"Wait, if you're really a goddess, why not just use your powers to bring both of us back to life?" Ria demanded, crossing her arms.
"Without a physical attachment to the material world, I cannot form a connection. And besides," the Snake Goddess hissed, "my energy is weakened from being away from the temple."
"So now we're stuck here."
"Not necessarily."
"I'm confused."
"Though I cannot form a physical connection with the material world, there is a way to bring us both back. But it comes at a cost."
"What cost?" Ria asked warily.
"I would need a vessel. Meaning the two of us would have to share a body."
"Share a body with a snake that tried to kill me? Yeah, not happening."
"It wouldn't necessarily be sharing a body. I would temporarily store my spirit as I slowly cultivated to regain my mana."
"And if I don't agree?"
"Then we would wait for a century or so until I fully regained my strength. But I must warn you, time does not stop in the spirit world. For me, it wouldn't be much of a problem, seeing as I'm immortal. But for a human, well—"
"Okay, okay. I get your point."
"So what do you say, mortal?"
"It's not like I have much of an option, do I?"
The Snake Goddess's eyes glimmered with satisfaction. "Then it is decided."
Ria braced herself as the goddess's form began to glow with an intense light. She felt a strange sensation as the goddess's spirit merged with hers, a rush of power and ancient knowledge flooding her mind.
After the two had successfully merged their souls, Ria remained unconscious as the body of the hydra slowly dissolved into the darkness. The forest was eerily silent, the only sound the gentle rustling of leaves in the night breeze.
Suddenly, the demon tiger from before appeared, its eyes gleaming as it circled Ria's body. Its growls were low and menacing, filled with a predatory hunger.
From the shadows, a dark figure emerged—a masked man with an aura of mystery and power. His presence was commanding, yet strangely calm. He wore a long, dark cloak that billowed slightly with each step, the fabric whispering secrets to the wind. The mask he wore was intricately designed, a blend of sleek lines and ancient symbols that seemed to shift and shimmer in the dim light. His black hair, streaked with blonde highlights, framed the mask, adding to his enigmatic appearance. His eyes, visible through the mask, were a striking shade of gold, sharp and intense, gleaming with an unsettling mix of wisdom and danger.
He approached the girl, his movements silent and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. Kneeling beside her, he examined her with a piercing gaze that seemed to see right through her. His aura was both intimidating and mesmerizing, a potent combination of raw power and enigmatic charm.
The masked man's eyes narrowed as he assessed her condition, noting the mingling energies of the human and the goddess within her. He then spoke softly, his voice carrying a note of intrigued amusement.
" Well, well, well. Look what we have here," he murmured, his gaze fixed on Ria. "Fate surely has a way of surprising us."
As he reached out to gently lift her, Fang circled protectively around them. The masked man cradled Ria carefully, turning to Fang.
"Looks like we just might have found what we're looking for, boy." he said.
With Ria securely in his arms and Fang following closely, the man then vanished into thin air leaving behind dark smoke.
The masked man's eyes narrowed as he assessed her condition, noting the mingling energies of the human and the goddess within her. He then spoke softly, his voice carrying a note of intrigued amusement.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," he murmured, his gaze fixed on Ria. "Fate surely has a way of surprising us."
As he reached out to gently lift her, Fang circled protectively around them. The masked man cradled Ria carefully, turning to Fang.
"Looks like we just might have found what we're looking for, boy," he said. With Ria securely in his arms and Fang following closely, the man then vanished into thin air, leaving behind a swirl of dark smoke.
---
The next day, Ria awoke in a small, dimly lit room. As she stirred, she noticed a weight on her arm and looked down to see a gold snake jewelry wrapped around it. The jewelry seemed almost alive, its eyes glinting with a strange light.
She sat up slowly but a sudden sting of pain strongly hit her and she groaned. The room was sparse but comfortable, with a few simple pieces of furniture and a window that let in the morning light. Fang lay near the doorway, his eyes watching her intently.
Ria's gaze became more attentive on spotting the tiger. "Where exactly am I?" She thought to herself.
The masked man arrived and stood by the door frame besides the tiger, his presence commanding yet calm. "You can leave us alone now, Fang." he said, his voice carrying a hint of familiarity.
Ria looked up at him, curiosity and wariness in her eyes. "Who are you?" she asked. "And where exactly am I?"
He leaned against the doorframe, his mask still in place. " Is that how you thank your rescuerer?" He teased. "I asked you a question!" Ria stated angrily but the pain stopped her in the middle of her words. "My identity is not important right now," he replied. "What you should really be worried about is that wound on your arm. The Hydra's poison is still flowing in that blood stream of yours. And it's only a matter of time till spreads throughout your body."
"And how can I know that I can trust you?"
" Well for starters, I saved your puny little life."
" You're stating the obvious." She said crossing her arms.
" And besides," he now approached her. The masked man lifted up her chin. The distance between them was now short. " It was destiny that brought you to me."
She got out of his grip. Ria frowned. "What do you mean by destiny?"
The man nodded. "I know who you are, Ria. I knew this day would come. It has been foretold. You bear the mark of the snake goddess, a power that is not bestowed lightly."
Ria glanced at the gold snake on her arm, its presence both comforting and unnerving. "What does that mean?"
"It means you have a choice to make," the masked man said, his tone serious. "If you want to get revenge, running away won't be the answer. Only cowards run away from their problems. If you truly want revenge, you must be ready for anything. You must grow stronger."
Ria's eyes narrowed. "And how do I do that?"
" You have two options: one, continue on your journey, forgetting about your past and the sect entirely and about your revenge; or two, stop running, face your fears, and stay here to train and master the power within you."
Ria was reluctant to answer.
He now stood up and straightened himself.
" I won't force you to stay. But I advise you stay till your wound is completely healed and then give me your answer. "
The man headed for the door, but stopped at the door not daring to turn back.
" I hope you make the right decision,miss Ria. And by the way, put some clothes on, will you?" He said and left.
Ria looked down and notices that there was a bandage wrapped around her chest as well as on her arm and head. Her face instantly flashed out of embarrassment.
🥳
👘🍜 Manesta.