--- Son of Swift Spear POV

The rising sun warms my fur and wakes me shortly after dawn. The abandonment of the large camp outside the Dungeon is more obvious in the cold morning sunlight. Black burnt logs within stone ring campfires and surrounding log seats mark the former positions of various groups and an occasional collapsed pole frame tent denoting an optimistic yet failed attempt at semi-permanence. The once boisterous and busy staging area is now a dream swept away by the reality of death and loss, this Beast Kin defeat strikes at my pride and I realise why the Questor Group is required, the parts must become one to succeed.

A quiet sizzle accompanied by an aroma of cooked rabbit flesh draws my attention. Blessalla tends to a strung-out skinned rabbit carcass ideally positioned over the dancing flames of an acquired campfire.

Propped up upon an elbow I query the unexpected sight. “The flesh of animals Blessalla?”

“You’re right, I prefer roots and berries, yet I can at least cook for my companions, given your trapping success.”

A drooling Helmer, somewhat overweight bereft of armour, round steel plate in one hand and a two-prong fork in the other, eyes off the promise of a sizzling feast. Weleran’s deep chuckle supports my assessment of our companion’s desperation, while the Snake Kin stretches and exposes every scale on her body to the sun by instinct it seems, her eyes closed. Still asleep? I know snakes are sluggish in the cold night air and more active during the day, Snake Kin I thought not affected either way. Interesting.

“Put your plate and fork away and grab a knife to skin another rabbit, the one won’t feed you lot,” said Blessalla to Helmer, while rotating the rabbit.

His jowls jostling from the shaking of his head he complies. “If I skin, then I eat it.”

The Badger Kin quick as a snake replies, “What reward does the hunter earn then?”

Working his jaw several times he finally responds. “My eternal gratitude.”

We gather around the campfire after skinning the additional rabbits and feast, Waleran enjoying the lion’s share, which I jest to him about, receiving a grunt in reply. Alasse is the last to join, coiling her tail beneath her, seemingly comfortable, picking at the rabbit meat her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

While joking at Helmer’s expense Alasse's hissing gains our attention.

“Are we travelling separately or returning together and announcing our discovery?”

I am certain she has a plan and testing our preferences before she begins any manipulation.

“That would be the most obvious,” I reply. I hold a paw up to pause her reply. “I would like to hear your proposal nevertheless.”

Her head slides back. Apprehension? Surprise? I am still guessing her tells.

“As our fearless leader, aren’t we best to follow your plans?”

I flash friendly teeth. “My plans would pale when compared to the machinations of a Snake Kin I would think, so I am listening.”

She bows her head down, lower jaw nestling between her furless breasts. Extravagant.

“We need to speak to our closest and trusted first. Rally them to the truth and reveal our secret as one of many groups.” She eyes off the empty camp. “I would suggest where we are now in nine days would be ideal, meet and greet, then enter the Dungeon.”

“Enter the Dungeon?” squeaked Blessalla.

Her snakehead cranes around to focus upon the Badger Kin. “How else will a Questor Group be formed?”

--- Aphrodite POV

{System Owner adjusts your soul: Divine Dominate inserted and set at 0%.}

What does the notification mean I ask myself? Then more messages scroll by.

{Profession Prophet

Godhead: Aphrodite

Realms: To Be Assigned

Holy Symbols: To Be Decreed

Healer Skills: Treat Wound, Treat Disease, Treat Poison, Lore (Plant), Lore (Animal), Find Plants, Brew Medicine

Priest Skills: Oratory, Evangelise (Aphrodite), Theology (Aphrodite)

Faith Magic: Far Sight, Magic Sight, Locate Enemy, Locate Magic, Locate (Faithful, Faithless, Heretic)

Divine Magic: Soul Sight, Sanctify Area (Aphrodite), Worship (Aphrodite), Assess Aspirant (Aphrodite)}

“You are godlike?”

Alba is privy to my elevation or enlightenment due to our link and hence her assessment apt, although unbelievable. How I ask myself again. Then again, a Divine Dominate of nil would mean any Godlike powers and abilities would be nothing. I try casting [Soul Sight], but no effect. The three other Divine Magic all relate to me, and I assume equally impotent.

