Explaining what each rune signified without arousing suspicion proved tricky. Fortunately, she had a plausible excuse to hide behind.
"I think I recognize some of the runes here," Ebonheim said carefully. "When I was exploring the Eldergrove, I stumbled upon the ruins of an ancient city that probably predates us." She swallowed hard—hoping they'll buy her story—before going on. "Anyway...one of the buildings contained wall carvings resembling these symbols here. But whether I'm completely accurate on their exact meaning remains to be seen."
She didn't lie. Not exactly anyway. She did see some of these runic scriptures at those ruins—though she didn't pay much attention at the time.
But Aetheron still gave her a doubtful look. "Then how did you manage to decipher them?"
Ebonheim chewed her bottom lip absently before answering, "Well...you see...since my domain is pretty small, and there's not a lot of things going on, I have a lot of free time to myself. So I like spending it researching stuff like this. It helps pass the day away quickly. So, while I may have a basic understanding of what most of these mean, I don't claim total comprehension of their functions."
Syntris let out an incredulous laugh. "Wait...you're telling us...you spend time figuring out old languages instead of dealing with the mundane issues in your territory? Just how bored are you?!"
"Hey now! Don't knock it. There isn't much else to do in my domain other than explore the forest and collect herbs." She crossed her arms defensively. "Besides...what I do in my own territory is none of your business. Unless...you fancy coming over to my domain and offering advice on improving my daily activities. By all means...please enlighten me on what you presume would occupy my time better."
Nephri let out an amused giggle. "Hehe...quite feisty one thou art. Be careful lest he snaps back in earnest."
Syntris scoffed, crossing his arms as well. "Hah! I wouldn't waste my time bothering with the puny domain of a lesser god. I bet you don't even have ten thousand worshipers! But whatever makes you happy, I suppose. Who am I to judge?"
The nerve! I thought he was a nice god! What a jerk!!
Ebonheim suppressed the urge to retort—only because she spotted Ariastra shaking her head disapprovingly out of the corner of her eye.
Aetheron interrupted them once again. "We're straying from the topic. Return your focus to the situation at hand, please. Now that Ebonheim has volunteered her knowledge, the missing data I required should fill in the gaps. Give me a moment while I recalculate accordingly."
He brought his palms together and closed his eyes in concentration. Iridescent light radiated from his semi-translucent form—like sunlight shining through stained glass—casting colored reflections off the ground underneath. He held his pose for a while—completely immobile—before relaxing and opening his eyes again.
"I've determined the correct sequence. Thank you for bringing this detail to our attention, Ebonheim. Your intervention proves invaluable. We may proceed without further delay."
She smiled and scratched her nose bashfully. "Oh...it's nothing really. I'm just glad to help."
Syntris huffed impatiently. "Then quit dilly-dallying! Get started already!"
"Your enthusiasm inspires me," Aetheron replied calmly before reaching towards the first circle again. "Let us commence."
He tapped on another sigil, and it brightened like its predecessors. After five more symbols lit up, the entire ring began glowing softly, emitting a low hum. He moved on to the adjacent rings and repeated the process—with similar results. The smaller rings required fewer keys to activate than the larger ones.
Before long, the final outer band activated fully—causing the barrier to dissipate into motes of energy. Where the veil once stood now opened a dark abyss dotted with tiny points of light. Several streams of luminescence swirled within its depths—like ribbons dancing through an invisible current.
"The path forward stands clear. Let us advance." Aetheron began floating towards the gate. The other gods followed suit.
Ebonheim blinked. "Where exactly are we going again?"
"This," Aetheron gestured towards the portal ahead, "is the threshold to the fractal dimensions—an unexplored region that exists within a network of countless dimensional nodes linked to the Sanctum of the Divine Mandala. Each node represents a unique demi-plane, constructed according to a different set of rules than the rest. But all share the same root cause—being derived from the mortal realm we govern"
"Whoa..." Ebonheim breathed.
She wanted to ask questions—so many questions—but there wasn't enough time as the group crossed through the gateway into the dimension beyond.
