I thought about where my powers came from for a moment. My mind started to drift away from Mark's rant, unfortunately I ended up not finding any information in the recess of my mind. Maybe someday I'd find out the truth, but that day wasn't today.
"So Seance Dog got his powers from a magical artifact?"
"Exactly! His former owner was a powerful wizard who disappeared one day. All he left his beloved friend was the magical cloak that gives him his abilities."
I stared over the city as he continued, leaning back slightly and gently closing my eyes. Mark was good white noise if anything. I wasn't super interested in Seance Dog, but I was interested in magic as a whole. Maybe I could make an artifact that could give someone powers?
"We still don't know what happened to the wizard, but we've got some clues. My personal theory is that he somehow got turned into the cloak, but I'm not completely sure."
"Transmutation on that level is pretty impressive, but unless someone else performed it, the risk is extremely great and could end up damaging your soul. Magic is dangerous and unpredictable, it's possible an artifact like that was an accident if your theory is true."
Alright, maybe I was a little bit interested.
"It's good to hear that my theory is at least possible from an actual wizard." Mark leaned forward on the ledge slightly with a smile, his eyes lit up and continued to ramble. It was nice to finally relax.
Gaia once again sent an apology into my body, but I brushed it off with feelings of forgiveness sent her way. I was in her corner, and she was in mine. She didn't need to apologize so profusely for an accident she caused in her excitement.
It felt like Gaia could do no wrong. She was essentially perfect in my eyes. Warmth flooded my body in response, my face heating up in a blush as she blushed as well at what she'd just done!
"And his arch nemesis is- Are you alright? Your face got really red all of the sudden." Mark raised an eyebrow at my practically glowing face. Gaia, you can't just kiss someone and expect them not to get red in the face! It felt like her warm breath was caressing the inside of my head, and I couldn't help but turn away from Mark and look down at the world beneath us.
Gaia had always been there for me, whenever she could at least. Was she basically the only woman I knew? Yes. Was she substantially older than me? Yes. Did that change the feelings I was developing for her? Absolutely not.
"Yeah. I just think I'm in love." A soft smile made its way on my face as I let out a relaxed sigh. It had taken me this long to fully realize. I sent the overwhelming emotions her way, with a single throughline at its core.
'I love you.'
". . . Er, I- I'm sorry but I don't swing that way!" He looked genuinely apologetic, and I bumped him with my elbow. Though it felt like I was hitting a brick wall rather than flesh.
"Not with you. I just realized there's this amazing woman I know, who's done so much for me. Someone who really gets me. Finally taking a moment to relax made me realize I guess."
"Oh alright. Does she go to our school?"
"No. I'd be surprised if you even knew her."
"Try me."
I slowly panned my face over to him. My expression was flat as a board as I locked eyes with him. How the hell was I supposed to answer that?
"Earth."
His expression fell flat as well. Silently staring at each other we didn't say anything for a loud five seconds.
"Like- You're in love with Earth? Or she's on Earth? Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?"
"Look, when the time is right I'm sure you'll get to know her."
"Dude. If you didn't want to listen to me talk about Seance Dog you could have just said so!"
"It's not like that I swear! It's interesting to hear about the show's interpretation of magic. . . "
"So basically you're saying it's nothing like real magic?"
Our banter continued, and for the briefest of moments I'd forgotten about Gaia's reaction, or more specifically lack of one as I tried to defend myself from Mark's onslaught of questions!
Gaia POV
He loves me.
He Loves Me.
He Loves Me!
I knew this to be true, of course I did. Those feelings bouncing around in his heart couldn't be so easily hidden from one such as myself.
So why did it feel so good to hear him say it? Why did it feel like my core was about to burst in excitement?
My spirit form clutched my face in a flood of joy as a smile broke onto my face like a tidal wave. This love he felt for me. It wasn't one of a 'caretaker' nor one of a 'friend'. It was something so much more pure in nature.
He saw me as a woman. My mana responded in excitement to these revelations, pressing and pulling against my physical form as I didn't even try to restrain it.
My body shuddered with anticipation of what would come next, and I didn't even try to reign it in. Why would I? My children would certainly understand that their mother was getting married!
I cooled my heart for a moment, taking a breath to steady my emotions. I forgot that those humans started making big structures in the recent years. I probably should avoid destroying those by accident . . .
It would probably make my lover sad. To see me cause so much destruction by mistake.
Thinking about the man that spiraled into my life, I couldn't help but let out a dreamy sigh. A pure soul, unguided and from a distant realm. He landed in my lap, a vessel I could use to carry out my will if I so desired.
Yet I held back. He was not guilty of the sins those other humans had committed upon my body. It wasn't his fault, nor was he a child of mine and thus I had no reason to keep him safe nor harm him.
So why did I interact with him at all? That first initial step I took towards him was mostly one of curiosity at such a unique individual. No one had reached out to me like that before, it finally felt like I was talking to someone who was on equal footing to myself rather than someone who was my child.
Someone who didn't wish to harm me. Someone who didn't have an ulterior motive. Someone who was undoubtedly human, but not kin of my own.
A free agent, one that I slowly found myself slowly falling for. His ideals. His dreams. His resolve. His caress upon my mind, body, and soul. He was intoxicating.
He'd forgiven me when I'd harmed him. Something I'd done over and over again for those humans upon my form again and again. Something they took for granted repeatedly. Something he had never done.
