[You've acquired 10,000 Quintessence from absorbing draconic energy]
[Your Health has been reduced to zero]
[Your manifested form has been destroyed]
[Your Divine Spark has resisted the effects of complete destruction]
[You will revive at your point of origination in 30 days]
----------------------------------------
She gazed out over a sea of stars.
Below her, the void stretched endlessly in all directions, the heavens wrapped in an endless darkness. Her form drifted aimlessly, floating on the currents of the ether. The vast expanse engulfed her, an ocean of glittering pinpricks against the pitch-black canvas.
Where am I?
There was no telling which direction she was headed, nor any way to distinguish the distance she moved. There were no points of reference in this boundless, unending space. Her mind struggled to comprehend her location, a foreign land devoid of sensation. No weight, no sound, no smells, no colors, no taste, no touch—only a serene silence.
Ebonheim examined the substance beneath her feet. Or what she imagined her feet to be. What was this ground made of?
It was neither soft nor hard, firm nor yielding. It seemed to be made of a multitude of particles, but they lacked mass and texture. They gave way beneath her like sand underfoot, yet when she tried to stand on them, she found her footing stable. She swiped at them with her hand, sending ripples through the particulates. She extended her arm and they flowed over her fingertips, clinging to her like sticky bits of ash.
How did she get here? She didn't remember entering the void, nor could she recall why she'd come here. Was she alone? Were there others with her?
Her thoughts drifted back to her village, to her friends, to her people. Would she never return to them? Was she lost forever in this vast expanse?
An icy chill swept over her. Fear crept into her mind.
Alone. In the cold. In the dark.
Lost.
Abandoned.
Forgotten.
In the distance, a moon hung high overhead. Its silvery glow, dotted by pinpricks of shimmering lights, illuminated her surroundings. A small band of stars spiraled slowly around it, orbiting lazily as they revolved about its mass.
It was beautiful. A lone sentinel watching over the boundless night.
How long had the celestial body been here? How many eons had it been shining in this spot, gazing silently at the universe below? Had it been abandoned like she felt herself to be, left behind to drift through eternity?
Ebonheim raised her hand to her face.
What am I?
She examined herself, turning her appendages over in front of her, inspecting them. A limb—a hand, fingers—connected to an arm, a shoulder. She could see them, but she couldn't feel them. Could she move them?
Ebonheim willed her arm to stretch outward. It obeyed. She waved it, and the space around her distorted, distending like ripples on water. The movement of the liquid-like fabric seemed to bend towards her, as though drawn to her being.
A flash of blue streaked through the sky. It passed by her, leaving a trail of shimmering dust in its wake. Then another, followed by a third, and a fourth. The streaks raced across the horizon, their numbers growing in intensity and frequency as more and more joined the spectacle. Soon, the entire expanse was filled with twinkling streaks of blue, the tails of thousands upon thousands of shooting stars.
The waves of particles she stood upon spread out, parting like water around her. She stood on a floor of clear space, the starscape above her reflected underneath her in perfect symmetry.
Why was she here? How did she arrive? Where should she go?
These questions plagued her, yet she found herself unable to answer them. She tried to conjure images in her head, memories of her life, but all that surfaced were fragments—imperfect, incomplete, indecipherable.
A figure appeared beside her, shimmering into existence. It wore a cloak draped over its form, concealing its face. It stood motionless, staring out across the horizon.
"Who are you?" she asked, unsure if the words even came from her.
No answer came from the cloaked figure. It remained silent and motionless.
"Can you show yourself to me?"
Again, it refused to acknowledge her, standing impassively with its back turned to her. Its hood obscured any details of its features.
She continued to observe the entity in silence. After a while, it began to shift its stance. The folds of the robe parted to reveal a mechanical hand. The metal digits flexed, the joints bending and straightening smoothly. The hand stretched out, pointing in a direction.
It spoke, the words echoing loudly in her ears, "Look."
The view changed. Stars streaked by her as if she were moving, flying past at a fantastic speed. They whirled around her, a kaleidoscope of light and color, spinning wildly as her surroundings blurred.
Then, all at once, everything stopped.
A vast world stretched before her, its surface blanketed in lush greenery. Vast oceans spanned the globe, dotted with islands and continents. Clouds covered the land masses, swirling in great bands across the surface.
The vista before her transformed as the world raced past. The clouds parted, revealing a city of towering structures, its buildings gleaming in metallic brilliance. Masses of people thronged the streets, bustling between tall edifices.
