With all my outstanding duties in Windemere looked after, the last thing I had to do was explain what happened to my father. Our house-hunting wasn't done although I knew the exact spot I wanted. It was a small house on the main street west of the guild, one without a backyard. Just perfect. Too bad I won't have time for that.
Shoving that tiny sliver of regret as I once more abandoned my life behind to hunt big game, I knocked on Helger's door. He opened it up and read my mood like a book.
"Haru? Why?" He pulled me into a hug, shoving my face in his braided beard. "What happened this time?"
Dwarven beards, despite what people may think, are not coarse or smelly. Like anyone with a love for their hair, dwarven males set aside a big part of their day grooming and caring for theirs. Washing, moisturizing, styling, trimming split ends, the same as any long hair. The beard was a dwarf's calling card and a big part of how dwarven girls judged a man's worth. They even had alchemical hair growth tonics in case someone's beard suffered an accident. Pressing a loved one against one's beard was the Kin equivalent of letting someone touch our animal ears.
I turned around and showed him the three tail stumps. "Dragons attacked me. They used…" I gave him the long explanation. "... Worst-case scenario, enough dragons are lurking in the nearby mountains as we speak, enough to choke the skies in lizard skin and block Galbarar's grace over Windemere."
There weren't. I checked with my long-range detection.
"Despicable."
"I have to go, father. Windemere's enemies won't rest until either side is destroyed. I won't let them touch my homeland."
"To war."
"To war. Dragons this time. I'm going to clear Auvanini of these rambunctious lizards. But the real enemy is their goddess. I need to cause a lot of damage if I want her to expose herself. I'm afraid this will only end when the lizards and their goddess are dead. The good news, I can kill them, and they take a ridiculously long time to mature. Each one I take down is basically irreplaceable even if you don't consider them as individuals."
"What do the other gods think about this?"
"I don't know. They like to keep their hands clean on the best of days, blatantly ignoring what their fellow deities are doing. Honestly, even the best among them give zero shits about us. All they care about is how much faith they're harvesting. That cathedral? The rewards they gave me? It's a business. A farm. Or, more precisely, a dairy barn where people go to get milked for little or no reward."
I paused to think. Time had tempered my anger, sharpening it into a blade I hoped would be so sharp none else would ever dare attempt something against Windemere ever again. But butchering the dragon [Saint] gave me a venue to vent my frustrations. I now had a gut feeling it was wrong to go out and hunt dragons. It was my Zenko Kitsune's instincts. The guardian foxes, holder of the keys, the shrine gatekeepers. Haru's path made me a guardian and a protector, not a hunter or an avenger.
My feelings conflicted, I felt like two forces tugged me into diametrically opposed directions. In my mind's eye, I saw two visions.
On one, I was above Windemere, besieged by hundreds, maybe thousands of dragons. I could barely hold my own against such opposition and keep them from attacking the people below. I failed. Windemere perished, scorched beyond oblivion by Dragonfire.
On the other, I was once again high above the land, but in a foreign and unknown place. Tall mountains surrounded me. Dark smoke clouded and choked the sky all around to the ends of the horizon. It was thickest than the mighty storm clouds, cloying, and all-pervasive. The fumes were fueled by uncountable black ichorous plumes that rose from the valleys below, where entire cities, kingdoms burned, going as far as the eye could see and beyond the planet's curvature. Huge bloodstains caked the mountains, stained the snowy peaks in shades of pink, purple, and red, for miles and miles. The stench of death and desolation spread for as far as one's senses could stretch. Of Windemere, I knew nothing. I'd lost sight of it.
The crucible of freedom is the burden of choice. Jean-Paul Sartre claimed freedom was both absolute and intrinsic. No, that we were doomed to be free. We always had a choice, even if the choice was death or suicide. We just deluded ourselves that the bad choices were non-existent.
Sacrifice Windemere or condemn the world into a new age of darkness. The freedom of choosing between terrible and worse broke from the ground and bound my wrists and ankles, pulling me apart and threatening to rip my core in twain.
