Chapter 1.19 The Council of Gods
"Are all of Father's incarnations sufficiently preoccupied?" Elvira whispered to the two gods behind her. It was Sol who answered, Gilles, the one Elvira hoped would reply, remaining silent.
"Yes, my Lady. Reika just handed Kei off to the final incarnation to keep His Majesty busy. The others have been distracted or are otherwise preoccupied by their duties. I will inform you if any fall out of sight of my Sun." he whispered back, bowing his head, golden hair held perfectly in place by a jade band. Elvira grunted her appreciation, drumming her fingertips on the side of her stone chair. One benefit of Father's injury was His newfound reliance on divine incarnations, which were notoriously distractible and limited in their sight. Very much unlike His true body, which had a habit of just…knowing things.
Which meant, heavens willing, this meeting should be kept secret from Him.
Almost all the gods of the Four Realms had gathered in her palace, milling about in the white-marbled halls, waiting for the meeting to begin. They'd been filtering in over the course of the past day or two, taking some time to stop what they were doing and travel from the far reaches of the Realms in response to Elvira's call. The goddess of wind, Aeriel, hovered around the pillar Elvira had helped her mend, tracing her fingers along the lines of gold inlayed in the stone. The goddess of mountains chatted with the god of storms, water flirted with fire, and metal stood silently off to the side while the goddess of oceans talked at him.
Besides herself, Gilles, and Sol, there were a grand total of sixty-four gods present. Only her siblings and Randus, and Kei, who didn't technically count yet, were missing.
She didn't have to wait long for them to show up, however. The first to arrive was Reika, appearing in a flash of green just beside Elvira. The fresh scent of pine filled the air as she flashed her a smile, settling down in the high-backed wooden chair she'd set out for her sister. There was one for each of her siblings, laid out in a row, facing the grand hall. Elvira and Keilan were positioned in the middle, with Reika and Alexander on the sides. This would mark the first time all four of these "thrones" had been in use at the same time. And Reika's appearance alone sent a ripple of murmurs through the crowd.
"Don't like your seat?" Elvira teased, watching as Reika tapped the arms of her chair, purple and gold flowers sprouting along the sides, a bed of fresh moss growing beneath her.
"It could use a little sprucing up," Reika replied, smirking as a miniature spruce tree sprouted from the back of the chair, rising up to make some sort of crude umbrella. Elvira snorted out a laugh.
"Of all the things to take after," Keilan grumbled, appearing already seated in his own black-and-grey marble chair in a swirl of black. "Why did you have to inherit Mother's humor?" He shifted on his chair, shooting Elvira a glare as he stood, conjured a red velvet cushion trimmed in gold on the seat and back, and promptly settled back down. That was a good idea. Elvira shifted on her own, hard chair – she'd do the same, but now it would look like she was copying him and that was unacceptable. And judging from his smirk, he knew it, too.
Bastard.
"Come now, brother, it wasn't that bad of a joke," Alexander rumbled, pulling himself from the spirit realm and curling his bulky, sinuous form onto the wide stone seat made for him. He, like Elvira, refrained from changing his chair.
Now they had all the gods' undivided attention, a hush falling over those assembled as the First, the Big Four, settled into their seats.
"Really? It was a fairly low-hanging fruit," Reika drawled, grapevines growing from the arms of her chair, from which she plucked only the lowest-hanging fruit. Keilan groaned dramatically, holding his face in his hands.
"I stand corrected," Alexander sighed, shaking his head. Elvira just sighed. They were here to have a serious conversation, the first true council of the gods because that first disaster she tried all those years ago didn't count, not whatever this was.
"You need legs to stand, brother. You more…sit," Reika said, cocking her head to the side innocently.
"Reika!" Elvira protested, wishing nothing more than to move past this.
"Is this the fate of every parent? Ever since you had Kei, your sense of humor has hit rock bottom," Keilan deadpanned. Reika chuckled but a hush still fell over the siblings. The gods felt it, the sounds of their awkward shifting and whispers filling the halls. Elvira let out a breath in the ensuing silence. They didn't have much time; they should get started.
A small nod sent Gilles and Sol, still standing behind her to join the others, Randus appearing in the back with hands clasped together. Elvira stood and flared her wings, white light radiating from her. The assembled gods all turned to her expectantly.
"Thank you for gathering here today. Please, take a seat," Elvira said, voice booming through the hall. She snapped her fingers and the floor rumbled, a large U-shaped table with enough seats for each god rising up out of the floor. Each seat was fashioned with a specific god in mind, hinting that there was assigned seating, and after a bit of muttering they sat. Randus flitted between them, helping them find their places and setting a steaming teacup before each of them before finding his own seat. Only the gods of water and fire gave them any trouble, insisting that fire sat in water's seat, and vice versa. But eventually they got settled as well, and Elvira sat back down with a nod of approval.
Eventually there would be more seats; some for angels, powerful spirits, and other gods. But for now, this would do.
She and her siblings' seats were only nominally higher than the other gods, still mostly eye-level, but still the clear "head" of the table. Only one seat rose higher than all the others – the one that stood behind her siblings, large and imposing, yet would, in all likelihood, remain perpetually empty. That was Father's seat. A large part of her hoped He never felt the need to use it, but it would be remiss of her and her siblings to not acknowledge that He was the peak of the Four Realms.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. There is not much time, so I will cut right to the heart of the matter. We have gathered you all here today," Elvira began, voice still booming. "To discuss something of vital importance to the Four Realms. There is an enemy amongst us." This blunt statement caught most of the assembled gods off guard, a round of murmurs rippling through them. Gilles made a small motion with his hand, indicating that she should slow down, but that felt wrong. There was no need to drag this out.
"Something lurks among us. That being that attacked us, that injured the Tree, was drawn here through the Void by someone within the Realms. Some of you may have noticed this. We are confirming that rumor." Keilan added.
"But who?" a voice called, from the god of storms.
"We are not sure. We have taken to calling them the Shadow. Do not mistake that for meaning the deity of shadows – the Shadow is the darkness of the entirety of the Four Realms. They represent that which seeks to overthrow balance and plunge our lands into disharmony and chaos." Elvira said. Even if Father is uncertain as to the purpose of their observation and limited actions, I am positive that is the case. Its anger is directed at us. She thought, keeping that to herself. Father had confided such a thing to her privately, she would not betray his trust like that.
"Is this why the Creator rushed the creation of angels?" Aeriel asked, floating above her seat and playing with a leaf.
"Father created the angels to better guide the mortals during times of chaos, He did not create them to combat the Shadow." Alexander rumbled. "That duty will fall to us."
Murmurs rippled through the assembled gods, and Elvira sucked in a breath. They were coming in on the hard part, now, and the reason Father wasn't to be part of this meeting. Yet she was not the one to bring the conversation full circle – that honor belonged to the god of metal, who had been silent this entire time.
