Amdirlain’s PoV - Deep Space
When Amdirlain arrived, the chain reaction within the sun had the mass shifting through hues towards Gideon’s predicted whitish-blue. She settled in a spot she calculated would be a suitable distance from the fierce sun for an Earth-like planet and adjusted her momentum so she began orbiting it. The target point for the first planetary core was eighty thousand kilometres inside her orbit. Within minutes, mega tonnes of a ferrous planetary core spun about beneath her, steadily increasing in mass even as they orbited the sun. As she added more layers, the gravitational forces involved liquified the interior. The increased accuracy of her senses allowed her to determine how to smooth out the energy patterns of the material creation.
The increasing pressures heated the core, and the blend of metals caused temperature variations throughout the sphere. The first fractures resounded like a strike across an overstretched drum skin, and cracks ran from the core to the outer surface. She took in the changes even as additional layers formed, studying the spread as the pressure increased.
A serene elven male with white hair appeared, dressed in a loose grey shirt and pants, floating there with his white wings faded from view. The sober tones within his form made it clear who had come calling. Amdirlain set a bubble around them and filled it with an atmosphere, not wanting to project mentally.
“Eleftherios. I wasn’t expecting a visit,” said Amdirlain.
“Amdirlain, I’m glad to see you again.”
“Did I overstep myself by asking you to witness Nazha’s agreement?”
“No, you didn’t. Your isolated presence allowed me to call upon you,” Eleftherios explained. “Custodian has spoken to me about your visits. I was envious of their opportunities.”
“Have you recovered from your time in the Necropolis?”
Eleftherios smiled, and the projected serenity shone in his gaze. “I have indeed, though your Patér has kept me rightly restricted because of my flaunting the rules with the Greek Gods. I’m not here to speak to you about Nazha.”
Well, I proposed the use of the term Patér.
“I hope you’re not here to play games.”
He spread his arms apologetically, his serenity tinged with disappointment. “I’m not my sister. I’m here to convey to you the congratulations of a few of us on your marriage. You and Sarah fit well together, and it brings us happiness that you’ve finally found each other. Your marriage even gives me leeway to provide modestly requested aid.”
“Really?”
“Wedding gifts are within the rules. Though I’ll let you know if any request is at odds with other restrictions.”
Only a few? Do the others not approve, or is it not within their understanding as aspects?
“That’s it?” asked Amdirlain, trying to restrain her suspicion.
“Believe it or not, that’s all.” Eleftherios sighed sadly. “My sister’s behaviour saddens me, but we’re not allowed to fight directly.”
He turned his attention to the metal sphere she’d created, with the fracturing lines starting to show through the outer layer. “Are you worried about the fractures?”
It is an uncomfortable subject; I’ll let him change topics.
“Why do you ask?”
“You were frowning at the metal sphere when I arrived,” noted Eleftherios. “Or was there something else bothering you?”
“I’ve not made a planet from scratch before. The mix of metals in the core causes it to heat unevenly, and I’m not sure of the best approach.”
Eleftherios nodded understandingly. “The work in the forge differs from this. We prepare the concept models and then put them in place. After that, it’s up to the realm’s energy to manifest the model into reality, and it all happens simultaneously.”
“Darn, I guess that means no practical tips are available from the forge room,” Amdirlain sighed. “I was trying to avoid bothering Gilorn.”
“Here you have a place to experiment,” offered Eleftherios. His expansive gesture made it clear he meant more than orbits around the new sun.
“But limited time. Though sometimes I need to be alone, I’d prefer to spend more of it with Sarah.”
“You could restructure the generated mass,” noted Eleftherios. “The focused heat of those initial fractures probably contribute to setting the divisions of the initial continental landmass.”
Understanding of her inexpiable concerns bloomed, and Amdirlain nodded. “Okay. That’s why they made me cautious. The fracture pattern was wrong for duplicating Vehtë, and I’d been thinking about what was required for an Earth-like world.”
“Given the end state of the core, worrying about it at this point is strange,” observed Eleftherios.
“Yep, it felt weird being concerned about the fractures when I knew the entire core would become molten.”
Eleftherios motioned to the planet. “Might I ask why you didn’t want to contact Gilorn? I heard things between you were good.”
“I just needed some solitude, and I’m trying to make better sense of old memories and feelings rather than asking for explanations,” clarified Amdirlain. “Never mind this. I’ll think about it and finish it later. Can you tell me about the deep planes?”
