Following Goddess Allina's words, I made a pact with the water spirit that stood before me. I cupped both of my hands together as if to catch water from a rainstorm. The water spirit seemed overjoyed, grinning widely and hopping about like a happy child eagerly awaiting their birthday cake. There was a slight sense of amusement, but also calm, as the water spirit brushed against my skin in its joyful leaps. Not wanting to ruin its mood, I allowed it to continue.
In contrast to the excited water spirit, the wind spirit on my shoulder appeared more composed. Perhaps because it had already formed a pact with me, its energy was no longer as overwhelming. I distinctly remembered that when we first met, it had acted just like the water spirit, hopping around with joy.
Do all elemental spirits act like this when forming a contract?
"Luckily, this is a newly born elemental spirit. If it were a mid-level or high-level spirit, I can't guarantee they would want to form a contract with you. Let alone forming a pact, they might be unwilling to even reveal their form in front of you," explained Goddess Allina casually.
"Wait, so elemental spirits come in different levels?"
"Of course. Newly born ones take the form of small clumps, like your wind spirit and the water spirit in your hands. Mid-level or high-level elemental spirits have varying forms, and some can even speak to humans. However, their pride is immense. Even I, as a goddess, have difficulty dealing with them."
So that's how it is?
This was the first time I'd heard such a thing. When Almira taught me about spirits, she had said that all spirits were merely small clumps of energy. Doesn't that mean she or the other Elvians had never encountered a mid-level or high-level elemental spirit?
What kind of expression would she have if I told her this fact?
"As you know, forming a contract with an elemental spirit of a different level will affect your magic," Goddess Allina continued.
Once again, Goddess Allina had said something new to me. Not fully understanding, I tilted my head and gave her a confused look.
"If you form a contract with a low-level spirit, your magical ability will only allow you to cast basic spells. This is different when you contract with a mid-level or high-level spirit. You will immediately be able to cast advanced magic, and the number of spells you can master will increase significantly," Goddess Allina explained with enthusiasm. She even puffed out her chest proudly. Honestly, I couldn't quite comprehend her thoughts.
If what she said was true, the higher the level of the contracted spirit, the stronger the power gained. That explained why I could only cast weak spells after forming a pact with the wind spirit. Since the wind spirit I contracted was still at the initial level and didn't have significant power.
So, how could I gain more power with the spirit I've already contracted?
I thought for a moment and came up with an idea. Perhaps the logic from the game in my previous world applied here. I had to continuously train my magical abilities to earn experience points and make my power grow stronger. It was a simple thought, but it worked in many cases.
"Ah, wait! Why am I telling you everything again?!" Goddess Allina suddenly realized her own folly. Her hands grasped her head, and she scratched her hair irritably. "Stupid Allina! Stupid Allina! Stupid Allina!"
"It seems you're the kind of person who can keep a secret, huh? I'm starting to fear that my secrets might get spread because of your loose lips," I quipped, letting out a small laugh.
"Shut up!" she yelled, pointing at me. "Hurry up and form the contract with that water spirit and return to your world! I'm afraid I'll keep spilling important secrets if I stay with you any longer."
"That's what I want to do. But how? When I formed the contract with the wind spirit, I had to meditate for hours just to make it agree to the pact. Do I need to do the same for the water spirit?"
"Arrrgggh....!! We don't have that much time! As long as you both agree, you just need to express your wish, and it will agree."
Is it really that simple?
I didn't have time to hesitate. So, I pushed all the strange thoughts from my mind. I focused on the water spirit in my hands and brought it closer to my face. It no longer jumped with joy. Instead, with a gentle smile, it gazed at me softly. I, unable to resist its cuteness, sighed deeply and closed my eyes.
In the darkness inside my mind, I didn't know what to do. Goddess Allina said I only needed to express my wish. But what should I say to the water spirit?
When I made the pact with the wind spirit in the forest near Glafelden, I was only thinking about the survival of my friends when we had just arrived in this world. Without knowing anything, we lived by Grussel's mercy, who allowed us to stay as long as we worked for him. Back then, I was determined to help my friends with everything I could.
Hahhh...!
For some reason, I started missing everyone back in Glafelden. My colleagues, who were now starting their new lives; Almira, who patiently taught me about Esze; the friendly library staff who always welcomed me; and even the octopus vendor uncle who used to sell his wares in the town square. Even Grussel and the hunting members, I missed them. When I thought back, Grussel wasn't entirely a jerk. Despite his flaws, he still had a heart like a normal human being.
Then, I also thought about my companions who had joined me on this journey. Indra and Erik, who left their positions as Elite Knights of the Lurivia Kingdom, Shella, who bravely joined us even though she still often felt fear, and my best friend, Dimas. As I said his name, for some reason, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Dimas, my friend who was always by my side. Apart from my family, he was probably the one who had been with me the longest. We knew the ins and outs of each other. He was the one who never wanted to see me suffer. Dimas always led the charge when it came to my safety. Even in the last moments before I was engulfed in Strigifavorus's fiery breath, he still ran ahead, as if wanting to save me, even though my fate had already been sealed.