"Be still, everyone. There is still information we do not know. What do you mean by the duty will fall to us, Lord Alexander?" he said, calm and collected, steepling his coppery fingers in front of his face. Alexander was silent for too long of a moment, tasting the words in his mouth. "Do you, perhaps, mean that Statera Luotian will not be aiding us in our fight?" the god continued, realization dawning on his face.
"I requested that He does not, yes," Elvira said simply. That got a round of disagreement from the assembled gods, a few standing bolt upright with shouts of protest. "Quiet!" she barked, but it fell on deaf ears as many started to work themselves into a frenzy. Fear still abounded from the attack of the foreign god and Father losing an arm – Elvira had underestimated how deep that fear ran.
"SILENCE!" Sol roared, standing up so quickly his chair fell over. Bright, burning light burst from his body, vaporizing the teacup before him, the sudden burst of power curbing the brewing arguments. "Lady Elvira has not finished speaking! His Majesty will be busy with many things in the coming years! Now listen, before you panic!" Sol boomed. He turned then, back to Elvira, and gave her a soft bow as he sat back down. "The floor is once more yours, My Lady."
"Thank you, Sol." Elvira said, but it was Gilles, the deity of shadows, who stood up next, silently requesting to speak. "Yes, Gilles, since you asked so nicely you may ask a question." The pale-faced man bowed his head but did not address her, instead speaking to the other gods.
"Our Matriarch will be busy with many projects in the coming years, not least of which will be the creation of the Lunar Star." He rasped. Elvira noticed Sol's expression darken for a split second at the mention of the future celestial object, but he quickly smoothed it out. "This will keep Her preoccupied as She builds power. Undoubtedly this means the enemy will begin to move in earnest the more She builds, as the creation of the Star means a further balancing of the Realms. But, most importantly, and what the Big Four are trying to say, is that we should not rely on the Matriarch for everything. We are Her children, and She will protect us, but we need to be able to protect Her too. You saw what one paradox did. She has bigger threats to worry about than an internal squabble."
'Internal squabble' may be a bit too weak of a word for the storm that is coming, but it works well enough. Elvira mentally added, nodding to the pale man as he sat back down. Leave it to Gilles, though, to figure things out on his own. I didn't even really share much with him.
"None of you remember." Reika started, looking down at her hands and drawing all attention to herself. "What it was like in the beginning. When Mother first created us, and it was just us, Her, and the Void. But we do. I remember the power that flowed through Her, the greatness of Her being and the all-consuming love She felt for us, protecting us with Her very soul. She is but a shadow of Her former self. Creating the primordial chaos, from which we fashioned the Realms, was a sacrifice of an order of magnitudes. All to give each of us a chance to grow. To evolve. To be born anew as gods, and give safe haven to the weaker souls. She loves each of us equally, and though it may seem distant at times that is out of necessity, not of want.
"Do not make Her choose sides between Her own children. I will not ask Her to sacrifice more of Herself for us, not when She has given so much already." She finished, glaring out at the gods, daring them to challenge her. Alexander nodded his head, and spoke next.
"Every inch of the Four Realms was crafted of Father's own being. Each of us are His children, including that of the enemy. Though it may pain Him to punish us, to 'play favorites' as it were, I know for a fact that if push came to shove and the destruction of the Four Realms was imminent, He would act. We will not let it get to that point. I do not wish to hide in our Father's shadow forever; I will stand beside Him, eventually, as an equal." Alexander said.
"Don't you feel the same?" Keilan asked, standing and smoothing out his robes. "That is why Mother is not here, after all. Because we think it is high time we gave back to our creator. This will be a thankless task, there will be no glory or reward. It cannot even count as a repayment for all that Mother has given to us. I simply do not wish to burden Her with this. She has enough on Her plate. Call it pride and arrogance to wish to solve this ourselves, but that is the truth of it."
"Will you join us, then? Give us your all?" Elvira asked.
"Of course!" Aeriel chirped, still upbeat and chipper. Wind swirled about her, forming a ball of condensed air. "We'll need a game plan though."
"Mm. This thing has been hiding, hasn't it? We'll need to find it, figure out its plan of attack."
"Should we study mortals? They've been battling against each other, maybe we can learn some tactics from them."
"I don't want to fight, but…I agree with the Big Four."
"They're right. Patriarch Luotian is still injured, too. He needs to rest."
And more was passed around between the gods, most of whom seemed to be agreeing. The amount of positive affirmation was, frankly, better than Elvira could have imagined.
She shared a satisfied look with her siblings, pleased at the way things were going. But that only meant they needed to double down on their efforts to strengthen themselves, and counter the Shadow's own movements. It had eons on them for planning its attacks, while they might only have millennia. They needed to catch up. Only once the muttering had quieted down a bit more did Elvira speak again.
"Now that that's decided, we'll be meeting fairly regularly to discuss battle plans and the like. Rarely will we all meet together like this, but we still will if necessary. Thank you all for coming, but go now! Into the Realms and resume your duties. But keep an eye out." Elvira warned. The assembled gods rose to their feet, talking rapidly to one another as she turned to her siblings.
"It is done," Keilan said, standing from his seat. He ran a hand through his slicked-back hair, and adjusted his robes.
"Are we certain the enemy was watching?" Reika asked.
"There is no way to be certain, but I cannot imagine it would not have noticed this gathering and not taken the chance to peek. I doubt even Mother failed to notice, She likely just gave us a pass. You know how She loves surprises." Keilan explained. Elvira nodded. This meeting was two-fold, and this was the true reason Father was not supposed to be here. This was all but a declaration of war, an ultimatum, to the enemy, who was likely watching. And Father was not to be a part of that.
"Regardless, we have put our hand on the table. We must wait and see what the response will be, if it is anything." Alexander said. The four were silent for a moment, each in their own thoughts, until Randus, Sol, and Gilles all stepped up to join them. Among all the other gods, those three were the most powerful besides the original four themselves. Elvira was not sure why, perhaps their very nature was different from the others, but it was the truth. Perhaps in raw power Randus would lose out to the others, but none would doubt his strength.
"You did not mention much of the rogue god, or the existence of other universes," Randus pointed out as he approached, phrasing it more like a statement than a question.
"We decided that such a topic is better suited for Mother to explain. I, personally, still have trouble with the idea that She came from another universe." Reika said with a small shake of her head. "Did She ever fully confirm it?"
"In Her dreams, yes. She allowed me to see a few of Her past memories, lives She lived, things She'd seen, before She became Statera Luotian." Randus explained. "I counted five mortal lifetimes, though there are likely more hidden from me. Nor do I understand how She came to be who and what She is now."
"In the end it does not matter," Alexander said, shaking his head. "Father is here now, and is the most powerful being in the universe. I will not pretend to understand what His plans are, or the depth of the meaning of these revelations, but until the time comes that it is important or He addresses it directly, I will focus on what is before us."
"Agreed," Elvira said with a nod. "Let us put it behind us and plan for the future. We have a war to fight, after all," she shared a look with her siblings who, one by one, nodded to her and vanished to their own, respective realms. That left her to clean up the mess, and to handle the other gods who didn't know exactly what they were doing.
