EPISODE 77: A DEMIGOD

— Edryan Queendom. Year: 7291. Season Color Fading.

“ (Dominion: Illusion Dispel) ”

What does it mean to be a demigod? I asked myself as I gazed around. My mouth dried at the scene before me, and what I thought I knew about the power system in the Elrunian Realm shifted once again. Upon one shoulder was Minerva and upon the right was Kubrat the Demigoddess of Illusion .

Next to me was Alexandria and Ameri in the exact state I remembered them in before we entered Star-glow Valley. In fact, before us was Thraag, alongside Councilman Jahman, and finally Laia… only something was different. Something didn’t seem right as my eyes tried to focus.

In front of me was Laura with the same pissed-off body language I remembered her to be in as she tried to kill Jahman.

“ You mean… ,” Minerva began.

“…that it was all an illusion,” I finished. My mouth felt insanely dry, and my body was weak. I took a step forward and collapsed to my knees. My eyes suddenly focused, and it was only now I noticed the strange plants on the ground. Magenta colored vines sprouting flowers entangled everyone . These flowers looked exactly like lilacs and held black and white stems with magenta colored leaves sprouting. Every few seconds, the wind would pass and the scent of lilac and lilies would spread as the black pollen filled the air. They seemed to sprout on everything , which serve to further their proliferation. I tugged on one attached over my helm to no avail. Kubrat floated from my shoulder and flew in front of my face.

HP^2: 100/1350 (+0) SP^2: 100/1350 (+0) MP^2: 100/1920 (+0)

“Relax,” Kubrat began, but I barely heard her. My mind focused on one of my several spatial rings and several bottles dropped from it. Minerva dropped to the ground as she fell into a {Weakened} state.

Status Effect: De-buff
Name:	Weakened
Description:	Your body feels soft, and no strength can muster from your arms? Yup, you’re Weakened.
Function:	-80% to all attributes. 35% to all regenerations.

“What… are… you…?”

My voice was gravely, and the words croaked out at barely a whisper. My fingers shook as I grasped the heavily glowing bottle. A potion of the highest grade. Kubrat laughed, a giggle that rose in pitch and sounded deranged.

“Have I not been telling you?” She flew over and grasped the bottle I was struggling to open, her chibi hands unclogging the stopper with a loud pop. She snapped, and my helmet turned into snakes before reforming on the ground. She raised the bottle up to my lips and I drank, golden liquid slid down my throat and vitality and more filled my body.

HP^2: 1350/1350 (+0) SP^2: 1350/1350 (+0) MP^2: 1920/1920 (+0)

You have dispelled {Weakness}.

“The draw upon you was stronger as I interacted with you the most,” Kubrat spoke, but I paid her no mind.
‎ Without hesitating, I moved to help Minerva. Uncorking another one of the [Elixir of Life] vials and carefully feeding her. She recovered with the same burst of strength I did and flew back to my shoulder, glaring at Kubrat.

Status Effect: Buff
Name:	Elixir of Life
Description:	Crafted with water from Heaven’s Fall and other legendary components, the Elixir of Life can cure all aliments of the mortal level.
Function:	Fully return the user to maximum Life Points and disperse all aliments mortal grade.

“ What do you want with us ,” Minerva question. Anger in her voice as she tightly perched on my shoulder.

A small smile showed on my face at the words of Minerva and her attitude that expressed much of what I was feeling. As I regained myself, I studied my surroundings in horror. The entire valley was covered in magenta vines with flowers sprouting from them. Occasionally, the flowers would shake and release a burst of pollen into the air. Each of these vines pulsated like a slow heartbeat, and the ground rumbled.

Chibi Kubrat sighed. “I don’t want anything from you . I only wished to test your character, but it doesn’t matter. I couldn’t kill you even if I wanted too…” Kubrat paused here and glanced strangely at the core of my chest before she continued. “…after all… She is present.”

My face showed a confused expression, and the ground continued to shake. I watched the illusion of Kubrat carefully. I’d never been in such a situation before, and I honestly found myself lost at what to do… That had never happened, that feeling of loss… Not like this.

