The woman was too stunned to speak.
Damn she is tall as fuck. Or I'm just short as fuck?
She looked like Wonder Woman with her archaic armour, olive skin and the physique of a Greek goddess. She was beautiful, even though he could only see half her face as she was still wearing her helmet with the blue plumes sticking out of the top. Why was everyone else so beautiful as well? Couldn't he be the only one? Hermes thought with a pang of jealousy.
A few awkward seconds of silence passed before Hermes broke it by clearing his throat.
"Ahem… Hello beautiful lady. I'm Hermes… Hermes Trismegistus. May I ask your name?"
"Why… are you… naked?" Effie asked, looking up and down all over his body.
Hermes suddenly remembered that he was butt naked. Being naked for half a week had made him very comfortable in his own skin. So much so that he didn't even feel embarrassed when he was questioned about it.
"Oh, that's because I don't have anything to wear. Sorry about that hahaha…" Hermes replied casually as if that was a normal Tuesday for him.
"… I see. You're a weird one, aren't you, Trissy? I'm Athena, though I go by Effie so just call me that will ya? I did get a memory from killing this beast and it happens to be an armour type. Lady Luck seems to favour you quite a lot. I'll give you the memory but the soul shard is mine, and the body as well of course." Effie said as she walked towards Hermes, taking off her helmet.
"Hahaha… that's fine by me. And of course she does, after all it would truly be a loss if someone as beautiful as me were to die." Hermes laughed awkwardly, then preened with arrogance and pride. After all it was true. He was very beautiful indeed.
Effie placed a hand on his shoulder and Hermes felt something enter his Soul Sea.
"Thanks Effie. I've been naked for so long it feels weird actually not being naked." Hermes said, visibly relieved. He summoned the memory. It was a blue leather armour that felt like it was made from crocodile skin. It also had a tuft of black fur on his chest. Maybe it was so he could bury his chin in there and pretend to have a beard?
"Hahahaha, you finally grew some hair on your chest!" Effie joked.
"Haha, Very funny." Hermes replied dryly.
"It's a shame really, you do have some nice goods and an even better bakery. Can't believe it's already been three years. You're from this year's winter solstice right?" Effie asked with nostalgia.
Hermes had to be careful with this. Remember you don't know anything about the Forgotten Shore. You're just a random sleeper who found this amazing powerful warrior woman.
"Uhh, yes I am. Soo… could you help me to the gateway? This castle is a citadel right?" Hermes asked, pretending to be clueless.
Effie laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke ever before continuing.
"Citadel? There is no citadel here dumbass, didn't you hear what I said? I've been here for three years now. If there was a gateway I'd be long gone." She sighed and summoned a memory, it was a long knife, which she used to butcher the corpse of the nightmare creature.
"You're lucky you found me first, considering your Flaw. Heh, surprised that I know your Flaw? Anyone with a brain could figure that out in a few seconds." She continued butchering the beast, taking his silence as a confirmation.
Hermes had already prepared himself against this revelation but he still felt a chill go up his spine. Yes, his Flaw was very obvious and easy to figure out. But that wasn't the thing that terrified him, it was the fact that everyone who knew his Flaw would absolutely use it against him. And they didn't even need to try, his Flaw would help them. He truly needed to watch who he could call a homie.
"Don't worry, I ain't gonna tell anyone but they're gonna figure it out anyway. I'll tell you my Aspect and Flaw if it makes you feel any better. My Aspect not only enhances all my physical attributes, it also does the same with all my physical needs." She said after finishing butchering the meat. Hermes hadn't noticed before as he was admiring her beauty but Effie also was carrying her bag of withholding. He needed memory like that too.
Effie continued as she stored the meat.
"One of my many physical needs being hunger. Which is why I need to hunt nightmare creatures, a lot more than the average hunter. You're lucky I just finished my hunt. I'll take you to the Castle if you want to but I can't take you to where I live. Because you know, your Flaw… I hope you understand." Effie offered.
Hermes nodded his head in understanding.
"Well… I don't want anyone to get hurt because of my Flaw either so that works fine by me. Though it is a shame I can't live with you" Hermes feigned heartbreak.
"You're taking it better than I expected. That's the right attitude. You know what, I'm feeling generous so I'll give you the soul shard as well. You'll need it later, I'll explain on the way." Effie said with a smile before her expression turned serious.
"Follow behind me. Listen to everything I say. Don't make any noise. Don't bleed. Don't think too much. Some of the creatures out there can hear noisy thoughts, others can sense strong emotions. So don't feel fear, either."