“Artemis? Ca, what is that?”

“Ah…it’s…a goddess…”

“Goddess…huh…”

There are too many words inside my head that I can’t find words to explain it. The only thing I could mutter is the name of the Goddess whose fragment of power is sealed into this soul spar. Captain caught what I said and threw a surprised glanced at me.

Afterward, she directs her eyes into the writings around the statue again and analyzes what is written.

“Ca, it seems you’re right.”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“Artemis, right?”

Captain, after reading what’s written around the statue, gave me a stern look and glare at the soul spar. My body stiffens from Captain’s stare because her face screams seriousness.

“Ca, there’s a story about this Etherians, you see.”

“What is it?”

“The Etherians supposedly traveled from world to world because their own plane was crumbling. Can you think of any reasons why?”

“Sorry, I can’t think anything deeper…”

“That’s okay…but…”

“But?”

“These Etherians…”

“Captain?”

“They were previously god slayer…that is my hunch…”

God slayer…

From the words alone, I already knew how heavy their sins are. As the name implies, they kill gods for reason unknown to us. Gods are considered sacred and as divine being, we in this world respect and worship them. They hold powers unimaginable to us and they hold authority over their own creations.

“Ca, that soul spar houses a fragment of power of a goddess named Artemis which one of the gods that they slain millenniums ago. The taboo that they commit, the heresy of killing god, is what incurred their own destruction and that what pushes them to use all of their knowledge to travel planes.”

“No way…”

“These etherians are so smart that they even succeeded in slaying gods. Their invention runs deeper and scarier than I thought. My guess is that they used the power of the gods that they slain to further their researches. And so, that soul spar is one of those they used.”

“…”

“Ca, did that soul spar resonated with you?!”

Her question rings into my ears.

If that is the case, the power that it carries will be mine but, that would also mean that I took part in taking advantage of power of a goddess. Even if the power itself chooses me, I can’t think of anything but stealing it.

The thought of incurring the wrath of the gods worries me…

“Captain…”

“What’s wrong?”

“This goddess, Artemis, her powers seem unbearable for me. I don’t think I can carry the burden and suffering that she carries. But I know, I know from her memories of her time in this place, she is lonely and terrified. She was sealed in this place, in this world, where gods and goddesses foreign to her.”

“Ca…I think that’s exactly why…she wants you. She might have felt that you have a pure and kind heart. You are always worried for someone but…you are not even worried about yourself.”

“Captain…!”

“So, what do you say?”

“Impossible! This is way too sudden and too much for me. Also, I am not that kind and pure-hearted…”

That’s right…

I don’t know the extent of my own selfishness. I don’t know how long I am going to be insensitive to others plight. Will I be able to know more Hibiscus if I take this power? But that notion alone is my own desire to grasp the power laid before my eyes.

“Ca…”

“What is it?”

“You’re too young to think deeply of this matter. Don’t you think you being selfish at your age not acceptable?”

“Captain! That’s not it!”

“This goddess here, you are doing her a big favor if you take her out from this place. You are doing yourself a favor if you accept her. Both of you are going to be selfish. Isn’t alright to think like that?”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“But…”

“…”

What would Hibiscus do?

At times like this, she would always give me a sign or a gesture if everything is alright. She would always be there to support my decisions even if it is reckless or not. Haven’t I been selfish for so long that I needed her by my side to keep her for myself?

My head is spinning…I can’t tell what I should do anymore…

I don’t know how to react when I am truly wanted or if I want something. I am worried for Hibiscus but I am worried of how she feels now that I became aware of it.

What if she is building herself to a new one and that new Hibiscus would come to dislike me?

“Ca…Casablanca…”

“Captain??

BONK!!

“Gueh?! Owwiiee!”

Captain’s fist landed at the top of my head!

With pain throbbing in my head, I crouch down and hold it with my two hands! She hit it too hard that now, I feel like tears are forming in the corner of my eyes.

“This is also one of the problems with youngsters! You should not be too greedy, yes, but, you should also know that selfishness has no bounds!”

“Ehh...?! Selfishness has no bounds?!”

“Yes! Selfishness has no bounds! But, as you grow, your selfishness will diminish if you were able to keep and grasp the things that would make you satisfied.”

“Ah…”

“Selfishness has no bounds but satisfaction is easily attained too. With these two values overlapping, you will know when to stop being selfish or not. And right now, you shouldn’t stop being one! Take what your heart truly desires. If that someone you desire also wants you, isn’t that better!”

“Then, is it alright if I want power…because I want to be closer to Hibiscus!? I want to be able to step into the same league with her!”

“Yeah! It is alright. My influence may not be the best for you, but right now, we are in dire situation. Ca, use this power to help her, to bring closure to each other.”

“Then, I will gladly accept it! Thank you, Captain!”

“Merissa is fine…Geez…”

Like what Captain said, I should throw the worries of how selfish I am and keep my head forward where I can still grasp Hibiscus. If I can become stronger, then surely I can protect things I want to keep close to me!

I happily remove the soul spar from its place and grasp it in my chest. The soul spar lets out a pale yellow light the spills everywhere. Contrary to my expectation, the soul spar is not cold but it is warm and it feels fuzzy.

But something comes up to my mind.

“Capt--! Merissa…”

“Oh?”

“How do I use this?”

“Ah! That’s simple! Ah…wait…I have to make sure one thing…”

“What do you want to make sure?”

“Err…do you have a soul weapon?!”

“I do!”

I bring out my soul weapon.

