“Seriously, this spirit festival looks like nothing more than an excuse to get drunk,” Gash muttered.
“Like what?”
“Well, it turns out the actual spirits haven’t even seen a festival before.”
“W-wait, just because I haven’t doesn’t mean the fire and wind spirits might have!”
”…Really?”
“Yeah! …Though I’ve never actually seen one.”
”…How can you be so sure?”
In Helicon, a town nestled between lakes to the south and deserts to the north, the half-elf water spirit Heili Water (alias) and Gash Zapper, a tailless lizardman axe warrior, arrived as the year drew to a close. They’d heard rumors of many lizardmen visiting lately.
The town was adorned with fake conifers (handmade since they’re scarce in the desert south) and red decorations—green and red, the colors of the Winter Spirit Festival.
Well, “winter” was relative; snow rarely fell in the southern desert, so it wasn’t quite the winter festival Trott people imagined. It was more like autumn in the north—a town with mild coolness where all-night revelry unfolded.
Ceres traders were known for spending freely what they’d earned by the sweat of their brow, a virtue among them. Economic stagnation was a close-up evil; a merchant’s worth was proven by lavish spending during festivals.
True to that creed, Helicon’s merchants had planned the biggest banquet in the town’s history.
“How does a backwater town like this have so much money?”
“If there are tons of lizardmen coming, they must be making a killing.”
“Yeah… but that rumor about a dragon showing up? Sounds fishy to me.”
Gash was a lizardman who revered dragons, yet he’d never met one. He didn’t want to dampen his kin’s spirits, but dragons could perfectly mimic humans—was everyone being fooled?
As a former soldier, Gash knew the power of illusion magic from military mage demonstrations. If they tried hard enough, even skilled foxkin or elf-blooded mages could pull it off.
“Well, whatever. If things are this lively, the Spirit Festival’s gotta be something.”
“Yeah! I’m excited.”
Heili leaned against Gash, resting her head on his shoulder.
Though not short for a lizardman, Gash’s forward-leaning posture kept his height manageable. Heili, slightly petite, could lean on him without looking odd—a small but pleasant detail for the two of them.
Then came the day of the Spirit Festival.
As evening fell, the town’s festive mood reached its peak.
“Gash, what’s that!? What is that!”
“Looks like fireworks. The Capital University student caravan does them sometimes… but in a place like this?”
“Amazing! Even without fire or light spirits, they can do that!”
”…Can fire and light spirits even do that?”
”…I don’t know, but I bet I could put on a show with water that’s just as impressive.”
“Now you’re talking. Let’s do a sideshow somewhere and make some cash.”
“W-wait, no way! People’ll find out!”
“Joking, man.”
In the sky, magical light paintings appeared every few minutes, while street stalls popped up everywhere.
Someone would buy a keg of ale, shout, “It’s on me, everyone drink!” and pour for the crowd—sparking friendly competition among groups.
Elven ogres, fueled by excitement, started a sumo tournament, with dark elves, humans, and lizardman merchants getting tossed around for laughs. But some took it surprisingly seriously, prompting cheers: “Whoa, is that Ace Knight from the north?”
It was a truly Celesta-esque, chaotic and energetic festival.
“Go get ‘em, Gash!"
"Just watch this.”
Gash decided to join the sumo tournament too. His opponent? A middle-aged Ogre.
He’d been drinking and felt pretty good about it, but facing a race of pure brute strength sobered him up a bit. Did I mess up? he thought silently.
“Hey, tailless lizard, can you even take a fall? You better think about how to land, or it’s gonna hurt."
"Hah, an Ogre, sure, but still just an old man. That stance of yours is killing your back, ain’t it?"
"W-why’d you have to say that…? Well, I still won’t be flipped by a scrub like you."
"Is that so? Don’t underestimate a lizard’s strength.”
By the way, Ogres tend to get knee or hip problems as they age due to their massive size. It wasn’t that Gash had any special insight—it was just a bluff.
But Lizardmen have such different expressions than humans or Ogres, making this kind of banter surprisingly effective.
“Alright, C-Stage Match 27… Begin!"
"WOOOOOOOOH!!"
"SHIIIIIIIIII!”
Gash grappled with the middle-aged Ogre, determined to show Heili he still had it.
But the Ogre, perhaps concerned about his creaky back as pointed out, didn’t brace himself properly against Gash’s charge—just waved his arms weakly in front of him. Wide open.
This is doable, Gash thought, powering forward even harder… but the middle-aged Ogre casually sidestepped him.
”!?”
The original two-fold size difference alone made grappling a struggle.
With those long, massive Ogre arms, he could easily prevent other races from even grabbing him in the first place.
So they’d rush in desperately to avoid being blocked.
If that momentum was deflected… well, there was no way their stance wouldn’t collapse.
“Nice hustle, though! Come back when you’ve got a tail!”
With a thump, Gash was shoved backward and tumbled out of the ring.
The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.
“C-crap!"
