Pip couldn't help but let out a contented sigh, relishing this precious, much-needed moment with his daughter. Every passing minute was a treasure, and he savored it like fine wine. The two of them sat beneath the majestic celestial tree, shielded from the harsh, unforgiving light of the pocket realm.
Amusement danced in Pip's eyes as he observed Elpis engrossed in her antics. She was deeply engrossed, absorbed in her new toy and had a determination that belied her tender years. Her focus was on convincing a small, feisty sparrow perched on her shoulder to embark on a daring adventure, astride the miniature Pegasus.
"I'm telling you, Squeaky, it can fly!" she insisted with a hint of impatience, her tone a mix of delight and pleading. "Come here!" With determination in her small hands, she reached for the reluctant sparrow, but the indignant bird let out a sharp chirp and fluttered away, landing gracefully on Pip's head.
"Daddy! Catch Squeaky!" Elpis pleaded, her laughter bubbling as her father's infectious mirth filled the air. Instead of rescuing the wayward bird, Pip seized the opportunity to grab his daughter and launched into a tickling frenzy. Elpis erupted in fits of giggles, squirming with all her might, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Leave Mr. Squeaky alone! Or you'll have to go through me!" he teased, while the bird perched atop Pip's head chirped its agreement, as if appreciating his newfound ally.
Elpis, momentarily pouting, couldn't resist showing her father her tiny tongue, her way of saying, "I'll get you next time!" Then, with boundless energy, she took off among the vibrant wildflowers, her laughter echoing through the tranquil meadow. Pip gave chase following after her in euphoric laughter, feeling truly happy for the first time in a long while. The sparrow followed along, enjoying the happy noises that had taken hold over the tranquil meadow.
Pip's heart sank as he felt an insistent tugging deep within his core. His avatar was calling him, a call that resonated with urgency. Something was awry, something very wrong had happened. "Daddy?" Elpis called hesitantly, her small voice tinged with concern. Pip noticed the hint of a frown on her face, her golden curls, so much like his own, swaying gently in the light breeze. Not wanting to alarm her and risk another inadvertent display of her void magic, he crouched down to her eye level, tenderly tucking her wild curls behind her delicate ear.
"I have to go, sweetheart," Pip whispered, his voice soft but solemn. Elpis's eyes widened in surprise, and with the force of a sudden revelation, she threw herself into his arms. "Already?" she inquired, her voice quivering with apprehension. Pip bit his lip, every time he had to leave it became harder and harder, it felt as if a piece of him was left behind with his every visit.
"Do you remember the man I told you about?" he asked gently, feeling her nod against his chest. "He's in trouble, and he needs my help. We can't let anything happen to him." Elpis regarded him with wide, glistening eyes. "You're going to save him?"
Pip couldn't help but smile at her pure, innocent faith. "I'll do my best, my love. But I have to leave now to try and help him." She reluctantly nodded but clung to him even tighter, as if fearing that the moment she let go, he would vanish into thin air. "I'll return as soon as I can," he promised, his words a soothing balm to her anxiety. Elpis held on, her grip unrelenting, and Pip couldn't help but heave a sigh of love and longing.
After a few more tender moments, they made their way back to the celestial tree, Pip cradling his little girl in his arms while the sparrow circled above, chirping cheerfully. He gently set Elpis down, and she clutched her new toy with an almost desperate determination and started playing with her pet sparrow.
Pip carefully retrieved a shimmering golden apple from his pocket and placed it gently at the base of the celestial tree. The ground beneath it started to ripple and shift, and the celestial fruit slowly submerged, returning to the earth to nourish the very tree from which it had sprung. A heavy branch, adorned with delicate, green-gold leaves, suddenly came to life, swaying and bending until a fresh apple tumbled into Pip's waiting hands.
With the new key to this pocket realm safely tucked away, Pip reached out to touch the trunk of the celestial tree, his voice soft as he murmured a heartfelt "Thank you." A primitive consciousness, intertwined with the ancient tree, brushed against his own mind. He sensed vague feelings of happiness and contentment emanating from the tree, but then a new emotion seemed to wash over him, confusion, as if the tree had a question.
