Things were going smoothly.

The foundations of three Great Libraries were being laid and they were, for some reason, all directly opposite my temples.

The one in Y’shuah was built on the other side of the City of Pele. The one in Northern Hatua was built at the northernmost point of the capital city and the one in Kimbilio was built on the western side of the city while my temple was on the eastern side.

I would’ve questioned the strange choices of location but I chose not to.

Another odd thing was that they surrounded my temples with smooth paving and it was there that they chose to pray instead of within the temples.

Different stones were used for the paving in each region.

Marble was used in Hatua, sandstone in Kimbilio and Granite in Y’shuah.

Huh… I looked at the way the humanoids were treating my existence and wondered if the Pāttiram had done the same to some other seemingly divine entity.

Maybe it was the one who inspired their iconography.

As for the continent of Hatua, a border had been drawn across it.

Three-fourths still belonged to the north and retained the name “Hatua” while the southern quarter was named Teva.

My first goal was for the humanoids to master the elements.

The first was fire and I taught them everything I knew about heat and energy.

They would use this knowledge to smelt, weld and even cook their way into the future.

I gave them permission to open several mines which they would use to dig up various metals to increase their knowledge of metallurgy and tool crafting.

I was also simultaneously teaching them how to master water, air and earth- err… me.

They would build dams, factories and more but all that would take time.

Time I planned to savour.

The sun had just risen meaning Tal and I had to prepare for our morning duties.

Unfortunately…

“Tal,” I called for the fifth time but the girl was fast asleep in her pure white pyjamas. Her long grey curly hair was bound in a messy bun.

I wasn’t forcing her to come with me and it was she who actually asked to tag along but… she was such a heavy sleeper.

I rolled my eyes and made my way up a flight of stairs I had made just for Tal since she didn't know how to fly just yet. It helped her go from our bedroom – the Chamber of Tablets to the main atrium above.

And as for the atrium itself, I had made it a bit more homey.

Along its ovular walls were new rooms that segmented the space.

At the centre of it all, however, was my display of nine skeletons which I had collected all that time ago.

My favourite was still that of the Shock Turtle.

Its hardened lower shell fascinated me every time I looked at it m and it stood centre stage, atop the largest of the Stone platforms.

One person who didn’t appreciate the display was Tal who cowered at the sight of the skeletons.

I had also cleaned up the other side of the island, where I tossed aside the corpses of the animals I had killed in my search for salvation.

I also couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that my bone-littered backyard was the place that inspired the idea of Giza Olam.

I entered the kitchen and made the one thing I knew would wake Tal up.

A peanut butter and jam sandwich.

As a Glass Entity, she had heightened senses and could smell something that was even a hundred meters away.

Her vision was also only limited by obstruction in that so long as anything wasn’t in the way of her view, she could see as far as she liked.

This, unfortunately and strangely, gave her headaches.

Same with Musa and so whenever we were out and about, I would blindfold them with white silk binds.

Their other senses would then keep them from fumbling and tumbling about.

I made the sandwich and like clockwork, she sleepily ascended from below.

“Good morning.” I greeted as she entered the kitchen.

She let out a cute yawn in reply before sitting by the counter behind me.

She still hadn’t said much but I was more than content with her presence alone.

Musa, on the other hand, seemed to have taken a bit of a leadership role.

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For starters, he and Tal were referred to as Mal'akh and this gave him authority that was second only to mine since he and Tal were considered as angels or demigods.

Musa used his rank to act as a mediator between northern and southern Hatua.

What impressed me was that he did this unprompted.

Neither Mpole nor I had told him to do anything.

He simply asked Ed if there was anything he could but since Ed didn’t have anything in mind, Musa was given the task of keeping the peace. A heavy duty but I would cheer him regardless.

It was also Musa himself who brought up the fact that things were going to be very different.

The once great tribe of the Umande people had been divided.

Soon even the very idea of dialog would be made difficult and so he volunteered himself to be the bridge that kept both sides connected.

The fact that he was the prince gave him a lot of sway over the North but this also made the South suspicious of his intent.

Yes, he had been reborn as a Mal'akh through me but people thought that the possibility that he turned against me once the power went to his head was still far too high.

Tal finished eating and got changed into her ceremonial gown which was essentially a Pāttiram robe but with bits of white here and there.

Where the original was a single purple cloth that wrapped around the body, the new version had two lengths of fabric wrapped around the chest and hips. A single white loop of fabric would then hang from each shoulder.

Tal and Musa also had their hair bound in upward-facing buns.

With Tal’s hand in mine, I left the Temple and beheld my city which had gained a few new citizens.

These were devout Sav’taists who wanted nothing other than to tend to my island.

They were essentially groundskeepers and since they didn’t bother me all that much, I allowed them to stay.

They also prayed and sang songs for me early in the morning and just as the sun set and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t enjoy the sounds of their voices.

Since Sav’taists were mostly pragmatic, they never prayed for anything unrealistic.

They simply wished that I continue to guide and watch over them.

I knew Tal hated flying so I created an ovular Glass carriage which had a four-seat and was only accessible via Glass Transference in that it didn’t have any doors and I had to manually slip Tal and myself into it.

