, the ebony artist cocks her head. "I don't, but... why the hurry?"

Vida snorts, her lips lifting with gratitude in her eyes as maternal love fills her. "You'll understand shortly, but right now, I want to hold our child...er, I want to hold me...no, that's not right, either. See, I knew I'd feel weird about this."

Seeing the hybrid grow flustered, Mary giggles, her eyes softening. "Oh, love, come here~"

She lifts her arms out half-way before pausing. "Wait, before that, can you hear voices in your head?"

Vida blinks and tilts her head to the side. "Um...no? Honestly, Daniel and Anne were practically invisible to Danne, even though they could speak and try to influence. I have no idea if that's happening right now."

Sadly, nothing is happening in Vida's head. Just like previous fusions, Daniel and Viviane haven't retained their individual subconsciousness.

Mary sighs. "Bummer." After straightening, she motions with her hands and big grin. "Well, I don't mind losing myself if it's for you, love. Come, come! Give Mummy all of you~"

Vida hesitates. "Actually, now I'm having second thoughts."

"And there's the Daniel speaking!" Mary growls. "Suppress him, suppress him!"

The fusion feigns a gasp, turning away. "H-how can I suppress him? I love him...er, me."

"Gah, I can't even... Then, stop delaying and take me so we can love him properly!"

"Alright, alright," Vida gives, sighing. She steps forward, entering Mary's arms, their chests squishing together as they wrap close.

When they're just a breath apart, they lock into each other's eyes. Vida feels conflicted, wanting nothing more to enjoy Mary in this form, yet more for Daniel than herself.

She can't have both.

So, she dives in, pressing her lips against the sweet artist. "Mmm..."

Humming into each other's mouths, they enjoy each other as long as they can before Vida inevitably loosens.

Splorsh!

"Mmpgh!" Mary moans into the fusion, feeling the slime layer spread. She shudders as the goo snakes around, sinking into her cells like water seeping into sands from an ocean.

She squeezes the fusion tighter, wanting more of this wave that envelops her. "Love...Mmm..."

Their tongues draw on each other, adding slurping noises to the movement of the slime. Slowly, but surely, the two are cocooned together, bound by their love.

"Mmmmrooogh....Oooaoah..."

They squirm, moaning in sync. Memories exchange between them as the slime connects both of them, but as a result, a dangerous thought passes.

Couldn't they join and be one like this? Who would they be?

They consider it, their minds growing foggier the longer they let the idea stir... stir them.

Splack!

However, a cooler mind prevails from Daniel, regaining some consciousness to stretch away from the cocoon.

"Holy fuck!" he shouts in his first breath, stumbling out of the slime.

Like that, Viviane and Mary come to their senses and allow Daniel free, letting him slip away as they continue molding together to become Mavi.

"Uwooh..."

The covered Mary and Viviane groan together in a blob-shaped human before the latter thins out across Mary's twitching surface. Before long, Mavi's features are crafted in a single ripple.

Daniel holds himself, watching Mavi's brown eyes come through among her long dark hair, carrying a patch of silver among her bangs. Once solid enough, the fusion smiles weakly.

"Well, that was... a little dangerous," she notes, flushing a bit.

Lowering his gaze, Daniel closes his eyes and coughs. "Yeah, um, it was. I guess we should separate before doing any transfer."

"But you had to admit it was exciting, right?" Mavi suggests meekly, stepping forward with warmth in her eyes. "I don't know if Nimue was in the right, but seeing how much she cares for Viviane, I feel like I need to cherish you more, love."

"I'm over-cherished, if anything," Daniel maintains. There is an urge to step back from her approach, but he resists it and allows her to hug him close.

His cock throbs as her large chest jiggles against him.

"You know Mummy's answer to that," Mavi counters, narrowing her eyes slyly.

Daniel snorts, sighing. "Yes, I do."

He wraps her close, and they lean into each other again, continuing their previous connection but without the risk of their minds swirling together. As moans resume filling the room, they make their way to the bedroom for what would be quite the physical and ethereal journey.