Yo. The Library of Van Shi Tong.
Another morning in the abode of knowledge was supposed to begin with the usual cuddles with Dria, who needs far less sleep than I do. As a result, I often wake up to her pretty face gazing at , just as charming as ever.
The strangeness began the mont I opened my eyes. Glancing at the ceiling, I didn't see the familiar sight in my peripheral vision. I felt around the right side of the bed but couldn't find my beloved's body. Only when I sat up slightly did I notice sothing near the bed—a large, closed, green bud.
- "Maybe Dria created sothing new..." I thought, brushing it off as one of her spirit antics. I was ready to linger in bed a little longer. Rolling onto my other side, I saw Van Shi Tong perched on the ceiling.
- Good morning, Yuki, he greeted calmly.
- Morning, I replied automatically, staring at him with growing confusion. - Are you trying to mimic bats now? I wanted to ask, "What are you even doing here?" but held back. After all, it's his library, and I'm the guest. I decided not to ruin my mood at the start of a new day.
- No, I'm studying Dria's creation, he nodded toward the bud. - It seems new life is forming inside... He trailed off thoughtfully. - For precise results, I need another nature spirit.
- Huh? I blinked. - You an... pregnancy?! I practically leaped out of bed, my gaze shifting between Van Shi Tong and the unopened flower.
- Exactly, he finally swooped down. - The first-ever process of a new sentient being born from the union of a human and a spirit! He sounded almost excited.
- I'm going to be a father? I said, overwheld with mixed emotions. I was happy, but I couldn't shake the thought of the imnse responsibility. Was I even ready for this? Wait, what am I thinking about?! There are far more pressing concerns!
- Is she okay? I whispered, afraid loud noises might harm Dria or our future child.
- Seems stable, he replied uncertainly. - I can't guarantee my writings won't affect them, he spread his wings. - So I've been relying solely on my instincts.
- "She slls like Dria..." I leaned close to the bud's large green leaves, its outer shell. Pressing my ear against it, I heard nothing. Calm down, Yo. She's not human, so she doesn't have a heartbeat.
- Gaia might know sothing about this! She's far more experienced than Dria. Her help would be invaluable.
- I've already sent my assistant to fetch her. They'll be here soon. Don't panic. Listen to your heart, hear what your intuition whispers, Van Shi Tong said soothingly.
- "Right! I completely forgot!" I took a deep breath, trying to "hear" my inner voice. Nothing. But that's exactly what I wanted! It ant there was likely no danger. - I think everything's fine.
- You're not even curious how this happened? he suddenly asked. He's unusually talkative today... Or is he trying to distract from unnecessary thoughts? If so, I admit I still don't fully understand his character. Pleasantly surprised.
- Any guesses? I was genuinely curious. There's a safeguard against premature... well, you know. And my partner is a spirit. Books clearly state they don't bear children like humans do.
- It's quite simple. All your bodily fluids contain traces of your energy. During intimacy, there's an active exchange of energies between you. Sotis, a highly concentrated cluster of your energy entered her body, and over ti, it accumulated and began forming new life, he explained beautifully.
- Hmm, as far as I know, that's one way spirits are born, right? I'd read about it in Van Shi Tong's own book. - Two spirits attracted to each other can create a new spirit through energy exchange, though the process can take years, especially if they're not of the sa elent. That's why most spirits belong to the primary quartet.
Another way new spirits erge is through natural formation in energy-rich places. Like the location I visited during the solstice. There, nurous volcanoes birthed identical fire golems. There was another source of new spirits, but I didn't fully grasp the principle...
- What happens to the energy left behind after conquerors die? That's what those records ntioned.
- Good question. Most of it tries to enter the Spirit Realm, while the rest scatters across the human world. That's the main reason for the diminishing energy saturation in the human realm. Conquerors absorb energy throughout their lives, and upon death, it should return to the human world. But the first Avatar and Raava split the world in two, creating a strange barrier that pulls this energy to the other side.
- So, in a balanced world, powerful monsters and conquerors as strong as ancient spirits should roam our lands? Honestly, that's hard to believe.
- That's how it was, he nodded. - Millennia ago, almost every human was gifted. I've watched people lose their abilities... But is that so bad? he asked, then answered himself. - After all, you wouldn't have invented so many complex chanisms and innovations. Hmm, in a way, I'm even glad...
- "But if things were different, we could've gathered and kicked the asses of any disagreeable spirits!" a thought flashed through my mind.
- They're here, he turned toward the door. In that instant, Gaia burst into the room, with a fox's head peeking behind her. With quick hoof beats, the nature spirit approached Dria, as if listening to sothing. Her worried expression gradually softened into a more relaxed one.
- She's fine, Gaia didn't keep us waiting. - As I suspected, Dria will soon beco a mother, she said. Was it my imagination, or did she sound envious?
- Were there signs? I asked, focusing on her words.
- Yes, during our last eting, I began hearing a dual heartbeat from Dria, she replied, then belatedly greeted everyone.
