Chapter 6: Calling Tech Support
[https://i.imgur.com/SDMSTJa.jpg]
---
“Yes Mortal, I am the goddess of this world.” The voice boomed, and Kenji saw a vague female form taking shape above him. The figure was terrifying and shifting, the heart of an angry storm.
Amidst a realm where the very fabric of reality seemed woven with threads of tumultuous energy, Kenji stood transfixed. Above him, an ethereal figure emerged from within a churning vortex of clouds, a deity shrouded in the wrath of the storm. He dared not speak, nor meet the full force of her gaze, for in the periphery of his vision loomed a tempest too fearsome to behold.
"If you see me as terrifying, your thoughts make that a reality. Perhaps you carry some guilt, you fear retribution?" Her voice resonated with the power of the maelstrom, yet carried a nuance that hinted at curiosity. "Do you imagine I am your enemy?"
Her words hung heavy in the charged air, yet Kenji found himself mute, a mere mortal caught in the gaze of the divine. The goddess's presence seemed to swell, her form both everywhere and nowhere, the very essence of omnipotence.
[https://i.imgur.com/V5vZSNK.jpeg]
"Most of my mortals see me as benevolent," she continued, her tone weaving through the howling winds like a melody, "the form you have given me is quite novel, perhaps even useful.” She paused, almost as if considering her own oppressive reflection.
“Most imagine me as the epitome of beauty, or even quite motherly." The voice, laced with a spectral amusement, was a stark contrast to the formidable apparition that loomed before him. “However, I have observed you, and this will not do. Look up Mortal, Kenji, and see me in the way my people do. They call me Omnistra”
Slowly, as if the anger of the heavens was being drawn back by an unseen hand, the terrifying aspect of the goddess began to unravel, giving way to a vision of celestial majesty. Kenji lifted his eyes once more, and this time the sight that greeted him was one of otherworldly beauty. Omnistra, now seated upon a throne that seemed carved from the very night sky, was clad in robes that cascaded around her like the Milky Way. Her crown was a constellation of cosmic jewels, framing a visage that held the mysteries of the universe, yet was as gentle as a mother's touch.
[https://i.imgur.com/BluPvGW.jpeg]
"That will have to do. I have observed you since you arrived, and I know you," she spoke with a voice that now held the warmth of distant suns, "but what I don’t know is why you were sent alone and what you were told before arriving. Do you even know why you were summoned here?"
Kenji, grappling with the transition from terror to awe, managed only the simplest of truths. "Tech Support."
The words seemed to ripple across the cosmos, eliciting a brief celestial turbulence. "Tech Support?" The goddess's tone turned to cold starlight, "When a house is burning, do you put out the fire, or save your machines?"
Visions of his cherished computer, left behind on Earth, flashed through Kenji's mind, but they were quickly scattered by the gravity of Omnistra's gaze.
"Clearly, my words did not convey my intended point." Her voice softened, like the glow of a nebula, forgiving yet filled with purpose. "Who sent you on this task, when my world is under a threat that attempts to siphon my power?"
Kenji, careful to speak the truth, but desperate to avoid confessing all of his transgressions, responded with a simplicity born of necessity. "I selected the ‘tech support’ task myself, though I was just trying to learn more about it at the time."
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
The goddess regarded him, her eyes like twin moons, reflecting upon his thoughts and words. "You used the System yourself?" A celestial sigh seemed to cause the stars to flicker. "I have observed you, Kenji, your relentless curiosity no doubt got the better of you. Explain what led you to select that task."
Kenji, careful with his words, offered, “I saw many requests for defeating armies and slaying monsters, so I looked for one that was… a little more my speed.” In an effort to steer the conversation away from the precipice of full disclosure, he added, “The tech support request seemed almost hidden among all the others, so I was curious.”
"Hidden." The word left Omnistra's lips and seemed to resonate through the fabric of the cosmos, a single note that hinted at a deeper melody of concern. Her gaze drifted away for a moment, lost in contemplation against the backdrop of swirling nebulas and stars that hung in her hair like jewels of the night sky.
Regaining her composure, Omnistra's expression softened as if she was about to divulge a secret only the stars had been privy to. "I have made many requests for aid, which have been ignored, and yet you arrive to fix my ‘Tech’." She sighed once more, and the heavens themselves seemed to hold their breath. "I had begun to suspect that something was interfering with my connection to the Others."
Her words, now flowing with the force of a divine decree, commanded attention. "Very well Mortal, since you have come to resolve this ‘Tech’ issue, then that is what you shall do! You accessed heaven’s System once, so you shall do so again. You will travel to my temple in Aurel. There, you will speak to my Saint and her Prophet. With their aid, you will be able to access the System more directly. Correct the issue, or perish in your attempt. Perhaps you will succeed. If you die horribly on the journey, the Others may sense your demise and investigate instead."
Kenji's breath hitched, a temporary reprieve granted by the goddess's acceptance of his partial truths. The City of Aurel's name echoed within his mind, the destination now a beacon calling him forth to an inevitable odyssey.
Her final admonition was a whisper, this time with a sharpness, pressed against the edges of his consciousness. "I care not for the petty secrets a Mortal tries to keep, but Kenji, a word of warning. I expect you to obey this quest as if your existence depends on it. While my power wanes, this world and my Mortals are in danger. I may not be able to strike you dead on the spot, but I can torment your dreams until you go quite mad. Each night you close your eyes can feel like an eternal nightmare, should I will it. Do not think to retire to that quiet village and play house with that pretty young widow."
---
[https://i.imgur.com/Tc6QKWt.jpeg][https://i.imgur.com/WRRZatQ.jpeg]
As she spoke her final words, Kenji felt the reality of the clouds beneath him dissolve. The fall was upon him, a descent through the layers of dream and consciousness. Each moment stretched into infinity as he contemplated her words, her command, and the reality of the world he now inhabited. He knew Omnistra could see his thoughts, but her final warning shook him. Could she see parts of himself that even he could not?
His thoughts turned to the village, the warmth of the people, and the possibility of a life untethered from his past. It was only when he admitted his reluctance to leave the village that his dream-self finally slammed into the ground.
----------------------------------------
"Beautiful and quite motherly!" Kenji exclaimed, his eyes snapping open in the darkness of his room. He was already sitting upright, gasping for breath.
"Talking about Elara in your sleep?" Aito's teasing voice emerged from the shadows.
Kenji's heart still raced, he remembered reading that people who dreamt of falling never actually hit the ground, but that wasn’t how this one ended.
“No! I’ll explain in the morning." Kenji snapped, lying back down with a weary sigh. His thoughts churned. The village had become more than a mere refuge—it had offered a glimpse of something he hadn't known he yearned for.
Aito's response was a soft, electronic hum. "Sure thing, bud. Sweet dreams," he said, resuming his rest-state.
Kenji turned his gaze towards Aito, who was already silent, unperturbed by the outburst. Did he talk in his sleep often? Feeling a hint of envy for Aito's ability to switch off so easily, Kenji settled back against his pillow. The realization that tonight was his last in the village lingered in his mind, keeping him awake as he awaited dawn's arrival. "Quite motherly," Kenji said quietly, the words tinged with a mix of fondness and reflection as he thought of his own mother's resilient and imposing character.
----------------------------------------
End Chapter 6: Calling Tech Support
Next: Chapter 7: Rascals and Thieves