“What did you need to know? Gideon mentioned you have the path to the wound.”
“Yes, but I’d like more details about those planes to avoid unnecessary danger,” replied Amdirlain, and she offered him a memory crystal.
“I’ll need more than one.”
As she created more, he plucked the crystal from her palm, its interior humming with the flood of information. He exchanged seventy crystals with her before he stopped.
“I hope you’re not getting yourself in more trouble.”
“I’m not Gideon, so I don’t have the same rules about the knowledge I can share with those outside the forge,” said Eleftherios. “It’s other rules that I get in trouble for skirting.”
Amdirlain hefted the last memory crystal. “Will I get you in trouble if I share this information with anyone else?”
Eleftherios shrugged. “It’s not information that anyone sane will wish to possess. Primal beings control the deep planes, and those going there do so at their own risk. Most would die even with that information to guide their steps.”
“How many planes down did you fight, Leviathan?”
“Sixteen, but I can provide you with knowledge of more planes, as things die everywhere,” replied Eleftherios, nodding at the crystals. “That information and what you took from the destroyed sisters should see you to the wound. That you knew the path already lets me share far more detail than you need, but perhaps it will keep you from dangerously indulging your curiosity.”
“What would you like for this information?”
“It’s a wedding gift, Amdirlain, though you could indulge me and find what makes you happy. Ori always handled what was necessary, no matter how she felt, and that contributed to her death. Love your life instead,” replied Eleftherios, and then he vanished.
A scan of the first crystal showed some overlapping details that Amdirlain had already learned, yet others diverged considerably. Storing them all away, she returned to singing with a renewed determination to push her limits. The atmospheric bubble she’d kept in place prevented the flowing blood from freezing in the depths of space. It took nearly a day before she was to the point of forming the planetary crust. As the bedrock formed, the molten material rising through the fractures caused the crust to bulge into mountain ranges and erupting volcanoes.
Gilorn appeared beside her in her usual floor harp form and hummed approvingly. “Best to add the tilt now. Are you planning to add a moon?”
Were her strings burning?
“It should have one, given the effect of tidal forces on living organisms.”
“I’ll work on it. Do you want a moon that matches Vehtë’s? Or something more in line with most worlds?”
Amdirlain calculated options and finally nodded. “Yes, please. However, I’m not creating any biomes yet. I want to plan them out.”
Though she gave a sad run of notes, Gilorn started on the moon’s core.
Before she finished the bedrock, Amdirlain tilted the planetary axis by fifteen degrees. She considered the wobble of the molten core and the ripple of new mountain ranges as additional fractures formed.
“Form the atmospheric mix you want. Then, let the planetary rotation and the moon handle the formation of the air currents while you put the oceans in place. After that, set sterile topsoil in place, and then you can see how far the winds will carry it,” instructed Gilorn.
“What made you decide to drop by?”
“Ebusuku advised me about a stupid God playing games with you.” Gilorn chimed tightly.
“Yes,” Amdirlain admitted. “Do you want to see what you make of the material?”
“Since a high-tier Primordial being from another realm made it, I doubt there is anything I can do to touch it,” said Gilorn. “I mean, I can examine it, but don’t get your hopes up.”
“I won’t, but you might have insights into it.” Amdirlain held out her hands to Gilorn and activated Universal Life.
Gilorn was silent initially but tried a few probing melodies, only for the Primordial material that now encapsulated Amdirlain’s Soul to absorb the energy or send the notes slipping away.
“I could keep experimenting,” offered Gilorn.
“You could, but you’re getting the same results as I’ve had,” replied Amdirlain.
“At least it’s consistent,” sighed Gilorn. “I can hear the ongoing battle. Despite the pressure it’s applying, there is a stalemate between you and the material.”
“I’m a touch stubborn.”
Gilorn emitted a bright run of giggling notes, luring an amused snort from Amdirlain.
“What brought you by?” asked Amdirlain.
“I wouldn’t have bothered you, but I checked here and found the changes. I had just intended to see if you’d progressed the stellar mass before working on the nebulae I’m forming.”
“Instead, you got a surprise.”
“Indeed, but it's an incomplete one at present. Are you sure you don’t want to finish the planet off?” questioned Gilorn playfully.
Amdirlain opened her mouth to protest, only to groan at the temptation. “Let me check if I’ve got a new Class on offer after my recent changes.”
The list of classes she had access to now exceeded seven hundred entries, but two caught her eye.
