PoV: G'gorsk.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA WALL FALL DOWN! RUN INSIDE! GOGOGOGOGO!

... what, ten goblin. Is all? Ten?

Well fight. Find human king, fight. Maybe find human David, fight!

... uh ... oh. Many humans running, they fight now-

We run? Aaarrrrh blade stab, in back! I ... fall?

... was little kitty girl, run fast, stab me?

Man with pointy hat, move hand funny wave-

Humans grab me ... I ... I lost?

PoV: David.

"... what, ah, what are you talking, how much of it-"

A long silent glance between both father and daughter tells me, they hesitate to answer just yet. But these mortal guests here might guess something world shattering is about to get revealed, but they cannot have any idea of how massive a thought.

"My lord, what is being said ... means-"

Ku turned to Anyah, and spoke with blunt honesty. "My dear David is facing a decision. If he wants to help Gabianna Rainforest. If he could make this choice, and accept the indignity of, giving up this realm-"

Anger!

I have never seen Anyah look so ... furious, not even against me or her sister, a short time ago.

I'd had this thought too; but in Ku saying it directly, formalizing the extent of loss, I knew. I knew, in this instant, how brutal, how critical, a change would be ― how it must be.

I can only reassess.

Among the mortal beings, their reactions are properly worried, though in varying ratio. Elison is calm but concerned; I sense he too has questions which he cannot ask yet. Erissa is silently shocked but I sense she will work up to ask more questions without the outburst of her younger sibling, busy jotting down a thought upon some paper. Anyah ― well ... with such powerful highs of anger holding her mind and heart, I sense the lows of tears and anguish will follow.

Among deities ― just two ― I ... well they can read me but I can't get the faintest of senses from them. Only by reading 'body language' can I presume to detect their true feelings or thoughts. Ku is still faintly sorrowful for her part in Gabianna's sharp failing. I dare not probe just yet, and she will not allow a hint of what happened to leave neither her lips nor betray her inner thoughts. Her father though, he'd already introduced himself as Dio Dara ― as if in the earlier handshake I also didn't get his name. But it made it official in him openly telling his name; this alone seemed to be a subtle thing among deities, I'd seen mention in some help screen somewhere.

Aside from me, the only "other" being is ... Luria. Clingy, needy, Luria. Even though we cannot touch ... her presence is next to me. Only somehow in Ku saying 'my dear David' did I sense her leaning toward my arm ease off. It's as if ― for another deity to initiate or accept a relationship with me, "that part" of her inner programming would back away from offering herself to me. But then too, Luria might know what Ku and Dio would be saying, even before either one of them would say it. If a system agent could show true fear ... well I'm seeing lines of concern too, upon this generated form. Luria ― who didn't think Kika or Samiel or Anyah or Erissa any kind of valid pull for me or serious threat to her ― was now intimidated, by Ku and Dio?

And, reassess ... myself. I can't. The enormity of the stated things from before this ... had imploded in my mind, a 'logic bomb'.

... I do think back, to the first time being within Carine's place. As I and Anyah and Aaren had entered, we had clearly heard Ku, stating ― 'he must choose for himself'. Who, me? What choice ... is it this choice? If I should decide to give up all this realm is, to return Gabi's energies and essence back to her, or ... something more?

No. Something more Ku had said, in the same moment. 'I won't force him ... and in fact you cannot force him.'

... this ... seems like a loaded comment.

Okay so, I've been in tense boardroom meetings before. Sometimes have been the cause for things going so critical, sometimes enduring a critical moment as others let out their 'hot under the collar' moments. This feels like it will become one of the latter ... followed by one of the former.

I know it; it's my choice. Choice, choice of what. The choice could be something Gabianna would think she could influence; plus Ku as much as admitted she could but won't. Or maybe was it Ku preempting to exclude Gabi a possibility of attempting it by saying what she had?

I still don't get it; what choice of mine was so important?