"Easy now, it’s a festival, don’t get so serious, Tailless."
"That was a pretty good dash, Tailless!”
The surrounding spectators tried to console the frustrated Gash. Heili even ran over, laughing and patting his head.
“Ogres are strong, huh? Gash should get an effort award."
"Damn it, I’m a warrior too, you know!"
"Yeah, yeah, we know you’re strong, Gash."
"I-I’m so jealous of your beautiful girlfriend, Lizardy."
"Sumo’s nothing compared to how well your wife measures up, Tailless. That Ogre’s wife is amazing, you know?"
"Don’t badmouth my wife! She’s got ears like a bat!”
The laughter never stopped. Gash endured the humiliation, lolling his tongue out, but only another lizardman could tell if that was a face of shame or not.
The commotion continued until past midnight. When the bell rang to announce it, people suddenly stopped their revelry, closed up shop, and began heading home.
”Huh? Gash, what’s with everyone?"
"Ah… from midnight onward is the second half of the Spirit Festival."
"The second half…?"
"Yeah.”
Pfft, Gash exhaled a slightly boozy breath as he ruffled Heili’s hair.
”The spirits enjoyed the festivities until midnight. From here on out, it’s time for the spirits’ blessing… or so they say."
"?!"
"Now until tomorrow morning is the time of the spirits’ benevolent protection, having been satisfied by tonight’s revelry. They’ll watch over families and lovers as they nurture their love, or so the story goes."
"Ehh?"
"Well, from your perspective, it probably feels like you were just letting everyone party like crazy, then suddenly getting billed for it—probably not that fun, huh? But hey, that’s how it is. Everyone wants to get all lovey-dovey, you know?"
"…I see. So everyone’s pretty crafty, or well-organized, I guess."
"…So, Heili. How about we nurture some love of our own?”
Gash murmured with his boozy breath. Normally, they didn’t use words like “love”—they’d just exploit each other’s lewdness and gradually end up together—but even if it was just for show, even if it was based on atmosphere alone, Heili blushed at Gash muttering about love.
”W-what are you saying…"
"So, you don’t want to?”
Gash sipped his drink from the wooden cup with a slightly disappointed look. If he finished this, the open-air bar would have to pack up and leave.
”No one said anything like that."
"You’re such a complicated one."
"…Listen, you seem to have forgotten, but I’m a spirit, okay?"
"Ah… right."
"…I’m supposed to be the nurturing one, not—"
"…Huh?"
"That’s why—”
Heili pressed her lips to Gash’s hard-of-hearing ear and whispered.
”…If it’s that kind of day, I guess I’ll have to nurture you."
"You’re putting on a weird act.”
Gash’s wide split lips and Heili’s small lips either touched or didn’t—just as the earth-shattering roar and scream erupted.
”!?”
Both looked up at the sky and around them simultaneously.
”GASH!”
Heeley pointed. To the north, the sky was clouded over.
“What’s that?"
"A sandstorm… maybe."
"No, even for that… and those screams…”
The sound of something heavy striking the ground. An explosive boom.
“Something’s not right,” Gash thought. His warrior’s instinct told him—trouble.
Trouble a warrior should face. The instinct prickled at his joints, blood rushing through his veins with sudden urgency.
“Heeley, let’s go!"
"Gash!?”
Gash sprinted forward. He still carried the family heirloom Twin Tomahawks.
Unfastening the chains and leather bindings that secured the cursed weapons, Gash toyed with the axes in both hands. His body still remembered the feeling of merging with his weapons.
“That’s… bad!”
His speed escalated rapidly, becoming bestial. Lizardmen warriors were naturally strong to begin with.
On the outskirts of town, people were being attacked by a monster.
A giant snake… no.
“A Sandworm!? And a huge one at that!!”
It was a sandworm—a colossal annelid unique to deserts. Even an average specimen measured five meters long and several tens of centimeters thick, a troublesome creature that was also omnivorous—eating scorpions, snakes, cacti, and sometimes even monsters.
This one was a particularly large individual, over a meter thick, attacking the townsfolk.
“Help! Help meee!!"
"Damn it!! If only Lady Lila were here—"
"Go wake up those Ogre lodgers!! Go to the gendarmerie and call anyone you can!!"
"How are the gendarmes supposed to handle this?!"
"Better than nothing!! At worst, they can direct an evacuation… Ahh—hiieee!!”
And it wasn’t just one. Beyond the palm grove, a grotesque, lumbering mass was visible.
“Tch… I envy those who can see in the dark.”
Gash muttered as he ran at full speed, swinging his twin tomahawks down at the sandworm that had latched onto a townsman.
“Y-you saved me!!"
"Get out of here quick!"
"I…I can’t just leave you—”
The townsman’s leg was broken. Sandworms didn’t have teeth, but their suction power could crush and distort flesh like putty.
Heeley caught up to the injured man, hovering her hands over his broken leg.
A sickening crack-crack echoed from the limb, and the townsman’s face twisted in pain—but in the next instant, his leg had returned to its original form.
