Although I had called his name out loud, the Fool remained deaf to it. It was Indra, however, who turned first, his face struck with astonishment as he beheld me. Perhaps he thought he had glimpsed a specter risen from the grave. His expression froze for a moment, and he stood still, his eyes wide in shock. Yet, he did not dismiss Dimas, still crying for me, as he gripped him tightly with his powerful hands.
Upon seeing me before him, Indra was forced to believe that my presence was no mere figment of his imagination.
"You... are still alive? A-After being struck by the breath of fire? H-How can this be?" Indra stammered, his eyes scanning me from head to toe.
"The tale is long, but suffice it to say, I am still living," I replied briefly, casting a glance at Dimas, who continued to wail before us, oblivious to my presence. "Will Dimas remain like this?"
Indra scratched the back of his head, his face showing a hint of frustration. "Well, you know, after your body was engulfed in fire's breath, he's been like this. Since then, he's refused to listen to anything. I suppose you are the only one who can bring him back. So, I leave it to you."
With a pat on my shoulder, Indra walked away from me, moving several paces further. It seemed he had given up on Dimas, leaving me with the chance to rouse him once more.
I turned my gaze to Dimas's back, still kneeling on the ground, then knelt behind him and gently touched his shoulder. He was still crying, utterly unaware of his surroundings.
"Dimas! It's me!" I shouted in his ear.
I caught a glimpse of his eyes from the side, but they were not the eyes of a living man. They seemed like the eyes of a fish—lifeless, staring blankly ahead. I moved closer, hoping to bring him to his senses, but to no avail. He could not look at me.
"Hey, Dimas! I'm still alive, you know," I said, gently tapping his cheek.
His gaze remained vacant, tears pouring from his eyes, and his mouth let out the sound of a sorrowful sob in my ear. No matter how fiercely I shook his body, he remained lost in his unconscious world.
Frustrated by his indifference, I grasped the collar of his tunic and pulled him toward me. His vacant eyes, once dull, slowly began to shine with the light of life. He started to show a flicker of expression and met my gaze. Finally, after a few moments, Dimas began to truly notice me.
"Anggi, you're still alive?" Dimas whispered, his voice breaking with sobs.
"Do you think the one in front of you is a ghost?" I replied with a chuckle, tapping his forehead. "Are you done crying yet? I never thought I'd see you cry like this—. Eh, Dimas?? W-What's wrong with you....?"
Suddenly, my words faltered. I felt a tightness in my chest as Dimas suddenly embraced me. His strong arms wrapped around my back, as if to hold me forever.
This sudden motion not only left me momentarily speechless but also overwhelmed me with an intense sense of embarrassment. We had never embraced so tightly before, and now our bodies were pressed so closely together. I could feel the warmth radiating from him and the frantic beating of his heart. My highly sensitive sense of smell registered the distinct scent of his sweat.
Oh, heavens! That's quite a smell!
I almost pushed him away, but I stopped when I saw his face buried in my shoulder. He was crying uncontrollably. His tears spilled down his cheeks and soaked into my tunic. The more tears he shed, the tighter his embrace became. I understood him now. He had almost lost his closest friend. Were I in his position, I would have done the same.
Instead of pulling away, I held him warmly. I cradled the back of his head and gently pushed him closer to my shoulder, then softly caressed his head.
"I'm sorry if I scared you," I whispered in his ear.
Dimas did not respond, still lost in his fear-driven sobs.
"I'm fine now. So, could you let go of me?"
Gradually, Dimas began to loosen his grip. Nevertheless, his tears still flowed. His eyes were swollen and red. If the situation were different, I would have laughed at the absurdity of it all. But that could wait for another time.
"Anggi, let's leave this place!"
A moment later, Dimas uttered words that, for some reason, didn't surprise me. It was the second time he had said this. I realized then that it was not an expression of cowardice, but of his concern for me. He didn't want me to be hurt again. Hearing those words solidified my earlier suspicion.
"I know what you're thinking, Dimas. But I'm not running away!"
"Why? Didn't you almost die?"
"If I run, more will fall. I can't let that happen."
"I don't understand. What can you do? Didn't we fight before and still couldn't defeat it?"
"That was then. Now I have a way to try. I don't know how to use it yet," I said, forcing a wry smile.
The man before me fell silent for a moment, then gave a small laugh. "What's that supposed to mean? Your words don't sound convincing."
Though Goddess Allina had granted me her Divine Blessing, I still didn't understand what it truly was or how to use it. She had told me I would understand once I was here. But now, I was as clueless as ever. It was like buying an electronic device without any instruction manual.
How could I use it without knowing anything? That foolish goddess!
Thinking about it, before receiving the Divine Blessing, I had already formed a pact with a water spirit. That should have allowed me to master Esze water, even though I had never used it before. Was the blessing from Goddess Allina somehow connected to that?
