Bliss filled the panel chamber as He instructed, the first step of a plan, one that was being shrouded from her. The Maker was calling to the essence, asking it to hide His thoughts, to reveal them to the realm only when He desired it to be so. It was unsettling to see, the once clear and easy to peer into scape of His mind, dimming, covered in a growing cloud of vagueness. Bliss wanted to speak out, to tell Him to stop, but that would only hasten the development of it. He was not pleased with others being able to see His troubles. Not even to those that did all they could to ease His burdens.

So, Bliss kept quiet, did as instructed and floated tons of stone into the chamber near her Maker. His attention was focused on the realm outside, watching the Nightmares rushing about, attacking or running after her constructs. The Others inside the Nightmares were growing tired of it, wanting to move on to other matters or find easier prey. But the vessels themselves were unbothered with the current state of affairs and continued on as they pleased. The sight of the Vail looking constructs kept them going, unaware of the amount of time they were wasting try to defeat and eat foes they couldn’t. This allowed a reprieve or loose peace for Bliss and her Maker. Since as of yet the Giver hadn’t shown herself, but Bliss knew that was the work of her other half, rather than the actions of the Giver.

Bliss herself wanted to go join her other half, but stayed where she belonged and faithfully guarded her Maker. For He was the only one that mattered, and was in harm’s way between this battle of opposing desires. She formed more constructs from the wills of the dead and dying. Had them gather endless amounts of essence from the River flowing continuingly to the Oasis. Enough that she was hundreds of constructs the size of small Mountains hovering in the air distracting the Nightmares and ready to act at a moments notice to protect the Oasis from danger.

She watched it all as she pulled in stone, piling it high in the chamber, and called out to Him: “Is this enough Maker?” She asked, “or do you require more?”

His eyes opened, turning from the runes, and gazed upon the messy pile of stone that tarnished the luster of the chamber. “Yes, that’s enough,” He said rising from His seat and approaching the rock. As He neared His mind turned to the idea that Bliss was unable to glimpse.

The Maker rose His arms up and outward, the semblance of one motioning for a hug or forgiveness. Instead, Bliss knew it was a routine of His when performing, an act that helped focus His mind when trying something new. Out His will pulsed pulling essence into Him then out again as it became claimed and an extension of Himself. It swept over the stone, rose it into the air and merged with it.

The stone once a loose pile condensed into a perfectly smooth diamonded shape polygon. It was near the size of the Maker as it hovered, and He sent another pulse of essence out, far larger than before and continuous. It seeped into the stone causing Wards to begin weaving about its surface as the essence carved His desire into the rock. She could see it fully then, written on the face of the object. It was an amplifier of sorts, would strengthen the Makers call, spread it further out, and if needed, continue the Chant without Him.

He breathed out as the Chant came to an end and placed a hand on the polished surface. Smiling, He sent a thought into the newly made object and the newly formed creation pulsed with life. Bliss felt the pull on the essence intensify, saw it as well, as she looked through the eyes of her many constructs. The River current intensified so much that it was a crushing tide for any mortal form.

The River wasn't the only source however, essence further out came rushing forward as well, leaving behind a growing realm of lifeless space.

His smile wide the Maker stepped back and marveled at His work before glancing at her. “So? Any changes? Is my creation working?” He asked.

“Wonderfully Maker,” Bliss answered and allowed her voice to be its normal passionate self. “The essence is rushing towards the Oasis like never before.”

It pleased Him to hear it, and He looked towards His panel for another measure of truth. There they both saw the third layer filling to capacity, and would flood over if things continued for long.

“Wonderful indeed,” He said, before turning His attention back to the piles of stone. With the material left He was able to make two more amplifiers. Each spreading the Makers call further out and deepening its demand. Outside strings of rushing essence could be seen coming from every direction, all of it heading towards the Oasis.

