Returning to the ground in the form of his original, mortal, appearance was strange. After existing for several days in his semi-ascended state at Tier six, he had gotten used to the expanded senses that granted him near omniscience within a massive range.
Now, trying to fit those senses into a much smaller form was almost overwhelming, and he was forced to create a new avatar that was severely restricted in its capabilities.
He still felt the world at the level of a Tier six, but it was an adjustment that took a few moments to readapt to. One that gave those that were near to him enough time to regroup and relocate to his position.
“Ezekiel!” The loud scream that assaulted his ears would’ve been shocking, if not for the fact that he had already been aware of the situation, and had predicted what would happen.
As such, when his wife came flying at him at full speed and strength, he was more than prepared to absorb the impact, making her feel as light as a feather when he caught her in his arms.
“You’re okay! What happened? Everyone’s been--”
He held up a hand and placed it on her lips. Upon focusing on the world and his senses, even if dulled when compared to his new true might, flooded him with information that he subconsciously began looking into the future and determining the best way to get a desirable outcome.
It was a heady feeling. One that he hadn’t experienced when speaking with Eldramir. Though, the chances of him being able to predict such a monumentally larger existence was basically impossible for him.
The sheer amount of power and control he felt over the current situation, that of one being among lesser beings, was all encompassing.
It was also terrifying, since it meant that he was even further disconnected from the world, the people that he had cared so dearly about.
“One moment, my dear. I need to do something.” The words sounded dirty in his mouth. His tone was perfectly level, and it was as if he could no longer care about what Riley wanted from him. The worry and concern she had was nothing when compared to everything else that he was dealing with.
With a thought, he closed his eyes and the constant barrage of images halted. Ezekiel found himself staring into a blank black expanse of uncertainty. The future was still there, and his primary body could still process them, but the emotions and feelings of being mortal, of being near to his family again, were no longer muted by the overwhelming flood.
“Ezekiel... Are you okay?” Riley sounded scared, so he opened his eyes, only to find his vision blurrier than he had expected. “You’re crying! Are you alright?”
Blinking away the tears, Ezekiel took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. A sad smile spread across his face, and he could see a massive group of people had gathered around them.
They remained several dozen meters away, but that didn’t change the fact that they were surrounded.
“...We’ve won... But Shine was forced to sacrifice themself to push me into Tier seven.” Riley gasped, and he decided that he didn’t need to tell her the rest of his changes for now. “The Broods are no more... But the damage to the world, as well as the shift in the flows of mana mean that the world isn’t done changing just yet. I’ve bought us all some time, but unfortunately, there’s a limit to what I can do.”
Riley just nodded her head, and while it was clear that she was subduing her emotions, the rest of the Hunters and Mage had no reason to.
Cheers erupted all around them. People threw armor and other bits that they had on hand into the air, while Spirits shot spells and magic into the sky.
Elements of all types filled the horizon, and the happiness and joy that they all felt was nearly overwhelming. Yet Ezekiel couldn’t find it in himself to join in, and neither could Riley, or his sisters who were nearby, nor his parents that were floating high in the sky, away from the rest of the partiers.
Each of them knew him well enough to know that something had changed. Something that was going to make things difficult for them all going forward.
For now, however, they remained silent. Content with the victory that had been achieved.
----------
The celebrations lasted a full day, before everyone slowed down and came to the realization that they now needed to rebuild. Radiant Chaos had spread their Ichor far and wide, and it had resulted in the total devastation of what was once the Desolate Lands. Though the name would still be accurate, if different, than it had been for the past several hundred years.
Fortunately, with the relocation of Morncrest, the Forest Spirit, and the Temple of the Void on its back, they were all able to rest and relax, even after the high of victory fell down again.
Now, nearly two days after he had returned from his talk with Eldramir, and defeated Radiant Chaos with the sacrifice of his Spirit, Ezekiel had allowed himself to be confronted by his family, and just finished telling them all of what had happened, and what he would need to do.
“That’s not fair!” Wendy had been the first to speak after he had told them of his need to depart from the world within a year’s time. “We just won! A year is not enough time to be together again before you have to depart! This was supposed to be it! The end of our struggles, and the start of our peaceful future.”
Ezekiel could tell that there was even more that she wanted to say, but there was a tiredness in her voice that kept his sister from going any further.
Instead, she and Ellen just held onto him tightly, even as his parents and Riley remained silent.
The former, he figured no doubt knew that the world was unfair, and had already accepted that the idealized peaceful era was nothing but a dream.
Even when the Cruor were a threat, nations still fought with each other, and while it had been instigated by the Broods’ puppet, the Cult of Light, that didn’t change the fact that conflict would spark as different people tried to claim new territories, or reclaim old ones.