Laurelin means ‘song of gold’ in elven. Lindëlírë means ‘singing bird’. Are you kidding there, Gideon? That is nearly a target on my back, except the elven word has other implications.
Not bothering with the requirements that had unlocked it, Amdirlain focused on the growth it would provide
[Laurelin
Enhances the possibility of acquiring significant insights into True Song and all its related powers and skills.
Attribute adjustments
+ 6 Intelligence per Level.
+ 6 Willpower per Level.
+ 6 Endurance per Level.
+ 10 Magic per Level.
+ 0.5 Melee Attack Power per Level.
+ 2 Defence per Level.
+ 8 Free Attribute Points every four levels post level 22.
+2 Knowledge Points per Level.
+ 20 health per Level.
Powers unlocked:
- Reality Adaption (Obsolete because of Phoenix’s Symphony)
Note: Spoilsport, I had a nice waffling description written for them, and you go: ‘Show me the money’. You’d unlocked these while singing through the pain caused by the material clashing with your Soul.]
[Lindëlírë
Enhances the possibility of acquiring significant insights into True Song and all its related powers and skills.
Attribute adjustments:
+ 9 Intelligence per Level.
+ 9 Endurance per Level.
+ 10 Magic per Level.
+ 1 Melee Attack Power per Level
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
+ 1 Defence per Level.
+ 8 Free Attribute Points every four levels post level 22.
+2 Knowledge Points per Level
+ 20 health per Level.
Powers unlocked:
- Muse’s Embrace (Upgrades Muse’s Insight)
Note: After all the insights you’ve given others, some aspects instructed me to include this in one of your classes. I added it here since you had already progressed past the Power upgrades this unlocked.]
[Muse’s Embrace:
Details: Allows the possessor to extend their Charisma to inspire groups and, to a lesser extent, themselves in creative or artistic endeavours.
Note: No need to touch people’s minds to help them out anymore.]
I’d still have space for a new Wizard and psion classes later and perhaps get an interesting T7. The boosts to magic rating would help Wizard, and the boosts to Intelligence would help psion. I could take Anarch already.
“I can provide you with some suitable music,” offered Gilorn.
“Gilorn, if the experience is on par with the planet we brought back to life with the Lómë, that would mean roughly three hundred eighty trillion experience,” protested Amdirlain.
Gilorn’s entire frame blazed with shooting stars. “Lots of growing.”
“Enthusiast.” laughed Amdirlain. “I’ve been trying to control my level progression to give my powers and skills time to grow.”
“Then let your species have the experience. It will increase the magic you can channel and boost your robustness,” argued Gilorn. “You might wish to be more physically capable before going near any of those deities again.”
Amdirlain bit the inside of her mouth; the memory of Nazha’s blinding speed mocked her. “You have an excellent point.”
“Of course,” Gilorn said. “Oh, I’m not contributing to the effort other than providing the songs. It won’t help me grow, but the experience will significantly help you.”
“Will you help me with some preparations first? I mean, besides the music,” Amdirlain hurriedly clarified. “I want to reinforce one of my affinities.”
“Which one?” asked Gilorn cautiously.
“Primordial.”
The tension left Gilorn in a burst. “How suitable. The flames of creation burn through you already, so I’m surprised you didn’t already have it.”
“I’ve been holding back,” Amdirlain sighed. “My rude surprise at Silver Lake was a kick in the bum, so I’m going to make some changes.”
“While there are some demigods you could already crush, it’s hardly fair to compare yourself to a mid-tier Primordial.”
I keep putting off dealing with Balnérith, aka Valatë.
Amdirlain frowned. “There are many things in the deeper planes stronger than demigods. That can wait for now. What I need is some information.”
“About?” hummed Gilorn curiously.
“Have you been to the universe’s centre?”
“Yes, there are clusters of black holes that outmass galaxies. Ori never explained why she tied up so much matter.”
They’re a doorstop and a gravitational locus for the galaxies, mirroring the spire on the Material Plane. Is it possible that the conduit to the old realm still exists?
“Can you transport us close and keep us beyond their event horizon?”
The quick run of notes conveyed the location and, after a few adjustments, the surrounding blackness shifted. Dozens of black holes lay ahead, each with a boundary halo of light squeezed flat, showing their event horizons. They were more significant than the memories that Amdirlain had retrieved, the pressure of each distorted time. Amdirlain's attempts to find a path bore no fruit, so she tried the spatial coordinates she vaguely remembered, and the scrying pane targeted a churning whirlpool of energies with the black holes keeping pressure on a conduit. The effect kept the entrance that had once been light-years across squeezed tight, resembling an inward belly button on the realm’s skin, but she could hear the passage beyond the irises.
