I whistled pure imagination as I sat on the bridge connecting the abode dais to the central one and stared out over my domain. I was in the form of Kainaat after taking off the guise of a Fiend which had certainly opened up some… rather interesting possibilities. I’d quite enjoyed it actually.

Unlike demons and angels at least these Fiends seemed to be a rather… well in limbo between a fully immortal race like the angels and demons but more akin to perhaps Tolkien’s elves. Functionally immortal since they wouldn’t die of old age with only their highest echelons being considered akin to demons and angles in the respect that to fully kill them one had to destroy their souls or kill them in their home realms. Neither option was easier than it sounded and the fiends being something between demon and eldritch horror simply threw even more troubles into the mix.

Frankly I wanted some in my service purely out of curiosity but there were… problems with obtaining them. What did draw me to them was the fact that besides strength and cunning they valued loyalty above all else in a sort of bee hive kind of manner. The leader once made apparent wouldn’t ever have to worry about being betrayed by his own no matter what. Making it impossible to have spies from one enemy or another in their ranks.

If there was anything the leaders really had to worry about was simply when someone among their “hive” had been mistreated and grew stronger than the leader. They’d then challenge the leader for leadership but it was never to the death, they valued one another too much to waste even their most basic soldier castes on frivolous matters. Though there was a lower caste called Thralls and Skirmishers that were more spirits possessing and slowly mutating a corpse into a living fiend that were simple drones they didn’t mind loosing. Of course once the they grew more aware and sentient they were valued in the “hive” so to speak and wouldn’t be wasted.

It made me smile a little as it sounded to be an ideal society to live in… well in a strange sort of way. They were rather vicious to anything they considered hostile to them and that included eldritch horrors. The fact demon princes, arch-demons & devils and eldritch horrors had been slain when invading worlds overtaken by Fiends alongside all their forces with a down to the last man, woman and child mentality was a testament to their ferocity.

Angels at least knew more often than not to either send an envoy to speak to them or just leave well enough alone had me snickering. Angels at least to my knowledge were most often arrogant and pretentious since they served literal gods, so it going to their feather brained heads wasn’t all that surprising.

I glanced over at the abode where Zinna and Sechid were conversing with Ilphas’s spectral elven form as he fussed over the building. This top part of the domain had come a long way since I last was here thanks to him. The lush garden that spread out from the abode certainly spoke volumes about that though now I was wondering if I shouldn’t have him make guard rails or something along the daises and pathways between them since besides me no one else could fly.

I didn’t have to worry about Kori falling off the edge since she was a smart girl but mortals...

Well sufficed to say they sometimes weren’t the smartest bunch at times.

My thoughts were interrupted as Kori placed her head on my shoulder asking for pets and scratches and I happily complied. What I’d first taken as a more Doberman type appearance when she took her mortal equivalent form had filled out and solidified over the time she’d been allowed to hunt as she wished thanks to Ilphas’s dungeon monster summoning ability.

Still adolescent as Ilphas’s dungeon wasn’t a very high levelled one so she’d gotten everything out of it she could for now but her form reminded me a lot more now of a big too perfectly built black great Dane Doberman mix.

Her shiny short coat glittering almost from the light of the stars overhead. I chuckled as the name DoberDane came to mind for her type of hound but I decided to keep it to myself when she grunt-whined curiously at me.

“You’re a good girl Kori.” I said lovingly as she moved to rest her head on my lap while curling around my back. Clearly intent on more pets and scratches while the two mortals were acclimatised to their new home.

‘Then again’ I thought as I looked down at the grey sands bellow that spread out to surround the grand pillars that made up the daises bellow before the grey sea lapped at the shores. I sighed as I continued to stroke Kori’s head with one hand while the other fished out the black chain I’d called the chain of souls in some bizarre fit of temporary madness when I recalled the event now. Though I supposed it now lived up to that name as I watched the strange soul gems hanging off of the chain now. My fingers running over them as I still hadn’t really come to terms with the event that had made the chain the way it was now.

Before me was a garden most bare. I wouldn’t be bringing intelligent life into being in this realm until the realm could support it. With that some how in mind I stared down at the soul gems and started to smile to myself. I had been reincarnated a few times and I had called them the children of Ktep hadn’t I?

