AMBROSIA

“I just petted you not long ago. Why didn't you mention anything?” I asked Lao Tzu, when we got to the mountaintop. The cat rolled over, scratching its ear and yawning. From the last Crest, we had taken our boat to park just west of the mountain where Lao Tzu lived. Tsukuyomi Mountain was, as always, a hard climb but by this point we were beginning to see it as good training.

“Mention anything about what?” the cat asked. I had to explain that if I had known about him being the one to awaken my Tao ability earlier, I would have begged him to come with us. But he told us of this parable where some ugly guy called Ai Tai To impressed the Duke of Lu and was invited into the city, only to become deeply unhappy. I couldn't really get what he was saying, but it sounded an awful lot like he was unwilling to leave his mountain. He didn’t have to tell some long story to tell me that!

The cat rubbed himself before sitting up, and then he began to quote stuff. I wasn't sure why, but the more Lao Tzu did this, the more I felt that he was somehow trying to talk me out of claiming the power of the Tao that was rightfully mine. “If you overesteem great men, people become powerless, and if you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal. The Master leads by emptying people's minds and filling their cores, by weakening their ambition and toughening their resolve. He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire, and creates confusion in those who think that they know. Practice not-doing and everything will fall into place,” he said. I kinda wondered at this point whether he was hinting that maybe I should reconsider my entire quest. But no, I had committed to this. And he said, “Now arms, however beautiful, are instruments of evil omen; hateful, it may be said, to all creatures,” and also, “he who delights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom.” Should I also refuse such a power as the Tao? Was it in fact mine to hold? But nah. I was the Oracle of Tao, and this quest and this power were mine. And then he said, “Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. Throw away morality and justice, and people will do the right thing. Throw away industry and profit, and there won't be any thieves. If these three aren't enough, just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.” He tried to jump on my shoulder again, but I sidestepped.

Yup. Like the Aiken Master, he was trying to talk me out of my quest. But I was committed to it. I believed sincerely that it was my duty to confront Estheriel. The cat shrugged. Lao Tzu touched his paws to my forehead and to my chest, and suddenly I could feel the power returning to me. This was now about the third time that I had gained this power, and I still wasn't really sure what it was. I felt like if I ever did manage to define it, it would somehow lose its power or mystery. So I spoke no more to him, as he went back to sleep, indifferent of the fact that I'd ignored his warnings (or whatever they were). Stupid cat. Here the world was at risk of being destroyed, probably, and he was lazing about and rubbing his ears! Well, I suppose I could pet him a little...

ESTHERIEL

Seeking answers after I rebelled against Heaven, I went alone to the Ancient Library. Unlike the Great Library, this was a strange place filled with an endless number of stone tablets. You see, the endless amount of information that was needed in this archive required an endless amount of stone tablets. The question nagged at me, why would God fully support the Council falling? Why did God refuse to act, and instead leave it to the Oracle of Tao? There was something going on here! And I would find it out.

I started my research at the beginning, reading several contradictory accounts of the creation of the Earth. It seemed almost as though someone had written a story over time, and not updated the old sections completely, resulting in a mishmash of nonsense. Even the things said about the world, whether its policies on taxes or the existential state of things like how thaumaturgy worked, seemed to change from one stone tablet to the next. After reading tablet after tablet, I wound up more confused than before I started. There was something strange about how all of these things contradicted each other...

But I found the object of my search. It had taken days of reading but... “Interesting... So this is the true story of the Oracle of Tao,” I said. It all made sense now, why God was so friendly with the Oracle, why the Earth's history and its rules of magic weren't consistent, and why the Council fell and it didn't matter. Now I knew why. And so, I decided, “Then, I should be able to use the power of the Universe Egg to remake the world as I see fit. Very well, I guess...” I looked around and said, “Hmmm?”

In this very library (of sorts) was an orange-haired sorceress and a blond swordsman nearly twice her height. I was surprised they even made it here; this was an area that should be out of reach except by flying well above the mountains. “Mortal, how did you get to this place? And what business do you have here?” I asked. The blond didn't look terribly intelligent, but looked lean yet strong enough to fight a demon. They introduced themselves as... Rina? And ummm... Gary? I think that's what they said. She continued, “As for the rest, well, a Dragon took me here, but lately I haven't seen her.” Ah, that explained it. Those dragons were forever taking humans to exotic locations and telling them that only they could save this or that. I think they had a warped sense of humor. She continued, “I'm looking for a power that can defeat upper level demons, that humans can use. Wait... I recognize you! You're that fallen angel, Estheriel the Just.”