“There is still a path?” gasped Gilorn.
“The realms were pressed tight against each other when the spike lanced between them. The impact through the boundary of the two realms distorted it.” Amdirlain sighed. “It became a conceptual link between them. With this realm initially empty and that place collapsing, the energy and matter spilled from it into this realm and was used to ignite the planar framework. It is complicated, especially considering the differing temporal paces between the realms. When most of its energy and matter had spilled into this one, the motion threatened to reverse, so Ori created the sphere of black holes around to act as a syphon.”
“Instead, the passage sealed?”
“Eventually, but it’s only sealed because of the constant pressure.”
An experiment showed her beyond the constriction. Pressures within and without eroded and weakened the conduit walls, and the distortion of Far Chaos rippled just beyond the thinned barrier.
“Do you think we could use the constriction of the iris to seal it permanently?”
Gilorn thrummed thoughtfully. “It would be worth a try. Why?”
“The experimenting I tried with severing a summoning conduit. That path between realms has a similarity to them.” Amdirlain created an illusion of two spheres linked by a thick cord compressed to a hairbreadth at one end. She tied two spots in that narrowed section before cutting between the knots. A plate appeared to hold the cord against the surface of the realm as it melded together with the boundary.
“Oh. The pressure of the Far Chaos will keep it in place, and the temporal distortion from the black holes will slow any issues.”
“The highest risk is to the farside as I can’t put an extra seal on it. Let’s see what’s there first.”
She sent the focal point out of the conduit into the remains of a dying realm. Entropy and decay had shattered its reality; wherever she looked, gaps between planes showed; the jagged edges of the fractures continually hemorrhaged.
Though her viewpoint continued out into the foreign realm, her True Song didn’t waver, allowing her to explore the mess of its dying planes. Among the echoes of dead stars, she caught hints of shattered planets, their death knells having echoed for billions of years before the realms were linked. The wavefronts told the tales of their perishing in the expansion of stars or being ripped apart by black holes native to the realm.
“This is what she’s been looking to get back to?” Gilorn hummed in disbelief.
Amdirlain shuddered at the thought of being caught in the dying place. She smiled coldly. “I think I’m going to give her what she wants.”
“Be careful what you wish for?” asked Gilorn, and she returned them to the new planet’s orbit.
“Indeed! First, I’ll get a bit stronger. I’ll tell Sarah I won’t be back immediately, and then we’ll get to work with an affinity. If I can get four classes I’m happy with, we’ll create the biomes.”
“Hurray! I’ve got some suitable songs on hand.”
“If!” Amdirlain interjected. ”So hold up and listen.”
She instructed her about the required energy sources and the variation involved. The memories she’d gained from helping the Blazing Portal’s owner and Tulne’s experiences with Spatial and Gravity guided her. As Gilorn ignited various fonts of Primordial flame, Amdirlain activated her aura. Following the same meditative ritual Tulne had devised, Amdirlain harnessed Phoenix’s Symphony to delve further into the internal and external Primordial sources. With it clashing with all her other affinities, especially destruction, it took a full day before the required understanding of it clicked.
[Achievement: Creation’s flame
Details: You’ve enhanced your affinity with the power of creation.
Classes Unlocked:
- Primordial Adept
- Primordial Locus.]
I know about the adept variants of the Wizard Class, but what’s the deal with the locus option?
[Primordial Locus
Details:
Requirements
- Mana Mastery
- Magic rating over 20,000
Increased chance of gaining significant insights into arcane subjects, especially those involving spells or rituals using the Primordial Affinity.
Attribute adjustments:
+6 Intelligence per Level.
+6 Magic per Level.
+ 0.5 Melee Attack Power per Level.
+1 Defence per Level.
+2 Skill points per Level.
+2 Knowledge points per Level.
+10 Health per Level.
+20 Mana Pool per Level.
Powers unlocked:
- Mana Font.]
What is that Power?
[Mana Font:
Details: Allows an individual to generate Mana internally, thus removing the need to absorb it from the environment and risk contaminated sources. Though it initially only provides a small fraction of one’s magic rating daily, each tier significantly increases the Mana generated by each level in the Power.]
