The Empress, of course, had the ability to help Evin. She was a goddess, after all. Omnipotent and Omniscient. An Overlord above the Four Nations and Twelve Races, unmatched by none under the heavens.
Her single word outweighed the combined wishes and needs of every single being in the world. On the rare occasions when the Empress said something, the citizens of Alvox made sure that . The countries and the people were always happy to hear the goddess’ thoughts. After all, pleasing the Empress was considered the most sacred of achievements that a denizen of Alvox could accomplish. Conversely, anyone who opposed her wishes found themselves the subject of scorn and ridicule, or perhaps even, murder.
How could these people even think of thinking against the Empress, Evin didn’t know. The only thing he was sure of was that if the Empress decided to cull a race to extinction, then it was the race’s fault for existing. A goddess had no faults. What happened to the Dragonshifters was the perfect example of this.
The powerful race of half-dragons thought they were above the Empress’ rule, but they soon learned how wrong they were. A lesson they paid for with their dignity and sanity.
But it wasn’t like the Empress was a bloodthirsty tyrant, or a despot who enforced her rule over everyone. No. It was the complete opposite. Aside from some incidents where she needed to act personally, the Empress rarely ever showed her face to the Empire’s people. She simply resided inside the Black Tower, unbothered by whatever the mortals beneath her were doing.
The people under her, of course, soon got used to these arrangements. As long as they didn’t challenge the Empress’ rule directly, they could literally do whatever the hell they wanted. Apparently, they could even declare themselves a separate Empire, so long as they didn’t bother the Empress herself.
War and massacre occurred between the races and nations, the balance of power inside the Empire shifting with each new day. Even today these struggles continued. As far as Evin was aware, the Western Kingdom was still at war with the Southern Isles, fighting against the Griffins, the Colossi and the Myrmis. Monsters who were exiled to the southern islands, and now were trying to return to the main continent.
Occasionally, the people begged the Empress to take helm over the countries, to set things straight. To bring peace and prosperity to the world of Alvox. According to his father, these incidents usually happened after a great war or some other tragedy caused by the mages.
But the Empress never responded to these calls. She cared not for what the people under her did.
How was one supposed to ask for the help of a goddess in the first place? What did mortals possess to pique the interest of a literal deity?
The answer was obvious. There was nothing.
The Empress did not care for the difficulties and fascinations of mortals. Not to mention the troubles of a random blacksmith’s boy, one hounded by a voice in his head.
So, would the Empress be willing to help out Evin?
No. Of course not.
It wouldn’t even be weird for Evin to die for these actions. There were fanatics who were more than willing to kill some boy for trying to waste the Empress’s time.
‘So, if I meet a mage who could help me, would they be even willing to help me?’ the thought latched onto Evin’s head.
<I keep telling you, Evin. We’re stuck together,> the voice chuckled right after Evin finished thinking about the matter.
It always seemed to know the best timings to speak. Evin sometimes even wondered if it could read his mind, but that did not seem to be the case. He didn’t have a proof for it, but he was fairly sure of it.
<And I’m not trying to brag, but I’m a veeery special being. I’m sure the average mage can’t even grasp my existence, let alone get rid of me. Just look at Leanne, she scoured your head five times while you were asleep, but was she successful in finding me? No? Moreover, even if you manage to meet such a mage, I’m sure they won’t move for you so readily either. They’ll demand a price, one that you probably can’t afford.>
‘I swear to the Empress, I’ll get rid of you one day…’ Evin cursed in his head, ‘I’ll rip you out in the open and feed you to the worms…’
<It’s best for the both of us if we get along. And I know I’ve been acting like an asshole, but there’s a proper reason why I can’t teach you how to cast magic,> the voice chuckled.
“What?”
<I could teach you how I cast using your imagination, but you won’t be able to do it even if I teach exactly what to imagine.>
“You won’t know until you try?” Evin urged.
<Sigh, alright. Gather some Fire energy in your core,> the voice ordered.
A moment later, Evin’s body was feeling comfortably hot, the energies flowing alongside the blood inside his body.
<Now, order it to burn the air.>
Evin tilted his head, but did as the Voice ordered. As he expected, nothing happened. It felt like the Fire energies didn’t even register his command.
“It’s not working.”
