The Human Celebration

Hours had passed since the System and Ariana engaged in a deep conversation about the transformation of the desert, making it a place where life could thrive. Together, they concluded that there was no need for a radical modification of the desert; it would still maintain its desert essence but with subtle changes to accommodate the diversity of life.

Ariana, using her divine ability, created three small biomes within the desert, one of which she conceived without the System's intervention. Each of these biomes had its uniqueness.

The first biome, which Ariana shaped on her own, consisted of small tropical oases scattered in different corners of the desert. These oases were adorned with lush palm trees, freshwater lagoons, vibrant flowers, and colorful fish. A temporary refuge for lost travelers in the desert, hungry and thirsty, where they could find relief and beauty amid the aridity.

The second biome, created with the assistance of the System, covered kilometers of the desert and was named the "Crystal Desert." In this biome, Ariana recalled her past life, where glass was made from sand. She caused crystals to emerge throughout its expanse, and when the sun's rays hit them, they created a spectacle of sparkling glows and magnificent colors. However, those who weren't careful could easily be dazzled by this sight, which, though beautiful, could be deadly.

The third biome was Ariana's favorite and also the most captivating. She named it the "Cactus Forest." This area was populated by cacti of various shapes and sizes, many of which grew in fascinating ways. Flowering cacti added a touch of splendor with their dazzling flowers that could enchant anyone, attracting visitors with their unique beauty.

Ariana was content with the subtle changes she had made. Although they were slight alterations, the new biomes brought her joy because they represented fresh opportunities for life to flourish in that unforgiving desert.

As she observed the outcome of her creations, something in the distance caught her attention, and she felt the need to investigate. Night had already fallen over the human village when she arrived at a nearby corner.

Down below, she spotted a man in a black kimono, wielding a sword and facing a monstrous creature. Ariana quickly realized that this creature was the result of a soul that, one day, had failed to find its way to the world of the dead. Despite having created the Spiritual Acupuras for these spirits to find peace and move on to the other world, when they failed, these souls absorbed the world's negativity and turned into curses.

Watching the battle closely, Ariana noticed that the man facing the creature was also a spirit. With skill and dexterity, he confronted the creature and cleaved it in half. Only the small soul of a lion remained, which finally found its way to the world of the dead, thanks to the man's intervention.

Ariana, concerned about the impact of these lingering spirits in the world of the living, saw a surprising solution in the way the Goddess of Death dealt with the issue. Seizing the opportunity of the young man, whose destiny was tied to death, the Goddess offered him a second chance. This second chance would come in the form of a responsibility: guiding lost souls to the world of the dead. Ariana realized that the Goddess's approach to resolving the matter was unusual and intelligent.

Lost in his thoughts, Ezekiel realized that his new role wasn't, after all, an unpleasant task. Instead of completely destroying these creatures, he helped them find their way to the world of the dead. Many of these creatures were beings who couldn't accept their state of death and wandered, absorbing the negative energies, worries, and other feelings of the living beings around them, turning them into curses.

Walking for hours, Ezekiel explored various locations. Most of the souls he encountered were of a common nature, and with a simple touch, he guided them to the world of the dead. After a period of time, he had led hundreds of souls to their well-deserved rest. Satisfied with his work, a portal opened before him, taking him back to his island in the world of the dead.

Ariana observed Ezekiel's work with interest. He displayed remarkable efficiency in the task. However, she realized that as more lost souls emerged, Ezekiel's help alone wouldn't be sufficient. Anxiously, she awaited to see how the Goddess of Death would address this growing issue in the future.

The human village was very close to where Ariana was, and she noticed that they were incredibly active, especially on that night. As the night sky spread its dark cloak, the village square came to life with a lively celebration.

The humans gathered to celebrate the end of the year, an event that seemed significant in their calendar. Ariana descended to join them, assuming the same form she had used on previous visits to the village. She walked to the vicinity, curious to learn more about human traditions.

Upon arrival, Ariana witnessed a family leaving their house. Everyone was dressed nicely, and an enthusiastic young boy exclaimed, "Come on, Mom, the food everyone makes at the end of the year is delicious. We can't be late, or it will run out!"