The crescent shaped blade appears between me and Merissa. Upon beholding its visage, Merissa’s eyes widened in surprise as if it is something she never expects. I put down my soul weapon and let Merissa examines it.

“Amazing…this kind of soul weapon…I forgot to ask too if you somewhat have a human blood flowing in your vein but this just proves it.”

“Yes…I am mixed of half human, one-fourth spirit elf and one-fourth magic elf. My elf blood features is more dominant. My father is a human and my mother is half magic elf and half spirit elf.”

“I never knew such division among elves exists! It’s like the dwarves too which are divided by first generation and second generation. The dragons are divided with bloodline and factions. The demon and beast race are divided by clan. Only the humans and fairies didn’t establish such division.”

“Yeah…but…because of that…each and every differences of each other…war never stop.”

“I know. That’s why you youngsters who develop the right values and attitude could only acquire peace.”

Merissa looks so sad when I mentioned about war. She takes the soul spar from my hand and my soul weapon and lay it down in front of me.

“Ca, what you are about to witness should be kept between you and me. This is not something I want anyone knowing after all.”

“Y-Yes…”

“[Esoteric Art – Godly Blacksmith!]”

I was taken back for what I saw.

Everything around us instantly changes. The scenery of the ruins drenched with water and the weird machinery that can be seen from afar disappears, even the statue of the moon is gone. Instead, Merissa and I are now standing atop in a mountain.

The mountain is so high that with just a few meters more and I can already grab the clouds. I look around and the vast blue sea with no island with the exception of this land that we are in. The fresh breeze of the ocean blows over here.

But what catches my attention is the huge insignia above us that covers the whole sky. The insignia glows in yellow and it covers the whole mountain.

In this place, a flat surface of the ground is beneath our heels. That flat land extends in a diameter. In the middle of this place, a furnace with anvil stands and Merissa is there.

Merissa…is garbed with a golden armor that covers her chest and shoulder protectors that has archaic crests. In the middle of her armor is a glowing red eye like gem. She wears heavy looking gauntlets which also colored with gold tinted with reddish glow.

Her skirt is also made up of a golden armor and she wears it above her knees. The armor skirt parted on each side and she wears black pantyhose inside. Her knees are also protected with the same golden armor and it extends up to her heels. Her greaves also dons a golden color with the same archaic crests as her shoulder protectors.

In her hand is a golden hammer that commonly used in forging and it also has the same eye like red gem in its core. The hammer looks oddly unbalanced as it hangs in her hand.

Also, she is letting out a golden aura around her…

“Merissa…”

“Ca, this is something only you can see. This place is my own dimension out of everyone’s reach and my personal space. I can only use my full power in this place but I cannot manifests this indefinitely.”

“Wait…does this mean…you are…!”

“Ca, I cannot use any of my powers outside of this place. Also, please don’t call me by my old name. It’s really annoying…”

She takes my soul weapon and the soul spar in the anvil and furnace. She dips the soul weapon into the fire and it instantly glows in red as it temperature rises. With only one dip, the soul weapon immediately becomes eligible for forging Merissa promptly takes it into the anvil.

“Since soul weapons are unbreakable, I can carelessly do that but, the furnace itself is already set for the right temperature for tempering.”

She then raises the hammer in her hand. Lighting spills from her body and strong power is generated within her. As she slams it, sparks are produced from the impact. She repeatedly hits my soul weapon and sparks flies everywhere.

I can feel each hit sends jolts inside me.

“Uwaa… are you already feeling it? I am basically forging your soul and strengthening it. You can feel tingling sensation inside you, right? Please bear with it.”

“Y-Y-Y-YES!!”

“Geez…I am going to get sore for the next three days.”

My breath is taken away as the splendor of a legendary smith does her job. Her strokes and movements are delicate yet strong, precise yet brute, and frightening but beautiful. The armor the covers her is shiny and sparkly but it does not takes the stage, it was her movements that are mesmerizing. It is like one struck of her hammer will worth a fortune.

Before I knew it…

“It’s done now. All I have to do is to fuse the soul spar with it. I made sure that your soul can withstand the power of the goddess inside the soul spar.”

“What--! Is that’s why you need to forge it?!”

“Partly. Well, just prepare yourself.”

She places the soul spar atop of my soul weapon.

After that, she raises her hammer again and her power becomes much violent than ever as the whole place shakes. Multiple golden circles with incantations inscribed appear at the back of her hammer. Sparks gather at the other end of the hammer that electrifies everything around her.

As she accumulated so much power, she swings down the hammer for the final time.

Soul spar is immediately crushed under the might of the hammer and becomes a light that disperses and coated my soul weapon. The coating becomes somewhat earthy as it becomes stone.

Merissa takes a step backward as my soul weapon becomes petrified with a satisfied smile as she let out a hearty sigh.

CRACK…

The soul weapon that becomes petrified starts cracking and lights spill from it. At that moment, I immediately felt it.

Something big is mingling inside me…

A strong power starts merging with my soul, my very existence itself. The fragmented power of the goddess gradually amplifies my magic and what’s more, I feel another existence of power being awakened.

My mind gradually loses its consciousness and I black out from so much power being integrated to me…

And then…an epithet…a prayer…spells out itself in my head…

To continuously changes shape throughout its phase.

This phases indicates cooperative and indecisive personality

It holds so much desire that it attracts everyone with its beauty.

But its presence doesn’t mean fascination but whilst, it gives hope.

I shine brightly at the night to give hope.

Blessing of the Moon!