With a deep breath, she leapt into the vortex, the world dissolving into a swirl of color and light as the fractal dimensions welcomed her into their chaotic embrace.
----------------------------------------
Her vision swam—as though submerged in muddy water. A myriad of hues washed over her. She spun wildly in place and caught glimpses of the other deities also twisting erratically alongside her. All while the void around them surged and bubbled. Everything blurred—filling with endless specks of incandescence—before reforming back into reality.
Finally, her spinning ceased. The strange phenomenon passed.
The first thing she perceived was Aetheron's tall silhouette looming close by. He stood still—watching—his features barely discernible within the semi-ethereal layer separating his face from view. As if gazing through frosted glass.
Beyond his spectral outline, a new environment greeted Ebonheim—one unlike anything she'd encountered before.
A bizarre land of twisted shapes and distorted colors stretched endlessly around them. Shimmering blue grass grew atop red soil under a green sky filled with purple clouds. Above her head, where the sun would normally hang, hung a massive celestial body. Its surface resembled a cracked sphere made entirely out of crystal. Strange lights shone through its numerous fissures—which constantly shifted in size and position across its surface as she watched.
In the distance, where the horizon should've existed, giant black structures jutted upward like stalagmites. Some seemed to twist in and out of phase with the surrounding landscape while others remained solid and still. Floating islands of yellow stone drifted lazily amidst the chaos.
She craned her neck back, looking up at Aetheron. "Where exactly are we?"
"Welcome to the fractal dimensions," he answered simply. "These realms exist beyond the confines of the sanctum itself. Each one possesses unique properties separate from ours." He turned his attention towards the horizon and continued, "This is one such fractal plane."
"So, there's multiple regions like this? Are they all the same?"
Being a fractal meant each part reflected the whole somehow. Maybe...some sort of mini versions of the divine realm...? Could there even be replicas of her town? That would be wild...
"Not necessarily." Aetheron shook his head. "There may exist similar themes and concepts between different planes, but the details often prove...different...when compared side-by-side. We call these fractal domains due to their relation to a central anchor point—the sanctum. Despite the lack of shared features however, all of these nodes form a cohesive whole."
"Huh," Ebonheim said. "Sounds complicated."
"Perhaps it's because you've spawned in the form of a human that your mind rejects understanding," Syntris said as he marched past her, followed closely behind by Nephri and Ariastra. He paused briefly and glanced back at her. "Just enjoy the ride and take in the sights." He continued onwards towards the horizon.
Ebonheim scowled after his retreating figure. How rude! She considered hurling an insult back at him but decided against it. His words stung though.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Ariastra leaned in closer to her and murmured, "Excuse his harsh attitude. Syntris doesn't hold compassion in high regard. Especially not for those he perceives beneath him."
Ebonheim bristled at her statement. "So I'm supposed to forgive him just because of his status?"
"Forgiveness isn't necessary. Merely acknowledging that his character flaws aren't personal. Think about this objectively. To him, deities like us possess superior worth and value as opposed to mortal beings. Your form, unfortunately, does little to support the fact that you're a divine being. Which makes interacting with you more difficult than usual."
"Thou hast come far for one so...weak-bodied," Nephri added as she joined in beside Ariastra. Her slithering body formed a trail of iridescence in her wake. "Though...thine spirit doth burn brightly despite thy fragile form. Methinks thou art stronger than thou seemest."
Ebonheim stared at her back, surprised by her kind words. "Thanks, I think."
Ariastra laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Take heart. I don't claim to speak for the other deities involved here. Only myself. Even so...I welcome your involvement in this affair. Your presence proves refreshing compared to dealing exclusively with gods like Aetheron." She pointedly glanced toward Syntris' retreating form. "And him..."
Aetheron sighed. "Please. Enough gossip." He gestured toward himself. "Follow. We'll need to traverse through multiple planes before we reach our destination. Keep close. Otherwise...you might find yourselves trapped forever inside this labyrinth."
