Taking her first step through the gate, Aperio was surprised to hear no change in the people surrounding her. No signs of panic, nor signs of confusion. Neither did she notice any indication that the wards in the wall were doing their customary overloading due to her presence. Intrigued, she slowly let the full information her aura provided enter her mind. It became immediately obvious that the walls protecting this city were free of wards. Instead, what she found was a different kind of magic, one that wrapped itself around the entirety of the city like a protective cover.

There was no beginning or end to it, just a dome of magic that blanketed the whole of the city. Who made this? As if to answer her question, a small sliver of mana fell from the construct. It drew a silvery-blue line through the sky as it raced towards a building that stood alone on a small island in the middle of the city. Following the drop brought with it another realisation; the city was built on numerous islands that dotted the surface of a giant lake. Each of them interconnected with a network of bridges and floating foot-paths that defied the waves that crashed against them.

Every island sported its own small city, each filled with people living their lives, unconcerned with her mana bearing down on them. Are they just used to that? She could not find anything that would resemble an aura, one like hers at least. She did not have much experience with auras, but it still struck her as somewhat odd. She was using hers without bothering to slip by unnoticed, but despite that there were only a scant few people who stopped what they were doing and looked around when her aura brushed past them. And for those particular people, Aperio wasn't even sure if they were actually looking for her.

Aperio would have gladly spent hours marvelling at the city and its people, but the symbol engraved upon the highest tower on the central isle caught her attention. It was the same rune Ira had on his card, the one he said identified him as a [Guide], and even as she pondered this the falling drop of mana finally reached its destination, entering straight into the selfsame rune. Is that where the [Grandmaster] lives? Does she sustain the shield? What does it even do? Her mana was able to pass through it just fine, and it did not seem to be influenced by it or react to anything else either. An idea sprang up only a moment after the question had passed her mind. Is it masking my aura? She dismissed the notion; if it did that, it would have certainly reacted to her presence in some other way.

Further thoughts had to be shelved when the group emerged on the other side of the wall and Aperio saw her first true glimpse of the city. Observation through her aura was a nice tool, but it could not compare to what she saw when simply looking at the world with her own eyes. A few people glanced in their direction as they emerged, but most quickly turned back to their previous tasks once their eyes landed on Aperio. Are they scared? ...Or is it the wings?

She had not yet seen another person that had a pair of their own, but she still did not want to hide them. Feeling anything less than whole was not something she desired. In fact, she wanted to do the opposite, stretch her new limbs and take flight; explore the city. But, the prospect of getting answers far outweighed the joy she would gain from flying around the city. And I can always do that later.

They had now entered something akin to a market place, with various stalls dotted around the stone-pathed square. She could hear the calls of merchants advertising their wares, most everything a special for the festival. The noise their shouts made and the constant chatter of the crowd was loud. Too loud for Aperio's liking, but leagues quieter than the chanting for the fight had been outside. Being able to hear every conversation on the square in perfect clarity was something she would have thought to be amazing, but having to listen to them all at the same time proved to be more of a burden than anything else.

At least she got fewer looks the further into the crowd they went, the people seemingly more used to Elves. She did notice a few people trying to figure out the originator of the magic they felt, but it was far less than she would have supposed.

A rustling of clothes and subdued shouting caught her attention. Looking in the direction of the commotion, Aperio saw a woman dressed like a maid chasing after a girl no older than twelve. Why is she running away? She couldn't understand what they were saying as they spoke in the Human tongue, something she really needed to fix.

Aperio stopped, quite interested in how the chase would play out. Nobody in her group said anything about their unscheduled stop, either also interested in what would happen or still too scared to ask why she wanted to observe.

It wasn't long before the maid-looking woman had caught the girl. She was scolding her, that much was clear without Aperio having to understand the words. The girl protested, struggling against the maid’s grip. She was looking around frantically, as if she had lost something that she just had to find again. Her eyes landed on Aperio and she froze for a moment before renewing her struggles with newfound vigour.

The girl said something to the maid which caused her to look at Aperio as well. The Elf just tilted her head at their attention. Did they mistake me for someone else? Her thought seemed to be correct as the maid set the girl down, firmly holding onto her hand as the two of them started to walk in Aperio's direction.

They worked their way through the masses; most of the crowd did not even spare them a glance, not having noticed or cared about the commotion they had caused. It only took a few moments before the two had reached their group and the little girl was looking at Aperio with sparkling eyes.

"Yes?" The sound of her voice caused the maid to try and shift her charge behind her, but the girl stayed where she was.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but the young miss is adamant that she knows you." The fluency with which the maid spoke surprised Aperio; not something she had expected from a simple servant.

"Oh? But this is my first time in Ebenlowe." She did not know how that would be possible, she had only left her Void recently after all.

The maid said something to the girl that Aperio interpreted to be along the lines of 'I told you you were wrong.' The young miss would have none of that. She violently shook her head and pulled a folded piece of paper from a pocket on her dress. With still-sparkling eyes she extended it towards the Elven woman.

