The god Azarus, his form leaking flames, and his tri-colored hound, Zagrus, shared a glance. They had watched every moment of their victory together, sharing in the highs and lows as the game played out with their influence. Azarus felt a sliver of worry work its way into the ballooning joy in his chest, all too similar to a snake in a henhouse. He had sought a companion to share victories such as this, but now that it was upon him, he hesitated. How would a god celebrate? A mortal, even? His experiences of the Trials had shown him few examples, and he hesitated to take Moka’s lead.
To the godling’s delight, Zag ripped the hesitation from his mind, leaping into his arms with wild abandon. Azarus caught the puppy-like divine hound on instinct, cradling him to his chest as he wriggled, his tail wagging so hard it threatened Azarus’s grip. Taking care not to squeeze too hard, Azarus leaned back, twisting away from Zag’s excited licks while trying to keep the excited pup in his arms. He stepped back until his shoulder blades hit his painted tree, a dash of life in the cold hall. Sinking to the ground with Zag in his lap, Azarus laughed, pushing the hound’s head away and ruffling his fur in the same motion. It was not long before it became a game, Zag trying to lick Azarus’s face, while the god defended himself with redirecting pats.
With a swift movement, Azarus resorted to grappling. He grabbed a paw and shoulder, twisting Zag around and holding him so they faced the same direction. The glint in the hound’s emerald eyes told Azarus the hound was not ready to give up. A different sort of happiness swelled in Azarus, like a breaking dam, or the removal of a reserve he had not known he had. His flames dispersed from his skin, his smile leaking into his voice.
“Okay, okay. Enough. Let’s deal with the screens. We can play later.”
Zag relaxed in Azarus’s arms. The god idly scratched his belly, turning his mind to the next Trial.
The Mirror of Eons displayed Moka and Carwen, idly jogging through a twilight desert. Azarus suspected it was the screen’s effort to sedate their souls between Trials, keeping them bored but occupied. The occasional cactus the Mirror of Eons forced them to leap, kept them from slumber, or rebellion.
The notifications at the edge of Azarus’s perception clamored for his attention. He willed them forth, well braced for the snide remarks and hard choices the screens loved. Mentally commanding the notifications to appear in categorized blocks, Azarus greeted the first set of screens.
Quest: First Recruit - Complete
Your Champion has convinced a Trial world native to accompany them on their journey.
Painfully long, or brutally short, most Trial attempts end one way. Congrats on another body for the fodder.
Reward: Divine Points, [Upgrade Token: Follower] x3
-
Quest - A God’s Favor - Complete
Through might and wit, your Champion has proven themselves superior to their peers.
No one blinks when a goblin kills goblins.
Reward: Divine Points, [Title Token] x1
-
Quest: Strings of Fortune - Complete
You have discovered how to channel your [Domain] through the Mirror of Eons.
Quick growth is admirable, but your competition does not rest.
Reward: Divine Points, [Pluck Fate]
Azarus found it curious what the screen rewarded him for. He did not have a list of Quests to work toward, so each one completed was likely to be made up on the spot, as opposed to a hidden list he was slowly ticking off. These were rewards for swaying mortals, proving his champion’s dominance, and working outside the screen’s influence, in that order. The last one must be the most irritating for the screens. Time and again, when Azarus found a way around the screens, they granted rewards meant to be wielded under their influence, like a shepherd trying to keep him on a certain path.
Applying an effortless amount of will to [Divine Insight], Azarus examined the rewards with a critical eye.
[Upgrade Token: Follower]: Upgrade a newly recruited [Follower]. Must be used before the [Follower] enters their first, non-native Trial.
[Title Token]: Grant a Champion a temporary [Title], lasting a single run.
[Pluck Fate]: Channel your [Domain] through your [Champion] to sway the outcome of events. May only be used on non-Divine entities with connections to your [Champion].
Azarus sighed before swiping the screens away. The [Tokens] were interesting, but in the end they were only free samples to get him to spend Divine Points. The underhanded comments and pointed rewards painted a picture of an entity behind the screens who either failed at subtlety or saw no reason for it. [Pluck Fate] was much the same. The screens wanted to encroach on his ability to influence the Trials, locking it away in a structure they could control. He would need to integrate [Pluck Fate] into himself, much as he did with [Divine Insight]. For now, he had more notifications to slog through.
Achievement Unlocked!
[Fort Breaker]
Congrats! [Moka] has repeatedly proven themselves capable of destroying enemy encampments.
Bravado and violent desperation make cliche, but effective, bedfellows.
+ Trait: [Bunker Buster] when equipped.
Reward: Achievement Points
-
Achievement Unlocked!
