Year 170

Within months a huge pile of daemolite sat in my valley, and with my newfound ‘vision’ of these wispy energies, I saw them glow. These were... tendrils that reached out into the beyond, and on the other side, are the demon worlds.

These daemolites are essentially both markers, and also ‘ports’.

“We should destroy them.” Edna said.

“Those who support the use of airships will resist.” Ah yes. Damned airships. Many of them grounded or unable to fly over the decades as daemolite turned ‘rare’. Still, there are places where they exist and are still in use.

“The merit of delaying the demon king should exceed that.”

“What evidence do we have to prove that, other than Aeon’s knowledge? Surely Aeon’s words hold sway here, but in the other continents, they would rather retain the advantages of having functional airships than supporting some vague goal of delaying the demon king. We don’t even know if destroying it will cause these links to disappear.”

“That argument has merit. We can’t test it, and we can’t exactly be sure whether the links rely on the daemolite, or merely augmented by it.”

The first thing we tested was Stella’s void mana. I suppose it’s a bit oxymoronish that her name, which meant ‘star’, ended up with ‘void’ instead of ‘star mana’. Oh well. Life’s like that.

Stella stood and held a big chunk of daemolite, an empty daemolite, before her, and channeled her void mana in. As expected the daemolite, being the battery pack that it was designed to be, eagerly absorbed the void mana.

What I wanted her to do was sense where the mana was flowing. Was there leakage? Did some of that leak into these ‘space tethers’?

She closed her eyes, and I used Patreeck’s mind reading abilities to sense what she was feeling. At first, it was just the crystal itself. Nothing much there. I prodded her to keep cycling the void mana, and also ‘look’ for ‘exits.’

Nothing... at first.

Then suddenly, she felt it. A bit of it slipped into those once-invisible strands, and in my eyes, I saw for a moment like a pulse.

She focused her eyes and now that she knew what she was looking for, she pulled more of her void mana swirling within the daemolite, and then pushed it towards that area. To my astral visions, I saw the once wispy lines turned solid.

She saw something, as if someone was looking through a tiny peephole. Then her void mana ran out.

“I swear I saw light.” Stella said, exasperated. “It’s like... the sky? I thought I saw the sky.”

The peephole was too small. One could not see the vastness of the other world when one’s vision is so small.

-

Alvin was cured, and within a month his strength returned. Kei was thankful, and Alvin was just glad that he no longer needed to be bound to the magical bed.

“I really cannot believe there was such a thing inside me. I mean, I felt like my strength was consistently fading, no matter what I did... but... wow.” He was a lot less aggressive now that I fulfilled my promise to heal him.

Kei sat next to him. “You’re gonna go bonk your church nuns after this?”

Alvin laughed. “Uh.. they’re really sweet you know. And hot too.”

Kei slapped him on the shoulder. “Seriously, that's because you’re the hero. You think they’ll give you the time of day if you were just anyone else?”

Alvin sighed. “I know. That’s why I’m taking advantage of it. I know they don’t really ‘love’ me, but who cares right. The gods promised us a happy ending, so I’m having it. At least I get to satisfy my urges and fulfill all those dreams I had when I was a young horny bastard of a kid.”

“You’re being an ass.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes you are. Tell me why didn’t you come and help me when I sent word that the demon king is coming?”

“We... we didn’t know you would fight it so quickly!”

“Oh come on don’t lie.” Kei said. “Though, I suppose thanks to that, I’m a living golem that’s biologically immortal. So I have to thank you for that.”

“Speaking of which. Are you still... you?” Alvin actually asked. “You know the whole ship of Theseus thing? Are you still you if you’re made of fragments of you?”

“I don’t think about that shit. I ain’t smart like that. If you think I’m me, then that’s good enough. I think I’m still me, and as far as I care, that’s all that matters.”

Alvin thought about it. “True, true.”

“Now don’t change the subject, what were you doing back then when the demon king arrived.”

“Look, I know the temple’s not been very transparent with information with me, but they are good people. They try to do what they think is best for the world, even if it’s a bit... messed up. So, when I got the message and I spoke to the temples about it, they said I still have a lot of time, since heroes don’t immediately engage the demon king once it arrives. That’s how it always was. I didn’t know that you’ve found a way to check where the demon king is arriving and you rigged the whole area to blow.”

“That’s Aeon’s role.”

“I mean, yes. How?”

“Aeon’s secret.”