CRACK.

THRRRUM.

CRACK.

The ground shifted and cracked before me. An explosion of colors erupted and a flower bud, a lilac , emerged from the ground. Its color was black and white, yet every color of the rainbow seemed to emerge from it. Slowly…, carefully, the flower unwrapped to reveal a young-looking magi. She held so many similarities with the Kubrat I originally saw, yet she was so much more . There weren’t words to describe her but strangely the presence, the surrounding aura wasn’t yet beyond what I could comprehend. Although it felt ancient, her aura seemed to be lacking some thing . Regardless, the pressure that emerged from the being before me made me use every ounce of strength not to kneel.

She was dressed in a loose fitting robe. It seemed like the slightest movement would expose a part of her body to the world. Her feet were bare, nails painted magenta as it matched the color of her lips. The wide-brim witch's hat remained, and her gaze seemed to see through me and into my very soul itself.

“ I do hope this is the last time I must do this, but for your sake… I Am The Demigoddess of Illusion — Kubrat, Seeker of the Truth! ”

With each syllable spoken, and each word uttered, I lowered. My body lowered and bowed, not by my accord, but by the world itself. The very world was telling me to bow. It wasn’t until my necklace let out a soft glow that I was able to regain my footing. Demigoddess Kubrat’s voice was deep. If I could only use one word to describe it then it would be resolved .

“ Your Mother Loves You Very… Very Much. Such An Interesting… Necklace. ”

I narrowed my eyes, I’d read the functions of [A Mother’s Gift] and it was powerful yes, but to repeatedly challenge a demigod’s might was something beyond my expectations.

“What do-“

“ Huuuuh, I tire of this game. What do you want with my [Chosen]… Demigoddess of Illusions? ”

A… Voice…

A… Presence…

A… Concept…

A… Will…

A… Goddess spoke… my Goddess spoke… and the world paused and listened.

The rustling wind that blew continuously, spreading Kubrat’s pollen, dispersed as if it were the figments of imagination. The languidly sitting demigoddess drew up straight as her presence became diminished by another. Her eyes widened and flickered with emotions too fast for me to see. I understood what was missing from Kubrat. What that some thing that lacked from her presence was.

“ Divinity… how majestic ,” Kubrat whispered. Her eyes shined like starlight and I swallowed deeply, throat dry once again as the demigoddess gazed at me. No, her gaze was not on me, but it was on Her .

Like a trick of the light, she was before me… standing there as none within the world were wiser. Goddess Madris hadn’t changed since I last saw her. This was not her incarnation of Wealth who helped bring Nubia to life. This was… [The Sage].

She wore the same maxi dress with a waist belt full of stars that showed off her constellation. Red-gold eyes seemed to piece through anything it gazed upon, and her long ebony-gradient hair fell just past her waist. The style was different from the last. This time she wore what appeared to be faux locs that puffed out like a lion's mane.

‘ That’s not a hairstyle in the Elrunian realm… ’ Minerva whispered.

“ Oh, so you’ve finally figured out which one I am ?” Goddess Madris asked. She hadn’t bothered to turn and look at me, her gaze still focused on the demigoddess before us. Yet, all parties knew who the question was directed at.

“You weren’t just watching anime last I saw you…”

Minerva’s feathers bristled, and I took a step back. A relief I hadn’t expected washed through my body… my soul as the insurance the Goddess held within me vacated it position. Even still, I found myself not put off by the sight of the incarnation of the Goddess. If there was one emotion I felt through all of this, then it was… lost .

Slowly…, carefully, Kubrat removed herself from the giant lilac. She shuddered as she detached from the flower and her bare feet touched the floor.

The incarnation of Goddess Madris watched her the entire time. She didn’t speak, but her posture was relaxed and without a care in the world. It was like the events occurring, our ‘fight’ with the Spatial Convocation, Kubrat’s illusions… her body language showed no hint of interest at all.

