(Day 176) Aprilis 21st, 12th year of the Dragon, Age of Enlightenment

I reappeared in my foyer just about 4 o’clock. I checked the map and found that Eric wasn’t on the map and Adaline was down in the Hot Tub. Heading down the stairway to basement level 1 I called out “Adaline, I’m back.” As I came into the pool room just as Adaline was stepping out of the Hot Tub. Black hair fell behind her as she faced me fully nude. Smiling coyly, she whispered, “Adam, it’s nice to be appreciated but seriously, close your mouth.”

Realizing I’d been staring I locked my gaze on hers then answered in as earnest a voice as possible, “I have never witnessed a more beautiful sight than that. I apologize for behaving inappropriately, though I do not apologize for having seen you. You are exquisitely beautiful.”

She smiled then said: “Apology accepted and thank you. Think you could help me dry off?” she asked

My mouth dropped open even more and a look of shocked delight entered my eyes

“With your ‘nanites’” she added.

I sighed wistfully, “Oh…sure,” I said as I directed the nanites to remove any water from the surface of her skin. “I’ll wait for you in the entryway. I think it’s time we released a divine.” I said

Adaline’s eyes went wide then she turned to pick up her clothes and dressed before she followed me upstairs.

I pulled out the Soul Gem with the Divine Detrik in it as I waited for Adaline to join me. Standing on the seal of his Place of Power I willed for the stone to release the soul inside.

Master of Adamantadine’s Tower you have brought the Soul Gem of the Divine Detrick to your Place of Power. You may claim the energy of this Soul Gem to further strengthen your Place of Power. Utilizing the Soul Energy of a Divine being to upgrade you’re your Place of Power can grant Unique benefits. The strength and type of benefits granted are dependent on the strength of the Divine. Or you may choose to assist the Divine by releasing it from the Soul Gem and allowing it to utilize your Place of Power reconstitute itself.

Do you wish to Strengthen your Place of Power or Release the Divine?

I thought about it for a second but knew in my heart what I’d decided to do was the correct path for me. I said, “Release the Divine.”

Immediately the Soul Gem lifted out of my hands and expanded to the size of a man. Flat crystalline features withdrew into the shape of a nondescript man-shaped being before solidifying into a man that looked to be in his late 30s. Adaline and I looked on as the process completed when the man before us reached towards his back and tried to pull out a dagger that he couldn’t reach. I moved forward and quickly yanked the dagger from his back and dropped it to the floor. I noticed that his wound started closing as soon as the dagger was withdrawn.

The man looked around and locked eyes with Adaline, “I am the God Detrik. I can see your true form and know your nature. Kill this servant of Serena so that we might claim this place of power and recover that which was stolen from me”

Adaline looked into the God’s eyes and responded with a simple “No.”

I responded by saying, “That’s one”

The God looked to me and unleashed the might of his unholy aura. I might not be a divine and his power might be amped up for being a God, but he was not in his Place of Power, and level wise he was woefully outclassed against me. Adaline didn’t fare as well but she was close enough in power that the Unholy Aura had only a minor effect on her. She could defend herself but that was all. The God looked at me and pointed a finger “Now you die!” with emphasis on the word die.

I being completely immune to Death Magic was thoroughly unimpressed and unaffected as I said, “That was two, there will not be a three,” As I moved forward with the full force of my fist to strike the God right between his eyes. As my fist touched the God's skin the world froze and a prompt appeared. “What the hell?” I thought as I looked around with my eyes quickly and noticed that Adaline was also frozen completely but the God’s eyes were also darting around.

“What have you done to me?” He asked, “Release me now!” he yelled.

I looked at him disdainfully and said, “Oh shut up you worthless piece of shit.” As I opened my prompts and checked them.

Error: Divine’s finger of Death against you has failed.

Error: Divine Purpose thwarted by you.

Error: You are in the process of striking a divine for 1,484,497 true damage.

Error: The creature trapped and released was a Divine.

Error: Divines should not be able to be killed with single strikes from a mortal.

Error: You will do enough damage to fully disintegrate the Divine within your place of power as it reconstitutes itself fully. This could lead to the full absorption of the Divine into your place of power, destroying the soul you have just freed.

Time has been frozen within this Place of Power. Your Adjudicator has been summoned.