Very gently, Aperio bent down and took the paper from her hand. As she carefully unfolded it, it was to her surprise that she saw painted upon it a scene she knew. Countless tiny orbs flowed by in a river shape, coupled with a perfectly white rift, and above it all was a very accurate drawing of herself. While the body was cloaked in shadows, the face and wings were unmistakably hers. It was all viewed from above, as though the person who saw this was flying through the air. Aperio just blinked and looked at the girl.

"Where did you see this?"

"In a dream!" the girl exclaimed.

Aperio knelt down and motioned for the girl to come closer. She happily obliged, and practically bounced towards her. Once she was close, she went to hug the Elf, but the sound of the maid clearing her throat put an end to the motion. Instead the girl excitedly whispered, "That's you, isn't it?"

"Yes," Aperio replied as gently as she could. Her voice now sounded more like an ethereal whisper of a ghost than that of a person. The longer she simply existed, the more pronounced the effect seemed to become.

"What is your name, little one?" The time she had spent as a plaything for the children of nobles at least had an upside, she knew how the mothers talked to their children and those of others. She did not know if it was proper, but it was better than nothing.

"Maria!"

"Maria. Since when did you dream of that place?" Aperio could only think of one possible answer, one that made her question the nature of her existence.

"Always!" Maria did not seem to find it weird that she dreamed of a woman with wings flying above a sea of what Aperio was very sure were souls. Why does Goddess of Souls feel wrong then?

"Is that the only scene you dream of?"

"Yes," the girl said, nodding. She fidgeted, her hands pressing together in ways that made little sense as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "Are you a Goddess, miss?"

Aperio leaned in closer before she replied. "Yes, but that is a secret. Understood?"

For some reason she knew the girl would not tell anyone, just as she knew how her blessing was changing Laelia. Maria nodded with great enthusiasm and Aperio extended her hand. The girl took it for a handshake, but frowned, unable to shift it until Aperio herself moved her arm as carefully as she could.

Aperio could not feel any of her mana inside the girl, but there was still a connection that supplied her with information at her request. The only explanation she had for that was that she had somehow marked the soul when she had picked it up and awoken it in the Void. At the time she thought them to be little more than tiny lights and had used it as a key for her escape. Apparently the one she had thrown away in order to keep the rift open found its way to the girl in front of her and would be forever bound to her.

"I'm sorry."

Maria looked confused. "Sorry?"

Aperio shook her head. "Nothing." She considered standing up, but the crinkle of paper in her hand gave her pause. "I have to go now, Maria, but may I keep the drawing?"

The girl looked a bit sad at the prospect of having to leave, but was delighted at her request. "Yes!"

Aperio let the paper vanish into her Void for safekeeping, half-smiling at the sense of wonder that sparkled, renewed, in Maria's eyes at the sight. It was only then that she finally stood up, turning to the maid. "I would like to pay you and Maria a visit later. Where can I find the two of you?"

"The Terenyk estate," the woman replied hesitantly. "It is on the Feranir isle, you can ask the guards there for further directions."

"Thank you." Aperio smiled at the woman. The gesture seemingly appeared more intimidating than friendly as she hurried to get Maria and herself away from the group.

"What was that about?" Laelia asked as Aperio stepped back to rejoin the others.

"I do not know yet," Aperio replied. "Can we continue?"

The group obliged, setting off again on their way to meet the [Grandmaster]. Aperio spared little thought to talk of the people around her or the city itself. The encounter with the girl had brought some answers while bringing forth more questions.

By now she was certain that her Void was filled with souls waiting their turn for rebirth. She knew the Void was hers alone, and that no other God or Goddess would be able to enter it. She also now had first hand evidence that she could manipulate a soul by simply touching it. The mere fact that she could do such a thing disgusted her, and a shiver went down her spine as the realization truly sank in.

One of the questions she could not answer was why the Domain of Souls felt wrong and inadequate when she so obviously called what most would describe as the afterlife her home. It doesn't get more dead than being nothing but a soul, does it?

And yet, it still didn’t feel right. Maybe it is only a part of it? But what is the rest? Something with fighting, maybe. She mulled over the idea again and again, but could not find anything that felt right. Any single title, or combination thereof, that she tried just felt wrong or constricting; unfit for her grandeur. 

What am I?

As Ira came to a halt in front of a giant door that bore the emblem of the [Guides], she knew that further thoughts about the nature of her existence would have to wait. The man took out his card, holding it high above his head so that it was as close to the emblem as possible. A brief moment passed, and then the giant doors silently slid open to reveal a hall filled with seats and tables that were stacked high with scrolls and books.

Following Ira inside, their footsteps echoed through the collosal hall. It felt weird to be the only source of noise in the otherwise quiet building and Aperio could not help but notice that every single person they passed stopped their work and respectfully bowed in their direction. If this would have happened just a few days – or weeks – earlier, she would have assumed that Ira had a pretty high standing within the organization, one that demanded respect. But now she was pretty sure those bows and and looks of admiration were directed at her.

They stopped in front of a door at the other side of the hall, Ira turning around to address them. "The [Grandmaster] is expecting you, Lady Aperio." With those words he opened the door and gestured for her to step inside.

