Sarah

The ride on Stace is always smooth as can be through the forest no matter how dense the flora becomes. She glides along the ground and along trees effortlessly, proud to be showing off her speed and skill to someone who appreciates it. I express my joy at the speed of the wind on my face and the apparent near-collisions by sending her my condensed aura of excitement and girlish glee.

The forest is vast though and Meme's Grove is deep within the Somnium, insulated from direct outside interference by the other powerful creatures and druids that protect the edges of the forest.

"We're here." I send to Zaraya flying above Sisi, Stacy and I leisurely. She has to teach me how she does that, flying isn't something just anyone can do, or at least I thought not. But Malachi says Hirohito was flying towards the remnants of the Hito people at surprising speeds, and I've never known Hirohito to be able to fly before he Ascended.

"Here where? There is nothing here." She projects to me even as I feel her senses questing around to find what I mean. I grin as I jump off Stacy and pat the dear girl on the neck, she hisses happily and goes to coil herself around a tree trunk. I giggle at her playfulness as Sisi sighs exaggeratedly and pulls me towards the portal.

"We are too deep within the Somnium Forest to just travel to the edge every time we want to leave so with the permission of Rak Tigra we built a portal here that transverses the length of the entire forest and exits 10 km from the edge," Sisi says explaining to Zaraya.

"I don't feel any portals, and whose Rak Tigra?" She asks landing lightly as we move towards the edge.

"I hope you don't mind getting wet," I say as we pull her towards the hidden pond.

The water is crystal clear and sparkles beautifully in the sun. The pond is fed by a small brook that comes from the tears of the spring trees that initially caused this whole area to be a swamp before we came. The tears from the trees are not exactly water and so aren't easily absorbed by the soil or roots of other plants, this accumulation of water-tears made the whole place swampy and ideal for all the creatures that love warm damp forests, an annoyance for Tigra. We fixed that and got to stay in Meme's old territory even after her death.

"Tigra is the feline Ancestral beast that is our closest most powerful neighbour and the protector of the Dream Forest Somnium, and the portal is at the bottom of that pond so like Sarah says, I hope you don't mind getting wet," Sisi says as she dives in with a plop, propelling straight to the depths.

Only as she passes through the portal does its unique energy signature fluctuate slightly but even that is dampened by the water so no one who isn't close and looking for it can find it.

I look at Zaraya and give her a smile. "Ready?" I ask and she nods back.

I jump into the warm thick liquid and go directly towards the dark spot under a rock outcrop at the bottom. I go in deep using my legs and arms to swim deeper within the water towards the dark circular spot. As the cold darkness envelopes me I immerge at the bottom of a colder pool and continue swimming upwards. I feel Zaraya behind me by the fluctuations in the portal as I surface to the singing of birds and the giggle of Sisi reunited with some of her friends, the water nymphs.

We don't stay long in the water grove even with Sisi insisting we stay for a long swim and catch up with the nymphs. I've never really understood humanoid elemental nature spirits and their flightful ways, enticing men and purifying water. Or in this case, purifying water-tears to actual water. Nymphs of all kinds are strange to me, it's their pure innocent child-like natures that make me uncomfortable around them but even as pure as they are, to rouse their anger is to have pulled a chimera by the tail.

The closest human settlement to what is usually referred to as the Somnium Enclave by the other conclave members is the kingdom of Ulgeria. It is a small mostly rural kingdom with the mostly fortified towns and nothing that qualifies as a city in modern-day Gaia. The people are wary of strangers and superstitious but they have gotten over their suspension of conclave members as we try to show our faces often in their towns.

We reach such a town and are let through the gates with a bow from the guards. Two on the ground with spears and shields and two on the platform above with bows and arrows.

Some of the inhabitants are wary of us still but we have boosted their economy so greatly with our presence that they stomach us with forced smiles if they can't produce genuine ones.

"Let's browse the stalks, I'll introduce you to some of the locals that tolerate us," I say to Zaraya as she looks around the place with her beautiful passively expressionless face.

Her face gives very little away and I know that's a result of her training with the Order, a strange secretive people who hoard knowledge like greedy dragons guarding their treasure.

"How come they all seem to treat you with such respect, do they know who we are?" Zaraya asks after browsing another stand where the potter was displaying his work.

"It's because we have money," Sisi says bluntly before skipping ahead to another stand with beads and other simple but good quality jewellery.

"She's right you know," I say looking at Zaraya as we walk through the small market.

"Before we came here no one would have imagined making a living out of selling pottery and beads. This fledging kingdom just wouldn't be able to afford it, and its more a republic than a kingdom anyways."

"So you guys have been an influx of cash into their economy?" She asks as we stop at a stall selling practical sensible clothes, some even of superior quality too.

