Deep Sea Embers chapter 143

Chapter 143 “Hypnosis”

This Translation is hosted on bcatranslation.com

As Nina watched the crystal pendant hanging from Heidi’s hand sway gently back and forth, a sense of nervousness rose within her. Despite Heidi’s earlier assurances that she should try to relax, Nina found it difficult to shake off her apprehension. This was her first experience with hypnotherapy, and the unfamiliarity of the situation filled her with anxiety.

While fixated on the mesmerizing movement of the pendant, Nina’s eyes drifted to a beaded bracelet that adorned Heidi’s wrist. The bracelet was carefully crafted from a durable piece of string, interlacing a medley of vividly colored stones. What caught her attention even more were the engravings on some of the stones—symbols that looked like runes or perhaps some kind of mystical markings.

Realizing that Nina was intrigued by her bracelet, Heidi offered a warm smile and gave her wrist a subtle shake, making the beads jingle softly. “I am actually a student at the Academy of Truth, and I am devoted to serving Lahem, the God of Wisdom,” she elucidated. “Although it might not be immediately apparent, I am also officially registered as a cleric within the order.”

A cleric? Heidi was not merely a mental health therapist but a member of the prestigious Academy of Truth as well?

Nina was no stranger to the name of the Academy of Truth. Contrary to its educational-sounding title, the Academy was actually one of the four major religious organizations responsible for upholding the social and ethical backbone of their “Deep Sea Age”. In contrast to the other three orders—namely, the Storm Church, the Death Church, and the Flame Bearers—the Academy of Truth emphasized less on traditional spiritual practices and more on the pursuit and distribution of untainted knowledge and technological advancement. Relationships within the Truth Academy were often structured around the lines of mentorship and scholarly lineage.

Unlike other religious orders that operated from churches and temples and propagated faith through organized religious ceremonies, the Academy of Truth had established numerous universities and research laboratories throughout the various city-states. Senior clerics in the Truth Academy often assessed the acumen and faith of junior clerics by subjecting them to rigorous intellectual quizzes. All of this contributed to their unique and somewhat unorthodox methodology.

This unconventional approach was likely why the Truth Academy had fewer members compared to the other religious orders. Being officially registered as a cleric, complete with recognizable symbols like the beaded bracelet, was an even rarer feat, thanks to the high standards maintained by the institution.

In more conventional educational settings, only a handful of students each year would meet the criteria to become a follower of Lahem. For someone like Nina, who had grown up in the disadvantaged lower districts and attended public school, the odds were even more remote.

As she began to see Heidi in this newly revealed, esteemed light, Nina felt enveloped in an aura of awe and grandiosity. However, far from calming her nerves, this newfound respect for Heidi amplified Nina’s anxiety. It was akin to the kind of nervous admiration a highly driven vocational student might experience upon meeting the valedictorian of an elite university.

Heidi, perceptive as she was, noticed the shift in Nina’s emotional state but remained untroubled. While continuing to manipulate the pendulum with an air of effortless grace, she addressed Nina in the same soothing tone she had used previously. “Would you like to discuss your childhood? You mentioned before that your parents tragically passed away in an accident. Do you think that event might be casting a shadow over your emotional well-being? Would you like to explore that?”

“Actually, there’s no topic that’s off-limits for me,” Nina said, her eyes narrowing in contemplation before she continued. “I’ve shared this story with many people, but they all seem to think I was too young back then to accurately remember what happened. They accuse me of fabricating it. You see, eleven years ago, there was a chemical leak at a factory in the Sixth District. The event was further complicated by the presence of cultists who were creating disturbances. A large number of people were arrested. Are you familiar with that incident?”

“Absolutely,” Heidi replied, nodding thoughtfully. “I was just a teenager at the time. My family and I were near the Crossroad when everything erupted into chaos, and we witnessed the frenzied crowds.”

“Do you recall a large fire happening concurrently?” Nina pressed.

“A large fire?” Heidi paused, her hand momentarily ceasing its movement with the crystal pendant. She tilted her head slightly as if trying to reach into her own memories. “I don’t remember hearing about any large fire.”

“Exactly, no one else does. But in my memories, there was a raging fire, and it’s where my parents lost their lives. People tell me I must be misremembering,” Nina stated, her voice tinged with frustration.

Heidi absorbed Nina’s words carefully, her eyes focused intently on her. After a prolonged pause, she finally spoke, “So, this might be the lingering shadow that’s haunting your psyche. You’re tormented by a fire that seems to exist solely in your recollection. And you fear that such an inexplicable occurrence could happen again, causing you to lose more loved ones, all while nobody else understands or even acknowledges what you’re going through.”

Nina nodded faintly, her expression confirming Heidi’s assessment.

“Have you been experiencing any new forms of stress lately?” Heidi probed further. “Whether it’s academic pressures or personal issues, new stressors could exacerbate the dormant anxieties that you’ve been carrying.”

After a moment of hesitation, Nina cautiously offered, “Well, my uncle has been battling deteriorating health, and his condition has worsened recently. That’s been weighing heavily on my mind…”

She paused for a heartbeat before quickly adding, “But he’s on the mend now, and I’ve felt a significant relief in my stress levels. I haven’t had that strange, recurring dream for the past couple of days.”