My "core" decisions, as I see them, are all geared toward fixing and repairing things, building relationships as I never have in my past life, and ... of course dealing with this sickness unleashed. But more specific, are any from a whole subset of "minor" problems.

From the start of being here, I still have little 'blips' from various people I've attached into my system reports-

The goblin situation. And by situation I mean not Kika but King G'gorsk. No, not so critical now as I got a notification in my own view of G'gorsk having been "subdued". Subdued, but not ended; meaning, he is still alive, in some form. A chance may someday exist of escape or release; but unless the human kingdom does something rash which makes this monster mad ... he's done. I probably should go there and see him ... once ... or else just let him be. Should I go stand before him, if he's now captured but not kil- HEY wait think about that, what would a kingdom need in capturing him?

Kika was never a problem in the first place. Only now, it does feel like it's been a while since I've seen her. How long a personal 'walkabout' in the world would she need? With a goblin female ... who knows. I do get how my news to her of how deadly this pandemic would be; it could and would even kill her, and now yes she too got infected. Although ... likely she by now also got started on something her own ... I'm still missing the connection to and with her. It's still no lie to say, I did call her my wife and that's still true. She's going to come back, isn't she? Didn't I still have some systems to grant her, some way to ensure her competence more than her unusually rapid evolve?

... um ... anyway ... earlier Luria had stated she could grant quests to companions allowed to be within the realm; she hadn't for Kika then, because Kika was still at my side. However ... now Kika was out in the world; yet as a companion allowed to visit my realm ... she should be receiving assigned quests. Something further to get confirmation of from Luria, after this meeting here-

Also a minor nagging sense of needing to return to Samiel, the lamia dungeon mistress, is still important. I've been doing what I can with other things though, so it's hard to just ... drop things to go check on one person who I hope is doing well. We did have a moment and so I too worry she might be getting ill ... but there's no way a disease would advance so fast ... would it?

Then in meeting the king, Aaren Bechamel, and his family. And almost a few thousand citizens, while there. It reminds me, I'm still feeling nervous in speaking in front of people but less so in how the system would boost my confidence enough to speak well. It's a catch twenty two; I hate it and want to avoid it; but to get over it I need to place myself within the situation I hate for the system benefit to kick in? Or at least I've grown closer to the king and a handful of his family; he and Tika and Anyah and Erissa and ... hmm well it's a short list. Plus I vaguely recall some young boy having received some abuse; I should maybe check back there to see how that's going. A young child (of any race or gender) should be able to live without fear of parental abuse, to the way I think. Discipline yes, abuse no. A fine line to walk, in what's allowable-

Even more so in how I have become accustomed to Aaren's kingdom ... and him and his family. Mostly due to Anyah having clung to me, as how Luria does subtly. No I'm not wanting so much feminine attention; and more specific to this, I don't want to be giving one kingdom and its family so much 'privileged' access to me. If I accept royals from one lineage into my patronage, I must also equally find royalty from other ancestries and different parts of this mortal world. I will suppose I cannot get the same kind of 'adoration' or attention from other royal houses as I have from the Bechamel family; I'm not sure I deserve yet all I'm receiving now.

The slow buildup in what I've seen in Luria to ... this ... is concerning. First, I am hand selected then inferred as being vital to this world, and somehow events and truths began unraveling; and now, Luria is 'unchained' so to speak. She's both better, and ... maybe atypical of the 'system agent' default. Or maybe somehow I can change the personality through some configuration I have yet to find? Well hmm, Luria as is ... isn't a bad personality or person, if I could say so; only the amount of conclusions her logic might jump to, would be ... less linear than I'd like. Yes as a former system programmer, AI developer, and cybernetic engineer too ― I still have a desire for a logical partner ... just not for a mate to be so cold or calculating or even inferential.

Then on a deific realm and deity involvement scale, I ... went to a lounge space, hid in an invasion and robbery, met Ku Dara, heard of Gabi rescued and then saw her, and helped her by giving her essence back. In doing the last, it had also been revealed now something had happened, between Gabi and Ku-

Ku cleared her throat, averting my eyes. What!? What could be so damned serious you cannot tell me right out!?

