Ebonheim followed Xellos to an alcove near the portal room. The interior was dark and dingy compared to the opulence found throughout the rest of the Sanctum. A few dim lamps hung overhead, casting a pale glow upon the space. This seemed to be some sort of secluded lounge area for the celestials to relax and unwind. An assortment of tables and chairs dotted the area, along with several cushioned benches lining the walls. There were no other occupants present.

Xellos stepped over to one of the benches and sat down heavily. He gestured for her to sit next to him. Ebonheim obliged. They sat in silence for a moment before Xellos turned towards her. His expression remained impassive.

"What would you like to talk about?" Ebonheim asked cautiously. She didn't know anything about this deity except what little she'd gathered from their previous encounter and Syntris' brief conversation about him. The same went for most of the other gods.

So why did he seek her out? Perhaps he just wanted someone to chat with?

Xellos studied her closely, his dark eyes glittering faintly in the dim light. "You may have realized this already...but there are strange things happening in the celestial realm. Not only regarding the ascension issue, but also the disappearance of deities. Have you heard about any of them?"

"Disappearance?" Ebonheim tilted her head curiously. "No, I haven't."

Neither Aetheron nor Ariastra mentioned anything about disappearances during their conversation earlier. Did they know about this? If so, why hadn't they told her? They'd been fairly forthcoming about everything else related to the Akashic System thus far.

Xellos leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper. "At least five lesser deities have gone missing over the last three decades, including gods from a few smaller cities in the western region of the continent." He paused briefly before continuing. "Those who went missing didn't leave any clues behind...their domain remained bound to them so no one could claim it."

Ebonheim raised an eyebrow at this revelation. Five deities missing? What could have happened to them?

"How did you find out about these disappearances?" Ebonheim asked, keeping her tone casual. If there was more to this story than met the eye, she needed to tread carefully. Xellos' motivations were still unclear.

Xellos stared into space for several seconds before responding. "You've probably heard that I'm a vagrant god without a domain of my own. A lot of other gods avoid me because of this."

His gaze shifted back towards Ebonheim. "I frequent many of the smaller settlements within the western region, interacting with the people there—trying to establish relationships and establish a domain if possible. Unfortunately, none of them have accepted me.

"However, during my travels, I've noticed some settlements tied to a divine domain without any deity residing in them. When I approached the one...a small village called Camjurion—about eight hundred people live there—they told me that their patron deity went missing around ten years ago. Yet the protection afforded by their Divine Domain still remained."

That certainly was strange. A Divine Domain granted a variety of boons to the settlement—the main one was warding off monsters and other dangerous entities. But if the god who created it died...it shouldn't exist anymore—unless something else was at play here.

Xellos continued, "I've interacted with a few other vagrant gods like myself, but none have visited the Sanctum of the Divine Mandala for many years."

"Maybe they just don't care about such gatherings," Ebonheim suggested. Or perhaps they were too busy or preoccupied with other matters?

"A god without a domain wouldn't miss the opportunity to make connections among fellow celestials," Xellos countered. "Nor would they not use the meager Quintessence they could scrounge up to purchase abilities from the Divine Auction. Perhaps a greater deity with a large domain would consider it inconsequential to participate in these activities...but for us? There's no reason to pass up such opportunities."

His reasoning made sense. Most deities took advantage of the Akashic System as much as possible. They sought out ways to expand their power and influence by acquiring new abilities and artifacts. If someone refused to participate in the Divine Auction, it meant either they had other priorities—such as tending to their domains—or that they didn't have enough Quintessence to spend.

"Do you suspect that they died?" Ebonheim ventured.

"No." Xellos shook his head. "If they had been destroyed, then their fable should have appeared within the Divine Mandala." He paused briefly before continuing. "Every year, I check to see if their names appear there. They don't."

Fables...That's right.

Aetheron and Ariastra mentioned the Divine Mandala when she first visited the Sanctum. If a deity died, their name and history would be recorded there—much like how people would record their history in books. That was why it served as a guide for the younger gods to learn from the older ones. It was a sort of divine database with information on every god's history.

That meant those missing deities hadn't died yet. Then what happened to them? And where did they go?

"Did you tell any other gods about this?" Ebonheim asked. She didn't know if she could trust Xellos' information. Maybe he just made up the whole story to gain her favor? But why? What reason did he have for deceiving her? Perhaps he had ulterior motives. Either way, she wanted to be careful.

"A few," Xellos answered. "Unfortunately, no one believes me." His expression darkened slightly. "Some even accused me of being behind their disappearance—as if I could harm a god stronger than myself! Others believe that the missing deities simply gave up and abandoned their domains. But why would they do that?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "All I know is...something strange is happening. No one seems to care or want to acknowledge this problem. Instead, those perceptive enough to notice only investigate the ascension issue. However, I suspect these two might be related." He paused for a moment before adding, "It's best to remain vigilant. That's all I wanted to say."