The scene shifted. She was now inside one of the structures, gazing through a large window at a massive courtyard below. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of beings gathered within the plaza. They wore elaborate robes and uniforms, each one decorated with unique insignias and symbols.
They chanted in unison, their voices reverberating throughout the hall, "We hail the Architect! Praise the Architect! Glory to the Architect! All honor unto the Architect!"
Tendrils of light and darkness snaked their way across her consciousness, branching out like rivers flowing across dry ground. A whirlwind of images, sensations, and sounds flooded her, bombarding her mind.
A symphony of emotions hit her at once. Anger. Joy. Loneliness. Sadness. Hope. Despair. Hatred. Love. The raw, unfiltered feelings pierced her heart, sinking into the depths of her soul.
These were not hers.
They belonged to many others, a collective memory, a collection of thoughts, experiences, and dreams from countless individuals.
Amidst the torrent of impressions, she experienced the passage of time as if she were the one living them. Visions of events long since forgotten. Lives lived and ended. Wars won and lost. Empires built and destroyed.
Years, decades, centuries, millennia. A myriad of lifetimes flashing before her eyes, leaving echoes in her mind. She perceived the full course of a civilization's development from inception to death. The birth of a people, their rise, their achievements, and ultimately, their demise.
How long had this been happening? How long had this cycle been repeating?
Images and sounds sped past her faster and faster. They blurred together, blending into a stream of unintelligible noise.
"What am I witnessing?" she asked.
"A memory."
She searched for the source of the voice. It resonated within her.
"Whose memory?"
"Your memory."
"My memories?" Ebonheim paused. "But these aren't mine."
The figure beside her remained silent, watching her intently.
"Why are you showing me this?" Ebonheim inquired.
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"To remind you."
"Remind me of what?"
The figure gestured. "Of your purpose. Of your duty. Of who you are."
The stream of events slowed and stabilized. The disorientation faded, and the image stabilized.
The scene unfolded before her, the scenes becoming more recognizable. It was a village—her village. She could recognize the villagers. Their faces, their expressions, their mannerisms. It was a memory. She had lived through this. This was her village, the place she called home.
She saw herself standing in the middle of the village commons, appearing before Doyle for the very first time. The village elders chased after her, and then she was saved from the Kungwans by Hilda. She trained, learned, and grew stronger, and eventually ascended to a higher divine rank.
And then came the first meeting with Serrandyl, followed by their arrival in the Aslankoyash camp, the elemental conflux, the battles with the Kungwan horde, and finally liberating the imprisoned dragon, Kelzryn.
The journey replayed in her mind, each event unfolding as she experienced them for the first time. From beginning to end, every step of the way, the timeline traced her personal history.
The visions finally stopped. The view lingered on her in the village, exhausted, but relieved. All she'd endured, everything she'd achieved, the bonds she formed—it was all here.
She exhaled.
"Ah..."
"You have experienced a great deal," the voice said. "Yet, this is but a glimpse of the journey that lies ahead."
"The journey?"
"Yes, you have only begun. Your story has only just started. But it will be a long one, and you must choose to forge onward. Only then will you achieve the destiny you seek."
Destiny? The word echoed in her head. What destiny? She'd never had a choice about being created, about taking this form. What fate awaited her? What did she desire to accomplish? What was her goal?
She didn't know.
"I don't understand," Ebonheim protested. "What do you mean? What is my purpose? What must I do? Why did you bring me here? Who are you?"
"These questions you ask, I cannot answer. These answers you seek, you must find. I can only guide you. You must discover for yourself the reasons behind your existence, the motives that drive you to take action, the values and ideals that dictate your actions. These are yours to uncover, for they define you. They are the reason you exist."
Ebonheim's face twisted in frustration. "But what if I fail to find the answers?"
The figure moved closer to her, reaching out with its mechanical hand.
"Fret not. You will not fail.
For you...are Ebonheim,
the goddess of our world.
This time...and always."
The voice trailed off as its fingers touched her forehead. The world around her dissolved into the ether, the memories fading back into the void. The figure vanished.
Silence.
Darkness.
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[Quintessence] 16472/16000
[You have reached the required Quintessence to increase your Divine Rank to 'Lesser God - Zenith Stage']
[Would you like to ascend?]
Yes...
[Your Divine Rank has increased from 'Lesser God - Ascendant Stage' to 'Lesser God - Zenith Stage']
[Your Quintessence has reset to 7. Your next ascension to 'Intermediate God - Dawn Stage' will require you to accumulate 64,000 Quintessence.]