“Worries about a family member’s health can be incredibly stressful,” Heidi mumbled, her voice tinged with thoughtfulness. She observed Nina, who now looked as if she were suspended between wakefulness and sleep, leaning comfortably against the bed’s headboard.

Setting down the crystal pendant, Heidi’s mind wandered to her specialized training at the Academy of Truth and how it had prepared her not just as a “mental health therapist” but also as someone capable of dealing with the paranormal or supernatural. The truth was, she didn’t actually need the pendant or any aromatic incense to conduct hypnotherapy. Those were merely tools to capture Nina’s attention, to help her relax and become more receptive to spoken suggestions.

Taking a gentle breath, Heidi looked compassionately at Nina, who now seemed to have eased into a deeper state of relaxation. She could see Nina’s eyes becoming heavy as she gradually transitioned into a more profound sleep. It was an opportunity for Heidi to delve deeper into Nina’s psyche in hopes of understanding the mysterious fire that haunted her memories, and to possibly bring her some much-needed emotional relief.

“It’s clear that you’ve been carrying a heavy burden,” Heidi said, her voice imbued with a gentle, soothing quality. “You’ve stored layers of stress and anxiety deep within your emotional core. You’ve done it so effectively that you’ve fooled yourself into thinking it’s normal, perhaps to make others around you feel more comfortable. But in the process, you’ve neglected your own well-being. Now, it’s time for you to relax and get a good night’s sleep. Let all that pent-up tension and worry fade away into a distant dream. When you wake up, those concerns will feel as if they were never really a part of you.”

Caught between the realms of wakefulness and sleep, Nina’s voice came out as a soft murmur, “…Thank you…”

Heidi offered a warm smile. To lead Nina further down the path to profound relaxation, she posed a seemingly casual question, “By the way, you mentioned earlier that your uncle wasn’t feeling well. What was ailing him? When I encountered Mr. Duncan earlier, he seemed in good health.”

Nina’s response was even slower this time, her words a barely audible whisper, “He was just weak for a while. But he is… completely fine now.”

Yet, Heidi could no longer hear Nina’s soft-spoken answer.

The instant she asked that last question, Heidi suddenly collapsed at the foot of Nina’s bed, succumbing to a dream state that was far deeper than the one her patient was experiencing. On her right wrist, the beaded bracelet—each bead adorned with intricate runes—began to glow faintly. This bracelet was not merely decorative; it was a potent symbol worn by followers of the Academy of Truth. It indicated that the wearer had undergone rigorous training to become a cleric, had received the favor of Lahem, the God of Wisdom, and was steadfast in opposing forces of heresy. Each rune-engraved stone on the bracelet symbolized an individual instance of divine favor from Lahem.

After a few flickering moments, one of the colorful stones emitted a soft, cracking sound and disintegrated into a fine dust before vanishing into thin air.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the shop, Vanna continued her conversation with Duncan. Her line of questioning served dual purposes. On one hand, she aimed to glean any overlooked details about the mysterious fire at the museum. On the other, she sought to ascertain whether Duncan and others had been affected by something known as the “sun fragment.”

As their discussion progressed, the initial stiffness and formality gradually gave way to a more congenial and intimate atmosphere. Duncan sensed that Vanna, who held a high-ranking position as an “inquisitor” within the church, had a genuine concern for the survivors of the fire. Her inquiries weren’t solely driven by a need to combat heretical elements or gather information; they were rooted in authentic empathy.

Although Duncan couldn’t be sure whether Vanna’s kindness extended to all the city-state’s inhabitants or if it was influenced by her connection with Heidi, her sincerity left an indelible impression on him.

“Come to think of it, Ms. Heidi and Nina have been upstairs for quite some time now, haven’t they?” Duncan mused aloud, momentarily distracted from their conversation. His gaze drifted subconsciously towards the staircase that led to the second floor, where Heidi and Nina were.

“Indeed,” Vanna responded, her eyebrows knitting together in subtle concern as she considered Duncan’s observation. “Heidi’s sessions are typically quite efficient and don’t take much time.”

Duncan’s lips curved into a half-smile as he elaborated, “Well, we shouldn’t necessarily judge today’s session by her usual quick pace. Both physical hypnosis and kinetic anesthesia are methods that generally yield rapid results, regardless of who administers them. But I do admit, they’ve been up there for a notably extended period. Do you think something might have gone awry?”

Vanna shook her head dismissively, her confidence in Heidi evident. “It’s highly unlikely. Heidi is not just anyone; she’s a rigorously trained professional from the Academy of Truth. The idea that she would falter in a standard hypnotherapy session is hard to fathom. She’s dealt with many cases, some involving paranoid cultists. Perhaps engaging in a conversation with someone she considers ‘normal,’ like Nina, feels like a refreshing change of pace for her. Shall we go upstairs just to be sure?”

“Let’s do that,” Duncan agreed, his concern still lingering but somewhat allayed by Vanna’s reassurances.

With synchronized movements, both Duncan and Vanna pushed back their chairs and stood up. They then proceeded to climb the staircase that led to the second floor, their steps weighed down by a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. Upon reaching the door to Nina’s room, they came to a pause, exchanging a quick glance as if to synchronize their intentions. But before either could extend a hand to turn the doorknob, a peculiar auditory revelation stopped them in their tracks.

The distinct yet incongruent sounds of two people snoring echoed from within the room, their individual rhythms oddly harmonizing to create an unexpected lullaby of deep, restful sleep.

 

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