Stepping through, she was greeted to the sight of a clean and organized office. She could hear the click as the passage behind her closed, but her attention was caught by the other person in the room. A tall, Human woman with leafy-green hair stood up from her chair and walked around the table, causing the big white and green robe she wore to drag behind her on the floor.

Having reached Aperio's side, she bowed deeply and took her time before speaking. "It is an honour to meet you, Lady Aperio. I am O'lymni Videns, [Grandmaster] of the [Guides]; at your service."

Aperio narrowed her eyes and looked at the woman in front of her. "I was told you can answer my questions."

O'lymni was unphased by her voice, instead she simply nodded. "I will try my best to answer any questions you have, but I believe a meeting with Roots-Beneath-All and its guest will offer more insight."

Its guest? Aperio knew from her extended senses that there was a large room behind the [Grandmaster's] office, and that there was a person pacing in front of a giant pillar. Further inspection was interrupted by the voice of O’lymni.

"I also have this for you. Roots indicated that it might help you understand, though I am doubtful of that." With those words she held out a small metal card, not unlike the one Ira had. On it was a rune even more complex than the one the [Guides] used, and a name.

It read 'Aperio, Sacræ Numen Ea'. What got Aperio's attention was not the fact that it was her name on it – that she expected – but that the rune and the scribbles after her name felt so right. She had no idea what it meant, but whatever it was, she knew it to be the indisputable truth.

She took the card from O'lymni's hand. "What does it mean?"

"I do not know. It was made by Roots in an effort to help you."

Aperio tilted her head at the statement. "Why are you so eager to help me?"

"Because doing anything else would spread more lies. The [Grandmaster] cannot spread lies."

Aperio took a deep breath. It wasn't that she trusted this woman fully, but her statement about not spreading lies rang effortlessly true. With this in mind, she brought up one of her most important questions, once again brushing aside the revulsion of appearing less than powerful. "Do you know what I am?" 

The woman contemplated her words for a moment before answering. “I know you are a Goddess that even Roots itself reveres, but that only tells me that you are something beyond my ability to comprehend.”

Aperio tilted her head at the statement. Beyond her ability to comprehend? That was a lot less helpful of an answer than she had expected. Why would another God revere me? I spent most of the time since I became a Goddess in the Void, and I know it was only me… and countless souls. It had to have something to do with her in general, and not the fact that she was a Goddess. Of that she was sure. 

Aperio had never dwelt much on the fact that throughout her entire life, despite being a slave, she had never broken or become numb to the world. She had assumed that it was a twisted element to the collar's magic – a cruel trick to make sure its wearers could truly suffer – but it was becoming more and more obvious that her enduring sanity had had something to do with her, and not the collar. If the [Grandmaster] did not know what she was, maybe she knew something about the cause for her current situation.

“What do you know about the Inaru Empire and the ritual that ended them?”

“Ah yes, the Night of the Second Sun.” O’lymni replied. “Sadly we do not know much, just that it was not Ferio who burned Vetus clean – she was very adamant about that. Still, many people attribute it to her.

“All we know for certain is that the ritual itself caused the events of that night. The [Guides] are currently trying to decipher the formation they used, but whatever really happened then removed most of the markings. Should you wish to read the reports yourself, I can have them prepared for you. Or you could ask Roots, as it did ask to meet you once you have no more questions for me.”

Maybe I should. “And where would I find this Roots?”

In response, O’lymni pointed to the door on the other side of the room. “Roots-Beneath-All and its guest are waiting there.”

Aperio could still only see one person, and that one was still pacing back and forth. Stepping past the [Grandmaster], she walked through the doorway behind her. She had known the room to be bigger than one would assume from the constant trickling information stream of her aura, and she had also assumed that the pacing person was in front of a pillar of some kind. It was not a pillar – or any kind of decoration for that matter – but a giant tree that covered the entirety of the back wall and stretched all the way up to the way-too-high ceiling. What made her sure that it was not a mere piece of decoration was the fact that its branches had started to move as soon as she entered the room. They were shaking in what Aperio would call anticipation, but she could not be sure as she did not speak tree.

The person that had never stopped pacing back and forth in front of the tree during her talk with the [Grandmaster] had finally come to a halt, simply staring at Aperio. The Elf could only stare back at disbelief at the person in front of her. She lacked the definition and wings Aperio had gained after her stay in the Void, and she did not have the pointed ears of an Elf. The other's hair shimmered in shades of red and yellow that almost made Aperio think that it was afire.

But in all other respects, the two of them looked eerily similar. 

Before Aperio could think of a question, the woman began to move in her direction with a speed that could not be compared to any of the previous opponents she had faced. The thought of dodging did not even enter her mind, still unable to process the situation. How could it be that there existed someone that looked like a Human version of herself?

The woman crashed into Aperio, moving the unprepared Elf a step back, before hugging her with enough strength to crush any mortal's bones. Extracting her face from Aperio's chest, the woman whispered words that only caused Aperio's confusion to grow.

"You're back!"