As we re-entered the tunnel of tense silence, I stopped in front of Egard.

“No luck other than to head in an easterly direction. Did you have any other ideas for Cushec?” I asked.

“None. Other than to wander blindly, of course.”

“Do you know who lives in the next village to the east?”

“No, but I will find out when we stop this evening.”

“Oh, we’re stopping tonight? That’ll be nice,” I replied, but Egard set off without another word.

The tunnel we took seemed to be heading back the way we had come, which Danivra later confirmed, and after a few hours of walking, we entered a Dwarven town which further suggested that we’d gone back east. I tried not to let it concern me overly much as we had headed northward too, and this could be the best way to another tunnel west.

The town was typical to the other smaller towns we’d stayed at, but it was rare for us to stop so early in the day. It was an opportunity for the people with me to unwind a little before we went to bed. I doubted I would unwind, so pent up from the carnage of the day, but I was definitely ready for a drink or ten.

The Dwarves took a long table that seemed to be set up for them to sit around together, while we had to make do with smaller tables dotted around the restaurant bar. It was always this way, but today, for some reason, it irritated me more than usual. Most likely because of my growing distaste for our Dwarven company.

I stood up from my seat with Grigor, Sania, and Danivra, and started telling everyone to drag their tables together. The serving staff didn’t look amused, nor did the Egard and his men. I still wasn’t happy, but causing them annoyance certainly helped. Once we were all seated again, I felt better. The atmosphere improved dramatically for us as we all drank ate and laughed together.

After our meal, Sania nudged me. “I’ve been thinking, Clive. You don’t think Egard set that Grobbler village up do you? They tried to walk us half to death and then refused to come out with us.”

“I don’t know, Sania, but something’s really off.”

“It is. I’m not sure we should go any further with them.”

“I agree,” Grigor said. “They aren’t trustworthy anymore. Though, I do not know where we would go other than finishing off our journey on the surface, which seems risky.”

“I know, Grigor. It’s a tough decision to make. I just really hope Cushec and Stada the Gran are as easy to convince as Olata was.”

Grigor nodded, and I lapsed into my own mind on what we should do in light of the recent developments.

I was pulled from my thoughts by Alial. I was surprised as the Dokalfar healer rarely spoke to me.

“May I speak with you, my lord?”

“Sure! What can I do for you, Alial?” I asked, concerned.

“You bonded Maex when we found him dying in the tunnel and you were able to bring him back to life.”

“Yes,” I said slowly, growing even more worried.

“Then I would like to be bonded as well. I wish to survive this adventure and help build Far Reach into a great city by your side and the side of my queen.”

I laughed, which in hindsight was probably the wrong response, judging by Alial’s expression. “Hold on a minute. You want to volunteer to be bonded. That’s fucking mental! How long do Dokalfar live?”

It was Danivra who answered. “That depends on many things, such as the use of power, but a few hundred years is not unrealistic.”

“Yeah, well humans die after about seventy years. You don’t want to saddle your cart to this horse, I can promise you that.”

Danivra cleared her throat as Alial stood there looking as though I’d slapped her rather than saved her from doing something seriously stupid.

“Demons can live for thousands of years, Clive. And the natural lifespan of an Elman is counted in hundreds of years at least. Nephilim, a thousand years is not unreasonable.”

“Yeah, but come on. Everyone wants to kill me,” I only half-joked, then looked at Danivra questioningly. “Why are you not telling Alial that this is insane?”

“Is it insane? You saved us from certain death, Lord Clive, and if we can keep you alive and assist you in gaining more strength, then you will be around for a very long time,” Danivra said.

“It is as my queen says. But more than that, I have selfish reasons. We are heading into ever more dangerous territory and the likelihood of death is high for us all,” Alial said. “But you are still the most likely to survive. I hear that, if you die, your followers can resurrect you, and I know that if a follower dies, you can resurrect them. It seems to me that the best chance for all of our survivals is that we are bound together.”

“And you know how the bond works, right? If I say bite off your big toe, you’ll try to bite your big toe off?”

“No,” Alial replied with a little psychotic sparkle in her purple eyes. “I will bite my big toe off.”

