"For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are."
― C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew
"That was some light show…" Rafe stared at the sky. The many worlds in the skies still glowed with the remnants of an incomprehensible display. "You guys really know how to welcome a fellow home!"
The universe had spoken, not in words but with power. Some unknown change in the laws themselves. Even the ones who had long called this realm home were shaken. Lyra had a hand pressed to her heart, as if she could learn the nature of the shift, if she but experienced the new flavour of the wind.
"Ven has returned to the realm, and he's making changes…" the wolf-kin bit her lip. A flicker of shadow rose behind her eyes, Fenrir as she peeked into the world. "The worlds are alive, Fen can smell it!"
"Avalon agrees," Brull stepped forward, one hand on his forehead. "Even the network of planets that we connected to has gained life," he shook his head with a laugh. "They keep calling Avalon mother…"
"Eden has also been enlightened," Kalina's avatar rippled, as she rolled her eyes. "It's already capable of speech as well… all it has to say are prayers to the glory of Ven!"
A rap of knuckles on wood called everyone's attention. Mara gave the crowd a weary smile and pointed to the skies above.
"Ven will always heap some kind of problem at our feet, but they always come with huge benefits," She shifted to the member of the Hive. The A.I. collective had become the most popular and influential member of the unified realm. "Without his intervention, we wouldn't have the civilization we do today."
"True, but the jerk might come and visit now and then," Kalina sighed. "He's been asleep for almost a million years, now he's off doing who knows what!"
"I'm right here," Ven popped into existence in the centre of their gathering. "Sorry, I got distracted, but I've missed you too!"
– – – –
Ven sat back, eyes tired after a short analysis of the fruit of knowledge. The formation inside was so complex, his efforts would need years, if not decades to progress. He would visit his friends first, and bring them a gift, something to help them govern the realm. A final push and his eyes of truth returned.
He worked quickly, but with well practised hands. A weave of runes took shape, pressed into the form of a mask. Simple and white, with a pair of animalistic ears. One after another formed in the air, runic script given physical form. Bound to their intended owners, they would grant the ability to teleport to any life world in the realm. The masks could also connect to the will of the realm and empower their wearers.
"Now to add some individual touches…" Ven shifted from mask to mask, minor adjustments and additions to better serve his friends. If he ever fell into a sleep again, they could still call on the realm itself for help. "Done!"
He clapped his hands and shifted his focus to find his friends. They were all gathered together, a welcome bonus, since he could gift them all at once. Ven paused, head tilted at their conversation. Mara's words struck a chord in his heart. Oftentimes, he shifted the burden to her shoulders and focused on his own interests.
Ven reached out to the lines of faith that connected him to Mara and the others. A surge of emotion as their lives spun before his eyes. Every effort, every bitter moment and silent tear. Ven witnessed them all and despaired. Most of their time was invested in cleaning up after his actions.
"I need to thank her… all of them," Ven glanced at his newly forged masks. They were not enough, but this gift could be the beginning. "My realm would be in chaos without them."
A nod of his head and he was before his friends as Kalina complained about his long absence. Ven smiled and spoke to call everyone's attention.
"Sorry, I got distracted, but I've missed you too!" Ven held back his laughter as Kalina jumped into a spin. She turned a reddened face his way and served him a scowl.
"You used to complain when people jumped in out of nowhere, and now you're the culprit," Kalina straightened her robes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Are you here to fill us in on our newest labours?"
"Be nice, Kalina," Lyra danced up to Ven and wrapped him in a hug. "Ven does his best, just like the rest of us!"
Ven smiled as he broke from the wolf-kin's embrace. Both of them were right, he DID do his best, but he was here to add to their responsibilities. At least this time, he came with gifts in hand. A snap of his fingers and a mask floated before each of his friends.
"I made these to make up for some of my mistakes," Ven smiled and motioned for them to try them on. One by one his friends donned a representation of themselves, masks that granted them special status to the realm itself. "They should make things easier, and you can also use them to visit the outside world… but I would hold off on that until we're in a different multiverse."
The landscape around his true body was a ruin. Only the star under his feet remained, protected by the smooth waves of his aura. Beyond that, only a core of central universes survived, protected by the barriers of the True Gods.
"This one might collapse all together, soon enough…" Ven paused, a bit more focus granted to the outside world. There was a woman in the void, seated in the lotus position as she fed her power to the broken space. "She's trying to heal the multiverse…"
Ven vanished in a flash, his friends left to blink at air. Mara sighed and stroked the mask on her face. It was a powerful tool, alive and capable of more than she'd imagined. Shoulders set, she turned to the others and put her hands on her hips.
"Get ready, I'm sure whatever drew him away will trickle down to us soon enough!"