Seeing the Anemo spirit's conflict, Gunnhildr quickly adjusted her strategy.
"Perhaps what we call 'light' and 'heavy' refer to different things."
The Anemo spirit stopped wavering and hovered attentively before her.
Gunnhildr continued to explain: "When people hear a song, their hearts feel joy, a kind of 'light' happiness. Though their bodies are still on the ground, their spirits feel as if they could soar to the clouds."
The Anemo spirit's light flickered faintly, as if it partly understood.
"A person can be very heavy, yet feel a 'light' happiness. Isn't that wonderful? For you, floating is the norm, so it might be hard to grasp this contradiction."
"Indeed... strange," the Anemo spirit quietly agreed.
"However, you might have experienced a similar feeling. When you find a 'light' thing that you love, don't you become so happy that you forget everything else?"
"Mmm... I think so!"
"Exactly. The happiness that 'light' objects bring you is the same as the happiness songs bring to humans. What we pursue isn't the physical objects themselves, but the pure joy of possessing them. What do you think?"
"Joy... I think I'm starting to understand why songs are 'light.'"
Gunnhildr knew her chance had come.
"Then, how about we make an exchange?" Gunnhildr slowed her speech. "Columbina's song brings you joy, and your fruit brought her joy. An exchange just like that."
"An exchange... to hear the song again?"
"More than just the song. There are many more... all sorts of 'light' things that exist only in the human world."
"Only in the human world?" The Anemo spirit's curiosity was completely ignited.
Gunnhildr gazed at it and spoke slowly: "Songs are one. Then there is... 'poetry,' 'stories,' 'dreams,' 'faith'…" She paused at the right moment, observing the Anemo spirit's reaction.
The Anemo spirit's glow brightened considerably, and it asked eagerly, "Is there more?"
Almost there. Gunnhildr continued to guide the conversation in a steady tone: "Of course. For example, 'friendship,' 'courage,' 'hope'... In this place, in the hearts of countless people, there are many, many things that can make you feel this wonderful 'lightness.'"
The Anemo spirit fell silent for a moment, as if trying to understand the weight and... lightness... carried by these words.
Then, it suddenly burst forth with a more dazzling light, circling Gunnhildr rapidly, its voice filled with anticipation:
"What do you want in exchange?"
"The wind!"
...
An excited clamor came from outside the tent.
Coppelia slowly opened her eyes, exiting sleep mode.
She first looked at Columbina on the pallet. The girl had already sat up and was eating something in small bites, her complexion much rosier than when she had fainted last night.
"Is your throat better? Does your head still hurt?" Coppelia asked with concern.
Columbina swallowed the food in her mouth and nodded. "Much better."
Coppelia's gaze then fell on the purple fruit in Columbina's hand. She hadn't seen this fruit on the supply list, nor did she think it was something that could grow in the nearby area.
The commotion outside the tent grew clearer; it seemed a large crowd had gathered nearby.
Coppelia stood up, walked to the tent entrance, and lifted a corner of the leather flap that served as a windbreak.
A large number of refugees had indeed gathered outside. They were pointing in a certain direction, whispering to each other with faces full of disbelieving excitement. The center of the circle was obscured, making it impossible to see the specifics.
Coppelia glanced once, then dropped the flap and turned to ask, "The Anemo spirit is back?"
Columbina nodded again, confirming her suspicion. "Mhm."
It seemed Gunnhildr had successfully made contact with the Anemo spirit, and the disturbance outside was likely related. That being the case, she would leave it for Gunnhildr to handle. Coppelia sat down beside Columbina, continuing to keep her company.
Watching Columbina's profile as she ate with focus, Coppelia thought of another question.
"Did the Anemo spirit tell you its name?" she asked.
"It's called 'Venti'."
The air seemed to freeze for a second.
Coppelia's body visibly tensed.
Holy crap, a direct hit? My luck is way too good. Is this right? Don't tell me some higher power is actually pulling the strings.
She quickly composed her subtle outward reaction, but the storm in her mind raged on for a long time.
...
In the center of the refugee camp, there was now a bustling atmosphere like that of a festival celebration.
People formed a large circle, three layers deep, talking in hushed tones with excited expressions, their gazes all focused on the center of the ring.
"Which story should we tell?"
"I wonder if the 'God of Wind' will like my newly composed poem..."
"How about we all sing that ancient hymn?"
"Better not, wasn't that song written about Decarabian?"
They chattered away, debating what kind of stories, poems, or music to offer to please the 'deity' that radiated a soft, cyan light.
Gunnhildr, Coppelia, and Columbina tacitly kept the truth about the 'Master of the Wind' a secret. The people did not know that Barbatos was still just an Anemo spirit at this moment.
In the eyes of all the refugees, the Anemo spirit Venti, floating in the center of the crowd, was the incarnation of a god they needed to worship and beseech with all their might.
In the middle of the crowd, Parsifal stood before Venti, making full use of his innate enthusiasm and eloquence.
He gestured wildly, his expressions vivid, as he animatedly recounted a thrilling hunting story.
"...That snowboar charged out from behind a rock, as fast as a bolt of lightning! All I had was a short knife, and I thought, this is it!"
He suddenly sidestepped, mimicking the dodging motion, drawing a low gasp from the onlookers.
Parsifal continued his tale, describing how he used the terrain to his advantage, how he counterattacked at the last possible second, and how he and his companion worked together to subdue the beast.
Venti hovered before him, his body swaying slightly with the rise and fall of the story, completely immersed.
Gunnhildr sat not far from them.
She could feel that the ceaseless, cold wind and the swirling snow around the camp were now being held back by a gentle and steady force.
This was, naturally, the protection provided by the Anemo spirit.
Watching Venti's joyous appearance, Gunnhildr's tense heartstrings relaxed a little. Whatever the future held, at least for now, things were moving in a good direction.
The Anemo spirit Venti floated there, sensing the gazes from all around, a mixture of reverence, hope, and goodwill.
It had often flown to human settlements before, hiding under eaves or in treetops to secretly listen to their conversations and songs.
But this feeling was completely different from before.
An indescribable feeling grew and spread within its heart. This feeling was certainly not the simple 'joy' of finding a pretty feather, nor did it seem quite the same as the 'lightness of spirit' Gunnhildr had described.
This feeling... was like a gravitational pull. It made Venti yearn to be closer to these humans, to listen to their voices, to know their stories, and it came with a vague impulse to 'respond'.
___
🔥 New stories are available now! 🔥
We're handing out that '25% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Access up to 40 advanced chapters of ALL stories!
✅ Receive exclusive content and updates!
Help us hit our community goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan