PRINCESS ANARCHY | DSMP

35. Guardians of the Revival Book

   "You're not thinking what I'm thinking, right?"

   "I think we're all thinking the same thing," says Stela, giving Sara a look. "If, and I mean if Schlatt had the Book of Revival, then it's very possible that Dream has it now."

   "So, that makes Dream the one person who can bring back Wilbur."

   "But it's still a hypothetical," Nia adds, shaking her head. "We don't know if Schlatt actually had the book, or if he gave it to Dream in exchange for allegiance. Maybe Schlatt gave Dream something else. Quackity never said it was a book; he just said it was a powerful item."

   Stela nods. "For all we know, it could've been a Totem of Undying or something like that."

   "Exactly," Nia agrees.

   Sara sighs. "Okay. But that still doesn't change the fact the book might be somewhere around the Dream SMP, if not in it. I mean, how else are you going to explain where we appeared?"

   "We're not disagreeing with you about that. We're just saying that Schlatt and Dream having the Revival Book are mere theories." Stela shakes her head.

   Sara rolls her eyes. "I get that. I'm just saying that we might have to go back to the Dream SMP."

   "I don't think I'll be exactly welcome there."

   "L'Manburg doesn't exist anymore, Nia. I don't think it matters," says Stela nonchalantly.

   The three women fall into one of those uncomfortable silences again. The one that clings onto you and refuses to leave, making the air thicker with tension about the most ludicrous of arguments — if it can even be called an argument. The trio turn back to reading their diaries, hoping that the awkwardness will soon dissolve.

   Nia doesn't find many interesting things besides the vessels of her goddess — Ionia — talking about their trials and how they discovered their powers. She does read a bunch regarding her healing power, as they've all had to learn how to use it properly. Apparently, her healing can be even more powerful than that of an enchanted golden apple, if she practices it enough.

   There are also comments about Ionia's connection to nature, which gives the vessels the ability to hear nature and its elements whispering information to her. Nia hasn't exactly thought about it before, but it does make sense to her. She has had the feeling that the trees or the wind have been trying to tell her something back when they were still at the Dream SMP.

   "Oh, shit," leaves Stela's lips as she continues reading the diary of the last vessel of Enderia before Stela. "I think I know why the Revival Book's missing," she says, looking up from the text, glancing at both Nia and Sara to make sure they're paying attention.

   "Why?" Sara furrows her eyebrows at the enderwoman.

   "I'll just— I'll just read it to you both," says Stela, reverting her eyes to the diary. "This is what Amaia — the previous vessel — writes, okay?"

   We've been tasked to protect this book, the Book of Revival, from the outside world, making sure that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. It seems, however, that Death and her husband have doomed us from the very beginning of our duty. It seems that Mira — Ionia's vessel — has already failed her duty. She has stolen the book, claiming it for herself, planning to use it. We, me and Ersa — Ohana's vessel — will try our best to stop her. We won't let Mira defy the basic law of life.

   Death is permanent.

   Nia and Sara gape at Stela, utterly baffled by the information they have just received. Stela, however, looks like she's not done yet. She spares the two women a glance, licking her lips.

   "There's more. And I think it explains why instead of appearing all at once, we all appeared separately with gaps in time," Stela clarifies before continuing to read an excerpt from a different chapter in the diary.

   Mira killed Ersa. She did so in cold blood, not even hesitating. Mira knew that with her enhanced strength and healing abilities, she could easily overpower Ersa, who has still been struggling to use her pyrokinesis properly.

   We were trying to stop Mira from using the Book of Revival, attempting to bring back her deceased family.

   I worry that she will now go after me to prevent my further interference or attempts at stopping her. I have fled the stronghold. I am able to keep a distance between myself and Mira for now, as my powers allow such a feat. However, I won't be able to keep running. I will have to face Mira one day.

   I must acquire the Revival Book, no matter the cost.

   "What the hell?" Sara mutters under her breath. She looks at Nia. "You don't have any deceased family members you wish to revive, do you?"

   Nia shakes her head. "I don't know if my mother is dead or still alive. And for all I know, my father can rot in hell."

   "Okay, good." Sara nods. "Is there anything more?" She turns her attention back to Stela, who shakes her head.

   Stela browses through the diary further, the only thing she finds being blank pages. Until she comes across one splattered in blood and a red handprint, most likely from the very blood on that page.

   Enderia is gone, I killed Amaia. The book belongs to me, now. It's mine.

   "Oh, fuck," Sara breathes out. "How long ago has that happened?"

   "A decade, give or take," Stela makes a guess.

   "And considering I'm here, it means that Mira died a few years ago," Nia comments, biting her bottom lip in thought. "Do you reckon she died naturally and someone got the Book of Revival off of her corpse, or someone killed her to get their hands on the book?"

   "I have a sick feeling of it being the latter." Sara presses her lips into a thin line.

   "So, if our theory is right, Schlatt possibly killed Mira?"

   "It definitely wouldn't surprise me."