The moment Kubrat set gently on the ground, she partially collapsed. A single knee touched the ground. She coughed heavily and the flowers around us shuddered. The vines surrounding her reached forward, but Kubrat brushed them off. Her skin began to pale and grey as she disconnected from her seat of power. During this motion, a piece of her clothing opened and revealed the inside of her robe. My throat tightened and I swallowed hard. There was a ghastly hole in her chest and her heart was missing. Red-black veins spread from the wound and wriggled like worms in the mud. There was a tattoo around it all… a spell carved into Kubrat’s very flesh.

“You’re…”

“ Dead? Yes child, I’ve died long ago… but the Illusion of me hasn’t… and that makes all the difference… ”

Kubrat’s attention returned to Goddess Madris, who seemed to be growing impatient. Her right foot gently lifted and tapped the ground. With each tap, the world seemed to tremble. The stars of the valley flickered in and out. Kubrat’s second knee came down, and I realized her collapse was partly intentional as she next spoke.

“ I, Demigoddess Kubrat, request to join the Pantheon of New Genesis! ”

“ Hmph, and you did all this for my attention? ”

Kubrat stayed silent, but her head bowed and every single magenta colored plant that extended through Starglow Valley and slightly beyond… bowed. They bowed in worship and respect. A familiar bow I’ve watched plenty of magi do when praying to the Goddess.

“ Accompany her to Mount Redcoomshi, if you can ascend once the Game begins, then… ”

The rest was left unsaid as just as she came she disappeared, and I once again felt a familiar presence within my body, mind, and soul. A comfortable weight that seemed to be my own personal connection to Goddess Madris. I sighed, and at the same moment, Kubrat smiled. Her fist clenched and she gently rose with the assistance of her vines. The moment she comfortably settled back into her seat of power, her coloration began to return, and her eyes gently settled on me.

Silently, we stared at one another. This entire thing left me baffled and confused. Yet, through it all, there was one startling thought that continuously flowed through my thoughts.

I need to get stronger.

Kubrat chuckled, seemingly reading my mind once again. “It’s not mind reading, it’s expression reading. Your body language, actions, everything affects it all. I can even generalize what your mind skills are telling you.”

“ You’ve received what you wanted. Now, can you release them ,” Minerva questioned as she raised a wing and pointed toward Laura and the Convocations forces.

Kubrat stared at me for a long moment, not bothering to respond as she gazed deeply into my eyes. It seemed like she was searching for something, and I stared back fearlessly. So many questions were running through my thoughts, yet I didn’t have the faintest clue on where to begin.

Why did Kubrat do all of this… if she only wanted a conversation with Goddess Madris?

Why now?

What does it mean to grasp a domain?

Pressing questions were passed between Minerva and me, but Minerva didn’t have the answers. She’d read plenty of the books stored within my library and the palace, but she’d yet to get into the bulk of the thousands, perhaps millions of books, spells, and skills stored in the several libraries on the palace grounds.

I clenched my fist and a firm resolution settled within me. I thought I provided myself plenty of protection by creating Nubia, yet that was not the case. My connection to my golems remained stagnant and blocked as they stood within their previous positions. My golems were tools and a means to an end, yet it seemed I hadn’t created a tool that fit every situation. My skills, spells, and attributes were all lacking when it compared to the truly strong.

I have to get STRONGER.

Kubrat seemed to find what she was looking for and spoke, “I hope you do not turn out like Alidra Edryani and Carno Edryani…”

As Kubrat spoke, she began to fade. Tiny motes of magenta colored light pulled away and dispersed into the night sky. The sun began to rise outside the valleys grounds as a new day was upon the Elrunian Realm.

“…[Chosen] who failed in their task. Unite the continent, allow the Gods to come under one banner … or all is lost…”

Kubrat sighed and uttered one last sentence. Her gaze was not on me as she spoke.

“…he can’t say I didn’t repay the favor.”

With the final symbol spoken, the Demigoddess of Illusion — Kubrat, Seeker of the Truth… was gone. At the same moment, those who were under the illusion of dropped to the ground. Many voices began groaning all at once, as they came to under much of the same effect I did.

