Shepherd Tantra

Chapter 604 [Enchantment Card: Tree Demon·Moon Spirit]

"If possible," Anastasia's voice came without hesitation but became dull, "I want to...leave with you."

As she said this, she was still growing.

Her original image has been completely covered by trees - or in other words, her body has completely turned into wood.

Aiwass looked at her at this time, and could no longer see any trace of her being a young girl from the outline of the growing giant tree. Even her voice has become "mature", as if covered with a thick layer of leather, becoming duller and distorted than before.

Maybe it's because of trust, maybe because of goodwill.

Perhaps because of her desire for the world and her expectation for the unknown, she directly gave the answer without even asking what Aiwass was going to do.

Aiwass smiled slightly, picked out three tarot cards, and held them between the fingers of his right hand.

"——Fool. Ignorant and fearless, he respects the future, pursues his dreams, and moves forward freely. He knows that it is meaningless, but he still insists on his own way.

"——Queen. Carefree, leisurely, nourishing and gentle. Loves selflessly and likes to take care of others. She is also overly tolerant and lacks principles.

Aiwass said, choosing the first card without hesitation.

"Compared to maternal love and devotion," Aiwass said softly, "a child like you is more suitable for this card.

For an ordinary phantom like the tree demon, it is not enough to become a beast of great sin.

Looking at Anastasia, who had turned into a tree and was still growing into a towering tree at a speed visible to the naked eye, Aiwass smiled easily: "It seems that for you, everything should be Almost...right."

The card number is zero, yellow.

"……I also can."

But if it is just made into a follower card, there is still no problem.

Aiwass slightly staggered the three cards and showed them to Anastasia: "Which one do you like better? And which one do you think is more suitable for you?"

"——The hermit. Wants to light up the world, but is trapped in the same place. Willing to be lonely, take the initiative to retreat. Light up yourself and light up others. Aloof, low self-esteem, cold attitude, lack of passion."

Anastasia gave the answer: "Both of them look like me."

Aiwass does not lack such an ordinary card slot—let alone this material. Even if it is useless, it can at least prevent Anastasia from being bound by her own destiny.

——[The Fool].

Destined to become a phantom or something...

Hearing this, Anastasia hesitated for the first time.

I know that these options are of great significance, but I just can't distinguish the deviation in my heart.

"Just think of it as... my blessing to you. Be full of dreams and move forward bravely."

——What Aiwass hates most now is this kind of "fate".

"Then let me choose."

Just like when taking a psychological test, every option feels almost the same.

It's okay if you don't have the ability to change.

It means the beginning of life, and it also means the end of something in life.

But he just has the power.

So how could he turn a blind eye and let it go?
"Give me a piece of jade."

Aiwass ordered the ritual assistant Sherlock who was quietly staying in the corner.

Sherlock curled his lips, but still obediently opened the ritual bag and walked over: "Anything else you want? I can go find it."

"As the beginning of everything, this card does not require too complicated extraordinary materials. It only needs a female vulture feather, a pair of well-preserved butterfly wings, a naturally dried pine cone, and a traveler that has been used for at least twenty years. Bag, and... a bottle of mead."

"I'll get it immediately!"

Mrs. Grace came to her senses, and then said a hasty farewell.

Maxim was stunned for a moment, and then he came to his senses. He approached Aiwass and Sherlock and asked, "What else is missing?"

He did not ask Aiwass exactly what he was going to do or how he was going to do it.

"Everything is missing. All I have here are ritual materials. Female vulture feathers, pine cones, a traveler's bag—"

Sherlock replied: "I'll go buy it with you - is it still too late to go to the First Circle, Aiwass?"

"Need not."

Maxim immediately said: "I have almost all of them at home, except for vulture feathers - I will look for them right now."

"...I have feathers."

Suddenly, Yunus, who was silent on the side, spoke and took off the feather from his hat. His expression was a little complicated: "These should be the feathers of a female vulture."

