Asteria

　　Today was the day of reckoning. Seraphiel, Elsa, and the others all insisted on being with me when I confronted the Eatuhean shamans. Never mind that they wouldn`t be able to see anything since they couldn`t perceive the events in the spiritual world. They just wanted to be present to lend me their moral support.

　　This wasn`t the sort of thing that should be done in a tranquil meditation room. I sat cross-legged on a mat at the lakeshore, with the others in a semicircle around me. As the rising sun painted the sky in rosy hues, I entered the spiritual plane.

　　Again, I was attacked, but this time I was ready for them. The Eatuheans, it seemed, considered themselves the sole guardian of the spiritual realm, and anyone who tried to enter it was regarded as an enemy who had infringed on their territory.

　　I was here to teach them the error of their ways.

　　An enormous mass of anima and intent tried to push me down back into my physical body, but I slammed them back with an even larger blast of anima.

　　Eatuheans:

　　Horror.

　　Shock.

　　The gathering of all the Eatuhean shamans who were busy powering up their shield spell was rocked by my blow, but I was just getting started.

　　Here, words were superfluous. Instead of talking the way people did in the physical realm, we spoke mind to mind, and I wanted to present my argument that this place should be a refuge where violence should be forbidden.

　　We communicated with each other in complex ideograms composed of music, symbols, scents, movement, and, most of all, emotions. The eight-dimensional ideogram I created slowly rotated in front of hundreds of Eatuhean magicians. It represented my concept of time, fate, and the higher realm.

　　Eatuheans:

　　Screams.

　　Their minds couldn`t comprehend what they saw and tried to shut down. Most of them tried to flee, but I cut off their retreat.

　　Like I said, they were pretty good for humans. Too bad for them that I was something more than human. They couldn`t even begin to refute my claim in the spiritual realm.

　　There was no need for subterfuge, nor could any of us lie mind to mind, so I laid it all down for them.

　　I informed them of my mission to rid the world of the Iah virus. I demanded that they cease attacking people who tried to enter the spiritual realm, regardless of whether or not they were Eatuhean.

　　The gestalt was recovering from the shock. The ones with the strongest minds rejected my demands, and their reply was blunt and to the point.

　　Eatuheans:

　　Who do you think you are?

　　嗇�

　　I was disappointed to know that they could only communicate in simple words and crude symbols, like baby talk here in the spiritual world.

　　Again, I showed them an ideogram. This one represented my place in this world.

　　Their reaction was intense.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it`s taken without the author`s consent. Report it.

　　Eatuheans:

　　More, even louder screams.

　　`*�(a>O

　　Despite the clear dominance of my argument, they remained stubborn. We went back and forth endlessly until I gave up and issued an ultimatum using their primitive symbols.

　　An angel:

　　(�榣)

　　�?5>�=�哌哌哌哌 @�(� / �, )

　　They expressed their disbelief.

　　Eatuheans:

　　Impossible.

　　�(�?�)

　　Truly, there were none so blind as those who refused to see. I chided them.

　　An angel:

　　It`s for your own good. You all know very well that your continent is doomed.

　　This time, the minds of the Eatuheans were divided.

　　Eatuheans:

　　True.

　　No.

　　It`s useless.

　　The oldest, most powerful minds among them were determined to fight to the end. I identified them as the leaders of the host. The ones who admitted that the last remnant of the continent was sinking despite their best efforts were the youngest of the Eatuheans.

　　I tried to reason with them.

　　An angel:

　　Why must you waste your energies on a futile gesture when you could do so much good in the world?

　　Leave this pitiful remnant of a once-glorious land to its fate.

　　Now the shamans were divided. Most of the younger ones wanted to stop spending all their time trying to bring back the glory of a former age of the Eatuhean Empire. They were sick of making war on the rest of the world and pouring all their energy into the shield to stabilize the last piece of the Eatuhean continent. Their elders, on the other hand, were convinced that they were, by right of birth, the true masters of Verden.

　　Honestly, I felt like I was doing them a favor by deciding for them. Enough was enough. I strengthened the shield around Eatuhea until nothing could pass through it without my permission and withdrew from the spiritual plane.

　　"Done." I opened my eyes and stood up. Seraphiel handed me my handbag from which I extracted three pieces of candy. I totally deserved it after the work I`d done

　　"So?" Elsa gave me an inquiring look.

　　"They`ve been warned. The continent is isolated now, but they`ll have plenty of time to prepare," I said as I stretched my stiff limbs.

　　"They won`t starve, right?" asked Uriel.

　　"They`re always at war with someone, so they have food and supplies stockpiled," said Elsa. "People have tried to starve them out many times, but they are self-sufficient."

　　"Hey, Uriel! Why don`t you save your pity for poor Asteria? You know, that little stunt they pulled could have killed me," I said. "Besides, they won`t relinquish their claim on the spiritual plane unless I force them to."

　　"But this seems a little&" said Uriel, looking troubled.

　　"Eatuhea is an anchor weighing them down. It will be better for them to find a new, better home," I said.

　　"Unless they decide to take over the world," said Seraphiel.

　　"Eh, not my problem. Besides, they were defeated every time. It`s only because they have the shield that they could survive," I said. "Once their retreat is cut off, they`ll be forced to make peace."

　　"I can`t believe they`re so foolish. They really refused to allow you and Elsa access to the spiritual plane? Talk about arrogance!" said Sariel.

　　"I`ll be glad when this is all over and I can start working on my actual mission," I said.

　　There was no reason to fret. I`d gotten the measure of the Eatuheans, and they were nothing to worry about. In fact, now that that was settled, it was time for me to reward myself with a fun date. I took out a folded magazine from my handbag and showed the others a certain article.

　　"Your real mission is this chocolate tour`? What is chocolate, anyway?" asked Seraphiel.

　　I poked him on the side with my elbow. "You know very well what my real mission is. This is just something I want to do. Chocolate is& Read the article."

　　In our world, I hadn`t been able to find anyone selling chocolate.

　　"You like this? I could do some research, and maybe find this cacao plant in our world," said Seraphiel.

　　"Would you? I would absolutely love that!" I said.

　　Never mind the destruction of a continent, securing a good supply of chocolate was more important!

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