[HANNA'S POV]
Ascension dumped me in a field of gold. In all directions, it was all I could see. Above me was a sky of white beautiful clouds hiding the gigantic blazing there. While I didn't bother myself with the little I knew about physics and how such a thing should be impossible I kept returning my mind to just how absurd it all was.
**You Have Arrived**
**Ascension Complete**
**Rewards - True Form Unshackled, Template**
**Akashic Records Unlocked**
The Primordial Freyja sees you.
The Primordial Tora looks on.
The Primordial Ozai is proud - Here's one of mine.
The Primordial Freyr is amused - She looks nice. But I honestly prefer the other guy. What was his name? Ghar?. Looks faster and more powerful to me. Yep. That perk feels more accurate for a leader. Like that time sister full Thunderer in Hellsgate cause of Freyja.
The Primordial Tora shakes her head.
The Primordial Ozai fumes - They're all special. You wouldn't know with your demonic and devilish brats
The Primordial Freyr - And we're back to that. True, true they're yet to figure anything out. I guess you're right. We'll see anyway.
The Primordial Tora - Enough. Back to your stations. Be more like Haero and focus on your children
The Primordial Freyr - Maybe we should be more like Mollie and not care at all. See how mum punished Haero for putting them together. Now their chances of survival went down.
The Primordial Ozai - Distraught as I am to admit. Freyr speaks true. Best to let them handle it without the desire to act. The punishment could be worse than the granted aid
[The Primordial Freyr seems shocked. The Primordial Freyr has left
The Primordial Tora has left
The Primordial Freyja - Mollie. I like that one
The Primordial Ozai chuckles - He'll bite your nose off
The Primordial Freyja leaves
The Primordial Ozai - stand strong child. Vocalize, think, or will the Akashic Records to view where you stand.
The presence that came with the voices receded allowing me to take in a breath I didn't know I was holding. "The Primordials believe there is one stronger than I?". I didn't understand how or why someone would already be that way when the game was just starting.
"Privilege of birth? ". I wondered. It was something I tagged those born into rich households with. Still, I didn't know anything so I pushed it away. First I had to see what this game was all about. For all I knew it could be due to that perk thing the other Primordial mentioned.
Information was the first step in approaching a problem.
'Akashic Records'.
**Please choose a name**
"Oh. Uh". It was an obvious part of all games but the Prologue had made me forget about it.
"Hanna". The words vanished
A box of words appeared in my vision and I felt a sense of elation and tingles. I had fallen too far deep in the old times Litrpg genres. Seeing this scroll of words had a different vibe to it than seeing it on a screen via a VR headset.
I didn't waste my time admiring the realism again as I rushed to see the next thing on my screen. As I took in each word my lips separated slowly until I was just shocked.
**Welcome to the Akashic Records Elder 8**
**Name:** Hanna
**Divine Rank:** Elder Divine
**Divine Essence:** Fledgeling (500/500)
**Realm Influence:** (4thR/MR/V - Enkidu City (6)(67)
**Power:** Nascent (1)
**Wisdom:** Nascent (1)
**Racial Abilities:**
**Divine Aura:** All Elder Divines exude a powerful aura that enhances their natural abilities and those of their allies. This aura provides protection against physical and magical harm, boosts mental clarity, and increases physical strength and agility for everyone within its range
**Celestial Power:** Elder Divines can harness and manipulate divine energy to perform miraculous feats. This power allows them to heal wounds, purify corrupted areas, and smite enemies with holy energy. Their divine energy can also be used to bolster the abilities of their allies or weaken their foes.
**Eternal Wisdom:** Born of divine essence, all Elder Divines possess profound knowledge and wisdom. This allows them to foresee possible outcomes, make strategic decisions, and understand complex magical and cosmic phenomena. Their wisdom also provides them with heightened resistance to mental attacks and illusions.
**Personal Perks:**
**Tranquil Presence:** Hanni emanates a calming divine energy that soothes the minds and bodies of those around her. This tranquility reduces fear and panic, enhances concentration and morale, and can even put enemies into a peaceful stupor, rendering them harmless for a short period. Her calming presence also grants resistance to psychic attacks and mental manipulation.
**Servants:**
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**Domains:**
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**Divine Artifacts:**
-
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** Mystic Quests:**
-
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**Divine Skills:**
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**Inventory:**
- Essence Orb, Template**
"Nice". I tried focusing on the first thing I wanted to see and it expanded to show me a description.