A cold shiver runs down my back. The Sorcery and Magician expertise I have are available or not depending upon my current evolution, while Skills, Faith and Divine magic carry through regardless, although what about evolution into a form such as Griffon? If my next evolution has no Sorcery and Magician expertise, will they be lost to me? When will Azizos evolve me again? I have wasted weeks lounging upon this platform waiting for prey when between times I should have been more purposeful.

“Alba, how were you made?”

“Goddess, you tamed …”

“Wait! Goddess?” I only realised after I spoke, that I said the words aloud and needed to repeat them as thought words. “Goddess … I am …”

“Quiet! Don’t deny your title Mistress!”

I hold my thoughts, while Alba lectures me.

“Titles and names are important because they hold their own kind of power. Gar know this, all creatures know this. A creature will rise in power and strength and defeat all challengers. Then a time comes when age weakens them, yet their past triumphs add to the mysticism of their name which holds challengers back, too afraid to lose to an illusion of strength instead of believing the present and calculating to win. The civilised are different, the Frost Giants quailed before Grimhild Sigurddotta, not because of her power, but solely because of her name. Her name warns everyone, she is the daughter of Sigurd, the High King of all Frost Giants. Jarl Solveig didn’t hail from a strong family, therefore, to reinforce his power he chose the intimidating name Bloodaxe, while his title of Jarl commanded a degree of respect in and of itself. Titles and names are important Goddess.”

I … I remain silent. Her words stir new energy within me and purpose. I have been devoted in my quest to return to my Creator, thinking he needs me to free him and thereby placing bonds and shackles upon myself, first Azizos and then Zeus, obeying both as required. Azizos in celebration demonstrated he has attained his purpose; Questor Groups will evolve him in whatever way he needs. Has he now forgotten about me? Zeus leveraged my desperation to return to my Creator to enable him to invade this dominion and establish his presence to acquire new worshippers to venerate him.

Venerate Zeus … the Frost Giants and Beast Kin's faith and belief established Temples in his name. The first as a toehold, testing my capability to serve him and succeed, the second as an irrefutable presence, a grand design powered by all the magic I could command as his unwitting agent. As his pawn I was provided with snippets of power to impress the masses and encourage me in the false belief I would some future day return to my Creator. Zeus then discards me once I have served my purpose and hurt, I unleash an act of satisfying revenge, slaying his worshippers, my Lamia evolution delighting in the deadly clandestine game to the exclusion of anything else. I lost control; I gave in to my evolved nature.

Something or some other power then invades my mind and marks my soul. Zeus’ opposition? If Zeus rules his dominion, then it would stand to reason, another rules this dominion and perhaps sees in me a chance to defeat or at least curtail the invader. War then?

“Goddess?”

“If you address me as such then I demand your worship. What is a Goddess without the veneration of followers?”

“Yes, mighty Aphrodite, I serve willingly and wholeheartedly, your first and most devoted!”

“I welcome you as an Initiate, and I name this rank of worship Herald.” I feel a mote of magical power instantly transfer from Alba to me and in that singular moment I understand worship and veneration, how many can lift the one above and beyond normal, until powerful and omniscient. My Lamia nature revels in such lordship, plots and plans turning over rapidly within my mind until I call a halt.

[Bound Spirit Alba, Initiate Accepted: Herald of Aphrodite]

“Yes, my Goddess, the system so acknowledges me.”

I decide my first worshipper is also my confidante. After her battle with Zeus and winning independence, an awakening to a wider worldview manifested within her being and without reservation gave up her freedom to serve me.

“I tried to promote you to Acolyte or Priest, but I lacked the power to do so. I managed Initiate instead of Lay Member though so I have done as much as I can … I am sorry.”

“You are a Goddess, never apologise. Lay Member is understandable, we have known each other for several months and time the only requirement for Zeus and perhaps the basis of all worshippers to ensure they can develop the required dedication. Initiate allows me access to your Divine and Realm Magic when you are empowered and from there, I need to strive for higher recognition, you only need to judge my capability, worth and devotion.”