More than half the world was open for the taking, now that the Cruor were gone. Not only that, but different means of growing powerful now existed, meaning that those that had been stuck before at the lower Tiers had a chance to rise.
Conflict that would grow their souls would be necessary to reach those heights quickly.
“What will you be doing before we leave?” Riley asked, and the twins turned to her with a glare.
“He won’t be going anywhere! He needs to stay here, where it’s safe! He's the strongest being in the world! We need him here!” The twins loosened their grip on him, but it was apparent that they didn’t want to. “Why does this keep happening? Why can’t we just be a family?”
Ellen, who was still silent, but had been acting in tandem with her sister, moved to hold onto her instead of Ezekiel.
“I know that this doesn’t seem fair, to anyone, but the simple fact of the matter is that the full story can’t be told. Not with the limitations put on me by Eldramir.” During his talk, Ezekiel had tried to explain the origins of humanity on the world to his family, but he felt a pressure from the world everytime he did, so he knew that Eldramir didn’t want anyone else to know. Not unless they had proven themselves worthy of it like he had.
What those requirements were, was something that he didn’t know, and likely wouldn’t find out anytime soon. But he assumed that it had to do with loyalty to the world’s wellbeing.
“The fact of the matter is that the universe operates under the law of the strong dictating the weak, unless they an hide, or are too weak to be of any worth to the strong.” It almost hurt to say those words, but Ezekiel knew them to be true, and wasn’t able to deny them. He needed his family to know this as well, because things were just going to get worse for them from here on out. Especially if they stagnated, and failed to break through. “With the upcoming changes that are going to occur, you two are on a deadline if you want to keep up.”
He addressed the twins specifically this time. “You are getting closer and closer to Tier five, which is the absolute minimum, from what I can tell, that is necessary for ascending to whatever exists in the plane beyond this one.”
Memories of the many [Pathways] that he had seen in the [Void] beyond the [Shroud] that surrounded Eldramir ran through his mind. Many felt incredibly dangerous, but there were a few that felt relatively safe. For him, at least.
He couldn’t tell how his family would fare if they went through as mere Legends, whose bodies and souls might not even survive the transfer through the [Void]. Even Myths and Ancients would be pushing it to their limits.
“Girls,” Warren spoke up before the twins could continue, “your brother is right. We cannot control the world. Not even the Ancient Spirits could truly dictate the laws of the world. They could only shape its form according to how the world willed them to. If he, at Tier seven, says that this is the way that things must be, then that is simply how it must be. All you can do is step up and try to reach him with your own power going forward.”
Warren turned to Evelyn, who had been holding his hand and hadn’t let go since they had reunited days before. Ezekiel saw the look in his eyes for what it was.
A plea to have her keep pushing forward, so that they could continue to be together in the future.
“At the moment, the only ones that can come with me are mom, dad, and Riley. However, I won’t be asking you to do so.” He held up a hand before anyone could start yelling at him. “The fact of the matter is that there’s a chance that some people will come after you two in order to learn secrets that they might think I told you, or just out of envy for my power.”
The twins looked down and bit their lips in unison. Each of them trembled with fury, but Ezekiel couldn’t allow the pain in his chest from seeing the suffer stop him from telling them what they needed to know.
“The latter is bullshit, but the former is a legitimate concern.” The twins whipped their heads up to look at him. “Given that I don’t want to lose any of you, I will be taking steps to ensure that a legacy of our family remains. Though I don’t know how big it will be, since I’m not even certain I can have children anymore, give the transformation that my ascension has brought.”
He looked at Riley when he said this, but she didn’t seem upset. If anything she just looked more determined than ever.
“We’ll just have to try harder and more often, now that things have settled down here.” She muttered under her breath, but everyone clearly heard her. It wasn’t a topic that was brought up due to the war, but given the changes in their lives, it was something that might change alongside everything else.
Regardless, Ezekiel shifted in his seat, and he knew that if it wasn’t for the fact that he was puppeting an avatar, his face would be red right now.
“Anyways,” he attempted to redirect the conversation, “I will be making several things that will hopefully aid int he progress of humanity, both for before, and after the world changes. I only have a vision of Eldramir’s intentions, not the process and ‘growing pains’ that the world will suffered because of it.”
His parents nodded, and the twins still looked frustrated while Riley hugged him from the side.
“You do what you feel is necessary. We will help you, in any way that we can.” Evelyn said with a soft smile on her face. She leaned into Warren’s embrace, and both nodded at him.
Even his sisters looked more resigned to the situation, or were at least a bit more tired of trying to fight it.