**Elder Deities** - Pure-blooded children of the Primordial Cosmic Elf. Ranked only beneath their parent. The Vetar are deific entities with divine blood and command. L
"That's interesting". It was nice to know that my rank was next only to the Primordial. From the voices, those fellas seemed pretty powerful. 'Amd childish'. I wasn't going to say that out loud though.
Scrolling through my records I found the meaning of everything on records. I didn't even realize I was smiling as I looked at the information for my Realm Influence.
"Maybe my rank would be greater than some". I chuckled. I accessed my inventory and pulled out the template there. It was a golden yellow card. The same with what I picked in that cottage.
"Interesting". Following the prompt directing me to send essense I directed the energy in me into the card. Stopping conflicts and talking sense into angry humanoid dragons had been the entire part of my ascension mission. At times when I did so I usually felt this energy slipping and moving around me.
When I actively used it some of the mortals were quick to accept. Thinking on it now, I was certain it must have been my personal perk acting out.
The card burst in a show of light and in its place was a fairy. "Well, aren't you...".
"Watch out!". The thing screamed at me making me take a step back in surprise. Something struck me from behind and I felt my feet give from beneath me. I met the ground the next moment and then something heavy was on me.
I could hear the fairy shouting and the weight on me roaring and snarling even as pain rushed up my abdomen. Smacking it frantically I managed to grab onto something that felt like hair. I tugged to get it off me and pain spiked off my abdomen. The thing was gone though.
Rolling I struggled to crawl away moaning and whimpering. I was so scared and frightened that I didn't even realize the pain I was feeling was a dull and barely notable one.
I could hear snarls and growls behind me, something rushed at me and the diary behind me was doing something.
'Leave me. Go away '. I screamed in my mind as I crawled and dragged myself away. The thing was on me again. My face pressed into the mud. Pain lanced up my back and I struggled to get it off but it wouldn't budge.
'Get off! Get off!'.
The fairy landed in front of me, her wide frantic eyes darting from me to the thing. 'Why did it care?'.
"You have to calm down"!". She screamed at me. I could hear her voice over the ripping sounds of fabric and skin as the thing mailed my back.
"Calm yourself!" Her frantic face didn't help. The fact that I might die didn't...
'Wait. I remembered the words of the Ascension quest and I couldn't help my giggle. The sound was so abrupt the fairy stopped and I blinked. I had ascended. Which meant I wouldn't die.
Trying to look behind me I could make out stuffs of hair as this thing ripped into me. 'Dying must be hard for a Deity'. I thought as I felt flesh ripped from my back.
'Calm down and think Hanna'. I took a breath. 'It's like in the office. Feel your fear and anxiety but show confidence'. I felt a sense of increased calm flow through me. I felt like I could face the world without batting an eye. I could do anything.
"What a rush".
I pushed at the ground with my hands raising my body. The creature's snarl as it tried harder to force me down was ignored. Whatever this thing was it tried putting even more weight, claws digging sharply into my back. When I didn't budge and came to my knees it suddenly went for my head. I felt the hot breath tickling against my neck and I tossed myself to the side rolling quickly.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
The ground shuddered, golden grasses bending and snapping as the thing hit the spot where I should have been. I ignored the slight tremor pushing to my feet and up to my full height.
I was looking at a lion. A very large lion. A very very large lion. The emphasis on the large had to be noted. It had a mane of gold and not the fake burnt gold, the real gold. Gold like the fields we were in.
"That explains how you managed to get so close". I muttered. 'Damn, this calm thing is freaking nice. I should be terrified and running'. It was quite effective considering the animal stalking me in circles was as tall as my shoulders and as long as a bloody horse.
Slight discomfort was the highest pain sensation the wound gave me. A palm feeling my back even as I kept my eyes on the lion made it clear the wound was deep. 'Bloody cat'.
Still, I wasn't sure how to get out of this situation. I was weaponless and had no skills that could help me just smite this thing. For a Deity I was whack.
The fairy must have noted my thoughts or something because she landed on my head and began talking. The lion's eyes moved to it and then back to me, it padded around a bit more and then drew closer. I stepped back.
"You need to think of what you want. Imagine something. Will it".
I almost took my eyes off the lion to glare at the fairy. Was she telling me that skills were imagination-based? Wouldn't that just mean I could create any skill I wished for? That seemed stupid.