My smile turned to a relieved goofy grin. It might not be them in truth but from their distilled essence a stronger being would be born. Truly becoming the children of Ktep. The only ones I’d ever make into my true children, the Efertti.

My gaze turned back up from the soul gems and to the grey sands beneath the pillars and my goofy grin turned to a frown. This was dead soil. It would need to be a garden evenly split between life and death. I had one hundred and two seeds I needed to plant and I would split them evenly between these realms. Fifty one for each. I guess I had to rack up some strange astral numerology to fulfil some esoteric requirements after having seven prevalent so far.

Either way I instinctually knew that until I brought life into being, intelligent life that was, I couldn’t ascend to the first Origin godhood of being. No matter how invincible I might be in the current universe I was visiting that didn’t mean I wouldn't face any adversity in another. It was worrisome if I developed some supermanesque habit of holding back but perhaps something might be learned of restraint so I don’t go ripping arms off with a simple handshake.

Though perhaps when I finally leave that universe behind I could change the small cult I’d arranged to have allowed to build a compound on that planet that had been offered as a reward for Arnei’s head and the liquid assets Zak’thul had liberated had been more than enough to leave them a full repayment with a little extra for their hospitality for allowing the cult to take the gate to the planet I owned. Considering how lush and full of life the paradise world was perhaps I’d offer them to be reshaped into some of the life aspected races I could create with the domain core now?

I was definitely going to steal that planet somehow and have it here in my domain to orbit around this little disk shaped world of my inner self. A god even if a lesser one had an inner world all of their own and often that world comprised of the heaven for their worshippers in the universe they inhabit. Hence the requirement for a Nebulous or Cosmic (such as the goddess I had just met) to run a universe and prevent its collapse such as had happened to the lesser world I’d inhabited as my death aspect.

OF course since I was an eldritch being I figured since we all cheat why not steal one or two planets from the galactic universe I was visiting now. I just needed an opposite to balance it out a little bit and soften the blow,

But not yet. ‘I had to figure out how first.’ I wryly smirked.

With that thought process out of the way I stored the chain away and pushed Kori’s head off me. “Well it’s time to get back to work.” I said and gestured Kori to go to the Abode as I hopped off the edge and took to lazy flight alongside Kori who trotted along looking a bit smug for getting all those pets.

I still had to figure out a cultivation method to advance and all the usual ones I’d tried had ended in acidic agony so far. Granted it had been a few centuries, Ilphas had admitted, spent being bombarded with those energies to hasten up my development but as much as the Eldritch are cheaters our beginnings are usually incredibly hampered.

I at least know knew why Sas’seshkaneth had included Ilphas in her goodie bag for a possible heir to the “true” Imerith. The name still rankled, like all that I’d gone through had just been pulled right from under my feet and then just surprise! It was fake all along.

It even rankled my other aspects, Oblivion surprisingly most of all. Apparently Oblivion was a sadistic fuck who liked to take things nice and slow. To saviour it. Creation of course for the just swift end to all creation without a bang or a boom. Just quiet popping of a soap bubble and all was gone. Same with Life as well for obvious reasons.

Death thought it was a bit more complicated since it was such a sudden cessation of a building grand finale in the reaping of life. All to allow for the metaphorical sowing of better seed for the next cycle. Of a revenge well earned cheated out of by a whim of cruel fate.

I smiled grimly for a spilt second before I came up to hover before the awe struck women. I’d take my time with that goddess of fate on Imerith. I had to vent somehow after all. I smiled at Zinna and Sechid gently as I landed.

“So girls any questions?” I asked with a friendly smile.

“Are you going to make us into gods?” Sechid asked hesitantly but bluntly.

“Demigods at the most if you advance far enough, any more will be entirely up to you. It will all depend on your own dedication, aptitude and inborn talent. But given you are both comprised of a rare energy type combination talent and inherently inborn at that in a world without them makes it a highly likely event you could rise to godhood even if only minor.” I answered succinctly with a teasing quirk of my lip as I stared the spider girl down.

There was an inborn elegance to her that spoke of composed control to how she moved. Every thing was premeditated, planned on an instinctual level that gave her a grace I doubted any human being could replicate without decades of practice.