Ebonheim nodded obediently and trotted alongside the others while surveying the scenery. The bizarre landscapes proved intriguing enough on their own merit. She wished she had more time to study them. Unfortunately, Aetheron kept pushing ahead—giving her little chance to indulge herself. She hurried along with everyone else.
"I've been meaning to ask," she spoke aloud, trying to strike up conversation again. "How did you find out about the cause of the blockage to our ascension, Aetheron? Did you detect something?"
Aetheron didn't slow down during their talk. He walked at a brisk pace while he explained, "It was not a discovery made lightly, nor was it something I expected to find. But the signs were there, if one knew where to look."
"What signs?"
"The flow of Quintessence is the lifeblood of our existence, Ebonheim. It sustains us, empowers us, and ultimately allows us to ascend. But just over a decade ago, I began to notice anomalies—subtle at first, mere fluctuations in the energy I received from my followers."
He paused, his eyes narrowing as if recalling the exact moment those suspicions took root. "I thought, at first, that it might be an internal flaw. Perhaps I was not managing my Quintessence as efficiently as I should. Or perhaps there was interference from rival gods, a subtle manipulation to keep me bound. But as I delved deeper, I began to see patterns, discrepancies in the flow of Quintessence, not from me, but across the entire divine hierarchy.
"This discrepancy truly manifests during the process of ascension. The Quintessence meant to fuel the jump to the next rank instead fizzles out prematurely, rendering the ascent a failure."
"The more I studied it, the more I realized that the problem was not with me, or even with the Akashic System as we understand it. It was something deeper, something woven into the very fabric of the divine order. That was when I began to suspect that our ascension was being deliberately hindered.
Ebonheim listened raptly, hanging on to Aetheron's every word.
She hadn't noticed any strange fluctuations in her own supply of Quintessence. She barely paid attention to the subject. The flow had always been steady, if somewhat slow in its trickle. It never occurred to her to scrutinize its nature too closely.
"But how did you connect that to the fractal dimensions? And the barrier we just encountered?" she asked.
Aetheron stopped abruptly, causing Ebonheim to nearly stumble into him. He turned around and fixed her with an impassive stare. "The Akashic System is not infallible, but it is consistent. When something disrupts that consistency, it leaves traces, echoes that ripple through the divine realm. I began to notice these echoes, concluding that the flow of Quintessence was being manipulated, diverted into channels that should not have existed."
"Diverted?" she echoed. "By whom?"
"Not by whom," Aetheron corrected, raising an index finger to emphasize his point. "By what. Only gods frequent the sanctum, so the culprit cannot lie with our kind. No, I believe this act belongs to some machination deep within the fractal dimensions. The barrier is evidence of this.
"I didn't know for certain, but I followed the echoes, tracing them back to the gateway we came through. If you use your Divine Sight, you'll be able to see them as well."
She activated Divine Sight and peered through the veil of reality. At first, she didn't see anything. But after a few seconds of staring hard into the distance, she did catch a glimpse of thin filaments flowing gently through space—almost as though they were currents of water.
Aetheron continued, "We follow the threads to wherever they lead. I do not know what we'll find at the source, but whatever lies there holds power enough to affect the course of ascension. Power enough to defy the Akashic System."
With that said, Aetheron began walking again, his tall and graceful strides making swift progress across the unfamiliar terrain.
Ebonheim fell in line beside Ariastra. The latter gave her a sideways glance but made no further attempt at conversation.
As they trekked onward, Ebonheim pondered everything she'd learned thus far. Something was diverting the Quintessence meant for the gods, siphoning off bits to feed some hidden goal. If a god tried to ascend, all the Quintessence spent on them would be lost.
Yet...somehow she was unaffected. Why? What made her unique? Did she even want to draw attention to her unusual circumstances? Would sharing the truth help the others?
She didn't dare risk the latter, knowing how quickly a friendly alliance could turn sour. Instead, she chose to keep silent and continue following the group.
For now, at least...she was content to learn from afar.
