Amara was in the midst of releasing her remaining stress with the feel of running her fingers over the angel’s feathers on the back of Ezme’s wing. Suddenly Amara was brought back to reality by the hairraising voice of God resounding in her head.

[The contested worlds are now under your dominion. As you have chosen Ezme as your advisor, you may ask her for guidance.](God)

Clam jammer. 

Really, Tom. Learn to read the mood. And give me some damn privacy. Amara protested in her mind.

Amara sighed and muttered. “So it begins.”

“So it begins.” Ezme echoed her words.  

“What is a dominion exactly?” Amara asked as she watched the clouds.

“Having dominion over a world means that the souls from that world belong to our faction. As caretaker, you typically don’t need to do much, other than protect it from other gods’ invading forces like the demons.” Ezme explained thoughtfully.

Ezme turned her gaze to Amara as she continued, while Amara noticed a faint stream of  divine power enter her, along with a low, muted hissing. “We angels normally use our spare time from that duty to gather believers, as is our right to do within one's dominion. More believers means more divine power, more divine power means you can better protect the souls.”

Amara frowned as she noticed that the stream of divine power entering her grew stronger. So did the sound, like an untuned radio. “What is that?”

“What is what?" Ezme tilted her head.

“You can’t hear that? It’s like - “ Amara started as a bell sounded in her head, and at the same time she felt noticeably stronger.

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

Amara looked at the screen that appeared before her. 

A title? Why did I get that?

Status.

As Amara read through her status, she felt that the stream of divine power grew stronger, the whirring sound grew louder. But she realised, it wasn’t heard by her ears. 

And more disturbingly, she was feeling her emotions burst and settle, like the burst of joy she used to receive when she read a funny meme which made her laugh, only for the joy to fade away soon after. Except, the emotions she was feeling now were different. It was despair, hope - and fear.

“Ezme, I just gained a title. And a new line under divine power appeared, I think it’s the one that indicates believers?”(Amara)

“Looks like Father has given the mortals in your dominion a revelation. That’s great! Looks like they are praying to you already!” Ezme chirped and clapped her hands with a smile.

Praying? Amara’s eyes grew wide. “Those are prayers?”

“Indeed! After all, the mortals are wishing for a miracle, same as you do when you try to use your divine powers. However, mortals are unable to affect reality in that way.” Ezme beamed. “So, by establishing you as ruler of a world, the wishes of the souls on that world go directly to you instead of being wasted.”

Amara frowned. “I thought mortals don’t have divine power.”

“They don’t.” Ezme smiled. “Instead, they offer a piece of themselves.”

Shocked, Amara stared at Ezme. “I’m receiving souls?”

“Heavens no!” Ezme laughed. “You’re receiving memories! When mortals pray, they offer up their memory of that moment - their thoughts and emotions!” She smiled and cupped her hand behind her ear and whispered. “Relax. Listen to them.”

Amara closed her eyes and calmed herself as she released the tension she had begun holding in her shoulders and let the stream of prayers resound in her mind.

As she listened to the prayers, the hair on the back of her head rose. There were hundreds of them. Thousands. And even though she was receiving the prayers from several people at the same time, they didn’t block the prayers of others. 

The emotions overwhelmed her at first. But she soon realised she could put the prayers at a distance, be aware of them yet ignoring them. She didn’t even notice that tears had begun falling down her cheeks until she opened her eyes and watched the clouds as she wiped her tears away.

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

Amara laughed as she saw the second line on her screen. “Ezme, did you choose flavor texts and what everything is named in the system?”

Ezme shook her head. “I gave it some guidelines to follow, but it gets mixed with the subconscious of every person. Some things are exactly as I designed it - others are generated independently. But it differs greatly between mortals and angels.”

The angel put a finger on her cheek as she thought. “For mortals, the system is best described as a guide and teacher, and thus follows a tougher script. For angels, merely an optional tool that otherwise states the obvious.”

“I see.” The corner of Amara’s mouth twitched. “Why bother though?”

“Pardon?” Ezme tilted her head.

“I mean why bother getting mortal worlds? Why are the gods fighting over them?” Amara said as she turned to look at the angel. “I get that they can make you angels more powerful, but for what purpose? What’s in it for the gods?”

“It’s about the souls. The gods feed on them.” Ezme looked at the clouds as she stated factually.

Amara stared in shock, completely revolted. “...The gods feed on souls?”

“It’s not what it sounds like. At least, not in the case of Father.” Ezme paused before turning to Amara as she asked. “Have you heard of the cycle of reincarnation?” 

“Other than speculations I heard on Earth? No.”(Amara)

“The cycle is Father’s concept. When a soul is birthed, it is mostly like an empty framework. The framework can be best explained as what guides basic instincts and behaviour. Through their mortal life, the framework extends as the soul grows and fills up with memories.” Ezme kicked with her feet under the ledge as she explained. “Upon death, the soul is wiped - emptied of its memories, which Father sustains himself with, and the framework built up in life is shattered to the bare minimum without destroying the soul.” 

Amara frowned. “Why shatter the framework? God doesn’t feed on that part too?”

Ezme looked anxiously into Amara’s eyes. “That is a dangerous subject I’d avoid bringing up if I were you. All I know is that it needs to be done.”

Amara snorted. “So what, the framework is simply discarded?”

“Not at all. Father is pretty good at recycling. The humans on Earth would be impressed.” Ezme smirked. “I don’t know how, or through what process, but in the end the leftovers are released into the world the soul came from in the form of energy.”

Amara frowned. “Energy?”

Ezme smiled and kicked her feet again and looked at the clouds. “Mana.”