Now. Ku, in specific- I see her cute faint blush, but I'm being serious here. I'll take her offer and request for the relationship as genuine; and I believe in giving as well as I get. Which means ... not sure it can last forever, but it should be capable of lasting as long as either or both of us being in existence. I'll also have to believe neither she or I will let the loan of stone come between us; if we're a couple, sharing what we have is natural. Ku is as she described herself a 'brainy girl' and otherwise active and aware of things; I should like to naturally spend time with her, too. Blush all you want, dear Ku, but I have to give the matter here all due consideration-

But then, in the deific realms ... some raiding and realm farming was going on. I'd done exactly that same thing as a game, back on Earth. It didn't really hurt anyone ... as far as I could know ... well ah, ahem. Maybe the one girl, she 'rage quit' from my farming her virtual land too many times, and in ways that didn't allow her the benefit of my patronage. I'd been a jerk, then ... and oh boy was that this woman arrived on Petrina's world? Should be sorta neat to have a little reunion- no it would not.

There. I don't know if I'm forgetting anything in particular, but I'll leave this summary as the best in the moment listing of things I've faced and might have yet to deal with.

Then if I consider Ku's father, Dio-

"Come on then boy, say something. Tell us what do you think about this realm issue."

I see how adeptly he changed the subject, from letting my thoughts run wild. Message received, Dio-

"It's a hard sell," I admit. "Save the world by breaking a realm?"

"... if necessary, yes." Dio grimaced but only nodded slowly.

"Well." I began slowly, verbalizing this much as a start, to now allow the mortals the benefit of my thoughts. "I think you are meaning for me to consider whether I am returning more of Gabianna Rainforest's essence to her, so she can heal faster and more certainly. To do that, I would need to essentially ... not minding the pun ... dismantle what is constructed of this deific realm space. How much can be retained, how much must be converted or extracted or siphoned ― whatever the terminology ― at one time?"

I see Ku again meet my eyes, and speak slowly in answer to this. "You imply an attempt to meter it out, to take on the extraction of Gabianna's essence in practical stages. Such is possible, though usually not practical. What you are intending is also not without its inconvenience ― you will lose the domestic portion of your dwelling here. No more bed over there," she motioned, "until you again can rebuild via your own essence. And the difficult part of this is the timing ― once started, you must complete it. A minimum of one realm structure must exist at all times, so ... you have specific constraints too, on how much and how soon to work all of this."

"... m, my lord ― you will not be without a place to live, or a bed!"

So sweet, Anyah implies I can always live where she is. At "my place", being her father's castle ... but is it truly practical for her to offer something she has not had time to consult her father regarding this matter? Probably no ... not at this time. I'll have to step softly around this, briefly.

"It will be far more practical for David to come with me to my realm," Ku inserted, to cut off any more imprudent offers. "And a link back here would remain active. It's what I'd be intending anyway, as we are a couple now."

No less a glare from young Anyah.

"... but about the order of removal of deific realm structures. I cannot find anything about this within the system documentation I'm looking through, now-"

"-because David, it's such a niche problem with an even more niche solution for it not to need documentation." Dio can only shake his head. "And if it got documentation ... then that means something more serious is going on, within all of the cosmos. So in a way ... maybe be thankful for not having it be so prevalent?"

I can merely grin. "Yes okay I get it. But. Let's be serious, here. Do I have some template to follow or not, in Gabi's essence gathering."

"... a partial yes. Mostly maybe. Sometimes a no, as well."

I am about ready to throw up my hands. "That is a convoluted answer-"

"-for a convoluted question, son."

I stop. Also hear Elison's stomach growl; so I know at least one person here is hungry.

"... so you mean, it's dependent upon some unknown factors?" Erissa pipes in suddenly, with a soft voice.

