Back, back, to the moment of change, and then, to right afterward.

- - - -

“What happens now?” Oozy asked, under a cracked sky, where illusions of sunlight and blue had been broken in the touch of the Fractal.

“I don’t know,” Fallopolis said, on her knees, on the white stone pillar that was Ascendant Mountain.

Rozeta’s white wrought human body lay scattered in white chunks upon the ground.

Melemizargo lay broken and bleeding on the ground north of the mountain, taking up a whole mountain-sized bit of land with his bleeding draconic body.

This was after the Valkyries had been taken from Fenrir and Veird.

This was a good time to appear. It wouldn’t make sense if Erick were to appear later, for he would be punishing people for things they had not done, and that was not who he was.

Erick had no problems doing what he did next.

Erick descended, as a person, and in one quick move he removed the lingering Mantle of the God of Magic from Melemizargo’s shoulders, rendering him a simple black dragon. He also shrunk the guy down and healed him and set him upon the white pillar like a flop of a sleeping, half-comatose dragon. It would be a minute before he woke up enough to react to anything.

Fallopolis reacted faster than her former god, yelping and standing upright, launching backward, and then, blessedly, wonderfully, she cried out, “Oh thank My God! You’re back!”

Erick had allowed her to keep her Championship, but it was almost nothing right now, since the Mantle of Magic was inactive.

Erick smiled at her. “I am. Took me a few thousand years, but yup. I’m back. I heard most of what happened already. It got really bad, but now that future never happens. Not even in the multiverse—”

“Wh—” Melemizargo came to, rapidly righting himself and looking around, and looking scared. His eyes did not glow; they were simply white, with slitted pupils. His claws did not shine; they were simply white, like normal claws. He was a black dragon, about 50 meters long, which was rather normal for a dragon. He wasn’t even a Wizard, let alone a god. He realized this fast, and then he realized the source of his current reality, too. He narrowed his eyes at Erick, yelling, “You did this?!”

A gold-rimmed spear of adamantium came out of the sky and tried to kill Melemizargo, but Erick caught it about a meter from Melemizargo’s neck, rapidly moving the attack from Sininindi back and away. Erick glowed a bit gold in that action.

Erick could have heard voices praying to him from far, far away, if he listened. He would get to those later. Erick unlinked Time from this space, giving him all the time he could ever want, and stopping the flow of prayers. He had stuff to do here, and now. Every single god of the Painted Cosmology was losing power in the transition, which had happened 38 days from now and also hours ago and also 10,000 years ago.

He called up to the sky, “Sininindi. Please come down here. Everyone else, too.”

They all appeared as fast as they could, which was appreciated.

Phagar, Rozeta, Koyabez, were the main gods in attendance.

Koyabez looked Melemizargo over, and was a little sad.

Rozeta frowned at her father, and then the bags under her eyes got deeper as she looked at Erick, and Knew everything.

Phagar knew everything, too. “Unexpected. I was prepared to walk into my own End when I felt my Mantle fade… But that has been undone. Hmm.”

Aloethag, Atunir, Sininindi, Sumtir, and the others just watched.

Oozy and Fallopolis stood back, also watching, not sure what was happening. They were the only mortals in attendance, and that was fine. Mortals needed to be present for this sort of thing, just as much as the gods needed to be present.

Erick spoke, “I’m rather new at this, but with my presence here, the Red out there in Fenrir should start dying on its own. Is that correct?”

Rozeta said, “Yes. It’s failing everywhere. My son is also… he’ll be fine.”

“Good! Problem One solved. Nothanganathor is no more. The problem of outside forces turning us all against each other is done. Let us forgive most all transgressions and move on to a better future.”

They all Knew what Erick knew, in a basic sort of way; that Melemizargo had been replaced as the Prime God of the Painted Cosmology and the Dark. But they still had a lot of questions. Concerns, really.

“My father?” Rozeta asked.

Erick said, “Sure. Let’s get to that.”

Melemizargo stared. He was the biggest one here, but he was also perhaps the smallest. He didn’t mist around like he usually did, either. He simply stood there.

Erick began, “The Painted Cosmology still needs a God of Magic—”

Tension filled the air, so Erick stopped talking.

“No,” Rozeta said. “I see what he did in the future you made never-was, and no.”

Phagar said, “I agree with Rozeta.”

Sininindi said, “We should kill him now for what he has done to us throughout the centuries.”

Perhaps Erick was a bit too mortal right now, because he had been interrupted, though he had a lot more words to say about Melemizargo than simply giving him back the Mantle.