Four spidery legs with an abdomen she had a short dress over giving her that some how fitting form to the otherwise ridiculous fashion of the bustle era of the 1860’s-70’s. Just by the stable placement of the thin chitinous legs in looked apt. Her face was humanish with two rows of pitch black eyes that seemed a fusion of a normal eyeball and compound eyes.

A tiny nose and a kind of small predatoresque mandible mouth. A lithe yet athletically powerful appearing musculature held by a thin exoskeleton of some strange chitin leather hybridization and four arms completed the long silky black hair that the woman had at least in the looks department. Then again who was I to judge wasn’t I in the end some bizarre mix of androgynous star window mannequin being and a giant four winged snake?

“Any other questions?” I snickered after both them and Ilphas had been staring at me for a while in open mouthed astonishment.

“What energies do we have and what do you mean by energies?” Zinna asked as she managed to compose herself the first.

“You both have talent for Mana the energy of magic.” I used Vlads old trick and manifested an Octahedron of conjured mana in one hand. Zinna and Sechid flinched back at the literal magic.

“You also have a talent for chi, the energy of potential and refinement. It is also the, shall we say, energy that is the easiest to achieve a level of divinity by simple cultivation and refinement but to fully advance as divinity there one must go into the whole mess of understanding and comprehending the dao’s and truths of the universe around you in profound and instinctual manner to advance through the established ranks of divinity.” I manifested the pure white golden ball of chi in the other as I spoke.

I brought both together and had the Mana conjuration overlap so that the ball of chi fit snugly inside it. “I will not only teach you both how to harness and use these energies for yourselves but I will also teach you how to use your natural gifts of silk spinning to weave, tailor or spin whatever you might like. If you show the aptitude I will teach you magic in the areas you are talented in be it through actual spell work or to weave it into your crafts but in return you are to work as my servant staff, tailors and minders of my abode in the mean time.”

Both looked wildly excited for the silk teaching for some reason over the literally offered keys to perfect bodies, magic and immortality. I couldn’t help but snicker at how innocently eager they seemed at the prospects of the tailoring arts.

I even notices Ilphas chuckle quietly at them as they blushed both at the same time when they noticed both our amusements at their expense. Ilphas was an artist so I knew he was excited to see the possibility of these two becoming masters of their chosen craft as so often those touched by chi did with even hobbies at times did. The wonders they might make did have me giddy inside.

“Why us two though?” Sechid asked once she’d calmed down.

“Two reasons mainly. First the goddess controlling the universe of your origin is a goddess of three energies. Celestial, Aether and Psionic, she allowed the latter two to be in her universe and you two were born with none of those. She asked me since she knew I had both and she felt your potential was being unfairly squandered in her universe and asked me to take you under my wing as I ascend myself.” I answered firstly and smirking at the obvious questions the two had building in their heads at the laden answer. I’d decided to be truthful or at least try it and I could lie by omission and answering from certain points of view after all.

“Two, I am an ascending god, an infant elder god if you will. I have six universes to go through in some form or another to learn or earn something from the process to fuel my growth before I step into the universe meant for me to exist in.

A universe inherently hostile due to deception by outside gods to those that originally made it. These same gods now hunt all gods naturally born in this universe when found to keep their power and I seem to have the best possibility so far to gather enough strength to oppose them.” I answered and cringed on the inside over what I’d said. I had get a handle on how I’d handle my possible superordinate gods in the future.

“Oh ok, wow thats…. Heavy.” Sechid said with wide eyes that spoke of washing her hands of this mess as it was blowing her mind too much.

“Yeah…” Zinna quietly agreed as she looked more like her entire world view had just utterly grumbled.

“I won’t force you to join into my intended world and I offer you to come with me into trips into the worlds I’ll have to visit if they are suitable for your desires. But you will have to do so before I enter that final seventh gate because once I do that… I don’ think there will be any coming back unless through success.” Though I somehow knew I couldn’t be killed unless it was done so in this realm. Eldritch fuckery at work no doubt but I wasn’t going to admit to that.

If I was killed in Imerith I had no doubt they’d somehow track me down here and sooner or later slay me on their wounded prides alone. At least if how Sas’seshkaneth had described them had any merit. Which given the fact we both had some truth rule between us, we were both of the same eldritch origin and thus psionic to one another on a deeper level than any mundane could be or that she had some strange spider mom instincts since she’d essentially built my egg.