As her thoughts reach me, I realise Alba is trying to understand the way of things. I am ashamed … I should know and explain, this is my responsibility as Goddess. If titles and names have power, then symbols must as well, and I, therefore, claim my Holy Symbol, a winged bow and arrow. The wings, the common appendage throughout my monster-beast evolutions, the bow and arrow a weapon I cherish and glorify as did the sister and brother Gods in Zeus’ Parthenon, Artemis and Apollon, archers both with their “gentle arrows”. My arrows will deal out death and fertility as required and in so doing determine the fate of many and their families. Trim one branch of the family tree until none remain and allow another branch to bloom, suitable punishment and reward for friend or foe.

“Goddess, the Stone Giants …”

“What of the … of course Nasim would rally to me, well my former Lammasu me.”

Alba shares her tinkling laughter with me. “You are Aphrodite’s Prophet are you not?”

“I am my own Prophet because, in the beginning, it must be this way. Once a God is powerful enough to ordain Priests, they can assume this function. Therefore, the anointing of Alasse is a tremendous boon.” My thinking ‘aloud’ is a sharing that Alba responds to with sincere adoration.

“Dungeon Master Azizos seems distracted, perhaps we could pay a visit to Nasim?” Alba suggests.

No, Azizos distracted or not wouldn’t allow me freedom, each time I have flown away I have returned less in his favour. I need to visit Nasim though to increase my power through worshippers. I will bide my time, for now, tap into my Lamia nature to convince Azizos he needs to send me. While I wait for the opportunity, I need to preserve my knowledge.

“We will visit, first though my Herald we have some work to do. Explain your creation.”

--- Mount Olympus Zeus POV

I lounge back on my white marble throne observing my conniving wife Hera and our usually wise daughter Athena in deep conversation. While I could eavesdrop upon mortals without a second thought, immortals are in many ways equals in such things. Their ‘arrival’ in my new dominion was premature, a discomfort to say the least and not at all according to my plan. Their blessings upon Prometheus’ creation a harmful accident.

A burst of brightest sunlight envelops Olympus, driving away any shadows or darkness. I lift my gaze from wife and daughter to face another. Molten sunlight flows and falls from him, his golden hair radiates warmth and where he treads sunlight glows upon the white marble, eventually fading away.

The Titan Helios, the Sun God bows slightly before me. “The Greek Odysseus and his men have slain and eaten my sacred cattle on Thrinacian Island. I will take the sun with me and make it shine in the Underworld lest you punish the perpetrators.”

I cast my sight upon the world and deduce the exact truth. “Odysseus is innocent, even now he berates his men for their transgression.”

“Where is my justice then King of the Gods?” he howls at me.

“Observe …” I open my sight of the world to Helios. A huge and ferocious storm assaults Odysseus’ ship until all his crew are slain, he yet lives holding onto the wreckage of his ship.

Helios smartly swivels and strides to his chariot and the sun once again resumes its journey across the sky. This also prompts me to remember the Trojan War is at an end and yet Aphrodite is still absent from Olympus.

{The Goddess Aphrodite manifests upon Neoedafos}

I can’t cast my sight to the new dominion as yet so must rely upon my Priestess. I project my spirit presence into my statue altar in the Great Temple, opening the skilfully carved eyes of white marble, searching for her. The Priestess Daniela kneels before my altar as if expecting my presence as it should be.

--- Daniela, High Priestess of Zeus POV

Having dismissed the Temple functionaries long ago, I now take a deep breath and halt. Pacing in circles around his alter will not solve the many problems. I must seek his guidance and in so doing reveal my failures or perhaps shift the blame if I can find the correct words quickly enough.

On bended knee I gaze upon the marble altar, his hairless body, wrapped in a strange grab seated upon an ornate chair, he named a throne. The marble took weeks to find and extract and then several attempts to carve to satisfy the Great God. Sculptors from many Beast Kin underwent exacting scrutiny, starting with the faithful and ending with a disrespectful Lizard Kin for the general shaping and a petite Fox Kin for the finer detail. Day and most of the night working their craft and at each week’s end I would lose control of my body, while the God Zeus claimed it as a conduit, he said, to enable him to inspect the progress and the quality. During this time more pressing issues required his attention as much as mine.

His eyes move and gaze upon me. I clenched to hold my water.

“High Priestess, I have been alerted to the presence of Aphrodite within the Dominion of Neoedafos, has any follower of Aphrodite met with you?”

Of all the things to ask. What prompted this useless question? I need to bite the inside of my cheek to conceal my doubt.

