Within seconds, both men stepped out. The bright exterior temporarily blinded Joyce, her eyes accustomed to the darkness of the tent. When she managed to open her eyes, she was treated to a chaotic view. The horizon lay sprawled out before her eyes.
They stood atop a hill with several other tents, overlooking the valley where the battle was taking place. At the far end, on the opposite side, were several other tents. From them poured the men that clashed with the soldiers on their side. Despite the rows of sandbags and trenches built up, the battle seemed mostly one-sided, against them.
The clash of steel and the cries of battle sent shivers down Joyce's spine. The air hummed with the crackling energy of magic, each surge sending a jolt of raw power through her veins. The metallic tang of blood mixed with the acrid scent of burnt ozone created a sensory overload that threatened to overwhelm her.
Explosions aplenty bombarded several areas at once. They weren’t the type she knew of, though. Instead of gunpowder and shrapnel, the fireballs she saw ignite were literal. The occasional lightning bolt or ice spear could also be seen, further cementing the type of world she had been plunged into.
Amid the turmoil a melodic voice resonated within Joyce's mind, a presence both comforting and enigmatic, "You will temporarily awaken your maximum potential." The goddess revealed herself to Joyce, her words a cryptic promise of strength and transformation.
Hearing her voice triggered memories of their first encounter, causing Joyce to wince.
At the same time, everything around her slowed down and became tinged in translucent blue. She turned to Rick, but he was frozen. That’s when she noticed the battlefield was also still. Explosions were mid-boom and opposing swords remained glued to each other.
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“What is this? What’s going on?”
A rectangular window popped up in front of her eyes, not unlike that of a message notification from the computers in her old world. The message read, “You have been gifted the Goddess’ Breath.”
As if by instinct, Joyce tapped on the window to make it display the next message. “With this artifact, your strength has been maxed out, you’re fully healed of all ailments, fatigue has been nullified, and your stamina is limitless.”
The last window displayed only the following message: “You are now level 100.”
“Is this thing on? Oh, it seems like it is,” the goddess said, this time in a less angelic and mystical tone. “You can consider that a little gift from me to you, baby.”
Joyce grunted in frustration. “Thank you, goddess!” She exclaimed sarcastically, further adding, “And didn’t you say I wouldn’t remember our encounter?”
“Well, I didn’t say it would be forever. We were running low on time, there was no way to explain everything,” the goddess quipped. “And why don’t you sound genuinely happy by my gift?”
“Pardon me for being just a bit overwhelmed by all of this!” Joyce yelled.
There was a long pause before the goddess replied, “OK, so it seems like I caught you at the wrong time, so sue me, I’m not perfect! And I can’t stick around long, anyway. Have fun with the power-up, just don’t go too crazy~”
In a flash, the world’s speed normalized around her. The tinge of blue vanished as did the screen in front of her face. Not even a second had passed since they had stepped out of the tent. Startled by the explosions, Rick ran to shield himself by the barrier closest to him.
Out of the corner of her eye, Joyce saw him frantically wave at her, “Don’t just stand there! Take cover and start moving down the hill.”
Joyce stood firm in place, taking in the effects of the ‘Goddess’ Breath’. Arms parallel to her torso, she clenched her fists. Her muscles tightened, her veins bulged, and her body grew hot. Yet a calm, almost soothing sensation washed over her. She drew both swords and ran down the hill.
With a surge of power coursing through her veins, Joyce braced herself for the chaos of battle. The weight of the armor was no longer a burden but a shield, the swords in her hands an extension of her newfound resolve.