—–

After what Khepri said, and after the many memories she awakened within Tethys, the Great Oasis Spirit was in shambles.

Her mind went through a lot in way too little time, and Khepri expected her to give her a concise and quick response right away, something that was just… way too impossible.

“Tethys? What do you think? Will you help out? We need your help…!” Khepri said. “I think I could explain you more about it if Aquarina and the rest come along or maybe…”

“…” Tethys remained in silence while listening to her for a moment but then broke her silence. “I need… to think about this.”

Suddenly, the Oasis’ water around Tethys began shaking, as she suddenly began to submerge into its waters. Her body, made obviously of the same material, seemed to be slowly going back where it came from.

“Eh? Wait a second! Are you leaving?! But it’s tomorrow! We’re going tomorrow and…! I know the heroes are with us, but I’m worried something could go wrong!” Khepri said, growing more nervous as she ran towards Tethys.

“We’re dealing against someone possibly even stronger than you and-”

In that moment, she saw Tethys eyes, the air of superiority she had, and her selfish attitude were gone.

The only thing she had in her eyes was sorrow, and… she was strangely embarrassed as well.

“T-Tethys?”

Her hands extended towards her, and for a moment, she almost managed to touch her face.

SPLASH!

But before Khepri could reach her, or convince her to stay, Tethys was gone.

The Oasis’ water remained still, as if there was never anything in here.

Khepri could feel the animals down below looking around confused but quickly swimming away.

“Aah…”

Khepri looked down, her face looking rather sad, she fell to the water’s surface, standing over it because of her magical abilities.

“Tethys…”

As she remained in there, she shed a small tear, which fell into the Oasis.

Memories flooded into her mind right in that moment.

When she saw Tethys’ sincerest expression, and her eyes.

Those beautiful azure eyes she seemed to have missed for so long.

Memories continuously flooded her mind.

Memories of the past she didn’t think were as clear as before.

Of that time when she had been just given the chance to become the leader of a small group of Spirits.

And how she met them all…

Although two of them remained mostly blurry, Tethys was…

She could recall her way too well.

She was slightly angry all the time and was also a very nervous girl.

In missions, she often panicked and ended screwing things over one way or the other.

And Khepri would always have to help her out or save her, and then they would start discussing and fighting because of how stubborn Tethys was.

But that was just the beginning, they were together as a group for years. Those three spirits became her family, her brothers and sisters.

However, with Tethys… it was a bit different than with the other two.

Despite how it seemed that they hated each other… they also grew the closest together.

At some point, Tethys started working better, and they helped one another even in the most intense of missions.

They were nothing but one group of hundreds marching towards the alien surface of Terrarium before it terraformed.

A place very alien compared to what it was right now, and hostile, and yet, full of Life, Mana, and Spirit Energy.

It was one of the reasons why the Gods worked so hard to take over this planet, their original plan was to transform it into their Divine World.

The Artificial Spirits and their armament were deployed to take down hostile life, creatures that were too powerful and too dangerous.

Such beings would begin attacking bases and spaceships that descended; hence, they had to take them down and clear zones for the Gods to take over and start a terraforming.

However, Khepri never was able to see this process till the end, always obeying the orders of her superiors, she barely had any freedom of her own, or any individuality.

The only thing that felt different from the monotony of every day, of being just servants for someone stronger, and higher than anything else was…

Her, and her friends.

But specially her.

In such a bleak life, Tethys and her friends became the colors that gave meaning to her every day.

And she could still remember that last battle, before she lost consciousness with everyone else.

When they fought that strange monster made of darkness.

She had gone overboard, covered in bruises, her armament was shattered into pieces, taking a while to recover back together.

Khepri herself had taken a big wound into her spiritual core, slowly beginning to fade away into light.

“Ugh, maybe I went overboard there…”

“Don’t die! Please don’t die Khepri!”

And Tethys was there for her, crying while the two others were fighting.

She tried her best to heal her, she was the party’s support, healing, barriers, and other spells were her specialty above all else.

And yet…

She couldn’t do it; her powers weren’t enough.

“T-Tethys…”

“Don’t die! I don’t know what I would do without you, you idiot!”

While in tears, Tethys constantly berated Khepri, trying to keep her around, to not let her fall asleep.

“I’m sorry for always… making you angry… I must’ve been a really bad friend, right…? I bet you hated me…”

“N-No! I’ve never hated you! You’re… you’re everything to me! I’ve always lo-“

Darkness had engulfed her in that moment, as she never heard of Tethys again.

When she woke up, millions of years later, the world had changed.

While the gods succeed in terraforming most of the world and spread new races, their children…

They were nowhere to be seen, unable to claim their “prize” the Gods were left above the skies, glancing from above, full of bitterness.

She lost her connection with them, and also lost her ornaments, growing weaker every day since waking up.

And since then, for thousands of years, she survived by parasitizing monsters and draining their mana over time.

Until now, finally, she finally met her again.

And yet…

Why did it have to end like this?

“I’m sorry Tethys… I’m sorry for leaving you behind…”

—–