Erick said, “I agree that Melemizargo has made some missteps, but I ask you now to stand in judgment of the whole person.” That’s what he was getting to; a Pantheon consensus was necessary for this sort of forgiveness, and this sort of forgiveness did not come with no strings attached. Erick said, “Melemizargo went insane from the loss of power, and also from knowing he and everyone else was in a trap. He didn’t actually break the trap or break the world, when he could have, and no, I don’t expect you to respect someone who decided not to kill you, because it would have killed him, too. I do expect you to look upon his otherwise mostly-normal stint as the God of Magic before Nothanganathor came along and Sundered the Painted Cosmology.

“I was there for a while, looking through Xoat’s eyes, through the eyes of many different Wizards, and what I saw was a pretty normal era.

“Melemizargo definitely got too personally involved and that gave him blind spots, and that cursing he did at the beginning doomed him to a downfall, and the universe went to shit while he was in charge. But we need a God of Magic, and he’s a good God of Magic, and the God of Magic isn’t the biggest god in the Painted Cosmology anymore.

“I am.”

Melemizargo couldn’t feel that particular Truth right now, surrounded as he was by all the other gods, so he bristled a little. Fallopolis and Oozy had similar reactions. The other gods, except for Rozeta, were still kind of unsure.

And so Erick pulled his Mantle on a little bit tighter, instead of having it float all the way off of him—

- -

Erick stepped into a conversation of gods, spanning eons and blinks at the same time, along different vectors of argument and counterargument. They were all harboring very, very large doubts, about all of this, whatever this was, but Erick went through each of them, set them down without setting them down, and had a long chat about all of their various concerns.

When it became evident that Erick was exactly what he said, they wanted to talk about moving forward, and what to expect, and Erick gave them general ideas.

He ended by saying, “I don’t really want to be the biggest power around, so with regard to the Pantheon and the Universe, I’ll appoint lower gods and step in to prevent catastrophe, and that’s about it.”

- -

Erick continued, back in the real world, “So we still need a God of Magic, and Melemizargo is good at the job, even though it will be a lesser job these days.” As Erick let those words hang, Melemizargo breathed deep, likely realizing much of what had happened.

The gods had concerns, but not too many; Erick had already spoken to all of them about this, just now.

Erick continued, “Melemizargo. I want to make you God of Magic again, on probation, because we have a lot of work to do, and yet you did fuck up a whole lot in the past, and when you rapidly declined in power you spiraled into a danger to everyone. That won’t be happening again, now, or ever. Details to follow. Do you still want the job?”

Melemizargo made a rapid decision of his own, then asked, almost for clarification, “Are you the new Prime God of the Painted Cosmology?”

“I will be soon enough. I need to go visit Xoat and his family and talk to them. I’m reasonably sure that Xoat thinks that I’ll have this job for however long I want it and then pass it on to someone else…” Erick’s thoughts drifted back to when Xoat had been him, and he had been a mote in Xoat’s existence, watching the Painted Cosmology through memories. He said, “I think we need to remake the whole Cosmology, and things are going to be different this time. My main duty is going to be appointing new gods and ensuring that the Painted Cosmology is never broken again, and that Xoat is never again reconstructed. He and the Dark are as one, and they like it that way. I’m rather sure that if we get creation wrong that they’d both be fine with Xoat coming back out for a while, for us to try again. I would rather not try again, though.

“I want to get it right the first time.

“You’d be the God of Magic again, Melemizargo, and it would be a smaller role. You’d basically be helping people learn magic, and you wouldn’t be appointing gods. You would be the ‘God of Magic’. Not ‘Dark God of Magic’.” Erick said, “I’m the God of Benevolent Dark, or however people end up calling me.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Melemizargo didn’t get a chance to speak because the fae started to appear, like people stepping out of reality to stand upon the stone—

Xoat stepped into the area, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. The world was dark and full of visions in his presence, and Erick had to support Oozy and Fallopolis’s existences before they were obliterated at the mere sight of Xoat. As Erick saw Melemizargo start to disintegrate, too, Erick helped support his body, and Melemizargo had a lot of emotions at that rescue.

And then Xoat spoke, and Erick needed to separate space from him to not overwhelm the mortals.

“Are you ready to be my carving knife, Erick?”

Erick said, “I’d like a few more minutes to sort out some back end work, please. Get everyone on board that I can. That sort of thing. See you in a better location for it, too.”

“Sure. I should talk to you about some of this Margleknot business, too. I’ll be in Ar’Cosmos.”

Xoat stepped away, and the fae left with him.

Reality returned to something more normal, but it was still full of gods.

Melemizargo instantly said, “Give me a quest to fulfill while I am on probation.”

“I object,” Sininindi said, “On principle. He lost power and he killed because of it. He will seek to gain more power, too, as is his nature as a dragon. He will cause problems no matter where he is in the hierarchy. AND HE TOOK EVERBLESS.”