<Alright, now pick up that piece of paper and try to burn it.>
Evin tried again, but although he couldn’t quite do it, he could at least feel the fire energies inside him trying this time. They were unsuccessful this time, but he was sure he would be able to eventually.
<You could feel the difference, right? Now tell me what do you think the difference was between the two tries.>
“…”
The Voice continued on, not waiting much for Evin’s answer.
<It’s because you didn’t believe at all that air could burn. I mean, how can air burn on nothing? But paper, those things are so easy to burn, there’s no problem in you believing in it.>
“So I need to believe in it to make it work?” Evin’s forehead wrinkled. “Does that mean that if I just believe in something hard enough, it’s going to work?”
<You’re making it sound like it’s easy, but aren’t you still struggling with it?> A scoff resounded inside Evin’s mind. <Believing in something wholeheartedly is rather hard, you know? Why don’t you believe yourself into becoming a god? With reality surrounding you, what part of your brain would believe that lie?>
“I get it… But does that mean you believe that air burns?”
<I don’t believe in it. I know that it can burn.>
“Huh?”
<I was willing to teach you about it all… but you seem rather distrustful of me, no? I’d rather not waste my time with an unappreciative student. For now, just be happy that I’m willing to cast spells for you.>
“I want to believe you… but are you really saying the truth? You’re not messing with me just for laughs, are you?”
<Tsk, maybe I bullied you a bit too hard? Is it my fault that you don’t trust me at all?>
‘Yes.’
Evin’s head replied immediately, but he didn’t say anything with his mouth yet.
<Whatever. It’s faster to show you anyway. Let me control those energies. I’ll show you how to burn the air.>
Evin nodded. If it was going to show him, then he wasn’t going to complain.
It took some getting used to, ceding control of his mana-core to the Voice, but eventually, they were successful and the Voice started to cast his spell.
<I first order the energies to create a spark of fire in the air through the combustion of oxygen.>
“What’s that?”
<It’s one of the elements that make up breathable air.>
As the voice explained the process, Evin felt the Fire energy piling towards a certain spot in the air and then a spark of fire burst into existence.
<Then, I order the Fire energies to pull the oxygen inside this room towards the fire, which prevents the fire from dying out.>
Just like the voice said, Evin could feel the Fire energies pulling a certain part of the air towards the fire, which seemed to help it burn continuously. The ball of fire floated in the air for about a minute before dying out.
But after it was gone, Evin noticed that something about his body was very off. His head felt sluggish, his breath became short and ragged, and he could feel his chest beating faster and faster. Before he could understand what was happening, the voice's orders came in.
<Go open the window.>
Evin did as it ordered and as he opened the window, he felt a draft of fresh air hitting him all at once. He stood near the window for a few moments, savoring his breaths as the voice explained what happened.
<Oxygen, on top of its ability to burn things, is also what keeps your body functioning normally. So, since I deprived the air here of its oxygen, your brain started shutting off, your body started becoming disoriented; and if it kept happening, your skin would slowly start taking on a pale, bluish hue. Eventually, you'll die as your brain ceases to work. You know how people suffocate to death inside water, right? It's because they lack oxygen,> the voice said and chuckled to itself, <Well, that definitely wouldn't be the least of a drowning man's problems… heh.>
“So this Oxygen… is it a magical element?”
<Mmm~ Yes. You could even say that if there was no oxygen, there would no life on earth.>
Evin started to feel a little better, and he walked back to the corner, away from the hearing device. He gathered some Fire energy inside his mana-core and tried to recreate what the voice did.
He failed, of course, but he could somehow feel the Fire energies being more receptive of his orders. After half an hour of training, he finally managed to create an ember out of thin air. Seeing the Voice making it work as it claimed really helped Evin believe in what he was doing.
<Not bad,> the Voice said. <Since you're still young and more open to new ideas, you'll eventually get the hang of it. And until that point, you can leave casting magic to me.>
"If you could explain everything like this, then why did you have to act so aggressively towards me in the first place?" Evin couldn't help but ask.
In his mind, there really wasn't and reason for him and the voice to argue so heatedly before this, especially if the voice was planning to just explain everything, anyway.
<I get bored inside your empty head. Terrorizing you is the only form of enjoyment I have,> the voice said matter-of-factly.