"Yes." Ku's demeanor brightens; perhaps coming to the point she'd been driving toward all along, and thankful I'm considering the option. "Some of this the mortals here don't need to know, beyond ... acknowledging what basics are necessary to admit. When a deity normally will initialize a realm, as Gabianna did herself for this place, their own deific capacities are so low to begin with, siphoning some of themselves would be catastrophic to the potential deity if not disastrous even to another deity helping them. But thankfully the cosmos is itself raw energy for the use of all deities; miscellaneous cosmologic energy is flowed through the new deity to give it what 'signature' of the deity is required, to use as supplemental essence for realm creation."

"... and you are saying ... maybe now it's been so long and the realm here is much larger, and that in itself is now a problem?"

"Yes. Exactly. But also with so many footnotes to that as to rival any of those business documents I can sense you might have handled in your previous business life ... as to be a whole new layer of complexity you cannot handle yet."

Luria is silent in all of this; it reaffirms in my own thoughts, somehow she, or the system, "knows" of what must take place. A slight apprehension here, on her face ― as if I might by accident choose something which could end her current presence. And not like in the shutdown during the invasion; no, if I have to take it room by room and extract however small or large portions of essence as possible ... it will end her. Not like a reboot; it's a thorough wipe of the personality. Once a new core structure supporting the system infrastructure is reinstalled and initialized ... even the memories from Luria will be gone.

There's something 'human' in this scene, about not wanting to abandon the current Luria or system agent personality; I should be fine with it ... and am ... and yet am not. I could wipe 'her' with impunity; but also would miss Luria, even as I pulled the proverbial plug. And, I believe Luria knows I now understand these consequences. It's just a matter of whether I have the desire to allow anything of current Luria to survive, or not. Oh I will if I can help it; otherwise goodbye Luria, hello whatever later system agent comes along. It's simple, and practical, and honest to myself.

"Then how do I get through this?"

"One step at a time, son. The crucial truth in this is, you have now been here for ... how many days? I will assume you have walked through each and every structure within this realm, also interacting with objects here; so it's a truth to say your own essence is imbued upon things. It may be a gross oversimplification; but what you will be required to do, is ... bundle all your own essence together into one structure first, to use as a base, and go from there. For reference, all realms must contain a minimum of the 'Approach to the Deity' structure; or else a realm begins self dismantling, as weeks and months pass. It's what happens in a realm when a deity loses his or her life, and so the realm itself slowly falls apart, if no successor is selected."

"I understand then, I am to gather my own essence into my Approach-"

"You do not yet have enough essence," Ku admitted. "Not among any of the structures individually, or collectively ... except maybe for the Workshop. But not enough essence for the Approach, there. Even if you could use a Workshop as a base, this deific realm would take longer to rebuild than for this pandemic running through it would finally wipe out all life."

-what-

"What ... what's-"

"But that's okay, son. We have some deeper issues to discuss, the minutiae of the situation; but for us to tell those things, your mortal guests will have to depart. It's some serious high level discussion."

I look around to the three mortals. Elison merely shrugs, his stomach growling again; Anyah and Erissa glance between each other and then me, waiting for me to say something.

"... friends, Dio is right, I have things to discuss with him and Ku, but I don't want you to feel I'm asking you to leave. Elison you are hungry and your nearby village is still on lock down ― go ahead and take some greens for your meals back with you, at least I can provide this for now. Anyah and Erissa, you can take some greens as well, I am sure your cook will be capable of using some fresh vegetables or fruits for your meals."

In mere minutes, the three mortals have departed; and now the more serious aspects can continue ― with just the three of us. Elison did lean toward me to say "I have more thoughts later," which meant maybe he wondered if his ideas will work for me but he doesn't want to embarrass himself in front of everyone yet. He doesn't yet know the others; thus a reason maybe why he was so silent so long. And I too know this same feeling; I would be as quiet as him if we weren't now discussing the problem at hand, and my role here.

I don't want this to be left on hold, any more. "Then I think you have something to tell me, about the very nature of what is a deific realm, correct?"

