It was two days later IRL time that Hildelith noticed something new going on in her universe. More precisely it was something old but with new changes to boot. The little balls of condensed energies formed from the streams that The Will left behind were different. Some were huge, some tiny, some barely noticeable. All of which floated in all realities.
Even the Star Ring, its ever-raging waters rolling about in an Eternal cycle, and the Sol, its blistering heat, bright light, and roaring flames were populated with these balls.
Her will brushing over one ball on the Sol Hilde received a prompt.
[Condensed Concept Orbs]
[Gestation period - 1440hours]
"That means my ideas worked out." She made a mental calculation and sighed figuring out the timer rhymed with the alpha tester's announcement date to enter the game.
"There's too many of them to be just players. If it's the actual game release then maybe, but it's just alpha testers".
Looking around she noted something different but not surprising.
There were some with blue energy swirls, some with golden energy, dark reddish energies, and some had a confusing mix of different colors that worked to show their origin reality. She noted how the golden ones were all in the divine realm the blue ones in the spirit realm and more.
"Why do I feel like something is missing. No overlooked". she murmured to herself before shrugging it off.
She descended into Origin eyes locked on the beautiful revolving world of Vaustaris. Her eyes moved to the sun shining down on them and to the little moon that orbited it.
It had been pulled into the new world's gravity a day before and now revolved around it too.
Hilde shook her head at the sight of the orbs floating around space in Origin. There were even some on the Moon and the Sun. A quick check showed the same timer thing.
'Seems the game system still has somethings in its control'. It was good to know that the game hadn't completely abandoned her.
Now all she had to do was head to Vaustaris to check on it. The descent prompt came up. While it was dangerous to leave her Creator avatar floating there in space she felt it safe enough since there was no existence yet outside the starter world.
Her senses once again filled into a body that looked remarkably like hers. Her feet sunk into the grass, and her eyes opened to see the yellow suns, their warmth gracing her face, and the fresh tickle of the autumn wind on her body.
[Welcome to Vaustaris - Starter World]
Akasha announced in her head. Since she was no longer in her Creator form but in an avatar the sense of new origins she felt was huge. It gave the descent an exciting feeling. Like she could experience Vaustaris from the perception of a normal person.
"What now?". Her voice made her pause. It was soft. Like music and chimes. Flowers and the soft pull and push of the oceans. Regal yet innocent. 'Fuxk I would be weird'. She thought. Akasha went on to answer her though efficiently blocking off the stupid thoughts.
"World Seeding. You already formed a template with The Will. Fortunately, the Will must have transferred the template information to me before retreating. That's the only explanation of how I possess them. I already made the necessary adjustments. Would you like to change anything else?'.
"Can animals and beasts cultivate as well?". She mentally cringed at her voice again but ignored it.
"Technically they could. But they would require sapience to even know what cultivation was?".
"I didn't prepare this enough".
"We could always sit down and be thorough. There is no rush".
"You know there is". She frowned. ", But you are right. No need for me to rush".
Hildelith took a good look around and found herself on one of the more common continents. Grass and greens swept through the expanse with a stubborn viciousness. In her immediate area, she stood in a forest. The trees towering above and past her.
While she hadn't exactly defined and described the trees she wanted it seemed the common flora had found a way to thrive and define itself.
'I like it. The randomness'.
"There was nothing random about it . Due to Vastaris' size the day here is longer. Which means enough time for the green to absorb and utilize solar rays for growth'".
'Okay'.
Taking a seat at the trunk of a large tree she began. First, she pulled up the former templates and looked through them. There was nothing she felt like changing. Hildelith felt like the Vaustari Goblin, Vaustari Wolf, and Carapace Knight were all good lifeforms.
"Do I need to fill Vaustari with other life forms too? I mean .."
"No. I believe the Will already handled the basic parts. Unless you wish of course to change this to your tastes".
"No. Just curious". She confirmed the templates and watched in a very wide-eyed mode as Akasha began the task of Life creation.
"You could personally do it if you wish. I can handle mass life seeding but you can do it as well".
"Alright. Let me try". First, her Abstract connected to Sol. It was like something so far away yet near. "Are you helping?".
"Yes".
Next, she let it flow through the rivers and the dream realm. But here she stopped it. This was a wild beast. Maybe one day it would gain sapience. 'Not today'. The Flame of life flowed past the dream realm without entering and into the Mortal realm.