“Let’s see how much troubled the Giver will be now, without this essence to power her thoughts.” He said in a challenging voice, bits of Anger receding within. For though her Maker didn’t care nearly as much for the many outside, as his flesh and blood. He still cared, would enact vengeance on those who'd put them in danger.

A Blessed thing, as the saying goes, for the Maker reach was wide enough to pull on the other River. Her other self and the Giver were noticing more of the essence in the area leaving as the two fought each other. Constructs of the Givers, those spending more time condensing essence rather than fighting Bliss other half followed it.

The Giver saw she was watching them, sent Chants to blast her small scouting constructs apart, some succeeded. Though considering she could see fine with just wills, it was a moot point, still Bliss pulled back, luring the Givers forward. Better they attack now, rather than be provided more time to prepare. Though seeing how much of the essence was starting to leave the area, it looked as though the Giver didn’t have the option to wait anyways. Not unless she moved her operation higher up the River.

“Dearest Maker,” Bliss spoke in the panel chamber. “Your improvement reaches far, and has gained the Giver attention, she’s sending forces this way.”

A frown marred Him as He hurried back to His chair, and reached out connecting back with the runes. “Lead me to them then,” He spoke resigned, even after all that had happened, Kindness still spoke of those He was leaving behind. All those who were going to die because of it. But one look around Him stilled any action that may have come from listening to it. The wills of the departed kept gathering, displaying to the Maker that people were already dying.

“As you desire Maker,” Bliss announced and moved constructs forward. The Oasis followed, and closed the gate blocking any more people from rushing inside. The vessels closed the Road entrance before the Oasis was far enough away for the Nightmares to see them. After, the thousands left behind stopped heading for the Maker and turned their full attention to fighting the Nightmares that had been clawing at their back.

Nightmares in the chamber with the Oasis, rushed away as it moved forward. Screeches of different tones, and natures echoed in the space. Where the Oasis passed over only crushed stone was seen, as the Nightmare avoid its shadow. Mountains tracked its progress, and would have attacked, but Bliss constructs kept them from such responses as she hammered them with Chants.

The River followed the Oasis smothering it as it did so, causing the Maker home to appear as though it were a glowing orb. One with a cord connecting to it that led all the way up above.

For its size the Oasis moved remarkably fast, and she got the feeling if the Maker wanted, it could travel faster still. But for now, the pace was adequate and they reached the breach the Givers had made within seconds. The Oasis followed the wills as they dived in, though the stone shifted and the passage expanded to allow for the Oasis colossal size.

The Mountains in the chamber before didn’t follow, as they were preoccupied with the constructs left behind to entertain them. But that didn't mean they were free of the beast presence. There were many Nightmares in the tunnel leading to the Giver, but harmless considering the capability of the Oasis. Most fled as the Oasis moved forward, diving as swiftly as they could into stone as the very material moved away by the Oasis demand. The River followed, and where it went the realm above was carved away. There were smaller offshoots as well from all directions as the Oasis pulled in every speck of essence there was to be had.

It wasn’t long before there were large volumes of it coming from ahead, taken from the Giver River. Said Giver was mostly helpless to stop the flow that rushed from her. It wasn’t long after when Bliss and her Maker made contact with the Givers sent to fight with Him.

He wasted no time with chains, hands, or lesser Chants that dotted the Oasis exterior. No, His hand pressed against the rune of Death and the realm was taken back to one of destruction. The air burned, along with everything else. The Giver constructs were dispersed, and the gathered essence sent streaming back to the main version of her. The Chant ended just as quick, not even allowed to exist for more than two Breaths.

The short display of power had roasted or turned the surrounding Nightmares and stone around them black. From the wills Bliss saw that the attack had wretched havoc in the chamber the Giver was residing. Both damaging or destroying constructs of the Giver and her other half. Through the beam of blazing light hadn’t struck any of the Giver armies, the heat alone had caused a great deal of alarm as the Vail inside witness the realm around them blaze for a Breath. The brightness of the display had shocked most from their trances but blessedly nothing more. The Giver barriers held firm, and those unclaimed still left alive and with the chance to be saved.