“No Great God. The Adept of Hera is now proclaiming herself High Priestess and searching for a residence outside of your Great Temple. The Adepts of Athena are content to confine themselves to their martial training attending to her shrine as required, graciously housed within your Great Temple.”

“Why waste my time with drivel, a succinct answer of …”

His eyes return to marble, and I know his presence is now no more, returned to his dominion. His unexpected withdrawal is my main concern, blatant proof the Temple faith is weakening. The most fanatical of the faithful going to their deaths within the Quest Dungeon in the name of his glory and then the alter revealing his true form, hairless, upper torso like Snake Kin of all Kin. He didn’t accept the advice of his High Priestess, my advice, who is enlightened to his faith and knowledgeable of the Beast Kin cultures from which he needs to draw his future followers.

I wonder what became of his first Priestess, her lower body of panther marginally acceptable although again torso like Snake Kin and furless face surrounded by thin hair an abomination or perhaps a monster to scare the young at night. With her excommunication performed by Zeus himself her name is now forgotten, struck from the living memory of his faithful by his Divine Decree.

--- Aphrodite POV

A unique circumstance surrounded Alba’s creation, namely once defeated by me in spirit combat, she remained imprisoned within the Temple of Zeus unable to free herself and unable to be bound in any true sense by me. This changed when Arnora, Adept of Zeus: Ruling Aspect commanded her into the ring she now occupies, and Alba unusually retained her sense of self and hence promoted to a Bound Spirit of Zeus. From their attempts to retrieve her, I judge her special existence as highly valuable beyond the fact she is now my first and sole follower.

I need to experiment to create more like Alba and sorcery could provide the means for a weak Goddess. Sorcery though requires my mind to be free of clutter, in my case, the Sorcery Spells themselves and the Faith Magic, both steal my capacity to manipulate the Sorcery I wish to cast. Perhaps I could do with an assistant.

“Alba, do you wish to learn Sorcery?”

“What is Sorcery Goddess?”

An obvious question for a Gar Spirit only recently awakened to Divine and Faith Magic. How to explain?

“Divine and Realm Magic is granted by your devout worship to your God. Faith Magic can be granted by your God or taught to you by Spirits. Sorcery is magic derived from your skill alone, leveraging your Sorcery Skills to manipulate and enhance. Before you ask, I did consider teaching you Magician Magic. This magic is associated with my evolution and I don’t know how to teach you from the start, and I don’t know how to acquire more Magician skills or even additional spells and I fully suspect this magic will be lost when I evolve again.”

“How do you know how to teach Sorcery Magic?”

“I can delve into the dark and gruesome memory of the ‘human’ my Griffon evolution devoured to recall what is required. I need to craft a Sorcerer’s Staff and call a Familiar to fully emulate the skill of the one slain, although with you as my student when I do, I hope to share much knowledge with you.”

Alba hesitates. I suspect a personal question.

“Goddess, will you lose your Sorcery Skill when you next evolve?”

In response, I choose to share my uncertain theory. “I suspect I will in a way if the next evolution doesn’t have a proficiency for Sorcery. My Sorcery will lay dormant until an evolution can access it, which is why you need to reach Adept proficiency before I evolve again.”

“I will work and practice night and day since I don’t need sleep.”

Should I fully reveal my plan? When the time comes, I will need Alba’s acceptance so the effort to teach her isn’t wasted. She waits for my reply and her anticipation is waning into doubt.

“You must know my plan first.” My snake torso shifts and I take a deep breath. “I need to teach the Snake Kin Sorcery beyond their limited understanding of elemental mastery. They will need a teacher and I am preparing you for this task, either as a ring I gift to one of them or as a companion mentor if I obtain a body for you … do you understand what I am asking?”

Excitement. Warmth. Joy. Celebration. Giggling. “Oh yes Goddess, I would be honoured.” The delight in her thoughts is barely contained.

“There is one further duty I would ask if you obtain a body … I would ordain you my Prophet if unable to anoint you, Adept Priest.”

The ring Alba is bound to, warms while on my finger. “I will excel in all you require of me Goddess and wish to ask to begin my Sorcery teachings.”

“Alba, Initiate of Aphrodite I formally accept you as my Student Sorcerer, you will obey me in all instruction and practice until proficient enough to petition to be my Apprentice Sorcerer.”

