After contacting Kip to return with the others, and letting Corvus know I’d done the equivalent of smashing a sledge hammer down on Dreadmere’s toes. I was now on my way to investigate the goodies that awaited me in the temple.

To my annoyance, the commander’s first response to my news was to enquire if the mountain was still standing, which was rather offensive. How could they think I’d blow up an entire mountain? Didn’t they know how hard that would be? Especially considering the fire drake hunt was less than fruitful.

Maybe, if we’d managed to get a few dozen fire stones, I might have been able to create enough explosives to at the very least cave in the city, provided there wasn’t any magical protection preventing such a thing of course. But I didn’t, so there was no way I could have brought down the mountain.

“Books!” I cheered, as I bounded into the alchemy halls library.

With a mixture of excitement, and interest, I saw that the shelves contained not only books, but dozens of glass display cases. Jars filled with a variety of body parts, and plants along with full skeletons of various creatures were displayed throughout the library, each with placards detailing what item was along with notes for which books contained more information.

“Introduction to the Spagyric Arts.” I read aloud, running a finger along the spine of the nearest book. “The Formation of the Nine Elements, Synthesis of the Origins of Creation, The Anatomical Constitution of the Universal Elements. These are all books from earth.”

“They have been adapted from the alchemical writings of earth, yes.” Trismegistus confirmed, his sudden appearance almost earning him a fireball to the face. “Much of what is in this first room is intended for alchemists to gain the base knowledge needed.”

“If books like these are around, why is alchemy so underdeveloped?” I questioned, grabbing a copy of Mular’s Classification of Medicinal Plants from the shelf, and flicking through it with interest.

It appeared most of the books in the library contained multiple copies, with some having as many as ten copies on the shelf, while others only two or three.

“I intended this temple to be opened shortly after we began populating the world with the first wave of players, and digital citizens.” Trismegistus sighed, running a hand over his long beard. “It would seem I overestimated those who would reside in this world, as none were able to pass my tests or find the clues left within the world's lore.”

“What tests? I don’t remember any tests.”

“When we first met, I asked you for a tithe. This was the first test, which you passed by favoring knowledge over gold.”

“If you’ve been popping up asking people for tithes, wouldn’t more people know about you?” I asked, frowning at the god over the top of my book.

“You were the first I approached so openly,” he admitted, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “I wished to know if you held your mothers intelligence. Perhaps one day you shall, you are young enough that there is time for such development.”

“Ouch,” I muttered, snapping closed the book I held, and glaring at the god.

“I speak only truth.”

“So, I’m assuming this place is an archive of knowledge pertaining to each of your domains, and when the temple sealed itself, the knowledge was lost, leading to the degeneration of those disciplines.” I mused, tapping my fingers on the book's cover. “So you set up some grand quest for someone to open the temple, resulting in that knowledge being once more accessible. Which would allow the players, and digital citizens to progress in each discipline, but no one did.”

Trismegistus did not respond at first, but I noticed a pink tinge creeping across the god's wrinkled cheeks, and smiled knowing I’d guessed correctly.

“The holder of Egenor’s grimoire was to be the one to open the temple, but the one who attained it did not seek to follow the path I set. Thus, it fell into the hands of another, and another after that until it arrived with the unworthy one who also failed to retain the grimoire.” He said after a long silence.

“How were you going to do it? Would the grimoire lead them to the temple, and it would open when the book was brought here?” I asked, curious.

What was so difficult that no one had succeeded despite it being several months since Kaledon began allowing people to transition to the world for its initial access phase?

“The grimoire would lead them to Kelnose in his hidden lab, where he became encased in stone after an experiment went wrong. Using the notes and books left within the lab, they would be able to create the cure for Kelnose’s petrification. After which, he would guide them, and they would journey together to seek a way to reopen the temple.”

“Ah, that would have been kind of interesting.” I murmured, tilting my head to the side as I eyed the god. “Why not lead me to Kelnose? Why straight to the temple?”

“I left you hints of Kelnose in the book I gave you, yet not once did you question where Egenor’s student had gone.”

“I figured you were setting up a quest, and didn’t want to do it.” I admitted, laughing a little.

“The overseers have been displeased with the lack of progress regarding my domains, thus I could not wait for you or another to seek out Kelnose.” Trismegistus said with a sigh. “Yet another part of my work you have disrupted.”

“Hey, don’t put this one on me!” I argued. “It’s not my fault no-one found Kelnose! But, on that note, can I have him? Just get him to come out of seclusion upon hearing the temple was opened or something.”

“If you want him, send someone to find him.” The god replied, and I laughed, shaking my head.

“Who would I send? As you said, there is no one.”

“The new holder of Egenor’s grimoire, should you extract him from the unworthy one's hold. There is great potential in him. However, it is restricted by those who fool him into thinking they mean him well.”

