Chapter 455: A Strange Element Part 3

Kana continued walking down the hall until the end, where a large metal door made of gold stood closed tight. She reached out and pushed it open to immediately have to close her eyes as she crossed over the threshold.  "Hmmm? Visitor? No, how can that be? Only the goddess of death or goddess of life can come into this room. Even if it were a god of life or god of death, they would not be able to get in. Hahaha! I have been alone for so long that I am going crazy…" A young girl with golden hair and golden eyes took one glance at Kana and decided that she was an illusion. She looked no more than twelve years of age. With a depressed look on her face, her little feet silently moved across the room towards a large bed. She sat down on the soft looking golden bed and curled up into a ball. "I'm so lonely…." 

"Ummm..." Kana spoke up. She felt sorry for the little girl. It seemed as if she had been waiting here a long time for someone to appear in front of her. "It's no illusion..."

"Look how crazy I am going! Even the illusion is talking to me…. Wait… Talking… Talking!?" The little girl shot up from the bed and, like a breath of wind, appeared in front of Kana and began poking her all over. "Solid!  Squishy! Real! Real… That means…. I just…. I'm sorry!" 

Kana chuckled and placed a hand on top of the head that was bowing to her. "It's fine, raise your head."

"Ah….Okay..." The little girl began to get nervous. She couldn't remember the last time someone spoke to her. She fiddled with her fingers as she tried to sneakily take glances at Kana. Every time her eyes met Kana's, she would quickly look away, and her cheeks would turn pink.

Kana felt this little girl reminded her of her babies. She knelt down and asked: "My name is Kana. May I know your name?"

"I…. I was told the one who found me would name me." The little girl replied, keeping her head lowered.

"Hmmm, then..." Kana thought for a moment before saying: "How does Aruya sound?"

"Aruya? Aruya… Aruya!" The little girl raised her head and smiled brightly. She giggled and started dancing around the room. "So many years have passed since that old man told me that the one who shows up here would give me a name and eventually take me away from this place. But now… Now I have a name!"

Kana smiled and watched as Aruya danced around the room. Kana realized this little girl gave off a comforting feeling. Her whole aura had a soothing feeling to it. 

After a while, Aruya calmed down and sat down on her bed, and patted the spot next to her for Kana to sit down. Kana nodded, walked over, and sat down. "You said someone told you that the person who showed up here would name you?"

"Mmm… When that old man with a dirty beard created me. He told me that my destiny was to assist the one who found me and bring about a new age for everyone. I am not sure what he meant by this, but it is he who tasked me to do just this." Aruya answered. She liked talking like this. It had been so long since she was able to speak to anyone. She thought she would be alone for all eternity.

Kana went silent for a moment, taking in everything Aruya said. She was unsure of exactly what Aruya was. She was not sure if she was a human or an elemental. All she knew was that she could not leave her alone. "Then Aruya, do you have anything you want to take with you? We should get going.  There is a huge world outside waiting for you to see." 

Aruya shook her head but pointed to a box across the room. "I have nothing to take with me, but there is something in the box that the old man told me to give to the one who finds me."

Kana looked at the box, then back at Aruya, who nodded her head. She got up and walked over to it. She picked it up and ran her hand over the box to feel its surface. It was gold in color and cold to the touch. She slowly undid the latch on the side and opened the lid. When she did, she saw a small female figure lying inside of it, sleeping soundly. She looked just like Aruya but only smaller. Her little chest raised and lowered as she took each breath. Now, normally, this would seem cute and make one smile, but right now, Kana was far from being able to smile. Her forehead was covered in beads of sweat due to the immense pressure the little figure was giving off. She turned to look at Aruya only to find that she had disappeared. 

"Mrguh…. I slept well... " A tiny voice filled Kana's ears as she turned her head to see the little figure sit up. "Kana… When do we leave? Oh right, the contract, one second…" 

The little figure stood up and waved her hand. A golden light suddenly engulfed both of them. Kana was sweating from head to toe as she felt a strong power beginning to make its way through her body.  She had no time to react before the little figure began the contract process. "Hmmm?" The little figure felt something was wrong and looked at Kana. "It seems your body is not strong enough yet. For now, I will only instill a small portion of my power into you. As you grow stronger, you will gradually receive more of it. But for now, this will do. The power of a true god is not something a mortal can grasp easily." 

The light dimmed and the pressure Kana was feeling finally subsided. She now felt a great power surging within her. She felt confused and looked at the little figure for answers. The little figure smiled and said: "The form from before was my test to see if you were pure of heart. Whether you were the goddess of death or the goddess of life it did not matter. What mattered was how you were as a person."