"Thank you for telling me this." Ebonheim offered him a grateful smile.

She still didn't fully trust him, but she appreciated his warning. Hopefully, this wasn't just some trick he was playing on her. Either way, she'd have to corroborate his claims with Aetheron and Ariastra later on. For now...it seemed prudent to return home. "I should go."

Xellos nodded. "Of course." He rose from the bench and stepped aside to allow her passage. "Be careful." He bowed slightly before walking away.

Ebonheim watched him leave before heading towards the portal leading back to her domain.

She still had a lot of questions about this whole situation. But for now, she'd focus on the town's growth and expansion. She could worry about other things later. Hopefully, Aetheron and Ariastra would be willing to provide more answers.

----------------------------------------

In the week following her return from the Sanctum of the Divine Mandala, Ebonheim had busied herself with organizing and managing the influx of divine artifacts she'd purchased from the Divine Auction. After a thorough inventory and examination, she arranged for their display and distribution among her worshippers.

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To no one's surprise, the Artificers and Arcanists within her town clamored to examine each artifact in detail, salivating over the potential discoveries they could make from studying the strange objects. They scoured the collection, chattering excitedly amongst themselves as they laid out the artifacts in neat rows. The impromptu display quickly became a popular attraction within the town square.

"Look at this one, Vivi!" Emile Leclère gushed. She held up a finely crafted bracelet made from intricately woven strands of glowing crystal. "It seems to imbue its wearer with the power to enhance their physical strength and endurance by a small amount."

Viviane De Fleur, her blonde hair pinned up beneath protective goggles, leaned over a glowing orb that pulsed with a soft, rhythmic light. "This one’s emitting a steady flux of ethereal energy," Viviane murmured, her fingers hovering over the surface. "I can't tell what kind yet. The patterns keep changing."

"Well, let's see..." Emile took the orb from her friend and held it close to her face. She squinted as she stared intently at the artifact. "Hmm...it's definitely something unusual. Do you want to bet on what type of magic is stored inside?" She flashed Viviane a mischievous grin. "First person to guess correctly gets to pick where we go for dinner tonight!"

Viviane rolled her eyes but didn't protest. "Fine. But only if you promise not to cheat this time," she warned sternly. "We're not using any enchantments or scrying spells on these things."

"Deal!" Emile stuck out her hand. They shook on it before turning back towards the display.

Across from them, Evelyne locked hands with Th'maine, their foreheads butted against each other as they slowly turned in a circle around a contraption that looked like a cross between a telescope and an astrolabe.

"Maître, I touched it first!" Evelyne protested with gritted teeth. "Be a gentleman for once and let me take a closer look at this artifact!"

Th'maine harumphed.

"Mademoiselle," he responded tersely. "I think you'll find that gentlemen should be allowed to explore first, especially when the opportunity comes along." His grip tightened around her's as they continued circling the artifact. "Besides...you have yet to fully appreciate the beauty of this creation! Such marvels deserve more than mere casual glances. One must truly experience them before passing judgment."

Evelyne scowled. "Whatever. You're just trying to prevent me from discovering its secrets! You know I'll beat you to the solution!" She broke free of his grasp and moved to examine the device closer.

Th'maine uttered an incantation under his breath, causing his eyes to glow brightly.

Before Evelyne could reach the object, the straps on her blouse began to unravel themselves. She yelped in surprise as her top fell open. Th'maine guffawed loudly as he pointed at her exposed bosom. She quickly covered herself with her hands.

"You fiend!" she hissed at Th'maine. "Not again! I told you never to use that spell on me!"

Th'maine knelt and picked up the artifact. He turned towards her, smirking smugly. "My dear," he replied smoothly. "I am merely a humble servant of the arcane arts. If my magic provides a practical solution to a problem...then who am I to deny its usage?" He flashed her a cheeky grin. "Besides, I'm sure there are plenty of people in town who'd appreciate seeing such a view."

He glanced around pointedly. Several passersby stopped to stare at the scene unfolding before them.

Evelyne flushed bright red as she hurriedly retied her top. Once she finished securing her blouse, she glared daggers at Th'maine. "You dirty old man! Pervert!"

Th'maine waved dismissively. "Oh please. Don't act like you're so innocent."

He turned his attention towards the device in his hands. "Now...let's see what secrets this artifact holds." He squinted at the object as he rotated it slowly. The dials on its side clicked softly with each movement. After a moment of intense scrutiny, he nodded approvingly. "Hmm...very interesting indeed. It appears to function as a sort of compass. But instead of pointing north, it seems to lead towards the closest source of magic. But what is the telescope for?"