——This is Yunus's most beloved hat. Because of this, he has kept it well.

Aiwass nodded: “Many poets use female vulture feathers.

"Because the Horus believed that vultures do not have males. They believed that female vultures were conceived by the wind... From this perspective, female vultures can be regarded as the 'wife of the wind', and chant Bards admire the freedom of the wind. They call themselves 'Children of the Wind', so they wear their mother's mark."

Awas said, reaching out and taking away Yunus' hat.

The corners of his mouth raised slightly: "This is the last thing he left for you - it should have special symbolic meaning to you, are you willing to part with it?"

"...If I can help and save others. I think this is the greatest meaning."

Yunus spoke.

"This is the only thing you said after I met you that sounded like a man."

Aiwass chuckled and commented in a low voice.

With that said, he took off the feather.

The wind-attributed mana provided by the "Essence of Enyo" gushes out from the index finger of Aiwass's right hand.

The light green magic power instantly shattered the feather and then poured into the piece of jade.

Immediately afterwards, the jade stone suddenly exploded——

Under Aiwass' precise control, the wind carried mana and debris, wrapping the [Fool] card layer by layer.

——Yes, although the tree demon looks quite calm and motionless. But it is actually a phantom with wind and light attributes.

And if you use a Fool card to make it, the only option is the wind attribute.

Maxim and Grace also came back soon with things.

Aiwass put the pine cones into the bag and then put the cards in it. Then he opened the mead and began to chant:
"I pray for the twin mirrors! The God whose number is two, the God who has no eyes and no self, the God who is pure and flawless——"

While Aiwass was chanting, he poured out the wine and poured his mana into it continuously.

The wine did not drip directly onto the bag.

Instead, it suddenly fainted in the air like it was dripping into the water. The golden honey fragrance spreads downwards, enveloping the bag like mist.

The bag began to shrink at a speed visible to the naked eye, and finally it was only a palm-sized ball covered with golden honey.

Aiwass placed the package under the growing Anastasia tree and watched quietly as she continued to grow and grow under the moonlight.

Before Anastasia completes her ascension, she is only a mortal and cannot be called a phantom. But the moment after she completely transformed into a tree, she had already become a phantom in the material world - not after entering the dream world. Because of this, it is possible for a phantom demon that fails to ascend smoothly to exist in the material world, and burning the tree trunk can ensure that she ascends smoothly.

Soon, Anastasia stopped moving.

And everyone was waiting here quietly.

The rest of the night flew by like water.

At Aivas's request, Yunus played soft and melodious music on his new harp.

And amidst this soft and almost cautious music, the sun rose.

Under the first ray of the morning sun, the big tree suddenly turned into a bright golden color - then it shattered like fireflies and poured into the bag.

When all the light dissipated, Aiwass stepped forward and opened the small package that had returned to its normal color.

Lying quietly inside was another Fool card with a completely different picture.

It was a man in green clothes with horns on his head. He didn't look very smart. The top of the curved crystal double snake staff is a pine cone, which is wrapped around his neck like a rope.

Aiwass waved his hand briefly, and the card flashed between light and dark, instantly moving into Aiwass's hand and revealing its attributes at the same time.

[Enchanting: Dryad·Moon Spirit (Fool)]

【Level: 40】

[The path of devotion, attribute wind]

[Required: Wind 3]

[Action, repeat, summon, effective immediately]

[Effect: Transform a tree into Dryad Anastasia. Dryads are considered summons. When the dryad is present, it will continue to heal all friendly forces within the range, and at the same time control plants to periodically control enemies within the range]

[Effect: Use again, when Dryad Anastasia is present, summon Moon Spirit Anastasia. The moon spirit is considered a summon and can exist for ten minutes. When the moon spirit is present, the effect of the dryad is changed to 'obtain a continuous protective barrier centered on the dryad'. The barrier is regarded as a force field, ritual, and shield, and is resistant to all types of damage except "divine", "fire", and "dirty evil"]

(End of this chapter)