"Yes, very astute son, Ku was right about this part of you," Dio spoke honestly but direct to me. "But, not about your potential-"

"-Father, it's not time for that, talk of-"

"-Ku, stop."

She stared cold at her father, an element of both respect and fear upon her face. Then she merely sighed, setting aside her forward thoughts to delay something- what?

"So. David. At its heart, a deific realm is ... a home, a base, a domain from which a deity can have solitude and oversight of all things within his or her mortal domain, a world in specific. You know this, by this point; but you still do not know or understand the specifics. That's fine for now but not long term. For now, it's directly a matter of your getting through one thing ― resolving the ownership of this realm."

"... but ... Gabi gave-"

"Did she, now? Hmm, I wonder. From what I have seen, son ― she did not yet come to the point you are now coming to. And so, her 'giving' it to you is ... incomplete. Which is why, we have to go off of the usual script, in assisting you to the next steps."

"D, David, dear; it's ... well it's all because, she didn't have enough control over this realm, enough to 'hand over' the full amount of it ― t, tell him, Luria! Tell him how out of control she was!"

... whoa, so unlike the normally calm cool Ku-

"-no I got that message, Ku. I have intuited a lot, so I believe I understand more than you think I know."

"No you don't; you still do not. David. Son. I see here already how Gabianna Rainforest did not complete some things in her own beginning of the realm; in your world's terminology she did not 'complete the tutorial', and so cannot get to the point of ... fully giving it away. Or, had she completed said tutorial steps ... she would never have got into this same predicament, as to need to give it up."

Silence. I see two deities facing me now, looking so somber; and also Luria-

"... Luria. Tell me. Is this true? Something was not complete? And ... I have to do the tutorial Gabi should have done?"

Luria's facial representation is ... numb. Mute. Also a hint of embarrassment.

"Master. It is correct. And, it is also a matter of time ... if performing this realm reboot."

I am stunned, still. The implication is, for me to take on this realm ― I myself will have to complete the deific 'tutorials, which have been skipped.

"Furthermore, David ... my dear David ― usually it's a partner deity going alongside the new deity, acting as a guide and guardian for the initial steps. But. You ... are already past the point where any deity can help or assist. You will have to do the rest ... on your own ... alone. We can only give you some overview of what you might see and encounter."

... what the.

"... what the-"

"My thought exactly, boy. If I would have ever been in your shoes-"

"So. David. We'll come back to this in a sec. Let's set aside part of the issue, first, in order to discuss why Carine does not want to perform an operation. It both does and does not relate to this same issue."

"-Father let me-"

"-no, Ku. I've got this. David ... in short ... Carine is concerned with you having a relationship with Ku, who has her own ... aspects. She knows part of the issue is that you may need to do what we're trying to guide you to do; however if you do, you won't have a realm worthy of bonding with Ku. You would become a drain upon Ku's resources, the same as Gabianna herself formerly got into this 'negative DP income' status you experienced-"

"-b, but I understand the problem, now! I will not get to the same state as ... as ... Gabi-"

"Are you so sure, son?" Dio leaned back in his seat, folded his arms across his chest, and exhaled. "As far as a relationship ... aah I'm more moderate; I've lived and so has Ku. We've both made names for ourselves, which I believe you might too, some day. So if she's stating her agreement, I'm fine with it ... in the long run. I too have a concern on if you would become a resource drain; but Ku being a responsible deity and you on the same path ... I cannot complain or interfere. Carine, however, also has to take note of Gabianna, still recuperating in her ward. My wife might be overthinking things but in a general way, I see how she could be right ― and also wrong."

My eyes meet Ku's in a personal search of her face, for confirmation of this word. Ku does sigh, letting one further tear fall, but states her side of it. "-what I told you before is still true; I still intend a mutual relationship with us in equal participation. Whether or not I had loaned any stone, I do know in time the issue would resurface. You cannot assume full ownership until you too take the tutorial steps and complete them. I believed you would have gathered enough DP, this deity potential points we use, to finally reset the Approach room, maybe even the Residence-"

"... but I don't? I won't have enough before it's done, for my world?"

