After crossing a multitude of valleys, bridges and hills, the bus finally arrives in Normanda, a town that is approximately sixty kilometers from Asteria. However, the space between them isn't the only thing that distances the two cities. Normanda is a very peaceful place, where the green landscape and the tranquility of nature replace the large buildings and the constant movement of people. Despite this, it wasn't a small town. It was well developed and also received tourists, although for different reasons than those who visit Asteria.
The bus stopped in front of the school where Alexa and Mark study. After getting out of the vehicle, the students spread out and each goes to their homes. Alexa missed Asteria already, but she was happy to be back. Tired of the trip, she stretches out her arms.
"What a trip. Many things happened, but it was fun. Are you going home already?"
"Of course."
It was almost 7:00 pm, returning home was the only option available for them.
"So, see you tomorrow?"
"Yes. Until then."
Mark and Alexa take different paths, since their houses were far from each other. It was the first time that Alexa was alone since two days ago. On the way back, she experiences the things she's used to in this city: the noise of insects, the trees along the way, the glimpse of mountains in the distance... she couldn't help but feeling cozy, as if these things were welcoming her to her usual life. She doesn't dislike this atmosphere, but sometimes she feels that her life lacks a little excitement, as if tranquility always came with boredom. That's why she's always so desperate for anything that seems minimally interesting, even if it put her in unfavorable situations.
All the way home she thought about the past two days and of all the things that happened. It was impossible not to think about her meeting with the goddess. "Where would she be now? Is she causing more problems in the city? Where would she sleep tonight? Do goddess even sleep?" She knew it was useless to think about these things and that the best thing to do was to forget and move on, but it was so hard, much harder than she expected.
Lost in her thoughts, she ends up coming home without even realizing it. Before opening the door, she thinks how funny it would be if the goddess had been waiting for her at home all this time, as often happens in certain stories.
"This would be impossible..."
Ignoring her fertile imagination, she enters the house.
"I'm home! Mom, are you there?"
"Alexa, quikly! The goddess!"
Alexa is taken by surprise to hear her mother pronounce the name of the goddess and runs to the living room, where her voice came from.
"Where?! Where's the goddess?!"
"There! Look!"
Alexa's mom points to the TV where a video of Caelia and Alexa running was being shown.
"...an amateur cameraman caught the moment when the goddess was seen running while being chased by a crowd of fans in the commercial district. Soon after, she teleported along with a girl. We don't know who this girl is or what relationship she would have with the goddess, but we're looking for more information."
Seeing that the goddess wasn't in the room in person, Alexa relaxes her shoulders, disappointed.
"Hey, that's you, isn't it? You were with the goddess, weren't you?"
"Yup, that's me."
"Oh my God, you're on television! You're gonna be famous!"
"Hurray..."
Without paying attention to her overexcited mother, Alexa leaves the room and goes towards her bedroom.
"Wait! What was she like? Did she say anything? How long did you stay with her?"
"She was like..."
Alexa brings her hand to the chin and thinks about the characteristics that best suit Caelia, as well as the impression she had during the short time she spent with her.
"...normal."
"Normal?"
"Yeah, normal."
"How normal?"
"Like, normal normal."
"But she's a goddess, isn't she?"
"Yes, she's a normal goddess."
"And how is a normal goddess?"
"Not very different from a normal person, I guess... oh, but she was very beautiful."
"Anything else?"
"Hmm... she looked lost and lonely."
"What?"
Alexa's responses were totally unexpected for her mother, who expected something absolutely magnificent.
"But I heard that she fought several police officers alone, so maybe she's not so helpless."
"I see... so, what were you doing with her?"
"I was buying clothes."
"Ha?!"
"Yeah... I wish I had more time with her. What can I do? It was fun, though."
Ignoring her perplexed mother, Alexa climb the stairs and enters her room. The mother looks at the TV again, where the news continues to broadcast information about the goddess nonstop.
"What happened on that trip?"
***
In a distant village, an exotic-looking woman stroll around using a young fisherman as a guide. Her beauty and dressy clothes attract the attention of residents in the distance, who hide as soon as she faces them.
"Are all these people elves?"
"Y-Yes, most..."
"So you mean this is a city of elves?"
"You could say that, I think..."
The villager was clearly uncomfortable with her presence and avoided walking beside her. The woman, however, didn't care.
"You said the Klaus Empire is no longer around. This seems to be true. So does that mean that you finally gained independence from humans?"
"N-Not really..."
"Ha?"
The woman turns around. The man is startled.
"I-I mean, yes! But... it's more complicated than that..."
"How so?"