While I was reading the prompts and trying to get a feel for what had happened the Divine screamed and yelled to be released. This went on for another 10 seconds until a gold portal opened and Arch Angel Michael stepped through. He glanced around the room and just as the Divine was about to start yelling again a field of silence went up cutting off the god’s words before they started.

“Hello Adam seems like you can’t help yourself by creating errors can you?” he asked.

“Hello, Michael,” I said. “Honestly this time it’s not my fault. I was doing a good deed. Releasing this asshat right here when he called for Adaline, you know Adaline right? Anyway, he called for her to kill me then tried to use some “Finger of Death” bullshit spell on me without even offering a reward for being freed in the first place.” I said indignantly. “I mean seriously Michael, if these Divine's idea of rewards is to immediately kill those that helped them out, my instantaneous response is to punch them in the head,” I said looking directly at his fist that was frozen in the process of punching said asshat in the head. “So I did or tried to. Seriously though, You know me, I gave him two chances. The first was when Adaline refused to attack me for him. The second was when he tried to kill me with that spell. There wasn’t going to be a third. So here we are.”

Michael looked at the Divine Detrick before talking. “Detrik I’m going to allow you to speak in a moment. Adam, please remain silent.” Michael said as he waved his hand, and the barrier of silence was removed.

“Who does this mortal think he is. What do you mean he’s going to punch me? Mortals can’t hurt the Gods, we are forever.

Michael cute him off. “First, you were in the process of becoming a God when you were killed. Part of that process was the transformation into a Divine, a process that had not been completed as you went into the Soul Gem and had not completed before Adam here decided to punch you in the head. Second, the part of that divine transformation that should be extremely important to you is the word ‘transformation.’ You are in a Place of Power being reconstituted as you become a divine and you are about to take enough damage to force your entire body to disintegrate which will completely free your soul energy during a transformation ritual inside a Place of Power. Third, the reason I was summoned is that technically, this has turned into the sacrifice of a ‘divine’ that has most likely become a willing volunteer unwillingly and has agreed to give up their very existence to empower this place of power.”

A look of shocked realization came over Detriks face.

“I thought that might finally get your attention,” Arch Angel Michael said. “So here I am to ensure that a willing sacrifice to this Place of Power is taking place. If you’d both give me a moment.” He said as he pulled out a clear crystal and concentrated on it. This went on for about a minute while both Detrik and Adam watched while Michael's lips moved as if he was mumbling to himself. He turned to Adam and said, “I will ask a question after I have given my adjudication of this event. The question must be answered with only one word, Yes or No. Any other utterance indicates that the actions will play out as fate has ordained with no interference from the Divine or Adjudicators of this Realm which basically means that the answer will be yes.” Shifting his gaze to look at both Detrick and me he continued, “I have reviewed the events and have determined that while Detrick did not ascent to a willingly sacrifice himself to this place of power, as a Divine he did not pay proper recompense to the individual that freed him. As such, the course that Fate decided for the Soul of Detrik to permanently empower this Place of Power through his sacrifice upon his death is both reasonable and appropriate, if unconventional.” Michael turned to me his gaze hardening as he spoke with a voice empowered by the very Universe itself. “Adamantadine of Adamantadine’s Tower. Before you stands a Divine sacrifice for your Place of Power. Will you accept what Fate has decreed and sacrifice the Divine Detrik to your Place of Power?”

Adam’s eyes darted to Detriks who was now frozen in horror, then I thought about my Divine and her place in this Universe. Killing a Divine, even a fledgling one would set me apart from all other mortals and possibly set some of the Divines against me. I weighed all the implications and probabilities and came up with only one solution. “No,” I said.

The Archangel smiled then said, “So be it!” as he clapped his hands. Instantaneously I found myself sitting at a round table with four seats. Archangel Michael sat across from me with Detrik to my right and Adaline to my left. We were still in the Entryway sitting on the seal. Each of us had a glass of my Long Island Ice Tea in front of us. Michael, Adaline, and I all reached for our glasses and took a sip. Detrick hesitated then did the same.

“Now that we are in a more relaxed setting let me start by saying violence of any kind while we are sitting here is not permitted. Should any of you resort to violence or make an attack against another you will be immobilized and removed from any discussions of the outcome of this adjudication. Think of this as a pause with refreshments” Michael said.

“Understood,” Adam said

“As you will,” Adaline said while she nodded to the Archangel

“As you say,” Detrik said sullenly.