“And?” prompted Gilorn eagerly
I qualify for Anarch, so why not? Two True Song classes, one Wizard and one psionic Class, and the last focuses on shaping Chaos.
“Yes. I’ve four available that I’ll take.” Amdirlain allowed.
Yeah. I’ll need to make the Mana Font progress as fast as possible.
Acquire Laurelin.
Acquire Lindëlírë.
Acquire Primordial Locus.
Acquire Anarch.
She felt the classes settle into place and listened to the powers as a brief notification confirmed their presence.
[Reality Adaption [1] absorbed into Phoenix’s Symphony [G] (329)
Muse’s Insight [G] (1) evolved into Muse’s Embrace [G] (1)
Mana Font Unlocked!
Mana Font (1)]
I'll direct the experience from the biomes purely into Empress Malfex, so I’ve got a higher Magic rating for the following pieces of work.
The blaze of Phoenix’s Symphony provided an amplifier that entwined itself with the music for the planet. The process she’d first undertaken with the Lómë’s support proceeded at a breakneck pace, and the energy within the blaze-healed flesh competed with the effort of the drumming beats that swept across the planet. Adjustments to layers of rock and soil settled in place and, with a proper chemical balance established, the foundations of life followed. After she’d settled the microbes and microfauna across the planet, she skipped between each biome, creating the insects and prey animals first, working her way up. As life around the globe stirred, she triggered the ley lines to carry Mana around the planet.
[Crafting Summary: Planetary Biomes
Complete bio-system x1
Total Experience gained: 382,367,179,530
Empress Malfex: +382,367,179,530
Empress Malfex Levelled Up! x114
Phoenix’s Symphony [G] (329->330)
True Song Genesis-Lord [G] (90->92)]
The surge of experience sang through Amdirlain’s form, but it didn’t evoke the same pain she’d experienced. Instead, obsidian feathers across her True Form filled out, and the destructive energies within her wings intensified.
Within their stone wombs, the first dwarves opened their eyes and broke free. Cognitive and aware, they had memories of lessons in the fundamentals of mining and metalwork, along with Moradin’s Pantheon. A stock of souls who’d finished progressing through Atonement’s treatment occupied the bodies.
[Achievement: Songbird
Details: This Tier 7 achievement is rewarded for creating a habitable system with a sapient native species.
Rewards:
- T7 Prestige Classes unlocked: Songbird.
- 2,000,000,000
- Increases to True Song Genesis-Lord
True Song Genesis-Lord [G] (92->108)
Physical Geography [S] (171->175)
Planetary Biome [G] (1->2)
Stellar Engineering [Ad] (50) -> [M] (10)]
Beyond the simple notification, she felt a nudge against her mind; then snippets she learned echoed against memories that roiled up from her Soul.
Amdirlain patiently waited for the sensation to settle, absorbing the details she recalled and using them to nudge more memories free from her time creating worlds with the Anar. Those that came forward weren’t the later lonely days but those at the start of their existence when each world was a new adventure. Though Ori knew each of them inside out, she listened and considered their thoughts, the discussion inspiring ideas she used to tweak her plans for future worlds. The melody Gilorn had provided for this world came from a combination of dozens of worlds that washed among the mix.
When the last of the rush settled, Amdirlain nodded thankfully to Gilorn. “I appreciate your help, Gilorn.”
“Anytime, Amdirlain,” chimed Gilorn. “I’ve been keeping the Lómë busy, repairing the damaged worlds. What did you plan to do about the one that he has populated with his undead and demons?”
Sage found more, but I didn't update Gilorn. There is one thing I could do to Orcus’s largest stronghold world.
Her initial response died on Amdirlain’s tongue, and her gaze lit up with anticipation. “This is an idea from my concern about fractures in the core when I started to create that new world. However, before I explain my idea, do you know if uneven core heating is a concern?”
“The gravitational pressures can cause an uneven heating depending on how well you mix the core’s metal content,” noted Gilorn. “It’s not an issue unless the core destabilises, and the sour notes give plenty of notice to correct.”
“Thanks, I got worried about it. Now for my idea. I’m going to destroy a planetary core. You can come along if you’d like and even conduct when I make the replacement world.”
“You’re going to what?” Gilorn cheered. “You initially wanted to avoid the experience surge of the last one, but now you want to do more?”
“In for a penny, in for a pound. After I do a Krypton and create the replacement world, you and the Lómë can handle the biomes.”