It stood on four thin retractable legs and was lined with intricate patterns.

Tal sat next to me as I lifted the craft into the air.

We then flew to our first destination, the Temple Pele.

Tal preferred to not be able to see my surface as it rushed by below us and so I made the ship opaque.

“Where is big bro Musa?” Tal asked and her voice was so cute that my eyes widened to their limits.

I quickly composed myself while turning to face her.

“He is working right now. Would you like to see him?” I asked.

“Yes, please.” She said and I bit my teeth while trying to hold in my need to celebrate Tal’s first words with me.

“Alright. We’ll visit it after our morning duties .”

Tal nodded and it was here that I smiled.

We eventually reached the temple and landed on a designated landing pad.

We were then guided into the Temple where I sat upon my throne with Tal on my lap.

I then closed my eyes and eyed over the continent.

The farms to the north were doing well, construction of the city of Pele was coming along steadily and there were no angry shrimp in sight.

Emunah and Chozek had already woken up and were preparing for an audience with me.

“I still can’t believe it,” Chozek muttered as he slipped into some formal clothes.

“Mmm?” Emunah sounded while wrapping her head in a piece of grey cloth.

“I’m just musing over the fact that not only met but have spoken to our god and creator.” He sighed while accompanying his wife and queen out of their home.

“Yes, it truly is a surreal time we live in.” Emunah yawned as she and Chozek walked with twenty guards in tow.

Several more walked ahead of them and the denizens of the Cevern made way as the royal envoy made its way out of the underground city.

“I haven’t been able to think of anything other than her and I get a little bashful from time to time because I wonder if she can read our thoughts.” Emunah giggled making Chozek grin.

“That wouldn’t be a problem unless you were having impure thoughts.”

Emunah covered her face as fluster made her cheeks red.

“Chozek! I would never.” She giggled while leaning over to rest her shoulder on Chozek’s left arm.

He was a tall and lanky young man with the spirit of a warrior.

His grey hair was cut shirt and his grey eyes were permanently narrowed, giving them a sharp and keen intensity.

The two eventually arrived at my temple and were allowed to enter by the many guards who stood by the single entrance.

The chief and queen then knelt before me, pressing their foreheads on the clean floor.

“Good morning, divine creator whose grace guides and nourishes us through every moment as dictated by your Will – a Will that is absolute.” Emunah greeted and I wasn’t sure if she was kissing my ass or being sincere.

“Good morning.” I greeted while opening my eyes.

“You may stand.”

Emunah and Chozek did as instructed.

“I have decided that it would be best if you dealt with the Aviyvists as you pleased. After thorough consideration, I realized that, although it would be easy enough for me to gather them all in one place and deal with them, the greatest gift in all of existence is free will and I think they should be free to choose who or what they worship. You may think differently and since this is your kingdom, you are ultimately in charge."

Emunah and Chozek exchanged glances after hearing my words.

“If… you say that they should be allowed to worship a false God then we will let them do as their foolish hearts please.” Emunah sighed.

I saw little issue in allowing her to continue down whatever path she was setting for herself and her people.

I would only intervene when the damage got too severe.

History was fraught with conflict and tension, after all.

A perfect world would be boring and so I gave myself a nod and turned to Chozek.

“Anything else?”

The two remained silent and so I dismissed them.

I was curious, however, about a certain someone and so I turned to the Aviyvist temple in the Cavern wherein Kimbilio stood behind a podium in front of a hundred people.

“Life…” He began with a weary expression.

“Is like the great Ocean Makor. It feeds and creates just as often as it drowns and destroys. We are but specks caught up in the currents of change and time but fear not, my brothers and sisters, for Aviyv’s arms are wide open, ready to accept you on the Day of Returnal. So cast aside your doubts and ignore the blaring siren that beckons you to that dark temple!” He said and as he spoke, his voice turned from a gentle one to more of a growl.

“Live every day graciously and in the name of Aviyv for it was he who gave us life and is to him that we shall return!” He yelled and everyone in the temple applauded him.

He stepped off the front stage and was met by Lahat whose appearance had significantly changed in some areas.

For one, he, like Kiynah, who formal pale blue clothes although his hair and beard remained scruffy.

“Beautifully spoken, truly.” Lahat applauded but Kiynah sighed deeply in response.

“My words were seasoned with fear and doubt. How could anyone find beauty in them?”

“Well… let's just say I like bittersweet things.” Lahat smiled, revealing his many crooked teeth.

This made a brief and weak smirk appear on Kiynah’s face for a moment but before he could open his mouth to speak, Lahat lightly slapped his back and led him out of the Temple alongside the many attendees.

“Anyway, there appears to be light beyond the dark clouds that are passing over us.”

“Oh?” Kiynah sounded.

“Yes. I shared your words and divine teachings with a few of my companions and they were so moved that they agreed to start attending your sermon. They also plan on bringing their families so worry not, my friend. The old teachings will not fade away so easily.”

Kiynah’s eyes widened a little.

“I see. Oh- and thank you, Lahat, for supporting my work in these strange times.”

“But of course. My only wish is for more ears and hearts to listen when you speak. For their sake… and the sake of our kind.”