Pip sighed, understanding the silent query. "I'm sorry," he replied with genuine regret. "I came in a hurry and wasn't able to bring something with me this time. But I promise, on my next visit, I'll bring you two treasures to feast upon." His whispered words were met with a chorus of delight, and the golden leaves rustled in a joyous dance.
On each of his visits to see Elpis, Pip always brought offerings for the celestial tree, the guardian of his beloved daughter. It provided nourishment, protection, and even birthed enchanting creatures for her amusement. The sparrow on Elpis's shoulder, now displaying surprising intelligence, owed its existence to the celestial energy of this very tree.
Over time, Elpis's friends had multiplied. First, there was the fawn that now grazed peacefully in the colorful meadow. Then came a squirrel, perched on a branch, snoozing in a manner eerily reminiscent of a human. The latest addition was a playful bunny, that loved to play hide and seek. The treasures Pip offered the tree, transformed into sustenance, ensuring that it continued to watch over and care for his beloved Elpis. However, thanks to the interference of the Smiling Lady and her relentless seekers, he had been unable to bring his latest find.
Pip sighed once more, reluctant to leave the enchanting world of his daughter's pocket realm. He watched with a mix of fondness and longing as Elpis continued her games with her newfound friends, her laughter and play echoing through the tranquil meadow. After a few more moments, he knew he had to say his goodbyes.
As he exited the pocket realm, he found himself back in the barren, mana-deprived place he had left behind. Despite having spent hours within the celestial tree's domain, only seconds had passed in the outside world of Helios.
The effects of the tear of negation weighed heavily on his body, making him stumble and falter. His avatar's persistent call grew more pronounced with each step he took upon his return. Pip wanted to get in touch with his avatar to understand the urgency of the situation, but the mana-deprived environment stifled his abilities, rendering him almost powerless.
With a strained groan, Pip pressed on, walking for what felt like an eternity until, at last, he found himself bathed in the soothing embrace of mana. His body surged with energy, and the world around him became vivid and alive once more. He reached out to communicate with his avatar through their bond, expecting the usual exchange of information. However, the response he received was far from ordinary. It was agitated, insistent, and laced with an unsettling undercurrent of regret.
Pip frowned, a sense of foreboding gnawing at him as he wondered what could be troubling his usually reliable avatar. It wanted to be summoned, and he could feel its confusion and agitation, as well as that strange hint of regret.
Worried and curious, Pip summoned his avatar, and a human-like form of energy materialized before him. The avatar touched him, and a series of scenes unfolded before his eyes. His eyes widened in shock when he saw what his mortal had been up to during his absence.
That greedy, insufferable Ha’arun! Even beyond the grave he managed to stifle their plans! It had been centuries since the Mother had orchestrated his demise. Jealous of his rising popularity among the small folk she hatched a plan and pitted Xesious, the God of death against the new God, claiming he was usurping his domain. Xesious along with his small army of Godlings managed to kill the inexperienced Ha’arun, and his short but spectacular rise came to an end.
Still, after those years Ha’arun managed to take his revenge on the Mother. Pip was sure that Talax absorbing primal energy wasn’t in her plans. If it was divined that there was primal energy in such easy reach, then SHE would have swooped in to claim the precious resource.
Now he understood why his avatar was so distraught. It had felt the primal energy, and being a part of himself knew how much he craved the primal energy. It acted like a drug for the Gods, always needing a little more, a few more points to grow stronger, to rise among the rubble of the Gilded City and expand his influence.
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Pip felt a stab of jealousy that the human had stumbled upon something so precious that he couldn’t even comprehend its true value. But how? How did he discover the energy when Pip himself had scoured the dungeon, tasked with finding suitable locations for the mortal to train and grow stronger? He was confused. Could it be that some other deity was meddling with their plans without their knowledge. No, that couldn’t be, if the Smiling Lady hadn’t figured it out yet, nobody had.
His avatar returned to the dungeon and Pip focused on their connection, watching unseen the mortal rushing through crumbling corridors and tunnels. He gritted his teeth in annoyance, Ha’arun had put another obstacle to their plans. The dungeon was about to be destroyed; Through his avatar he could feel a safeguard having been activated. Once Ha’arun’s Godtouched artifact had been stolen, the wards had been activated, destroying the very foundations of the temple one by one.