“Secrets means there is something to hide. We’re the heroes, why should they hide it from us?”

“A tree has some secrets, and I suggest you live with it.” Kei responded. “I think that he managed to heal you is sufficient merit to earn that level of trust.”

Alvin sighed. “Look, the temples told me weird shit that’s been happening in the central continent. They’re saying that Aeon’s have the ability to manipulate dungeons and stuff. Real playing-both-sides shit. Are you aware of that?”

“You think Aeon’s playing both sides?”

“Well... yeah? Why then does his powers allow it to control dungeons, supposedly powered by the same energy source as the demons?”

“Have you verified that dungeons are powered by the same source? Have you even seen him do it?”

“Uh...”

“You didn’t, right? It’s just things the temple is saying.”

“The temples got it from their oracles, who supposedly can tap into the system to uh... harvest information.”

“I thought oracles speak to their gods. And seriously, why do you trust the oracles either?”

“Well, she’s kinda cute and all.”

“You slept with the oracle.”

“Uh... yeah.” Alvin’s face blushed. “She was telling me all this stuff while we’re in bed. It’s kinda sexy to be honest.”

Kei facepalmed. “Dude. That’s too much info.”

“Oh come on don’t be a prude, Kei. We’re not kids anymore. We’ve lived in this world for decades now. I swear I’ll regret it if I don’t live the life I want, now that I have the chance to do it.”

“Ugh. Men.” Kei rolled her eyes.

“You know what’s your problem, Kei? No one even dares to approach you. Not with that scary aura of yours.”

“You’re lecturing me now? Enough. Let’s stop this conversation.”

Alvin’s face straightened. “Yeah. I mean, I think Aeon’s playing both sides. At least, the temples suspect that he has some dabblings with the demons. The fact that he wanted to even ‘keep’ the parasite tells you enough that he has other goals in mind.”

“And what might that be?”

“I don’t know, maybe it wants the demon king’s powers for itself?”

“I’ll tell you what I know. Aeon is a god-in-the-making. It’s going to be a true god one day. All this ‘playing’ on both sides, as far as I can tell, is Aeon testing the limits of its powers, on how far its powers work on us, and them.”

Alvin stared right at Kei. “And that excuses it exploring the demonic powers?”

“I’ve been here for some time, and yes, I can tell his presence persists even in the Rottedlands, but it has been for the greater good. It is willing to sacrifice hundreds, no, tens of thousands if it achieves a greater goal of permanently ending the disaster that is the demon king.”

“Is that what Aeon wants to do? Are you sure, Kei? From what I see, or to the rest of the temples, Aeon’s actions so far are more of that of a ‘God-Emperor’. It’s attempting to dominate the entire world to it’s cause, and wouldn’t let either demons, or heroes get in its way. First it started with an area, now it conquered the Central continent. It will eventually want to rule the world, Kei. There is no room for sharing with the other 4 temples in its structure.”

“The temples started the crusades.”

“Some say it’s Aeon who first chased out the priests.”

“The temples will not accept an arrangement less than equals.”

“The temples have no right to demand equality, not with a god.” Kei responded.

“And this is why the temples and Aeon will fight.” Alvin said. “They don’t see a future of coexistence.”

“Can coexistence happen when they’ve fought crusades? You must remember that the temples forced Aeon to conquer the continent.”

“The temples see it as a convenient excuse.”

Kei sat. “This conflict’s too deep to untangle, isn’t it?”

Alvin nodded. “Yep. The temples, once used to the existing status quo now have to contend with a rising global power with a supposed god at its helm. Conflict is inevitable. World wars have occured for less. I'm pretty sure they know where I am. They have a tracking spell on me anyway.”

“...tracking spell?” Kei wasn’t sure about such things. But I have anti-magic formations and shields around the entire Freshka area. I believe they should still work to prevent him from being detected. I think they should. I didn’t detect any magical incursions, yet.

“Yeah. And now I get to walk free. They’ll know I’ve been here.”

“What if we offer a peace offering? That we return you back to the capital secretly, at let the temples claim the right to say they’ve healed you?” Kei asked. “I mean, I really don’t want this thing to start a war between the continents again. There’s been enough of this shit.”

Alvin nodded. “...could work.”

-

While the heroes chatted, Edna and Lumoof returned to their subterranean dungeon hunting. Something they observed recently was that the frequency of spawns from the Level 130 and Level 120 dungeons were getting slower. It’s as if it was getting exhausted.

