Lucy

A rusty haze covers the dusty plain stretching far as the eye could see, plums of orange fire illuminating the mist, rivers of molten lava snake their way through the plain. A haunting melody drift on sulfuric winds, the sounds of souls tortured by Eldritch Abominations for their past life’s sins. Through the haze, a blood-red sun hangs motionless in the sky, adding an eerie timeless atmosphere to the world.

I lay languidly on a lounge chair placed to one side of my ostentatiously large balcony, the glossy black stone reflecting the light from the sun. A small table next to me with a stack of best-selling books, at least according to Lilith’s children who had brought them back from their trips to the Mortal Realm. I couldn’t see why, after all, whoever heard of sparkly vampires, and the characters, I’d call them flat as cardboard if it wasn’t an insult to cardboard. It only goes to show how much has changed since the last time I ventured to the Mortal Realm, I thought with a mental snort at the directions of my thoughts.

Hum, maybe it is about time I make that trip to the Mortal Realm; after all, I thought, it wasn’t a new thought, though. I had been throwing around the idea for at least a few mortal centuries now. However, there always seemed to be one reason or another not to go. That’s BS, and you know it, Lucy, a small voice says in the back of my mind. It wasn’t like the realm would fall apart if I left for a few months, and really if anything did happen, it would be a simple matter to come back. No, the real reason I was reluctant to visit the Mortal Realm was how different it was from what I remember, I wasn’t sure if I could blend in as well as I use to.  

 “Are you going to keep ogling your naked sister or are you going to explain why you’re in my realm, dear brother,” I say when I feel a presence intrude on my solitude.

“Here I thought I had finally figured out a way to masked my presence from you,” a deep masculine voice responded from the direction of the door that led into my sitting room.

I swivel my head to look at the only being in the whole of reality that could be considered my equal. While the being wasn’t my brother, by any standard definition of the word, it was just easier to classify our relationship that way. He hasn’t changed since the first day we created our bodies, I thought, as my eyes raked over the being who had come to stand next to my lounge chair, an athletic build, messy, dirty blonde hair top a perfectly portioned face with piercing blue eyes that seemed to look into your very soul.

“You’re in my realm,” I said in answer to his statement as if that was explanation enough, and truth to tell it was. There is very little that happens in My Realm that escapes my notice, let alone the appearance of a being of equal power to me. “Speaking of which, why is that? I thought you had declared your intention never to return.” I say with a smile, “if I remember correctly your exact words were ‘The only way you’re getting me back here is if you drag my cold dead corpse here as long as that Succubus lives.’”

“I don’t know what you're talking about, dear sister,” brother says with a strained smile.

“Well then, if that’s the case, you won’t mind if I call Lilith to join us,” I say, my tone making it a question, and my smile grows wider at the minute twitch of brother’s lips.

“That won’t be necessary, I’m sure Lady Lilith is busy I would not want to take her away from whatever important endeavor she is participating in.”

“Nonsense, Lilith would be devastated to learn that you had dropped by, and she missed you.”

Brother tried to hide it, but I could still hear the small huff of sardonic laughter that escaped his lips. “Sure. She’ll be devastated. More like she’ll be disappointed that she couldn’t pull one of her pranks.” My brother says under his breath before making another lounge chair appear next to mine and perching on its corner facing me.

“Have we finally gotten to the point where you’ll enlighten me to the reason of your intrusion into my realm or are we still on the pointless small talk phase of the conversation,” I ask, “if he latter is the case then I have quite a few tasks that I could be doing instead.”

“One of those tasks wouldn’t be working on your tan, would it.”

“As a matter of fact, no, there are a few souls that have started to arrive recently that require my personal attention, I believe the mortals call them politicians. However, that isn’t the most pressing concern I have at the moment, and I was making excellent progress on it until you came along,” I add the last part in a haughty tone.

“Well, in that case, I’ll make this quick so you can get back to it.” my brother said, passing me a card with flowing golden script scrolled across its center.

> You are cordially invited to the Celestial Summit to be held in the realm of the Primordial God of Light, Lord Joseph.