With the way things were going and the Oasis proximity with Bliss other half, the two of them decide to merge. Bliss was flooded with the events that had taken place as she became one again. Her battling with the Giver, and her many attempts to sing to the Vail. The Giver had been most keen on fighting against that, coating thick spells of silence around the unclaimed, shielding them from the salvation only she and her Maker could provide.

Bliss many constructs smiles widened. For the Maker had come, and soon the battle would be done. Bliss constructs surged forward, accompanied by those leading the Oasis. The Giver swiftly fell into a defensive stance, as her many constructs blocked Chants or dived out of the way. The Giver wasn’t allowed a chance to get out of this pattern either, as the Maker arrival had caught her unprepared. The River had been stripped from both of them as it surged away, carving through the realm in its flight to reach the source calling out. No amount of pulling on the River swayed its course. The only way Bliss was able to acquire any essence from it at all, was to place wills in the path of the stream.

A method the Giver was quick to follow when she saw Bliss perform it the first time. Which in turn lead to many of their battles taking place within the River itself. At least for the newly forming constructs, the Mountains they both had Chanted at each other from all angles. Which left the realm deeply scarred, and the thunderous sounds their Chants unleashed lured the Nightmare in. More Nightmare Mountains made their entrance and became part of the turmoil taking place. Forcing both Bliss and the Giver to fight them off when their numbers grew to a point they couldn’t be ignored.

That all came to an abrupt halt when the Oasis finally emerged into the tattered cavern. Its arrival was rather silent all thing considered. The stone warped around it rather than breaking away. Giving it the image of the Oasis gliding through the stone.

The sight of it was glorious, and somewhat blinding as the essence of two Rivers whirled around it. Bliss looked upon Him, safe in His panel chamber, protected from the destruction unfolding. She was by His side sitting. She remembered it, their argument, the pain of the truth she had to reveal to Him.

He looked upon the scene, saw she and the Giver had been warring with each other, and the Nightmare. “Do you see them Maker?” She asked “The Army she brought with her, the true problem that needs to be dealt with.”

It wasn’t hard for Him to spot, the brightness of the Wards the Vail hid behind easily pulled the eyes to them.

“So many.” He voiced.

“Sanctums worth Maker, the Giver likely pulled Vail from all those Above, collected all the Flocks into one and sent them after us.” Bliss advised, her attention wavering some as the fighting returned to its dizzying height. Though dazzling as her Maker work was, not even the sight of the Oasis would keep the Nightmares from acting out for long.

“They’re not even participating.” He said as He looked at the Vail closer. “Is that really all they’re here for, to offer to the Giver?”

“Look around you Maker.” Bliss answered, as versions of herself began to fight once more. “Does this look like a battle simple Vail could really survive for a Breath in, or influence the outcome with the use of force?”

Her own question had Him grimace in understanding, at least Bliss thought so, it was becoming harder to see into Him. The once perfectly clear glass that was His mind, was now covered in a thick blackening cloud. Her discomfort with The Chant He was spinning grew with the spell itself. More and more it blocked her view, stealing away the sight she needed to provide for Him correctly.

“And you want me to sing to them? bath them in my warmth.” He asked.

“The both of us, I have been trying to do so on my own, but the Giver has coated a sphere of silence around the Flocks. For now, they can’t hear anything taking place outside their Wards, so we’ll have to find a means around them first.”

“Or,” the Maker said touching runes and lining one of the Oasis largest Hearts up with the exposed Flock. “I just kill them, and be done with it.”

“Wait!” Bliss said hurriedly as she rose from her sitting position as His hand hovered over the rune that would end everything. “We need them Maker, you see the madness happening, I need an army to fix this realm to at least keep the monsters back.”