Gilorn let out a run of sharp notes in protest. “Please don’t use cultural references I cannot understand. Abdicating the work to me is disappointing, Amdirlain. You should also take the experience from creating the living zones of this world.”
“Come on. There are so many demons on this world I’m going to get planets worth of experience.”
Amdirlain relocated them both into a trailing orbit behind a world that served as a stronghold for Orcus. Extending her senses to encapsulate the world, she reexamined the gates into the Abyss that stretched across Orcus’s territory and set some planar beacons in place. The mortals across the globe were long cursed into an undead state, and she snipped the curses that held them in place. Beyond the perception of the demons worldwide, she enclosed the world in a gravitational shield to minimise the flow-on effects of what she was about to do.
I’ll still need to adjust their orbits because of the changes the world's brief absence will cause.
“I’ll give you the song for phase two.” Amdirlain nodded toward the world. “I’ll get the experience for the initial kills. They’ll then reform on their Home Plane and you’ll get the experience from destroying them, plus whatever demons and undead are close enough.”
“Okay.”
After sharing the melodies and planar locations, she got to work. As the first tendril of her song touched the core and opened a wormhole, the planet’s magnetic field reversed. Continents buckled, and shifts in tectonic plates caused eruptions worldwide. Then, Amdirlain widened the wormhole that led to the black holes at the universe’s centre. The force ripped the planet through the conduit like a child sucking up soda, crushing it and the demons on it into a paste. As hosts of demons perished, Gilorn tweaked their retreating songs, causing their reformation on their Home Plane to occur close to the planar beacons Amdirlain had set in place.
When the shielding started to fail, Amdirlain closed the wormhole and considered the experience notification from killing the demons. After seeing the final tally, she was doubly glad she’d let Gilorn handle their destruction.
[Combat Summary
Demons by Tier
Least x 2,659,549,638
Lesser x 1,654,830,887
Standard x 342,336,949
Greater x 1,288,247
Named x 92,345
Undead x 39,990,181
Total Experience gained: 9,266,220,884,075
Empress Malfex: +1,853,244,176,815
Empress Malfex Levelled Up! x42
Laurelin: +1,853,244,176,815
Laurelin Levelled Up! x212
Lindëlírë: +1,853,244,176,815
Lindëlírë Levelled Up! x212
Primordial Locus: +1,853,244,176,815
Primordial Locus Levelled Up! x212
Anarch: +1,853,244,176,815
Anarch Levelled Up! x212]
[Achievement: Wrecking Ball!
Details: You’ve destroyed a world. Congratulations!
Reward: Lots of experience from demons is enough.
Note: I know that place sucked, but still.]
Gideon, I didn’t destroy it—I just creatively moved it. All the mass still exists, and the planet was long dead.
Ignoring the Achievement title, Amdirlain continued her work—gravitational pulses with the shattered remains of the planet’s pulverised demonic flesh.
“How many more of these does he have?” Gilorn asked as she continued her part.
“Four that Sage has found out about so far,” advised Amdirlain. “The memorial he found wasn’t the full extent of the Demon Lord’s depredations. The universe is a big place, and he’s found many stupid people to trust his promises of ‘immortality’ over the aeons.”
Her scrying showed billions of demons appearing across the abyssal landscape, spat out by rifts. Their bodies reformed, with planar locks constricting their energies. The more intelligent looked at those appearing nearby, confused at how demons they knew from the stronghold would spawn so close to them across an infinite plane. Above them, millions of blue gates opened, spreading across the black, sunless sky and, for the first time, the place saw a shining light illuminating the broken and bone-covered landscape. The plunging water released waves of steam as it hit the Abyss’ air, but countless mega-litres of celestial water smashed down. Orcus’s Plane bucked at the clash of opposing energies; earthquakes and a cascade of explosions flattened countless buildings and annihilated hordes. Among them, hordes of undead exploded, and the magic binding their souls shattered, releasing them to their ultimate fate.
Amdirlain heard the very Plane scream pitifully, and her mouth twisted sourly. “The Abyss didn’t like that trick. I’d better be more surgical in the future. I should have saved it to dump the water on his main castle.”
The mass of experience washed through Gilorn, and her levels increased, the thrum pulsing through every thread of energy within her.
“Now for Balnérith?” asked Gilorn eagerly.
Her sour expression turned into a vicious smile. “Shortly. First, I’ll recreate the foundations of that world, and we'll decide on the plan.”