Chapter 19: For Anemus - Understanding of the World
After hearing Gion's explanation of Anemus' situation, Athena's face was haunted with worry. She looked at Anemus playing with Fotiá and Kima and all she thought was that the current situation was her fault.
"But why now?" Athena wondered.
Gion was happy that Athena cared about Anemus, it was proof that the current person in front of him was a better person. He was sure Hades wouldn't mind Anemus dying, and that all he'd do after her death was find another nymph to put in her place.
"Huhuhu... No need to worry so much, we still have a little time. And about your 'why now' question, it started a long time ago and not now."
Athena turned depressing eyes to Gion, thinking about the game. In the game the nymphs had levels just like the players.
Anemus was level locked because she didn't go through the growth ritual that was something close to an evolution, but he still received experience points.
Athena began to merge and compare the information she had from the game with what she had from the world. Every time she killed something with a soul, she got stronger, that would be the game experience. However, now, even if she had the nymphs around, if she killed something, the 'experience' would be hers alone.
Athena realized that some 'laws' of the game remained unchanged in the world. The woman rummaged through her memories to remember how many percent of Anemus' experience bar was.
"It was 78℅ or 80℅..."
"There is?"
"Shut up, Gion!" Athena said brutally.
She needed to focus on what she still remembered. In the game, killing regular NPCs was the same as killing a dungeon boss for exp gain, and if you killed a bad guy who had killed, it was a gain equal to clearing an entire dungeon by yourself.
Anemus had killed fifteen people on the trip to Sigma. Athena tried to stipulate an approximate percentage, but the little information about the victims was very little, so Athena forced herself to think negatively.
"She must be 96%..."
Gion was looking at the woman curiously. He wondered what she was talking about and wanted very much to know. That was his thirst for knowledge speaking out after so many millennia.
Gion remembered his young self and pushed his curiosity away by taking a deep breath and calming down. He didn't want to repeat his mistakes and so just waited quietly for Athena.
Athena okhou again to Anemus who smiled happily as she splashed water on Kima and Fotiá.
'Anemus' mana is so abundant, calm and clean...'
"I know what you're thinking, but this is just for now. When she reaches the limit, this whole lull will turn into pain and suffering for her." Gion said following Athena's gaze. "Tell me... what ingredients are missing?"
"I don't know. Anemus!"
As soon as she heard Athena call, Anemus' ears fluttered slightly and the nymph spread her magic wings and flew to her master.
"I need you to give me all the ingredients for the ritual you have."
"Are we getting started?" Anemus smiled excitedly.
"No, we need to know what's missing." Gion replied.
Anemus sat beside Athena and took the ingredients one by one from her dimensional bag.
A bunch of brightly colored leaves that Hades stole from the fairies, a tiny vial of wind elemental essence, a vial of fairy dragon bone powder, and a drop of storm phoenix tears.
"Still lacking the blood of a celestial harpy and the blood of her master." Athena spoke with a complicated expression.
Well, actually only the dragon's breath is missing." Gion said with a smile and Athena understood.
"Do you have an empty, clean bottle?"
"Yes, but your mana is too dirty to be really useful."
Athena frowned not understanding what one thing had to do with the other.
Seeing Athena's expression, Anemus sighed, giving up completely on Athena's brain.
"Athena, your blood and mana are relatively connected. If your mana has demonic power, your blood is almost that of a demon. It can affect me or kill me." Anemus explained.
Athena turned to Gion with eyes almost in despair.
"I know, you don't need to look at me like that. I have a way to neutralize the demonic power. It's going to be dangerous and you won't be able to use your dark spells for a few hours or days."
Gion did not want to suggest such a solution, but time was short and no one could predict the future.
"So? What am I supposed to do?" Athena urged him on.
Gion looked around and then pointed to a large pillar of mana crystal in the distance.
"Go and absorb as much mana as you can."
At that moment, Anemus rose to her feet, completely stunned by Gion's suggestion. That was crazy, Athena would die before she even reached the crystal.
"You are crazy?" Anemus complained. "She will die if she goes there!"
"I said it was dangerous."
"No it's not! This is suicide!"
"But if she doesn't, you're the one who dies." Gion said with a strained expression.
Anemus looked at Athena, who seemed to be weighing her chances. Anemus' eyes watered, she dropped to her knees and clung to Athena.
"Do not go..."
"Anemus?"
Athena looked at Anemus and was about to stroke her hair when Anemus began to cry out in tears.
"Don't go! You're going to die and leave me again! If it's going to be that way, I'd rather spend more time with you and die!"
Those words hit Athena hard.
If Anemus died, how would she feel? What would happen to her? What would life be like without Anemus?
All these questions popped into Athena's mind and thinking about life without Anemus shook her heart.
'Huh? What was this?'
Athena felt a different beat in her chest. It was painful and yet pleasant, it was lonely and yet cozy, Athena remembered that feeling and pushed it away.
"Anemus!" Athena took Anemus' small face in both hands and stared into the girl's eyes. "Do you trust me?"
Anemus sniffled and squinted his eyes.
"I don't..."
At that moment Gion burst out laughing and Athena and Anemus looked at him as if he were going to devour him alive and he fell silent.
"I'll be back. Stay here and take care of Fotiá like you always did." Athena kissed Anemus' forehead, stood up and called Fotiá and Kima. "Kima, I'm going to be gone for a while and if something happens to them in the meantime, you already know right?"
The Grimera tilted his head wondering who Kima was. But she was talking looking at him, so Kima could only be him. Athena could see in the animal's eyes that he had understood and was happy with the name.
"Very good." Athena looked at Anemus and Fotiá. "I'll be right back."
"Let's go?" Gion asked.
"Huh? Will you go with me?"
"Of course I will! You don't know how to do it."
"But what about the children?"
"I never said they couldn't come." Gion laughed and Athena's face became a sea of shame.
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