Saying as much as the fairy quickly shook her head. "No, no. You are right. I apologize for not answering well. But the situation is troublesome. Skills have three rules. First, it must be similar to an entity's racial abilities, second, it must be derived from the personal perk of an entity, and if not must be only accommodating to racial abilities. Finally, the skill must follow the rules of the entities abilities and personal perks".
My mind went through all of this and locked onto one thing. My perk and racial abilities could make my skills atleast similar.
My mind locked onto a racial ability I had. Remembering things from the book was something I was good at. Something superiors usually liked. Now it was a boon as I didn't have to distract myself with bringing up my records here.
The Lion seemed to have lost any patience it had as a hunter. It bounded straight for me and I raised my palms shouting a quick no at it before diving to the side. It flew past and I rolled back to my feet. My robes were dirtied and I didn't like dirt.
"Calm down. Be gentle". I tried to create a skill. To use it on the thing. I didn't know it but I already made one when I calmed myself down. So making a second skill came more easy.
The Lion paused for a second and blinked its eyes like they had dirt in them. Then it moved again. "I said calm down. You don't want to kill me. You're a nice peace-loving cat'. It shook its head as if trying to argue my words but the skill must have been made as it wobbled on its feet.
I took a step back just to be safe. "It's okay. You're okay". It lay on its stomach head fixed on me. Then its tongue dropped out and a notification appeared.
**Divine Lion Enthralled**
I gasped in relief. Keeping myself from cursing at it I refrained from anything I wasn't off would make it break free from the Enthrallment.
"You did it". The fairy cheered dancing on my head and I smiled, not at winning over the lion but at her cheerful energy. There were many I had met before who were either falsely cheerful or just dense girls that I disliked for not being realistic. But with the fairy, it gave me a sense of honest joy that I couldn't ignore. For the first time, I had a real smile as I checked the other notifications popping into my view.
****
[Unknown Alpha Tester]
I blinked away the bright lights as the final notification blurred into my vision.
**Welcome to Netherheim**
I could feel the ground beneath my feet. "Bloody ascension".I cursed gritting my teeth. I was already missing my stick. Good for the nerves. My eyes took in my location even as my mind tried to calm down.
Red dry ground. Bits of Flora here and there but nothing that screamed good land. I snorted. Looking up I blinked. The sky was a weird blend of red, purple, and black. I could see the shape of a planet or something huge hidden behind the red and black clouds and giving the purple sky a decent look.
"Well, I'll be damned".
**Name yourself**
"Finally. Wondered if this game was going for an unnamed storyline". I chuckled at my dry joke before naming myself. "Abel". I didn't have time or the mental strength to pick and use a different name. It was always the same with my accounts.
'Nwanyioma would be beating in my skull right about now'. I chuckled again. 'Wonder which universe she picked'.
**Please Pick a Trait**
**The Deceiver**: As a trait, this entity embodies the pinnacle of manipulation and falsehood. Masters of illusions, can distort reality and perceptions, creating convincing lies to mislead and ensnare others. With unparalleled cunning, they lure their victims with deceptive promises of power, wealth, desires, and forbidden knowledge, all while concealing the high and often devastating cost. Those influenced by The Deceiver become adept at weaving intricate webs of deceit, manipulating the thoughts and actions of others to serve their sinister purposes and further their malevolent ambitions.
**The Great Evil**: Embodies pure malevolence and opposition to goodness and righteousness. A sinister figure who seeks out and corrupts the vulnerable, ensnaring their souls and using them to fuel his nefarious plans and evil desires. This entity thrives on spreading darkness and chaos, manipulating others to achieve its malicious goals, and perpetuating an ever-growing cycle of corruption and despair.
**The Dark One**: As a trait, this entity symbolizes the ultimate ruler of all that is dark, sinister, and opposed to light. Embodying supreme dominion over the shadows, those influenced by The Dark One command unparalleled authority over darkness and all malevolent forces. They thrive in obscurity, harnessing the power of the night and shadows to exert their will. This trait imbues its bearer with a formidable presence, instilling fear and dread in their enemies while amplifying their ability to control and manipulate the dark to achieve their nefarious goals.
**The Emissary of Desolation**: As a trait, this entity embodies the relentless force of desolation and ruin. Those influenced by The Emissary of Desolation bring forth decay and destruction wherever they tread, wielding the power to corrode hope and extinguish light. This trait grants its bearer the ability to unleash unyielding devastation, with every step leaving behind barren landscapes and shattered remnants of once-thriving civilizations. The Emissary's presence heralds an inexorable march towards annihilation, ensuring that all that is beautiful and vibrant withers in the shadow of relentless desolation.