“Woah, it was just an example to make a point. You’re really serious about this?”

“I’m deadly serious,” she said, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’ve seen how you treat those bonded to you.”

“You guys?” I asked Danivra, Sania, Grigor, and Maex, who was further down the table, listening intently.

“You know my feelings,” Danivra said.

“Mine too,” Sania added. “We need strength.”

“I can’t actually believe I am saying this,” Grigor said in a low, growling voice. “But… yes, I don’t think it is a terrible idea for you both.”

“Fuck, dude, I thought you at least would show some sense.”

He shrugged his huge shoulders. “Things change.”

“Maex?” I asked.

“You’ve not used the bond to compel me at all and I don’t get the sense that you wouldn’t without very good reason. Nor do I get the sense that the reason would ever be to my detriment. I also share a link with my queen now and a chance at rebirth should I fall. It is a yes from me.”

“Ah, but if I die, then you all die.”

“I have a very strong feeling that, if you die, we all die anyway,” Danivra added. “This universe isn’t going to save itself from the feuding gods.”

I didn’t know what to make of it all, but I was clearly outnumbered. I looked into Alial’s eyes for a moment, trying to see if I could see any doubt or fear, but there was nothing other than certainty.

“If you’re absolutely sure, Alial. But this doesn’t feel right to me.”

She shook her head emphatically. “I’ve thought about it since you saved our queen. I became certain when I saw you save Maex. This may be a surprise for you my lord, but for me, it is the culmination of my thoughts and conversations for months.”

“Hang on a minute. Conversations with whom?”

“My queen and my friends,” she replied, confusion clouding her features. “Who else?”

“No. That’s what I thought you must have meant,” I said, casting another questioning look at Danivra. “You really believe in me this much?”

“I do. Now we somehow need to help you fully believe in yourself. You pretend on occasion to be the person we all know you can be, and that is a good start. We will get you there together.”

“When I first met him, he refused to accept anything at all, ever,” Sania said sagely. “He took some work, I can tell you.”

Danivra chuckled lightly. “I can imagine. The stubbornness is still strong, but that is a strength as much as a weakness, and one day, it will only be a strength. Now, Clive, bond Alial, and let’s get this moving,”

I sighed. “If you insist.” Then after a moment, her words fully sank in. I held up a hand. “Wait a minute, let’s get what moving?”

“Alial’s bond, of course.”

I shook my head at her. “You’re up to something, Danivra.”

“Me?” she said with mock offense. “Only your betterment, Lord Clive.”

I turned back to the still waiting Alial. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she said firmly.

“Okay, then. I will reach out a tendril into your core, and you have to let me pull some of your energy toward me. I will then latch that onto my own core, and we will be bonded. Don’t fight it, okay?”

She nodded mutely and closed her eyes. I did as I’d explained and reached the glowing orb within her. I had a momentary flare of panic that this was a trick and Alial would try to remove my energy. Which was stupid as I was Level 44 now and only three levels below Alial, but my use of Neuma was becoming strong.

Carefully pulling a tendril of Neuma from her to me, I felt a moment of resistance, followed by acceptance, and then it followed my manipulation smoothly all the way back to my core. Once there, and after a second of holding it in place, I felt it latch on, connecting me to yet another soul.

I didn’t even look at the notification, swiping it away as Alial read hers and flashed a warm smile at me.

“Thank you, Lord Clive. I’m honored.”

“I’m the one who’s honored, Alial. I promise to respect you, and never misuse the trust you’ve shown in me. Fuck, I sound like I’m reading my wedding vows or something,” I chuckled lamely. “Though to be fair, this is probably more serious.”

“What are you talking about Clive?” Sania asked.

“Ah, nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

“The words were nice before you started rambling. You should say them every time,” Sania said. “They have a feeling of ceremony and honesty to them.”

I was about to question the next time situation when I saw that Alial had been replaced by Thador, another Dokalfar. He bowed to me and waited patiently.

I looked to the two women either side of me. “What the hell is this?” But I already knew.

“I wish to take the bond to my lord,” Thador said.