She mentally sighed as she stepped forward. They had a war to prepare for.
Chapter 1.20 Foxes and Men
Reika shoved Kei into my arms, and all but demanded I watch her for a time. I wasn't complaining, of course, I loved watching the rambunctious little fox-girl, it was just surprising. I'd been shaping a new sun in the Physical Realm – the idea was to create a galaxy, with the Tree and Pangaea as the galactic center – when Reika popped by, shoved a squirming Kei at me, and promptly vanished. Which left me alone in space, a just-finished sun before me and a half-divinity that was still figuring out her powers under my care.
What was Reika thinking? As if I wasn't going to use this as an excuse to act like a child.
I looked at Kei. She had grown, looking nearly ten now, despite actually being closer to thirty.
She looked back at me, framed against the light of the sun as she was, and grinned. Then she vanished in a soundless teleport.
For anyone else, a teleporting child must sound like a nightmare. At times I, myself, questioned whether Reika knew what she was getting herself into when she made one of Kei's tails out of elemental space-time, giving the little rascal nominal powers over it. She had certainly complained about it enough that I didn't think so. For me, however, it just made our little game of "chase the brat" fun. I stepped forward and appeared right behind her as she crouched in a tree on Pangaea, giggling to herself as she tried to hide beneath a tree, well and truly convinced I had lost her.
Oh, the sweet summer child.
One shouted "boo" and a shriek of surprised glee later, and the chase was well and truly on.
We hurtled through the Physical Realm, Kei leading and myself always one step behind. I kept back just enough to keep things fun, as you do with kids; matching her jukes, following her teleports, pretending like I'd lost her at times and catching her when necessary – only to let her squirm and slip away, so the chase could resume.
We sprinted up mountains, Kei digging through the snow like a fish through water, creating intricate tunnel systems until I started pelting her with snowballs from a mountaintop away. She used illusions in increasingly creative ways to try and confound me, and I played along – waiting until she tried to sneak up on me to pounce on her, or until she had sufficiently hidden herself. Her mad giggles never ceased, even when I would catch her, squirming wildly before teleporting away.
The only time I really admonished her was when she tried to hide in a small village of Karae, the young people wholly unsure of what to do with her presence. Even if they couldn't see her, they could feel her, and that made them nervous.
I promptly plucked her out of the village, reaching through a portal to drag her back to the jungle we'd been playing in, giving her a stern look that had her smiling sheepishly. A being as powerful as her, especially one who only had nominal control over her powers, was no less than hazardous to a young, impressionable people like they. I was positive my small lecture about it largely went over Kei's head, but the way her ears and tails drooped made it clear she got the message. And then I promptly tossed her in a lake, to her delight, and the game resumed.
The game of chase only ended when she tried, and failed, to set a trap for me. It was during one of the times where I let her think she'd given me the slip; I'd give her a few minutes to play around, hide herself, I'd find her, and then the chase would resume. Only this time, instead of hiding right away, she set about making a trap.
I watched from a treetop, lounging on a tree branch and munching on a piece of fruit I'd picked up while Kei carefully crafted a pit of pink snow, covering it with branches arranged in a way that looked natural, but would collapse fairly easily. Then she cast her illusions around the entirety of the forest, no doubt an attempt to make me look everywhere but the innocuous pile of branches she was now standing on, perfectly balanced so that if anyone else stepped on the pit cover it would collapse, and send them hurtling into the pit of pink snow. And she, presumably, would leap away in time to avoid it – she'd gotten the hang of sensing my own teleports in the time we'd been playing.
For a brief moment I debated rewarding her ingenuity by purposefully falling for her trap.
Then I decided it would be far more amusing to make her fall in on her own.
A snap of my fingers and a rumble in the earth set the pit to collapsing and Kei to tumbling into her own trap, falling face-first into the pink snow with a yelp. My laughter rung out through the forest as I descended from the treetops, devolving into a fit of uncontrollable giggles as Kei looked up at me, face painted pink.
"Unfair, Grandpa!" she protested. I did the mature thing and stuck my tongue out at her. She wrinkled her nose, wiping her face off. "Rude! Now you have to help me get cleaned up, or else mom is gonna be mad at you!"
"That she will." I agreed, making a grabbing motion with one hand. She floated out of the pit, the snow melting and draining away as together we flew to the shores of a large lake, easily dozens of miles across, its waters crystal clear and pure. I could sense a myriad of spiritual plants growing within the waters, keeping things clean, their thriving no doubt a result of the crossing ley lines beneath the lake proper. A water spirit rose up to greet me as I lowered Kei into the water, poking its fishlike head above the surface to see if I needed anything. I waved it off with a smile, and promptly dunked Kei in the water.
She spluttered. I cackled. And the pink came off.
Ten minutes and one water-fight later, Kei and I sat just before the sandy beach, on a bed of mossy loam. She lay sprawled across my lap, eyelids heavy as I ran a comb through the orange fur of her tails. The water spirit watched us curiously, and Kei leaned into my touch, practically purring. I'd had many furry pets in a few of my previous lives. This felt a lot like petting a cat, especially when she yawned sleepily and sprawled out on the ground, her tails fanned out over my lap to give me easier reach. I shot her an amused look, ignoring the soreness of my own soul – too much work for this little incarnation, chasing Kei and forging suns – and continued to brush.
"Someone's coming," Kei murmured, her ears flicking as she settled further into the soft, green, mossy ground. I nodded, setting aside the brush and admiring the scenery. It was peaceful here. The waters of the lake lapped gently at the shoreline, multicolored fish swimming in the dark waters. Birds flitted in the trees, singing happily, while bugs buzzed pleasantly, never bothering me despite their simple inquisitiveness. A snake watched us from the grass, its soul gleaming with the light of spiritual energy – it was close to awakening, and becoming something more…sapient. I smiled at it.
"Indeed they are." I'd noticed them a little bit ago, but hadn't expected them to come our way. Actually, now that I thought about it…I traced back mine and Kei's path through Pangaea and hummed thoughtfully. "It's still weird," I muttered.
"What is?" Kei asked, rolling over to look at me better.
"Being the one who karma guides people to, rather than the other way around." I said, watching as Dei and Celene burst through the undergrowth, looking haggard and ready for a fight. Kei popped upright, staring at Dei with narrowed eyes, while I cast my senses outward, feeling his people nearly twenty miles away. They had been nomadic ever since the city fell, travelling where they could and even absorbing a few new tribes. There were even other races among them, elementals, avians, and a few karae mixing in with the fae. Pride tickled my heart; good for Dei. Even despite the chaos, he managed to still look out for others, despite being different species.
I'd been worried about that.
Something touched my hand and I looked down, smiling at the little snake that had come up to me, its eyes blinking slowly. I scratched its chin fondly, glad for its boldness.
"Who…are you?" Dei asked, gripping his spear and eyes scanning the surroundings.
"I am as I am," I replied, restraining my aura to the maximum amount possible. Dei and his people visibly relaxed the second I did so, though they didn't seem to notice.
