Amara stepped out of the rift, her leather boots bringing her into the waist high wild grass still holding onto the gleaming morning dew drops.

Although Amara could sense the temperature would have made her feel chilly had it been on Earth, the coolness was kept at bay by her high body temperature. Likely a result of her ascension. As such, the cool morning air only felt fresh and comfortable.

The sun had already risen over the horizon to her left. Amara instinctively knew it had to be morning, as with a clear blue sky, the moisture would have long evaporated had it rather been evening. The sun’s position, combined with the fact that it was morning, told her she was facing south; easily determined with one of the many right-hand-rule conventions from Earth. Whether this world’s inhabitants used similar rules, if any, she didn’t know however.

Another world huh.

As she looked around, Amara saw she stood on a vast grassland that stretched to the horizon, with the occasional cluster of trees or larger forests in the distance. Behind her to the north, she could see a mountain range in the distance; it stretched out towards the north-northwest, with the first peak a couple hours walk away.

Ahead of her, the grassland continued for a while, but the grass and trees looked drier; as if they were suffering from some kind of disease, causing them to wither. And she felt an ominous presence to the south, like a foul stench was being carried with the wind; although very different from what she knew, Amara knew it was some kind of divine power.

Demon lord.

Amara spotted the demon lord in the distance, slowly making its approach in the distance. 

Amara could already tell that she was far outclassed in strength. Although it wasn’t the mind shattering presence of a god, it was leagues above the angel she knew. Amara was almost certain that in a one-on-one fight between Ezme and the Demon Lord, the latter would win.

Calm down Amara. You can despair later. Never show weakness.

Once Amara could classify the stream of foreign divine power, she noticed a weaker, strange pressure was all around her. Like stepping out from an airconditioned airport in a country with exceptionally high humidity, the pressure enveloped her. Except it wasn’t exactly in the air - it was everywhere around her, the ground as well.

It was more accurate to say that the pressure existed in the space around her, in a different dimension, unaffected by the natural makings of the physical world. Amara felt a tingling run up her spine as she felt the pressure seep into her body.

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

As the bells rang through her head and she read the lines that appeared on the screen that came before her. 

Mana, huh. Status.

 

Amara thought as she dismissed all her screens. I probably don’t have time to play around with classes. I’ll look at it later. 

Amara noticed a blinding flash of light closeby, announcing the arrival of the other being she was expecting.

Following her ascension, Amara had been able to look at God’s appearance without being directly blinded. And just like him, this figure looked like a white marble statue, with light emitted from within. The light was more concentrated at the center of the chest, gradually weakening further out towards the limbs.

For the first time Amara could see the full height of a god; which was twice her own. Didn’t notice how tall gods are. God seemed content with his backside rooted to his chair by the looks of it.

The light made it difficult to make up the features closer to the origin, such as the face; but Amara could still make out the bumps that the being had what she could only conclude as female properties. If gods even had sexes; if angels had no bodies, she suspected gods didn’t either.

As the goddess turned its head to Amara and looked down at her.

“A mortal? With divine power. You’re the one chosen as champion then?” The goddess’s resounding voice shook the air.

Amara looked around herself theatrically. “Well, I ain’t seeing anybody else around to volunteer in my place.” 

“How...amusing.” The goddess spoke with a contemplative tone.

Amara crossed her arms and shrugged. “I like to give people musings. I didn’t come here to be gloated at though you know.”

“Oh my. A mortal with an attitude in the face of a goddess. You must be quite ignorant. Wonderful. Perhaps this shall not be as dull after all.” The goddess laughed.

Seriously, everyone’s looking down on mortals. Pisses me off.

Amara got a good look at the demon lord as he arrived. He had the shape of a human, and he was a head taller than herself. Protruding horns from his temples that looped backwards high above his pointed ears; at that point the horns bent back into sharp tips.

Auburn skin under his armor that had the appearance of dull black coal in the shape of plate armor, only that it followed and moved with his every movement.

Blood red eyes, declaring to the outside world of the hatred they held within.

“Their champion is a mortal? Is this meant to be an insult....or a joke?” The demon lord tilted his head as his gaze appraised Amara, speaking with a scornful and deep voice.

Again with the looking down on mortals. Gaah!

Amara frowned and retorted angrily. “The only insult is you being late.”

I’m so bad at insults. I should take lessons from Ezme.

The demon lord spitefully smiled as he replied. “I am not in any hurry. But I suppose you would be. After all, you need to treasure the remainder of your existence while you await your end.”

Wow. I bet he prepared that line. I should’ve made my own.

Strong, graceful, confident. Never show weakness.

Or just be stuck-up like an angel. Yeah.

“As if I would be in any hurry. I just wish to get rid of the sight of a foul demon before me.” Amara waved her hand out as if she was swatting a fly away.

That’s definitely what an angel would say.

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

Not now dammit.

The goddess’s airshaking laughter interrupted them. Clearly, the demon lord seemed to find the effect the goddess’s voice had on them to be unnerving as well.

“Let us begin. Which one of you will go first?” (Goddess)

The demon straightened it’s back and turned it’s eyes to Amara. “I, Ryc’zamul, swear to adhere to the rules as stated for this armistice.” He proclaimed seriously.

The goddess nodded. As the goddess’s eyes turned to Amara, her back broke out in cold sweat.

What the hell am I even doing here? Do I even care enough about Earth for this?

[Should you refuse, I promise you a fate far worse than death. A fate even worse than you would suffer from losing.](God)

What the hell! I’m calling you Tom from now on!

Hearing god’s voice in her head startled Amara. Her body shivered slightly as a result, which didn’t go unnoticed by the demon; his taunting smile grew higher.

Dammit.

Amara frowned as she stared straight at the demon. “I, Amara, swear to adhere by the rules as stated for this armistice.”

The goddess nodded again. She held out her hand in the air. A ornate staff, comparable in length to the goddess’s height appeared within it. 

A marble arm struck the staff down with force that shook the ground, and in the blink of an eye a thick line of golden light had spread along the earth towards the east and west. The goddess declared as a transparent, golden curtain began to rise. “Then I declare that as of this moment, the armistice is now in effect.”

That’s all then. I'm glad we didn't have to bind our souls or something creepy.

Which should mean it makes no difference anyway.

Ryc’zamul’s deep voice passed through the golden barrier as it rose past his face. “Run back to the silver city, little mortal, and despair.”

Amara retorted. “I shall, if only to escape the sight of your ugly mug.” Amara turned away from the demon and walked north.

Much better.

[Ding!]

Shut up already.

Come on Ezme, don’t leave me hanging.

A familiar rift began forming some distance in front of her as she strode through the thigh-high grass, the morning dew drops soaked her dress. But she paid it no mind as she stepped through the portal without looking back.

Good teamwork, feathers.