All around him he saw figures of all kinds, most looked decrepit and old as dust.
Their numbers were legion. They came in all different shapes, sizes, dress and species, but they were all one thing, gods. And one stepped forward to speak to him...
She stood tall and proud her gray hair matched by her piercing gray eyes. In one hand she held a spear, in the other she held a now tarnished golden shield that he only got the see the side profile of. Even seeing only that, he felt himself stiffen for this shield he remembered from stories. An unbreakable shield upon its face was the horrifying visage of Medusa. She wore a toga that had once been of the finest make but had long been worn by ravages of time. Upon her head she wore the open faced helm of a warrior. She was Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and the crafts.
"It's time we had a chat, don't you think?" spoke Athena, as he heard near countless voices muttering what he assumed were many assembled gods and goddesses.
"This world is about to change again. We have watched this dozens of times now and each time we meet practically the same end result. Each time the world dies in fire and HE turns back time. Each time he makes his corrections, changes something here, something there, and hopes for a better result. We, the divine, stirred from our deathly slumbers by his actions recall each of those failed timelines. Our lives that could have been, our followers who could have been. Each time all our efforts to rebuild ourselves are washed away like a sand castle at the beach when he turns back the days. We cannot live without this world. We exist on no others, and thus all hope for our revivals perish with this world's destruction. We wish to finally see this world move forward, to avert the oncoming calamity. We are restricted in what we may do in this moment..." Athena paused as she took a deep shaking breath. Her tall form beginning to stoop as the lines upon her slightly wrinkled face deepened, her apparent age increasing by years in the span of seconds. Trying to keep up appearances took it's toll on the all. With so few people believing in them anymore, even this collective act taxes them greatly. Athena who spoke most actively to him bared the brunt of it.
But they all felt it, like sand in an hourglass their lives, their divinity was being spent by the second simply to speak and be heard. To be seen and acknowledged.
She was among the lucky few who had been revived in more recent times. But still time took it's toll on all things even gods.
"...We are...weaker than we were in our golden days of glory. We can only give so much before the world changes and voices by the millions call our names. So you will be granted knowledge. That you may prepare for what is to come. When you awaken you will have but minutes to prepare. When the moment arrives gather as many supplies as you can. HE will grant you a small boon...and so shall I! Remember us boy, and don't you dare forget us!" Exclaimed Athena as she fell to one knee before him dropping her spear she leaned forward and touched his forehead with the tip of her index finger. There was a flash as bits and pieces of his memories from days both long gone, and never to have been surfaced in his mind.
But there was something more, he watched as the collected divines glowed and spoke in ten thousand time ten thousand voices. Demands, pleas, offers, numerous voices that spoke the same thing in the end.
"Remember me..."
"Remember us..."
So many voices trampling over one another, he could hardly make out what they were saying. He caught name, title, deeds, promises, and threats.
He squeezed his eyes shut overwhelmed by the voices and he was gone, awakened in his bed.
Athena sagged for just a second, the expenditure of her saved divinity was draining. Before she recovered and raised her shield, Aegis, bracing for his inevitable retaliation. The uproar of godly voices was silenced in an instant as a new presence was felt. The mere weight of its gaze drove many lesser and weaker gods to the ground, unable to stand. None dared raise their voices against the presence, for they knew all too well what had happened to those who had in previous timelines.
Is this how mortals felt to be put under the watchful eyes of a god? Athena thought.
Analyzing actions...
Retroactive permission granted...
Continue your preparations...
With that his eyes turned elsewhere, and then by the dozens and hundreds, gods vanished from the meeting place to prepare for what was coming.
Athena smiled as she reached over and retrieved her spear. 'A calculated risk...' She thought, before she too vanished.
--------------------------
Back in the tutorial zone Dante finally drifted off to sleep. Somewhere in the darkness of sleep he remembered...
He felt a pull. Something drinking from his mana pool, quickly draining it. In the distance he saw a light and in the blink of an eye he stood beneath a tree upon a grassy hill.
He felt sluggish, tired, hungry as his mana pool nearly bottomed out for the second time in the last 5 hours. This however was much worse than the first time as his mana pool had grown substantially since that time.
Taking a few deep breaths he looked out and up.
The tree was one familiar to him but he couldn't remember the name of it even with his enhanced memory. Reminding him of the trees one often found on a school playground.
The sky was blue, the land was lit brightly, but there was no sun that hung in the sky shining down upon this place.
Notices drew his attention away from scenery. But this time they ran not across his vision but were written upon the very air.
You have leveled up! [Rank 1] bonus: +1 to all stats...
You are [Rank 1] Lvl. 13...
For reaching 2500 points of mana you are given a choice of two possible rewards. 1. two cantrips of your choice, 2. one first level spell of your choice...
You may choose to see the lists for either option before making your decision...