“For fuck’s sake,” I said, rejecting what my increased Charisma wanted me to say. “How many?”

“All of the Dokalfar with me,” Danivra said.

“Two of the Nystiobek and three Wultr,” Sania added.

I groaned and slapped my face in my hands. “How long have you been planning this?”

“It’s been floated around lightly for a while, but as the danger increases and the Dwarves become more distant, we figured now is the time,” Sania said. “It’s never been concrete, and I wasn’t sure if it would ever happen, but there you have it. This is what people want.”

“I think this could be a terrible idea, but fuck it, I trust you and Danivra, so in for a penny and all that shit. You sure about this, Thador?” I said, looking back up to the serious Dokalfar standing to the side of the table.

“I am, my lord.”

I repeated the process, trying to make myself numb to what I was actually doing, convinced I was going to hell for this.

I thought it would get easier, but my self-doubt grew with each bond that I took. That was until the sixth of the night caused an insane sensation, which certainly involved pain to course through my entire body. I seized up in a full body cramp, convulsing as the table full of drinks went flying. How did I know about the table?

Because I was suddenly aware of everything around me. I now looked down on my body from above. I could see and was aware of everything in a ten-foot radius all around where my body anchored me.

Sania and Danivra both had hold of me, trying to help in any way they could. I could even see clearly into the room behind the wall that we sat against.

There were a number of Dwarves, with a spell against the dividing wall. I could even see the composition of Neuma in the spell and instinctively knew that it was for listening. How I knew that, I wasn’t sure.

While all of this was happening, my body was still wracked with the intense sensations, but my mind seemed to have separated from my physical body while it suffered.

I watched in full understanding as my body transformed. There was no visual signs to the change, but the essence of my body was altered. I was glowing gold and black, though that wouldn’t have been visible to others who watched as my body slowly lifted off the floor.

A panicked Sania and Danivra held on to me, and I could feel their fear.

“Don’t worry, I’m okay,” I said across the bond to all of my bonded people.

They looked surprised, staring at my body in awe. Sania and Danivra finally let go.

Notifications written in flowing golden script appeared in front of my non-physical vison.

Congratulations: You have unlocked a Stage 1 Ethereal Spirit. (1/10)

You have met a requirement to transcend to Stage 1 Ethereal Spirit. The path to Godhood stretches before you.

Requirement:

Gather ten WILLING bonded servants. (Achieved)

Attributes (Stage 1)

Ethereal Storage:

Stage 1 Ethereal Spirit can hold the excess Neuma provided by bonded servants up to x6 value of current physical level core.

Spirit Gaze: (Area of effect.)

By occupying your spirit mind, observe all that occurs within a ten-foot radius of your physical body. The first step to omniscience.

(Warning. Physical body will be unpiloted whilst skill is in use.)

Everlasting:

While your mortal spirit is tied to your Physical body, your Ethereal Spirit is not.

Should your Physical body die, your Spirit will live on. Should you wish to regrow your physical body at Stage 1, the process will take 300 days and your spirit will be anchored to one place until complete.

(Warning: Should Physical death occur, all bonded servants will expire. All other levels of bonded will now retain life.)

(Warning: An Ethereal Spirit is not impervious to all types of damage and can be destroyed.)

Alter rank of bonded: (3 ranks available)

No rank may cause intentional harm to the holder of their bonds.

All ranks expire upon cessation of bond.

All ranks supply 1% of their Neuma pool per day. (Unless in prayer)

Rank 1. Bonded Servant: Must follow direct instructions exactly.

Rank 2. Follower: Can sense and will follow the essence of your will rather than the letter of your word.

Rank 3. Devoted

(I): Aspirant: Can sense and will follow the essence of your will rather than the letter of your word. Will spread the word of your Ethereal Spirit.

(Aspirants provide 3% of their Neuma pool, not including prayer.)

(The first 10% Neuma supply from an Aspirant who has been referred counts towards the referrer’s balance with you.)

Once an Aspirant has provided 200% of their Neuma pool. Their rank becomes Cleric (Stage 1 Max)

(II) Cleric/Acolyte: Can sense and will follow the essence of your will rather than the letter of your word. Will spread the word of your Ethereal Spirit.