Erick would speak to Sininindi about Everbless, personally, soon enough. But for now he sent a few thoughts her way that contained multitudes of information which boiled down to the news that Everbless was in Margleknot right now, living with about ten thousand other world trees that did not become Margleknot. That whole situation was kinda complicated, but not really. It was like Treehome, but for world trees who were problematic and needed to learn how to live again. It was a halfway house for wayward World Trees, and it would be good for Everbless.

Melemizargo had changed him, though, into something Dark and Radiant, and he needed to learn how to deal with that, too.

Sininindi still had her objections after that silent sharing of information, but she was a lot calmer.

Others still had problems.

Atunir said, “I object to Melemizargo’s reappointment. We had millions of years as a universe before Melemziargo fucked it all up in his first 10,000 years as God of Magic.”

Aloethag said, “He killed my elves.”

“He did a lot more than that,” Rozeta said.

Melemziargo declared, “It can be a big quest.”

He got some looks for that.

Rozeta spoke up, “Ten million worlds and the True Wizards to guard them.”

Koyabez added, “Peaceful, core worlds.”

Phagar added, “A new Radiant Depths.”

And that’s when the world started to turn upon their words.

Demon King Dinnamoth spoke up, “Incani, instead of Old Demons.”

Avandrasolaro said, “The return of the Alvani.”

“Okay okay!” Erick spoke up, breaking the ritual, saying, “Let’s pull it back. We’re getting into actual ritual, and we’re not doing that yet.” He looked to Melemizargo. “Do you agree to the spirit of these terms, if not the actual word?”

The world calmed down.

Melemizargo glanced to Rozeta as he said, “If the Painted Cosmology was already existent, then I could raise ten million worlds and the True Wizards to guard them in a single century. It will take longer to do that now.” He said to Erick, “If my Mantle still exists like it did. I doubt that anything will return to how it was with you in charge, or that you’re prepared to actually be a Prime God, no matter what future you experienced.”

Erick said, “Nothing will be the same, and yet everything will be the same, but angled slightly better. How does your mind feel, by the way? I did some resetting, so I expect perfect sanity.”

Fallopolis gasped a little.

Melemizargo said, “Mortal and clear.”

Erick nodded. He continued, “The only other big issue that I foresee, that I can’t actually fix, is the question of evil. I have been informed about the purpose of Evil Gods, which is mostly to keep the worst destructive impulses contained to singular entities and enable true Free Will, and… Well. We’ll have to have some of that, but hopefully not a lot.” Erick said, “I would prefer to discuss those things as gods, since these are godly matters. Are you ready, Melemizargo?”

Melemizargo breathed out, and then said, “I'd prefer to bow to you as you.”

Understandable.

Erick unfurled in black and white and gold of every color, wings spreading wide, legs the size of Ascendant Mountain, body ten times that size, with feathers and scales and blackgold swords on fire, floating everywhere. Erick’s Benevolence spread across Ascendant Mountain like auroras. With a casual thought Erick drew Shivraa back from Margleknot, to stand in recognition as his not-really-champion, to watch Melemizargo bow to him, as Erick lifted above the mountains like the Iridescent Dragon God that he was.

The world bloomed in growth. Not a single wound existed in Erick’s presence. Hearts healed, pain diminished, and Erick looked down upon Melemizargo and the gathered gods of the old, new, Painted Cosmology.

“Do you accept the spirit of the terms of your rise, Melemizargo?”

Melemizargo had no problem bowing deep, saying, “I will be the God of Magic of The Dark, accepting the duty which had been stricken from me due to my negligence, to ensure that such negligence will never happen again. I will teach magic to all. I will spread the Dark forevermore.”

“Then rise, Melemizargo. Claim your divinity, and your purpose.”

Darkness coiled around Melemizargo and then settled into his very soul. His white eyes, so like Erick’s, flickered and ignited and he glowed from within, restored. Dark coiled around him, and it was the same Black that had always surrounded him.

Tears streamed down Fallopolis’s face, first simple tears, and then turning into light, as her eyes returned to Shade-bright. Fallopolis cried tears of joy now that her god was back.

Erick shrunk back down to his human body, to look up at Melemizargo, and level with the others. Shivraa was behind him, bowed to one knee, fist pressed to her chest, quietly crying tears of joy. Oozy was on his ass, kinda just staring at everything.

Erick said to Melemizargo, “Looks good on you, old man. I left it all as it was, yes?”

Melemizargo caught up quickly to many different things all at once. He looked down at Erick, surprised. “… You’re older than me, now.”