"Should we disappear?" Kei stage-whispered.
"Not this time," I told her with a slight shake of my head, layering the words with my power so only she could hear them. "They were guided to us through strings of karma. There is a difference between that, and hiding in an unconnected village." My appearance in that village of Karae Kei had tried to hide in would have done far more harm than good – I could practically see the religious zealots that would appear out of it, their sight of the divine twisting and warped by their own…smallness.
The snake flicked its tongue out, distracting me from my thoughts as it curled into a ball by my leg, watching Dei warily. The man didn't have any eyes for the spirit beast, however. He only stared at me, and Kei.
"You…" Dei said slowly, meeting my eyes. He held my gaze for a brief moment, brows furrowed as if he recognized me. In an instant his eyes grew wide and his posture relaxed, glancing up at the boughs of the Life-Giving Tree above. A scar could still be seen on the Tree's trunk, the bark cracked and broken, though mending. "You're one of them, aren't you?" he asked.
"Them? Dei, you know this man?" Celene asked, the black-haired woman stepping to stand beside him. She had grown far colder ever since her lover died, her blue eyes distant and frigid, her qi as white and wintery as a snowstorm. Frost curled around her hands reflexively, and it physically pained me to see her like this. Her fated lover was scheduled to be reincarnated in the next five years – having chosen to skip much of the afterlife in favor of reuniting with her – but it would probably be nearly another twenty after that before they really met again.
She had so much growth to go through before their reunion could be a happy one…
"I met one just like him, just before the Tree was attacked. She had his eyes," Dei said, holding my gaze. Him? I glanced down at myself. Huh. I was a guy this time. Wasn't I a woman last time I met him? I should really try to stay consistent for some of these meetings, it might be less confusing for the mortals.
"His eyes?" Celene asked, meeting my gaze. She recoiled, bringing up her hands defensively, and Dei laid a hand on her shoulder.
"They're unmistakable, are they not? Sir, do you mind if we join you?" Dei asked slowly, gesturing toward us. I glanced at Kei; this was her time, not mine, but she was distracted. An illusion had fallen over her as she stalked forward, sniffing the air around the two Fae like a curious cat. Dei looked down at Kei, who appeared as little more than an orange fox to him, and frowned. "Seek nothing outside yourself." He chanted, qi flaring and dispelling Kei's illusion. He stiffened, clearly unsure what to make of her sudden change in appearance. She, however, just grinned at him, caught in the act of doing…whatever she was planning. Nothing good, I presumed.
"You're fun!" she chirped, dancing away.
"Yes, you can sit," I said with a chuckle, waving my hand. A fire sprung to life before me, the flames flickering merrily as it hung in the air. Another wave of my hand, and a pot of tea started warming itself over the flames.
Dei carefully approached, sitting in a respectful, kneeling position across the fire from me, laying his spear to the side. Celene was far more cautious, even as she copied Dei. Both did their best to not react to Kei, who had taken to poking Dei with a stick like he was a particularly interesting animal. Considering these were the first mortals she had ever interacted with, that was probably not a far-off assumption.
"How can I help you?" I asked.
"We came running because there was a lot of power being thrown around. I thought someone was getting into a fight with a spirit beast and might need help. There were…a lot of illusions guarding the place." Dei admitted. I huffed in amusement, glancing at Kei who shrugged helplessly.
"That would be her fault, I'm afraid. She's still learning to control her power." I accused. Kei stuck her tongue out at me. Like the mature adult I was, I stuck my tongue out in retaliation.
"…right." Dei said. "…is the Tree alright?"
"Quite alright. A little damaged, but it's on the mend." I replied, taking the teapot off and pouring myself a cup. The snake at my side flicked its tongue out, and I, after a brief moment of hesitation, set the cup down in front of it before making myself another cup. Ah, the little joys of being a god. I can never run out of cups. Or tea! Or booze, but that's beside the point.
"Good." Dei said, nodding his head and shifting awkwardly, unsure of what to say next. I glanced at Celene, wanting to help her, but…her heart was closed off to me, and to anyone else. There was little I could actually do for her – even if I were to reincarnate her lover immediately it would likely send her into a spiral. No, she had to accept things herself, in her own time, at her own rate. I could give her little nudges, but nothing like how I wanted to. Dei, on the other hand…
"You don't have to tiptoe around me. Unlike Kei, I won't bite," I said. Dei flinched at my words and Kei bared her teeth dangerously, then fell over giggling, unable to hold the expression for too long. "But I can't help you."
"What?" Dei asked.
"From the moment you saw me, Dei, some part of you has been hoping for advice. For me to say something like 'Seek nothing outside yourself,' and give you a new power or understanding into the world." I said, shaking my head. Dei sucked in a breath, leaning back, while Celene's eyes snapped to me. "But you don't need that. Those words? They mean nothing. You gave them meaning. You gave it purpose. And your understanding of them is constantly evolving. You expect me to say something that will give you enlightenment, when those words have already been said to you. You have everything you need to succeed right there." I said, punctuating the sentence by jabbing a finger toward his chest. "You just need to start listening to it, now."
"Listening to it?" Dei asked as I stood. Things were starting to get a little sketchy here, Kei was getting restless and I needed to leave. My presence here would do nothing more for these two; it had introduced them to the Light, in their own ways. They need to absorb it in their own time.
"Yes. Guidance is always given to those who ask, not with their mouths, but with their heart and soul." I said, moving over to pick up Kei. She squirmed a bit but ultimately relented, pouting at me. I quieted her complaints with the promise of ice cream.
"But…" Dei started, but I quieted him with a look and a soft smile. The angel Fu Hao, the one assigned to the physical realm, had been by to try and help Dei three times since her creation. All three times Dei had rejected her guidance. If he wanted to be the man he wanted to be, sometimes he needed to listen to people and things beyond himself and those directly around him. Ironically, seeking nothing outside yourself did not mean shutting out everyone else, after all. It meant all changes could be made by one's self.
The true trick was figuring out which advice to follow. Sometimes the mind tricked people into thinking its advice was correct, and came from the soul, when said advice was, in fact, clouded by emotion. Sometimes the soul was quiet, and sometimes you just weren't ready for the answer. It was a constant game, and a frustrating one at that. I would know. I'd lived through it in multiple lifetimes. But then again, who was I to talk about guidance? He had gotten this far by himself, walking a fine line to be sure, and yes he'd made some mistakes along the way but I was still proud of him and his progress. But like a parent watching a child ride a bike, taking off the training wheels for the first time, I worried.
"Fine. I can…accept that." Dei ground out, even though I could clearly see he couldn't. Frustration swirled in his chest like a black plague, the iron wall of his heart impenetrable to all forms of guidance. "Then would you be so kind as to guide me to where I can build a new city for my people? We cannot be nomads forever." He said simply. I smiled patiently at him, but it was Kei who answered.
"Isn't here alright?" she asked innocently, cocking her head to the side. "There's a lot of energy in the middle of the lake," she pointed in that direction, across the lake.
