Birdsongs awoke Sivrit, the gentle sunlight greeting her. It was an exhausting day yesterday, and she slept like a baby, causing her to sleep late into the morning, almost noon. She rubbed her eyes and checked her surroundings. As expected, Attila was still sleeping like a log, unmoving, but she also saw a… girl?

A stranger was in their bed, a red-haired girl, a red similar shade to Reginn. She was dressed in a white robe and nothing else. However, the most striking part was how she had no fingers on her hands as if they were magically removed. She did not see any scars or wounds to say otherwise.

Sivrit immediately woke up and escaped the bed in a hurry. She did not believe they were in any danger, but it was strange nonetheless. It wasn’t every day that someone broke in and began sleeping in her bed.

She decided to nudge the stranger awake, who slowly sat up and began stretching. After a few seconds, she finally decided to greet Sivrit.

“Good morning”

“G-good morning? Who are you?”

“Me? I’m Lilith”

“Lilith…? How did you get in here?”

“Oh, I just saw you guys at the party and followed you here”

“But why…?”

“...I’ll explain everything while we eat breakfast, come on”

…

Sivrit and Attila saw Lilith waiting for them in the outdoor dining area of the restaurant opposing the hotel, her breakfast sandwich as well as eggs and bacon ready in front of her, finally properly dressed. Attila was starving even though she ate tons last night, and the two approached her table.

“So, what did you want to tell us?” asked Sivrit

“And why did you sleep in my bed? That’s weird”

“...I was going to wake you guys up to tell you something, but I accidentally fell asleep”

“So what exactly did you want to wake us up for?”

“...I followed a Glimpse of the Absolute to try and find Reginn, but I landed here instead. I just wanted to ask you about that”

“AGOTA? But why would that be here…”

“Check your bag”

Sivrit checked her belongings and there it was, AGOTA tidily folded at the bottom of her backpack.

“Was this always here…?”

“Reginn must’ve sent it to you. It can fly after all. Maybe he saw your heroic act through Blodelshein”

“Really…” said Sivrit, a bit proud that she was being recognized by the heroes “But how do you know those names?”

“Of course, I know those names, I’m the Goddess”

“...”

“...”

“What?”

“I am the Goddess. That’s why I know every single hero”

“B-but, what?”

“I also know Orchestra, Poda-Bruss, Cupio, Hecaton, Avalon, Gungnir, Jove, Kaizer, Prometheus-”

“Okay, I get it. Unbelievable… So you are the Goddess right?”

“I am”

“Then… what happened to your hands?”

“Oh, my hands,” said Lilith, holding up her hands, this time they were covered in bandages “I traded them. Well, not exactly trade them, but I used them as catalysts”

“Catalysts?”

“You need a great source of mana to conjure the highest calibre of magic. Some examples would be Royal Blood or a demon sacrifice, both containing differing amounts of pure mana. I used my fingers as catalysts to create my servants”

“You mean like Reginn?”

“Reginn is a special case, I made him of earth and mana. The older servants, who I call ‘the Fingers’, were kind of my way of slowly perfecting the creation of life”

“So, did you create all life in the world this way?”

“The entire world…? Of course not, I’m not THAT powerful”

“Hmm… In the church, I was taught that you created humans and other creatures of Avangarden”

“I didn’t create humans, they were already here when I arrived. I did create Avangarden though, that part is true”

Sivrit and Attila should’ve been doubting Lilith and her grandiose statements. However, unknown forces compelled them, and Lilith’s stories seemed almost believable.

“...I can’t believe I’m asking the Goddess this, but why did you create Avangarden and the heroes? Why go through all the work?”

“I suppose that’s a valid question, and I will shed some light on it. This isn’t something most people know, only a few like Reginn, Gilgamesh, Mana and Satana know about this” explained Lilith “Long ago, the world began with the birth of the Heavenly Ruler, it-”

“Wait, could we skip a little bit? I’m afraid that the day is already half over” interrupted Attila

“Attila! You do know that you’re interrupting the GODDESS, right?!”