Was there a third choice? One that was hidden from my senses, shrouded from my grasp?
I could kill myself now and place an enchantment over Windemere, keeping the dragons and their powers out. Death was always an option and less than a final sacrifice for me. However, my Ritual tail broke. I wasn't at the level cap like Arista. Accumulated Exp mattered a lot.
Another plan required that the dragons took their time coming here. I could strengthen the walls, enchant them, and set defensive turrets with anti-dragon weaponry. Place detection artifacts everywhere, mimicking my {Detection} abilities. They could detect the dragons from dozens of miles away. If only they couldn't teleport straight into Windemere's heartlands.
Or I could explore my latest acquisition. Fate magic. Surely torturing loved one's souls for causing sympathetic harm wasn't the only use of a whole school of magic. Were there benign uses of Fate magic? Was it something mortals could or should even dabble with? The dragon [Saint] had a goddess helping him.
Yes, it was a male. I was disgusted I had to carve an organ roughly the size and shape of the Washington Monument but fortunately, the girls weren't there, especially Marisol. But hey, If I ever got the dragon-bitch, at least I had what to fuck her with. But I digress.
"Have you calmed down?" Helger brought me back to reality.
I made my choice. A choice Haru was happy to follow. A choice Lorna would approve. She dedicated three centuries of her life to this land, these people. While I was brutally murdered and reborn by Bundeus' fanatics, she kept the kin and silk-folk safe. To abandon Windemere to fate and go on a murder crusade was not something I could do.
I even knew what shape the anti-dragon defenses should have. True to the promise I made to that "Trogdor" guy, the dragons didn't attack Windemere. They attacked me, and only me. And paid dearly for that.
I was a shrine guardian.
"Father, Windemere is in danger. The dragons will come to lay siege to our lands. I need to rally the people. I can't go out and fight driven by blind rage. That's not Haru's fate."
The magical affinity helped with spells but not only that. It gave me a deeper connection to the very nature of that magic. As a [Sorceress], I could feel and tug at its undercurrents with my will, imagination, and feelings. The [Spell-Singer] tuned to the harmony and frequencies inherent to nature. As Max Planck showed us, the very nature of the Universe is composed of wavelengths. {Fate Magic} was no different.
I knew what I had to do. It was a conscious choice and a leap of faith. But faith could be exactly what I needed to fight against a Goddess. Fight fire with fire and all that jazz.
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Morning. As Galbarar's Grace shone upon the world, the people of Windemere crowded the main square, the streets, the rooftop. A castle had appeared overnight as the rubble from the previous Royal residence vanished. Upon a tall balcony, a woman stood. Underneath her regal gown, she wore a Tabard of green and gold, with Windemere heraldry stamped on the front.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
"People of Windemere," She spoke. "The blessings of the [Matriarch] are upon us."
They cheered. Behind the woman, a girl clutched her core, feeling not exactly pain but an unknown sensation.
"The Tabard lives. Our would-be enemies battered against our gates and our guardians and washed harmlessly down the stream of History. Windemere prevailed!"
More cheers. The woman was a natural at guiding and inciting people's emotions. She turned behind her and called someone.
"Great [Thane] Ashshield, please join me. [General] Lyss. [Chamberlain] Vanagon. [Archmage] Marlowe. [Saintess] Wisteria of Zacheia. Matron Pres'Hanya of the Lierin."
As she called them, they joined her on the balcony, all of them proudly wearing subordinate Tabards, less ornate than the main one. Some names were well-known, some were considered lost. But all of them demanded respect.
"You know all of them," the [Queen] continued. "They are Windemere's leaders but not our strength. Our strength comes from you, the people of Windemere. We survived a turbulent period. The late [King] Eric III perished by a petty act of an enemy that was too cowardly to face our [Matriarch] in her eternal struggle for justice and the prosperity of our people. Know this, people of Windemere. Even when she isn't among us, the [Matriarch] has always cast her loving gaze upon us. She came to us over the last thousand years under many guises. You can feel her presence, can't you?"
