Spirit Game

"Who are you?!"

The five soldiers quickly closed in on Rain. It would have been a dangerous situation for Rain if not for the fact that the Ebizo soldiers moved like snails.

"Uh, I\'ll leave you to whatever you\'re doing," Rain said, trying to sound casual as he turned to escape.

"Halt!"

"Stay where you are!"

Who in their right mind would stay when their life was being threatened?! Rain thought, didn\'t know whether to laugh or cry at the Ebizo logic.

"Damn these accursed lands! If only we are in the ocean, you wouldn\'t get away!"

Rain bolted away without looking back, but one of the soldiers had a spear and he threw it towards Rain with all his might.

"I said . . . Wait right there!" the soldier roared. His body bent back before he released the spear with such force that it sent dust flying all around.

The spear traveled toward Rain like a bullet, whistling as it went.

"S-shit!" Rain didn\'t know why the spear seemed to be locked onto him no matter how hard he tried to change his trajectory. Soon, the spear was upon him, and he could see it coming for his life.

S-shit!

Rain closed his eyes as the spear made contact with his head, but the next thing he felt wasn\'t the hard metal piercing his skull, but the soft kiss of butterflies on his skin, and that familiar feeling of calmness.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the spear burst into thousands of butterflies before they circled into a single point and burst away, revealing Eve, floating in the air.

~SwoOoOsh!~

With a wave of her hand, the air shimmer and distort, creating visible ripples that spread outward in a powerful surge. The force of the gust that followed was both swift and overwhelming, striking the Ebizo soldiers with a powerful impact. They were lifted off their feet and hurled backward as if caught in an invisible tempest.

The sheer force of the wind was enough to send them crashing to the ground, yet remarkably, not a single drop of blood was spilled. The soldiers lay scattered, unconscious but unharmed, their weapons clattering useless to the earth.

The air settled, and a profound silence fell over the scene, broken only by the soft rustling of dusts disturbed by the fading breeze.

Rain could only watch the whole thing with a gaping mouth.

Was that magic? He didn\'t even see Eve cast anything nor open her mouth, and yet she defeated five Ebizo soldiers just like that.

Rain\'s knees shook, reminded of how scary this woman was.

"I didn\'t kill them. They\'re merely asleep," Eve said, as if reading Rain\'s thoughts. She tried to ease his fears, but failed.

She then faced him and smiled. "Now . . . I believe you\'re searching for me?"

Rain\'s limbs stopped shaking and his mind jolted awake. The problem at hand took over his fears. "That\'s right! I\'ve learned that the Ebizo soldiers are searching for something in this part of the wasteland. As the ruler of the west, do you know anything?"

". . ." Eve was silent, and Rain felt that even she was surprised at that knowledge. Then she turned and muttered to herself in a tone only she could hear, "No wonder I spotted them here often. I\'m not interested in them so I left them alone . .

. they couldn\'t advance further past this point anyway . . . I should have known . .

."

"What was that?" Rain asked her.

Eve turned to face him. "Nothing. Can you wait here for a second?"

Rain wasn\'t sure what she was up to, but all he could do was nod, but Eve was already gone.

Rain blinked when he found himself alone with the sleeping Ebizo soldiers on the ground.

"W-what\'s going on?" Rain could only scratch his head and decided to wait for the woman to come back.

Meanwhile, Eve appeared in her domain and summoned the shadows.

"What is it, Mistress?"

"Do you want something?"

"Do you need something?"

"Say it and the world will be yours."

Eve took a deep breath as she paced back and forth. "Those Ebizos out there . . . they\'re searching for something. Mind telling me what this is all about?"

The shadows exchanged a look.

"I will clean them up right away."

"NO." Eve stamped her foot, and the shadows stood at attention. "I don\'t want them killed. I want to find out the reason why they\'re here, and what they\'re searching for."

To that, the shadows all looked at one of them.

Eve narrowed her eyes. "You? Do you know something about why those lobsters are here?"

"M-mistress . . ." the shadow cleared its voice. "While you were resting and didn\'t want to be disturbed . . .

you said that we should explore and get to know the world and its inhabitants. I . . . I went to the ocean."

Eve\'s eyes turned to slit. "You\'ve been busy, I see. Swimming in the ocean, perhaps?"

"M-mistress . . ."

The other shadows quickly left the room.

Eve\'s gaze intensified. "Now tell me . . . what did you do?"

=======

Rain was gathering the wood he found lying on the ground while waiting for Eve to come back. He couldn\'t waste time just standing around; he had to do something or his mind would start thinking unnecessary thoughts.

He didn\'t have to wait long, though, as Eve reappeared after a few minutes.

"Sorry to make you wait. I know what the seadwellers are searching for," she said seriously.

Rain\'s eyes shone with glee. "Eh? Really?! That\'s great!"

Eve licked her lips in amusement. "Great? What made you say that? Are you expecting me to just give it to you without anything in return?"

". . ." Rain swallowed hard. So this was it. Eve was finally showing her true colors! "W-what is it that you want?

I don\'t have any soul elixirs if that\'s what you\'re going to ask."

If Lord Izumi and his soldiers went on land to search for this thing, then it must be very important. Something like that, must have cost a fortune!

And Rain didn\'t have a fortune. He\'s dirt poor.

Rain\'s shoulders slumped. There must be another way to get it.

Eve giggled. "I will give you what you want . . . in exchange, you will give me what I want. Seems fair, right?"

For some reason, Rain\'s throat itched and his voice strained when he spoke. "W-what is it that you want?"

". . . I want . . ." Eve\'s eyes momentarily glazed over as memories from centuries past flickered in her mind.

Her usually composed demeanor faltered ever so slightly, a hint of emotion threading through her voice.

"I want to see the Starfire bloom once more."