Anna was taken aback. Even though she finally understood the cause of her disability...
'What do I do now?' she wondered, rubbing her temples.
A higher angel as the source of her misfortune could very well ruin all her chances of regaining sight. But it was still too soon to despair. And as long as there was a way, the young woman would not give up. She was, however, curious about one thing:
— You said they use my eyes... So, that means they see through them?
— Exactly, Kalypso replied. Angels have many reasons to steal human senses. It's common for them in the worlds they colonize.
Anna didn't like the word colonize much. A hostility towards angels was slowly building inside her. Did she want to make enemies of them? Not really. But were they not the ones making an enemy of her? A headache was rising when she thought of the future conflicts she might have with these angels.
— But why do they do that? she asked the goddess with exasperation.
— "There are many benefits. First, angels face restrictions when they descend. The more powerful an angel, the less time they can spend on the ground."
— Like gods,
The goddess nodded.
— The more powerful a sentient is, the more Aether they absorbs. And the more they is rejected by the Consciousnessof the world they inhabits. Every world obeys an unbreakable authority, even gods. That is why angels and all other mystical races use mortals to cross the Veil.
— The Veil?
— That's what we call the barrier between worlds. There are several ways to enter a world. Spirits prefer possession. Gods choose avatars, and demons specialize in summoning. To come down to Asura, gods trade with humans to make them avatars, but in less regulated places, these trades are imposed on mortals. In your case, you could say your eyes are already the avatar of another.
Anna massaged her eyes in frustration. She hated the fact her body no longer fully belonged to her. A deep disgust flooded her. Three years... someone had been using her eyes without her knowledge!
— And you really can't do anything? she asked with suspicion.
— Actually, the mark imposed on you is rather rudimentary. I could remove it, but...
Anna's face darkened.
— ... Who would I offend by doing so? Anna, once on Asura, you will have all the means to investigate the culprit. And once you identify them, if they are not one of the higher angels nor are they acting on their behalf, then I will gladly remove the mark.
Anna sighed with relief. At least the mysterious goddess showed willingness to solve her problem. Now, she wanted to know the value of this famous contract she had been talking about.
— And now, the mortal asked, to become your avatar, will the mark be a problem?
— My power is adequate for that kind of situation.
Anna perked up. She was curious to know what the entity before her could do. She was a goddess after all!
— Have you ever heard of Kalypso ? the gentle voice asked. Except in a movie, she joked.
Her laughter echoed through the InBetween.
Anna shook her head. If Jenna had been here, she could have told her everything she knew. Although in Greek mythology, Kalypso was not a goddess but a nymph.
Daughter of the Titan Atlas, she lived on the island of Ogygia, an isolated and magical place. In Homer's Odyssey, the hero Ulysses was held captive by her for seven years. Ancient texts didn't grant her any powers but mentioned her divine longevity and irresistible charm. Beyond that, unfortunately, even Jenna did not know.
— I am an Atlantean, a descendant of Atlas. Do you know Atlas?
Anna nodded vigorously. Who didn't know Atlas?
— He's the Titan with the globe!
— Yes. Although, contrary to popular belief, Atlas doesn't carry the world, but the celestial vault. In other words, he carries the Veil, the barrier separating worlds from one another. I am a descendant of Atlas. Atlanteans are a great lineage of horomancers.
— Horo…man…cers?
— Horomancers, horists… we have many names. We manipulate space and intervals. Or to be more precise, we delineate. We isolate. We control. We are those who know how to bind and restrict. We are spatiometrists, topologists, engineers, and architects. We create and maintain Worlds and Inbetweens... we study the laws that govern Space.
Anna was a little lost. That was a lot of new terms to learn.
— Horomancy is vast. It contains many disciplines. My expertise is Kleiology. That makes me a specialist in isolation. To sceal the influence of the mark will cause no difficulty. That said, don't imagine this camouflage is perfect. Once on Asura, everyone you meet will possess divine powers. Taking your own precautions regarding this must be one of your priorities.
Anna nodded.
— Now, let's talk about the power I'm going to grant you.
The goddess paused for a moment. She seemed hesitant in her approach.
— It seems obvious... but your blindness is the main problem here, she admitted. Gods normally grant a skill that will amplifly their avatar's strengths.
— In my case...
— With your physical predispositions and experience, you could have become a magnificent martialist, sighed the lady.
— Can you make me see? Not necessarily with my eyes, I just need to know where things are!
The young woman showed great determination in her request. Kalypso considered it.
— I might have a way, the goddess confided.
Anna could feel her move around her. She continued:
— Any sensitive who studies magic must learn to perceive Aether starting manipulating it. Perceiving It doesn't happen through the eyes; it's a sense in itself. There are two ways to gain this Vision. First one is to learn. It will take time, but you will eventually see. Moreover, you will have my power, a power that will leverage all your strengths and make you, believe me, far stronger than any other warrior. Your foundations are already so solid that you might become the most powerful fighter of your generation. However, will you have the time to get there? Who knows where you'll end up on Asura.
— We don't know?
— It's hard to predict in our case because my influence is now much weaker on Asura. I won't hide anything from you: I simply no longer have a Temple in this world. That is why your arrival... might not be as peaceful as I would hope for.
— And the second option?
— To grant you the Vision as my blessing. However, you can receive only one blessing from me for now. Which means if you choose this power, you won't be able to get another until your next advancement.
— My next advancement?
— Power grows just like the individual. Each advancement brings you closer to the divine. But these advancements can take years. That is why if you choose the first option, you will remain blind for a while before mastering the Vision. You will spend months perceiving nothing, then perhaps you will start developing your perception, but at first, only poorly. A period during which... you will be weakened, in a hostile world. A world where your handicap could kill you in seconds.
— So, I have no choice... I do need the Vision.
The goddess sighed.
— Unfortunately, you do.