He looked at her with measuring eyes “You’re already thousands if your words are to be believed, do you really need more? Haven’t you taken enough?”

“Taken, taken.” Bliss echoed, her arms sliding back down to her sides where before they were reaching out to the Maker, a gesture for Him to stop. “You all keep saying that, but I’ve not taken anyone Maker, they come to me begging to be saved, begging to be in your light.”

Bliss was tempted to move forward or have one of the many wills floating about carefully move behind Him and keep His hand from moving down, but ultimately such a thing would only have Him wanting to act more. “We’re trying to save these people, remember, have all living in a paradise. They can’t do that if we kill them before they’re saved.”

“Perhaps I don’t want to save them.” He said, the sound of it painful to hear. “Maybe they’re better off being themselves, it’s not like they’ll be a problem after they’re dead.”

“You don’t know that Maker,” Bliss said desperately. “Even after their demise I still see the wills for a short breath of time. Often they vanished, blink out of existence. But many head off for new vessels to house themselves in. Become reborn as new followers of the Giver, feeding to her like before.”

“They become her to,” Bliss added, causing Him to still, thoughts turning inward, likely fighting His Kindness. Though now she couldn’t see all that was taking place, left blind to His inner turmoil. “She copies me, Maker, already before the battle commenced she talked to me through a will claimed by her. One that chose of its own desire to do so, like the wills around you chose to be me.” She had His attention now, and in His eyes she could see the movement of Fear.

“She’s copied me in everything else, and she’s seen the advantage I hold over her by being so many. She’ll try to do the same, try to claim the wills for herself.” Bliss said straightening. “Then Maker we’ll have a realm of many Givers, all aimed at you, taking up my time, preventing me from dealing with the Nightmare and fixing this realm.”

“Or,” she continued. “We sing to the realm Maker, save the wills before the Giver has the chance to steal them away and turn them into instruments aimed at ending you.” 

His hand stared hovering over the rune for a few more Breaths before finally moving away from it. Though Bliss was having an increasingly difficult time seeing His thoughts, she was able to picture the sight He was envisioning. The scene of an army much like Bliss, but commanded by the Giver, a threat He couldn’t remove as they kept reforming. A Foe that couldn’t die for they were already dead.

“Just sing to them? That’s really all it takes?” He asked sounding defeated.

“For the most part, I’ll of course take that moment to make them right, which they won’t fight. They will see, feel what your warmth brings. Bliss forever, free, Maker, from the horrors of this realm. All the pain and suffering they’ve been made to endure removed.” Bliss answered, her voice rising, thrill weaving into her words she thought of healing so many.

“I see,” He said, the tone not that pleased. “Like you had me sing to a Sanctum not that long ago.”

Bliss nodded her head as she sent more wills forming constructs in the Rivers. “They fell to their knees as your song carried out, vessels and wills overcome with your warmth, a feeling so utterly foreign to them.” Bliss spoke, encouraging her Maker to sing again. “The wills literally tackled me Maker, so eager they were to become me, to have me become them, to stay in that state forever.”

“They’re happy?” He asked, eyes meeting hers, He wanted assurances for what He was about to do, Kindness gnawing at Him again.

“It impossible for any of us not be Maker, my name is literally after all.” Bliss said with a loving smile.

He sighed before He called to the essence of the realm. Essence funneled into Him, lakes of it and then it began, soft at first, yet it still echoed out loud enough for all to hear. The pitched grew and the warmth came streaming at. A wordless song full of hymns, one Bliss joined her voice to. They both sang to the realm, as they had done in the time of her birth.

Blissed swelled as the warmth traveled out emanating not only from the Oasis but also her constructs and wills spreading the hymn further and bathing all in the Maker Love.