“In that case... What do you all think about a training facility that alters the flow of time?” Ezekiel gave his family a wicked smile. His parents and sisters just gaped at him, while Riley shook with silent laughter.
Stolen story; please report.
All while he just smiled at the thought of getting a one up on the world itself.
----------
The following months that passed were a trial in and of themselves for Ezekiel.
While he had tried to keep things fair, and had taken the time to help free his father from his mission in the world’s Spirit Paths, the simple fact of the matter was that it was basically impossible to take any time for himself without shirking the rest of humanity.
He had made several more avatars, and had split them up as much as he could, but he was still constantly working to help the mostly scattered and war torn species get back on their feet.
Only recently had he been able to finish constructing what was now his home, both for himself and for his family. Even if he would be leaving in less than a year.
“That’s that.” He placed a crystalline stone into the ground, and an immense and utterly complex enchantment lit up. “Even Eldramir would have difficulties breaking this without consequences.”
Ezekiel stood in the center of a massive hollow sphere. It was placed beneath the largest island in the Archipelago, which had been created when he had explained Sanafalls by creating holes and directing the flow of magma to create new landmass.
Above the sphere was a small city that he had created and was inhabited by clans that had been allied or subservient to his mother’s family. Given what his father’s family had done, they had all been wiped out, so there was nothing remaining for Ezekiel to take in. This would, however, be his family’s legacy, beyond himself and his name, that is.
The runic formations that formed and empowered the enchantments on the massive structural Artifact eventually dimmed, and when they did it looked like you were standing in a sea of stars. Only a sight shine, like that of light on a sheet of glass, indicated where the ground was.
Activating the Artifact, he could feel space and time warping, and his connection between his true body and his avatar shifted. It wasn’t severed, but he could feel his mind split between real-time, and altered time.
With a smile, he waved his hands, and the environment changed. While he couldn’t create other elements out of nothing just yet, something he suspected would take at least Tier eight to do, he could empower existing elements to encourage, and catalyze, the growth and abundance of the other elements.
Constellations lit up all around the room, and the world changed to create illusory worlds that actually had different elements acting within the Artifact.
“With this, it will be more than possible for the girls to reach Tier five before the century is up.” He floated above a horde of elemental constructs that were fighting each other beneath him. Each one directed by his will, and capable of showing power up to the peak of Tier four.
Tier five, being far more personal and individualistic, was not something he felt confident in creating at this time. Not with what he expected the power requirements to be.
Now with the possibility of creating a soul being a necessity. Especially if it meant enslaving them to ensure their loyalty.
“I guess I’d better go and tell them all the good news.” He snapped his fingers, and the world changed back to the endless expanse of stars.
Immediately a heavy feeling weighed down on him, and he could tell that Eldramir wasn’t pleased with this creation, but he had already hashed things out with the world Spirit. Even if it was only the thing’s subconscious mind.
This Artifact, and many others, would become sealed once the century was up. They would be transferred to the new landmass that would be created once the mana had been prepared for its creation.
A floating island that would contain all the knowledge of Tier four and higher. The only area in the world that wouldn’t contain the suppression that limited the power of its inhabitants to Tier three or below.
“You’d better appreciate what I’m doing for you... It’s not like I’m the only one that’s getting anything from these efforts you know.” His words seemed to resonate with the world, and disapproval he sensed disappeared. “That’s better. Life would take far too long to reach the heights you need it to be at in order to sustain and defend yourself from the rest of the universe.”
This time there was no response, so Ezekiel just sighed, and [Jumped] away.
Another one of his avatars had already gone to tell his family about the finished Artifact.
Now he needed to move on, and figure out what else he needed to fix before he left.
----------
Standing atop a mountain range covered in snowy peaks, Ezekiel stood in front of the four Mythical birds of the Feathered Peaks tribe. The now severely diminished tribe looked at him in awe, and he could feel the sense of worship that they all felt for him.
A sensation that he was growing more and more accustomed to.
“This will be the mountain that you can now call home. It is in the same place that the previous Feathered Peaks was placed. However, it is a little bit taller, and has more room for you to develop. Usually, this would lead to troubles with the other tribes reaching for what you have. But I think your guardians will be able to keep them in line.” He nodded to the Mythical birds, who each nodded back at him. “I would ask, however, and your guardians agree, that you do not try to expand before you have grown into your home. For the time being, possibly for the next few generations, your tribe will have more than enough room to survive, and thrive, within the territory I’ve declared as yours.”
That had been something that he had felt the strangest doing. Being the one that determined the new borders on the map.
