Chapter 0179

“First of all Tempest, let us assure you, we aren’t here to take over your body without your permission or scheming something behind your back. From now on, we will only move with your express permission.”

“So that means you have moved without my expressed permission.” Tempest drawled out casually.

Astrapi looked away in guilt. They all knew Astrapi did took over Tempest’s body and she was the one who killed Hannah Trellis. It is one of the catalysts that forced them to have this conversation in the beginning.

“I’m sorry, beloved, but I can’t stand the idea of you suffering as the chaotic power run rampant through your body.” Astrapi was sorry Tempest had to suffer under the chaotic power and she was angry at the madman for opening a chaotic rift in the first place, but there was not an iota of guilt for taking control of Tempest’s body.

Astrapi knew what she did was not right. It wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t right either.

“Hehehe, we’ll get to that later.” Tempest grinned evilly. Recompense must be given to right a wrong and Tempest was going to extract all the benefits she can get from Astrapi before she will forgive her.

Ventus and Mizu tossed Astrapi a sympathetic look. They knew Tempest well enough Astrapi was going to be put through the wringer before forgiveness was granted. They pitied Astrapi but not enough for them to take her place.

“Right now, only our representative is in your sea of consciousness while the main collective remains on the spiritual plane. We are present as observers, teachers if you allow us and friends when you trust us enough. Our current projection in your mind is here to act as a communication facilitator. Ah, Tempest, I know you were going asked why do we need to be here if we communicate with you just fine, so I’ll tell go ahead and tell you,” Ventus said, demonstrating her knowledge of Tempest’s behavior. “Previously, we communicate with you by manipulating the elements in the realms. It requires a massive amount of energy to do so. With our presence in your sea of consciousness, we can speak directly to you with minimal effort.”

“Okay, good to know you aren’t all powerful.” A little bit of sarcasm leaked out but the spirits ignored it.

“Tempest, instead of explaining about ourselves, let us show you.” This time it was Mizu who spoke.

Tempest hesitate a bit then nodded.

Tempest’s sea of consciousness went black all of a sudden. The darkness was not like anything Tempest ever experienced, and she was put into solitary confinement. No, this darkness contains a vastness beyond human perception. It also contains a yearning Tempest couldn’t understand, loneliness that would drive anyone mad and a sense of self sacrifice that even put a mother’s love to shame.

It was only for a moment, but Tempest sense there was more to the void, darkness, chaos, or whatever people call it.

A moment is a moment, fleeting and forgotten as one experiences the next moment in life.

Bang.

There was light.

The creation of the world.

This was a memory of the creation of the world from the spirits' perspective.

The scientists were right. Big Bang did happen.

Tempest witnessed life coming into creation and experience rebirth. Okay, she experienced rebirth since she did transmigrate to this new world, but its nothing like coming into existence for the first time.

One moment there was nothing and the next moment there was light and life.

The spirits were one of those lives.

Of course, coming into existence didn’t mean anything. Life was created, so what? Like a baby who had no consciousness and lived on instinct, the spirits floated around the void, unconcerned about the matters around them. They touch nothing and nothing affected them, as if they were merely viewers in a movie.

Then suddenly, something came into their view, something so dazzling and beautiful they could not help but want to touch, to obtain, to capture, to possess, to make it theirs and theirs alone.

Tempest acknowledges she is a money grubber, a greedy miser who likes to take things. She believed it was part of human nature to be so. As much as she knows who she is, she had set limits for herself. Tempest knew how time, power, money, success and fame change a person. She never wanted to be a tyrant who abuses the weak for a powertrip. She would lose herself to the high and not be Tempest anymore.

Tempest had fought to be Tempest. It was why she reacted so violently when Cardis insinuated her being a puppet for the spirits. Tempest is Tempest Arashi Kataigida and she will continue to fight to be Tempest Arashi Kataigida as defined by Tempest Arashi Kataigida. She will be herself, and no one else because it was expected of her.

Except for this thing… this beautiful thing she saw tempted her beyond imagination. She was willing to lose herself in madness and obsession to obtain it. Tempest doesn’t even know what it is but she knows she wants it.