"Yes, son. And here's how and why-"

My heart slowly sinks, while hearing the words being expressed.

-unthinkable-

Dio and Ku both defined DP and mana and the energy of the cosmos, in such a way I cannot now ignore how and why the problem started and continued.

Simply put, if Gabianna had completed the tutorial, she would have been using one hundred percent of her own essence, in building up and out this realm. Instead, all along she's been using ... the energy of the cosmos, still? Only it's filtered through her own existence so it can have her "essence signature" ... but like explanations for the stone of the world versus the mana infused stone given by Ku ... it's impure?

Oh. Now I understand, how my initial progress here could have outpaced Gabi's use.

Meaning. This whole realm is on "shaky ground" since the beginning. To maintain the stability of this realm, she needed to be here ... one hundred percent of the time. Minus fragments of time in interacting with mortals ... and in those times, she had lately been interacting in a way which did not assist the realm stability. A house based upon what Gabianna had done, is ... like building a steel skyscraper upon a sandy beach, and expecting it to remain there for eternity.

Here's what I think. And I don't particularly care if these two deities are listening to my thoughts ― they want to guide me to a point, but I'm going to get there via my own understanding, first. I have now to ... compress, contract, then extract my own essence and Gabianna's essence. I don't have enough of my own essence present here, they say. Ku's loaned stone used already in the well, this part can stay there. I don't know if it's true, but I'll assume neither of them have any reason to lie to me in what they see or sense. And ... in this part ... is it, a concern of ... overlapping times of Gabianna's status, the epidemic status on the mortals, and the status of me finishing the tutorial in time so I can begin compressing everything after this point?

"... exactly David." Dio speaks into my unsaid thought, clearly following all of this. "You can only perform so much at one time. You are still just one man ― still thinking like a human, too ― but that's what this tutorial is to do. It will start you on the right path, and allow you to restart this realm, the right way."

"M, mas- ter- w, wha- what will ha- haap- haaaaaaapen ... to m-"

The system and its system agent ... must be nearing a true 'critical failure' event. How I handle this may prove how I'm capable of other serious things later.

"Luria. I won't lie. I don't know ... but I do know, I can't avoid it. However, in the short term ... maybe we can still try yet one more thing? I ... I don't want to lose you as you are, if I can help it."

"That might be part of the problem, David; you should not be concerned about a system agent. They are merely an expendable instance of an artificial system representative."

"You're saying to give up who and what Luria is! It's unthinkable! Surely I must have some way-"

"Dear David ― as long as this current system agent model is active, you will still be faced with the failings of-"

"-skip it! Proceed with the rest of the instruction!"

I'd been more moody with the both of them than necessary; but in the moment I'm still annoyed. Yeah okay, give up Luria 'as is' and get something newer, better, more practical ... yeah no. Maybe just due to having experienced enough of this world and realm with 'Luria' ... I feel it would be more of a hassle in explaining myself again to a new system agent. And you know ... Luria did tell me I was the best one for the current-

-um. So. Is this is the true issue? Is this the nature of the emergency? How I want to hold onto being 'the one' for the situation?

Either Dio or Ku might be more blunt, not necessarily brutal, but blunt enough to tell me anyone else could have been better for the situation than me. But I want to believe, Luria must have estimated not just for the immediate status of what Gabianna was and is and how she left this mortal world ― I have to believe, I fit more perfectly for the long run.

It's going to be difficult. Dio took on the more professorial instruction, with Ku providing some contexts her father skimmed through; I have the feeling I'm just not going to do things one hundred percent as either of them would like for me to do. I know but don't care; I have to do what's right, what I feel is the right thing to do, for this mortal world and deific realm.

In short, after telling me what they could, both Dio and Ku left me ... so I can finish it. Luria is ... understandably apprehensive ... having overheard all of it.