We buy them and move forward to the next stall even as the woman thanks us profusely. It's embarrassing sometimes but it feels good to give to these people, I admire what they are trying to build.

"They don't really know where we come from but they have mostly accepted us as the only noncombatant neighbours they have."

Zaraya snorts to that, "That's funny, calling yourself non-combatant after the power I've felt from some of your members."

I shrug, "Non-combatant to them. They are surrounded by the Somnium Forest full of beasts that will eat them on one side, beastmen tribes that will mostly eat them on the other side, beastmen that don't eat humans but send their young to experience their first battle fighting the humans every few years, and the Mirkwood Swamp Elves that will kill them on principle on the other side."

"Sounds rough."

"It is, but as you know from your own people in Tiba, many refugee people try to flee to previously unknown corners of Pangaea to find a sort of peace."

She nods and we continue the rest of the shopping mostly in silence but we interact with the townspeople amicably. We end with a visit to one of the councillors of the city. A shrewd woman in her early 50's that I instantly took a liking to the first time I met her.

"How are you today Miranda?" I ask as we hug.

"Well enough but I'm getting old, I can't reach up so high to hug you anymore." She says playfully as we take the seats she indicates to. She gestures for her guard to leave, the man is always sour-faced but he can't take his eyes off Zaraya. I sympathise with him, I don't think she has noticed my efforts as anything but being friendly but I know the Order has more than enough same gender sex so she shouldn't be completely oblivious to me.

"I heard the tall beautiful Amazonian and the ever lively and radiant one were in town but no one could tell me who the third guest was." She says taking a seat on a couch across ours.

"Still not an Amazonian dear Miranda but nice try though it's better than the last guess," I say with a smile as a server brings in chilled drinks on a tray.

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"This is Zaraya, she is our friend," Sisi says seriously while lightly stroking Zaraya's hair.

"I welcome you Zaraya to Ember and I hope you all continue to give us your patronage," Miranda says seriously with a slight bow.

"Enough of that now I thought we were over these silly formalities, we are friends after all aren't we?" I say scooting forward and holding both her hands in mine.

"I have come to ask for a favour from the council and the king actually, from my leaders to yours."

"Ask, and if it is within my power to grant consider it done," Miranda says.

"We would like to build a settlement within the kingdom of Ulgeria's borders. I know you are only newly established but if you could write a formal charter of laws and regulations from everything about succession, how the council is elected, how each city leader is to be selected, to how one becomes a citizen to the benefits of citizenship and taxation laws and amounts that would be great. We don't want to put ourselves in your hands only for the laws to change on us in a few years, we'd like our people to eventually become citizens and have a modicum of independence while living in Ulgeria."

"I will call a meeting immediately and the council and the king will discuss it within two ten-days," Miranda says nodding seriously and I can tell by her aura that she is pleased.

"This is a written outline of the request." I pass her the sealed note from my storage ring and place it on the table.

"If you require assistance with anything through the process you need only ask any of our people that visit one of your towns."

"Yes, this will be good for the king to have, and I will keep that offer of help in mind, thank you." She says earnestly.

"Alright, enough of that now let's talk about more pleasant things. How are things with that widower you mentioned the last time?"

The discussion turns to more frivolous things and we enjoy chilled wine and small talk, I include Zaraya as much as I can but she seems to have starts and stops, seemingly a bit awkward sometimes but still pleased to be here I know by her aura, the aura cannot lie, at least as far as I know.

We eventually leave the town and the last hours of dusk as it gets dark. The gates close at night because of the dangers that nocturnal predictors pose to the populous. We leave with the light and in no time all three of us are racing to the Lake of Tears in the naiad grove where the portal is.

*

Zaraya

Once back in the compound we all went our separate ways with a promise to meet at the meeting hall in an hour so I can continue talking about Omega and my experience there.

It makes sense that they would be curious about my knowledge of the world beyond the Gates, not just because they will one day have to Ascend themselves but because of what they are preparing to face. Come to think of it some of them should definitely have Ascended by now, judging by the abilities and power displayed during the sparing match both Eronica and Erica should be about ready to Ascend. And Malachi has to be very old, the older you are the more ether you've accumulated in your body regardless of whether or not you even try, something to think about.

I take a quick bath to fully rid myself of the strange water from the Pond of Tears, it just feels a bit irky on my skin. I explore every nook and cranny of my room both with power and physically. I haven't been this relaxed in a while and I've never had girl talk in my life before today, never. Probably another reason my daughter and I don't get along but I enjoyed it today with Sarah, Sisi and Miranda.