Perhaps, as she said, I needed to try first.
"Anyway, I have a plan. We'll find out soon enough," I said as I stood up and offered my hand to him. "Do you trust me?"
Dimas was silent for a long moment. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, his face filled with doubt. Of course, I too would be doubtful if someone gave me an answer that was half-formed.
After a while, Dimas showed a faint smile. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then took my hand, rising from the ground.
"I don't know what you're thinking. But... I trust you. And I'll make sure to protect you this time. Honestly, the thought of losing you terrified me."
"You don't need to go that far."
"I made a promise to myself."
Unable to stop him, I allowed him to follow through with his resolve. Together, we walked toward Indra, who stood not far away.
"Are you done with the lovey-dovey stuff?"
"We weren't being lovey-dovey!!" Dimas and I retorted in unison.
"Well, if you say so. What do you plan to do next? I still want to continue fighting," Indra said, his voice heavy, his face serious even as he teased us.
"I also want to continue fighting. There's something I want to try right now."
"Then let's help those Elves!"
The three of us moved swiftly toward the Elvian Army, who were engaged in battle with Strigifavorus. The further we went into the battlefield, the clearer the devastation became. The Hanarusa trees were felled and burning, and the ground was littered with the fallen. The smell of charred flesh assaulted my sensitive nose. Some soldiers carried injured Elvians away from the front lines. Though their numbers had dwindled, none of them had fled. They died bravely, fighting to the last.
"Hold the line! Raise your shields!"
"Spellcasters, bind the monster's legs!"
"Fight to the last drop of blood! If we fail, the monster will destroy the ones we love!"
"Kill the monster now!"
Amidst the burning forest, the war cries echoed, breaking the silence. Black smoke billowed into the sky, mixing with the scent of burning flesh and blood. Arrows flew through the air, aiming at the monster that soared low, spewing fire from its mouth. Yet Strigifavorus refused to fall, unleashing a gust of wind that tore giant trees from their roots. Blood splattered onto the ground, adding to the horror of the battlefield.
Once again, I stood within a battlefield that could take my life at any moment. Armed with the Divine Blessing bestowed by Goddess Allina and my newfound confidence, I stood my ground. I forced myself to focus, determined not to falter. This was my decision.
Indra surged forward, closing the distance to Strigifavorus, leaping onto a fallen Hanarusa trunk and swinging his wide blade at one of the monster's wings. Despite its massive size, Strigifavorus had lightning-fast reflexes and barely avoided the strike. In retaliation, the monster flapped its wings hard, sending blades of wind flying toward Indra. With a swift kick against a nearby branch, Indra managed to dodge, but the wind blades destroyed several massive trees behind him.
Seeing this, my heart surged with excitement. As if forgetting the pain and fatigue from earlier battles, I longed to join the fray. I also noticed Prince Keylan, commanding his forces to subdue the legendary monster. The spellcasters had managed to bind one of its wings with giant vines, grounding Strigifavorus.
Not wanting to waste this opportunity, I moved forward. Holding the Viglet of Hope in both hands, I aimed its tip directly at Strigifavorus, which was struggling to break free from the magical restraints. I felt my heart race as I closed my eyes, plunging myself deeper into concentration. The air around me began to shimmer with elemental magic, centering on the tip of the viglet. When I opened my eyes, I released the concentrated Esze energy toward the creature.
"Vitr Blast!"
A loud explosion reverberated through the forest as the magical energy struck Strigifavorus. The shockwave spread outward, and I was thrown back by its force. Dimas caught me just in time. That was the strongest Esze I had ever unleashed.
But... I didn't feel much different than before.
Where was the Divine Blessing from Goddess Allina? Was she truly sincere? Had she lied to me?
"Don't jump to conclusions, Anggi!"
"Yeah, exactly! You haven't used its blessing yet."
Suddenly, I heard two voices from nowhere, entering my ears. At that moment, two mysterious figures appeared at my sides. I turned to my right, and there stood a giant stag with massive antlers. It resembled a moose, a great beast taller than two meters from my world before. However, its body was not made of flesh and bone, but water.
"I know you have many questions, but let's set those aside for now," said the voice of a deep-voiced man.
"Forget the trivial things; shouldn't we focus on defeating the enemy before us?" came the voice of a woman from my left.
Just as I had suspected, what I saw on my left was a small fairy, as though she had stepped out of a fairy tale. She had wings like those of a butterfly. After seeing the moose made of water, I had expected her to be made of air, but I was wrong. This fairy was entirely human, with blood and flesh.
I was almost certain I knew who they were, though I couldn't say why. However, as they said, I would put those trivial matters aside for now.
"So, do you guys have a plan?"