The crowd sang praise to their legendary leader. Even those not of the races with a deeper connection to the legendary figure knew they were blessed to be protected and showered by the bountiful blessings of the [Matriarch].
"Behold!" The [Queen] raised a golden orb and let it float over the crowd. "This is Pandora, the [Wisp of Creation]. Part of the [Matriarch], the spool upon which her Thread is woven on. Remember this, Windemere, for this is unique. The [Wisp of Creation] is the [Matriarch]'s sigil. The golden orb is her advent."
The crowd's excitement reached a peak. They reached up with their hands toward the golden orb and freely gave them their prayers. They called for their [Matriarch]. They called their eternal [King] Robin Locksley's name. They felt her presence, her strength.
Then they heard her song. As a blanket washing over the crowd, it warmed their hearts more than the morning Sun could ever do. Invisible to all, the golden orb drank what was freely given. Though Faith could be stolen, it was the most heinous of crimes. That didn't happen that day. Windemere was a prosperous nation. One where the persecuted could be free. Where the former slaves could find their dignity. Where the dead were reborn in bodies of the finest cloth, handwoven by their creator. Where an almost extinct species considered by most as being monsters could flourish. They knew it was all thanks to Her.
To the people of Windemere, the [Matriarch] was their goddess.
And just like a goddess, she descended upon them. Clad in legendary shining metal armor, with white wings that glowed with their own light, she flew down from the sky. The armor vanished, revealing black fur and a feline face underneath. Just as the legends said.
Her singing, accompanied by phantom instruments, reached the whole city. It resonated with the crowd and they found they knew the melody. They just needed to listen to their hearts. Their devotion was rewarded. The golden sphere shone like the sun. They basked in the [Matriarch]'s glory and some fell to their knees.
The next month, many great works of art came to life all over Windemere. The inspiration they received was too another of her blessings.
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Riding on a clear mind and a steady heart, I found that going on a wild dragon hunt was a fool's endeavor. I needed to play to my strengths, not become trapped and entangled in the enemy's plans. The people of Windemere were my strength, the reason I struggled this much. I couldn't abandon them behind. My children. I embraced my Fate and reaped my rewards.
> Diva Presence
>
> Captive Audience
>
> Enrapturing Lyrics
>
> Touching Performance
>
> Roar of the Crowd
>
> Mana Wellspring
>
> Sing to the Heavens
>
> Eldritch Presence
>
> Eldritch Inspiration
>
> Widen Aura
>
> Mantle of Power
I gave their performance and my Perks granted me their resources. Pandora absorbed their Faith. With the MP regeneration of a whole nation added to mine, I quickly put myself to work.
> Erode curse reached 100%. The curse, {Twinkle Little Star: The attribute caps for rank zero are all set to one.} can be unraveled or converted into a Perk.
"Convert!" I commanded. It would take as much MP as to break it, but I felt it was well worth it. Wearing a full set of Magic-enhancing jewelry and the bonus from my {Curse-Breaker} Ability, my effective Magic score was 325, far greater than Lakerta's 260 at her peak. The cost to break these curses was proportional to the cube of the difference between my Magic score and the caster of the curse. While Loki's attributed Magic score under the System was still greater than mine, the difference wasn't that big anymore.
Keeping the crowd enraptured also prevented them from using their MP. Adding their regeneration to mine, I took Core after Core and fed them to {Erode Curse}. A stream of glittering dust trailed beneath me as my wings took me on a circle above the crowd. Hundreds upon hundreds of demon Cores were consumed one after the other. Arista's hunting trip in the Ethereal paid its dividends.
As it neared completion, I had an epiphany. Maybe this was Loki's plan all along. Why would he give such a silly name to the curse?
> Conversion reached 100%. You gained the Perk,
>
> * Reborn Little Star (Unique): Upon birth and during your infancy at each birthday, you gain 5 Attribute Points, randomly distributed. You receive a notification even before your Activation.