So, as I zoomed in my senses on the ley lines around the area, I noted that the energies were weakening. It seemed that these magical ley lines can support lower tier dungeons easily, but high level dungeons seemed to exhaust the ley lines more than it can naturally restore itself.

I would have to repeat the act of tweaking ley lines more often, in order to keep their growth up.

Still, Lumoof was really close to it.

“What do you think I’ll get?” Lumoof asked Edna as a joke, as they took a break outside the underground dungeon. A small town was built many years ago, the area filled with magical lighting to make it feel normal. He no longer looked like the really old man that he once was. Now, he resembled a really fit and healthy mid 40s man.

“I have no idea.” Edna shrugged. “Aeon said the domains are specific to you. Based on your class, and your history.”

Lumoof thought about it. “I was just level 85 just 15 years ago. If it’s based on my history, I’d be a beggar, or perhaps a thief?” Lumoof was a migrant, who soon found himself tangled in the Valthorns many years ago, and over time, gradually moved up the ranks. I quickly power-leveled Lumoof by letting him consume a huge amount of level seeds, so that he hit level 125.

Humanoid classes merged once they hit somewhere around level 100 to 125... well, except for [hero]. That class refused mergers, at least to my knowledge.

I recall Jura had an event when he hit Level 100 and his lesser classes just ‘merged’ into his main class. Or was it just a fade-away? .

“Anyway, let’s just get that final level and find out, shall we?” Lumoof stood, and Edna joined him in another attempt at the Level 130 dungeon.

-

It took 6 months of fighting the dungeon, though almost 5 months of it was mostly waiting for the dungeon’s energies to respawn and open up for ‘invaders’.

Finally, Lumoof did it. In a flash, he levelled up, and that moment, he somehow ‘sucked’ up the dungeons’ energies and it crumbled. The squad quickly fled the crumbling dungeon, and back to the underground town. The tunnels were unharmed.

After they checked that everyone was fine, they regrouped, and Edna asked. “I felt a pulse.”

Before we could ask Lumoof what his choices were, I felt a surge pass through my entire network of roots, and then... everywhere.

[Lumoof has elected to be a Subdomain of Aeon]

[Strength of all Aeon’s domain abilities strengthened]

[Strength of all Aeonic Classes enhanced]

[Strength of all Aeonic Familiars enhanced[

[Lumoof has gained the ability : Avatar of Aeon]

[Lumoof’s soul has now been eternally bound to you]

[You have gained the ability to see through Lumoof’s eyes and share in his senses]

[You may communicate with Lumoof anywhere in the world]

I suddenly felt... dirty.

“Lumoof.” I said, I mean, why? “Did you have other choices?”

“Yes.” He said. “But I knew for a long time that my choice would be to empower the one who changed the world. So, those choices do not matter. Not yet.”

At that moment, I felt guilty. Like maybe I should’ve been a lot more trusting. “Thank you.”

“If Edna is your shield, then I shall be your voice and your fist.” He said.

-

Now Lumoof was also Level 150, and he gained a vast array of druid-like abilities courtesy of the Avatar ability, it was time to help the rest get to that level. I’d have to spend some time subtly guiding the ley lines.

-

Meanwhile, our attempts to dig underground throughout the continent yielded lesser cities. There were many other buried cities we discovered that were not as lucky or well equipped as the Margmarian Dwarves.

There were a few interesting finds, like ancient weapons, magical formations, but most of them were just not as pristine as those found in the Margmarian city. Perhaps there would be more on the other side.

-

> Indeed. If you know it, the temples know it. <

-

Alvin left and returned to the Northern Isles, with his powers returned, he has a locust problem to solve. Already the last 2 years had been exceptionally annoying in terms of food security, since these damned pests were really persistent and their numbers were high.

Kei didn’t go with him.

“I’m surprised you chose to stay when you two seemed to have gotten closer.”

“Nah. If I spend too much time around him I’ll hate him again. That’s just how it is.” Kei shrugged. “Besides, I need to help Stella with her void mana stuff. What you found out was really cool.”

I’m still waiting for that zaratan to return. Lilies has sent word, but it seems it will be some time before that turtle even comes back.

Stella’s void mana control, and also amount was insufficient to open a large portal across the worlds, and she also made an interesting observation.

Some ‘paths’ were easier than others, and over time, she said, she was pretty sure each of them was getting stronger. In fact, one of them was significantly easier than the rest.

Why? Why were some paths easier?