In the middle of the Rockies of Belmac I sat sucking in air like a homeless man stealing gold. I revelled in it. The pain was gone and I was relieved. I was laying on my side exhausted as the earthen energies around me healed me and tried to ease my fatigue. I managed to sit up finally but I ached all over. From my skin to my bones I ached. /You did well young one./ Gluttony said. I could almost feel Pride give a sigh in relief.
I cocked an eyebrow at G. "Young one. Haha. Perhaps I should call you old man then." I said as Pride started laughing. But before I could continue G interrupted. /Pride and I must upgrade to help with the new body you are in. We will be inactive for some time. I'm not certain how long. Please forgive us. But you can't gain any more abilities till upgrades are complete./ It rumbled out.
I could feel their anticipation as they awaited my answer. I needed them to be at their best so I could do more. And it was only thanks to Gluttony that I got this far. "Why not? Take a break and improve yourselves. I'll see you both when you are better."
/Thank you master./ They both said as they went dormant and I was left in mental silence for the first time in almost a decade. I grunted as I slowly pushed myself up from the ground and started to walk back to the city. The walk was a bit longer than expected and I was starting to feel a little better. As I walked I suddenly felt something. Like I was being watched. I turned my head in the direction and saw it. A glowing eye the color of sapphire.
My hackles rose. "Since when did I permit spying?" I demanded as my killing intent went in it's direction. The eye immediately faded and I was left alone.
I knew what that was. It was a scrying spell. And a powerful one as well. To fully materialize an eye took practice and alot of juice to crank one of them out. And because of how fast it faded I think I made the person behind it faint.
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In the continent of Melra the beautiful elf woman lay with her mouth foaming on the floor. An attendant in a kimono was doing her best to wake her waving a japanese style floral fan in front of her face. Finally she got sick of waiting and splashed water on her.
The woman woke with a start. "Ahhhh!" She looked around and saw her attendant before quickly grabbing her shoulders with fearful eyes. "We need to send a present as apology. I might have provoked it. I MIGHT HAVE PROVOKED IT!?" She shouted hysterically. The aid flicked her forehead which seemed to snap her out of it.
"My apologies fair one. But provoked what?" She said calmly. The woman shook her head and took a breath.
" A god was just born in Belmac. We must send a representative to let them know we mean no harm. Especially now that they have a god living there. The power balance has shifted in King Kyle's favor entirely. I had heard he had a champion living close. But for one to ascend that fast he must have been around for a millenia. Send word. I want the council together at sunrise. By order of Queen Felmenia! Until then I need to plan and sleep." The aid bowed deeply before leaving. The woman walked over to the bowl and started tapping the sides of it. "May Mercury have mercy on us." She said nervously.
🦎
Back in Belmac I had just gotten back enough stamina to fly. Though the trip was still rough and my wings were still sore.
It was close to midnight when I arrived home which was still making excellent time considering my flying had been a bit worse for wear.
I figured as I flew that I would have to shrink down to fit in the house. But what I found there surprised me. A stack of gold and presents were outside the house. Enough to cover the windows on the lowest floor. A crowd had even gathered around. Many still in nightgowns with children asleep on their shoulders.
Sam was in a window staring out at me with a slightly concerned look. I gave a nod and she nodded back before returning to bed. When the people saw her nod and go into the room further they turned around.
When they saw me every knee hit the ground. Not a sing soul excluding the sleeping children was standing. My brow furrowed at the sight and then I saw Kyle and Hargo among them.
"Kyle! What is the meaning of this?" I asked.
Kyle didn't raise his head as he spoke. "We came to pay homage to the new god among us. It is the oldest custom among this worlds inhabitants. And one that has not been done in a very long time." He said.
I raised a hand.
"Rise. You are all considered my family and friends. I have fought on the same battlefields and for the same freedoms as you. Please don't treat me as a stranger now." I said.
Suddenly I felt something tap one of my upper hands. I looked and saw 6 objects. A cup, a scroll, two orbs of white and black, a red smithing hammer, and even dragons cry was different.
Each object floated before its designated hand. Only my lowest hands remained unencumbered by an item. I grabbed each item and felt the power and authority come from them into me.
From the hammer came the power over fire. From the orbs I felt the powers of light and darkness. Their powers balancing each other perfectly.
From the scroll came the power of death. An energy that I had become accustomed to. Seeming to seep into everything as I grew to understand that time would eventually take all from this world. Living or not.
From the cup came the power of lightning and water. The true power of storms. And of course dragons cry stimulated my power over metal. The murky yet solid energy like the earthen element. I held them aloft and their energies cascaded through the air visible to all present.
I honestly felt like I was posing without meaning to. Which was funny because there was a painter off to the far side painting it all for the king to place on behind his throne next to the painting of Aed.
He apparently made fast work of it as he was done the basic sketch in only only a few short moments after I landed and started speaking with them.
It was only later that I found out about this however.
My task at hand right now was getting in and sleeping somewhere my crown of fire wouldn't burn things to cinders. The people parted ways as I was very tired and they noticed this.
But it wasn't even a second later that a person leapt at me. "Die Heretic!" He shouted. His robes were those of clergy and in his hand was a spiraling dagger. It emitted a dark lethal energy that I ignored as my tail came up and smashed him out of the air like a fly swatter to a fly.
I heard his bones crunch as he flew clean out of the cities walls and into a distant mountain. His dagger fell with a clang to the ground as those around me cowered away in fear.
