“If birth is the starting point of all Life, then what that starting point is, depends on Luck.”

 

“You could be born to the highest of hierarchies, aka… Gold Finger. Or you could be born to the lowest of the lowest in a hierarchy, aka… Slave.”

 

“We, Mortals, simply do not have a way to influence that point. At least to my knowledge.”

 

“Nevertheless, while different, both sides have positives and negatives, and both sides will have the same end, after all, Death.”

 

“Therefore, it is the journey that is important. Hence, being born at the bottom means you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

 

“The best thing that happened to me was being born poor to enjoy being rich.”

#Quote - Quote of the Year - Richest Badg’Er alive - Rich’Er An’Drew

 

*

 

Central Continent - Southern Forest - Survival Tribe

World Spirit

 

A conglomerate of the psychic impression of everything that lived on a Planet settled into one existence and stamped onto the Reality of the Planet that birthed it. 

 

Being a gathering of psychic impressions of such magnitude, it is sensitive to the flows of the flow of conscious thoughts of those that lived on it. Thus, it is influenced by those conscious thoughts just as it could affect them in return. 

 

Yet, the major weakness of such an existence was the requirement of scale to be born and to live. If there ever comes a time where Life diminishes on IT, IT too shall decline.

 

Therefore, a World Spirit is an existence born out of the quantity of Life.

Those were the basics of what Goldy knew about World Spirits.

 

There was more to it, but everything else was a debate about the finer points concerning their existence and their purpose.

 

What was important was to know that a World Spirit could not influence an Individual's Life living on it. If tried, it would be like using a giant boulder smashing on an ant in order to talk to it. 

 

Still, like everything else in Life, there were expectations. 

 

Individuals who rose to greatness. 

 

Individuals who could withstand the weight of the World Spirit’s attention.

 

Individuals who built the scaffolding to hold them up on the same spot as the World Spirit existed, or at least to not be wholly inferior. 

 

Those Individuals were termed Divinities, as they had attained the Authority to influence Reality and the World they lived. 

 

Hence, as Goldy’s Master interpreted, a long time ago, Divinities existed that changed the Rules by which Life evolved. Thus, giving Individuals a chance to step on the same ladder on which they stood, at least in theory.

 

However, once Goldy had asked about the ladder itself. 

 

At that time, His Master bore a tired expression on his face from all the overwork he had been doing. As such, Goldy wasn't hundred percent sure what his Master’s thoughts were regarding the answer he received.

 

Still, he had to admit that it made some sense. 

 

After all, a Ladder given and a Ladder built were two different things.

 

All those musing aside, Goldy had to wonder what kind of Divinities existed in the past to be able to bind commands onto a World Spirit. Especially, as the descent of the World Spirit, right at this moment, placed such a heavy burden on Goldy’s perception.

 

Yet, despite the burden of gazing at the World Spirit, as it could be construed as a Sun in a spiritual sense, Goldy refused to stop looking at the spiritual sun before him. 

 

Goldy knew all it would take was to stop using his sight, and the burden would vanish as if it never existed in the first place. 

 

Only he did not. As Goldy realized at this moment, there was a difference between seeing something from afar and experiencing something in person.

 

As such, Goldy put forth everything of himself into seeing the Truth a World Spirit represented.

 

*

 

Time to a World Spirit was meaningless.

 

IT knew it existed. 

 

Through Time, the World's Spirit changed and adapted. 

 

Nevertheless, overall, Time had little influence on it.

 

Still, if there was one thing that a World Spirit could appreciate, it is the unknown. As such, it had to admit to itself that lately, things had become more… lively compared to the monotony of existing for so long that even epochs were but blimps upon its awareness.

 

Only now, in what could be considered geological seconds, The World Spirit sensed changes occurring.

 

If they were good or bad for it, IT did not know nor cared.

 

In the end, everything faded into oblivion compared to IT's long existence.

 

Still, seconds it may be to IT, but seconds, it could spare. 

The World Spirit once more sensed the Restrictions applied to IT's existence flare to the foreground.

 

Once more, they guided IT's Vast Awareness. Once more, they narrowed ITs Awareness. Down and down and down it went until it became aware of the Individuals that called it. 

 

Only in this case, it was not a biological Individual that called it forth.