I find nothing new in my rooms and walk to the balcony with 10 minutes still to spare before the promised meeting time with the others, I look at the ever dark sky of this strange and interesting planet they've been building and out to the stars. I can't identify the constellations so I haven't the slightest guess where this world actually is but they did a good job in building it. I mean its a dead world that doesn't grow in size or power and it can't support plant-based life yet but they managed to build an entire world. A world with a perfect gravity foundation and an atmosphere that keeps in breathable air and protects from the radiation floating around in space. I wonder what they used to build the core, I've heard that's where most of the power goes and the amount of power of the core largely determines how resilient a planet becomes.

I look up at the sky and then at the horizon and I nod my approval. The planet itself is rocky and bare with grey dusty rocks and a few places with actual soil here and there. But even if it's in a barren state it is a beautiful sight with its many hills and miniature mountains. Still needs some work but I like it, I like it a lot.

As I seat and prepare to begin my narration I see I have a much broader audience this time, something close to 80 people have gathered around in all their diverse species.

There are a few more centaurs, an actual satyr, something I've personally never seen in the flesh before. A young half fae, easily identifiable by the small horns on the distinctly human face and the elemental aura oozing off him. There are a lot more elves that I initially thought, another orc besides Boris whom I met when I got here. This one is definitely half human as his tusks are much shorter, his body still muscular but his stature smaller at only 1.8 meters or so and his skin a lighter shade of green than his father's. I can already see the resemblance between Boris and him.

Malachi steps forward and greats the young man then greets a few other people by name with laughs and smiles. I can tell he genuinely likes everyone here and I suppose at his age, he has managed to get to know most of them well. His short stature is very much emphasized by some of the people he stands next to but no one seems to think much of height here. Even the gnomes seem comfortable but I am yet to see a dwarf at the compound.

Questica comes forward and places her hand lightly on my arm, I frown slightly at the contact but disregard it while circulating mana, chakra and fully opening the wholesome body talent. There is just something about her that creeps me out.

"Are you ready to continue?" She asks pleasantly and I almost feel bad for my overreaction. I nod as the room quietens down and she produces her writing pad and quilt again.

"I should have started by mentioning that there are two possible destinations when you go through the Gates. Eden, a place of rest, and Omega, a place of strife.

"I don't want any of you to think Omega is a bad place full of death and slaughter, I mean it is that sure but that isn't all it is. There is beauty and peace and compassion there you just have to fight your way to it most of the time.

"Anyways before I get deeper into how things work on Omega I will tell you what I know about or what I was told about Eden. I've never actually been there since I went straight into Omega but I'm told it a beautiful and restful place if a little creepy.

"The moment you get there you immerge in a pool of water completely naked and with something missing within you. That something that makes us all selfish, or envious or jealous or worried or sad. Something that is sometimes referred to as the Ego.

"The Ego is sometimes what is said the restful dead lack as well, for without it we can become at peace with ourselves. Eden is said to be a plane, not a planet. The difference isn't always easily apparent but mainly planes aren't round and don't rely on cosmic bodies as much as planets do.

"I will let the scholars discuss that later but Eden is a place where there is no Ego. You immerge naked and are greeted and introduced to others as though you were an old lost relative. You feel no shame for being naked, no one there does nor do you feel aroused by all the nakedness.

"There is no hunger there and the temperature is always a pleasant mild. Sounds like a creepy place doesn't it?" I say with a grin to the scowling face of a young girl of about 14 or 15. She quickly looks away blushing to a few giggles from the others.

"It is said you can leave Eden at any time but to leave is to never again be able to return. There is no rain or clouds, water comes up from the ground, the food you eat and water you drink are not really necessary for your survival but you can partake in them, nothing is forbidden there or outlawed.

"Yet people don't cross each other or do anything we would consider immoral because there is no need to. It is a place said to be designed for the full rest and recovery of the soul, anyone that stays there comes out with a fully restore and rested soul.

"And as you come out no time has passed at all on either Gaia or Omega. It is completely removed from the passage of time but no one can stay forever on Eden because within in time does move and everyone there ages.

"It doesn't matter even if you're a species of humanoid or creature known for its immortality, everyone on Eden ages and eventually dies of old age to feed the plane if they don't eventually leave. Even if you leave the place as a decrepit old woman with bad knees and stiff joint the moment you return to Omega you are restored to your initial physical condition as though time hasn't passed at all though you still remember the decades of peace you enjoyed in Eden.

"Most people leave, some chose to die there in peace. That's what I've been told about it at least." I look around after that little speech, everyone is silent and looking at me. You could hear a pin dropped two floors up at this point.

Malachi clears his throat, "Thank you Zaraya, you've given us something to think and deliberate about. Are you willing to continue?"

"Sure." I lean forward slightly and my audience gets in closer as I lower my voice to just above a whisper yet projecting it with mana to be heard by everyone. A trick my daughter thought me actually.

"Creatures native to Gaia are referred to as 'beasts', on Omega we refer to the local creatures as 'monsters'."