He had never taken anything I'd given him as expected. Instead he was grateful for my passion and love. While some other humans had done similar acts before, it was different with him.
With Emile . . . I was truly connected to him.
That Lumen Heart in his possession, after hearing him confess his love for me, I need it now more than ever before.
I want to feel his touch, the caress of his heartbeat upon my soon to be born vessel.
I need it. I need it. I started panting in my passion, the action pulled away from my lover as I did so. I couldn't have him seeing me in such an embarrassing state? I did not want him to think I was a degenerate like those humans upon me!
Those children had influenced me, it was certainly true, but I was a refined individual! I couldn't fall so low . . . unless perhaps it was to him?
I let out a groan, clutching the head of spirit form as I did so.
My champion and lover was going to help me obtain my avatar! I needed to collect myself before then. Embarrassing myself in front of him would be worse than death!
Emile POV
After finishing up my conversation with Mark, I noticed someone who had been eerily silent after my confession.
It was suffocating as dread started to pool in my gut. Did I chase her away? Did she not want to talk to me anymore? I thought she at least felt something for me, but maybe I was wrong?
I'm just a human after all, there's no way someone as amazing as her would want me-
Love. Undiluted and overwhelming. It slammed into me and I dropped to a knee as I lost control over my body. The euphoria flooded my soul, and Gaia's faint whispers echoed in my ear.
Layers upon layers of emotion, her voice echoing through my head as it repeated itself over and over again. The words mixed together, but her message was clear.
I Love You.
I held a hand over my heart as I slid my back down against the railing. An overwhelmed breath left my lungs as the overwhelming feelings slowly became more manageable.
Gaia had influenced me, but so much of this also came from myself. Love is certainly a powerful feeling.
I felt an illusory hand grab my own. Guiding me to a place that was critically important to the guide herself.
Is this about the Lumen Heart? I felt her embrace wash over me, a finger tracing over my heart as her gaze locked with my own.
It was about the heart, but I also felt like this was about us.
So I followed the feeling she gave me, the soft hand pulling me out of the city, and beckoning even further south.
My phone buzzed, and I picked up from the call from the director with ease as I continued my flight.
"Where the hell are you going?"
"Not exactly sure, but I'm going to the place Gaia wanted me to go earlier."
"Didn't I tell you to heal up first? Get your ass on the ground before some idiot tries to shoot at you."
I slowed my flight, but I didn't stop. Gaia wanted, no- needed this. I could feel her overwhelming desire, and I knew this wasn't just important to her. It was so far beyond that.
"Wherever she's having me go, it might be useful in dealing with a future threat we spoke about." If it was this important to Gaia, and signaled it involved me, then perhaps this was going to be critical in dealing with Omniman? Even if it wasn't, Gaia seemed to really want this.
I could feel her form getting slightly hot with excitement, but also a tinge of embarrassment. This wasn't just important, but also her feeling a bit shy? Odd.
Either way, how I could refuse my . . . Girlfriend? I didn't know what we were, but the term partner felt more right.
Sensing Gaia's emotions, she was embarrassed by my statement, but I was proud that I was doing this for her. I didn't really do that much for her, couldn't I at least do this- She slammed emotions of refusal into me, not enough to stop my flight, but enough to make me wince in confusion.
Love flooded me. Unconditional love. She did this because she wanted to, not because of our initial 'deal'. A deal I'd forgotten over the time of getting to know her. Clearing up pollution, stopping pointless wars . . . I guess I won't do it out of obligation either then. Though honestly, this whole time, I've wanted to do those two things anyways.
". . . Alright. We'll send out messages to let the local governments to avoid shooting you down on your flight path. If you get hurt, we'll do what we can. If you do end up getting into a mess, you better have this whole situation be worth it."
"Of course. Thank you Cecil."
The man let out a sigh on the other line, before leaving me with a final message and hanging up.
"Yeah. Just don't pull random crap like this when we might need you. Also if something happens, I'm teleporting you back."
"You can do that-" Hearing the beep he'd already turned off the line. Well, I'm sure it's not too far, so we can just fly there Gaia.
A Few Hours Later
I was still flying, and had gotten to Florida, the massive Gulf of Mexico blocking my advance.. Gaia's mana had made me more durable and faster, but she still wanted me to go farther?
It was night, and I'd prefer to avoid flying right now. Staring out at the water for a moment, I prepared to turn back and look for a hotel. Giving a small stretch I started to turn around before Gaia pulled my eyes back to the water with a small ping of mana.
The water was shifting and my eyes narrowed as a pair of two figures exited the seas.
The creatures were vaguely humanoid, with doglike heads and large turquoise eyes. Spines jutting from their backs as water dripped off their bodies. They wore dark blue robes, the only part of them that didn't seem to be wet as they slowly approached.
I started gathering mana in the palm of my hand, before Gaia sent a feeling to me she had sent when I'd initially met the GDA. A feeling of protection and alliance. A feeling of trust.
"Saludos- Erm. Greetings, Champion." The first figure was kicked in the leg before switching to English from what I think was Spanish? His rough voice choked slightly as the other one spoke up. Her voice softer, but still deep.
"Forgive my brother's impudence, Champion. We are here to guide you to a place of residence as the Oracle foretold."
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