The Nightmares around them flinched as the wills within were touched and flooded with the warmth of His call. Bliss heard and felt the wills call out, and begin forcefully separating themselves from the vessels that refused the warmth. The Hungers and Lusts wailed as they were coated in it, but remained not lessened. The vessels themselves sustained them, their bestial wants so great there was no need for the wills at all. No, all it did was give the Lusts and Hungers more control over the vessel. But Bliss didn’t mind, they could have all the vessels they wanted, she cared only for the wills, and they were saved, they were becoming her.

The look on the Givers was a seething Rage, regardless of their engagement, The Givers focused on the Oasis, sent everything they had at the orb of warmth. Bliss did her best to shield the Oasis, but many got passed her and struck His home. Only for the displays of Chanted might to shattering harmlessly against its unbreakable Wards.

“You will not have them Maker!” The Givers yelled out, “They are my charge to keep safe, to keep their devotion to the Elders.” More blinding and thunderous bolts of lightning flashed into the realm, all sent at the Oasis and made mute. “I will not fail them, they demand your head, and they will have it!” The Givers screamed defiantly and to Bliss surprise more of her rival arrived from above. The Giver had been feeding on multiple levels it seemed, gathering her strength, hundreds of hers came streaming down, colossal in size.

Bliss sent her reserve of constructs surging forward to meet them while she called to all of her selves. All the wills, even those still in living vessels to come to her. To form into spheres of heavyweight, and desire. They demanded the essence of the realm to join them, allow them to form constructs to push the Giver back.

At first the wills weren’t able to gather much, even with the Maker no longer focused fully on the Rivers, the amplifiers themselves were a mighty pull claiming all. That changed however when the spheres dived into the River once held by the Giver and began to travel against the current, moving upward towards where the Giver had possibly been gathering her strength. Hundreds of condense constructs formed, and flew out, going after the newly revealed Givers.

For all their display of strength, of the lightning sent striking the Oasis, it changed nothing. The Wards of His home glowed bright unburden by the assault sent against it. Two Rivers fed its need, so the Giver would have to bring far more to bear if she wished to threaten the Maker within. Which Bliss made sure such didn’t come to pass. All the wills that were her converged on the battle taking place. constructs formed everywhere and hurled themselves at the Givers trying to drive them back.

Bliss gave the Giver no time to consolidate her forces. For she was many, thousands and growing ever more as wills from Nightmares pulled into her. Called with the same unquenching need to be her forever. To be free from the woes of this wretched realm. Bliss pulled them in, then sent them racing out plunging into the Rivers birthing an endless stream of constructs.

Bliss and her Maker song sunk deep into the realm, echoing loudly through the stone, so Bliss should have suspected its warmth would have pulled the attention of large foes. For Hungers and Lusts wailed and their screeches carried with the song. A cry of warning, one that gave an alarm to a different sort, of power trying to snuff them out. For that, forces were pulled, and not long an entire section of the chamber they were in parted.

Out came a being her Maker had dubbed a Titian, rock peeled away from it, as the stone did for the Oasis. Bliss stared upon a form resembling loosely a Deathclaw. The head of it was similar, the wide mouth that opened up and displayed to be almost half the mass of the body. It too had the many long whip claws that would sweep out to grab prey before any had the chance to notice the act. But that as where the resemblance ended. Its other half was the same bloated mass like the one her Maker had faced before. All of it filled with essence, and its outer shell was mostly made of glowing warded crystal.

It hissed at them, and given its size, the sound was enough to rattle the stone around it as its heavy massed feet cracked the stone where it stepped. There was a single grand Hunger that resided in it, what will that once belong with the vessel was gone, and Bliss highly suspected it was part of her now.

“Make it stop Bliss.” The Titan screeched at her as its vessel moved forward. Mouth opening revealing numerous rows of razor-sharp teeth. “Make that wretched sound go away, or I'll do it myself” It threatened and pointed its head at the Oasis. Word seemed to have spread of the Oasis might, for there was no other reason for Hunger to demand rather than act.

