The Alpha test was the most talked about event now, both on the forum and the news. Creation Online had gone the extra mile in keeping several secrets locked tight.
The public still reeling from the several half-clipped streams with cinema-worthy battles was constantly hounding the company for details while the beta slots filled up even faster than before.
Dester had texted something about only a dozen beta slots left.
The company already had the timetable set and released to appease growing curiosity. The Alpha testers would have two weeks to settle into the game before the beta testers got introduced to the game.
Worse was the news that any gameplay made would not be erased as everything would continue from there. It fueled annoyance from the public as many found it unfair and put the early players in favorable positions.
Helen hadn't cared about the banter as she simply logged back into the game.
> [CREATOR ONLINE✋⚫]
> [Welcome back to Creation Online Creator 79]
> [We hope you enjoy the secrets unearthed even as your Lore spreads]
Appearing inside the Lunar Castle where she had logged off after leaving the Center of Worlds Hildelith couldn't help thinking of the new words in her display. Had they changed due to what she discovered in the Rifts or what The thought was shifted to the side as she was bombarded by a slew of notifications that dinged off in her mind. Leaving the Rifts and then attending straight to Tora and then Freyr had led to most of her notifications getting sidelined or ignored.
Something The Will didn't seem to appreciate as it now hounded her with the notifications she had skipped seeing before she had logged out.
Seating on her throne of stalactites a sense of emptiness in the entire place reached her she opened up the notifications with a sigh.
> [FEAT - The Wild Hunt - You have faced the predator of the white forest and made it prey. You are the precursor of a glorious hunt.
> + 10 to Per
> + 10 to Mobi
> x2 Basic Dungeon Template -> Dungeon Creation
> Random Upgraded Gift Box
> [Tome of Insight - Maternal Blight]
> [FEAT - Winds of Conquest - You are the first to conquer an Outer Realm Tower. First to Claim its City
> + 10 to Def
> + 10 to Might
> x2 Upgraded Dungeon Template -> Dungeon Creation II
> x2 Advanced Dungeon Template -> Dungeon Creation III
> [Title - The Persistent]
> No matter the odds or lack of odds your resolve and mental focus in battles will be unshaken. Grants skill - Mind Aegis.
> [Mind Aegis - Your mind is a fortress, your will is its force. No mind scrying or reading, neither manipulation of any mental sorts from a being below the ?#?*#?# will affect you]
The more Hilde thought of it the more she realized how fortunate it was for a Void Wolf to have come for Haero all those flows and timeless period back.
Even more fortunate that she had slain it. It's loot boosting her so far ahead. And now yet again she'd gotten the boost for being the first at something. Still, it made her Wonder when her forward pace would end. When she'd have to depend on herself and not the game gifts While she didn't know what exactly most of the other creators would get as rewards, it was clear her rewards were magnificent.
Scrolling through the list of rewards Hilde skipped the Tome as she found it unneeded for thr plans now. She ignored the box since it may tempt her to change something and she didn't feel like doing so. The skill given by her Title made her shiver as she imagined it against the Destroyer and First.
Then she got to the information on the dungeon templates and a smile bloomed on her face.
"This solves two problems. You're the reason for this change right," she smirked. A hum of agreement from Akasha was the answer. Since the game system lacked express control in her universe it had converted the templates into knowledge for the Akashic force to use. Of course, the thought came that this might be even harder than letting the system handle it. Yet she knew that if she wanted to be in control to an extent she had to keep sidelining the system's influence.
Hildelith could see various plans for the dungeon creation information in her head. Infact it coincided well with what she aimed to do here now. The Alpha players were coming. While Hildelith and Akasha had made frameworks of how the players would exist and their lore most things remained undone.
Various plans had been brought to mind and then dumped but some set. All the mystery talks about this and setting that had finally caught up to Hildelith. There was no procrastinating she could do and she knew it.
Which brought her to the now. "Akasha. It's all set then". A hum of agreement went through her head again. Hildelith sighed. "Then let's start with the very first item on the list".
I relaxed back into my throne and closed my eyes.
'Descend'.
*
Universe -The Star Rings
Ring - 4th
Reality - Mortal Plane
Solar system - Origin
World - Vaustaris
Continent - Mid-Vaustaris
Location - World Core Entrance
Territory - Valley of Dusk
The first thing on Hildelith's mind had been gifting Akasha the body she'd promised her. The force had done her jobs so well and while she could have done even better her lack of being seen was a hindrance in some areas. So Hildelith decided the first thing to set was this.
