Chapter 0

The dying goddess hurriedly worked on her final creation, she was already fading. She had forgotten her name, her past, even her exact abilities, but it didn't matter. She was still able to understand that her final creation would be able to protect the final remnants of the mortal civilizations. She gave the hive mind like fungus the ability to clone new hosts in womb like pods, she gave it the ability to alter the DNA of its clones to create hybrids, and she made absolutely certain that it would be sapient so it could properly follow her orders. 

If the other gods were still alive, then she would have been executed for creating such an unbound creation, but they were all dead, some of them that had lasted longer had even given their remaining power and strength to finish her creation.

The reason for the creation is simple, the mortal races are going extinct, and with them, the gods that fed on their prayer and devotion. This creation won't save the current gods, but it can save the mortals, meaning that future gods will survive as well. 

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She's slipping now, her last worshipers slowly dying from the poison they had ingested to avoid being ripped apart by the Stone ants burrowing in. 

The finishing touches are being done now, making it able to absorb magic affinities from DNA to add to its creations, she breathes life into the small fungal mass, it wobbles slightly, she feels it reach out to her, clumsy and innocent like a newborn, she wept as she knew this final child of hers would most likely know nothing but blood and war, its tendrils gently wrapping around the cupped hands she held it in.

“Mother?” it asks, so innocently, she dries her tears to give it her one command, and the rules for this being existence 

“My child, my Sentinel… the world I've brought you into is broken and dying, I'm so sorry but the task of saving it falls to you. My child…” I inscribe my next words into its very soul.

“You must follow these three rules absolutely.

.1 Prevent the extinction of the mortal races by any means necessary.

.2 Do not intervene in their affairs unless absolutely necessary.

.3 One race can be sacrificed to save others.”

With those final words, the fungal hive mind, her sentinel, was cast to the mortal world, she was sure to drop it at a sight of a battle a few days old, so it may learn the genomes of the slain creatures there. 

And with a final breath, Atia, goddess of nature faded into oblivion, still feeling remorse for sending her creation to the mortal world while it was still in its infancy.