{Alba granted new Profession: Student Sorcerer}

“I am ready to begin Goddess!”

The Cavern is quiet, I suspect Azizos is preparing for the return of the Questor Group and wouldn’t want to be disturbed except in a dire emergency and new Intruder Groups haven’t set foot within the Dungeon for a week at least. Therefore, the perfect time.

“The first skill I need to teach you is called [Mediate]. With meditation, you will be able to improve your spellcasting chance of success by substituting time. Not always useful in a life-threatening situation, ideal in a learning situation. The next skill will be [Empower]. This will allow you to expend more of your magic for a bigger effect or impact and I am certain the Snake Kin Sorcerers specialise in this skill. You can’t learn Empower without knowing at least one spell and I have chosen [Spirit Resistance], which I admit is selfish of me, but helpful when I summon spirits to try to bind them, although I will teach you more spells after you can demonstrate a correct casting at least once every three attempts. You will also need an understanding of the World and some of this knowledge you already know, some will be human-based knowledge as I have no other source and finally, you will need to read and write a language, again I have only the human language to offer. This will make sharing formulas and spell manipulations difficult with Beast Kin but is required if you wish to research and keep notes.”

“I am ready.”

Alba absorbed each concept and nuance easily. Her spirit presence is so close to my body, I became the impediment to her learning until I freed my spirit during [Mediate] allowing a more complete knowledge transfer. Teaching as quick as thought allowed any misunderstanding quickly corrected without needing to scribble on parchment and explain the theory. The memories from my human revealed dreadful pain upon failure or misstep and a growing bitterness manifesting, in some part explaining his uncaring nature. I couldn’t keep these memories from Alba, who didn’t comment. Perhaps life as a Gar is equally fraught with harsh punishment for failure, or simply death.

By the end of the first week, which for Alba, who required no sleep, no food preparation or consumption and no inconvenient ablutions equated to at least three weeks of learning or possibly more compared to a living creature declared herself ready for the Apprentice Sorcerer testing. Before I assessed her, multiple interruptions occurred.

[Snake Kin Tanyth, Lay Member Accepted: Seeker of Aphrodite]

[Snake Kin Vamir, Lay Member Accepted: Seeker of Aphrodite]

[Snake Kin Ensatra, Lay Member Accepted: Seeker of Aphrodite]

[Snake Kin Heizana, Lay Member Accepted: Seeker of Aphrodite]

[Snake Kin Darieth, Lay Member Accepted: Seeker of Aphrodite]

[Snake Kin Ensatra, Lay Member Accepted: Seeker of Aphrodite]

…

[Snake Kin Alosrin, Lay Member Accepted: Seeker of Aphrodite]

Over forty notifications flashed by and given Alba’s joyful exuberance she knew as well.

“Your Prophet has been proven a good choice Goddess.”

I held my breath at each notification, disappointed at the end, given my Divine Dominate didn’t rise. Perhaps with Initiates … which meant the sooner, I visit Nasim the better. Preparation first.

“Demonstrate your skills Alba, Student Sorcerer.”

Unable to interact with the physical world, Alba burrows my eyes and reads a passage of text I scribed into the wall of Azizos’ Dungeon, which didn’t disappear or repair afterwards. She recited her knowledge of the world to satisfy the level of understanding required and demonstrated an [Empower]- [Spirit Resistance] casting on the first attempt.

“Alba, Initiate of Aphrodite I formally accept you as my Apprentice Sorcerer, you will continue to obey me in all instruction and practice until proficient enough to petition to graduate as an Adept Sorcerer.”

{Alba granted new Profession: Apprentice Sorcerer; Student Sorcerer removed}

From observing Alba’s progression and leveraging the memories of the human I determined Alba would be better served by learning every skill and spell I could teach her. She could then practice improving on her own time until self-learning proved futile. My human memories informed me, that grimoires and manuals constituted the next self-learning step, which I knew existed and didn’t possess. Yet a ship, now a wreck beneath ocean waves carried within the hold a watertight trunk.

I managed to teach Alba the Sorcerer Skills [Range], [Combine], [Duration], [Multiply] and the Spell [Mend Flesh] before Azizos contacted me, his mind speech wavering and in a rush.