He was about to meet with the Mother and inform her of the latest developments, no matter how much he dreaded her reaction, when something funny happened. He felt a prayer, his name was being invoked in a feverish plea.
A hearty laugh escaped Pip as he observed the wide-eyed mortal in the midst of his fervent prayer. He hadn't been explicitly instructed to make contact with the human, but nor had he been forbidden from doing so. After having spent so much time observing Talax, Pip's curiosity had finally gotten the better of him, and he saw this as the perfect opportunity to meet him.
Without thinking too much about what he was about to do, he teleported inside the dungeon.
The very ground beneath him shook violently, as if a primordial beast was attempting to break free from its confines. The cracked walls let loose a cascade of rocks, which seemed to rain down from the ceiling. Yet, Pip remained untouched, his divine aura working overtime to alter the path of every object in his vicinity.
Further down the tunnel, he spotted Talax in a frantic dash, nimbly evading the cascading debris. With his new armor and upgraded weaponry, the mortal now bore the semblance of a formidable warrior, a far cry from the weakling in tattered clothes he once was. It was clear that he had faced countless dangers and hardships.
Amused by the mortal's panicked state, Pip couldn't resist a bit of playful banter. "You know, mortal, it's quite rude to summon a God and then ignore him! I have my divine duties to attend to after all!" His haughty voice resounded through the trembling walls, and finally, Talax froze in his tracks, his wide eyes finally locking onto Pip.
He was about to go to the Mother and inform her of the latest developments, no matter how much he dreaded her reaction when something funny happened. He felt a prayer, his name was being invoked in a feverish plea.
A hearty laugh escaped Pip as he observed the wide-eyed mortal in the midst of his fervent prayer. He hadn't been explicitly instructed to make contact with the human, but nor had he been forbidden from doing so. After having spent so much time observing Talax, Pip's curiosity had finally gotten the better of him, and he saw this as the perfect opportunity to meet him.
Without thinking too much about what he was about to do, he teleported inside the dungeon.
The very ground beneath him shook violently, as if a primordial beast was attempting to break free from its confines. The cracked walls let loose a cascade of rocks, which seemed to rain down from the ceiling. Yet, Pip remained untouched, his divine aura working overtime to alter the path of every object in his vicinity.
Further down the tunnel, he spotted Talax in a frantic dash, nimbly evading the cascading debris. With his new armor and upgraded weaponry, the mortal now bore the semblance of a formidable warrior, a far cry from the weakling in tattered clothes he once was. It was clear that he had faced countless dangers and hardships.
Amused by the mortal's panicked state, Pip couldn't resist a bit of playful banter. "You know, mortal, it's quite rude to summon a God and then ignore him! I have my divine duties to attend to!" His haughty voice resounded through the trembling walls, and finally, Talax froze in his tracks, his wide eyes finally locking onto Pip.
Talax, still filled with fright, raised his hands instinctively in a defensive posture, but soon realized that nothing was touching him. He slowly turned his gaze toward Pip, who had arched an eyebrow in mock amusement.
"Well?" Pip demanded, his voice tinged with playful impatience. Talax appeared somewhat at a loss for words. "You're a God?" he finally questioned, squinting as if to scrutinize Pip. The mortal's calmness, even in the face of such a life-threatening situation, was both amusing and slightly disconcerting.
"Well, duh! Can't you see my eyes?" Pip responded cheerfully, pointing at his own eyes. He noticed a grimace flash across Talax's face, and then the mortal's gaze seemed to lose focus, as if he were engaged in an internal debate. Ah, the memory fragment! He was conversing with the spirit.
Pip couldn't help but chuckle as Talax refocused on him. "Well, this is unexpected," Talax muttered, his suspicion now replaced with curiosity. "Why are you here?" he demanded, a look of mistrust still present in his eyes. Before Pip could respond, he saw the mortal make a rude gesture, as though telling someone to be quiet.
