Sete, the Spring:
Total power restored [27%/100%]
Total divinity restored [24%/100%]
World corruption dispelled [0.20%/100%]
Heirs of the divinities saved [8%/100%]
Seed Shop Coins: 1020
Agriculture [lv. 3]
༻ ༊*·˚ ༺
At the end of the passage that cut through the large rock formation, the group was greeted by a thick wall of water crossed by murky rays of sunlight, whose reflections danced on the nearby rocks.
— How convenient. — Hiroshi muttered, crossing his arms as he analyzed Thomas's condition with a frown. It was obvious what he meant by his comment: the boy should use the waterfall to wash himself immediately.
— Hey! — Thomas retorted indignantly. — I'm the victim here!
— I'll go first. — Sete ignored the boy and decided on the next step on her own. As the guardian of the heirs and the strongest among them, she would cross the curtain of water before anyone else. — Come only after I call you.
— Okay… — Bianca agreed somewhat hesitantly, as she still didn't feel comfortable seeing the young deity always take the lead in risky situations. And, judging by the various serious looks and furrowed brows, she wasn't the only one who felt that way.
— Be careful. — Lillia took a step closer to Sete, brought her hand to the reddish scratch on her cheek, and healed it with a slight white sparkle. — You know, come to me if you're hurt.
Spring nodded slightly before turning her attention back to the flow of water. She extended her arm and felt the pressure of the waterfall with her fingertips, then bent her elbow over her forehead to protect her eyes before crossing that layer of icy water.
༻ ༊*·˚ ༺
As she crossed the waterfall, Sete came upon a huge gray valley.
The vast territory was like a natural fortress, surrounded by gigantic mountain ranges, from which dark and polluted springs flowed, but the largest was the waterfall through which the young deity had just passed.
Completely soaked, Sete shifted uncomfortably in her heavy clothes and stood at the edge of the pond where the waterfall flowed, the dirty and muddy water reaching just above her waist. Silently observing her future home alongside the heirs, she could already imagine herself purifying all that land: lush green fields, vibrant forests full of wildflowers, crystal clear and drinkable water sources... In short, a small piece of hope on such a lifeless planet.
After imagining such a peaceful scene, however, something large suddenly wrapped itself around Sete's leg and pulled her underwater.
Caught completely off guard, the young deity inhaled a large amount of water as she struggled near the bottom of the pond. It intensified the grip around her leg, and a series of red lights and warning sounds began to fill her limited field of vision. It was a late warning from the System, almost obscured by the bubbles and sand rising around Sete.
"ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!" — The robotic voice repeated in alarm, as if Sete had not yet noticed the seriousness of the situation. — "Mutant creature of Chaos and End detected, eliminate it to purify this water source."
Luckily, the young deity had not let go of the reinforced wooden spear she had created while fighting the bats, so she began waving it at the thing attacking her. She couldn't see anything but dark water, mud, and bubbles, but she had the occasional glimpse of a cylindrical and scaly body, about three times wider than herself, slithering around her in the pond bed.
Sete's breath was at its limit, her lungs burned, and she had never felt so vulnerable before: she was practically mortal now, flesh, bone, and finite life.
In the next instant, she managed to land a blow with the blade of the spear on the monster's belly, whose black blood made the water even darker. Taking advantage of the sudden turn the creature made when it was hit, Sete also wounded the tail that was holding her leg and was immediately released.
With one push, Spring rose to the surface of the pond, taking deep breaths of oxygen. She brushed her wet hair from her eyes and raised her spear, reading the rippling movements of the water in the surrounding area. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Sete noticed suspicious ripples picking up speed: it was coming quickly toward her, full of resentment for the previous blows.
— Ugh! — The creature's head struck the young deity's stomach with full force, causing her to cry out in pain. However, this was the perfect moment to plunge the sharp tip of her spear into the monster's forehead, whose enormous body convulsed as it died.