**The Accuser**: As a trait, this entity acts as an unrelenting prosecutor, adept at highlighting and exploiting the flaws and sins of individuals and things. Those influenced by The Accuser possess an uncanny ability to uncover hidden faults and use them as weapons to judge, manipulate, and bring ruin. This trait empowers its bearer to reveal uncomfortable truths, sowing distrust and guilt, and using these revelations to destroy reputations, relationships, and structures. The Accuser instills a pervasive sense of scrutiny and condemnation, ensuring that no flaw or sin remains concealed.
"Must be the choice those voices and the eye wanted me to pick from". I always loved making choices. This one was no different.
"No to Deceiver and Tempter. That looks like a lot of work". I paused as I eyed up Dark One. "The Dark One". Tasting the name on my tongue I nodded with a sour expression.
"Sounds good enough, still as Villains go, The Great Evil looks just dark. I'll take that one". The options vanished the next second. A pop sound reverberated from somewhere and I looked up from my records to receive something hard to the face. It struck with such force I was flung to the ground with an aching face.
"Was that a ball?". Confused and grumpy from that unexpected attack I found another row of words appearing.
**Trait has merged with records to create a suitable upgrade**
"Well, I'll be damned". It vanished and more words replaced it.
**Welcome to the Akashic Records Elder 29**
**Name:** Abel
**Abyssal Rank:** Elder Devil (The Great Evil)
**Abyssal Essence:** Fledgeling (500/500)
**Realm Influence:** (4thR/MR/V - Thotmil Town (3)(68)
**Power:** Nascent (1)
**Wisdom:** Nascent (1)
**Racial Abilities:**
**Infernality:** The Elder Devils of the Abyssal Realm possess extraordinary resilience and absorption to abyssal energies and infernal forces, but when infused with The Great Evil, their resilience transcends into invincibility. They thrive not only in intense heat and toxic fumes but also in the darkest, most corrupting forces of the abyss. This sinister empowerment allows them to draw strength from the very essence of malevolence, making them nearly unstoppable in any infernal environment.
**Demonic Influence:** The Elder Devils can exert a terrifyingly potent influence over lesser demons and infernal creatures. Amplified by The Great Evil, their ability to create and summon demonic minions becomes far more insidious, as they now trap and enslave corrupted souls, turning even the most virtuous beings into their twisted servants. This malevolent force allows them to manipulate the minds and souls of mortals with ease, bending them to their dark will and furthering their nefarious plans with an army of corrupted beings.
**Abyssal Mastery:** The mastery of abyssal essence by Elder Devils is magnified to a catastrophic level by The Great Evil. Their dark powers not only corrupt, consume, and destroy but also spread insidious dread and despair. Curses cast by these beings now carry the weight of ultimate malevolence, infernal flames burn with an inextinguishable fury, and reality itself bends more grotesquely to their whims. This enhanced mastery allows them to unleash unparalleled devastation, bringing the full, corrupting force of the abyss down upon their enemies with terrifying infernal fury.
**Personal Perks:**
**Abel -Thy Dominion:** Abel commands legions of demons and infernal beasts with an even more terrifying and ruthless efficiency. Empowered by The Great Evil, his presence now radiates an aura of pure malevolence that inspires not only fear and obedience but also a fanatical loyalty in his minions. He can summon forth endless hordes of demonic warriors, each more corrupted and vicious than the last, to overwhelm his enemies through sheer numbers and dark, unyielding fervor. The Great Evil enhances his strategic acumen and brutal command, making his forces an unstoppable tide of destruction and corruption.
**Servants:**
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**Domains:**
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**Abyssal Artifacts:**
- The Grincrusher
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**Mystic Quests:**
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**Abyssal Skills:**
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**Inventory:**
- Essence Orb, Template
I grunted with each description I got from the words in my records. Nwanyioma would be having a field day with this if she'd been in this universe. "If not, guess we'll be sharing differences".
**Elder Devil**: Hybrids born of the energies of the Primordials Molliwag and Freyr. Wielding power and authority over chaos next to their parents. The Devils are half dragonic, half demonic creatures of immense power and wisdom. Due to their blood, they are capable of tapping into the Akashic Force to utilize other infernal routes of power.
"That sounds lovely. So I'm a bad guy". I looked around again. "What do bad guys do?".