[Evolution Gauntlet]
Congrats! [Moka] defeated subsequent opponents of the same species at higher evolution tiers.
Magical fire, the great equalizer. Who would have guessed?
Cannot be equipped
Reward: [Bloodline I] Unlocked!
-
Achievement Unlocked!
[Fae Friend]
Congrats! [Moka] befriended a member of the [Fae] without being enchanted by their glamor.
A mud blood goblin making friends with an infant of the Fae. How charming.
+ Moderate Mischief when equipped.
Reward: Achievement Points
Azarus sat up straight, his eyes locking onto the reward for [Evolution Gauntlet]. Zag squirmed in his arm, a fraction slower on the uptake. His confused whine echoed Azarus’s suspicions. A free Unlock seemed at odds with what he knew of the screens. If anything, it was a point in favor of the hidden list theory, for Achievements, if not Quests. [Bloodline I] was most likely going to be his next purchase. After the Trials dangled the potential evolutions in his face with the various hobgoblins and Carwen, he was certain the screens were strong arming him into it. To receive it for a feat already completed was…
Taking a deep breath, Azarus made the conscious decision not to look a gift horse in the mouth, lest he drive himself mad. Any warrior knew not to interrupt an enemy harming themself. As a precaution, he channeled [Divine Insight]. It told him what he already knew.
[Bloodline I]: Enables Bloodline evolutions. The first stage of the [Bloodline] Unlock, this function enables the [Evolution] process. Champions who encounter a sufficient catalyst may evolve their [Bloodline] between Trials. Selections do not carry over between runs. New Unlocks are applied between runs.
It would not affect Moka this run, but [Bloodline I] promised new avenues to explore in the next. Azarus’s face struggled, his expression trying to find a middle ground between a smile and a scowl. He landed on a sigh and dismissed both his excitement and concerns from his mind. Zag nudged Azarus’s hand, attempting to distract him. With a soft smile, the god allowed his attention to be pulled away for a moment, ruffling the hound’s ears.
Pulling up the last descriptions he was curious about, Azarus prepared for the deluge of choices awaiting him.
Trait: [Bunker Buster]: When your enemies hide, fortifying themselves to ward you away, break through. Grants the Skills: [Jericho’s Walls], [Your Defense, My Trap].
[Gift of Mischief]: Grants talent in the domain of Trickery. Effects include better misdirection, sleight of hand, and general deception.
Finding both descriptions to be about what he expected, Azarus turned to the final notification. He reached out to touch it with a flaming hand.
[Begin Second Trial]
For a moment, there was relative silence. Moka and Carwen jogged through a vast desert in the mirror. Far above the mirror, galaxies danced through the entirety of time, so vast they seemed still. Then, the screens crowded Azarus’s vision. Zag huffed at them, voicing his disapproval. Azarus nodded in silent agreement, his eyes darting back and forth as he absorbed the proffered information.
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
New Skill Selection!
Generating Skills based on actions [Moka] took during the first Trial…
[Directed Blast]: Utilizing her Excellent Knack, Moka may alter the direction of explosives she has either created or deployed.
[Random Effect: Explosion]: Moka’s Excellent Luck takes root in this Skill, altering her explosives.
[Fire Resistance]: Focusing her Moderate Resilience and Savvy, Moka may resist fire and its effects.
The decision was not a hard one for Azarus, made easier when Zag unceremoniously pointed at the second Skill option like a hunting dog, tail pointed straight back and bent foreleg aimed like a drawn bow. [Random Effect: Explosion] was the best option. The other two had their utility, especially [Directed Blast], but Azarus wanted to see how the [Faefire] would react to foreign elements. With Moka’s Excellent Luck, and his weakness for gambling, it was a clear winner.
The Skill selection screens dispersed. Azarus blinked, and a new set appeared.
New Spell Selection!
Generating available Spells from [Soldier] Archetype…
[Unit: Endless March]: Saturate the bodies of those under your command with magical energy, allowing them to travel days on end without exhaustion or boredom.
[Summon: Airdrop]: Resupply your tools of war.
[Faelight: Mark Target]: Illuminate your key objectives with light only visible to you and those in your unit.
Azarus tapped a paintbrush on his lips as he considered his options. He had hoped for something that would synergize with [Condensate]. The Spell had limited use in the last Trial. Moka’s Skills [Triple Strike] and [Create Blueprints: Explosive Device] had done the heavy lifting, the latter more than the former. [Unit: Endless March] had appeal, but of the Trials so far, traveling long distances was not high on his list of challenges. [Faelight: Mark Target] was appealing, if only because this run seemed heavily themed in that direction.