“Has it really been two millennia since the last Summit,” my tone making it more of a statement than a question. The summit marked what most deities regarded as the beginning of a new celestial year. “More importantly, how in the levels did you get roped into hosting it this time?” I ask, my eyebrow raised in question. The being most Deities call Lord Joseph just stared at me as if I had grown a second head, which I reflected wasn’t an unheard-of occurrence.

“Well, let see here,” Joseph said, his tone dripping condescension as if I should know what he was about to say, “with the sheer number of Deities on the invite list there are only three places in reality that could accommodate them all without blowing a hole in reality. The first being the Mortal Realm, which a little thing called the Accords makes impossible to use, what with the restriction placed on deific interaction and all that. That leaves mine or your realm as the only other places available, and since most of the invited Deities are either band indefinitely from or would never willingly enter your realm that leaves mine as the only possible location.”

“Oh, yea, I had forgotten about the little problem of holes forming in the fabric of space-time if you get too many Deities in a place controlled by a being of equal or lesser power than them.” a smile forms on my lips. “also, I can’t understand why none of the deities what to come to my beautiful realm,” an inhuman wale drifted across the dusty plain as the last part left my lips, “I will admit it is an acquired taste, but you come here no problem.”

“only when I have to,” Joseph countered dryly at my shrug. “at the risk of sound like I’m changing the subject, I should mention, but knowing you, sister, you probably won’t take advantage of it, you are allowed a plus one.” My smile begins to widen, showing some teeth, when Joseph adds, “and if you try to bring that Succubus as your plus one, I will banish her back to this realm before she steps one perfectly manicured toenail in my realm.” It was my brother's turn to smile at my expression.

“Just because the last time she was in your realm, she throws one small orgy you won’t let her back in,” I lament.

“Small!” my brother exclaims, “she had half my angels withering throughout the halls of my palace. Thank me, most of the guardian angels were in the Mortal Realm looking after their charges at the time, but it still took me almost a century to get everything straightened out. So, yea, that Succubus is banded from my realm for the rest of eternity, and even then, it’s debatable whether I’ll let her in.”

“I thought it was hilarious,” I say, picking up my discarded book, “it definitely livened the place up. Also, at the risk of sounding ungrateful that the great and powerful Lord Joseph designed to deliver my invitation personally was that the only thing you came here for or was there anything else.” I said the last as I flipped back to the page of the book I was on.

“No,” my brother said, pushing out of the lounge chair, making it disappear in the processes, “that was the only thing that brought me here.” As Joseph was about to take his leave, he paused, “oh there was one more thing, Michael asked me if you’d want a rematch.” I flipped my brother the bird at the mention of his second in command, but he had already left my realm, leaving his fading laughter behind.

That is one thing Joseph, and I have in common; at least, we love our theatrics, I thought with a shake of my head before returning to my book. Realizing that the book wasn’t getting any better, I threw it on the pile in disgust and got up from the lounge chair. After all, those politician’s souls won't torture themselves, which should be more entertaining than reading this trash. I thought as I walked back into my bedroom, the pile of books bursting into flames.

###

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

A few hours later found me back in my office going over everything I could find on the other High Gods. One thing was clear, blowing a hole, in reality, would have been an understatement if the Summit was held anywhere but where it was. It was still mind-boggling how the number of High Gods and Goddesses had skyrocketed in the last two millennia, from about a hundred to close to three thousand. Well, it isn’t like it’s all that surprising, I thought, rubbing the bridge of my nose, after all the number of worlds that have some form of intelligent life on it has skyrocketed as well.

The fascinating thing was that most of the growth wasn’t in the prime universe but the wider multiverse. A shudder ran down my spine just thinking about all the different versions of the Earth there were now, some weren’t all that much different from the Prime Earth, but more and more were taking the form of fantasy worlds right out of the popular fiction on Prime Earth. This brings into play the seemingly immutable law of reality that the more fantastical the world, the more gods that are created from that world, I thought picking up another report from the stack on my desk.

“I hear His Excellency Lord Joseph visited the realm this morning,” Lilith said, entering my office, with the grace only one could learn from millennia of seducing mortals. “has he finally come to his senses and lifted my banishment from his realm.”