[You have 32 Attribute Points to allocoate]
[Your Health increases by an additional 25% of your base Health]
[Your Essence increases by an additional 25% of your base Essence]
[You are now able to purchase Divine Abilities with the requisite requirement of Lesser God - Zenith Stage]
[All of your current Divine Abilities increase by one rank]
[The Essence cost of Divine Abilities with the requisite requirement below Lesser God - Zenith Stage is reduced by 50%]
[You may choose one Divine Ability to specialize in. This ability will not cost Essence to use.]
[Automatically activating 'Manifestation']
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24th day of Dayhelm, 1368
[Quintessence] 7/64000
Ebonheim opened her eyes, looking up at the familiar canopy of trees lining the grove that greeted her after recovering from de-manifesting outside of her domain.
The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, and sunlight filtered through the branches. She could smell the fresh scent of grass and flowers. Birds sang their morning songs as they flew between the branches, and squirrels scurried amongst the treetops. The soft grasses tickled her skin, the breeze rustling her hair and caressing her face.
Her eyes blinked, clearing away the tears that welled within. She lay still for a moment, taking in the sights and sounds. The sun warmed her skin, and the sweet smell of nature filled her nostrils.
I'm home.
The feeling brought a smile to her lips, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She turned her head to the side, and a pair of blue eyes looked back at her.
"So, you've finally woken up," Bjorn said with a gentle smile. "You had us worried sick, girl."
"Sorry...I guess I overdid myself?" Ebonheim answered with an awkward giggle.
"Indeed, you have," Hilda chimed in with a huff, stepping into view. "Not to mention, the old men were worried that the bond with the village has weakened because of your absence."
The elderly woman looked over Ebonheim, examining her condition. She placed her palm against the young goddess' forehead.
"Hmm, you seem well enough. It seems you're in good health. Nothing serious."
Ebonheim groaned and forced herself up. "Urgh..."
"Take it easy there," Bjorn urged, placing his hand on her shoulder to support her. "You should rest more. No need to rush."
"Thanks, Bjorn," Ebonheim replied gratefully. "How long was I out for?"
"One month," Hilda stated. "Your body materialized in the grove yesterday. I sensed your presence in the forest, and we've kept a constant watch on you since."
"Huh, one month, huh? Where's Kelzryn?" Ebonheim asked, rubbing the back of her neck.
"The dragon? He's fine. He didn't make a fuss once he learned that we destroyed all of the Kungwans in the valley. I'm sure he's still in his lair recovering." Bjorn told her, shrugging.
"And the Magitech devices? The gateway?"
Bjorn scratched his stubbly beard, giving her a sidelong glance. "The contraptions that bound the dragon lay in tatters after the whole ordeal. As for the gateway...it vanished before we even got a chance to examine it properly."
"Oh...that's a shame," Ebonheim mumbled. "What about Calyxia and the Seraphidae?"
"They're back in their domain. Calyxia told me to deliver her gratitude, and that she'll pay you a visit sometime soon," Bjorn answered. "And before you ask, Th'maine, Lira, and Serrandyl are fine. They're over yonder."
Ebonheim spotted the three figures resting on a fallen log not too far away. Serrandyl's head rested on Lira's lap while Th'maine's eyes fluttered as he dozed.
Bjorn crossed his arms over his chest. "What exactly happened to you back there? I thought you had things under control."
She rubbed the side of her head sheepishly. "I guess I may have underestimated the dragon's power. That orb in his chest...its energy was so strong. I wasn't sure if I could handle it. But I had to do something. So—"
"So what happened next, you absorbed the energy into your own body?" Bjorn finished her sentence.
Ebonheim nodded. "I had to act quickly and absorb it or risk it destroying the mountain. I managed to contain most of the energy, but it overwhelmed my body, and then...well, you know the rest."
The familiar feeling of a large hand clamping down on top of her head jolted her attention. She peered up to meet the stern gaze of none other than the only person in the whole village who regularly scolded her in this way.
"You say you absorbed something dangerous into yourself?" Thorsten's voice boomed from behind her. "That sounds awfully reckless, even for you, girl. You should have considered the consequences a bit more thoroughly before you acted."
"Haha, I guess I didn't, huh?" Ebonheim chuckled weakly as he ruffled her hair. "I'll be more careful in the future, okay?"
Thorsten sighed. "Well, I can't fault you for being brave and thinking on your feet, but I also can't praise you for being so rash. Just try not to do anything so foolish again. Consider this a warning."
He released her head and straightened. "Did...did you actually die back there? I've seen gods fall in battle, only to resurrect within their domain after some time. When I heard the news, I wasn't sure if you were able to as well."