The god shot his hound a questioning glance, only to be greeted with an opportunistic lick. Azarus reeled back, wiping saliva off his cheek with a faux-glare. Zag wore a smug look, his tail happily thumping against the clouds. Tapping Zag on the nose with his brush, Azarus gestured to the Spell list, asking for the hound’s opinion. Zag whined, his ears falling back. The god could not help but agree. There was one option that stood above the others. He selected [Summon: Airdrop]. Moka needed more material for her explosives.
With the selection made, a brand new screen showed its face.
Would you like to apply [Title Token] to Champion [Moka]?
Please note, this token does not unlock the complete [Title] function.
Yes/No
Azarus considered saving the [Title Token]. He only had one, and he was certain it could pay off in other runs. His mind churned, vast fields of gray being grown and harvested as he made plans and discarded them. Perspectives lived and died within him until he found one that resonated. The token was a taste, a demonstration designed to convince him to spend his domain on features of the game. He found himself repulsed by the ham-handed manipulation, but then his perspective shifted.
The first taste was free, with hidden costs all but written in red ink across the sample’s surface. Costs that he could pay. [Titles] could be an essential feature, or the first step down the path of a needless addiction. Regardless, he trusted himself to come out the other side, unchanged except in ways he allowed.
[Title Token] used!
Please select a [Title] for your Champion based on their actions in the first Trial.
[Titles] apply to a single run and will grow based on each completed Trial.
[Staffmaster (Initiate)]: It is a foolish [Swordsman] that underestimates a [Farmer] with a staff. With a simple stick, you put your life on the line and come out on top. Grants progressive Skill: [Staff Mastery (Initiate)].
[Pyromancer (Nascent)]: Burn and grow, leave behind fertile ash for those who come next. Untamed magic saturates you, leaking into your will as you try to control the flames of war. Grants progressive Skill: [Lesser Fire Control].
[Apprentice Vinewood Ranger]: Life and death, the endless cycle of regrowth, guided by an ancient will. The forest sees you and acknowledges your effort, for better or worse. Grants Spell: [Summon: Spectral Elk].
Azarus skimmed the descriptions of each [Title], noting the different phrasing between [Apprentice Vinewood Ranger] and the others. To him, it implied that the [Ranger] title would grant additional spells and abilities, while the other two would deepen the power of their given Skill. Functionally, the [Titles] seemed to operate as an additional Class, of sorts, granting an additional ability and opportunity for parallel growth. Unfortunately, if his suspicions were true, the [Title] function would be invaluable in future runs.
Azarus blinked, seeing a world of spent ash hiding behind his eyelids. He shook his head, sinking his fingers into Zag’s fur. The hound whined, nudging Azarus with his nose. Dismissing thoughts of price and consequence, Azarus rubbed his palm on Zag’s forehead, wriggling the loose skin on his pup’s forehead with a soft smile.
With his worries dismissed to linger in his subconscious, Azarus considered which [Title] would advance Moka’s abilities as an [Explosives Expert]. The answer seemed clear. [Pyromancer]. Improving Moka’s abilities with a staff did nothing for her Class, and the [Ranger] option was straight out. Moka already had a patron, and Azarus was a god. He would not share his chosen champion.
Selection made, Azarus turned his attention to the next screen.
[Follower] detected!
Carwen Vinesong: [Village Beauty]
Would you like to use an [Upgrade Token: Follower] to enhance [Carwen Vinesong]?
Yes/No
Azarus nudged the affirmative with his will, not bothering to reach a hand up to select the option manually. There was no point in saving the token. He needed to see how it worked to judge its value.
Please select a Class upgrade for [Follower: Carwen Vinesong].
[Summoner]: Borrow the strength of those beyond the veil. These folks call beyond the veil and hear it answer.
Moderate gifts in Spirit, Charm, and Empathy
-
[Ethereal Beauty]: Embody untouchable yearning. The rare few who possess charm beyond the natural wield their looks as a weapon.
Moderate gifts in Spirit and Grace
Major gift in Charm
-
[Illusionist]: Bend and weave light to alter perception. These secretive folk twist light and sound to their will.
Moderate gifts in Spirit, Knack, and Perception
Azarus browsed the options, pleasantly surprised by the effects of the token. [Village Beauty] no longer suited Carwen, changing her Class was a boon. The god considered his options, searching for what suited his newest devotee best. She was in a season of change, growing into a new person. Her Class should reflect who she would become.
[Ethereal Beauty] seemed a direct upgrade to [Village Beauty], enhancing social manipulation to what Azarus suspected was a magical extent. Judged by gifts and description, it was a Class in a higher tier than the other two. However, Carwen did not wish to be defined by her physical virtues. Azarus would honor that, which left [Illusionist] and [Summoner].
