Theodore stood, feet planted firmly on solid ground, when he felt it—an invisible tug, a hand reaching for his very soul. Lady Karmichael’s telepathic presence whispered at the edges of his consciousness, attempting to whisk him away.

He turned, casting a final glance at Holden. Why would she want to teleport him? Confusion clouded his mind, but curiosity won out. With a mental shrug, Theodore surrendered to the unseen force.

Reality blurred, twisted, then shattered.

In the span of a heartbeat, solid earth vanished. Wind whipped at his face, his stomach lurched, and—

“Shit!”

Theodore plummeted through the open sky, clouds rushing past in a dizzying whirl. Panic clawed at his throat for a precious second before instinct kicked in. The howling wind bent to his will. Theodore’s descent slowed, then stopped altogether. He hovered, heart racing, as he took stock of his surroundings.

Above: endless blue. Below: a sea of clouds. And there, directly ahead: a patch of absolute darkness, as if someone had cut a hole in the very fabric of reality.

Theodore’s eyes narrowed. This was what Lady Karmichael wanted him to see?

He drifted closer, mana thrumming through his veins. As he neared, a figure materialized within the inky void.

A woman.

Naked.

Curled into a tight ball, knees hugged to her chest. Her hair—a cascade of midnight—fluttered as if gravity held no sway here.

Theodore opened his mouth to speak, but the words died in his throat as a single eye snapped open.

Golden.

Piercing.

Ancient.

The world tilted sideways.

Theodore’s physical senses dulled, replaced by a kaleidoscope of alien sensations. The mental plane unfurled around him, and his [Psionic Resistance] flared up.

What the—ah… I’m familiar with this. Lyra, yeah…

“I’m Eliza,” a voice sounded, echoing from everywhere and nowhere. The naked woman stood before him now, her form incorporeal. “And I’ll be the one to kill you, little pup.”

Theodore blinked, processing the sudden shift. Then, inexplicably, he began to chuckle. The chuckle grew, blossoming into full-blown laughter that rang out across the psychic landscape.

Eliza’s brow furrowed, golden eyes flashing with irritation. “Why are you laughing?” she demanded.

Theodore’s mirth faded, replaced by a predatory grin. “Did you really just pull me into a mental battle?” he asked. “Me?”

He was being cocky. That was the point. This was his mental space. Whatever he believed would come true. Not to mention, his [Psionic Resistance] had already gained a level, and it would continue to do so. He’d also asked Derrick to place mental wards on him. And those were whirring to life.

This woman—no… this god that had yet to hatch, it had chosen the wrong place to fight.

“You dare mock me, mortal?” she snarled.

Theodore’s grin widened. “Oh, I dare.” He took a step forward, the mental plane rippling beneath his feet as he began preparing. The stress on his mind increased, and pain assaulted him from everywhere, but he didn’t care. “You see, Eliza, you’ve made a rather serious miscalculation.”

“Is that so?” Eliza sneered.

“Indeed.” Theodore said. “You assumed I was some helpless pup you could toy with. But tell me...” His eyes blazed with an inner fire that put Eliza’s golden gaze to shame. “...did it never occur to you to ask why I was sent here?”

He understood. His aunt somehow figured out that he’d be the best match for this woman. And, she also knew that he had [Psionic Resistance]... From where she got the information, there was no time to ponder. The fact of the matter was—she was right.

He was absolutely the best match for this fledgling.

A sword materialized in his hand, and he slashed. An arc rippled through the mental space, powered by [Sever], and hit her square across her chest.

Eliza took an involuntary step back. Her gears started turning. She realized what was going on. Theodore refrained from scowling. Shit. He needed some time. He had a good chance, he couldn’t just let her get out of here. She’s a goddess, right. At least some parts. Hmm. Let’s see. I’ll try to rile her up. I’m pretty sure she isn’t the smartest at the moment. The ritual was incomplete. It’s fucking her capacity to think.

“You can’t move in the physical world, can you?” he said, and she scowled at him.

“I can move!”

“No, you can’t. The ritual isn’t complete. You referred to yourself as Eliza. I doubt that’s your name. Is that the woman’s name? The one you inhabit? You are trapped in that little bubble of darkness. So you lash out with your mind, thinking yourself the apex predator? Say, are you perhaps the ‘god’ the Night Whispers worship? I almost feel sorry for you,” Theodore continued, looming over Eliza. The mental landscape warped around him, reality bending to his will now. “You have no idea what you’ve invited into your domain.”

“Psionic Resistance… What... what are you?”

Theodore’s grin was all teeth. “I’m the nightmare that’ll haunt the dreams of beings like you. This is my domain now. You wanted a battle, Eliza? Well, congratulations. You’ve got one.”

Eliza’s golden eyes met his.

