(3rd Person POV)
The planet thrived with untouched wilderness. Clean air filled Arthur's lungs as strong winds buffeted him atop a massive tree. In the distance, a winged creature soared between floating mountains, its silhouette unmistakably draconic.
Firfel pointed excitedly. "That looks like a dragon!"
"Similar, but far less intelligent," Arthur observed. "They're purely bestial—they can't speak like the dragons back home."
"I see." Firfel's eyes sparkled with wonder regardless. "They're still magnificent though."
She was clearly enchanted by this world. Unlike their heavily populated homeland, this planet remained pristine and wild. Creatures she'd never encountered roamed freely, and the ambient magical mana felt remarkably pure—almost intoxicatingly so.
'I want to absorb this mana,' Firfel thought longingly. 'I feel so drawn to it.' As an elf, her natural affinity for pure environments and concentrated mana made this world feel like paradise.
But her protective suit prevented proper mana absorption.
"The mana here is extremely pure," Arthur said suddenly, "but your body can't handle it."
Firfel's cheeks flushed. "You read my mind?"
Arthur smiled knowingly. "Did you forget I'm a deity?" His expression grew more serious. "That pure mana is tempting precisely because of its purity—which is exactly why you shouldn't absorb it."
"Why not?"
"Your body isn't accustomed to completely pure mana," Arthur explained patiently. "Your mana veins would rupture if you tried absorbing this concentration. And even with my divine healing, fixing that kind of damage would be... challenging."
Firfel's face paled. 'Thank the gods I didn't try it yet. That would've been catastrophic.'
"Right now, your body functions on what you'd call 'impure' mana—but that's not actually a bad thing," Arthur continued. "Pure mana, while powerful, is essentially toxic to unprepared systems. It's like drinking pure alcohol versus diluted wine. Without any mixture to temper it, pure mana becomes poison rather than nourishment."
Firfel nodded slowly, processing this revelation. Then worry crossed her features. "What about you? I can see pure mana flowing into your body constantly! Are you alright?" She moved closer, examining him with concern.
"I'm fine. The pure mana is toxic, yes, but my divine constitution resists it easily," Arthur assured her. "Compared to processing raw faith energy, handling pure mana is relatively simple."
Firfel felt impressed yet conflicted. 'He's so far beyond me now... Am I really worthy of being with someone like—'
A meter-long arrow suddenly embedded itself in the tree branch beside them with a terrifying crack.
"Who—" Firfel flinched as another arrow streaked toward them through the air.
Before she could react, Arthur pulled her against his chest protectively, one arm wrapped around her waist while his free hand gestured sharply. A translucent barrier materialized instantly.
«Physical Defense».
The incoming arrows struck Arthur's shield and clattered harmlessly aside. However, the attackers quickly adapted—subsequent arrows came enhanced with magical energy, glowing with concentrated power.
Crack
Fissures spread across the magical barrier's surface.
Arthur raised an eyebrow with genuine interest. "Impressive. They can infuse magic into their weapons."
Firfel looked up in surprise, then tried to locate their attackers. She could only make out shadowy figures among the trees, but their silhouettes were unmistakable—three-meter-tall humanoid creatures wielding massive bows. She gasped in recognition. "Aren't those the inhabitants we saw from the ship?"
"Indeed. I believe we should call them Na'vi," Arthur said with an excited smile.
The simple shield couldn't withstand the sustained assault. The pure mana coating each arrow proved too toxic for the basic defensive spell to handle. With a final sharp crack, the barrier shattered completely.
More arrows streaked toward them.
"They're coming again!" Firfel exclaimed.
Arthur swept her into his arms in a princess carry and leaped upward. The planet's lighter gravity allowed him to soar higher than usual. He controlled their trajectory carefully before landing gracefully near their attackers' position.
Up close, Arthur couldn't suppress his delighted grin. 'They're even more magnificent than I imagined!'
Five Na'vi warriors stood in a defensive semicircle, their bows drawn with arrows nocked and aimed directly at the intruders. Each stood nearly three meters tall, their blue-skinned bodies lean and powerfully muscled.
Their movements carried predatory grace as they maintained perfect shooting stances, eyes narrowed with lethal focus. Bioluminescent patterns adorned their skin, pulsing faintly with the planet's natural rhythm.