“It’s fine,” said Lilith “Anyways, I’ll give you an abridged version. So the Heavenly Ruler, creator of order and all things in the universe created millions of Gods, Goddesses and other deities to help intelligent civilizations reach ascension, which is achieved by the domination of the entire planet’s resources and the end goal is to make contact with the Heavenly Ruler, allowing us to reach a new level of consciousness”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“...Sorry, could you repeat that one more time?”

“Okay, to put it as simply as possible, my purpose is to help humanity take over the planet”

“Excuse me, what?!”

“The planet was graced by multiple deities, though I don’t know exactly how many. That is the reason I created the human kingdom, now called Avangarden after many names. That is also the reason I’ve created the heroes, the spearhead the expansion of the kingdom”

“I think I get it but… You said that you were trying to find Reginn, right? Does this have to do with the resurrections?”

“Indeed. You probably guessed by now, but I’m not the one who resurrected the heroes and demon lords, nor is it my brother”

“Brother?”

“The God of Sonosis. Though I suppose I technically have thousands of siblings in the universe”

“But if it’s not you of the God, who could it be…?”

“That is what I am here to figure out. While as a deity, I do have access to most information of the world, there are some things even I am blind to”

“So what will you do now?”

“...I think I’ll join you two on your journey. I do need to retrieve my fingers after all”

“Couldn’t you just summon them?”

“Ever since I used most of my power to create the fingers, I’ve been in Elysium to rest. I didn’t think I would need to come back to the planet again”

“...So you created the fingers to do all your work for you?”

“Yes, what’s wrong with that?”

“Nevermind…”

“Anyhow, I hope that you two will assist me on my journey. I’m not in too much of a hurry so we can make as frequent stops as we want though”

“Are you sure…?”

The Goddess put her hand up as if trying to make a point with her finger.

“It’s about the journey, not the destination. It’s been a while since I’ve last been to Avangarden so I’d like to see the kingdom. Besides, aren’t you honoured to be travelling with the Goddess? You are trying to be a hero aren’t you?”

“Are you saying that you might make one of us the 100th hero?!” said Attila

“I never said that. All I’m saying is you’ll learn a lot just by being with me. So are you with me?”

“...I suppose it’d be better than simply wandering around the kingdom,” said Sivrit

“Alright! I can’t believe we’re this lucky!” exclaimed Attila

“Hm… Luck, and fate, I suppose are no different. Anyhow, let’s begin our journey as soon as we can!”

…

The three had been travelling for a while now on foot, Attila dragging her feet along the mountain path, her back perpendicular to her legs. It was a cold day, but the sweat accumulated in her jacket, condensing into an uncomfortable feverish sensation.

Sivrit on the other hand seemed untired, seemingly fueled by her curiosity. Being the academically inclined student she was, her list of questions for the Goddess knew no end.

“So, how are duties created? You said you are like an alien right?”

“I suppose you could put it that way,” replied the Goddess “but we are not so different you and I. We are both created by the Heavenly Ruler”

“The Heavenly Ruler?”

“It is the true god of the universe, the creator of all things. I do not know them, nor do they know me, but I serve its goal. The ultimate goal of connecting with intelligent beings is similar to itself”

“You said that was done by ‘ascending’, but could you elaborate on that?”

“Hm… Do you know what limit breaking is?”

“I feel like I heard that in class before…”

“Many ordinary adventurers and soldiers become legends through this method. By training, by fate, anyone can break through their limits. Though the requirements differ for each individual, which is why it is so uncommon” said Lilith “Ascending is the next step. However, ascension is more straightforward. All you need to do is to obtain enough mana and concentrate it in a singular point, usually requiring the entire planet’s supply. However, that can only be done once and only thousands can ascend. That is the purpose of this eternal war”

“So the final objective is to make contact with the Heavenly Ruler?”

“Indeed. That is my final goal. For me and those in my nation to return to our creator”

“And do you know what happens next?”

“...I’m not sure. What I believe is that there will be another universe, a perfect world only for the ascended”

“...Does Reginn and the other heroes know about this?”

“The second hero has had glimpses of the truth. The rest? It depends. The emperor of the Psyche may know some bits and pieces of it through Reginn, but most are oblivious”

“Then why are you telling us this?”