“You desire it, don’t you?” Ventus asked Tempest.

Tempest nodded. “More than anything else, I want it. Pride, honor, dignity, self respect, I’d throw it all away to obtain it.” Even as she said those words, she never took her eyes off the things the spirits showed her. Tempest knew she wants to obtain that thing at all costs, even if the cost was Tempest Arashi Kataigida.

Fear for herself gripped her. She was scared to pay the price, scared she was going to pay the price and scared to see what she becomes once she paid the price.

“Us too. Pride, honor, dignity, self respect, what is it? Can you eat it? Is it something we can lay at the feet of the being so it can pay attention to us? You can sense it right? Our obsession?”

“Yes,” Tempest replied in a trembling voice. Even though the memory, Tempest can sense the intense desire of the spirits. It was a madness haunting their everything.

“We did everything we could to obtain it. And by everything, Tempest, we meant everything. I won’t go into particular details. I don’t want to show you how low and desperate we were in our pursuit. Even now Tempest, we will do everything in our power for it.”

“What is it?” Tempest asked, tamping down the greed in her voice. She wants it. The spirits want it. They are competitors. They are enemies and Tempest isn’t going to show her weakness to her enemies.

“It is your soul.”

“What?!” At Tempest’s outburst, the images disappeared, showing Tempest her sea of consciousness. Tempest ached at the lost, but she was more concerned about Ventus’ answer.

“What you saw was your soul as we first met Tempest,” Mizu said with a wistful expression.

Relief flooded Tempest as she sank to her knees. She didn’t have to sink into depravity for her own soul. It was hers. She didn’t have to lie, cheat, steal betray her very sense of self for it. She had it all along. It was hers.

Thinking about it made sense. The spirits are aloof creatures who lived on the elemental plane and watch the world go by. Tempest knew her spirits are very powerful. She was only channeling a fraction of their power yet she can barely handle it. At one time, Tempest asked how powerful they were and Ventus replied, “We don’t know because an entire plane disappeared when we tried to find out.”

Tempest sweated buckets when she heard the reply. She was asking because in the back of her mind she was trying to create a backup plan to handle her spirits should they betrayed her. She was lucky she didn’t voice out the thought and she did scrap the plan.

Yes, indeed, it all made sense. Only something as beautiful as an untainted soul like hers could move the spirits.

“Mine. Mine. Mine. All mine.” Tempest said in a sing-a-song manner. Pause. “Is my soul still as beautiful as the time you guys saw it?”

“Yes.” All the spirits spoke in unison without hesitation. Their reaction gratified Tempest. She was beautiful inside and out.

“Hahaha. My soul is beautiful. Of course, it is. See this long black hair, it is soft and silky. I’ll have you know, I secretly ran my hand through my hair just to feel the fine tresses. This pair of black eyes, they are so pure and clear anyone would lose themselves in it once they take a good gander. My skin, ah my skin, porcelain doesn’t do it justice. These lips are plump and red. See, see.” Tempest made kisses sound to emphasize the shape of the lips. “They are perfect for kissing. This body may be petite right now, but I’m sure I’d grow up to be a little beauty.” Tempest bragged to the spirits.

“Of course you will. We’ll make sure of it.” Astrapi reassured Tempest.

“Of course.”

“Are you reassured about our intentions, Tempest?” Ventus tried to sneak the question in while Tempest was in a good mood.

“Not really.” Tempest’s casual reply worried the spirits. Really, did they think they could excuse their past actions with a little bit of explaining?

Granted, their show did explain why they were attached to Tempest as they were. It doesn’t mean Tempest would allow them to take advantage of her.

“I know why you are attached to me, but it doesn’t excuse your recent behavior nor does it explain anything about mage cultivation and its ties to my behavior. I now know the source of your affection and I am somewhat reassured you won’t try to take over my body since you never wanted in the first place, but it doesn’t explain anything.”

“Indeed it doesn’t.” Ventus walked closer and Tempest gasped in surprise.

She hadn’t noticed it before but Ventus looked like an older version of her!