“Wh—!?”
“Go! You can run!"
"Yeah, yeah!”
The townspeople flee in a panic.
”Heili, you get out of here too!”
Gash lands blow after blow on the writhing Sandworm, but it doesn’t seem to be doing much—probably because of its tough outer shell. He’s starting to get frustrated.
”I keep telling you, my main body is that water you’re carrying, so running away with just this body is pointless!”
“Tch.”
Gash glances at the silver water bottle strapped to his waist. It was an expensive purchase, but it contains water mixed with Heili’s “main body”—the core element (which Gash doesn’t fully understand yet, but thinks of as something like a soul).
That’s the axis of Heili’s existence—the girl-shaped Heili herself can materialize and even if she’s torn apart, she can revive without issue as long as that core element is intact… or so it goes.
Though he’s too scared to try anything that dangerous yet.
”Fine, but you better be useful!”
Gash shouts, and Heili yells back, “Of course I will!"
"I’m talking about how useful you are for beating these guys up! If you want to be all loving, do it over there!”
He swings his axe at the Sandworm, which is thrashing toward Heili. A normal creature’s head would’ve been flying off with that hit.
But the Sandworm doesn’t even flinch.
”Damn it—if I still had my tail—”
Gash grits his teeth. If his tail were still intact, that full-force sideways swipe could’ve been a killing blow. The pure power of his entire body converted into impact—unlike a slashing attack, there’s no way to dodge it.
But now, Gash’s tail is just a stump, severed about fifty centimeters from his butt. Useless.
“Water Spirit, don’t you dare underestimate me!”
Heili thrusts her hands forward behind Gash, launching a spear of water.
The pointed water strike hits the Sandworm right in the mouth, making it recoil.
”It’s working!"
"It’s not working at all!"
"It’s working more than Gash’s!"
"But it doesn’t look like it can kill it!!”
While bickering, they both struggle to keep the Sandworm away from each other, resulting in surprisingly good teamwork.
”Damn it—something that can just be crushed with raw power… where are those Ogre guys already?!”
Gash curses. But it seems the Sandworms aren’t just here—the sound of screams and explosions is echoing from all directions now, and there’s still no sign of reinforcements for Gash and Heili.
”Damn it… if only General Vincent was here…"
"Who’s that?"
"Why are you getting mad at me?!"
"The spirits are on our side! What’s your problem?"
"You can save the jealousy for after we beat these guys, you idiot!”
Gash, once again, reminisced about the last reinforcements he’d had as a soldier. Hoping for an Overnight in a pinch might be asking too much, but he missed that haphazard attack ability of hers.
“Damn it… maybe I should just swallow a tomahawk, all or nothing."
"You’d get swallowed whole."
"Yeah, true.”
The sandworm’s mouth, over a meter in diameter, could easily swallow a tomahawk without breaking a sweat. Even if they were connected by silk chains, retrieving them once swallowed would be no easy task.
“Hey, Water Spirit, don’t you have some ultimate technique?"
"Nope! What do you even expect from water?!"
"…Got anything that’ll just mess up my stomach?"
"Okay, I got one! Next time we get it on, I’m definitely poisoning you. Something that’ll keep you stuck in the bathroom all day."
"Alright, I’m done with you."
"Sorry, I was kidding, don’t say stuff like that!"
"You’re so weak!!”
While they kept bashing the sandworm’s head relentlessly, the couple continued their flirty banter. Anyone watching would probably burst out laughing, thinking, Ah, it is indeed the Night of the Spirit Festival.
Nope.
“Hahahaha! You two are really close!”
They were actually being laughed at.
Who!?
Gash and Heili turned around in shock.
There stood a woman with tanned skin and silver hair, exuding an almost androgynous aura.
“Yeah, we are.”
The woman continued to giggle as she pointed at the sandworm.
Just as Gash and Heili reflexively tried to attack the incoming monster…
“Hint. …No fireworks user has visited this town today."
"Huh?"
"Hint number two.”
The woman flicked her wrist, dismissing the sandworm with a wave of her hand.
The next instant, the sandworm was sliced cleanly in half—chun!
”!?”
Gash and Heili stared in disbelief.
The woman leisurely passed them by and spread her arms toward the remaining sandworms.
“Hint number three. Tonight, I have a duty to cherish lovers like you two.”
Then, with a graceful half-turn, she faced away from the sandworms and back toward Gash and Heili.
A dazzling light bloomed across her back like an expanding aura.
It burst forth like giant fireflies, swarming over the sandworms—onto their backs, their heads, their mouths.
Light danced like the fireworks I’d seen that evening, shattering the Sandworms to pieces.
“Nice to meet you, lovers—the Lizard Warrior and the Water Spirit.”
A deafening roar, sandstorm, and the Sandworms’ green ichor erupting into the air.
“My name is Bright Light. A mere spark of the Light Spirit.”
Unblemished by any of it, she smiled—a Dark Elf through and through.
(To be continued)