I stared at her for a long moment as the clouds below us went by. Finally, I nodded, “I'm impressed. You're remarkably informed for a common human!” She looked frightened. As I was still an angel, it was my natural impulse to relieve fear, as many other of my kind had before. Even this mission could not change that. I told her, “Relax. I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, I think I'll help you....” Using the Script all of my kind were gifted with, I manifested the most powerful spellbook ever. For some, it was known as the Claire Bible, but we knew it as Handy Tricks For Impressing Your Friends. Not that the average person could tell what the title of the book was anyway, both the spine and the front were blank. The dust jacket of the book was white, and the pages were black, filled with gold text. Whoever came up with the first copy of the book figured it would look snazzier. My Script only summoned a copy of the book, after all.

The enormous book landed on the ground with a thud. “Read page 200 of the index page for the section on spells to slay a demon.” She looked at the book with astonishment, “Of the index...? Geez, this book is huge. How did you just throw it?” She shrugged, “Hmmph, well regardless, you'll make a good first target, won't you? I heard about your rebellion.” And so, she said a long incantation, manifesting a flickering black sword to swing at me. And yes, this was very powerful against demons and Monsters, able to cut through even their dimensional ties so they couldn't teleport away.

And yet, she overlooked something. For you see, angels are immune to such things. I sighed, “As clever as you humans can be, you seem to seek your own destruction. Honestly, did you think if I gave you the book, I would show you a spell that actually worked on me?” I summoned forth a bolt of static electricity just enough to stun the two of them. Sensing her fear, I placated, “Relax. I make it a policy not to kill humans unless needed. However, I'm going to need you two to return to where you came from, okay?” And so, I opened a vortex and teleported them to the land below us. That should take care of them. They would probably do just find as part of their own story.

I summoned my allies, “Odin, Brunhilde, my valkyrie! Come forth!” A valknut (the symbol, not the knight with the same name) appeared in the ground near me, and a group of women in winged helmets and pastel-colored hair arose from the portal. Traditionally, humans thought these women were all busty and obese, but actually only one of these were true. Each of woman was about 145 pounds and about 5'10” with lean muscle, with most of their body fat centered up top. The best looking of course was their leader, Brunhilde, who looked slightly taller (she was about 6 feet) and more muscular, yet with all the right curves. Her long brown hair with reddish highlights swayed in the wind as she carried a tower shield and a lance, and acted as lieutenant for these troops. Odin led them, and I was his mistress. Of course, to make it confusing, while he led my valkyrie as Odin, he also was known not only as Santa, but also as Odr. As Odin, we had to keep our relationship secret from Frigg, but as Odr he was publicly my husband. They looked different as well, with Odin having only one eye, while Odr lacked control over crows.

“You called, Mistress Freya?” said Brunhilde. As you know, many of the deities of old are actually angels or immortals. I was once called Freya. But I was tired of that name, and tired of that role. I was one of God's archangels now. Only, now that was gone too. “I told you to stop calling me that,” I said to her, “I'm Estheriel now.” She rolled her eyes, as my guy spoke, “What is your news, wife?” I explained, “Tomorrow we march. The Universe Egg shall be ours to use...”

The next day, we stood outside the Universe Egg. It had taken some flying to get from that place to here, but the valkyries and my lover and I were not afraid of hard work.

So this was the famed Universe Egg... The Universe Egg was something to behold. Unlike a regular egg, it was mostly black with white speckles, resembling the cosmos. Not only that... “So strange, it's reflecting itself,” Odin said. He was right. The Universe Egg had a white afterimage nearby in eight directions, which in turn reflected back to the main one. I explained, “My readings explained that too. Before the Oracle, existence was a Dream without a reflection, but now that existence has become true, all existence leaves an afterimage.” Odin asked me, “So, dearest, what is our plan?” He always expected me to make plans. I wasn't some evil mastermind, you know. I explained as much as I knew, “Ordinarily, only the pure of heart are able to enter this Egg without a special item known as the Orihime Flute. But I believe in our cause, we should not need this flute, except as a last resort. Enter my Valkyries! Enter with me, my love.” As we entered, the Egg gradually became less reflective and more firm. When the first valkyrie entered, they just kind of phased through and the the Egg was still showing all those afterimages, but by the time Odin and I got to it, we were basically needing to push our way through, and there were only the dimmest light being cast by the Egg. After I entered, it closed behind us, and it appeared to be opaque. Now we would wait for the Oracle to come and stop us. Of course, after I put up a barrier to prevent them from doing just that, it took longer than it should have, but that barrier needed to be there.