“Do you really have to always call him that,” I ask glancing up from the report that I had been reading, as my second in command sat in one of the overstuffed chairs in front of my desk.

“Does he have to keep calling me ‘that Succubus,’” Lilith said, “and I’ll take that as a no. Who would have thought having some fun with those stuck up angels would lead to banishment from an entire realm.” I could only smile at the lack of remorse the woman most would call the Crown Princess of Hell was showing. “so, what did that lightbulb with an overinflated ego want.”

“Lilith,” my tone warning, but there was very little bite to it, after all she had summed up Joseph’s personality perfectly, “you may not have a high opinion of my brother, but he is still a Primordial God, and while you may be my second in command and the most powerful demon in existence, you are still a demon. Show at least a modicum of respect if only for his position.”

“Understood, Your Excellency,” Lilith said, her head bowed in sincere contrition, but I could still see a small smile playing on her lips.

“As to your question, my brother had been roped into hosting the next Summit, which will be happening in a year by the mortal calendar. His visit was to deliver my invitation.”

“Has it really been two millennia since the last Summit,” Lilith asked then the rest of my statement registered. “Wait! What! Did you just say your brother got roped into hosting it, how in reality did that happen?”

“Apparently, I’ve done a better job of keeping myself out of the loop where the pantheons are concerned then I thought.” I said, motioning to the stacks of papers on my desk, “According to these, the number of Deities that could be considered a High Gods has increased since the last Summit, which necessitates the use of mine, my brother’s, or the Mortal Realm as the meeting place.”

“Because of extenuating circumstances, your brother’s realm is the only plausible choice to host the meeting,” Lilith said, finishing my train of thought, more eloquently then I could have.

“Exactly, and since we’re on the topic, I did want to let you know that I will be taking a trip to the Mortal Realm to see with my own eyes how things have developed. After all, with all but two of the invited Deities getting their power in some form or another from the Mortal Realm, it will undoubtedly be a major topic during the Summit.”

“And the opportunity to take that vacation you’ve wanted without it looking like a vacation is what?  A bonus,” Lilith said with a knowing smile.

“That never even crossed my mind,” I said with a straight face, which only caused Lilith's smile to widen, “however since you brought it up, it is true that this educational trip could double as a vacation to the Mortal Realm.”

“That’s your story, and you're sticking to it,” Lilith said with a raised eyebrow, shaking her head at the smile that spreads across my lips in response. “Do you know where in the Mortal Realm you’ll be going?”

“I was thinking the Prime Earth, most if not all the Deities invited to the Summit have some type of following on the planet, so it’s a good place as any to get a general feel for how things are in the wider realm. The only question is how I should go about it. disgusting myself as a human would be too limiting, plus with how things have changed, I don’t think I could blend in as well as I use to.”

“True, unlike back then, there isn’t an unquestioned nobility to easily cover up your foibles,” Lilith said, a thoughtful look on her face. I could feel my mood darkening. Cause a continent to go underwater in a rage and your subordinates never let you live it down, I thought sardonically as Lilith continued without noticing my mood change “of course, there is an upper class that could act in the same vane but with social media as prevalent as it is nowadays, you’d still be toeing a pretty fine line. You’d be better off disguising your presence as one of the other intelligent races on the planet, the problem there is that they’ve become more organized then they use to be.”

“Oh,” I questioned with a raised eyebrow, “I knew the shifters had a governing council overseen by their Shifter King, and the BloodKin has Elsa governing their every move, but I hadn’t realized the other races had started to organize themselves.”

“It more like the power balance among the races has shifted, and a new power has emerged as the dominant governing body of all non-human races. It’s really only happened in the last few years, but by the way, everyone acts, you’d think it was a lot longer.”

“Anabelle has finally made her move,” I say with a nod of my head as if that was the only conclusion that could be reached, “it’s been a long time in coming, after all the dragonkin have been the undisputed powerhouses of the non-human races for as long as the mortal realm has existed.”

“Your partially right,” Lilith said carefully, and I raise a questioning eyebrow, “Anabelle, along with Elsa and an as of yet unknown third party, have created a ruling council for the non-human races; that they’re calling the Otherworld Council.”