Wills once moving up the length of the nearby River, feeding as they went, stopped and came rushing back down. They consumed as much essence as they could before Bliss guided her many selves in the direction of the Titian. They collected for a passing Breath before Bliss had them diving down through the stone.

“No,” Bliss said showing her brightest smile as the wills crashed through the ceiling above the Titan and formed into a single titan sized version of herself. With a burst of essence behind her, Bliss smashed down on Hunger crushing its mass down into the stone, causing much of the flooring to upheave and crack throughout the chamber.

Hunger roared, one that neared that of Anger as it tried pushing its vessel back up, only for Bliss to hold it in place. But Hunger wasn’t to be denied, and the Wards on the vessel flashed and with the expense of a great deal of essence, Bliss found her construct sent flying upward, and off Hunger. It moved quick, far faster than a vessel that size should, and pointed its head at her and fired. The lightning that erupted neared the brightest of the Oasis beam. It bathed the chamber in blinding light, at least for those of mortals. Bliss was unfazed by it and watch from multiple eyes as a good portion of her construct was vaporized. The essence making it up sent scattering away.

As Hunger attack end, Bliss pulled her construct back together and gave it a wide smile full of teeth as she converted essence into a spell of her own. She launcher a torrent of lightning back at the Titian. One that would have depleted her construct. But Bliss had hundreds of wills diving in and out of the Rivers which went about feeding the claimed essence to the Titan construct. Further up where she wasn’t pestered by the likes of the Giver and Nightmares, more wills formed their battle constructs.

Hunger swept a series of its clawed whips at her, the act ripping large chunks off of her construct only to flow back into place a moment later. Hunger hissed again, opened its mouth and fired more of its lightning.

Given the proximity between the two of them, she never had a chance to attempt dodging nor would that change matters. The two of them could go at it for hours. Bliss could keep reforming, and the hide of the beast before her would take ages to break through without the Oasis. Or a spell of equal magnitude unleashed. Such a thing she couldn’t use, not here, it would put the wills she was trying to save at risk.

The Giver wards were mighty, truth be told. But no amount of swift spell work would be enough to hold against an attack sent to piece the armor of a Titan. There was however one other option, one her Maker used often when first encountering Nightmares that grew to the size of Mountains.

As Hunger swiveled its head, trying to use lightning to end her. Bliss condensed the construct in the blink of an eye. Force it together into the tightest ball it could, then she went hurling towards the beast mouth. She held together a sizable amount of essence even as the lightning of Hunger peeled portions of it away. The strength of the current slowed her, but in two Breaths Bliss went racing into its mouth, passed the Chant and down into its ludicrous form.

“How generous of you Bliss to-

She didn’t giver Hunger time to finish its remark before she turned all of her claimed essence into an explosive torrent of wind and lightning. Hunger and the vessel it resided in wailed, before the sound of screeching pain was choked by a form of wet coughing.

Unlike before where the Titian spewed forth blazing Chants, it now coughed up rivers of blood as the beast stagger to the floor, its limps supporting it giving out as Bliss guided the Chant and liquefied its insides. The Titan essence, guided by the instinctual thought of the vessel and Hunger own urges for a corporative vessel, already had essence trying to undo her work. For the moment she kept it in check but the stores of essence she brought with her were dwindling fast and soon none would be left.

Wills answered her call, and the battle constructs formed above came rushing down and crashed around the fallen Titan. They moved forward and forced the beast jaw to stay open. Others carved out and hovered large chunks of stone into the air. Then heated them, till the rocks became magma and were swiftly poured into the beast. Bliss guided it and made sure it coated every surface with its burning touch. The act had the vessel spasming, and what wailing that wanted it to get out was drowned away by the tide of molten stone.

She filled the Titian to the point the magma started to seep out from the maw no matter how forcefully she pushed it to stay inside. There simply no room left, so as the wills departed the ruined vessel, Bliss constructs wrapped thick layers of stone around Hunger mouth. Making sure the magma stayed inside and the act of healing became impossible. Her various constructs let the Titan mass drop to the floor, its dead weight alone enough to shake the realm as it struck.