Requesting both lists two blue boxes appeared before him.
Pulling up both the lists and placing them side by side for a moment he saw they were extensive. Composed mainly of spells from D&D 5e, and those that weren't he hesitated to investigate them preferring to stick with familiar things for the time being.
As he scrolled through the lists he weighted each cantrip and each spell, building little combinations in his head until his eyes locked onto one single cantrip.
"Light..."
Faint memories clicked in his mind, like a car trying to start. Feeling drawn to the cantrip he tapped on it to get a bit more information.
Light (Arcane)...
'Arcane? Why does it make that distinction? It's not like...' He thoughts interrupted, his eyes growing wide, as the memory he had been struggling to recall finally surfaced, it came out softly a half whispered thing, a prayer. "And on the first day, the lord saw fit to say, "Let there be Light!"
For a second nothing happened then the world got just a little brighter. He felt the mana around him stir. It might have been his imagination, but he believed it was there and so, it was...
You have obtained the Divine cantrip, Light (Holy)...
You have discovered the cantrip, Light (Arcane)...
Error...
Reviewing logs...
Recalculating...
It has been determined you did not select the cantrips you have just obtained. It has been determined that you earned those cantrips on your own. You may still select two cantrips or 1 first level spell...
He considered how each spell or cantrip could work with his current skills. How they would work together. How could he get the most out of this choice?
After 5 minutes of consideration he decided he could get the first level spells later. Probably at the Mages college, besides the first level spells it provided had some gaps, so did the cantrips. As far as he could puzzle out all the missing spells were from the divine classes. Paladin, cleric, and druid.
Did that mean that the system considered those miracles instead of spells? He hadn't seen cure wounds on there so it was as reasonable an explanation as the next one.
In the end he wanted more ranged options with some utility to them. So he chose...
Fire bolt- Deals 100 +((Lvl*10) *[Rank]) fire damage on hit. Can set things on fire...
You have gained some affinity with Fire...
Ray of Frost - Deals 80 +((Lvl*10) *[Rank]) cold damage on hit. Cold induces minor movement penalty to target on hit...
You have gained some affinity with Ice...
He felt those now familiar doors open in his mind, he could almost hear them. The two spells appeared there in bits and pieces, arcane knowledge accompanying them to give him greater understanding of them. Slowly he was learning magic. Holding out his hands a mote of flame appeared in his left and and in the right was a snow flake the size of his head. The mote was simple, giving off warmth and light, while the snowflake was cold but ornate in the patterns that formed it. Beautiful like a piece of art, but beyond fragile.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
He looked at the mote of fire and felt a certain connection with it. He couldn't help but feel that as he looked into it, it looked back at him. He felt its warmth and just a touch of joy, like meeting an old friend again after a long time.
Looking to the snowflake he felt something similar but it was colder unsurprisingly. Like whatever looked back didn't really like him, only tolerated.
He felt the still air move as the ankle deep green grass swayed in a gentle breeze. Part of him was curious what would happen if he tried casting these in here.
As if sensing his intention he felt the attentions of these tiny...Elementals? Turn to and lock onto him. Something he had learned once he got them was that casting these cantrips could give him a bit of experience with their respective affinities.
Dismissing the spells they did not vanish. Each rose into the air and moved at their own pace to wherever it was they wanted to go.
"Please neither of you destroy anything." he asked the two as they left neither quite stopping but they did slow for a couple seconds before continuing as they were. He raised his hands once more palms up, this time he cast both versions of Light.
Above his left hand a small sphere of bright light appeared, bright like the sun but with little warmth. When he looked at it, he didn't precisely get the feeling of something looking back at him. He wasn't sure if he should be disappointed or relieved about that.
Above his right hand appeared another small orb of light. It was dimmer than the first, but from it he felt warmth as if just beyond the light was someone smiling and giving him reassurance.
He found them comparable to light bulbs. The arcane version was an LED, new and bright but cold. While the holy version was more akin to an incandescent bulb, dimmer and older but familiar and warm.
Releasing both he got an interesting result. The arcane version had vanished near instantly, while the holy version dimmed and shrank over the course of several seconds before vanishing.
All-in-all some rather interesting observations.
Turning back towards the scenery he looked upon a tower in the distance. It was a stepped tower with each higher step being just a bit smaller than the previous one. Counting the step he came to 13. Was it related to...
Beginning Soul space tutorial...
This place you find yourself within is your Soul space. A representation of your soul. The landscape of this place displays a representation of your souls current state and is thus subject to change over time. Here your skills will manifest into items, creatures, people, and or locations. In this manner you may more directly work with a skill and its inner workings. Its is advised you not do such without a strong idea of the intended outcome and knowledge of how to achieve that goal or assistance from a qualified person.