>
> Erode Curse is set to {Divine Siphon: divine energy that targets you or enters in contact with you is drained and the power is sent to [Loki, Asgard].}.
More. More. Sing with me, my people. Fulfill our Fate. Renew our oaths. Show the world, no, the Universe, our strength. Five thousand Cores. Six thousand. Convert that Curse too. The resonance with Fate magic was strong. I felt Pandora bursting at the seams with the Faith from the people of Windemere.
Finally, at the apotheosis of my long song, the miracle happened.
> Conversion reached 100%. You gained the Perk,
>
> * Siphon of Creation: Foreign divine energy that targets you or enters in contact with you is drained and the power is sent to your [Wisp of Creation].
I set {Erode Curse} after its next target, {Random Speciation}.
Only two words changed along with the target. "Foreign" and "your". With that, the last thread that bound my Fate to Loki vanished. I was finally free. But that wasn't all. The Faith of Windemere's people directed at me now became Pandora's. The [Wisp of Creation] also reached its climax.
> Your [Wisp of Creation] gained a new Aspect.
>
> * Aspect of the Surrogate Guardian Goddess: Gains the Kin domain. Harvest Faith from the Kin species and in the regions of Windemere and Auvani.
That was unexpected. I just wanted to cut ties with Loki and find a fuel source for Pandora's {Aspect of Incarnation}. But the System didn't control Pandora. All of these notifications were just a way of reading what Pandora was doing and quantifying it. Just as Loki didn't lose his power outside the System but had statistics while visiting Yznarian.
Eh, wait. Auvani? Was it because of the White Divine Beast religion? The one that worshipped rabbits for... some reason? I didn't have much time to worry about the implications as I got more notifications slapped on my face along with everyone else.
> REJOICE, PEOPLE OF WINDEMERE. The Kin species now have a patron deity. The nation of Windemere now has a guardian deity. She showers her blessings upon you.
>
> WARNING: The conflict was solved. Administrator intervention is no longer necessary.
>
> You unlocked the Faith Attribute.
>
> You gained the Perks,
>
> * Divine Magic Affinity (rare): You have an affinity with divine magic.
>
> * Kin Royalty (very rare): You are a trueborn member of Royalty. All Kin species react more favorably to you. Members of other races, if aware of your status, can shift their reaction favorably (more likely) or worsen it (less likely). You gain the Perks Animal Affinity and Animal Magic Affinity for free. You gain 1 base HP and MP per level.
>
> * Animal Affinity (rare): Increase all animals' reactions toward you by two steps. Animals you raise from birth to adulthood gain a +3 bonus to physical Attributes.
>
> * Animal Magic Affinity (very rare): You have an affinity with magic that affects animals.
Two more tails sprouted from my butt in front of everyone alongside my werecat tail. Dammit. The tail for Divine magic was sparkling gold, just like Pandora's naked Divine Core. The tail for Animal Magic was matte gray with black spots.
But that was it. I was tired, the people had their own lives to live, and I was out of spendable Cores to break curses. The show was over.
> Level 156
>
> Strength*: 98+23 (121) / 104 - Dexterity*: 92+31 (123) / 104 - Endurance*: 102+24 (126) / 104
>
> Mind*: 100+36 (136) / 104 - Willpower*: 97+43 (140) / 104 - Charisma*: 104+24 (128)
>
> Magic*: 104+43 (147) - Faith: 1+10 (11) / 104
>
> Ego*: 103+32 (135) / 104 - Luck*: 87+34 (121) / 104 - Soul*: 87+34 (121) / 104
>
> HP 146.300.663 (2.410.042 HP/s)
>
> Energy 119.947.321 (204.357 E/min)
Oh. I always wondered why there was no Perk or achievement for getting the Pinnacle on all Attributes. Turns out there were still other locked Attributes I didn't have. And if the pattern holds, there might be still one more to unlock. The gap next to Faith was too conspicuous.
As I left the scene invisible, I could swear I heard "someone" laughing and clapping his hands. Next time, I should sell tickets to the show.