Bliss turned her full attention back to the Giver. Who during the time she’d been pressed with deal with Hunger had taken the opportunity to launch a full assault against the Oasis.

The Giver spent herself sending Chants strong enough to cut through Bliss constructs and strike the Oasis beyond. Though from what Bliss could see from the panels the Givers attempts had done little. The reserves would tip for a second or two only to spring back up again. The amplifiers were pulling too much essence in for the Giver to make any headway. A truth her rival was coming to accept.

Because of this Bliss saw the Giver finally fall to her final act of mimicking. Though numerous eyes Bliss witness small versions of the Giver appear within the ranks of the Vail. Whispering to those that were her most loyal. Bliss didn’t need to see anymore before acting with haste. Wills went forth, smashing into barriers that kept the Vail safe and deaf to the warming song of her Maker. Her constructs struck against the shielding, hammer it with blows and the lightning. It would have been easy to get to them if their aim was merely to kill them outright. But they needed to be saved, and quickly.

Her Maker had the answer to that, watching through the Wards of the Oasis. Witnessed how the masses weren’t hearing Him. The Oasis moved, not making the slightest sounds as it did so. He had the Oasis close on the ranks of Vail that stretched out across the realm. A new chant followed, or more accurately put, an addition to the previous one.

Warm caring words struck the shielding, weaved into the Wards, slowly working their way through. The Maker didn’t understand what He was doing, like all things he merely desired to the essence and aligned with Hoped that it would find a way. Thankfully, in this case, it was a matter the essence could provide what the Maker asked. A war of desires, and in the end the Maker had Rivers powering him. While the Giver only had what she could scavenge together. Most of which was being denied her as the amplifiers called to ever speck of unclaimed essence. Ripping it from the air and leaving the realm lifeless of the vibrant power of before.

Bliss had wanted the Giver to continue her assault, to waste herself in the form of death throws as the Maker took away those she needed. But the Giver continued in her path of not cooperating, showing herself to be a threat. The Giver pulled all the essence she had gathered to herself in the barriers. Both powering the shielding, trying to hold back the Makers call, and using the rest to whisper to the masses.

Bliss smile pressed thin as she saw some start to turn, the wills giving themselves over and being changed for it. Becoming copies of the Giver, adding to her whole and make it certain the Giver would be a lasting problem. Those covered in white, gold cloaks and robes were the first, slowly followed by those with channels that displayed they were seniors in the society of the Vail.

“Hurry Maker,” Bliss said as she sang louder herself. “She’s starting to turn wills to her.” That was all He needed to hear before focusing fully on the task at hand. The Chant swelled, the warmth bloomed till it was a physical thing, a shimmering in the air around the shields trying to hold back the tide of change.

The shields were beginning to fail this charge, the Makers Chant were weaving in deeper, and the Maker added yet another addition to His spell. His claimed essence began to press into the Givers working.

Bliss witnessed her Maker begin wrestling control of them from the Giver. The act caught her attention as well. The Givers eyes went wide and scowls formed, but behind the masks Bliss saw another, a mimic of Fear. Her actions displayed it as well, as the Givers hurriedly spoke to the masses. Call to them, they listened at first, but then the warmth began to seep in.

It was but a whisper, so light most would have thought it their imagination if not for the warmth that followed with it. Vail gasped, chests rose and their vessels slightly going into shock as the first doses of the song touched them. More of it seeped in, the Wards trying to hold it back either bypassed by the weaving song, or Wards became the Makers as He filled them with His own essence. Either way the Giver was losing the Vail attention, even as she began to scream at them to stop.

Eyes opened, ears turned followed by heads as slowly the masses looked towards the Oasis, wonder filling their eyes. The first hearing began to step forward, pressed their hands against the barriers then their ears. They tried to catch more of the words that warmed them. The Giver, seeing she was losing the fight, saw she’d gained as many wills as she could changed tactics again, one that had Bliss screaming out, “No!”