My eye caught the template ans essence orb. Seeing the rules and warnings for my essence I just let the essence be after checking it. Was a black and purple orb with what looked like gas within.
"Hmmh" I grunted.
The template was easier to use and the next thing I had was a fairy flying all around me. "Nice. This reminds me of that time Amah got that cat. Fucking speedster creature to catch".
A beam of light struck the ground a few miles to what I would call my west. "Ooh. Is that another one of us?".
"Yes". The diary quipped. Its voice came off as seductive and sassy in one word.
"Oh boy". I cracked my neck and then twisted my shoulders to get feelings into these old bones. "Wait. I'm in a new body". My shoulders shook with my laughter. It wasn't even like I forgot or didn't realize. I was just so used to doing this to relieve joint pains.
"Man folks would pay for this if anything but to get away from those pains and aches". I shook my wings and then spread them out. Eyeing both appendages I couldn't help but nod with a grin.
"Aye. Can see the dragon in you. The demon too. No idea where the near feathery look comes from though". It wasn't my concern. I loved this body. Devil or not. I talked my wings putting in all the power I had kept back from using in that goddamn village.
I was airborne in a blink. Fortunately, I had a bit of practice with these things. I still hadn't gotten over how creepy and real the wings were but I used them. My long tail swayed beneath me and I couldn't help the chuckle at this.
"Thank the stars it ain't the old days. I'd be exorcised through the bloody stream". I chuckled my voice grating. It was hard to recognize the difference when the difference was mild. My robes fluttered with the wind of my flight as I took off in the direction I saw the beam, its raggedy appearance giving me an even more creepy look.
My wings beat with power as I spread through the sky and closer to my destination. The fairy, her name something along the lines of Yaito pointed me to where the beam had landed. Even as I drew closer I could see the figure down there. Wings like mine, a hair that hung to her mid back, and no tail.
"Why no tail?". I dropped into a dive loving the feeling of flight. Then I had to catch myself in a glide and forgot.
I landed with a curse and grumbled at forgetting the flight basics I practiced in Vaustaris again before turning to see the devil. 'Are they called deviless, since they're like females'. Shrugging off the thoughts my mind focused on the fact that the Deviless was on her butt eyeing me with a look I recognized.
"I don't know if it's bad I recognize it or not". My work as a detective, when I was more agile and fit meant I had answered some pretty weird calls. Atleast those that were just not normal. 'That face just screams bad need'. I had half the mind to get this player's number and patch her into the nearest authorities. The fact it was a female again made it even more aggravating.
'Just a child too'.
One thing I'd figured out was how the body thing worked. I was the same. I looked taller and bigger but it was the same body shape and I felt the same height. Yet completely different. The game must have used that scan thing to copy our bodies and then generate these forms to be closest to it. The only thing off about this body was the tail, wings, and the weight my horns had. Not even the claws were that weird.
Which was I knew that the player was female and not a gender-bender character. It brought the case to two things. The manageable kind of abuse. Most folks didn't want to hear it but some things were just better than others.
'Hopefully, she's on the better spectrum'. Close enough and yet far off that I didn't send her running I waved. "Hey kid. I'm Abel. Pretty cool game eh".
Her slow nod was a clear sign of distrust. 'Not nice to be right at this moment'.
"I picked the Great Evil trait". She cocked her head in confusion but said nothing. " Might wanna pick something too. I feel like this place might get dicey". I didn't smile. Girls usually trusted smiles less. Giving a simple nod I rose and focused back on my records.
"Now I believe that-.". I began explaining everything I had learned to the girl. Why was I doing this? To be honest it was both for the fact that I came hoping for a player to pair with and the fact that usually in cases such as this one the girl victims usually wanted a way out but didn't ask for it themselves.
'She's gonna try to get as much distance from me as possible'.
As I thought looking up had her freezing in her steps just an extra ten feet from me.
"-fairy hasn't told me anything yet". I eyed her like I didn't know or understand what she was doing. Yaito came to the rescue as she buzzed up to the girl and I found myself staring in appalling shock at the most surprising thing ever. The girl's face bloomed into a beautiful smile, a devilishly beautiful smile, and began darting around with the fairy. Giggles and laughs escaped her as she jumped each time to catch the fairy. Her wings flapped and she flew after it in circles around me.
"What the hell?". Her personality was one of a ten to twelve-year-old. But it was a certainty she wasn't that young, after all the game only let the 18+ player age range in.