I couldn't imagine what he would do when he finds out I'm gone. Maybe he would cry, scream loudly, or faint? Just thinking about it made me feel uneasy.
...
...
Hah, no! I don't want to see him like that. For the person who always defended me, I don't want to see him hurt. Because that would hurt me too. I can't bear seeing him cry because of my loss.
I have to go back to him.
I have to go back to his side, and tell him that I'm alright.
That's why I need your help, Water Spirit! Lend me your power to protect the ones I care about. Because I don't want to lose them.
I want to save them from this chaos!
The next moment, I felt something glowing from beneath my eyelids. As I opened my eyes again, I found the water spirit in my hands glowing with a warm bluish light. The water spirit jumped again, smiling joyfully. For a moment, it gazed into my eyes, then it dissolved into mist and entered my chest.
"Ah!" I exclaimed, startled but not in pain.
I looked around. No trace of the water spirit remained on my hands. Even the wind spirit had disappeared. It was just me and Goddess Allina, looking satisfied as they gazed at me in this vast altar.
"Did I succeed in forming a contract with it?" I asked, still uncertain.
"Yes, you succeeded. Congratulations!" she replied, clapping her hands lightly. "Now that you've contracted with both the water and wind spirits, you should be able to control both air and water elemental magic simultaneously. You'll be fine down there."
"Really?"
"As a parting gift, I'll grant you Divine Blessing," Goddess Allina said as she walked toward me, a graceful smile clearly etched on her face. "You should know, though, my blessing is temporary. So, you must defeat Siti before the time runs out."
"Divine Blessing? What's that?"
"You'll know once you're back down there."
As Goddess Allina closed the distance between us, she placed her index finger in the middle of my forehead. Her fingertip slowly began to glow and warm up, then something, I didn't know what, entered my body. It felt as though a great power had entered my magic circuits.
The next moment, with her finger still on my forehead, her middle finger flicked me with full force. I stumbled backward, thinking I was going to fall onto the stone floor of the vast altar. But, strangely, I didn't. Somehow, where my feet were supposed to be, there was a huge, deep hole. I tried to grab onto something to prevent myself from falling, but I was too late. With the force of gravity, I fell into the hole, speeding down rapidly.
The last thing I saw was Goddess Allina shouting at me.
"Anggiiiiiiiiiiiii!!! You... more sensitive... Dimassss!!!"
Hah, what?
The wind's roar was so loud that I couldn't hear exactly what that foolish goddess was saying. Looking around, I fell into an endless darkness. My body and mind were distorted, and I couldn't tell up from down.
The next time I opened my eyes, I saw the ends of trees with their thick leaves, set against the backdrop of a starry sky. The dark night was tinged with an orange hue and wisps of smoke from all directions.
I tried moving my body. My right hand was the first to respond. I tried opening and closing my palm repeatedly. Then, I stood up and looked around. I could confirm that I was indeed in the Hanarusa Forest
again, but this place seemed far from the battlefield, as no one was around.
I could hear faint sounds of battle in the distance. It seemed Goddess Allina had sent me back to a location outside the battle zone. I stood up. The exhaustion I felt before entering the Realm of the Gods evaporated instantly, as though it had never happened. Now, I felt like I had just woken up from a long sleep. Energy, strength, and power flowed through my body.
"Good, my body is still intact! Time to get back into the fight," I said, as I set my feet toward the sound of the battle.
Moments later, I arrived at the battlefield. The atmosphere was no better than before I was pulled into the Realm of the Gods. Tall Hanarusa trees were toppled and burned. Likewise, dozens of Elvian soldiers lay slain, their bodies charred and emitting the smell of burnt flesh. Though I had restored my strength, I would never get used to the stench. My stomach churned, and I thought I might vomit.
Not far from where I stood, I could see the remaining Elvian soldiers fighting bravely against the monster hovering in the air. They threw everything they could to bring the monster down. Magic spells, arrows, and spears reinforced with Esze flew into the air.
Strigifavorus seemed unaffected, as though all these attacks were nothing but small distractions. Even the large Esze attack from Prince Keylan couldn't bring it to the ground. The faces of everyone seemed to express desperation.
Among those faces filled with suffering, my eyes found the one with the most despair. It was the person I had been searching for. I saw him struggling, though his body had been restrained by Indra, who was a massive figure. His tear-streaked face looked utterly pitiful, accompanied by his screams calling my name.
Oh my god, he looked like a child! I almost wanted to tease him now. If only I had a phone in my hand, I would want to capture this moment and laugh at it for the rest of my life.
But for some reason... I couldn't bear to see him like that.
My heart ached seeing him in such despair, as if seeing the end of the world. It was something he had never shown me—the weakness of his soul. Dimas had always been strong and steadfast, no matter what the problem was. But now, he looked so fragile.
I wanted... to be by his side when he was sad.
"Dimassss!!!" I shouted, running toward him.