She wouldn’t lie to me and gave me both her own view on the invaders but I got the impartial package through psionic communication on a deeper fundamental level where our conscious emotions didn’t interfered. Were data, logic and hard universal truths resided on a deep instinctual level engraved into our very being. Even if those truths were esoteric and unknowable to the mundane, it was what made our nature Eldritch. Some were fully consumed by that state while others had a warped and strange sort of mockery or imitation of a mortal consciousness.

“So we are going to be coming with you on journeys through literal universes?” Both slowly asked, not at the same time but a little over one another.

“Hm? Oh Yes in a way. I will first have to visit it myself and then if you want to go there or simply send spectral remote controlled versions of yourselves instead you can. I’ll just have to get around to building them when I have the materials.” I replied almost half-mindedly. That snapped me out of that wormhole of a thought process and I snapped to attention with my eyes.

“Of course I’m not letting you step a foot outside this realm until you are functionally supreme beings in your old universe for your own protection. I’m not letting my students get themselves killed by some dumb mortals inane or insane reasons.” I groused at them. “I’m done seeing that happen.” I grimaced and then sighed.

“So will you come into my service or do you wish to return to your old lives back home?” I asked with a recovering smirk of amusement at being the one to offer a type of deal I’d have killed for back on earth. Even if it was sort of self-deprecatingly.

“So did you mean all that?” Ilphas asked me a little while later as both women had moved to the side to get to know one another and to discuss the matter between themselves. “mortal to mortal” I chuffed.

“Of course. If there’s one thing I’ve come to learn death is the truest thing in existence. Life's just a stubborn bitch so she doesn’t go unless she's kicking and screaming. Though in the end to anything bellow the immortals everything eventually dies and even the immortal can die proving nothing is beyond this truths reach.” I answered and Ilphas gave me a weird look so I replied in simple terms.

“Since I’m the god of oblivion and death, two fundamental truths I decided to speak the truth. This is calculated so that my word becomes something that is taken seriously. I’ve been told elder gods associated with Mundane gods are usually those of the lesser variety and if not treated hostilely outright are under more scrutiny. Since it’s rare we do anything “good” by mundane god standards. What with us spreading madness and mutation everywhere we go.” I continued making sarcastic panicking gestures as I finished. Ilphjas stared at me.

“Of course I don’t do that… Although I can.” I answered almost harshly before I continued in a thoughtful manner. Truth after all and if Ilphas was to be my Seneschal I had to try him out with some of the lesser easier to figure out secrets to see if he was worth the larger ones or my confidence.

Ilphas didn’t comment after that looking deep in thought, perhaps reminiscing of lost days.

The two women eventually came to the conclusion to accept my offer of mentorship and employment and I smiled wide. “Excellent.” I chirped as I clapped my hands together.

“Now for the fun part. Making you up to the energies.” I said with a perhaps too malicious of a grin.

Both were placed in a room with furniture after I’d bought some from an antique whole seller. Hadn’t imagined such a thing had been possible but the Egyptian artistry inspired tasteful Victorian style of a particular beaver type species in the Galaxy had me positively in love. Of course I had stored several of the type of styles the galaxy had to offer that would fit with a medieval type world. It wouldn’t do to go toting a plasma pistol around or a revolver no mater how much I wanted to.

“Do they always writhe like that when awakened to energies?” Ilphas asked as he manifested next to me in what I’d started to have as my study, with a walk in workshop/studio I could draw up any plans or ideas I’d get.

“No, but the awakening of mana to a person who’s never felt its touch let alone chi as well is never a pleasant experience apparently. There is much that they need to allow their bodies to adjust as they drink it in like rain upon parched soil.” I responded as I pulled out a few of the old Magically oriented tomes Ilphas had somehow had within his ability to create as a dungeon. The core was a veritably library on his own. I had decided to keep only the very basics on crafting, magical, etheric and such theory in my personal study for now and instead had history, theologies, philosophies and the like from the golden age he’d lived in filling up most of it. As such my study was filled with scrolls, tomes, codices, volumes, sagas and grimoires. It’s shelves fit to bursting I’d have expand it someday but I knew I’d keep copies of the most relevant texts to myself regarding my arts occult or crafting as well as on the energies and anything I wrote myself.