"That's impossible. There are crossing ley lines here, but it's in the center of the lake," Celene said.
"Make a flying city. Ooh! That's a good idea! A flying island would be so cool!" Kei giggled, bouncing up and down in my grip. I chuckled fondly at her, booping her nose with a finger before turning my attention back to Dei and Celene.
"From the mouth of babes," I muttered, shaking my head. "Stand tall, Dei. You are allowed to be proud of yourself. You have gotten this far on the virtue of your own soul, but even I cannot help you with what you seek. Farewell, Dei, Celene. May we meet again soon," I said with a slight bow, and teleported away.
Only once we were back in my palace, bowls of ice cream sitting in front of me and Kei, spoons clinking merrily against the bowls, did Kei finally speak.
"You like them, huh?" she asked.
"I like all my children." I replied. "But something does draw me to Dei and Celene. They have potential, and I would love for them to realize it. Plus…" I frowned. There was something there, in that thought train, that I was missing. I had been talking about guidance, connections, and the power of the soul for a while now, and it felt like I was missing some connection that needed to be answered…
I frowned. I needed to talk about this with someone. Now where were my children?
Dei stared at the spot the man had been, the only proof anyone had been there being the fading warmth of a fire and the lingering scent of good tea. Leaves drifted from the trees, the snake the man had been kind to flicking its tongue out at him calmly. It wasn't just any snake. That was a Hundred-Step Viper; it was notoriously vicious, its poison deadly enough that almost any man, be they cultivator or mortal, only had time to take a hundred steps before they perished. And the man had been petting it.
Like a gods-damned pet.
"What in Keilan's name just happened?" Celene asked. "What in Mother Statera's name just happened?" she amended.
"Curse all you want, that won't change that I have no clue." Dei replied reflexively. The woman beside him was easily the strongest cultivator among his people besides himself – well, that was a lie. Based on qi alone, and stage of cultivation, Celene was strong. Undoubtedly. Indubitably. In fact, Dei had not advanced in cultivation since the city's fall, and that had been nearly thirty years ago.
Yet not once had he lost a spar to her.
Not once did she deny he was stronger.
Whatever strength the woman's words had led him to discovering, it was…unknowable. And only recently had he thought it something different than true cultivation.
"Let's go back." He said, wondering what in the Karmic Hell that man with the woman's eyes had meant by accepting guidance. Celene nodded and spun on her heel, immediately stalking away. Dei lingered for just a moment longer. He could not be seen showing weakness. He was the leader. He was a great and powerful being, all knowing and confident to his people – even if he had no damn clue what he was doing.
For thirty years he'd kept the mask up.
For thirty years, he'd struggled under the weight of his responsibility. And he was tired.
And in the first time in well over thirty years, he bowed his head, and asked for help. It was a brief thing. Barely qualifying as a prayer. But its message was heartfelt, and pure in its intent. Some part of him knew that he would not like the answer to his plea. So with a quick shake of his head he started off after Celene, only glancing back once to look at the lake, Kei's suggestion rattling about in his mind unbidden.
The part of my being that was watching, paying attention, heard it all the same, just as it heard all heartfelt prayers. He was right. He would not like the answer. But since he had finally asked, help would be given all the same.
Chapter 1.21 What is a Dao?
"What is a dao?" I asked no one in particular. Kei glanced up at me from where she'd been playing with a toy boat I'd made for her out of wood and shrugged, then promptly went back to pushing it along in the little creek she knelt at. We were sitting in my garden, her enjoying playing with the plants and little spirit beasts I kept – there was a monkey swinging through the trees Kei liked to laugh at – while I fretted over the idea that had been teasing me for the past few hours.
"I dunno," she said, returning to making boat noises. I looked down at the chunk of wood I had in my own hands, thumbs pressing into it and molding it like clay. A boat was slowly forming, a rudder and mast forming as I pressed it into shape. Sure, I could easily make it take the form of a boat with the wave of my hand, but there was something cathartic about doing it this way.
"Is it some thing that sits out there, in the aether, a law of creation?" I continued, twisting the wood to make a little propeller grow from the top of the boat. A little flick set the propeller to spinning, my wooden galleon floating into the air on a current of wind I controlled. It circled around Kei, her ears flicking in annoyance as she shot me, and it, a little glare.
"Hey! Ships don't fly!" she protested.
"Airships do," I replied absently, drumming my fingers on the soft soil. Kei pouted and I shot her a small smile – but my mind was far afield, feeling out my own powers and thoughts. This incarnation didn't have enough presence of mind for this – a small request went out to my other incarnations, who I was only tenuously aware of. One of them was even somewhere in the gardens, arranging plants and things or rebuilding the palace proper.
One quick argument with myself later and my request was granted, a bit of power siphoned off of the other incarnations to fuel this one and increase its awareness. Immediately the world brightened, individual rays of light reacting to my very thought, the grass beneath me becoming softer, the song their little plant-souls sang a little louder.
I felt Reika before she appeared, a breath on the wind slowly drifting toward me. Kei perked up just a few seconds later, staring at the space Reika would appear at with ears twitching – and promptly leapt upon her mother the moment she appeared in a swirl of leaves.
"Mom, Grandpa's being weird!" She complained, wrapping her arms and legs around Reika and clinging to her like a monkey. Reika stumbled a little at the sudden impact, smiling fondly and patting Kei's head.
"When is She not being weird?" she asked, shooting me an amused look. I shrugged, having nothing to say to that.
"Yeah, but He's being, like extra weird." Kei whined. I cut off whatever Reika was about to say with my own question.
"What is a domain?" I mused, Reika arching an eyebrow at me while Kei gave her a look that screamed see?! "A divine domain, I mean. Is it like a Dao? Something else? Am I just the Deity of Balance?"
"Are you…having an existential crisis?" Reika asked, no small amount of panic in her tone. I shook my head and smiled softly as I stood, clasping my hands behind my back and pacing.
"No, I'm trying to work something out. I need…" I cast my senses outward, searching for someone who could help me explain my thoughts. The closest was Argent, the elemental god of metal, as he flew through space away from Elvira's palace. I had to borrow the senses of my true body to do it – this incarnation didn't have the power to sense all that far away from me. Actually, now that I looked, there were quite a few gods flying away from Elvira's palace…thoughts for later, enlightenment now. "Argent, would you be a dear and come to my garden, please?" I sent telepathically, clearly catching the god by surprise if the way he jolted and looked about frantically for a brief moment was any indication.
It was only a moment, however, and soon he was hurtling through space toward me. A few other gods seemed to follow, but I refocused on what was in front of me.
"He was asking what a Dao was, too," Kei whispered.
"My question is; is a Dao some mysterious force in the universe – and what do you understand about it?" I asked, meeting Reika's eyes. She gently peeled Kei off of herself, taking a few wary steps toward me. I scowled at her in annoyance, sensing her concern and knowing it was misplaced. "No, enough of that. Silence your thoughts and answer the question."