Michael surveyed the room then looked at Detrik, “Detrik, Adamantadine here has made the choice not to accept your accidental sacrifice to empower his Place of Power when I know that had the situation been reversed you would allow his soul to be destroyed to empower a Place of Power you controlled. As Adjudicator, I proclaim that you now owe Adamantadine compensation for two services. The first reward must be of at least Artifact level as an artifact was destroyed to free you.” Detrik looked as if he was about to interrupt when Michael hardened his gaze on him. “Had you chosen to speak with the individual that freed you and offered compensation that had been accepted, you may have been able to get away with a much lower-level reward, but your lack of etiquette led you to a path that almost saw the true destruction of a Divine. A Divine has not been utterly destroyed since long before you were conceived. The first reward must be artifact equivalent. The Second reward is for sparing your soul. What is that worth to you Detrik?”

Detrik considered the question and then answered, “There is no reward that could properly pay for the price of my immortal soul.”

Michael nodded thoughtfully. “No truer words have ever been spoken. Adam, what reward would you ask for in place of a Divines soul.”

I, not knowing what to ask for said simply, “I wouldn’t know what to ask for?” I said truthfully.

“Most likely the smartest thing you have ever said,” Michael said.

“From the Archangel too?” I quipped back in mock indignation while Adaline shook her head and Detrick looked on shocked.

“Yes.” Michael said flatly, before grinning as he said, “It’s not often I get to have a conversation like this, you have no idea how much fun this is for me.” He laughed for a few moments before he was able to calm down enough to continue. “Seriously though. Is there anything that you want or need? Think along those lines and let's see if that helps you think of anything.

I thought for a few moments then started speaking, “Well, I would like to finish out all 8 primary powers for this Place of Power. I can of course spend my own experience to level them once I get them added but getting both the Water and Life Spheres added and maxed out would be nice. Additionally, I need a way to travel to and from my Universe or at least communicate with Thor. Lastly the ability to enter and exit my place of power and draw on its power from even my home Universe would be nice, though I’m not sure how feasible that would be. Is anything I’ve listed so far possible?

“Is that all?” Michael asked.

“Well, if I can have anything, Infinite wealth would be nice,” I said flippantly.

“Everything you have mentioned is within the power of the Divine to grant. Not this Divine, but the divine can grant them therefore I can grant them. Give me a moment.” Michael said as he closed his eyes as if meditating. A second later he opened his eyes. Your requests are done. Detrik will be redirecting some of his Divinity Points that he earns each day to other Divine’s that have provided the items you have requested. Also, he will be under a geas that will not allow him to take any action or order any action from his followers against you until his debt to you is paid.”

“How long will that take?” I asked.

Michael cocked his head, then straightened, “At Detriks current rate accruing Divinity Points it’ll take just over 3 million years. If he gets more followers it could take less time.” He said.

“What? I didn’t agree to this!” Detrik said.

“So, you wish to permanently empower this Place of Power? Michael asked.

Detrik looked shocked eyes at Michael then turned an angry gaze at me.

“Oh no, you don’t fuck face. Don’t even think about holding onto that anger. You were a second from dying and having your soul destroyed to empower my tower.” I said with heat in my voice as I paused then smiled as I muttered, “Empower my Tower, hey that rhymes!” I said cheerfully as my face went hard again. “Your choices have brought an adjudicator here. If you do not like the conditions that our Adjudicator has set for you I can easily ask Michael to return us to the point where my fist was caving in your skull.”

Adaline, who had been silent through the whole discussion muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear, “If it was me, I’d take the deal, live to fight another day and all that.”

“Very good point Adaline.” I said, “So what’s it going to be Detrik, live to fight another day or cease to exist anywhere ever again?” I asked.

Detrik gave a resigned shrug, then said, “I accept the conditions of this Adjudication

Michael looked at me

“I also accept the conditions of this Adjudication”

. The Archangel stood, the other three of us following suit. The table, chairs, and glasses all disappeared as Michael intoned, “So be it. In a moment Adaline and you will be alone once again in your entryway and time will resume. A chest will appear with the items that are required to give you what you have requested. When you have emptied the chest it will return from whence it came. Adam, let’s try not to do this again anytime soon?” Michael said as he grinned.

“No Promises!” I called as Michael clapped his hands together leaving Adaline and me alone in the entryway with a platinum chest.