(Clerics provide 5% of their Neuma pool per day, not including prayer. They receive 3% back from your Ethereal Spirit storage.)

(The first 10% Neuma supply from a Cleric’s referral counts towards the Cleric’s balance with you.)

I dismissed the notification with a sense of disbelief, and my mind fled back into my body, stunned, scared even, but with a blossoming hope of survival that I’d never had before with the Everlasting attribute.

“Could have at least told me what type of fucking damage can kill my soul,” I muttered to myself.

“Clive, are you okay?” Sania said, holding on to me again with surprising desperation.

Danivra’s hand rested gently on my shoulder, and Grigor stood over the upturned table, glaring at me. His face said he wanted to kill me, his soul bond said he wanted to kill whoever had done that to me.

“It’s all good, guys. Better than all good. I’ve evolved in a way no one can see. I can't talk out loud because we have a group of Dwarves in the room behind us with a listening spell against the wall.”

“I suspected something of the sort,” Danivra said sourly. “We will deal with that later. First we need to put everyone at ease, especially those you just bonded. They will be most concerned.”

I spoke out loud so everyone could hear me. “Hey, all, I’m okay. Honestly. I know that shit looked pretty crazy. It was just something to do with my Elman and Demon side having a momentary disagreement. But now they’re back together stronger than ever. We got this, guys.”

Everyone relaxed at my words, and I was surprised. That had never happened before. Thank you, Charisma!

As soon as I finished speaking, I returned to communicating through the bond to everyone linked.

“Okay, everyone old and new. Can you all hear me?”

There was a series of affirmatives, and even though it was a cacophony of voices, I could hear each one of them individually, too.

“So, all of the new bonds has just caused me to transcend. I am now officially at stage one of ten of Godhood.”

There were gasps of surprise.

“What this means is a few things, but most specifically for you guys and your faith in me, you now all get a choice to relax some of the control I have.”

I explained the three ranks, knowing no one would be insane enough to remain at rank one. I expected a predominant opting for rank two, so when all nine of them chose Aspirant, I was flabbergasted.

“Do you guys not want to wait and see if I can actually become a god before you choose that path? I mean, there're ten achievements, and I don’t even know what they are yet. I get the feeling that they aren’t going to be easy either. And you know I don’t know how to give you powers.”

Of course no one cared and demanded to be made Aspirants.

“Okay, gimme a minute while I work out how to do this,” I said and focused on rank assignment.

A visual display very different to any I had seen before sprang up. This one was etched in golden writing similar to the notification I had received while in the spirit form.

Sania

Soul Mate

Grigor

Aspirant

Danivra

Aspirant

Maex

Aspirant

Alial

Aspirant

Thador

Aspirant

Geme

Aspirant

Tilius

Aspirant

Halua

Aspirant

Aruol

Aspirant

Once I was finished, I looked around at my friends, then cringed at my oversight.

Danivra: Level 137, Queen of Helvien, Aspirant of Clive, Dokala (Dokalfar III).

Everyone else had a similar story written above their heads. Mal and Joel were gonna have a fucking field day with this, but the worst aspect of it was that now anyone who could read identifiers would know something had changed. I wasn’t even sure if Egard could. I just had to hope not.

“There you go, you are all now Aspirants, and my power of direct control is now gone, thank god.”

Sania snorted. “Thank you, Clive.”

“Thank you, Clive,” came a chorus of mental voices from my Aspirants.

“That’s not what I bloody meant you arseholes!” I said, feeling stupid. I could feel humor coming through from everyone now.

As I surveyed the room again, I saw that the queue for bonding was back and, to my eye, looked a little longer than before.

By the end of the night, there were officially twenty-one new Aspirants of Clive in the world.

“How are you feeling about this, Clive?” Sania asked through our private bond.

“Happy, I suppose. If all else fails, I’ve got twenty-one restaurant staff, and there’s not a thing any of you can do about it,” I replied tiredly.

“That is evil, Clive,” she said, hugging into me.