While they were talking, Alea was sitting on her bed, closing her eyes.
She soon arrived on top of a cliff, surrounded by forest. There was only one direction to face and she found a beautiful sunset if she stood at the end of a cliff.
However, there was a man standing on the edge as if he had been waiting for her.
The man was six-foot-tall. He had long blonde hair like her that was tied on the back. He wore a sleeveless white robe, revealing his muscular arms.
He was facing the sunset as if overwatching the valley below him.
She carefully walked closer and found a magnificent city in the valley below them.
It was at this time the man turned around, revealing his handsome face and blazing red eyes. However, the man made a smile filled with energy. Just looking at the smile could make one energized.
"You have finally e."
"Yes." Alea nodded and greeted him. "It's been a while, Sir Heracles."
"Indeed. I almost couldn't recognize you." God of Fortitude, Heracles, smiled. "I guess this is what you want to achieve…"
Alea's body shook as she immediately corrected herself. She immediately walked to him and raised her hand.
Heracles smiled and shook her hand like a brother.
This time, the greeting came with so much energy as Alea smiled, "It's been a while, Sir Heracles."
"Oh! It's been a while, Alea." Heracles smirked. "I guess you have understood why I call you here."
"Yes. I have made a big blunder." Alea nodded.
"Well, I guess she has told you most of the things I want to say." Heracles chuckled and turned around. "There are only two things I want to add."
"There are not many who will talk about this, but the previous guy who received my blessing was a unique man." Heracles fell silent for a moment and looked at the sunset. "He was a good guy deep down there, but his perspective was different. What do you think Fortitude is?"
"Courage in pain or adversity," Alea answered without hesitation.
"Yes. That was what I thought too until that man came." Heracles looked down and said, "Do you know what that guy said when I asked him this question?"
Alea shook her head.
"He told me that Fortitude is the ability to be shameless." Heracles chuckled. "When I first heard that, I laughed. However, I couldn't refute his explanation.
"When he stood up for bullying, he told me he was shameless enough to express his dissatisfaction. After all, he might be scrutinized for such a thing. And that was why he called himself shameless.
"He didn't listen to others' advice and kept doing whatever he wanted, thinking he was the justice. Of course, he didn't do anything that would actually make me angry. He was a good man.
"He said, 'You call this courage, but for me, I'm someone without shame, so I don't need to think about others' opinions.' When I heard that, I was stunned.
"He then gave me another example when he tried to protect someone from people stronger than him. He didn't have the power to oppose them, but he was shameless enough to think he had the ability to fight them.
"I called that courage, but he called it shameless. We never saw eye to eye ever since we argued like that. However, we knew that we were right. We had our own path and we both thought our way was correct.
"For him, he was shameless enough to refute me, thinking that he was in the right. For me, he was courageous enough to utter his own opinion.
"Hence, I believe Fortitude is still courage… the courage to forge your own path, the courage to have your own opinion, the courage to do anything you want. In other words, It's Freedom." Heracles smiled, recalling the scene with him.
"Freedom," Alea muttered in a low voice before looking down, contemplating his words.
"You are free to cry if you're sad because you're brave enough to not care about others telling you that you're a crybaby if you shed tears. You're free to laugh at a foolish but strong man just because you're shameless enough to look down on him. That's what I want to say. Freedom." Heracles looked at Alea with a smile.
Alea clenched her fists and realized that she had lost her own courage. "What have I done… I succumbed to my fear because I didn't want him to look at me badly. I forgot that I—!"
Before she continued her outburst, Heracles smiled and patted her head. "It's fine, child. It's fine to lose yourself. However, I believe that you have the courage to admit your mistake and face it. My role is just to facilitate you to achieve that."
"I…" Alea closed her eyes and bit her lips.
"As for the second thing that I want to say… Well, I think you already know it. I want you to show me what Fortitude is. This time, it's not the answer from me, that guy or anyone else in the world. I want an answer that is unique only to you.
"You may e at the same answer as mine, you may not. However, don't be afraid and express it in your daily life. That, too, is a courageous act."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Alea kept apologizing after she realized how deep her mistake was.
"I'm not the one who needs that apology. You should tell the one who needs it the most." Heracles smiled and patted her head.
Alea's expression melted. After a moment, it turned serious as she took a step back as she looked Heracles in the eyes. "Yes, Sir. I know."
"That's good. Show me your answer, child. I will be watching over you." Heracles smiled and patted her head as Alea's consciousness returned to her body.
Alea gradually opened her eyes as she seemed to have gained enlightenment on what she should do from now on.
And as he said earlier, he facilitated her to do whatever she wanted as the notification appeared.
[God of Fortitude blesses you with its power.]
Skill: Heart of Fortitude (A)
Effect: Enhancing the will and courage in your heart to release the last strength hidden in your body… Increasing your performance by at least twenty percent for five minutes.
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