"Wow..." Firfel breathed, taking in the creatures before her. They wore minimal clothing—simple loincloths covering their private areas, leaving most of their striking forms exposed. Their ears were pointed like an elf's but shaped differently, resembling those of wolf or feline demons. Their eyes shared that same feline quality—vertical pupils that tracked every movement with hunting precision.
"Hiss~" The blue warriors bared their sharp teeth, producing aggressive hissing sounds like cornered tigers trying to intimidate potential threats.
Firfel pressed closer to Arthur as the Na'vi dropped to all fours, prowling around them in a circle like wild predators. Their movements were fluid and threatening, clearly meant to unnerve their prey.
"They look like some strange hybrid between demons and wild beasts," Firfel observed, trying to keep her voice steady despite her nervousness.
She glanced at Arthur and noticed his expression had changed—his eyes had grown sharp and focused.
Then he bared his own teeth in a feral grin, letting his small red horns become more prominent. His demeanor shifted completely, becoming predatory and dangerous like a bull ready to charge.
"Grrr..." Arthur directed the threatening growl at the native warriors, his divine aura flaring just enough to be felt.
"Ohh—" The Na'vi immediately backed away, their aggressive posturing faltering as they sensed the overwhelming danger emanating from this strange creature.
Firfel stared at her boyfriend in bewildered silence. "What are you doing?"
"Just returning their greeting," Arthur chuckled, his feral expression melting back into his usual warm smile.
Firfel shook her head with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Anyway, can these blue warriors speak like that goat-deity we captured earlier?"
"Probably not in our language," Arthur observed. "This planet shows no signs of advanced development or external contact."
"I see."
While they spoke, the five Na'vi warriors engaged in heated discussion among themselves, their guttural language completely incomprehensible to the visitors.
"Based on their vocal tones and body language, I think they're debating whether we pose a threat," Arthur said, reading their intentions through his divine senses even without understanding the words.
"What should we do?" Firfel asked with mild concern.
"We should meet their chief and convince them to become actors for my film project," Arthur stated matter-of-factly.
Firfel blinked. "Wait—what? Are you seriously planning to introduce these creatures to our world?"
"Not quite," Arthur's smile widened. "I don't need to bring them to our world. They're perfect for the movie I have in mind—we'll film right here. I'm certain it'll be massive."
'What kind of project is he planning now?' Firfel wondered with growing curiosity.
Arthur suddenly interrupted the warriors' argument. "Listen up!"
All five Na'vi turned their heads toward him. Strangely, comprehension flickered in their eyes. Arthur had employed a minor divine ability that transmitted his intent regardless of language barriers.
"I have a proposal for your people—a significant opportunity," Arthur announced confidently. "Take me to your chief."
The five warriors exchanged wary glances. They growled in response, clearly refusing the request. Their postures grew even more defensive and suspicious.
"I see." Arthur's eyes flashed with divine energy. "I suppose I'll need to be more persuasive—"
"Wait." Firfel caught his arm.
Arthur paused, looking at her questioningly.
"If you continue being aggressive with them, they'll only become more hostile," Firfel said firmly, her grip tightening on his arm. "Why don't you try being... kinder instead?"
Arthur fell silent, genuinely considering her words. Truthfully, as his power had grown over the years, he'd increasingly adopted the mindset that 'money is power' and 'might makes right.' He'd been forgetting what it felt like to be vulnerable, and arrogance had been slowly creeping into his behavior.
"I think they'll respond better to force—"
"No," Firfel disagreed with surprising firmness. "They'll resist you even more if you try to dominate them."
Arthur said nothing for a long moment. He'd been fully prepared to coerce these Na'vi into participating in his project, but Firfel's perspective made undeniable sense.
'I've been losing touch with basic empathy since becoming a deity,' he realized with uncomfortable clarity. 'Perhaps I should let her handle this.'
A slight smile crossed his features. "Alright. How about you lead the communication with them?"
"Me?" Firfel looked genuinely surprised.
"Yes. They might respond better to you," Arthur encouraged. "You're an elf, after all. Your natural affinity with nature might resonate with them."
Firfel considered the suggestion carefully, uncertainty written across her face. Finally, she nodded with determination. "Alright. I'll try."
She turned toward the five Na'vi warriors and approached slowly, her movements deliberately non-threatening and hesitant.