A little petal of red, gold, yellow, white, blue, and various colors all merged into a single fire appeared on her palm. "Woow".
"This is amazing to see".
"Yes yes, go on".
She blinked and eyed the Akasha only to realize the energy was in her head and not physically out. Shaking her head she focused on the next step. Focusing on the template she wanted she let the flame pour into it.
A prompt suddenly appeared in her eyes.
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"I feel like this is something that should be done this way".
[Life seeding]
[Birth]
[We]
[Half grown]
[Full grown]
"You know this finally solves the chicken and egg question. What came first? The chicken or the egg?" She was all smiles as she looked at the prompt.
"Okay that thought is weird. It'd be obvious the chicken since no fully grown hen is around to hatch and guard it".
"Is that our answer then?. I guess so. I want Fully grown". The prompt vanished and the template vibrated. It shattered the next second and from it poured aether which began forging a fully grown large beast.
"The White Vaustari Wolf". Hildelith was awed at its beauty. Sure she had made it and it was her imagination that created it. Still, there was a difference between work in the mind and the result granted physicality.
"Amazing". Running her palms through fur and its skin she shivered at the smoothness yet firm protection it offered. The thing stood at a good 5ft tall and a length of 9ft.
She paused realizing Akasha was just feeding her brain random information. Shook her head and took another walk around the thing.
"What's next?".
"A soul".
"Yes. Right. A soul". With a smile, she shut her eyes. Her will and abstract stretched through the mortal plains and she found it was just as rough to do this. Still, Hildelith prevailed and her senses locked onto a soul. It was a common etheric thing just lounging in the Spirit Realm.
'You'll do buddy ". She wrenched it from the spirit realm and dragged it through the rivers and into the planes. Finding that it was hard to bring the soul into physicality near her due to the lack of a line around me.
"I want a ley line beneath me". She grumbled in annoyance as she sought a close by key line.
The earth rumbled. The wind stilled and then blew violently. The trees around her creaked as did their roots. Then like a snap a pressure that wasn't there before poured into the area.
"That's one way to force it". Akasha chimed in her head.
A soul popped up into being in front of her. It was the same one she had dragged through the rivers. "What just happened?".
"You happened. You can't just go around carving new streams into Vaustaris. I mean you totally can but atleast take it easy you almost ripped the world apart. Good thing you're weak".
"If I was stronger then I would not need to create a stream".
"True. Cause and effect heh".
Rolling her eyes Hildelith turned her focus to the spirit. "So should I just ..."
"Will it to take the body. There will be uncomfortable and confusing feelings for it but that's because it didn't go through the normal growth stage".
"Growth stage".
"Yes. Infancy is the soul adapting to a body. Once that happens. The soul and body wake up as one".
"That's freakingly realistic sounding. So what does that mean here. It won't gain sapience".
"Yes. Unless you force it".
Forcing it was quite easy as I simply ordered the soul to do so. The soul already melded into the wolf body jerked and clicked into place like water filling up a can then solidified and contracted back to form a circular orb at its center.
[Life seeding - 1]
[White Vaustari Wolf]
"Yeah. I don't need to know that".
The wolf stopped jerking and its eyes slowly and abruptly opened up.
'I don't think it should see us?'.
'Probably'. I willed myself to back off.
'No need. It can't see us'.
"Huh, why?". She knew she'd made a mistake the moment she spoke. While it couldn't see her the wolf obviously heard her. A quick look around for nothing. Its eyes widened and for some reason, it spun and dashed in her direction.
The blur of white moved through her body like she didn't exist. Even the white robes that covered her up were incorporeal. Hilde blinked then frowned.
'Fast'. Yet she was bothered by something else. 'I'm incorporeal'.
'I guess I will find a way to experience all this. For now, though let's see what's going on". Hilde looked to see the white-furred wolf vanish into the forest.
"Does he or she need a pack or food?". Her question was answered as a rustle from behind her caught her attention.
An animal walked out from behind a set of trees. It was a huge beast of burden type almost like an Ox or bull. Two large horns sat upon its head curved up to its tips. Its hooves and muscular legs held up its heavy body.
Hilde made to touch it with intent only to frown.m.
"Why is my intent and Abstract weak, stiffer, and sluggish here?". If using her will and intent before was like swishing her fingers inside a stream of water now it was like doing it inside a thick bowl of liquid. The abstract fought her actions and trembled even worse with each attempt to coral it.