He had tried to be fair, going around the world and determining the new areas that were to be controlled by the different factions. Mostly in areas that were being reclaimed, so they had no current owner, but were owned by someone previously.
The Empire and Morathi region were the hardest. He ultimately ended up deciding to cut the Empire in half, and give Morathi more room before splitting the Tribes up with much larger distances between them.
Given that the Emperor was still a child, and would need to grow into his position, this was more than fair. Especially since the Empire’s populace was almost nonexistent due to eh Broods’ harvesting.
“Lord Ezekiel,” Invera’s voice cut through his wandering thoughts. He couldn’t help but glare at the title, not enjoying the reverence, but accepting that it wasn’t going away anytime soon. “Why is that one peak smoking?”
He looked over to where Invera was pointing a wing. It was one of the mountains that he had created by using his powers to warp space to create the needed material. Then, several Spirits that he had more or less ordered to work as he directed, helped shape it as he desired in order to create the natural formations that would make the sister mountain to the Feathered Peaks basically indestructible.
“Ah, yes, that. I decided that, since I was rewarding you and paying back your tribe for everything that you’ve done for me and my family, that I would enhance your territory as well as expand it.” He reached back and rubbed the back of his head with a smile on his face. “That mountain over there had a direct line to the world’s mantle. Giving you a massive amount of geothermic power, and a steady supply of Flame mana. I also worked with several forces ensure that the risk of any volcanic eruptions are practically nonexistent. It would take an Ancient to make that thing explode, or a legion of stupid Cavern users digging around. But that would just cause lava floods, not explosions.”
Spina trilled in excitement, while the few Flame Mages of the tribe that survived perked up at the thought. All of them were Tier three or below, due to the lack of Flame mana in the region. This would allow them to reach Legendary or higher, so long as they worked hard.
Seeing the tribe begin setting up and moving into their recreated ancestral home, Ezekiel smiled before nodding to the five Mythical birds. They nodded back in thanks.
With a quick [Jump] this avatar was gone. Off to the next thing he needed to work on.
He would miss the Mythical birds, but he also knew that none of them would be willing to leave with him on his next journey. There was too much for them here to simply leave behind.
A part of his heart twinged in envy as he continued with his work.
----------
All around the world, for months at a time, Ezekiel worked and worked to settle disputes, determine borders, and reshape the landscape into something that was a better state than what it was left in when Radiant Chaos had died.
In the meanwhile, his sisters fought inside the training chambers he had created, alongside his mother and Riley, who were also pushing to reach the next Tier as soon as possible, though it was unlikely they would, even with the accelerated time.
Finally, after months of working his ass off, even with his Tier seven power, Ezekiel found himself with some time to himself.
For the most part.
“So, I think that’s everything... At least for the moment.” Warren said as he sat with Ezekiel at the very edges of the atmosphere. “You’ve solved nearly all the problems that humanity was facing after the Cruor and their Broodmasters were killed. What do you plan to do next? Any other projects that you have planned? I think that the clan compound for the Luminance family is almost complete. I guess you could try working on that some more?”
Ezekiel smirked at his father’s teasing. It had become a joke between them recently, that he had been working so hard on fixing everything that he wasn’t able to do anything else.
This wasn’t true, and the avatars that he had working with his Riley, his mother, and his sisters, could attest to that. However, it was somewhat of an irony that the father and son duo took joy in.
Warren had found it somewhat difficult to contribute much with his element, even as an Ancient, so it was mostly Ezekiel that was doing the hard work. Though Warren did managed to help out here and there, and with Ezekiel’s help, had gotten permission to set up a Legacy with Eldramir’s permission.
Another addition to the future floating continent.
“I don’t know... Maybe I'll work on creating a stable portal into the Spirit Paths. That way you can visit your old hunting ground.” Ezekiel kept his voice light, but it didn’t stop the shiver that ran down his father’s spine.
“Please, don’t mention that place to me. It was bad enough that you weren’t able to get me out for several weeks after Radiant Chaos died. The time I spent in there is something I would rather forget.” There was a wistfulness to his voice that Ezekiel recognized.
It was the same feeling he got when he thought about Shine.
He couldn’t help but clench his hand at the reminder. Something that his father apparently noticed.
“It’s not going to get easier...” He trailed off before continuing on. “The loss of your Spirit is not something that you can forget. I certainly haven’t. But do not forget why Shine made that sacrifice. It was so that you could live, and reach new heights that have never been reached before.”
Ezekiel knew that there was more to it, and he a part of him also blamed his father for giving Shine the method to do what they did. However, he knew that he had to let that go.