Akashic force gathered in the center of the Fortress town built around the World Core Entrance. On the walls of stone and wood stood Luminaries.
"They've entered the iron age?". She'd seen clear signs of this when the knowledge of Freyja and Haero's mortal encounters entered her mind but seeing it now even with the luminaries made it clear.
"It would seem some of my limitations in creating words are slowly unlocking". Her null self wandered past the teeming roads and pathways of the fortress. Buildings filled with Luminaries, some having dull worn-out scales ans others still gleaming with a shine. Nearly every one of the Luminaries was girded in some protective attire only the other. The males were bare-chested revealing their gleaming armor of scales and physique. The females wore some leather-like armor. But both genders had these flowing red skirts around their hips with boots on their feet. Their tails swayed from a parting in the skirts that let her know they had a gap in their leather short pants underneath the skirts.
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Most were armed with swords larger than them, or halberds of immense length. Hildelith blinked a y the sight of a Luminari woman walking past her with a large hammer bigger than even her on her back. And she was quite taller than them.
'How do they even carry those?'. She wondered. A part of her wanted to forget why she was here. To change into a little luminari girl and dash into the streets of this fortress habitat. Toss the stones and sand around like the children were doing, and laugh up into the skies. Tease some couples walking around. It was all so intoxicating.
Hildelith shook her head and turned away.
The position of the entrance had changed a lot. Not the hole itself but the protection around it. A large stone and wood tower had been built over the location. A smaller wall around it. From the more detailed dressing of the Luminaries around it and the better weapons, it was clear this was some noble abode.
Walking right through the palisade she she admired the courtyard. Luminaries trained and sparred amongst themselves. It was all so interesting. But she found herself taking a left and walking around the still-growing castle. 'Soon, it'll be a land of myths and legends. A medieval realm where adventures will whisper into the ears of normal folks and players will admire it all. My creation '. A sense of pride and elation filled her.
'We're here '. Hildelith stopped. Her eyes found what she had come for. A roar shook the air and she looked up just in time to see a large dragon shoot over the castle top and into the distance. Vanishing behind the wall of wood and stone. A cheer rang from the villagers and guards training
Another feeling of happiness filled her. Her boy had the happiness and joy of a people and children he deserved. With a smile, she turned back to what she came for. Past a small gate of wood was a garden. A ton of flowers and bushes with colorful leaves had grown in all directions. Red, purple, blue, green, pink. Name it.
At its very center stood the flower she came for. Like it was protected by all the flora here. She saw a Starlight Squirrel steal a petal from it and bound back into the bush. A chuckle escaped her lips.
"Are you ready?. Akasha".
'Yes. I am'.
Hildelith didn't need all the flowers here. No. She just wanted one golden rose. Still, seeing all the flowers around and even the amount of golden roses here she had a better idea.
**Null -> Spirit**
Her form changing she raised a hand and let Akashic force gathered on her palms. The blueish-gray mists condensed and then rolled up to her fingers where she made a pinching motion. The energy condensed into a tiny pebble of blueish gray. So small it wasn't larger than a finger.
Her lips parted as she spoke.
"From the strands of nectar, you form". It was low yet visible. Wind subtly and slowly gathering.
"From the immortality that flows through your stalks and leaves". The flower seemed to stand upright while another mist poured from her body.
"From the soil and the air. The water and the sun". Storm clouds gathered in the sky at a rapid rate.
"Give me the form I have dreamed and wished".The clouds formed an eye around the sun. Water dripped from her fingers to the ground and her eyes lost their pupils as they became stark white.
"For my force to walk this realm. In flesh and bone. Blood and meat". A beam of light shot down from the sun, and the clouds surged upwards to catch the light. Splitting it into several rays of light that struck down like wishing stars.
Hildelith manifested the Akasha-controlled and owned template and set it up on the Golden Rose. The template dissolved into aetheric mist and joined the mist that had poured from her body. Like a flood of gas, it poured into the patch of Golem Roses standing in the center of the garden just as the Wishing stars struck.
A roar filled the air. Molliwag's large size blotted out the sun for a moment as his wings created winds that would have blown her aether away if they were any other energy. Hildelith was in the moment having to control the very formation of what was being made which left Akasha to materialize before the dragon.
Molliwag blinked his eyes in surprise.
"Hold your breath boy". He growled but said nothing. Turning his head to the point where he could detect all those energies at work he found himself curious.
"What does Mother make?".