The mother chuckled gently and replied, "Calm down, son. There's still plenty of food, and they'll keep making more until the end of the celebration." Her words reassured the visibly excited boy.

Ariana followed the group and found the scene adorable. Her heart filled with love as she watched how people interacted and took care of each other. It was a charming demonstration of unity and affection among them.

When Ariana reached the center of the village, she was met with a festive and illuminated atmosphere. Lanterns and bonfires lit up the place, creating a welcoming environment. People formed a large circle around the fountain, dancing to lively music.

The celebration was full of joy. People lined up to savor the delicious dishes everyone had prepared with such care. Kayn, the village leader, had organized a special kitchen to ensure that food continued to be prepared throughout the celebration.

Ariana chose a spot nearby and sat down, observing the joy that permeated the atmosphere. She had seldom attended places like this in her previous life, so she was a bit uncertain about how to interact. She wondered whether she should eat, dance, or engage in conversation with someone, but for now, she decided to simply enjoy the human celebration.

Ariana watched the comings and goings of people between the kitchen and the outdoor celebration. The constant movement intrigued her, so she decided to approach and better understand what was happening.

A woman nearby made a friendly comment, "Hi, would you like to cook too? Do you have something delicious waiting to be prepared up there in your head? Hahaha," and returned to dancing, ignoring Ariana.

Another woman who was nearby intervened, "Don't mind her. She just comes here to party and eat. It's the same thing every year. But then, come in. Come and cook with us."

Ariana was surprised by the invitation and asked, "Can I?"

The woman warmly smiled and replied, "Haha, of course you can! Here, everyone is welcome to come in and prepare something to eat. We have everything at your disposal. You can use all the ingredients from our stock. Chief Kayn gathers a large amount of food every end of the year so that we can hold this feast."

Ariana felt excited about the idea. She rushed into the kitchen, which was spacious and housed other women working on their culinary creations. Ariana soon found an empty table and headed toward it.

As she decided what to prepare, Ariana noticed the wide variety of ingredients at her disposal. She had passed by the food table outside and noticed a multitude of delicious dishes prepared by various villagers.

However, one detail caught her attention: there was no alcohol in the village, which was a notable contrast to the celebrations in her homeland, where people often enjoyed beer. A mischievous smile appeared on her face as she had an intriguing idea.

Ariana went to a large stove and lit the fire with a simple snap of her fingers, drawing the attention of some people in the kitchen. A woman murmured, "A fire mage..."

Ariana took a larger pot and began filling it gradually. She then took a smaller container and went to the storeroom to look for barley. She grabbed a handful and placed the grains in a container with water to moisten them.

While contemplating the recipe, Ariana remembered that she would need hops, an essential plant for brewing beer. She rushed to search for it in the storeroom but found no hop plant nearby. It seemed that the village inhabitants were either unaware of the usefulness of hops or simply hadn't found any.

Ariana wasn't discouraged and discreetly, using her divine powers, made some hop plants appear. She quickly returned to the kitchen with the hop flowers, ready to prepare her special recipe.

In her search for hops, Ariana also found beets in the storeroom.

As people in the kitchen watched her curiously, Ariana took a long vessel and placed the chopped beets in a bit of warm water, waiting for the fermentation to begin. However, the process was slow, both for the beet fermentation and the moistening of the barley grains.

Ariana, impatient, took advantage of a moment when nobody was looking and used her divine powers to speed up the process. She extended her hands over the vessels, allowing a gentle green energy to envelop them. The barley grains sprouted a bit, and the beet fermentation was complete.

Next, Ariana took the grains, dried them, and exposed them to heat to stop the sprouting. She searched the kitchen and found a stone grinder, a bowl, and a large piece of stone. She used the grinder to turn the barley into powder and then added it to the large pot of boiling water.

The water acquired a yellowish hue, and Ariana added the hop flowers to flavor the beer. The aroma quickly spread throughout the kitchen, leaving everyone present curious and enchanted by what was happening.

Finally, Ariana added the fermented beet to the mixture, giving the beer a slightly deeper color without losing its orange hue. After a few minutes, Ariana's culinary creation was ready.