I’d long decided most magical knowledge would be within the mage tower cored structure that even now was slowly growing. With the south from the central dais being the paths to the Mage tower, the Abode and Workshop in order with the Abode in the middle. I had yet to decide on the two empty dais’s that were the tower and workshops opposite but I was satisfied with the way the daises formed the warped Algiz rune. The form being like putting the rune upside down on top of itself as my memory dredged up the final look of the rune itself once more.

Perhaps more apt to describe it as half a size smaller letter ‘x’ placed on a capitalized ‘I’. I shook my head and banished the useless thoughts.

“You really enjoy the whole gardener, druid aspect of yourself aren’t you?” Ilphas half deadpanned, he’d admitted to be rather irked by the previous goddess of nature and life.

“Well it’s a rather good analogy to a describe the life of a universe as a garden. If you don’t tend to it diligently it’ll just go to shit. It isn’t really the mortals fault in the end just the by product of the inevitability of free will. If the minds developing aren’t taught and guided a certain way there will be inevitable disharmony due to chaotic diversities inherent volatility.” I said.

“Like a weed chocked garden.” Ilphas begrudgingly agreed. “But still that does sound more like brainwashing doesn’t it?” He retorted.

I gave him a flat look. “I call it pruning those that divide for their own benefit, ruthlessly ambitious to the clear detriment of others and fear mongers. You cannot tell me that a society based on cooperation no mater one’s race where one is given what one earned and aren’t in fear of those in power do have your best interest at heart isn’t ideal?” I asked him and he nodded but didn’t respond.

“I know its a fine, very fine line.” I begrudgingly admitted.

“As long as you understand the difference between guidance and brainwashing I won’t say a thing.” Ilphas half said under his breath earning a glare from me but then a dismissive gesture of agreement.

I really wanted to advance but I was rather certain just to get the girls to an apprentice level would require a few months if not years in the least. Then again I also needed to brush off the rust and relearn all the skills of my past selves. I couldn’t think of me as more than simply a very difficult to kill Eldritch horror at the moment. I was no true Elder god after all.

With that in mind I headed to the central dais and started to see about increasing the tower and workshops growth. There was a lot to do.

-

“That’s it continue like that, thread it through.” I said encouragingly as I watched Zinna manipulate her naturally spun silk telekinetically through the use of both Mana and Chi.

It had taken them six months to get just used to manipulating the energies internally after being laid out for half a month just adjusting to them. Then it had been a year for them to gain any proficiency in external manipulation. Then it was half a year more for them to refine themselves up enough to be able of feats like spinning much more silk than natural. The Chi supercharging their spinnerets and adjusting their biology in subtle ways to inch them ever closer to perfection. Both gaining the ability to spin with their hands. Zinna from the centre of her palms while Sechid did so from her fingertips.

It had also lead to Sechid gaining sooner and better mastery in weaving and spinning while Zinna began to become a rather proficient rope user as she leaned more in thread manipulation instead of mastery like Sechid.

The differences were minor really but I felt giving them these distinctions was good since I had grown annoyed with their comparison of one another in the first six months. Focusing on the differences in their areas of expertise had lessened it now. Mortals and their useless competitive streaks.

I hadn’t started training them in anything related to combat, more focused on the basics and preparing their physical bodies for the training ahead. They might be talented but their learning ability seemed average to me.

Though Chi was definitely starting to show its effect as it had its effects. The refinement of their selves mentally, spiritually and physically that Chi did further aided by Mana’s boosting effects to the refinement process with the exercises I’d taught them had left them covered in accumulated waste more than once. Both had molted a time or two even.

Ilphas had continued to be seneschal and caretaker all in one given we had all the time in the world.

I did however still struggle to find a cultivation technique that would merge and harmonize my own energies in a way that pushed my growth forwards. I’d already gone over everything that Ilphas had on hand and any other book I’d been granted from Sas’seshkaneth but still hadn’t found an answer.

It was vexing, like an itch I hadn’t been able to scratch just yet no matter how I approached it. I just hadn’t found it yet. In the end according to Sas’seshkaneth, who’d visited a few times when she could, time was a luxury I had for now. The world was in a state of balance at the moment and didn’t look to be going to change much in the next two centuries or so in the least.