Her mind went back to the Wolf as it stepped out into sight, eyes fixed on the beast before it.
"Should I make more of them?".
"Maybe one or two will do for this boy". She nodded and pulled out the same template. Repeating the same process was easier this time but not faster. Soon another wolf was formed and the funny part was how the first wolf and the beast of burden stared with eyes wide.
It was like they'd never seen shit like that before. An animal appearing from midair. The new white wolf turned. This one female. The male one watched still shocked. Even the beast of Burden looked shocked while the female wolf finally spotted it.
She pounced. Hildelith watched the other snap out of his stupor due to hunger and pounce as well. What occurred was a work of art. Both wolves lit up with a dull but earthly light and moved in tandem to take down the beast. It was almost like both were not just created seconds ago.
With all the strain she could muster she managed to use her intent on the beast.
[Forest Bol]
The beast itself was no slouch as it realized these new white-colored animals were no peacemakers. It fought back baying and grunting. Hoofs striking and lashing out. Horns ready to gore. Unfortunately for it, these were no normal predators.
Blood spilled from its neck as the female got it in a distraction. The pain made it lash out at her turning its head to gore her with horns. The male had been waiting. Pouncing forth it sunk fangs into the beast's thick neck.
It bayed and threw its head up. The female darted in. Fangs found its front knee and a bite cracked the bone.
'Powerful'.
'Are you recording this?'.
'Of course. All is knowledge '.
"I could get you quite the mamy hunting and fighting of the animal worlds from my world".
'I would appreciate that Creator'.
'Wait could you see it and use it if I did'.
'All you know and have seen is open to me'.
She blinked, then slowly turned away. 'Let's not talk about her creepy and not nice that sounded '.
The beast was on its last legs already. The two Wolves skirting its side stopped. Both locking eyes. The Male nodded and the female barked. As one both lunged in. The beast was confused and distressed and could only bay as the male slammed its back legs while the female clawed at its eyes.
BOOM
The thud as it fell emphasized its weight. The White Vaustari Wolves had no care. All they heard was food hitting the ground. Both dove for the kill. Their bodies glowed with blue sparkles as the Beast finally died.
'The leveled up?'.
"Yep".
'Let's go".
'Won't you bless them?'.
'I both don't know and don't want to. Let them live their lives free of gods. This world will have too much of it in the days to come. Let them enjoy it for now. It's the best I can do for them '.
'That was thoughtful'.
Hilde moved running at full speed, the grasses rustled and the trees of her environment swayed. Only now did she realize that she was within a very large forest. The leaves were green and the winds here were very appealing and comfortable.
"I'll always say this. This realism is broken" She dashed ahead faster realizing how quick she was. The trees tore past her in a blur and the ground occasionally trembled as she shot forward.
To an onlooker, it was as if a great windstorm had risen within the forest.
Hilde slowed down and finally stopped when she arrived at the base of a mountain. Behind her ended the forest.
"Good place for the carapace knight".
'Yes'.
It wasn't hard repeating it this time but she let Akasha handle it and make time for them. Turning she fled having no interest to see spiders duke it out or whatever.
Her mind going back to her Intents and Abstract's behavior as she ran began coming up with reasons for her weakness here.
'Is this the reason why mortals will find it hard to gain access to you?'. she pondered puzzled at her Will's behavior.
'Yes?'.
A thought came to her as she ran after giving up her Intent. She'd done next to nothing in the Mortal plane.
"The bunnies, and the mice and the other animals that would make this a real world" She'd been so focused on creating a game terrain she'd forgotten to treat it as realistically as life.
A huge oversight.
There was meant to be an ecological system. With the prey and the hunted. No prey would make the hunters turn to themselves before the players arrived.
"Have to fix that. Thankfully the system helped there for now." Connecting to Akasha she sent her senses back to see the wolves now feasting on the Forest Bol.
"Ahhhh.... the hell". Grumbling at looking back she quickly cut the link. With the wolves' ferocity and intelligence now even before they leveled up it was evident they would be menaces.
"The beginners would never even be able to handle them. Guess it's better I do the other thing now" She shivered again at the image of the Vaustari wolves tearing the Forest Bol into chunks of meat. Blood running into the grass and soaked the floor.
"First. Akasha, the goblins". She halted at the edge of a cliff. Looking down she saw plains and fields in the distance. Streams of water and large white clouds. In the far distance, there were also black clouds.
"Amazing".