On the surface, [Illusionist] seemed the better fit. Carwen already played with light to create illusions, using the minor effects in simple but effective ways. With improved power and versatility, [Illusionist] poised to grant her greater control over her own life, allowing her to take her choices into her own hands without relying on others. And for that, Azarus preferred [Summoner].
No matter how much Carwen seemed to wish for complete independence, Azarus disagreed. He believed she needed a shoulder to lean on, compatriots to support her without forcing their selfish desires into her lap. True independence was a cruel and lonely existence, forcing strength onto those who survived. He did not wish that for her, even if she wanted it for herself. Moka could not heal Carwen’s mental and emotional wounds, reversing a lifetime growing under the weight of expectation, and Azarus would not ask that of his champion. So, he set Carwen on a different path.
Class [Village Beauty] → [Summoner]
Skill [Read the Room] → [Sense Intention]
Skill [Heartfelt Plea] → [Fae Deal]
Azarus tapped his paintbrush against his lips, considering the changes. He had expected to select a new Skill for Carwen, but this was better. He sighed, resisting the urge to summon the descriptions via [Divine Insight]. Soon enough, he would see them in use. He dismissed the screen, glimpsing Carwen tripping over a cactus in the mirror in the split second before the next appeared. The god winced as Moka yanked a spine out of the elf’s cheek, then the next screen crowded his vision.
Congrats! Your [Follower] has reached an evolution threshold! Please select the direction of their growth.
[Vinewood Elf]: The forest has nurtured them from birth, feeding and sheltering their charge. Your [Follower] has partaken in the forest’s power and it has resonated with their bloodline. They become part of the forest, gaining its strength.
[God-touched Lesser Fae]: Mysterious and arrogant, the Fae rarely submit themselves to the care of a higher power, but this one did. Your power changes them.
[Autumn Elf]: The blood of your [Follower’s] ancestors sings in their veins. Their body bathes in power, and their blood refines it, shaping them in the image of their past and future.
Azarus smiled, an easy grin, at the simple choice. He noted the descriptions implied that consuming the berry-petals had granted Carwen the chance to upgrade her bloodline. It was useful information for future runs, if he wished to leverage [Bloodline I] as best he could. As it was, he saw the options arranged in three ways. [Autumn Elf], a natural progression of [Faeborn Elf], bringing Carwen closer to the [Autumn Court] of the Fae. [Vinewood Elf] synchronized her with the power she had consumed, drawing her closer to its source, the [Vinewood Forest]. Or, perhaps, it was a nod to the life she had lived so far. For Azarus, there was only one choice that mattered.
Reaching out a hand, Azarus selected [God-touched Lesser Fae]. He had made his claim on Carwen. Neither the Fae nor the forest would contaminate what was his.
Evolution Selected!
[Faeborn Elf] → [God-touched Lesser Fae]
[God-touched Lesser Fae]: [God-touched Lesser Fae] are unique among their kind, trading their natural gifts for those of their patrons. Like a well-fed hunting hound, they grow fat and powerful, ready to face their wolf-like kin.
-
Moderate Knack, Reason, and Spirit → Major Will, Mischief, and Spirit
[Fae Enchantment] → [Shroud of the Faithful]
[Summon: Minor Spirit] → [Summon: Autumn Fae]
Thoughtful, Azarus frowned, scratching the light stubble on his chin. He had expected the changes to represent him more. From a certain perspective, Will, Mischief, and Spirit could represent his flames, but he considered it a stretch, far from his own understanding. Except, perhaps, Will, which he could relate to his gold flames. Mischief did not suit his emerald flames, even if there was a certain resonance. Chance, or Luck, was a far better fit. Not to speak of Spirit, which he felt had no connection to the gray. ‘Spirit’ did not encapsulate exploitation and sacrifice bound as one. His gray flame held deeper meaning.
In addition, [Shroud of the Faithful] and [Summon: Autumn Fae] both seemed generic, not a representation of Azarus. He had expected, wanted more, especially on the tail of a significant victory.
With deliberate care, Azarus set aside his concerns. They did not serve him at this moment. Soon, he would claim his domain. He could feel it, like a burgeoning sunrise on the cusp of breaking the horizon. Then, things would change. All he needed was a catalyst, something to forge the small pieces of himself into a singular whole. He hoped to find it soon, with Moka and Carwen as his hands and feet.
Eyes ablaze, Azarus watched the last screen fade away, and the Mirror of Eons roiled with flames. The change obscured Moka and Carwen for a moment. Azarus blinked. By the time he opened his eyes, they reformed in a new locale. With a sliver of himself, Azarus activated [Through Mortal Eyes]. Maybe seeing through Moka’s eyes could help him find the missing piece of himself. As long as he did not lose himself experiencing life through her, it was worth the risk.