Should be plenty of time.

My eyes wandered over to the workshop where Sechid was currently practising her tailoring. My attention was on the forge though. I felt a need to create a divine armament but I didn’t have anything other than lesser materials to work with at the moment. Nothing above infusible steel at least and that didn’t seem the correct material a divine armament or tool should be made out of.

My eyes drifted back on to Sechid, given I could see and hear all that happened within my realm after I’d properly aligned myself with it, which I’d had plenty of time now to do. Then I turned my physical eyes onto Zinna and chewed on the inside of my lip.

“Lady Kainaat?” Zinna asked seeing my contemplative expression. Both had taken to call me Lady or Lord when I switched between my forms of Mors and Kainaat though they simply called me Autarch when I changed into the star-skinned androgynous form. I’d kept the Minghse a secret by omission for now. I hadn’t neglected it of course as I practised and luxuriated in the form when the two were asleep since I didn’t need to sleep unless I wanted to any more.

“I’m wondering if I should craft you some focuses is all.” I muttered as designs floated around in my head. Rings, wands, staves, hell thimbles could even work. It was just using the right way to forge and applying the right materials to it. Silver or crystals… perhaps experiment with trying to make an alloy out of it?

“A focus? You mean like a wand for magic?” Zinna asked and my absent-minded nod she smiled. “So what are you going to teach us first?” She prodded, both having learned to pump me for information when my mind was otherwise engaged though I’d been careful to have a small partitioned off part of my mind filter myself.

“Depends on your aptitude. There are different tools between a Wizard, Sorcerer, Magus and Arcanist. Same with Artificers and Enchanters.” I muttered aloud.

“What’s the difference?” Zinna asked visibly confused.

“A wizard knows and inherently understands the academic theory of the magic arts and how to apply them. Phenomenally versatile spellcasters and they can be dreadfully powerful but it takes a lot of practice and study.

Sorcerers on the other hand channel magic instinctually, some have inherited some bloodline that ties them to specific but powerful types of magic but those without learn to also enhance themselves with it. They often benefit greatly from learning the theory like wizards but they also benefit from taking aspects from how Magi do it.

A Magus learns mystical theory and esoteric practises to channel magic in specific patterns that make them devastating both in reach and at range with magic. Their path being often referred to as the magical equivalent to how Chi cultivation manifests with the elements.

An Arcanist is sort of a crazed mix of the other three but what they manipulate is raw magic and sheer force of will. They become more refined and dangerous as they learn more of the ways and arts of the other three as they walk that ever precarious middle path between all the other three. Their exceedingly rare and are required to be naturally born talent for that path or extremely dedicated.” I clarified as I now rubbed at my star-skinned chin while my brow furrowed.

“Is there a difference between their tools?” Zinna continued.

“Wizards require books, wands, grimoires, staves and the like to focus their magic through and with. Think lighting rod in a storm. Sorcerers use their own body so often it is accessories and magical inks in body art to help mitigate and guide their magic.

Magi use Fetishes, trinkets and even pieces of armour or weapon of some sort as their foci while Arcanists enjoy the unlucky benefit of often needing all three methods to be of any proper effect.

Of course it also all depends on what school of magic is being used. I mean an enchantress with knowledge of conjuration and illusion might use a smoke pipe if it so suits her and how she casts her magic. The tools and ways to utilize them are varied and too many.” I finished as I put together a wooden board inlaid in silver and charged gemstones for testing out magical talents and leanings. Thankfully the workshop came with good quality tools but I knew I’d have to forge my own properly sooner or later. I just needed the materials to do so if I was going to do it properly.

I turned and started heading over to the Workshop with Zinna following me behind. “I’m going to build an aptitude tested so I’ll be in the forge for a while. I want you to tell Sechid of everything I’ve told you and I want you both to focus on your proficiency and understanding of the energies until I test your aptitudes. Then I’ll know what tools will best suit you to begin with as I begin to teach you how to use the arts and school you are most suited to.” I told her as I hovered off the ground and moved faster along the path to the workshop. Leaving Zinna behind as I felt a creative fire spark in me I hadn’t realized I’d felt since I was Vlad or as Arguran. The simply joy of creation.