Chapter 0009

Athena regret regaining consciousness. Upon returning to reality, Athena noted her senses had become sharper and more sensitive to the energy in the area.

Most humans rejoice in getting stronger.

Athena resent her rapid increase sensitivity. First, Athena was not in her best shape. Although she used pills to heal her wounds, it did not heal the fatigue or wear and tear on the original body. Now that her sensitivity increased, Athena felt every ache and pain as if she lived through the event that cause the wound to begin with.

Most forget sharper sense also means increased sensitivity to pain.

She abandoned her dignity after the immortal potential test. Athena never retrieved it. Tears leaks from the dull eyes. “Stupid spirits, it hurts.” Athena moan added authenticity to her claim.

Almost immediately the pain dulled then disappeared as if it was never there.

“Wow, you guys are awesome.”

You’re welcome.

The little girl stiffened. She knew the voice. It was the voice that has haunted her since her childhood back on Earth.

Athena thought back to her last moment on Earth, thought back to her actions and to the response of the elements. She was a child with an imaginary friend back on Earth. She is a child now. She might as well rekindle her friendship. “Is this your world?”

It is a world where we can best interact with you.

“Why?”

You are our daughter. Your life is meant to start here.

“Who are we?”

We are the storm.

“What is the storm? Give me more information here.”

There was a pause, as if they were talking with each other, measuring their response to the little girl. We are wind, water and lightning.

Athena’s annoyance was self-evident. She asked for more information, yet the other side is giving her the minimal amount of information. Despite her frustration, the little girl held onto her patience.

“I need more information about what you are, the cultivation systems for affinities, the culture of this world, and the people of note in the Magus Alliance. Can you tell me?” Athena asked a lot of questions in one sentence. She notices her ‘imaginary friends,’ always tell her the literal truth as they know it.

Miscommunication occurs all the time, especially if one was communicating with is not of the same species.

We are perfectly flawed beings born at the time of creation. We are perfect as we are, but what we are is flawed. The voice paused. For example, we are the most perfect hammer. The handle fits in your hand like a second skin. Each whack knocks down the nail to the perfect level. However, you needed a wrench. The perfect hammer can not perform the function of a wrench. We are the perfect hammer unable to function as the user desired.

We found a way to become the hammer that can do everything by attaching ourselves to those compatible with us and in the process change ourselves and the human we are connected to. The humans call this connection affinity or affinities if there are more than one element.

We do not know about the cultivation system for affinities. We only know what we have to do on our part, but for our counterparts, we do not know what they do.

We can not tell you about the culture of this world either because we stay in the spirit world or around our human. Human and spirit are two different species. The reason and behavior of one species cannot be applied to another species.

There are five people of note in the Magus Alliance. Adrien Talenski, Son of Sky, commands the power of the wind and light. Cardis Gourd, Son of Volcano, commands the power of fire, wind and earth. De’Anya Arnist, Daughter of Darkness, commands the power of darkness. Miretta Morcean, Daughter of Nature, commands the power of wood, earth and metal. Valstein Yoresteven, Son of Forge, commands the power of fire and metal.

Athena was surprise. The voices were never this informative before. Thinking back, Athena never really acknowledges the voices or directly asked them anything. She believed what the adults were telling her, that the voices in her head and they are all bad. She never verified the truth of the matter. As she grew older, she began to realize the voices told her the truth as they perceive it. Their perception does not mesh well with the scientifically base Earth. Hence, the voices cause more trouble than they helped.

“What are your intentions towards me?” Athena asked the most important question now.

We sensed a connection with your soul countless eons ago. We want to establish a connection with you many life times ago, but your mind can not handle our power. We were helpless, relegated to watching you live your life as an ordinary mortal, reincarnate over and over, burying your great potential with conformity and mediocrity. We want you to rise to the height of greatness and outshine everyone with power. In order for our desire to come into fruition, we initiate a connection with you.

“What if I want to be mediocre?” Athena asked. She did not mind being a power no one can compare to, to be a protagonist that can slaughter in all directions, living as free as the wind, bound to nothing but her own desires.

What the spirit describes were their desires for her.

Athena wanted power, but not at the cost of her freedom. If she accepts their conditions for the connections then she have to abide by their demands. Becoming a powerful entity is awesome, but it must be at her discretion and by her desire, not enforced by an unknown being.

If it is your desire, then we will not force you. However, it must be what you truly want.

“You do not intend to persuade me to your way of thought?” Athena wanted to believe them. She wanted nothing more than the power to command her own fate.

There are no free lunches in the world. Their offer of power must have conditions. If it was not stated outright, then it was hidden in their speech or conduct.

The spirits, as if understanding her suspicion and train of thought, reassured the doubtful little girl. We already gifted you with our power. There will be no hidden agendas or conditions attached. We only wish you live the life you want to live and not the life destiny gave you. We… we can not … can not … watch you become powerless … again.

Athena reluctantly accepts their explanation. There was no reason to give her the power now. She was a nobody. She had nothing she could offer them. There was simply no reason for the voices to lie to her.

“What now?”

You learn and become strong.

“How can I do that? I don’t know how to cultivate affinities, and you don’t know either.” The little girl whined to the spirit.

No humans want to expose their weakness. Athena, more so than most, hides her vulnerabilities. She had to show a strong front or she will be taken advantage of. It has happened before. Her mother… No! Those memories have no control over the present her.

This time Athena decided to act like her natural self. The voices were there with her when she went through the most horrific time of her, through the ups and down, through the time when she lost many of the people she cared about and through her period of intense rage.

They probably knew her better than she knew herself. She had nothing to hide from them. There was nothing to hide from them.

We will strengthen your body. You must learn how to harness our abilities. The charm, array and formation profession are closely linked to affinities. Start with those.

Amazing leaders have superb advisers at their side. The midget brat knows a good advice when she hears one. With an eagerness she never displays back on Earth, the little brat headed back inside the ring space.