“Now then, little pup...” He cracked his knuckles. “Shall we begin your education?”

The mental plane twisted, and she pushed him out of the mental space. Goddammit! Theodore quickly took control of himself and took flight, hovering in the sky, looking at her.

She was glaring at him.

Theodore didn’t stop to think, he swung his sword. A shimmering golden barrier materialized where he struck her. He struck again. And again. And again. Her eyes bled. He sent fireballs hurtling at her. He tried everything, but nothing got past her defensive barrier.

Man, couldn’t you have just let me finish you there? I was talking so much, preparing for an attack to end you at once, but you realized and pushed me out.

He tasted ash at the mere thought of such a lost opportunity.

***

Theodore hovered in the air, his eyes fixed on the dark void containing the curled-up figure of Eliza—or rather, the entity inhabiting her body. The golden eye still glared at him, a mixture of fury and wariness evident in its piercing gaze. He could feel the raw power emanating from her, but also a sense of... incompleteness.

A whoosh of air announced the arrival of Alden, who came to a stop beside Theodore. Moments later, Ezekiel materialized on Theodore’s other side, his eyes glowing with a golden light.

“Brother,” Alden said. “Are you alright? We saw you disappear and then reappear up here.”

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Theodore nodded, not taking his eyes off the void. “I’m fine. Lady Karmichael teleported me here. Seems she wanted me to see this.” He gestured towards Eliza.

Ezekiel’s brow furrowed. “What exactly are we dealing with here?”

Before Theodore could respond, he noticed movement in his peripheral vision. Glancing down, he saw several figures approaching rapidly—Roland, the vampire girl, and a few others he didn’t recognize. As they neared, however, an invisible force seemed to push them back, preventing them from getting too close.

“Stay back!” Alden called out. “It’s not safe for you to approach!”

Roland’s voice carried on the wind. “What’s going on? Why can’t we get closer?”

“I’m not letting you,” Ezekiel answered.

“It’s her,” Theodore said, nodding towards Eliza, getting Alden’s and Ezekiel’s attention. “She’s capable of some serious mental manipulation.”

“Oh, she tried it on you?” Alden asked.

“Yes.”

“And you... managed to escape?” Alden asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I didn’t escape,” Theodore corrected him. “She kicked me out when she realized she couldn’t overpower me there.”

Both men looked at him.

“Are you serious? She’s a goddess.”

“Alden, Ezekiel,” Theodore said, changing the topic. They didn’t mind and dropped the subject. “How are you two able to be up here?”

Alden reached into his shirt and pulled out a small, intricate amulet. “Protection against mental intrusion. A gift from my fiancée.”

Theodore blinked, momentarily distracted. “Fiancée?”

A warm chuckle escaped Alden. “Much has changed, brother, while you weren’t there.”

“Oh, I see,” Theodore replied, filing away that piece of information for later discussion.

“Yeah. She excels at this stuff. And she wanted me to be safe if I ever encountered someone like her. But, well, in the form of an enemy.”

Theodore nodded, then his eyes moved to the bishop.

Ezekiel spoke up, his voice calm and measured. “I am protected by Nur, the Goddess I worship. Her blessing shields my mind from outside influence.”

Theodore nodded, impressed. Then a thought struck him. If that’s the case, why did Aunt Karmichael send me here instead of these two? He shook his head, pushing the question to the back of his mind. There would be time for that later.

Turning his attention back to the matter at hand, Theodore asked, “So, what exactly are we dealing with here? You both seem to have some knowledge about this... situation.”

Ezekiel’s eyes narrowed as he studied the woman. “This is what we call an Outer God. A being from beyond our world, trying to force its way in.”

“Outer God?” Theodore repeated, his curiosity piqued. “I thought Nur was the only goddess.”

Ezekiel nodded. “In our world, yes. Nur is the God King of the divine realm, with her own pantheon of gods and goddesses. But...” He paused, choosing his words carefully.

“But?” Theodore prompted.

“But as you may have come to realize, there are more worlds aside from our own,” Ezekiel continued. “Sometimes, gods from these other worlds try to force their way here for various reasons. Mostly nefarious and evil—if they were benevolent gods, their own world’s pantheon wouldn’t have pushed them out. Gods are mostly neutral beings, if not benevolent. Their worshipers help them, and in return they help the world under their jurisdiction when they can, all while facing dangers beyond.”

Theodore absorbed this information. “So these Outer Gods, they try to take over different worlds? For what purpose?”

Ezekiel shrugged. “Their goals vary. Power, resources, new worshippers—it’s hard to fathom the desires of such alien beings.”

Alden, who had been quiet during this explanation, spoke up. “The question now is, how do we deal with this one?” He gestured towards Eliza, still curled up, her single eye never wavering from them.