Ebonheim looked up at the sky, her expression solemn. "I'm not entirely sure either...but I'm pretty certain I did. I was on the verge of de-manifesting my form just as the energy was about to burst. But I hesitated because I didn't know what would happen to the energy if I did. So, I tried to hold on until the very last moment...and then I woke up here."
Thorsten let out a weary sigh. "At least you've revived yourself safely. Thank goodness for that."
Hilda chuckled. "There you have it. It seems like this time, our troublesome goddess is back in good health. Now, I'd say we should let her get her proper rest and—"
A joyful squeal interrupted her, as Serrandyl's figure leapt across the field, tackling Ebonheim, laughing and crying at the same time.
"I'm so happy you're alive!" Serrandyl exclaimed, hugging Ebonheim tightly. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"
Ebonheim chuckled as she returned the hug, patting the Serrandyl on the back. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."
Lira stepped forward, smiling warmly. "Welcome back, goddess. We've all missed you terribly."
Th'maine remained silent, standing in the shadows cast by the forest canopy. He puffed on his pipe, smoke billowing around him, as he leaned against a tree. He watched her with his piercing eyes, before offering a faint smile while tipping his hat to her.
Bjorn sighed. "Hilda is right. You should take it easy today. Recover your strength. We can talk more later, once you're feeling better. For now, relax. You deserve the break. Once you've fully recovered, let's get back to our old routines, all right?"
Ebonheim nodded and smiled, her eyes glowing faintly. "Yeah."
Bjorn patted her head, then rolled his shoulders as he headed back to the village. "That's enough adventuring for a while. The village needs tending."
Serrandyl continued hugging Ebonheim, not letting go. The Aslankoyash warrior nuzzled her tear-streaked cheek against Ebonheim's as she sniffled. "Why'd it take you a month to come back? You're too slow. I missed you."
Lira giggled at the display, reaching over to stroke the Beastkin girl's hair. "You should have more faith in our goddess, Serrandyl. She will always return to us."
Ebonheim gave Serrandyl an apologetic look. "Sorry, I wish I could've come back sooner, but that was the first time I've experienced um...the destruction of my form, and I think it took quite a while to put my pieces together. I did my best to hurry up, though."
Thorsten harrumphed. "Sounds like you'll need to spend more time training after you recover. Need to work on your endurance so that you won't lose to some petty ball of energy. Come see me tomorrow. We'll start with the basics: a nice run around the valley, then a swim upriver, and finish the day climbing the mountainside. Simple enough, yeah?"
We'll pick up from where you left off."
Ebonheim gulped, pouting. "R-Right."
Th'maine grunted, blowing a puff of smoke from his nose and pushing himself away from the tree he leaned on. "If you lot are done, I think we should get back to the village. I'm sure the rest of the folk will be pleased to see you're all right."
Hilda nodded, giving Ebonheim's shoulder a light squeeze. "Come. The others will want to see you, and the elders must verify that you're truly back."
Ebonheim climbed to her feet, allowing herself to be led by Serrandyl who still clung to her. She laughed softly, looping her arm around Serrandyl's waist as they walked together.
She looked up at the clear blue sky and took a deep breath, relishing the fresh air. She took in the sights, sounds, and smells around her, letting her senses soak in the familiar atmosphere.
"By the way," Thorsten muttered, raising his brow at her. "Did you grow a little taller?"
Ebonheim glanced at him with a perplexed look on her face. She held her hand above her head, comparing it to Thorsten's height. "Oh, uh...maybe a tiny bit?"
She placed her hands on her hips and smiled proudly. "I did ascend again, so that must be it!"
Hilda blinked in surprise. "I knew I sensed something different about you when you reappeared. And your garment changed a little as well."
Ebonheim looked down at her form and observed the changes in her attire. The gown she wore had grown more ornate, with embroidered patterns along its hemline. The silk fabric glistened, a radiant shade of white, and the golden ornamental thread weaving through the cloth glowed brightly.
Lira smiled. "We've already prepared a festival to celebrate your return, but now we have another reason to celebrate."
Serrandyl gasped. "Oooh! OOOHH! Does that mean there'll be more food? Let's goooo!"
The group broke into laughter, and Ebonheim grinned. "Let's!"
As they walked together toward the village, a peaceful smile spread across her face. She'd returned to the place she called home, the place she swore to protect and watch over. She vowed to do better, to be stronger. To live up to the role she'd been given. To fulfill her purpose.
For now, she would enjoy the respite and rest.
"It's good to be back."
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image [https://i.imgur.com/6wc4NjY.png]