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696. Poo

***

Three days ago…

Now Entering [Nexeus: Spirit Plane]

Edithe opened her eyes as the words flashed in her mind. Her world spun, and her vision was a blur. Her head ached— like she had been struck across the back of her head with a smith’s hammer. The redhead dropped to the ground, hacking and coughing as she tried to catch her breath. 

A bright light shone in her eyes as she covered her face. A strange scent perfumed the air around her. She wrinkled her nose, before opening her eyes. 

“What is this…?”

She asked as she looked up, her vision finally returning to her. And when she stared at the sky, she saw a green dome overhead, encasing the world around here. Sweeping her gaze over the distant horizon, Edithe made out the undulating silhouettes of ocean-blue mountains. 

Blue grass coated the rising hillocks. Tall trees that bloomed with glistening flowers and white leaves sprouted from the ground, creating the illusion of a sea of clouds on land. It was like staring at a tapestry of a forest— a painting from a dream. 

When Edithe was still a child, growing up in the temple under William’s teachings, she had been told that the Spirit Plane was an alien world unlike anything that was ever seen in the Mortal Realm. 

And as she stood there, atop the blue knoll, taking in this scenery, she felt like she was floating high above the sky. Like she was living amongst the fluffy white clouds. Almost like a scene from her dreams as a child.

Edithe blinked a few times as she placed a hand on her forehead. Her headache was gone, and she had finally regained bearing of her surroundings. Rising to her feet, she sniffed a few times, smelling the oddly sweet aroma wafting over her nose.

“Nobody told me that crossing through the planes was like being flung straight into a wall…”

The redhead shook her head as she glanced back at her two companions. Centina was groaning as she lay on the ground, while Willy was floating like he normally did, although his flames were flickering with a soft orange.

“You tell me— why do you think I refused to return to the Spirit Plane?”

“Wait, do Spirits seriously experience this every time they are summoned?”

Edithe stared at the [Will O’ Wisp] with wide eyes. He flitted past her as she scoffed.

“Yes. But you get used to it. Now come on, we are on a time rush.”

“Right…”

The redhead moved to follow after him. But then she paused when she realized that Centina was still reeling. The [Evolved Centinel] sighed, stumbling forward.

“This is what happens when I spend too much time sitting down at the office…” 

She murmured, and Edithe chuckled, moving to help the Centinel follow after the [Will O’ Wisp]. Together, the group finally arrived in the Spirit Plane and ventured forward.

—--

“So this is the Spirit Plane, huh?”

Edihe whispered as the three of them made their way through a cloud-like forest. She looked down at a bush filled with rainbow-colored flowers, before shaking her head.

“It is so… peaceful. It’s like a paradise. Why would you ever want to leave this place?”

The redhead spoke with round eyes. But next to her, Centina just scoffed.

“I don’t see anything special about this place. It is boring. I much prefer Mavos Academy.”

The Centinel still walked with a slight stagger, dizzy from the teleportation ritual even until now. Edithe shrugged as she looked up at the jade-green dome overhead.

“Maybe it’s just because I’m not used to it, but everything here is so peaceful and tranquil. It is not overbearing like the Mortal Realm in the slightest. And I’m not talking about the difference in the sky or even the grass or the trees.”

At first, Edithe couldn’t place her finger on why she felt that way. But after paying more attention to her surroundings, she realized the subtle distinction between the Spirit Plane and the Mortal Realm was the lack of… life?

There was no chirping of birds— no buzzing of bees. There was no sun overhead, nor were there any traces of a cloud in the sky. The world was static, without the life of the insects crawling on the ground and the animals dodging between the bushes. The world was empty.

There was not even another Spirit in sight. The only thing that seemed to breathe life into this world was…

“That smell.”

Edithe frowned as she glanced around.

“What is that smell anyway? I’ve been smelling it ever since I arrived here, and we’ve been walking for almost an hour.”

The redhead took in a deep breath, then sighed with a smile.

“It is a nice, sweet smell. Almost smells like a perfume. What is it?”

She looked towards Willy. Centina nodded in agreement.

“I quite like it, too. It almost smells familiar. I feel like I’ve smelled it before.”

The two women faced the [Will O’ Wisp] curiously. Willy didn’t give an immediate response, although his color shifted to a nervous yellow. 

“Willy? Do you know what this is supposed to be?”

Edithe pressed him, and he hesitated. He looked forward as he murmured something. But it was not audible.

“Willy?”

The redhead asked, before exchanging a glance with Centina. The Centinel shrugged, just as confused as Edithe.

And Willy finally sighed.

“...poop.”

“What?”

Edithe only caught the tail-end of what the [Will O’ Wisp] had to say. He inhaled deeply before repeating himself.

“That smell is Spirit poop. As in— defecation. Bodily excrement. Shit.”

“I… what?!”

Edithe exclaimed as her eyes grew wide. Centina just nodded, intrigued.

“Spirit shit, huh? I knew I smelled it before. When I used to still be a mindless Centinel serving the Matriarch in the Bloodied Gulf, some Spirits would excrete fluid waste before I killed them—”

“Firstly, too much information.”