"Well, you're the one who called for me!" Pip retorted with a hint of haughtiness, only to have the human respond by placing his hand on his hip, as if Pip were the one who was vexing him. The mortal's behavior continued to perplex Pip.
"I was just praying; I didn't mean to summon you. Besides, what are you doing, popping in on other people? Don't you have anything better to do?" Talax's exasperation was evident, and Pip's bewilderment only deepened.
Pip looked at Talax with wide eyes and then erupted into peals of laughter. "Oh, you're funny!" he managed to say between fits of mirth. "I really needed that after the day I've had!" But instead of warming up to Pip's joviality, Talax appeared increasingly irritated, as if Pip's presence was akin to being swarmed by bothersome insects. This only made Pip laugh even louder.
"I'm thrilled I can amuse you, but you might have noticed the dungeon is falling apart!" Talax pointed out, waving his arms to draw Pip's attention to the crumbling walls that were about to block their passage.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop," Pip conceded, still grinning. "What do you need?" he asked, his tone much more serious. Talax regarded him with visible confusion. "What do you mean?" Pip rolled his eyes at the man's apparent denseness. "I mean, what did you pray about? I might grant your wish, if it's reasonable, of course." Pip offered, and Talax's eyes sparkled with a hint of calculation.
"You're the God of luck, correct?" the man inquired, to which Pip nodded in confirmation. "If I were to ask you to get me out of here, you wouldn’t happen to help me right?” Pip shook his head, still smiling. He couldn't assist him in escaping the dungeon just yet; there were still certain divine machinations at play that had to unfold.
Talax pondered the situation as rocks crashed all around him, but none of them touched him, thanks to Pip's protective aura. "Well, Gods give blessings, right? So, why don't you bless me with the ability to escape the dungeon unharmed?" Pip responded with a mischievous smile. For a moment, he hesitated, concerned that bestowing a blessing might draw the attention of other Gods. However, when he attempted to analyze Talax, he found nothing, indicating that his void magic still acted as a shield against external magic.
Pip raised his hand, ready to grant the wish, when he heard the mortal exclaim, "Wait!" Pip stopped and raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"What do you want in exchange? I'm not giving you my firstborn!" Talax's words puzzled Pip, who genuinely couldn't fathom why he would ask for such a thing. "Why would I want your firstborn?" he inquired, his confusion apparent, maybe the human wasn’t sane after all.
"I don't know..." Talax replied hesitantly. "Isn't that something you guys do?" He appeared unsure about the origin of that thought, and Pip realized that it must be a memory from his past life, a remnant from his previous world. This presented an intriguing possibility. Were the Gods in Talax's world as crazy as the ones in this realm?
Taking pity on the man, Pip reassured him, "No, I don't need anything in exchange. I'm just a benevolent God who loves to help those in need." However, Talax regarded him with a skeptical, almost incredulous stare, as if he didn't believe a word Pip was saying.
Pip shook his head. "Accept my blessing, man, and just say thank you." With that, he raised his hand, and his faith points transformed into a blessing that touched the mortal. For a moment, Pip felt something unsettling brush against his magic, but it quickly dissipated.
The blessing took hold, but the usual connection he felt with the recipient wasn't present. Pip waited to see the man's reaction, and Talax's eyes grew unfocused as he examined the blessing. Then, he gave Pip an accusing glare.
“That is not funny Tychos!” Pip laughed and shook his head. “I have to disagree!” He gave the human one last wink and said. “Good luck!” And laughed again before teleporting away. The mortal had all the luck he would need, at least for the next hour.
He left the seething man behind, feeling somehow elated after their meeting and went to find the Mother. He just hoped she was full and sated from her feast of mana cores and would take the news better than he expected.
He found her in a small kingdom south of the emerald plains. She was giving blessings in one of her temples that was filled to the brim with faithfuls. She sat on a wooden stool clutching a small baby in her arms with a beatific smile on her face. Once she spotted him, she blessed the young child and gave it back to a tear-streaked mother who offered her undying devotion to the Goddess.
Once they were alone in a small chamber at the back of the temple, Pip told her everything that had happened. Once he was finished, the kingdom was no more, and he bore a new scar on his immortal body.