"I don't understand it." Reika confessed. "Nor where it is coming from." In that moment, Argent arrived, landing softly beside me. His skin was a copper tone today, each individual strand of hair a different alloy or color of metal. I laid a hand on his shoulder before he could even speak.
"Take Argent here, the god of metal. Is that all he is?" I asked.
"…yes?" Argent said slowly, voice deep and rumbling. "Though I am a divinity, so saying that is all I am is a bit hurtful."
"A soul that focuses too much on one thing is destined for failure, and refuses growth." I denied, the longer I talked the more ideas came to me. "If you only took the Dao of metal to the realms of divinity, you would not have become a god. No, although metal is the strongest aspect of your being, it is not the only aspect. I see in you the divine paths of all five elements in your…cluster. Metal, wood, fire, water, and earth, each swirling around each other, supporting one another, and allowing your focus on metal to grow stronger." I reasoned.
Argent furrowed his brows, working his jaw in confusion, but Reika's eyes seemed to light up in understanding.
"Just as the concept of metal does not solely mean the physical aspect of metal, but the metaphorical as well." She said slowly. "You've talked about this before. How certain elements – almost all elements – can be metaphorical, standing for more than just what the name claims. Argent is also determined, steadfast, a fair teacher, all traits we assign symbolically with 'metal'…but none of those qualities can stand alone without the passion of fire, the growth of wood, the flexible wisdom of water, or the stable foundation of earth."
"Oh," Argent said, blinking. His eyes grew wide as he looked at me, realizing something about himself in that moment he hadn't ever considered before. That was the enlightenment I was chasing now – I knew whatever I was thinking of, at a fundamental level, but a simple change in words could alter my entire perspective on my being. I needed more power for this.
Another request for power was sent out, and I didn't bother to wait for an answer to continue.
"And yet, did you follow some inherent path that exists? Is there a great Dao of Metal that sits somewhere out there, in the Primordial Chaos, in the depths of the Four Realms, sitting there that you followed to the point of divinity?" I asked, vaguely aware that a larger crowd had started to form. Gods and spirits now surrounded me, listening intently to my ramblings.
"…I always thought it was you who guided me," Argent said slowly. I paused, mouth open and statement half-thought, his words utterly blindsiding me. Guidance. Was it really so simple? Had I truly been missing something so…simple?
"It was," I admitted, understanding dawning. I turned around, golden light flowing from my finger as I began to write in the air, drawing first the symbolic chart of the Chinese five elements, the path that Argent followed, then everything else I had said so far in the air, the words hanging there as motes of golden light. "You followed my understanding of it at first, that was what put you on the path when you were a young soul. Somehow you tapped into my own energy, intent, and understanding of the universe – you listened to it, absorbed it, and let it grow within you, following the path until you became a divinity. A god."
"Through You, all things are possible," the angel Stilicho said, appearing in a flash of light. I pointed at him dramatically.
"Ah HA! That is not where I was going with this! Because Argent diverged at a certain point – the Dao, the path he follows has been internalized. No longer does he rely on me to teach him, he is now forging his own path into the beyond. I have my Dao to follow, and he his. He had to become his own – the Dao he follows is still part of mine nominally, however, because mine was the base." I explained, nodding my head. Part of the nature of my own domain was that it encompassed quite a bit – metal is far more specific than something like balance.
Was that the difference between power-levels between gods? Specificity of divine daos and domains? I didn't understand enough to answer that question.
"Why do you keep using the word Dao?" Alexander asked. "You rarely used it before." I glanced at him, sitting in my garden surrounded by a dozen other spirits and deities. When did he get here? I tapped my chin thoughtfully, chasing that question. The answer came easily enough.
"Mortals," I said. Specifically Dei. Whatever he was doing with his soul, internalizing his energy like he was, was sparking this entire conversation because it felt like he was starting to touch upon the Dao – correction, his own Dao. "A Dao is a path, like I said earlier, but slightly different than the domain of a deity. Domains are divine, touching upon those higher realms of understanding and consciousness; a Dao doesn't necessarily have to be. It is intricately linked to understanding the world around you of course, as well as knowledge of the self, but that doesn't make it divine. It can become divine, but isn't inherently.
"But they both function the same. Both divinity and the Dao are a way for a soul to bring forth changes into the universe; but what the Dao, the path, itself is, is unimportant. Be it an artist, or metal, or balance, what our souls have chosen to focus on is but a vessel, a 'focus,' if you will, to guide our intent into creating changes." I explained, extending my hand outward. My entire being was not "Balance." I was more than that. However, when I focused my power into creating a sun, I utilized my understanding of balance to invoke changes. Light swirled in the palm of my hand, exploding into a miniaturized sun the size of my head.
Just like when Dei had leapt over the chasm, his soul had pushed intent down in the chasm to create a gust of wind to give him the needed boost to make it across. This was no different fundamentally, just…more. A deeper understanding. The nuclear fission happening within the sun, atoms spitting and combining at massive rates in a furious balance of chaos and creation. Metal and fire.
"Hold this," I said, turning and handing the sun to Argent and Vesuvius, the god of fire who had been standing close to him. Argent panicked for a moment as the sun came to rest in the palms of his hands, his metallic skin heating up, threatening to turn cherry-red. "Fire does not destroy metal. It only allows it to change," I advised, turning away and scrawling the entire process in the air, next to all the other words I had written. A picture of a sun along with the inner-workings of it appeared beside it all, making me frown as I stared at it.
"Just as we are two sides of the same coin," Elvira said, standing beside Keilan. They were flanked by Sol and Gilles, respectively, and were all listening with interest. Once again I marveled at the number of beings who kept appearing the longer I talked, but I was on a roll now. There was something so simple, so stupidly blatant I was missing…
"There's one thing I don't understand," the angel Fu Hao said, appearing beside Stilicho.
"Yes?" I asked.
"You mentioned the Dao and mortals, and implied there was something to do with guidance there. It is a path, is it not? Do You not make the paths?" she asked. I hummed and closed my eyes for a brief moment.
"How do mortals know what path to take?" Stilicho added, and suddenly it hit me.
"Oh," I said, eyes opening and smiling. How could I have been so stupid? It went right back to my initial few questions – what was a Dao? Was a Dao some inherent law of the universe, like karma, sitting out there? If karma was the spiritual law of 'every action has an equal and opposite reaction,' then was the Dao something similar? The answer was no. But also yes.
The Heavenly Daos existed because I did, and my children did. There was something out there in the primordial chaos that represented balance, or yin, or yang, or the elements and spirits, but we were what gave it direction and purpose, and developed them into greater, more meaningful things. Without Argent to continuously forge the Dao of Metal, it would remain metal. In many ways the gods defined and directed these…things, giving them wills and a purpose. The Four Realms might even have something akin to a consciousness, but because of who I am and what I do, it could, in many ways, also be considered my own will.
My will is the will of the heavens. Not because we are in agreement, but because they are me. And even now, now that I was paying attention, I could feel all the other little wills across creation connecting to me. Seeking power, passion, guidance, mortals trying to find meaning in their lives…and the Dao was there, waiting for them to set their feet on the path, a path they eventually will take themselves if they so desire it – for not all souls desire to continue walking – and make their own.
