Valterra gingerly reached out to dissolve the corpse half expecting to be stopped again. He was not. Instead, Calamvor’s body began to glow before breaking apart into drifting lights that remained floating in the air until all that was left of the great Archmage Calamvor was a host of dancing lights. Valterra was struck dumb by the beauty of it all watching in awe as the light show floated around the ritual room.
The moment shattered as the lights began to move, their presence searing their way through his dungeon as they were drawn inexorably to his Core. It didn’t take long for the stream of light to strike his Core and once it did the system the High Council had put in place went nuts.
*Error* Core cannot acquire Framework “Human” due to Divine Edict.
*Error* Divine Energy Detected…Analyzing…Confirmed.
(And there we go. Try not to die now.) - Deleted
The Core, Valterra Unok’Davaas, will be granted Divine Potential equivalent to the Ascension Rank of the Corpse’s unique Spark Signature.
Checking Database…Loading…Loading…Found.
Calculating the Divine Potential of the Individual: Calamvor Talios, Archmage of House Talios
Ascension Rank (Rank S - Adamantium)
Calculating… Shattered Spark Determined, Partial Value of Divine Potential has been calculated.
The Core, Valterra Unok’Davaas, is granted 5,693 points of Divine Potential.
*Error* No Divine Spark Detected. The Core is too small to hold the granted Divine Potential.
Destruction Imminent!
(Ah, what did you go and do this for, little one? Hold on, let me try something.) - Krat’Imos
*Error* Divine Energy Detected…Analyzing…Confirmed.
Formation of a Divine Spark Authorized. Ignition will require Divine Potential. Divine Potential Found.
Ignition will begin in 3…2…1…Igniting.
Valterra felt his world shake as his Core exploded with light. Transcendent beams lasered their way out of his crystalline depths, carving paths into the walls of his first floor. His pedestal lit up like a beacon as his entire being was set aflame. He tried staying conscious but it was a losing battle. Eventually, the dark closed in on him despite the light radiating from his depths.
----------------------------------------
Valterra drifted in a haze of half-formed thoughts and dreams. He saw great monoliths and chaotic battles, times of peaceful meditation, and stress-inducing tests. As more and more images flashed by he gradually understood what he was seeing. He was seeing a play-by-play of his creator’s life but fragmented and disjointed, incomplete. Calamvor in all of his glory and disgrace flashed by in breathless moments. All of his potential was wrapped up in a haze of recollection and Valterra viewed them as though he were nothing more than a spectator.
Gradually the whole thing grew hazy and Valterra’s vision wavered. As he recovered he realized that once again he was surrounded by the High Council, most of whom were staring down at him with something like sympathetic exasperation. Tal’Irieth didn’t even give him time to speak as he bellowed down at him. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done!?”
As Valterra shrunk back at the sudden noise, one of the other Spirits spoke up. “Now that is hardly fair Tal, the little one didn’t know what he was doing. How could he know that the System would malfunction as it did and allow him to partially absorb a Framework not meant for him?”
Tal’Irieth rounded on the speaker, “A System you built, Kratty! I thought you patched all the bugs centuries ago!”
The spirit who must’ve been Krat’Imos, shrugged his huge shoulders. “I don’t know Tal. He’s such a wee thing. Maybe some of it fell through the cracks. It doesn’t matter now though, does it? He’s got the Spark now and there ain’t no way he can give it back without us ending his life.” At this, his voice took on a dangerous hint to it. “And High Seat or no Tal, I won’t be going along with murder. Especially not now that he’s one of ours in the true sense.”
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Tal’Irieth sighed and turned back to Valterra who was trembling mentally from all of the Divine Auras flaring around him. Gradually his Aura relaxed and Valterra felt like he could breathe again. “I’m sorry for yelling little one. It is not your fault that things happened the way they did.”
Valterra noticed Trik’Weri staring at him intently, a warning look in his eyes. Valterra got the message. What happened would remain a secret. That didn’t stop the boiling anger that built up within the core. Tirk’Weri had almost gotten him killed. He had known it would be dangerous when he offered his bargain. Valterra fumed but slowly grew more and more determined.