“The unworthy one, you mean Ge Hong? So, he wasn’t lying about guiding others. Ah, I see…” I murmured, shaking my head. “I’m guessing he’s gathered up a group of talented people, and is using them to bolster himself. Even claiming their own accomplishments for his own, no doubt.”

People like that were the worst. There were a few who worked in Greene Pharmaceutical like that, gathering the smarter grad students under them, and using them for their own benefit. There was one man in particular I’d met during my internship at the company last summer, who did such things. I’d been disgusted, and disappointed when even after I had informed my father about what I learned he’d done nothing.

What was his name again? I sighed, placing the book I held back on the shelf.

“The new holder of the grimoire, his name is Finnic, right?”

“It is,” Trismegistus confirmed.

“I will take him as a direct disciple, and make sure Kelnose is found. In return, I want an artificial being to play the role of priest for Astrology. No one is interested in it, mostly due to a lack of knowledge about star blessings. Transmutation wise, I was thinking of Roswyn, and Nadir. The man I met in Hathus who you gave the water circle too.” I told the god, observing him as I waited for his response to my demand.

“Those you have just mentioned are suitable to join the temple. However, the one you spoke of earlier, the elf Helvara, is not.”

“I never thought he was, but between Helvara and Sadie, he is the better choice. Sadie is too young, while Helvara’s nature is more suited to the role.”

“Kelnose shall be priest of the hall of alchemy, and I shall send you a priestess for Astrology from among the dark elves. I need not create one, for there are already those of that race who practice astral magic.” Trismegistus stated.

This surprised me, as I’d not heard of anyone using astral magic. No one in the guild knew about being able to use the constellations to cast spells or bestow blessings.

“I didn’t know that there were astral mages, I’ve been asking, but no one knew of any.” I informed the god, who nodded.

“Only a few have taken up the craft among those who’ve come to reside in this world. The one I will send to you is guiding them, and I believe they shall accompany her to the temple.”

“Any chance you’ve got a Transmutation master hiding out somewhere?” I hinted, getting a chuckle in response.

“There is one in Rivera, he will come, but whether you accept him is up to you.” The god said, stroking his beard with a smile.

“The teacher at the academy?” I queried, getting a nod in response.

“It was my intention these three would take up positions within the temple upon its opening, as there was to be no high priestess at that time. The one who would have previously filled that role, was to be later found through a quest to resume their position.”

“I’ve been thinking about that actually,” I murmured, looking away from the god as I spoke. “Would you be opposed to adjusting the lore? I do not wish for the version of Hemera that appears like my mother to be the former high priestess. I know it might be difficult to change, as others may have already learned her name, but if the former high priestess appears to look like my mother, it could create issues for me. I am also still not comfortable with the idea. I do not mind my mother appearing in the books, and in the lore as a historical alchemist as the other famous alchemists do, but…”

Keeping my back to the god, I swiped frantically at my eyes, trying to hide the tears that started to spill forth. I couldn’t cry here, not where the god or someone else might see. Even if Tris was only an artificial being, he was still a consciousness with self aware thought, and emotion. As my mother once said, it did not matter if a consciousness was of an artificial or biological nature, for it was one's perception of life that made one alive.

“I would not be opposed, if it would ease your pain. The former high priestess’s appearance is only known to you, and Kelnose. Regarding Kelnose, I can address the being, and request they allow me to alter their perception. Would this be suitable?” The god asked, his voice softening as a golden light shone to my right.

As the light faded, I reluctantly looked over to see the faint image of a Kitsune woman, her hair a light brown, and her features no longer resembling those of my mother.

“We shall call her Hemera II,” Trismegistus declared when I nodded in acceptance of the woman’s appearance.

“You could have just done this from the start,” I muttered, as the woman faded from view, didn't he know how much his copy hurt me?

He could have saved me so much pain if he'd changed her appearance right from the start. Then, aside from her sharing my mothers name, I would have been unaware she'd been created in my mothers image. It would have been easier for us both that way.

“That being did not wish to remain in the role it was created for after your arrival in this world. The form it now holds was of its own choosing.” The god announced. “While I did consider creating another to take on the role of high priestess, I do not believe they would have proven as engaging as you have been. It is clear to me now why so many of the others sought out digital citizens for their companions, it is most entertaining.”

With those parting words, the god disappeared from the library, just in time to avoid the ball of fire that I’d flung in his direction.

“The books!” I cried out in horror as the flames connected with the bookcase the god had been standing in front of.

Rushing forward, I reabsorbed the flames, eyes scanning the books for signs of damage. Thankfully, the books appeared to be completely fine, not the slightest bit singed, despite having been hit by the hottest flame I could conjure. Breathing a sigh of relief, I placed the book I’d been inspecting back on the bookshelf, and mentally cursed the god.

As Trismegistus’s laughter echoed through my head, I left the library in search of the alchemy halls labs, intending to tour the various rooms in person while I waited for Kip to arrive with the others.