 

On the contrary, it was one of the four children born from IT’s fragments, in a sense, that called for IT’s attention again.

 

The World Spirit Wondered what it was now. After all, not even a blip of Time had passed since the last call.

 

The World Spirit took a better look. 

 

Then noticed a tiny gaze upon itself. It examined IT. Shifting a tiny bit of Awareness at the gaze, The World Spirit immediately recognized the Mirror.

 

Once it knew who or what it was, The World Spirit ignored the sweating and frowning little thing and focused on the child calling on IT.

 

This one, and the other three children born from IT’s fragments, had taken a form never before seen. Not that The World Spirit had children before to know their actual state. But the state they took was indeed different from IT.

 

It was not their physical form or the growing aspects that made them different. 

 

The four children were born from a completely different fundamental aspect. When compared to IT, somehow, they were similar to IT. 

 

If lesser due to being small, a newborn, and not tied to the Life living on IT.

 

What that fundamental aspect was, The World Spirit knew not. Nor did it care, but Time was almost meaningless to it. 

 

Soon enough, it would find out.

 

For now, The World Spirit focused on the child undergoing whatever it was experiencing.

Once the World Spirit focused and sifted everything it sensed, which took not even a second, a surprise and disgusted emotion manifested inside the World Spirit.

 

The surprise was evident in everything IT's perception processed and summed up into one conglomerate image of the many parts that made the child what it was.

 

The Root, or the Core at the bottom of the physical body of its child, housed its Consciousness.

 

The Stem, or the Black-Gold Obsidian Shaft of the physical body of its child, let it grow with time.

 

The Leaves, or better perceived, the Individuals who lived around the physical body of IT’s child yet still maintained a connection to the child. Like real leaves, the Individuals gathered and passed on the nourishment, incredibly small increments, needed for the growth of IT’s child. 

 

Only, it was not a physical nourishment but a psychic one.

 

Everything so far, The World Spirit knew from its last visit. 

 

What it had not seen before was the Crown. A Crown out of which the flowers would bloom and eventually bear the fruit of labor. 

 

In today's case, as IT's child was not a plant, the Crown became the Honey Badger statue at the top of the shaft. 

 

Inside the statue made out of Black-Gold Obsidian Glass, the fruit of labor grew. Or at least, it attempted through a forced process.

 

It was from seeing that forced growth that disgusted The World Spirit.

 

Despite knowing very little and understanding very little of the fundamentals of ITs children, The World Spirit knew something was happening when it should not be happening. 

 

The worst was the gradual fracturing of the child it was witnessing.

 

The only reason the forced growth held up so far was a strong infusion of Mana bearing almost no touch bar that of IT, as all Mana on the Planet stemmed from IT. This Mana acted as fuel as it combined with the necessary psychic support of the Individuals, who served as leaves bringing forth sustenance for IT’s child.

 

For a single moment, which probably felt forever to those not used to IT’s time frame, The World Spirit contemplated what to do. 

 

Everything happening to its child was unknown to it. There simply were no Restrictions that would act as ITs guidelines in telling it what to do. 

 

However, it was not the missing guidelines that made it contemplate what to do. 

 

No, it was what it sensed from its child as it underwent forced growth.

 

The World Spirit had sensed an emotional drive in ITs child's actions. 

 

The emotional drive centered around one simple idea, Survival.

 

Being what it was, The World Spirit was familiar with it. After all, there were instances in its long existence that had brought it to the brink of Death. 

 

A few times, a lot of life living on it faced extinction. 

 

Every time it happened, The World Spirit had used up any resources it could to influence Life, living upon it, to survive. 

 

Early on, in its remembered existence, it could not affect the individuals living upon it as it does now. What it could do, however, was to influence the unconscious psychic imprint a species manifests upon its spiritual body.

 

Most of the time, it was about leaving impressions of possible fertile grounds to support their continued procreation. Sometimes, it even favored certain psychic impressions over others. But overall, The World Spirit did little. 

 

This method worked, and those that survived procreated. 

 

With them, The World Spirit continued its existence. 

 

Living through those times, the World Spirit learned its lesson about Survival, and now its child was facing the same, only its struggling moment came very early, maybe even too early. 

 

As such, the dilemma the World Spirit faced was simple. 