“A concentrated magical assault might break through her defenses,” Alden suggested, his hands already beginning to glow slightly.

Ezekiel shook his head. “We should try to banish her back to her own realm. It’s safer than potentially unleashing her full power here.”

Theodore listened intently, weighing their arguments. “Why not try both?” he offered. “We can alternate between offensive strikes and banishment attempts.”

The others nodded in agreement. Alden raised his sword. Then struck Eliza’s barrier with earth-shattering force. The sky lit up, clouds parting for miles around, and a light flashed.

As the light faded, Eliza remained unmoved, her eye narrowing in hatred.

“Hmm, didn’t work,” Theodore said.

“Let me give it a try,” Ezekiel said, and stepped forward, intoning a prayer of banishment. Theodore had no clue how it worked, but he expected it to be related to the older man’s class. Something he could only describe as divine. Light enveloped the dark sphere, pulsing with holy energy. For a moment, the darkness seemed to waver—but then it solidified once more, Eliza’s form still clearly visible within.

Theodore frowned. “No luck. What else have we got?”

Alden’s brow furrowed in concentration. “Perhaps a more subtle approach. Instead of brute force, we could try to unravel the defensive spell. Skill? Whatever it is.”

He extended his hands to try, and then minutes passed. Finally, Alden lowered his hands, shaking his head in frustration. “It’s too complex. The bindings are unlike anything I’ve encountered before.”

Ezekiel stroked his chin thoughtfully. “What if we tried to purify the negative emotions that anchor her here? If we could flood the area with positive energy, it might disrupt her connection to our world.”

Theodore nodded. “Worth a shot. How do we go about it?”

The bishop closed his eyes, channeling the benevolent power of his goddess. A warm, golden light began to emanate from him, spreading outward in gentle waves. The very air seemed to vibrate.

For a brief moment, Eliza’s form flickered, as if struggling against the positive energy. But then her eye flashed with renewed anger, and the darkness around her intensified, pushing back against Ezekiel’s light.

“Damn,” Theodore muttered. “She’s resilient, I’ll give her that.”

Alden’s expression hardened. “Time to stop pulling our punches. I’m going to hit her with everything I’ve got.”

He held his sword with both has as he gathered an enormous amount of magical energy.

Theodore and Ezekiel retreated, giving Alden space as the magic built to a fever pitch. Alden unleashed a cataclysmic blast of pure arcane might in the form of a sword hack.

The sky itself seemed to split open, a column of blinding energy engulfing Eliza’s dark sphere. The shockwave sent Theodore and Ezekiel tumbling through the air, struggling to right themselves as the air around them shuddered under the assault.

They looked to see the results of Alden’s ultimate attack.

Eliza remained, her golden eye now blazing with fury.

Alden sagged, drained by the enormous expenditure of power. “I... I don’t understand. That should have been enough to level a mountain.”

Ezekiel steadied him, his own expression grim. “We’re dealing with power beyond our comprehension. Brute force alone won’t be enough.”

Theodore’s mind raced, trying to think of alternatives. “What about a combined assault?”

The others nodded, moving to form a triangle around Eliza’s floating form. They each called upon their respective sources of power. Theodore felt the mana surge through him, amplified by the connection to his companions. Though he doubted his measly mana would be helpful to them, he’d still try.

As one, they released a torrent of attacks. For a heart-stopping moment, it seemed to be working. The dark sphere wavered, cracks appearing in its surface. Eliza’s eye widened in what might have been fear.

But then, with a soundless roar of mana that nonetheless shook Theodore to his very core, the entity pushed back. The combined energies of the three men were scattered like leaves in a hurricane, leaving them gasping and disoriented.

Eliza’s eye narrowed in what could only be described as smug satisfaction.

“Well,” Theodore panted, “that was... disappointing.”

Ezekiel wiped sweat from his brow. “We need to approach this from a different angle. Physical and magical attacks clearly aren’t enough.”

Alden nodded, his expression thoughtful. “What if we tried to communicate with her? Maybe we can reason with her.”

Theodore raised an eyebrow. “Negotiate with an Outer God?”

“Preposterous! It’s an Outer God!” Ezekiel said.

Alden shrugged. “Well then.” He said. “We failed,” Alden muttered, frustration evident in his voice.

His mind working overtime, Theodore suddenly asked, “Actually, how does this whole possession thing work? The process of this being taking over Eliza’s body?”

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. “Ah, that. Well, it’s a complex ritual, typically involving the channeling of intense negative emotions. The entity is then anchored to our world, more specifically to the vessel—in this case, Eliza.”

Theodore hummed thoughtfully, an idea beginning to form. “I might have a way,” he said finally. “Though...”

He trailed off, his gaze fixed on Eliza’s curled form.