In another corner of the gathering, Orin and Serelle hunched over an amulet studded with multiple colored gems. They debated heatedly over which gem contained the most potent enchantment.

"Come on! You know that ruby's just there for decoration!" Orin protested loudly. "Look at the way the others shimmer—especially this one here! Can't you see how much brighter it is compared to all the rest?"

Serelle shook her head vehemently. "That's only because the sapphire next to it reflects more light than the other stones." She pointed towards the amulet. "But look closely...you'll notice that the topaz actually emits its own glow. If you pay attention to the pattern, you'll see that it pulses at regular intervals." She placed a hand on her hip. "I'd bet you ten silvers that one contains a powerful enchantment."

Orin huffed irritably. "Fine. I'll take that bet!" He held out his hand. Serelle shook it firmly. They both grinned broadly as they returned their attention to the amulet.

Ebonheim sat cross-legged near the center of the gathering, observing her people's interactions with the divine artifacts. She felt like a merchant hawking her wares to eager customers. But unlike normal business transactions, these were free for the taking—as long as those who desired them presented their qualifications and intentions to her directly.

She vetted each person before allowing them to take possession of an artifact. Most came in search of knowledge or inspiration rather than power.

The artifacts that were weapons were distributed among those skilled in combat.

Just like last time, Bjorn and Thorsten offered to host a tournament to decide who would receive the special gear. A unanimous vote ruled that Serrandyl would be ineligible to participate—since she won the Gauntlets of the Storm Giants last time.

Serrandyl wrapped her arms around Ebonheim and pressed her face to hers. "Waaah! No fair! I wanted another set!"

Ebonheim stiff-armed her back as she wiped the spit from her cheeks. "Let others have a chance at winning too." She gently patted the disappointed Beastkin's arm. "There'll be plenty more chances for you to win something later on."

Engin strolled over to them with his hands clasped behind his back. He watched the people excitedly clamoring over the artifacts with an amused smile. "Well...this certainly has livened up the town," he mused. "I figured with the amount of Arcanists and Artificers living here, there'd be less excitement over these items."

"These aren't your run-of-the-mill magic trinkets," Evelyne pointed out as she inspected the array of artifacts laid out before her. "Although their potency is similar to what we can craft ourselves, they're quite different in nature. The materials used to create them have a unique composition—far more durable and stable than anything we've created thus far." She reached towards one and traced its contours with her finger. "Plus...each one contains multiple layers of enchantments."

She held up the object—a gleaming silver ring set with an emerald—and peered at it closely. "This ring, for example...has two distinct sets of runes etched onto its surface. The first seems to enhance the wearer's senses, while the second appears to provide resistance against elemental damage. Both work simultaneously."

Engin sat next to Ebonheim on the grass. He took a deep breath as he gazed around at the surrounding crowd. "I see. No wonder everyone's so interested in them." He glanced at Ebonheim. "How'd you manage to acquire so many this time?"

Ebonheim managed a sheepish grin. "Um...I partook in a little...gambling event," she confessed hesitantly. She expected Engin to chastise her for gambling again, but he only laughed.

"So long as you don't gamble away the town's funds, I suppose there's no harm in doing so every once in a while." He clapped her on the back and chuckled. "Just make sure you don't make a habit out of it. It can get addicting easily enough." He raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to know how I made my fortune?"

"You...made your fortune gambling?" Ebonheim tilted her head quizzically. She thought he earned his wealth by starting a trading business and exploiting opportunities wherever he found them. Why hadn't he mentioned this before?

Engin chuckled softly. "Oh yes. That's how I got my start. Then I invested my winnings into trade. Never look a gift horse in the mouth and all that." He grinned broadly. "Let me tell you...those early years were rough, but they taught me many valuable lessons."

He patted Ebonheim's hand reassuringly. "Anyway...as long as you're careful about what you bet on and who you gamble with...you should be fine." He smiled warmly. "Although...if you do run into trouble, you can always ask me or Roderick for advice. We've both seen our fair share of situations like this."

"Thanks." Ebonheim blushed slightly. She didn't expect Engin to offer such candid advice about gambling. But she appreciated his willingness to share his experiences. Perhaps he sensed her unease about the whole affair? Whatever the case...she was grateful for his support.

"By the way, speaking of Roderick...when do you think they'll return from their trip?" she asked.

Engin shrugged. "Hard to say. Knowing him, he's probably dragged them along to every shop and trading post he could find." He shook his head with a chuckle. "But I imagine they'll arrive back within a couple of weeks."