I waved my hand in the air nonchalantly. "I thank you all for your gifts. You may return to your homes. His actions were his own." I said as I gave Kyle a glance.
"I want to speak with you later." He nodded as he too went his way back to the castle along with his wife who was in a chair close by.
I entered the mansion and almost collapsed. My tired body was through. Even with all the power of the world I still got tired from my ordeal. "Ignis. Are you alright?" I heard a feminine voice ask. I looked up to see Sam at the top of the stairs leaning against the banister.
She was still recovering from the birthing process. So I was honestly not expecting her to move at all.
I smiled a little as my fatigue settled and I recognized my reason for coming home. My crown of fire glowed calmly against the darkened house as I started my way up the stairs. Sam put her hand on my arm as I came to the top of the stairs.
Sam kindly led me to a bed where I could rest. When I pointed out the crown she pointed at a candelabra. I gently moved my crown from my head to sit on the candles. The candles ignited and strangely enough the flames slowly rotated around the candelabra with a ghostly grace. Looking almost like a flaming version of Saturn's rings. I set my other objects on the table beside it and they connected with a single strand of glowing energy of their specific kind.
Each strand connected creating a barrier around the objects seemingly to keep the entire world at bay.
I was led by a hand to a bed where I was laid down and I passed out with Sam on my chest and the egg close by on it's pillow.
I ended up sleeping like the dead. Sam let me sleep for almost 2 days. The 2nd day around midday I woke up feeling refreshed and thinking of breakfast.
The servants had prepared a hearty breakfast for me. An entire pig, Steaks, a variety of fruits, a type of dark red honey, the varieties went on across the table. Kyle sat there with his plate half full.
As soon as I entered he got out of his seat and bowed low to the ground.
"Oy, Oy! We are all friends here. Get off my floor this instant!" He immediately stood up straight. "Yes!" I face palmed and had a seat at the head of the table asking a servant to take a plate to Sam. She quickly bowed and filled a plate before disappearing.
"What's going on around here!? Why is everyone suddenly so afraid of me?" I grumbled. The flames in the fireplace appeared to churn and created a tiny tornado that walked into the room. A short man formed amidst the fire. "Welcome to godhood boy." Aed said as he strode to the table and sat down.
Kyle's eyes widened as he flattened himself to the ground. "This humble one greets the ancestor!" Kyle shouted at the floor.
Aed looked down to see who it was that spoke. "Ahhh. Little Kylisius. It seemed but moments ago that you were little." I raised an eyebrow. "Ancestor?" Aed shrugged. "A title they gave me when I rose from their race to Godhood."
"Kyle... get your a$$ off the floor and act like you normally would or so help me I will brand you like I did at my wedding." I growled. Kyle was held for a split second in indecision before he went back to his seat. And started quietly eating.
"Kyle... about that matter with the assassin... Why did he call me heretic?" Kyles face slightly paled before he swallowed his food and started talking.
"He was a follower of a cult we call the Shadow Mother Worshipers. They are a very secretive group and are interwoven in society so thoroughly that we gave up trying to wipe them out a while ago. They appeared a hundred some years ago and killed someone who was trying to make it to the god realm. They cause deaths to demigods all over. Some often get killed before they rise to power. They are most likely making attempts on your life to remove you from obstructing their ultimate goal. Whatever that is." He said as he slowly lowered his gaze and kept eating.
Aed raised an eyebrow slightly. "He's telling the truth though I thought they died out eons ago. But I guess mother shadow may still have a shard or two remaining amidst the mortal tribes. I had Ifrit destroy any shards he found." He said as my head spun to look at him.
"Mother Shadow? Ok. Hold up. This sounds like something I should have heard a long time ago. Why was I never told?" I said as they both kept eating but then my stomache growled so I joined them in scarfing down food.
Kyle shrugged at me. "I didn't think it was prevalent at the time to tell you and eventually I forgot." He grunted through a full mouth. Aed plucked a grape.
"The gods have never really paid much attention to such small groups." He said as he popped the grape into his mouth. The pig was good as was the steak. Tender and filled with flavors. Everything was extremely flavorful and savory. The fruits were all ripe, juicy, and sweet.
I actually was in the midst of taking an apple when an arrow hit it out of my hand. Attached to the arrow was a note. I casually reached out to grab the note. I was completely unfazed at this point.
I had been in a forest where everything was after my head. This was nothing. I opened the note and found scrawling writing. "Your actions are an act against the natural order and Mother Shadow has deemed you worthy of death by our hands. If you die now by your own hand your family will be safe. If not..." I read aloud. It was at the last sentence that my temper flared and my aura exploded through the house.
My senses seemed to attach to nature itself. Like I had become an element amid the elements. And my element was angry. I sensed every archer around the house.
Every. Single. One.
Their breathing and muscle density. I could feel what races they were and where they were from.
Some of them trembled as my power filled the area. As I felt them all trying to fight against my force I figured out where the archer aimed at my wife and child was. With only a thought a bolt of electricity fried him where he stood. His body and bow disintegrated to the winds as ash.
The other archers were crushed by rocks or pierced by their own weapons. I thought it and the forces of nature obeyed. Not one shred of resistance against my will.
Aed stared at me in slight shock. "When did you learn to do all that?" He asked. He must have felt or seen what I had done. I looked him in the eye. "A Husband and Father learns his lessons quickly when his family is in danger. No one F~€ks with my family." I growled.