“That’s…interesting. I had thought it would take Earth almost being destroyed for those two to work together on anything, and even then, I would have given it a fifty-fifty shot of happening.”   

“True,” Lilith agreed, “their animosity for each other is the stuff of legends. However, from the reports that I have been getting form my children, it seems that whoever or whatever this third party is has become somewhat of a mediator between the two, which has allowed them to work together.”

“Which means that whoever or whatever this third party is, if not very powerful, has the wit to take on those two. I may not be on the best terms with either woman, especially Elsa, but neither of them is easily manipulated. Mostly this third party whoever or whatever it is offered them a deal that would benefit them in some way while also creating this, what did you call it, Otherworld Council.

“As you say, Your Excellency,” Lilith says with a seated bow. Silence descended on my office for a few minutes as we both pondered the implications of what I had just said.

“It seems we have strayed from the original topic,” I say, breaking the silence.

“Yes, Your Excellency,” Lilith said, “since the human option is off the table, that means one of the non-human races. However, that provides its own set of problems, no matter which one your choice to descend to the Mortal Realm as. most people you will come into contact with will expect you to have some understanding of modern-day Earth, and while some things have stayed the same since the last time you visited, many things have also changed.”

That was the cruces of the matter, I thought. No matter which of the races I design myself as, including humans, I need a way to brush off any foibles that I may make while I get my bearings. “Well, I could always say I’ve lived in the mountains away from civilization for most of my early life and have just entered the civilized world. Which would mean that it would be best if I go as a teenager instead of a fully grown adult.”

“If you're going as a teenager, then I know a great place for you to visit. It also has a lot of mountains around, so your story wouldn’t be that farfetched. Plus, it also has a large non-human population, of course, most of it is made of shifters, so you should be able to get a good feel for how things are in the wider world. The only thing that could possibly be called a drawback it that the place is the seat of power for the shifter’s current Shifter King.”

“That’s not really a drawback,” I say, “after all, despite everything Luna has done, this realm has great relations with the general shifter population. Actual, the shifters are probably the only non-human race that we actively trade with. however, that can’t be the only drawback to the place.”

“There is one more,” Lilith said carefully, “however I don’t know if I would count it as a drawback just yet, it too early to tell how things will develop.” I raised an eyebrow in question, with all the ass-covering Lilith, had done in that one sentence my interested was peaked. “you see, Your Excellency the Otherworld Council took it upon itself to get rid of the inheritance laws for the non-human races that had such laws and replaced them with a global inheritance law enforced by the council. What it basically comes down to, Your Excellency is that the oldest child of the non-human race in question would inherit the title regardless of gender.”

“This is all fascinating, but what does this have to do with my trip. The inheritance of the Shifter King title shouldn’t concern me on this trip.”

“To tell the truth, I don’t see it having any bearing on your visit to the mortal realm either, but as I said, I’m not sure how things will develop, so I figured since your planning to be in the area, you should be informed. With that being said, however, the thing is the current Shifter King, Sebastian BloodMoon, only has one child, and that child happened to be female. This means under the new law, Ashley Bloodmoon will be the first Shifter Queen.”

It took me a few minutes to process what she said, but when I had, I couldn’t help myself, a burst of laughter left my lips. I could just picture the look on the faces of the members of that chauvinistic Shifter Councils when they realized the next ruler of the shifters would be female, for the first time in shifter history.

“Oh, how I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when it dawned on those chauvinistic asshats of the shifter council that an inferior female shifter is destined for the throne,” I say when I’ve finally gotten my mirth under control.

“So, I take it you are going with my suggestion?”

“Yes, if anything, it would be a good chance to see how this future Shifter Queen handles herself.”

“Then I will have one of my children make the arrangements, Your Excellency. The only question now is, what race will you be descending to the mortal realm as.”

“I thought I’d go as a demi-human; it the best fit for the type of back story I want to cultivate.”

“Excellent choice, Your Excellency.  I will get my children to set everything up, how soon do you plan to leave?”

“I don’t know, probably within a week or two.” I say, rubbing my chin in thought. “now then with that out of the way, was there anything else you need or was the whole point of your visit to pester me about my brother's visit.”

“Well, it’s only preliminary, but I’ve been getting reports…”