- I sense traces of dark energy, Van Shi Tong suddenly said. - Is that why you're late? he turned to his assistant.
- Dark spirits attacked the forest just before we left, the fox confird. Only now did I notice a familiar "scent," similar to what I'd slled from the Fire Sages.
- I'm afraid this isn't their last attack, Gaia sighed. - The "cursed" lands have reached our ho. There'll only be more of them...
It's worth noting that spirits infected with Vaatu's energy beco carriers of this "disease." In places they inhabit for long periods, the land itself begins to warp, aligning with their energy. No light spirit can be born there... It's similar to what I saw in Warcraft, where the Scourge defiled the land.
The news isn't good. Dark spirits only grow in number over the years. Plus, they constantly fight among themselves, gaining experience and allowing even stronger spirits to enter the realm.
- Gaia, I ask that you stay with Dria for now, I said seriously, looking her in the eyes. It's better to have another nature spirit by her side!
- I was planning to stay anyway, she shook her head, flashing a beautiful smile.
For the first few days, I barely left Dria's side. I frequently asked Gaia about her condition, which annoyed her greatly... I forgot that ti flows differently for spirits. From her perspective, it probably seed like I was checking in every second.
My excessive attentiveness soon waned. I realized everything seed fine, and my behavior was only bothering others. No one could give exact tilines. So, I decided to occupy my mind with sothing else.
The Fire Nation had already begun forgetting about my adventures with Dria. It was ti to revisit the islands. Without my nymph's abilities, it would be slightly more challenging.
Just before sleep, a thought occurred to ... Why not try "plant magic" myself? I'd attempted it before, but when was that? Maybe now I could actually achieve sothing!
That night, I didn't go to bed. Instead, I began experinting with plant magic. I tried mixing water and earth energy in various proportions... and ended up with only mud. Or sotis, murky, dirty water.
After exhausting all two-elent combinations, I added life energy. In the end, not even mud appeared! It felt like I'd taken several steps backward. But my intuition said otherwise.
Gaia's advice wasn't helping. Their magic operates on entirely different principles. Their source already generates pure nature energy, devoid of earth, water, or life energy. I had to rely on trial and error.
After countless attempts, I finally saw progress. As often happens, it occurred spontaneously and unplanned. Gaia felt uncomfortable among a pile of rocks without a single plant. So, she asked to find seeds from this world's plants, as hers wouldn't survive here—the energy was too weak.
After buying what was needed, I didn't even notice the new pots that appeared in my new room. Most likely, Gaia decided to "greenify" this room too. The old room was always occupied by Gaia, who watched over Dria's situation. Over ti, I saw that the pots had beco too small for the plants—they'd grown significantly. I would've forgotten about it if not for a conversation...
- I didn't expect them to sprout, Gaia entered my room, imdiately noticing the plants. She gets bored too, so we often chat or play gas.
- What's wrong with them? They look like normal plants.
- Two weeks ago, I asked you to put so extra soil and dead seeds sowhere, she said. I don't rember that, I scratched my head. - It seems those days you were busy creating so kind of mud, she added. Now I recall—I was probably lost in thought, as usual. - You never ca to collect them, oops. - So I moved them to your room.
Gaia is very particular about soil and any plants, even dead ones. She couldn't bring herself to throw them into the desert sands.
- Why dead? Look how healthy they are, with such vibrant green color. - Can't you restore their life? That's strange, for a nature spirit.
- My energy is... how to say... probably too intense for them, she placed a finger on her lips. Okay, stop! Yo, at this rate, you'll start fantasizing about her too! - I didn't want to tornt them. My energy would've torn them apart, she explained. - You and Dria have very different views on nature. Mine could easily destroy dozens of plants of the sa species just to absorb so of their traits...
- Then I'm completely confused. Why did they grow? My thoughts were trying to catch up, but I was always faster!
- This room has a strange life energy... Gaia said thoughtfully. - It's heavy and... hmm, human? She turned toward , sniffing the air like Dria. - This energy cos from you. It slls nice, she murmured softly, averting her gaze.
- "I'm not slow, I'm just a slow starter!" I repeated to myself as my brain processed Gaia's words. - Do you have any more seeds?
- Yes, she handed a seed. - Just be gentle—it doesn't like being squeezed too tightly.
- ... Okay...
Taking so soil from the pot, I placed the seed inside. Now, thirty percent water energy, add the sa amount of earth energy. Then forty percent life energy, mix well, and channel it through my hands.
- "Sothing's happening!" After a minute, a small sprout appeared. Normally, plants don't grow this quickly. So, now I'm Hashirama Senju!
- Congratulations! Gaia clapped, having watched the process intently.
- Thank you! I hugged her. - Without you, I'd still be clueless!
- You're welco, she blushed, her tail swishing like a propeller.
I still need to understand the limits of this new elent, but it's clear I can't create sothing from nothing. I need either seeds or an existing plant.
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