Erick angled a hand back and forth. “Eh! No. Most of that was [Onward]. Let’s just not talk about that stuff. My task is set as anti-corruption work, appointing and denying gods, and giving things the Unwelcome when they must be Unwelcomed. I won’t be Unwelcoming too often. Malevolence only came around once in a few million years, after all.” He asked, “We good, everyone?”

They were all less than impressed with Erick’s nonchalance but they got on board fast enough.

Erick said, “Let’s take the rest of this conversation upstairs.”

Erick vanished first. The others followed fast.

- - - -

Fallopolis watched as the man she had once helped, helped another, who happened to be Her God.

Much like her revelation that she shouldn’t have called for the Purge on Spur, she realized that all of life was just a chain of people helping each other in the ways that they could. Sometimes chains bound and tied, but most of the time they connected one thing to another.

Fallopolis didn’t understand much of what had just happened, but she knew that Nothanganathor had been the kind of guy to use chaining magic to control.

Erick made chains that connected.

Very similar people, but also completely different.

Like positive to negative particles, and lightning, and all of that.

If Jane would have died at the beginning, then Fallopolis was pretty sure that Erick would have gone down a wrong path. But Jane was fine, and Erick was here. Surely he had seen more pain than Fallopolis could conceive, and he had even killed fake Janes out there, if the rumors were to be believed, but that hadn’t broken him. Maybe, even if Jane had died in the beginning, then Erick still would have tried to be who he became in the here and now.

Erick reached out to help. Through the pain, through the sorrow and horror, he still helped.

Always.

Ah, Fallopolis thought, Do I have a little crush on him like I have on you, My Lord?

Probably. Don’t let it affect your work. We have a lot to do.

Of course...

Fallopolis rapidly, wonderfully thought, ‘I’m glad you’re back, My Lord.’

I did not expect it either!

… Uh.

Apologize to Shivraa for me.

Melemizargo pulled back from Fallopolis’s mind.

Fallopolis turned to Shivraa.

The woman was currently ice-elf-human shaped. She seemed truly surprised and elated and a whole bunch of other confusing emotions, all at the same time. Fallopolis didn’t blame her. She was feeling weird emotions right now, too.

Fallopolis pounced, saying, “We apologize for—”

“HMMM!” Shivraa announced, sounding both displeased and pleased at the same time. “I don’t want to hear it. Apologize by doing good deeds.”

“… Fair enough. We still apologize.”

Shivraa barely even looked at Fallopolis. Instead, she stared at the broken sky and land. The illusions on the sky were healing that very moment, while the land sprouted greenery of every hue, clearing up the vast destruction that Melemizargo’s fall had caused. And then Shivraa lost her smile, and looked at Oozy.

She seemed incapable of not glaring, but there wasn’t any heat in her voice as she asked Fallopolis, “You’re going to keep him?” She said, “You’re not going to torture him.”

She had said it almost as a question, but it was not a question at all. Partially, it was a request. Mostly, it was a demand.

Fallopolis didn’t have to think long before she said, “We were going to interrogate him about all the tricks that Nothanganathor had left behind, but it’s probably better if his mind is shared with the Valkyries. Melemizargo grants you this request.”

Shivraa’s pale violet skin turned dark in a second, becoming blood that then expanded upward and outward. The blood froze over and shattered into blackgold fire, revealing the Valkyrie underneath. Wings of pale violet ice coalesced behind Shivraa as she grabbed a sword of the same out of the air.

Oozy went wide-eyed and backed up, scuttling along the ground, his glowing white eyes going wide. “Wait wait wa—”

Shivraa declared, “We are still at war. The Valkyries had been containing a million threats that your god helped release when he sought to reach out and control what he should not have controlled. You will join us, and in doing so, give us insights into best containment procedures, and if you cannot, then you will still be redeemed through service to Benevolence.”

Oozy stopped trying to escape.

He centered himself, and righted himself upon the stone, kneeling before Shivraa. He closed his white eyes. “I accept.”

“I will make it painless,” Shivraa said, lifting her sword.

To her credit, Fallopolis thought, as she watched the execution, ten suddenly-materialized swords simply appearing from every direction and driving into Oozy was kinda quick. The swords cleaved into Oozy’s body, tearing through his new-Shade existence, twisting his very light and shadows back into flesh, into blood that then became life.

Oozy rose as a man of blood-red hair and white-lightning-filled eyes. He hadn’t been a Shade long, but it had marked him deeply.

Fallopolis was surprised that Shivraa hadn’t had any trouble doing that at all. Shades should not be able to be soul-captured like that, but Erick’s power was above Melemizargo’s in the hierarchy now.

That was the moment that Fallopolis truly started to believe that everything was truly different.