"Reporting to Creator, Ritual is ready for your review."
Jack peered at the screen, as he familiarized himself with the new spellwork. The first page had a giant warning, showing the image of large red "X."
[This is very different than the usual spells that are crafted... This almost seems like the information to cross over into the plane of Light...]
Jack muttered to himself, "Can only breach the barrier between different sections of the Plane of Death with the base cultivation of an ancestor. Attempting to complete the connection with the breach prior to obtaining this cultivation base may result in soul damage, soul dispersion, and possibly true death."
[This is almost exactly like the time with the plane of Light... It even sounds almost exactly the same.]
"Tux with my current cultivation will there be a problem?"
"Allow Tux to scan Creator."
Jack stood still and held his arms outstretched, as the Laptop produced a beam of yellow light that scanned Jack from top to bottom and from left to right.
After completing this scan, a total of seven times, Tux finally reported, "Creator's cultivation is split between his soul and his pseudo-soul. Using Creator's pseudo-soul will allow him to complete this operation successfully, unlike his first excursion into the Light."
[This...!] Jack was slightly embarrassed that this damn thing pointed that out...
"Then I should get started." Jack tossed that penguin's snide comment to the side.
"Creator, one last warning."
"Hmmm?" Jack looked back to the laptop.
"Because Creator is drawing power from his pseudo-soul and not his actual soul, there will be a limitation."
"What is it?"
"According to the research notes of Soul Exarch Bishop of the Kadari Empire, Pseudo-Soul power is non-replenishable, unlike power drawn from your soul."
"So, if I use the power from my God-Soul, then I'm not going to get it back, and it will be weakened?"
"If God-Soul is what the Creator is referring to as pseudo-soul, then yes."
[So, if I complete the ritual, it will leave me weakened... Hmmm... That's about the right time for something stupid to happen.] Jack thought to himself, as he brought his hand to his chin in thought.
[What's the worst that will happen...? Soon as I'm done with the ritual some random ass baddie jumps out of nowhere and whips my bony ass... That sounds about right. That or someone attempts a coup d'état.]
Jack resurfaced from his thoughts, as he reached out to Leslie, [Are you currently busy?]
[I'm always busy, but what's my husband need?] Leslie's interesting voice sounded in Jack's mind.
[I'm about to complete a very powerful ritual to get Joan the Butcherer another body. She will be very useful for Our armies.]
[You have my approval if that's what you're asking.]
[Good, then I have one request.] Jack spoke, but he felt kind of bad since he wasn't seeking her approval.
[Hmmm?]
[I'm going to enter a weakened state for a bit afterward and will need to recover... I don't want any undead to get funny ideas about messing up the kingdom while I'm like that. I shouldn't be weakened for a while.]
[How would anyone know, and who would come up against the accepted god of Deagoth?]
[Just a feeling. I'm sure it's nothing.]
[Alright. I'll increase patrols. Do you want me to contact Julia, or do you want to?]
[...I'll do it...]
[Alright. See you later tonight.] Leslie said with a smile in her tone, as Jack felt the connection break.
[Haaaa~] Jack mentally sighed.
[Julia are you busy?] Jack mentally messaged.
[I'm running maintenance on my armor, so I'm not unavailable.] A cheery voice was heard.
[She's in a good mood.] Jack thought to himself, before he messaged again, [In that case, I would like to trouble you to increase the defense of the City.]
[What's wrong.] Julia's voice turned stern instantly.
[I'm going to complete a large ritual, and it will leave me in a weakened state for a short time. I'm just taking precautions. I don't want anyone getting funny ideas, within the Kingdom or outside of it.]
[Understood. I'll be heading out. Let me know when you're done with your ritual.]
[Of course... Oh, hey Julia.]
[MMmmm?]
[Thanks.]
[Haha, No problem!] This simple thanks really filled Julia with a burst of energy!
Jack felt his connection break with Verruca, and now the most important call. He reached out searching for the connection he wanted using his powerful God-Soul, and finally, he found it.
[Jordan.]
[My lord! How can I be of assistance?]
[Where are you currently?] Jack asked.
[I still remain within Souigak. The faithful here have increased since your grand display against the Dead Tide Menace.]
[That is very good, as I am in need of some snappy prayers.]
[Snappy?] Jordan did not catch the reference.