If Trik'Weri wanted to play that way then fine. Valterra would wait and bide his time. Eventually, he would be able to vent his anger on the Spirit. The Core grudgingly admitted to himself that whatever Trik'Weri had planned had worked out but he hated feeling like he was something disposable.
“Now though,” Valterra looked back to Tal’Irieth as the tall Spirit once more began speaking. “We need to explain just what has happened to you. The short answer is that you have achieved something that takes most Divine Dungeons decades to do. You have ignited a Divine Spark.” Seeing Valterra’s blank stare, Tal’Irieth sighed and continued.
“When a dungeon Ascends through its different stages it gains access to more and more of the System which in turn gives it new avenues through which it can achieve growth. One such path is the slow accumulation of Divine Potential. Much of the reason why the mortal races attribute divinity to Divine Dungeons is because of this.”
“Every creature of a certain Ascension threshold produces Divine Potential but oftentimes it is miniscule and barely noticeable. For most creatures, it pools within their Spark Matrix until there’s a catalyst whereupon it manifests as special abilities, magical powers, or domains. Whole dynasties have been developed around particular Paths of Ascension with cultivated catalysts designed to produce similar abilities generation after generation.
Divine Dungeons on the other hand, when they have reached their fifth Ascension, produce small amounts of Divine Potential along with vast amounts of Aether which acts as its own catalyst for growth. This is why the mortal races try their hand at Dungeon Delving. Many do it simply for the Aether because it enhances their bodies and minds and makes it possible to achieve their next stage of Ascension quicker."
"But some mortals know that the deeper they can delve the better chance they have at obtaining more Potential and adding it to their own pool. This Potential allows them to alter their Ascensions to a certain degree and it is that slim grasp of divinity which can transform them from simple mortals to a god amongst men. The deeper they go and the more Divine Potential they can steal from a Dungeon the higher they can climb up the ladder of power.”
“The other reason the mortals attribute divinity to the Dungeons is because of what the Dungeons can do with all of that potential. They don’t just give it away to Dungeon Delvers. They use it to create wonders, creatures that defy explanation, and artifacts that countries go to war for.”
At Valterra’s stunned silence, Tal’Irieth began to chuckle. Exasperation filled his voice again as he spoke. “And you, my dear boy, have skipped hundreds of steps. The final culminating desire of every Divine Dungeon is to survive enough raids and accumulate enough Divine Potential that they can eventually Ignite a Divine Spark and you have done it within a couple of weeks of existing!”
“What he is trying to say dear is, well, good job.”
Valterra turned towards the voice to see Maph’Ira give him a half-hearted thumbs up. He figured that was a good thing.
“Part of the reason it worked at all is because you’re so small,” Krat’Imos interjected. “Normally by the time Divine Dungeons have access to Divine Potential, they are huge crystalline structures a couple of feet long. To Ignite a Spark Matrix that big they would need hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of units of Divine Potential which would take a century or more to collect if they don’t get claimed by some mortal monarch first.”
‘So… I’m lucky?’ Valterra asked tentatively. At his mental question, the tension broke and the whole Council began to roar with laughter.
“Lucky, he says!” Qual’Dorn chortled. “My dear little core, you have no idea.”
Tal’Irieth wiped a tear from his eye before sobering a little. “Qual’Dorn is right I’m afraid. You truly have no idea how close you were to death. Trying to claim that much potential without being ready for it should have shattered your core into tiny pieces. The fact that you did not is indeed lucky.” Looking at Valterra and seemingly knowing that his words had gotten through, Tal’Irieth smiled down at him.
“You truly are a remarkable little core and Trik’Weri was right when he said that you have provided more entertaining moments than much of the mortal world in the last century or so. There is so much to tell you about your new divinity but we have run out of time. We cannot afford to draw attention to you now more than we already have. Do your best to grow and figure things out as best you can. Keep in mind that being Divine is just as much about responsibility as it is wielding power.”
With those final words, the Council began to fade away into hazy indistinct shapes as Valterra’s consciousness faded to black.