Yet I was missing something. Not mentally, but personally. It felt like there was a hole within me, I was just beginning to notice, and could do nothing about yet.
My thoughts continued to spiral from there, descending down, down, then up again as I chattered away, giving voice to my realizations and thoughts, answering questions as they came my way, and writing it all in the air. I wasn't sure how long I talked, only that when I finally broke out of it and turned around, almost all major beings of the Four Realms sat before me. Karmic kings, high-ranking spirits, the angels Fu Hao and Stilicho, and all the gods lay scattered before me, absorbed in my talk. Only Kei wasn't paying attention – I could sense her elsewhere in the garden, riding one of my horses.
With a clap of my hands the golden words I had written in the air condensed, collapsing in on themselves to form a black-bound book with golden letters titling it. A Dissertation on the Heavenly Dao, Volume 1. With a wave of my hand it was sent away, a few copies landing in the hands of those gods who wanted it, while I swayed where I stood.
"I am going to need to disappear for a time." I said softly. Was this the enlightenment so many people loved to talk about? I'd never experienced it to such a degree – it felt like I was about to fall into a deep sleep, without sleeping. Yet I understood why this was the case. In many ways I had still been thinking like an angelic being, not an origin deity. My outlook was changing, and I needed to internalize these changes. It was impossible for me to "take a step back" as I had been thinking, for my very presence influenced the Realms. And everything within had an equal opportunity to connect to my will and power, and seek guidance and aid. "If you need anything just ask. I'll be there." I said softly, and my incarnation promptly vanished.
Elsewhere, my true body shifted in its meditations, my mind sinking into the Four Realms to observe, feeling out the budding Will that was forming there. And I saw. And I understood.
And the Shadow stirred.
Chapter 1.22 Heavenly Tribulations
Part of the nature of my enlightenment was that, when I fell into deep meditation, I did not truly disappear from the Four Realms – not that I ever could. I was the Heavenly Will, and the Heavenly Will was me. And the moment I touched upon it, allowing it to merge with me once again, filling a piece of that hole I felt within me, something was triggered. It felt like finding the last piece of a puzzle you hadn't known was missing; and suddenly tables and charts and information flashed in my mind's eye. But not once did it interrupt the process, only providing additional insights.
None of these things were knowledge I didn't know, or couldn't feel. But in the table, they were presented in such a way that it was easier for me to consolidate.
Ding!
Enlightenment!
You have entered a state of enlightenment. Efficiency of power usage increased by 200%. Growth rate increased by 400%. Healing rate increased by 150%.
Creation Progress: 5%. You have amassed only 5% of the necessary power to create the Lunar Star. Estimated completion time: 10,000 years.
Populations:
Greater Deities: 4
High Deities: 6
Deities: 58
Angels: 2
Mortal Races: 4 (In Progress: 12)
Spirit Beast Species: 1,205,343
Animals…
Yet that was not all I saw. For the first time I noticed a glaring hole in the systems of cultivation; a hole caused by both my own uncertainty of action, while also rushing other things. Such as the creation of life and the Fae. There were no Heavenly Tribulations set up to challenge cultivators, see if they were truly ready to set their feet upon the paths of immortality – and that oversight was bottlenecking many souls who might otherwise advance. Dei was one of them. So were many spirit beasts, as well as other souls from other walks of cultivation or life.
There were even a few souls whose karma were good enough to trigger an ascension into…whatever they would be, upon reaching the threshold of karma that might be called "reaching nirvana." Yet because of my unspoken fear of the Xianxia, as well as the unknown of what they would become, I was subconsciously suppressing them from advancing despite my attempts to lean into it, and curb my own hesitation. That would not do.
Hells, even Kei was among those souls. I observed her as she played in my garden, riding a bolt of lightning like a skateboard. A storm horse, one of the immortal horses Randus kept to pull my carriage, thundered along behind her, nostrils flaring and storm clouds roiling about its feet as it hurtled after her. She giggled the entire way, enjoying the chase, until her ears flicked and she whipped her head around, looking for something. The inattention cost her and she took a tumble, flipping head-over-tails as the bolt of lightning shot into the distance, splintering a tree as it went, the storm horse chasing after it.
She sat up, spitting out tufts of grass, dusting off her robes and glancing about curiously. A pout tugged at her lips, and she looked heavenward.
"No fair, Grandpa. You can't be everywhere at once. How will I hide from you? Or prank you?" she whined. I hummed in amusement, the sound turning into a gentle breeze that ruffled her hair and whispered to her an unspoken challenge. I dare you to try. It said, and she grinned, baring her teeth. "Just you wait. Imma get you."
And then my attention was gone, my duty complete, the Will urging me to finish what I should have before I let cultivation flourish. There were seven mortal realms of cultivation, each following the seven chakras in the mortal body, starting with the Root and ending with the Crown. Only once one's Qi reached the crown chakra could true immortality be gained, and they could set foot upon the immortal realms of cultivation…the only issue was rising through each of those realms. Each new chakra point represented a bottleneck, a qualitative change in one's energy and consciousness. The mind and soul became stronger, able to handle more information and power, to see more…and right now, traversing those bottlenecks was becoming increasingly difficult.
Reincarnation and karma helped ease these bottlenecks by cleansing impurities and circumventing certain natural limitations, but ultimately ignored the larger issue – beings could become immortal without those aids. That process could absolutely still be used as intended, it is just limited in scope and vision.
That is where a Heavenly Tribulation would come in. It would not only ensure that a soul, be they spirit beast or sentient race, was ready for ascension into the next realm of cultivation, both mentally, in terms of qi and otherwise, it would help cleanse the body and spirit of impurities that have no right to be present in the next stage of existence.
My intent set, I watched the Will of the Four Realms work, slowly weaving new functions and laws into the very core of its being alongside the inner workings of karma, freewill, and other inalienable laws. And once the structure was made, I set about filling in the blanks, realization setting into my being.
There wouldn't be only seven Tribulations. There would be eight. Just as I had lived eight lives, there would be eight trials for those cultivating to immortality; seven Heavenly Tribulations, followed by Immortal Ascension, which would be…different from the others. The tribulations would be cleansers, each a divine representation of a different aspect of life. Maybe there would be karmic flames, burning things depending upon the weight of their karma; or perhaps something to do with illusion and emotions, to temper the mind; or tribulation lightning? That's pretty standard, right? The trials also needed to differ based on the various kinds of cultivation, and the different people.
There was standard Qi cultivation, cultivation of the fleshly body, cultivation of karma and soul, of the Dao, of the mind…and a smattering of others. Different trials for each. It was a complex system, but necessary.
But the final one, in which one path of cultivation reached the realm of immortality…well. I needed something personal. All eight of my past lives flashed in my mind's eye, reliving each and every moment in the span of a few hours, the weight of each pressing themselves upon my soul. I had walked many paths in life on many different continents and in many different cultures; but there was one concept that stood out to me from each. Something that could describe my path, my whole mantra. Progressing; even if progression meant taking a few steps back to rebuild parts of the foundation, or to the side to navigate the maze of life, it was important to keep moving, or searching for that next step. And there was one symbol that meant the most to me that fit such a concept.