The man scratches his head and turns his face away, avoiding meeting her intimidating eyes.
"You know, the war is over a long time ago, so there's no need to fight anymore."
"You mean that since I woke up there were no more conflicts?"
"I'm sorry, who are you again?"
"Didn't I say? I am Aquoria, the Goddess of Waters!"
"Even if you say that..."
The self-proclaimed goddess is immediately annoyed by the man's attitude, but since she has better things to worry about, she controls herself.
"Well, whatever. You said you were freed from the domain of the humans. Where are they then?"
"In the metropolitan area, most of them..."
"Metropolitan area?"
"Yes, you know, the most urbanized part of the country."
"What country?"
"This country, Genusia."
"Genusia?! But this is the human territory! Didn't you say you got rid of them?"
"I didn't say that. I said there's no reason to fight anymore. We, humans and every other race live together now."
Even though it seemed simple for the man to say that, Aquoria couldn't accept it. Her whole life was based on controlling the conflicts caused by different races, she couldn't imagine them coexisting and respecting their differences.
"So you mean there's no more reason to fight, even after what humans have done to you?!"
"Well, that was two and a half thousand years ago... and to be fair, even if we turned against them now, we couldn't win. Nothing good would come of this."
Aquoria thinks of the past and all the destruction that humans have caused.
"Indeed, they are very powerful..."
"Give up. Race wars are a thing of the past. Why are you so disgusted with humans, anyway? Did they do anything to you?"
Aquoria closes her fists tightly.
"Yes... because of them, I've lost everything!"
Her rage is so big that it makes the man steps back in fear.
"W-Well, you shouldn't generalize and blame everyone else for the mistakes of others..."
She looks back at him without hiding her anger, but after she realizes that he was scared, she looks away.
"It's not that easy."
She relaxes her shoulders and her hatred is vanished, being replaced by sadness. The man takes courage and approaches her.
"What have humans done to you?"
Upon hearing this question, memories of the past return to the goddess, bringing with it a bitter and unpleasant feeling. At this point, she could crush someone's skull in anger just to get rid of that distressing sensation a little.
"The humans... have betrayed us! They killed us! Even my sisters, who did everything for them!"
"C-Calm down! Who are these humans?"
"All of them!"
"All?!"
The man couldn't understand why this woman was so enraged. He has never seen anyone like this before.
"If I could, I would extinguish all humans on earth! I would erase them from history!"
"Wait, aren't you exaggerating a little?"
"Exaggerating?!"
Aquoria looks directly into the man's eyes. She goes over to him and takes him by the shirt, forcing him to come face to face with her.
"Do you even know what exaggeration is? How about killing thousands and thousands of living beings because of a wrong sense of superiority? How about killing your own creators out of sheer greed? Don't you dare talk about exaggeration for me!"
Aquoria throws the man to the floor who falls sitting down. Without caring about the man's health, she turns away.
"The humans will pay for all their sins, even if I have to do it myself!"
Irritated by the way he was treated, the man gets up.
"Then what you will do? Will you declare war on humanity? Good luck with that."
"You doubt me? I'm a goddess--"
"Yeah, yeah, more like a crazy ass person. You won't achieve anything with this attitude of yours."
"What?!"
"You think you're gonna solve something by screaming at people's face about your problems and treating them aggressively like that? I don't know what happened to you, but you shouldn't be acting stupid!"
"Stupid, you say?!"
For a moment, the goddess decides to attack the man again, but she hesitates and changes her mind.
"Yes, I was stupid to expect anything from such a pathetic and inferior race that accepts being submissive to others! You have abandoned your pride and honor for the fear of being decimated again, you are as pitiable as those scum humans! Keep living your life scared to death, you cowards!"
Before finishing the sentence, Aquoria feels a sudden impact on her face, forcing her to turn away. Yes, that man had slapped her. The pain in her cheek gradually increases, as does her anger at that moment. She turns quickly and extends an arm, pointing her palm at the villager.
"Now you've done it!"
She makes an effort, but nothing happens. The man just watches her, visibly irritated.
"Why? Why it doesn't work?"
"What do you know about us? Look around! Do we look unhappy to you?"
Aquoria hadn't noticed before, but that place looked as peaceful and prosperous as she had ever seen it in a village from the past. The greenery was well preserved, the trade was lively, the people were healthy and nourished and everyone seemed happy about it.
"The next time you need help, don't go around judging others without understanding them!"
The man leaves. Aquoria is unable to do anything, but her anger still lingers. In fact, the inability to do anything is what most fuels her rage.
"I can't accept it... I can't! No matter what happened, the humans will pay for their mistakes from the past! This is far from over!"