"Luria ... now it's just us. Like I said I don't know how this will go, but I'm going to be doing all I can, to see it successful. Have faith in this. I won't abandon you, as you are. Oh in fact I just thought of some idea I have to try ― and maybe this will work. Please do this. Compute how many totems would be needed around the whole mortal world to deliver a message, assuming a coverage of more than ninety nine percent of the living population, and in communities and in the wilderness. Anywhere where Gabianna was sure to have been, anywhere the pandemic is sure to have arrived; how many totems to create to deliver a message, to the people. Keep a map of this distribution so that it can be utilized."

Luria is astonished but then obeys. This holographic image of her vanishes; so I will assume it's to conserve every iota of energy while she ... it ... computes all that. What kind of computation would be required or how long it would take, is beyond me, right now ― but I'm forming a thought about both the form of the 'totem' and also a message to be broadcast upon it. Until then, want the totem to look like-

"Master. Approximately one million nine hundred seventy six thousand four hundred forty one totems ― by the current state of people and their placement. Less than two hundred thousand would be needed if just covering the cities, towns, villages, or other settlements. The majority of these would go for dispersed rural and wilderness inhabitants, places with less than ten people within range of seeing such an object."

"... and can materials from the world be brought here and fashioned into items, have a system to show a visual scene, then dispersed in this same distribution?"

"Yes master. It will use the same matter transportation system as is used when you are sent into the world and then retrieved from there. Fashioning into objects is the same as what you did for forming the bricks used in the well; but this can be automated for mundane non deity realm objects. Master. I foresee what you may be thinking and I agree. As to a message ... you do intend to draw as many followers as possible by your speaking?"

"Yes, this is the intent."

"Then master ... may I have the liberty of writing the script for your reading? It would be good to normalize your response to obtain the most effort."

"Certainly, if you have thoughts, I will listen."

"... thank you, master."

It feels good; this is the second time she has expressed such sentiment, the first time being in my breaking the darkness binding her in the corner. She again vanishes, perhaps computing the most she can do in the least time; and I'm still drawing on a piece of scratch paper, the depiction of ... a rather ancient looking ... electronic tablet.

Even while Luria the system agent is not visible, I'm openly and audibly describing my memories of these old technologies. Desktop computers, laptops, smart phones, tablets, and even wearable technologies. Technologies which used visual screens, for some part; that era ended once AR and VR also came into play. But I still kept to the anachronistic mobile tech ― smart phones and tablets ― instead of biologically embeddable tech or neuro science. All this, I'm explaining while it's still not faded from my mind. And it's even interesting to bring up some of this, in context of a fantasy world to manage.

The 'tablet' I'm defining is like the old wide screen television, a sixteen to nine ratio in its dimensions, but scaled up to the size of a half meter diagonal measure. It's more like a laptop screen then, but without a keyboard and without any touchscreen controls. In short, the mortals won't be able to interact with this; it will only be capable of displaying a video of me talking, and maybe the text of what I say ... for those who can read.

Without word, Luria is with me. She forms a letter in thin air, with the words of this script already written. I take the letter, read through it, and ... feel a strange lump in my throat. A human response; but perhaps that's the reaction the mortals will need to see ― their new god, being ... vulnerable. In essence ... my essence ... I am showing I will improve along side of them.

I will tell them the whole truth. How the pandemic, all of the sickness, comes from an infection originating from Gabianna's acts, spread through personal contact, and how to clean things to reduce its spread. I am not going to 'blame' Gabianna; but I will distinctly admit to her now mortal state, her illness having taken so much of her existence; but in my taking over I'm not hiding what is going on. It lets her followers, what few exist, know she is not gone permanently, and not forgotten ― but also how she might have a faint possibility of returning, if she can recover. All around, it encourages all mortals ― regardless if they are human or monster or beast races. If I need their worship, it is not for selfish means but for saving the whole mortal realm, as well as returning Gabianna's essence to her again too.