The bridge.
Something shifted in the Realms in reaction to my thoughts, a weight settling upon them for the briefest of moments as the Will moved to adjust itself to my vision.
My gaze shifted as it worked, observing the Realms with a sort of detachment I was unused to. It was logical and clinical, bypassing emotions almost entirely, seeing the universe through the lens of cause and effect. Matter twisted in the Physical Realm as gods worked to create new suns and solar systems around the Tree and Pangea. Yin flowed through the Karmic Realm, souls travelling through the River to reenter the cycle or reincarnation…or not, if they were strong enough. None had reached what I called nirvana yet, that precipice of mortal enlightenment, but that wasn't necessary to exit the cycle.
A soul, at a certain point in its growth, could opt to exit the cycle and work in the Spirit Realm. Many chose to, and the option to return to the Physical to continue to strengthen themselves remained open, but…there was nothing wrong with being content.
Some moved up to the Heaven Realm, where Elvira worked on strengthening her fleshly body, enduring the entire weight of her Holy Mountain to condense her flesh while Gilles and Sol looked on.
"She is quite the woman," Sol said, desire in his heart, and pride at all of the Realms.
"Yes, she is," Gilles agreed, respect and awe in his, a little string of fate binding himself to her.
Yet I did not follow or look into that string. Instead my gaze directed itself to a little red string flowing through the Physical Realm, tying two souls together that had yet to truly reunite. As I watched those two, the first two Fae, separated for the first time by lifetimes, something revealed itself to me. A sample of the structure of the Realms, as it neared foundational completion. My mind's eye zoomed out to behold the Four Realms as a whole, like an outsider looking in. Its shape was spherical, the heaven and karmic realms rotating around each other and the physical realm like teardrops - domed in shape, two halves of the whole with their respective key features prominent. Landmasses, like islands, floated in the cloudy white substance of heaven, most uninhabitable save for the largest - that which the Mountain rose from. In the karmic ocean, shapes were beginning to form, echoes of memories creating...something, but not quite old enough yet to finish its work. The karmic valley gleamed like a beacon in the midst of the dark ocean, all while twinkling stars and brilliant stardust swirled in-between the two, the Tree peeking a few leaves out from between the realms. All while the Spirit Realm bound it all together.
And I saw it coming together.
One source.
Four fundamentals.
Eight pillars.
Sixty-four pairs, to round out existence.
All swirling together in an intricate balance, encompassing chaos and change and order and stability – all of creation, spinning like a wheel, ever progressing yet never forgetting where it came from.
The moment passed, and I shifted my gaze once again, the Will finishing its work. Many souls would be undergoing tribulations soon. Including…well now. Including the male half of the red string, whose karma was close, so close to being able to reach karmic ascension but just not quite good enough. Yet it had potential. And I saw, briefly, a chance. An opportunity. One that pained me, but would ultimately make him more powerful, reunite the two lovers, and unveil the Shadow in one fell swoop. But the path would be painful, and hard, and keep the two apart for even longer.
To get him to the required point, sacrifices had to be made, even if that sacrifice was time. And I wouldn't be able to help them in the way I wanted.
Emotionally, I wished to aid him, to break out of enlightenment and be there to watch the first soul ascend to karmic immortality, to reunite the lovers right then and there.
Logically, I knew I must stay distant. Because the Shadow was moving in my apparent dormancy. And the young man was too tempting a target to ignore; seen as a favored soul, and a powerful one to boot. Symbolic, in more ways than one.
The Shadow poked and prodded, just barely tickling the edges of my awareness with its maliciousness. Carefully it stepped out of its hiding place – still obnoxiously hidden, even to my current state of being – only to leap right back in. It was testing me, seeing if I would react. I did not. Instead, I posed a question to the young man through the Dao. If he would aid me in this, freshly reborn though he was, and drive himself to greater heights.
It was not a physical question, but more of a feeling. A feeling of purpose and pride, of walking a path no matter how difficult because the end of the rainbow was worth it – for at it resided his other half. Part of me had not expected him to accept, even though he did without hesitation. Young though he was, he sensed the importance of my request, and settled into his new life as his soul forgot who he had been.
But not completely. Never completely.
The end would be worth it for him, painful though the path might be. So long as he walks the straight and narrow.
And so I watched, and waited, for years, decades, biding my time until the Shadow started to move, its dark claws dipping into the Realms, confident that I would not counter it, unknowing that my reach was far beyond the physical. And the game was afoot.
Alexander was the only one of his siblings to feel it, the moment the Shadow started to move. Not only because he was one of the only ones who was actively watching, but because he was one of the few who knew what to look for. The Shadow's hiding place, he figured, was not too unlike his own. His great body unwound itself from the depths of the River, brushing past a few souls as he yawned and gazed in the direction of the Shadow.
"I would not do that if I were you," he rumbled softly, transmitting his voice through Qi so the Shadow could properly hear him. Its presence stilled, attention focusing entirely upon him. A shadow of a feeling ran across Alexander's form, the feeling of jaws closing around his neck, of his scales shattering beneath teeth seeking his godly blood, pressing itself so firmly into his mind that, if he didn't know better, he would say he was about to die. But he was a dragon, and such things would not phase him.
"And what will you do about it, little dragon, now that That One is well and truly asleep?" It hissed, voice deep and resonate and foreboding, echoing from all different directions at once. "You alone do not have the power to defeat me."
"I am never alone. Even in sleep, Father is always with us," Alexander drawled with an exaggerated yawn, showing off his gleaming white teeth. Though he did not know the exact location the Shadow watched from, he knew its gaze was upon him. In a flash his expression shifted, from lazy and relaxed to fierce and firm, a growl bubbling in the back of his throat. "But you doubt my resolve in this matter. I may not be able to win, but it is not about me winning. It is ensuring you will lose." Golden fire licked through his teeth as he spoke, the divine flames of promised retribution distorting the spirit river.
It was only a heartbeat later that the Shadow replied, though the time ticked by like an eternity.
"That is hardly fair." It hissed, not sounding disappointed. "But I suppose it is a bit early in this war for the big players to brawl. Let us remain at ease, then, and let our pawns scuffle and skirmish."
"So be it." Alexander agreed. "Though you will not find our so-called 'pawns' easy to defeat."
"I should hope not." It replied, and settled back down, its presence not moving but not hiding away either. Alexander killed the fire in his throat, settling back down on the riverbed and laying his head upon a boulder, his attention turning to the man the Shadow was undoubtedly watching; the mortal, about to achieve Karmic Immortality. Spirits and souls swirled about him, taking comfort in his holy presence. As for himself, he let none of his inner doubts or nervousness.
This was war, after all. Shows of weakness had to be deliberate. And mistakes on his end would cost the futures of millions of souls.