[Edanian Journey] Aphrodon

Chapter 5: Winter Without End

Agris told me of the ages she had lived through.

When she was first born into this land, all living things struggled simply to survive. Agris blessed the earth with abundance, and happiness blossomed across the land as though it might last forever.

But then the Dark Invaders returned and swallowed the world. On the brink of despair, the first <b>Edana</b> appeared, restored order, and brought civilization back to life. Yet after the king disappeared, the Edanas revealed the desires they had kept hidden.

Civilization once again headed toward ruin.

Even then, life stubbornly survived and began to sprout anew. But this time, something far beyond even the Dark Invaders was approaching the world: a <b>primordial darkness</b>.

Agris watched <b>Caphras</b>, Sylvia's most beloved son, rise against that darkness. Yet in the end, Caphras sided with it. Agris said she could not simply call it betrayal, for both Sylvia of light and Hadum of darkness were mothers to him.

"So that one day, spring may finally return to this world that I hold so dear."

Agris had fled here to hide the seeds of abundance once more at the edge of destruction. But when Cron Castle fell, that hope crumbled with it. Many had since promised her hope in exchange for her blessing, but none had kept their word.

I told her that life would endure, but Agris had heard such reassurances far too many times before.

Then Illezra pointed to me.

"Agris. The <b>King of Edana</b> is the spring you have waited for. Now that spring has come, shouldn't you sow the seeds?"

Agris remained silent for a long while. She said she had thought her harvestless autumn would last forever, only to realize that winter had already come and was now nearing its end.

At last, she tried to pour her fever into the <b>Heart of Atomagia</b>. But just as the golden energy reached toward the heart, an unseen black force struck and corrupted it.

In an instant, the golden energy twisted into the <b>Dagger of Darkness</b>. Agris believed the Black Spirit was responsible.

"I knew it...! You Dark Invader...! Of course... you take from me until the very end!"

The Black Spirit shouted that it had done nothing, but the darkness pierced Agris. Consumed by the black energy, she turned her fury on me.

"Mortals turn to divinity when all is lost. Then whom should a goddess seek when she has lost all?"

I had no choice but to bring Agris down.

But this was not a battle to kill a god. It was a fight to reclaim the spring that still remained for her after so many years consumed by despair.