"So, it's a health boost. The efficacy of the potion increased and added to my total health, so that's something to take note of. Great, then, we'll save this." I pulled out the Poison Potion I accidentally made and showed it off to everybody.
"What's that? Why is it so... bright?" Fuki asked. The bright-green poison potion fluttered in my hands as I swished it around and I looked at the cap on the potion to ensure it was tightly secured.
"Anything I make is of the highest quality, at least with potions, and what I'm holding here is a Poison Potion. It's pretty safe to say that the liquid in this bottle could probably burn a hole through Erinautis, but I haven't tested it on anything because I'm so afraid of what it will do. Now that we know our weaknesses to our abilities, it can be used as a grenade from Earth. Do you get me?" I asked Fuki.
"Yeah. Like priming the Poison Potion and throwing it at Zeus... but that's pretty dangerous, don't you think?" He asked me again, pacing back and forth while looking at the potion.
"Things don't get done properly if you do them the safe way. Not in war. It requires every underhanded tactic. But, it's not a problem." I said.
I opened the door to let everybody gather inside and updated them on our plan.
"I see... that could work really well. Anima, nice thinking." Ipa told me.
"Don't be ridiculous, Hex came up with that part." I clarified for him, looking at Hex with a light smile.
"Strategizing is fun and all, but there needs to be fighting as well, or else it's pretty pointless. Do we all have experience with fighting?" Ken asked everybody.
"No, but that's fine. Trust me on this one. Hex, I want you to take us to Dex, Jane, and Janice. I want to ask the villagers anything to finalize our information, can you do that?" I asked her.
"I could but... we're wasting time. Zeus could heal from his mana burn, as you did, and attack again." She said to me.
"We won't be long. Like I told Ken, you'll just have to trust me. I have a strong feeling one of the citizens knows something we haven't thought about yet." I admitted it to everybody.
Even I missed some things, and as I've said to myself probably a million times at this point, I didn't want anything to go unchecked.
I want to know everything about this world and do whatever I can to plot the course it will take so I can prepare for it the best. Talking to those citizens, understanding their wishes, their experiences, and most importantly, their sight, I am sure I could find Zeus's kryptonite.
"Better yet, I'll go alone if you need me to. Tama and Fuki can stay together so they can begin their siege if I'm missing, and Hex can replace me on the frontlines to talk to Zeus. Everything will go smoothly, just let me talk to them." I told Hex.
"I'm not comfortable taking your position, but I understand what you're saying. We'll hope for the best and get you to those people. I'll lead you." Hex said. She got up out of a nearby chair and started to head for the door.
"Anima! You be safe out there... this plan can't work without you." Fuki told me.
"Aw, are you going to miss me? Don't worry ya big baby, Zeus won't do shit to me. And if he does... he'll lose his good vessel." I said out loud, following Hex outside. Everybody stayed behind and it was just her and I walking toward Dex's location.
"I never took you for such an assertive person, Hex. You're way of thinking and strategizing is similar to mine. That was pretty awesome, you know?" I told her.
"Please! I don't think I could do that again. I'm not really a smart person." Hex said.
I took advantage of the sweet opportunity presenting itself and patted her head to console her. It was so fluffy! I should find more opportunities like this.
"Don't doubt yourself. Thinking that you're one thing will never let you be other things. If you think you're stupid, you'll forever be stupid. Just keep working to improve yourself and you can be whatever you want." I told her.
"I don't need you lecturing me! I'm older than you!" Hex yelled at me.
"Huh? How old are you anyway?" I asked her, but I was only met with a karate chop to my head.
"You never ask a woman her age! Hmph!" Hex yelled at me again.
"But what did I do..." I muttered, rubbing the injured spot on my head. How do I even guide that conversation if everything I do is wrong?
"Can I ask you something, Anima?" Hex asked me. Her tone shifted and now she sounded sincere... oh boy, this was going to be a loaded question, wasn't it?
"You're a Hero, and you've been trying hard to fulfill that role... how did you know how to be a Hero? I've been a Vessel for a Hero for as long as my memory goes back, but I can't seem to find my path. Everything I try is met with adverse reactions, and I'm not even sure if I'm doing it right." Hex asked me.
"How did I know how to be a Hero? I don't remember handing myself that title." I told her, clearing my throat and continuing on.
"In my world, a Hero is somebody who would do amazing things to bad people to save everybody else in the world. Sometimes, the Hero would give up their own happiness to do that. However... those are fantasy stories. A Hero is somebody who children can look up to, somebody of pure novelty that is meant to sound 'Heroic', at least that's how I see it. I'll admit, I broke for a minute and risked my life for no reason because I couldn't even find my way, but I've found it now." I told her again. We continued walking and I stood silent to find the right words to say next.
"I don't really think I'm worthy of that title yet. I'm not a Hero, I'm just Anima. I haven't done anything worth the title, but I'm working to improve myself to be a better Hero. I preserve my own life, I want to be as smart as possible to help others, which is why I try to hard to keep myself safe. If you ask me, somebody like Ipa or Ruby should be the Hero instead of me, because at least they have a genuine enough heart to want to save the masses. I would rather risk them so I can continue saving the minority of people, not the majority." I told her.
"That doesn't sound like a Hero at all! You're right. How did you get so content with that definition? Hex asked me with a light giggle.
"Because it's what everybody is thinking, yet everybody is too afraid to say. We all want to keep ourselves safe, why should I lie about that just because people attributed this title to me? It's bullshit, isn't it? I'm just a man, not a Hero, and I'll never call myself a Hero genuinely. I'm Anima, not the Hero." I told her again.
"I see... you're really secure with who you are..." Hex muttered.
"If only you knew..." I said, looking at the ground.