Edithe promptly cut off the Centinel. Then she glared at the [Will O’ Wisp] next.

“Secondly— what do you mean by Spirit poop? I thought Spirits didn’t have natural bodily functions! Are you telling me you need to use the bathroom too?”

Willy snorted in response as he turned to face her.

“No. But depending on the Spirit and their evolution, some require sustenance, and others require sleep. It is a given that others may need to defecate. Aren’t you a former [Summoner]? Shouldn’t you know this? Why are you surprised by this information?”

“I mean, I knew that some Spirits do need to sleep or eat. But still…”

Edithe shifted her feet uncomfortably. She did not want to think about the bodily functions of a Spirit. It was not an image she liked to imagine in her head— especially with her upbringing around the [Priests] of the Sanctum of Elements.

She tried to change the subject.

“Anyway, is the Spirit Plane normally like this? It’s so empty. I would’ve thought we’d run into a group of Spirits by now.”

“Trust me, it’s better that we are left alone. Remember, we are trespassing into the Spirit Lord’s Domain. You will be killed if you are discovered.”

Willy explained, and Edithe clicked her tongue.

“Right.”

She glanced around as she shrugged.

“Where are we even going then? You’ve been leading us in a random direction without saying anything.”

“Because I am leading you in a random direction. What else do you want me to say?”

Willy replied casually. Edithe blinked, then looked towards Centina. The Centinel scowled.

“What do you mean by that? Isn’t this your home? Where are we right now?

Centina asked, and Willy just flitted back.

“Don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? Aren’t we in the Spirit Plane?” 

Edithe exclaimed. Willy rolled his eyes— and by that, he rolled his entire body, since he didn’t have eyes.

“We are, yes. But that doesn’t mean I am familiar with every inch of the Spirit Plane. You don’t know every inch of the Mortal Realm, do you? And that question goes to the both of you.”

“That’s…”

Edithe pursed her lips, and Centina acquiesced.

“It is a fair point. However, what do we do?”

“We scour the Spirit Plane until we find the Archangel. What else can we do?”

Willy replied simply, before flitting forward. Edithe shuffled her feet uncomfortably. It was not an idea that really reassured her. However, she knew that this was what she was up for when she decided to venture into the Spirit Plane, so she just nodded and followed Willy without arguing.

“But… the portal.”

Centina opened her mouth, then paused when she realized that she was going to be left behind. She glanced back towards the hill in the distance. There was only two hours left before it would close shut, and they would have to find a way to return on their own.

And it seemed like that outcome was going to be most likely what happened.

So the group continued to move as time passed, although Edithe found it difficult to tell how long it had been since they arrived. They were leaving the forest and entering a valley between pair of mountains when the first sign of life showed itself to them with the trees surrounding them suddenly shaking and moving.

Edithe tensed as she spun around, and Willy flew back warily. Centina simply raised her scythe-like arms, prepared for what was to come. And what Edithe realized was that this thicket of trees around them were not trees. Instead, they were Spirits.

[Greater Yaksha - Lvl. 78]

[Greater Yaksha - Lvl. 74]

[Lesser Yaksha - Lvl. 54]

[Lesser Yaksha - Lvl. 56]

[Yaksha - Lvl. 31]

[Yaksha - Lvl. 24]

[Yaksha - Lvl. 35]

…

“Come and get some!”

Centina growled as she readied herself for battle. But Edithe raised her hand as she called out at the Centinel.

“Stop— we can talk things through!”

“Except, you’re both mortals, remember?

Willy replied as his flames flickered, glowing red. 

“There is no talking. Besides, these are [Yakshas]. They cannot speak at this level.”

And as he said, the [Yakshas] all raised their wooden hands as they shifted into spikes. Edithe gritted her teeth, seeing their act of aggression. And yet, they were all lower-leveled than her by a long shot.

That meant this wouldn’t be a battle— this would be a massacre.

“We can just run—”

Edithe started as Centina and Willy were about to attack. And a booming voice rumbled out.

“Do not attack.”

Blinking a few times, Edithe looked up to see a large figure emerge from the trees. It was like a giant tree that was nearly fifty feet in height was walking towards them. And it came to a halt as it nodded at the other [Yakshas].

It could speak, the face on its head having a mouth unlike the others. Because it was one of the final evolutions of a [Yaksha]. Edithe had never seen one before. But even still, it looked almost… familiar.

[Ancient Yaksha - Lvl. 102]

“While this Human is a mortal, she is also a friend…”

The [Ancient Yaksha] rumbled as it bent over to one knee, facing the redhead. Willy and Centina both just looked at Edithe quizzically as her eyes went wide.

“Wait, you’re…”

The redhead stared with round eyes at the smiling [Ancient Yaksha] as it proffered an arm at her.

“It has been a long time, master.”

The [Ancient Yaksha] said. And Edithe whispered his name as a smile tugged at her lips.

“Druma.”

Author's Notes:

Poo

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