Thraag, Laia, and Jahman dropped from the air. The vines that supported them at the height no longer able to. My mind skills nearly screamed at me, but a new notification paused me in my tracks for a moment before I continued as the voice of Minerva.

Chain Quest: [Born To Be King] (System Generated)
Quest Details:	The Demigoddess Kubrat has left you with cryptic words that lead to a startling ancient history of the Elrunian Realm. Find clues as to who the previous [Chosen of Madris] were.
Rewards:	Titled: Born To Be King
Failure:	Destruction of the Elrunian Realm. WARNING: A time limit of fifty years is in place for this quest.

‘ This is the perfect chance to put an end to all of this. To stop the fight before it can even begin ,’ Minerva exclaimed. ‘We can go over the details of the quest later… ’

“We have to help Laura first! Perhaps she can…”

My voice trailed off as I began to move, mentally apologizing to Ameri and Alexandria as they groaned on the floor. Those questions I held were pushed to the side. Currently, time was dwindling. It’d only take a few moments for all parties to regain their proper functionality.

“(Imperius Combat Arts: Flash Step).”

Within seconds, I was next to Laura. The blonde hair woman groaned groggily, and I pulled another [Elixir of Life] from my ring.

“God’s Below, I have the worst headache right now,” she spoke as I landed next to her.

“Drink this quickly, Thraag and the others are still nearby,” I exclaimed as I shoved the open vial towards her helmed figure.

Laura immediately perked up and reacted accordingly as she pulled out a few potions of her own and tossed them to me. “What happened?”

Laura came to full alertness, and her eyes burned as they stared around at the collapsed figures. I was certain the entire valley and slightly beyond was under the effects of {Weakened} after Kubrat drained us to power her Law.

“We were under the effect of a demigoddess’s power. Hurry, you must capture Thraag,” I said pointing to the trio who were much in the same position as the rest of the valley.

Laura’s eyes turned and focused on Thraag and his companions. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, and she removed the giant battle-ax on her side.

“Feed these to my husbands’! Go!”

I turned and flashed my way to the pair arriving before them as they struggled with vials of their own. Kei’s fingers shook as he repeatedly tried to pry open the bottle. I wondered when was the last time they’d been that weak. For me, it felt like I was back under more ‘human’ limits. However, it was only earlier this year that I began to level up under the system. To them, it’d been decades since they were that weak. I focused on the task, a small amount of relief made its way into me as this would all be over soon. I finished helping Kei and began to move toward Lock, who was a few meters away. Just as I was moving…

My mind… SCREAMED… danger and I felt the activation of the skill, (Party), as Madria appeared before me. It was the same sense I held as a child which saved my life from the [Jackalope – ★ ]. The same innate (Danger Sense) I received in [Tiger’s Den — ★ ★ ★ ] and all other times my life was in danger.

“( Domain Expansion: Space Sunder ).”

She appeared and she dove toward me. It left me confused, but my heart shuddered, and my steps pushed away from my position and toward her.

Time slowed and reality began to shift and bend… I’m not going to make it!

‘ Nubia come! ’

My golems were only just regaining their functions after the departure of Kubrat. I didn’t doubt she’d sucked them nearly dry, seeing as they held powerful mana batteries within their chest. Every pore in my body seemed to be open, and I churned my mana as adrenaline crashed its way through my veins. My eyes met that of Madria… in them was a determination I’d seen plenty of times in her. This time was no different . A willingness to reach out and help me in any way she could.

I HAVE TO GO FASTER, I HAVE TO BE STRONGER !

It wasn’t enough. I wasn’t enough. I didn’t have ENOUGH. Not enough Power to push myself faster. Not enough Vitality for what was to come. I didn’t have enough Endurance to race through this calamity. Nor could the power of my Mind compare to Thraag’s. Not for a second did I believe my Self would defend me. For even my Intent lacked the might to press my will upon the world.

A single skill flashed through my mind, perhaps it could buy me the seconds I needed to push her out of harm’s way. Or at least give me the opportunity to think.

“( A Moment Forever ).”