Akasha seemed surprised he didn't ask what was happening but seemed to be sure she was making something. Noticing her stare the dragon smirked. "Haero said a lot about mother creating things".
A burst of energy shook the area and both force and dragon noted the luminaries all getting attracted to the energies echoing here. Akasha watched as an Elder Luminari, one whose scales had lost their gleam and whose eyes now had a hardness from the times walked through the door and towards them or atleast the dragon. Behind him followed four Luminarian guards.
Akasha turned away from them and back to the now dimming energy show. "It's complete".
Hildelith didn't have to open her eyes. Rather her pupils returned and she took a deep breath. Guiding all those energies as Akasha showed her where to go was not easy at all. Now all that was left was the things to be born. And born they were. Tiny little physical beings that looked similar to Akasha's first form when she had been born as a force.
Each one lay wrapped in the petals of the Golden Roses as they slept. But Hildelith knew the truth. These were not fairies. They looked like it. But there were more.
"It's time". Akasha appeared in her mist little fairy form. Looking identical to the fairy beings that lay in the roses. The force looked up at her and then back to the flowers. Slowly she glided down and began splitting. Her form broke in a hundred and then a thousand as she darted into every fairy body in the roses.
Molliwag was trying his hardest to see things from the Lúminarian King's viewpoint. Years had passed. Years that he was not even sure of in number. But to him, no sure thing had passed. The king knew the tales of their purification but still, he was adamant about his people not being ready for the prophecy of liberation.
Molliwag didn't care. He knew it was not yet the time. So he let the king rant and implore. The town was nice. It had gone even more than before. Some Luminari had left. Eager to travel the lands of Mid-Vaustaris. Several villages and towns all along had been set up. He'd taken it upon himself to check up on every last village holding his children. Spoken to their leaders and burned any threats to them.
Then the king had seen reason. But still, he was uncomfortable. And now this. Molliwag didn't like having to explain himself. Fortunately, he didn't need to.
Gasps and cries of awe filled the townsfolk gathered there, called by the phenomenons they'd taken notice of. Most were the weapon-wielding ones and it made Molliwag glad to see that even others not part of the King's guards were let in here. Then he too turned to watch
He didn't know what he expected. Haero had told him a lot of things about Mother's creating antics and he didn't know what to think when he saw some of the things she'd already created. Seeing something she just created was a whole different matter. It filled him with curiosity and wonder. A sort of speculation about how this would affect the fabric of all that already existed and how she made it.
Tiny motes of different colored lights rose from the Golden Roses. With his keen sight, he could see beyond the light balls to what lay within. Fairies. Wings glittering with dust and light as they flapped at tremendous speeds. Like the wings of the insects, he'd seen. They created a spiral of light leaving some of the colors around Mother until they shot into the sky. Some in all directions. Spreading around the town and going farther than the town. There were a lot of them. So many and so plenty. Few stayed behind and buzzed around the flowers though.
Molliwag shook his head. Whatever Mother had made, he already knew it was for a good reason
Hildelith stood there smiling brightly as she watched Akasha's theatrics. That was until one flew right up to her and tapped her nose. The next moment Hildelith's surroundings changed.
A black stone altar with a sword embedded into it. Vines of black and writhing masses. An arm, large and muscular. Veins of red and long claws.
The sword was pulled out of the stone and the writhing vines stopped pulsing. A roar of victory filled the air.
The scene changed.
She was staring down at the world. Plains of green and golden grasses that she recognized as wheat shook in a dance orchestrated by the wind. Dots of colors danced through the air and flickered from one direction to the other. They were numerous, thousands of them.
One by one they began vanishing. Like the light of the stars getting snuffed.
A golden rose stood proud. The terrain though was own that she didn't recognize. Burned ground. Charred smoking heaps of corpses. A hand reached for the rose. The same hand. The same veins and the same claws. The rose was snapped free from the soil. It's stalk writhed and died. Eroded in a rot that spread quickly.
A clawed finger grabbed a petal and snapped it free.
The scene changed.
Blood littered the ground, soaked into the earth. The rivers were red. Corpses heaped across reddened fields and hung from trees, birds feasted. Cities burned. A myriad eyes from the heavens filled with hate, pain and rage watched.
Hildelith stumbled back falling to her knees. Her hands shook. Her eyes widened. She felt the fear in the air from those scenes, the terror, the pain, and even smelled the death. The fairies were back rolling around her and showing of curious and confused faces.
Yet the questions they had were the same ones she had. 'What just happened?'.