 

Should it help, or should it stand on the side?

 

It would be simple to help its child. Only there was a point to its struggle. 

 

If the child overcomes the struggle, the experience would give it a much better chance in the long run. After all, when one's existence is estimated in geological terms, the long run is all that counts.

 

With such understanding, The World Spirit finished its contemplative thoughts and made a decision.

 

IT would not help its child. 

A few moments passed to the World Spirit as it overlooked IT’s child's struggle for dear life. 

 

The Individuals beside the child, both physically and psychically, supported the child as much as they could. 

 

But from the signs IT was observing, the child’s chances only diminished as the moments passed. The child simply had too little gathered psychic mass upon which to awaken.

 

If it did awaken, it would be a fragile existence.

 

More moments passed. 

 

*

 

The World Spirit observed its child dying literally. 

 

Yet, it was not the only existence seeing such an event occurring. 

 

Goldy saw it too.

 

He knew that the Spiritual Awakening of the Digital Mind, made from the World Spirit Fragment, was failing. Only he failed to imagine why it was happening in the first place. 

 

The World Spirit had descended after all. Yet, in Goldy’s perception, it just stayed there in place, metaphorically speaking, and did nothing.

 

Baffled by the behavior, as much as he could be bewildered by something as unknown and strange as a World Spirit, Goldy realized he had to do something.

 

Pondering for a moment, he focused on himself and his connection to the Dream Realm. 

 

~Cirsy, can you do something to help? It is your brother/sister, after all?~

 

~No~ Came the regretful but stern reply. ~I am unsure why our Creator made them different from me, but I simply am incapable of help this time. Neither can the other three.~

 

~Damn it~ Goldy cursed, which was completely unlike him. ~There has to be a way to help!~

 

~As I mentioned previously, I can not help. Nor do I know of a way to help.~ Cirsy explained to him. ~Why don't you see if our Creator can do something about it?~

 

~Master? Why mention Master? He is asleep. Even then, I don't think it's a good idea to forcefully rouse him.~ Goldy answered, confused by Cirsy's inquiry.

 

~Yes, Creator’s main Consciousness is asleep, but a slice of him is out there.~ 

 

~What?~ Goldy asked stupidly. He simply had no idea what his ‘Sister’, in a strange way, said. ~What do you mean by ‘A Slice of Him’?~

 

~Oh. You did not know? Then let me explain.~ With that said, Goldy became aware of a few things here and there.

 

~Why did you not tell me of this before?~ Goldy questioned.

 

~I thought you knew?~ Goldy heard the baffled reply. 

 

Frowning for a moment, he sent a response in the form of a question. ~Why do you assume I would know about it?~

 

~...~

 

~Are you not the one born with Visual Prowess? Enhanced by Master, and even possessing an entire Support Structure of the Dream Realm at your disposal, capable of enhancing your Visual Prowess even further?~ Every word that reached Goldy sliced him a bit more at the obvious insinuation he received. ~My question to you, Big Brother, is this. How could you not know?~

 

~That… I… You… I…~ Mentally and physically, a mouth gaped for an answer. 

 

Logically, his ‘Little Sister’ was right. Goldy realized.

 

All that Power centered around observing should tell him a lot of things, but there were limits to him, his understanding, and the limits to what the Observation Platform could help him.

 

~Sigh… Ok, you got me there. But I am not the only one at fault. You should have told me about it.~ Goldy admitted, yet still delegated some blame from himself. ~If I had known about a part of Master running around… Maybe… No, it doesn't matter now what was and what could have been.~

 

~Haa, you said… Mini Master? Entered the Dream World?~ Goldy inquired just to be sure. With a spiritual nod reply sent to him, he continued. ~Even if I returned to the Dream Realm and used the Observation Platform, I don't think I will be able to find Mini Master in the required time. The Dream World is huge. He could be anywhere.~

 

~... What if you tried to use Alexander as a springboard? After all, he is the one with the greatest connection to Creator.~ 

 

After blinking a few times, Goldy realized his ‘Little Sister’ Cirsy's intentions. Yet, the connection between Alexander and his Master confounded him dearly. 

 

Out of curiosity, Goldy had tried to find how a little being like Alexander possessed such a deep connection with his Master. Nonetheless, every time he tried to find an answer, all that returned was emptiness.