“Because it’s all part of my plan”

The Goddess stopped in her tracks, causing Sivrit to follow suit. Attila bumped her head on the hero candidate’s back, surprised by the sudden change of pace.

“This is a game that has been ongoing for the past eons. Every. Single. Act I do, every thought I have, everything I say affects the world tremendously. The butterfly effect. That is my life as the Goddess”

Sivrit saw a small glimpse of the Goddess’s true nature, different from the childish and casual Lilith, different from the patient and knowledgable Lilith. In the end, the Goddess of Avangarden was also the Goddess of War.

“That is why I created the fingers, to have as much control over the nation as I could. To know everything. I have designed each hero meticulously, their successes and failures preplanned,” continued Lilith “However, the sudden resurrections were not foretold by the Narrative. This is why I must act, for this will be the final act of the eternal war”

“What do you mean…?”

“A great battle is coming. A battle to end all wars. However, it seems that God and I are not the only players. We must be prepared for anything that may come to be true” said the Goddess “I shall help you two unlock your greatest potentials. However, I will be helping the other candidates as well. This journey will define both of you as well as the future of Avangarden”

Sivrit saw the Goddess’s eyes, her pitch-black pupils showing the depths of the abyss behind each. She was not talking to someone like Reginn or Blodelshein, but a being greater than her kind. The flesh and blood of the Heavenly Ruler.

“Now let us continue our path”

The three continued their hike to the top of the mountain. It was not a particularly tall mountain nor a famous one, but the Goddess had brought the two over for a reason.

A gigantic beast akin to a gorilla was waiting at the peak of the mountain, hidden by the tall walls surrounding him. The beast was as tall as a three-story building, towering over the small forest in the enclosure around him. Sivrit and Attila stared at the Goddess blankly, unsure what to do.

“Wh-what do you want us to do?” asked Attila

“This beast has been hiding in this mountain for a while now. I wasn’t sure how I could use this animal, but this seems like the perfect training partner”

“Training partner?!”

“I want you two to kill him”

“That’s impossible…” said Attila

“...Heh, you remind me of someone I used to know”

“Who?”

“Mana, the first hero. She used to be just like you, underestimating her strength”

“I’m like the first hero?!”

“I mean personality-wise and the way you act. Strength-wise, she wouldn’t even see you as an opponent”

“Wh-what about me?” asked Sivrit

“You? Let me think… Hm… I guess you’re kind of like the Caretaker. Curious, caring, kind, but also a bit of a scaredy cat”

“The Caretaker?”

“She used to serve Reginn. Fed him, brought him clothes, helped him on his journeys”

“...Is that her real name?”

“Yes, I granted her the name myself”

‘I can’t believe Reginn was right…’ thought Sivrit

“Anyhow, enough chatter. It seems that our opponent has finally noticed us”

Regaining her focus on the beast, Sivrit and Attila realized that the beast was staring right at them. The gorilla stood up on its feet and let out a blood-curdling scream, causing the candidates to block their ears. Even the clouds in the skies cleared, revealing the vibrant blue sky.

Sivrit looked around for the Goddess but found her behind them.

“I’m not going to interfere at all, so try not to die!”

The hero candidates knew that if they were to lose to a mere beast, they would never be able to become the 100th hero. Attila’s pupils began to change their shapes into that of Cupio’s mark, showing the signs of partial possession. He had been dormant for the majority of their travels, not wanting to reveal his identity to Sivrit. However, he heard everything and knew that the Goddess would be judging his worth as a hero in this encounter.

Sivrit unleashed a Glimpse of the Absolute. Reginn had claimed that a novice with AGOTA could overcome many of the heroes, and Sivrit was about to prove whether his statement was true. She wore the AGOTA as a cape, still unsure of the full capabilities of the mythical item. As she revealed her father’s rapier, she felt a bit more confident. So far, she had almost beaten a King Crab without AGOTA, and she was sure with Attila and the legendary weapon, anything could be possible.

The two hero candidates charged into battle. The first of hundreds, each shaping their fate as well as the world’s.