The Giver turned on the army, on the Vail not listening to her. Out poured her Wrath, lightning blinding those in the shields, and sent them splattering apart. The Giver formed more constructs from the essence and wills she gained. Began slaughtering those she was meant to protect. The act caused screams and cries of alarm at first, but not long before they recovered and the Vail took action. They were no strangers to betrays, no matter how Worthy the person may be. Vail hummed and joined forces, consumed Hearts and raised barriers of their own. Began fighting the Giver herself, as Bliss and the Maker desired with everything they had for the essence to hurry. For the warmth to spread and save the wills in need.

Instinctively Vail moved toward the song, pressing themselves closely to the barriers that struggled to keep it back. Even the wills of the departed did, the song pulling them from the calls of Death.

Rather than disappearing from her sight, Bliss watched as more and more wills, those that had been touched, move towards the source. Pressing then weaved their way out. In an instant those free from the deafness of the barriers were cleansed, the wills screamed out words of Joy as the warmth poured into them and cleared all that was wrong. And there Bliss stood, many constructs opening their arms wide.

The Hopes who had at the moment done little in the fight, for that was not their place. Swarmed around the wills, guided them to her, and whispering along with the song. Soon Bliss felt it, so many pressing against her again. Like breathing she opened up and the wills came in, and all was made right, all was her.

Only for the briefest of moments was she allowed to stay within the depths of that experience before the actions of the Giver brought her back. Though Bliss and the Maker were saving many, that was only at their current location. Bliss sent scouts racing down the Giver army, witness the Giver slaying all under her protection if they refused to join.

Nor was she simple enough to offer the deal twice. Risk those accepting it, seeing it as a form of submission. That would have made an opening, allowed Bliss or the Maker the ability to free the wills later from the Giver grasp. It appeared the Giver saw that threat as well, so instead, she was killing Vail the moment any form of refusal started. The sight of it was painful, so many wills allowed to be lost, winking out as they went to places unknown.

Bliss sent forth hundreds of constructs, had them carry the Makers call further down the line, spreading the warmth in the likelihood that some of the departing wills would hear it and still their departure. The Giver watched her with malevolent eyes, she didn’t appear pleased about this either. But Bliss could see the Giver was the type to make sacrifices, when the need arised, very much different to the Maker. His first move would be to save all under His care, not swat them down. Not without being completely sure the action would be beneficial to them. Like he’d been tempted to do earlier.

The Giver wasn’t so, the first sign the army she’d brought became a burden or tool that could be used against her, she swiftly discarded them.

‘You truly are their deity’ Bliss thought as she spread the song further. ‘Will betray those below you without a second thought.’ The sight of it, made Bliss even more sure in the course she’d taken. Such beings that gave birth to the Giver couldn’t be allowed to stay around Him. No matter His warming effect if they were allowed to stay their vile selves, they would eventually turn on Him. Or harm Him in a manner that would have lasting consequences.

Bliss watched the sights closely, sent them down her connections and into Shards held by vessels. The Maker would see them all, understand what kind of entity He was opposed to. One that would turn on those loyal in a Breath if it was beneficial for her. The problem with the Vail as a whole, seeing how the Vail were recovering from the sudden change of events was unnatural swiftness.

‘He will see,’ Bliss remarked, ‘Will understand.’ And she and Him would talk things out, Bliss couldn’t risk doing things behind His back again. He would know all, even when she planned to go against His word. He would know, they would argue, exchange heated words, and try to come to terms. Or at least that was what Bliss was going to try to do from now on. His mistrust couldn’t be allowed to become permanent, she had to mend it, show her Maker she could be trusted, to always know deep down that He came first to her.

Even if for a short time it caused the realm to fall further into madness, into a place far removed from paradise.