 

Then again, if I am not searching for the impossible, maybe, it is possible to find the obvious. Goldy reasoned, only for something to itch at his mind as the thought surfaced.

 

Not quite understanding what it was, Goldy replied to Cirsy. ~I will take your advice under advisement. Thank you, little sister.~

 

~You are Welcome!~ With that said, Goldy broke the connection between them. Only a slightly smug feeling of the retort stuck with him.

With purpose and a probable goal, Goldy searched for Alexander in the bundle of gathered Badg’Er before him. Only as he looked closer, there was no Alexander there. Even after using his Visual Prowess, he could not find Alexander among the crowd before him.

 

A bit stunned, Goldy, once more, lost the trail of success. 

 

“Where is Alexander?” Goldy asked himself wide-eyed. After all, he had observed him in the last six years or so, to the point he could even visualize his Truth.

 

Searching once more and seeing no Alexander, Goldy began to panic for failing to live up to the responsibility placed upon his shoulders. Nevertheless, driven by accountability, Goldy began using his Visual Prowess around the village.

 

Looking here and there, Goldy once more came upon the little cubs sticking outside their den. Only after focusing on them for a moment did his Visual Prowess penetrate through the walls of the Den, concealing them, and there he found the target he desperately needed.

 

Nonetheless, even after arriving by his side with speed, Goldy cursed once more. Alexander was asleep and deeply at that. 

 

Goldy was sure if he wanted to use Alexander as a springboard, so to speak, he would need him conscious. Only then would the connection be strong enough to search for a slice of his Master. 

 

Otherwise, Goldy doubted he'd get anything but his Master’s main body and Consciousness.

 

Even then, now that Goldy actively reasoned on the possibility, it would still take him too long to find his Master’s slices of version. Even if he found ‘Mini Master’ he still doubted it would be able to help, seeing as it barely possessed any Power.

 

Realizing all that, Goldy sighed and contemplated thinking outside the box again. 

 

No obvious answer came, but one thought did come forth.

Picking Alexander by one leg, he dragged him outside the Den. Ignoring the four cubs staring at him, Goldy brought Alexander straight beside the Black Crucible, which usually held an eternal manifestation of the White Flame. 

 

Only now, the Flame was gone, as the energy sustaining the Flame was probably needed somewhere else.

 

Once both were there, Goldy thought for a moment. He grabbed one of Alexander's hands and wiggled it through the gathered Hunters touching the crucible. Once the paw touched the Black Crucible, Goldy felt and focused on Alexander's head. 

 

Using some of his Power, he tried to shove Alexander’s mind inside the Tribal Totem.

 

Only it proved to be much, much harder than he imagined, as Alexander did not possess a Soul in the typical sense. Alexander’s Soul was fused with the Chakral Roots. At the same time, Alexander had not activated any of the Chakral Nodes in his head. 

 

Therefore, his mind was far less centralized for a blatant and urgent touch.

 

Unsure of what to do, Goldy tried being delicate at first, but when no results occurred, the brute method was all that was left. As such, with one mighty push of his Power, Goldy rammed Alexander's whole mind in the right direction.

 

To Goldy, it felt like moving a large boulder, but the boulder got moved, and the next moment, Goldy’s environment changed to a black landscape with many lights shining in the distance alongside one shining in his right hand.

 

Observing the differences, Goldy realized a simple fact. While the brilliance between Alexander and those in the distance seemed different and shallow, the density, however, was completely different.

 

Ignoring the fact and knowing the direction, Goldy ran mentally. Yet, no matter how much he ran and no matter how fast he ran, it seemed the distance never closed between the lights and him.

 

Recognizing the rejection, Goldy knew he could not step closer. Why, exactly, that was the case, he had no time to ponder, but somehow Goldy knew he had to bring Alexander to those shining lights.

 

Contemplating for a moment, Goldy, for the first time ever, in his life, pushed himself to throw something at something else

 

[Imaginary] Whoosh 

 

With the motion done, Goldy felt rejected by the blackness, as if the key and door enabling his entrance no longer existed.

 

As such, a moment later, Goldy opened his eyes to Reality once more.

 

“Phuu, I've done all I could and with what I have,” Goldy remarked. “I just hope my throw accuracy was good enough.”