[I'm about to perform a powerful ritual, and it will weaken my God-Soul. I will need prayer to replenish my strength.]
[Ah, of course, my Lord. That can be arranged. I have advised staggering mass prayer, as not to burden you, but if you are going to expend a great deal of power, then I see no issue. It will take me a few hours to call for a quick mass, but once we do so, you should receive the power quickly. Make sure you have completed whatever it is that you are doing then... If you receive too much prayer before you can refine your God-Soul, then you will be consumed by madness.]
Jack held his head...
[When did Jordan become so talkative.] Jack wondered to himself but noted everything he said.
[God-King, I also have something I've been meaning to tell you. So, I am glad you have reached out to me.]
[What's that?]
[It's something that came to me through lucid dreaming, but... It's only one line. Forgive your prophet for not being clear enough.]
[It's a prophecy?]
[Of course... What good are prophets if they do not give prophecies.]
[I'm not surprised, what is it?]
[Thank my Lord for his forgiveness!] Jordan praised.
[That's the prophecy???]
[Ah, no my Lord, I'm just praising you for your godly forgiveness! I'm unworthy of your kindness.]
[...]
[Ahem... In a cage, a beating heart is bound; and by faith, the heart will be crowned. Blood and Light bound together, as enemies drown, least the Malady eats her sanity.]
[The last one didn't rhyme... Why does this one rhyme?] as he mentally messaged back, [Thank you, Jordan.]
[This is what I should do... Be at ease, God-King. I will put my unlife on the line to accomplish this mission.]
Jack felt the connection break immediately as the last words of Jordan.
[I can say a lot about Lightboi, but he takes his prophesying serious.] Jack nodded.
"Alright. Let's do this!" Jack pumped himself up, as he pointed his finger and as he drew in the air, gold lines began to take shape on the ground.
Joan and Eris, who now snapped back to reality, marveled at the runic lines being drawn. Neither had ever seen a ritual completed in this manner, but neither were experts on this subject. Joan was more of a martial warrior in Cultivation, whereas Eris had only seen Ritual's drawn in every element but Light... After all... She was the only Vampire crazy enough to attempt to cultivate the light, and lucky enough to meet a god of the same element.
After another half an hour of drawing, Jack finally completed the complex lines that intersected and formed many integral patterns.
[How easy would this be if I made a program for this... Wait.] Jack rapped his noggin... [I should have had Tux develop a spell to draw this... I'm a moron!]
After moaning in his mind for a moment, he went back to work. He took the soul jar from his waist per the instructions and placed it in the center of the formation.
Jack floated back to the edge of the formation and placed his hands outstretched, as he looked over to Eris.
"Hey, Princess... I'm going to give you a bit of trust. Watch the area, and make sure no one can disturb me, but do not hurt anyone. Simply keep them at bay. Can I trust you for this?"
"Your pet will guard!" Eris got to her feet quickly, but slightly dazed... It seemed she wasn't used to her new heart just yet, and it would take time for it to strengthen. Even so, this was her first task given to her by her god! She would rather die than be unable to complete it.
Jack shook his head... Just why did she call herself his pet? At any rate, he wasn't counting on her for anything, he only told her to do this to keep her busy and not bother him.
Jack went back to what he was doing, he cleared his mind best he could and started to speak the incantation for the ritual.
"Go g'we fal'are oph Deag'we god to,
Go g'we fal'are oph Deag'we god xall,
God za'neaxew g'we jeil,
God xall oph Deag'we,
ard Deag'we heeds god xall!"
As Jack ended on a high note, a rare Underworld occurrence appeared... Storm clouds appeared on the edges of Saigunrai and rolled in to cover the City, with the Holy Palace Gardens as the central focal point.
None of the citizens of the kingdom, let alone Saigunrai, had ever seen weather in the Underworld like this. Powerful lavastorms from the Brimstone Ocean contained Lightning, but none without... With Lightning flashing in the skies above them as thick as a Zombie's thigh cracking out, the citizens left work early and went back to their homes.
Verruca's guards and the City Militants kept the order, as they stated it was only the God-King that was doing his work.
This statement did well to calm the masses, as each home of the faithful found themselves praying to the God-King.
Jack's flaming eyes intensified, as he began to move his God-Soul into the forming portal in the sky.