----------------------------------------
Overhead, the strange celestial sphere rotated in place. Lights flared from within its faceted structure periodically. For Ebonheim, everything in this land bore a dreamlike quality. Things tended to blur out of focus if she didn't concentrate on them properly. And even when she did pay attention, objects often shifted shape slightly—without warning.
Her footsteps sunk slightly into the pliable earth as the blue grass blades rippled away from her touch, before returning to their original position once she had passed. Every plant possessed an ethereal texture. One she couldn't quite put into words. Almost like satin or silk. Definitely unnatural for sure. Not exactly uncomfortable...just...weird.
"There's something ahead," Aetheron said suddenly, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance.
Ebonheim followed his line of sight and saw, far beyond the twisted structures and floating islands, a towering obelisk that seemed to pulse with the same strange energy as the barrier they'd encountered earlier.
"That's the source?" she wondered aloud.
"No," he replied firmly. "The trail of Quintessence leads into that structure, but like with the barrier, I suspect the true source is deeper still."
With that said, Aetheron broke into a jog, leading the group toward the distant tower.
As they moved closer, the landscape began to shift more aggressively, the ground beneath them rolling like waves on a turbulent sea. Ebonheim had to focus on keeping her balance, her steps careful and measured. The others seemed to handle it better, though she noticed that even Nephri, who swam through the air instead of walking like the rest, slithered along slower than before as if affected by an invisible current.
"It feels as if the world is trying to push us away," Ebonheim said, grunting as she narrowly avoided tumbling off a steep ridge.
"Tis likely, child," Nephri agreed, her body undulating gracefully in place. "Whatever powers reside in this region will seek to dissuade intruders from entering deeper within."
Ebonheim tightened her grip on her bow. "Then we'll have to make ourselves at home."
As they neared the obelisk, the air grew heavier, pressing in all around Ebonheim. She forced herself forward, pushing against the growing resistance with every step. She gritted her teeth, straining to keep moving. Beside her, the other gods advanced slowly as well, each fighting against the weight bearing down on their bodies. The last time she felt this way, she was sinking into quicksand. But instead of the ground sucking her in, she imagined an immense pressure squeezing her flat like an insect.
The obelisk itself loomed large over them, its dark exterior appearing almost organic. It curved and spiraled upwards, the material appearing slick and glossy. It reminded her of the shell of some gigantic chrysalis.
It pulsed with a dull, rhythmic light, as if it were a heartbeat.
"Be on your guard," Aetheron warned, his voice low. "I doubt this will be unguarded."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the ground beneath the obelisk began to tremble, a low rumble that quickly escalated into a violent quake. The runes on the obelisk flared to life, glowing indigo.
Ebonheim instinctively took a step back, her hand reaching for the bow slung across her back.
Suddenly, two massive clawed hands erupted from the dirt nearby, flinging chunks of red soil high into the air. Behind the massive appendages, a colossal being heaved itself from the depths below. Its bipedal form gleamed like obsidian glass in the light cast by the orb overhead. Despite its spindly frame, it loomed over them—easily ten times Ebonheim's height.
Where its head should be, a sphere of pure darkness floated within a ring of crystal spikes. There was no visible indication of eyes or anything resembling a face. Yet the construct regarded them nonetheless.
"What the...!" Ebonheim instinctively took a step back, her hand reaching for the bow slung across her back.
"That must be the sentinel," Aetheron observed with a frown. "It has reacted to our presence."
Syntris conjured his weapon—a massive blade wreathed in flames—and adopted a defensive stance. "I thought this was going to be more interesting. I can take this monstrosity."
The looming sentinel shifted, its form blurring as it prepared to attack. The air around it crackled with energy, and for a brief moment, Ebonheim thought she could see the faint outlines of other realities reflected on its obsidian surface—glimpses of other versions of herself and the other gods, all engaged in their own desperate struggles.
What was that?
She pushed the thought aside, focusing on the here and now. The towering automaton was already charging at them.
With a silent nod to herself, Ebonheim drew back her bowstring, igniting her Enchanted Essence Bolt.
"Let's do this," she whispered, and released the arrow.