“I know... I’m just tired, and I think I’m going to continue to be tired for a very long time still.”Ezekiel sighed and looked up into the sky. He could just see the outline of his true body merged with the [Void] in the space beyond Eldramir’s [Shroud]. “As for your original question... I think I’m going to take some time off. I’ve got just a month left before I need to leave... I’d like to spend it all with you guys, if that’s alright.”
His father’s eyes widened in shock at first. But after a moment they settled back into normal look as a smile stretched across his face.
“I think that we’d all like that.”
With that said, the two fell into a comfortable silence. Simply floating in the sky, and watching the world moving on down below.
----------
It was the final day of the year that he had been given by Eldramir, and Ezekiel was standing with his family at the top of a mountain on one of the islands near the enlarged Sanafalls. This was a private affair, and Ezekiel had not told anyone else that he would be leaving.
Even his closest friends were rely told the same thing that the rest of the world had been told. He was stepping back, because the world would not be able to make progress with there to fix everyone’s problems. They needed to figure things out for themselves, so he would no longer answer anyone’s pleas for help, unless it was his family that was in danger.
A part of him hoped that the threat of him coming back would be enough, but if not, then the world would be in for a surprise with an Ancient level beam of light seared them out of existence.
“Thanks again for staying behind... I know that this can’t be easy for you, either way.” Ezekiel muttered as he gave his father one last hug for the foreseeable future.
Technically, they were both immortal, but there was no guaranteeing that he would be returning. The unknowns on the other side of wherever those spatial pathways led could possibly be the end of him.
“It just means that I have faith in you... If you don’t return with a solution before your sisters are ready to ascend alongside your mother and me, then that just means that wherever it is you’re going just wasn’t meant for us.” Warren squeezed Ezekiel hard, even though it had little effect. The two parted and Ezekiel moved onto his mother.
“You still have the manuals and guides I wrote out for you? I’m not certain how well you'll be able to adapt them, but it should be possible for you to get to Tier six without any sort of sacrifice. So don’t you dare go down that route. Note when it’s probably not needed.”
Ezekiel had spent years of accelerated time and attention just to theorize and experiment, in simulated spells, how to get his mother to the next Tier in body refinement. Something that was still being worked on by other Mages.
It was slow going, but apparently a few Scholars that had been having difficulties with the path of magic had made progress. Their power increasing by a lot, but their lifespans not.
“I’ve practically memorized them at this point, and I promise, along with Reya, that making that kind of sacrifice will be a last resort only.” Evelyn sounded sincere to Ezekiel’s ears, but he could sense the turmoil inside his mother with ease.
“I don’t like the fact that it’s even on the list of possibilities...” He muttered but didn’t say anything more. “Just be careful, and I’ll try to see you again soon.”
His mother nodded, here eyes watering with unshed tears.
Ezekiel moved onto the twins, who were both crying but trying to put on brave faces.
It was strange seeing his sisters like this. He had been there for them while they were training in the acceleration chamber, but they were fully grown now. Both had matured incredibly well, and had developed into fine women who were at the peak of Legendary.
However, that last jump was one of the hardest. One that required two things that were practically impossible to predict the time needed to figure out.
Reaching out wide, he wrapped both his sisters in a hug. They immediately latched onto him, and continued to cry as he spoke.
“I’m happy I got to see you two grow so well. You’ve dealt with all the trials and tribulations you were forced to face with an amazing level of capability. I’m so proud of how far you’ve both come, and I know that you’ll both become Myths of your own, well before the century is up.” He spoke quietly, and ruffled his sister's hair, much to their displeasure.
“Just you wait! When you see us next, we’ll be strong enough to show you a thing or two that you never even thought was possible!” Ellen spoke with a pride and excitement that she hadn’t had since she was a child.
“That’s right! I’ll make my own enchantments that knock you out with ease by the time we see you again!” Wendy spoke next, with a great deal of confidence, and Ezekiel smiled at the both of them.
“I look forward to it.”
Then, he turned to Riley, who was covered in her Spirit armor and emanated waves of mana that showed off her strength at the peak of the Mythical level of power.
He had no words of goodbye for her. Instead, he merely held out his arm.
“I won’t ask if you’re sure about this. Instead, I’ll ask if you’re ready.”
Riley reached out and wrapped her arm around the his.
“Of course I am.” She smiled and leaned into him. “Now, let’s go see what the stars have waiting for us.”
With that, Ezekiel smiled, and a beam of starlight descended upon them.
With a flash, both the Herald of the Void and the Azure Flame departed from Eldramir. Not for the last time, but for a time that would last well into the future.
The world had been saved, as he had sworn an oath to do, and now Ezekiel’s tale on Eldramir had ended.
It was time for him to find out where his next one would lead.