My stomach is already in knots; but Luria is speeding through forming as many of the 'totem' objects, the 'tablets' I have described, and setting them aside in various inventories. And when the inventories are filled, even letting them fill up the rooms of this realm's structures. Now ... time, to record-

I'm no actor; I barely even wanted ever to be present in my mega corporation's boardroom meetings. But this is critical. I dredge up every memory of emotional context I can think up; and then ... read. I read, going slowly through the lines of text shown within this letter floating in the air. As Luria is about my height, it's been agreed she stands before me, and the point where I will look as I read will be at her eyes, where an invisible camera is to record this. I know, Luria is "recording" my scene now, as it will show upon the tablets. I am speaking clearly, slowly, especially at the beginning where individuals would not initially be sure about things. I will build trust and value slowly.

In reading through it, this emotional nature of the words have built ― a tear forms, threatening to flow down my face. Even my voice takes on a slight tremble as I mention the health state of Gabianna, and- oh hell, what is wrong with me now-

I made it through without the tear racing down my cheek, I hit the right note, finishing off with an upturned question: Will the people listening to this message now worship me? Will they understand I am trying to end the outbreak, the virulence?

And then, end scene. The recording stopped, with Luria waiting a couple heartbeats after the final words ... where the visual replay would loop back to the start. Anyone who would be within sight of the totems would be able to see it, multiple times through ... thus elevating the potential for them to get the full sense of the words, hearing them again. And, due to the deific ability, my words would translate as well into any and every language spoken upon the world, wherever someone would be to see it and hear it.

I wipe my eyes, and consider. I exhale softly. Now it's Luria's turn ― embed this video captured into each device, then place them into the world, set on automated replay. Oh, how I would wish to see it as the mortals will, for the first time. I know so very few of the people within the world; but already the ache within my stomach is growing to epic proportions, but it's also time to initiate 'the change'.

PoV: Samiel.

What is ... why am I so ... hungry hot tired burning freezing what why??

I don't know why Indra doesn't know what's going on with me. I feel so many things and just want my David back here ...

... but I'm feeling so weak ... I ... I'm ... fading.

Eyes. So, so heavy. I've been coughing sneezing and vomiting. I'm so far beyond being able to care for myself and even Indra is ... what, where ... where did she go?

... oh. She's sick, too-

-well I guess, David isn't coming for me, is he-

PoV: Regent Baccen.

"Hmm. So this 'goblin king' still will not speak."

"Y, yes, sire."

The monster held within this cell sat on the floor, eyes doing nothing but staying closed; its raspy breath slow, hesitating. As opposed to me ― also calm, but clearly observing this beast in its constrained state.

My assistant, Mirika, is clearly scared ... though I could laugh at her, because: we're the safest we could ever be. No; this goblin thing could do no harm to us, now. We have it; we have the way to take apart and analyze this beast, to learn its secrets, to undo the very nature of all goblins too.

... it will be my greatest accomplishment, my grandest offering to the world of discovery and learning and thought. A treatise on 'Do Goblins Have A Soul'.

Mirika held her writing board and bundle of papers, at the ready to show me her 'observations'. Clearly, a lot of empty papers, only repeated notes on 'still no movement'.

So now, I turn my attention back to this thing. This ... 'beast'. It's been turned to one side, so as to not have to watch whoever is watching it. Still ... I have a few tricks ... the magic of analysis, the magic of translation, the magic of linguistic gifting-

With a sly grin, I drop to a crouch ― left fist and right knee touching ground. I start with a subtle rumbly growl, extending a certain magic, and then ... I speak.

"Goblin king, dumb monster."

Aah ― its head shuddered at last, at its recognition of what was spoke. Only, just as quick, this interest faded ― or, it was feigning disinterest?

Oh but that would imply ... some ... some intellect, within this beast. No; we know, goblins of any rank or ability is still ... just so stupid. Yet it's fun for me, to have this chance to poke at the beast.

"Monster."

"... what ... you want ... human."

My grin grows. Yes, it speaks. Let's see if it can hold a conversation, for a bit. Just a bit more. Eh ... well it couldn't hurt anything. Right?