Some skills may not appear at all or only do so at higher levels due to the skills nature or a solidification of the skill in your mind...
Notice the tower in the distance. Said tower is a representation not of your skills but of the culmination of your experiences it has as many floors as you have levels and will grow by a floor each time you level...
"Good to know, I suspected that so I guess I already beat you too that so what's next?" Dante asked giving a small laugh.
This place is made from your soul and thus your are technically everywhere in this space at the same time. You will not be able to exploit this for quite some time, however you must start with the basics. You will learn to move in this place beyond the limits imposed by a physical world. Without moving your legs will yourself closer to the tower...
Silence reigned as he absorbed that information. It stirred ideas and several concerning question in his minds. But on a lighter note he considered that if he could will himself forward why not up? Taking a deep breath Dante willed himself to rise from the ground. A minute later another notice arrived.
It is noted that you have attempted to move vertically. While your enthusiasm is commendable you must learn to walk before you can fly. Please will yourself towards the tower's base...
Well he supposed the builder of this system knew someone would definitely try to fly in this situation. Or it had simply been added over time. Locking onto the tower he willed himself towards the tower. The tower that had once been so far away rapidly began to grow in his vision, the grasslands racing by him undisturbed by his passing. In seconds he stood at the tower's base. Turning to look back he saw the tree he had been standing under seconds ago now half a mile away.
Looking out upon the grasslands he finally noticed something. He willed himself around the tower before quickly trying to will himself to the top. He found that like flight this too failed. Thinking that perhaps the issue had something to do with the the vertical distance he tried moving to the towers second floor. Thankfully this actually worked and he rapidly began to ascend the tower.
On his ascent he noted a few things about the tower. It was bare bones for one, being that all there was to the tower was the support pillars and the floors/ceilings. All of which were identical. But as he reached the top of the tower and looked out upon this tiny world, he confirmed what he had thought.
"That is the only fucking tree in this place...Why?" He mused aloud to himself as he inspected the unremarkable grasslands that stretched off in all directions before just ending at a uniform distance. As he inspected the edge he saw the curvature of the sky or rather the dome that formed the "sky". Tracing up the dome with his eyes he realized its apex was just above him. He wondered... Without much thought Dante reached up, his fingers meeting a smooth sky blue surface that if one weren't paying attention could be confused for a sky.
This place felt empty. He didn't see anything he would describe as a skill's manifestation. Hell, the only three things in this place besides the grass was that tree over there, this tower, and him!
Then something pulled at his pants. Jumping back he hit his head on the "sky" and nearly feel to the floor below before he managed to arrest his movement by simply willing himself to stop. He was tipped off the edge the tower's top floor at a 45 degree angle only his boots touching the tower and only his will stopping him from continuing his descent. Looking back towards the tower he saw what had spooked him by touching him.
A giant rat stared back at him. It wasn't as large as the chieftain had been, and it looked...younger? But why was it here? Could it be the manifestation of...That thought died as he heard it speak. "I told you we would be meeting again soon." The rat said in a somewhat monotone voice, that still managed to convey a hint of happiness.
Before his confusion could boil over more notices appeared to explain things.
What you see before you is the manifestation of your skill, Control Vermin. However, due to your skill, Reminiscence, the manifestation for some skills have and will be altered, including for Control Vermin...
Due to the means by which Control Vermin was obtained, its previous wielder was selected as how it should manifest...
Due to.....
Sekhmet is annoyed by the System's tutorial...
The skill contains part of the rat chieftain's soul, inherited by you before the rest came to me as your offering. It is allowed to express itself in this place through your skill Reminiscence...
The system notes Sekhmet's feedback and thanks her for the concise explanation...
Sekhmet nods and turns her gaze elsewhere...
The previously mentioned rat, oblivious to what was going on, crawled up Dante until it looked him dead in the eyes.
"I have missed you, it has been boring here." Spoke the large rat before it pressed its body to his face in what he assumed was either an attempt to smother him or some kind of hug. Then it started to lick his head. Was it grooming him?
Why did things have to be so fucking weird?!?!?!?!!??!?!??!
--------------
Bobby dreamed what he dreamed just about every night, what almost every goblin dreamed, a nightmare.
Bobby hid in the dark cave unable to see, feeling along the walls, trying to find a safe place, hoping the darkness would obscure him from his pursuer.
But as always, his pursuer found him without issue. But something was different, he seemed almost joyful rather than his usual indifference.
"Come little goblin so far from home. Come and I shall break the bonds that bind you. You are mine, as is all goblin kind. You will make a tasty snack..." Spoke the pursuer, his voice omnipresent.
He cowered in fear, peeing himself as he felt god's presence reach out to grab him.
He prayed to the one who had spoken to him before, to Sekhmet, he prayed a single word, "Please..."
The darkness was stripped away as someone new joined the small cave. Where there had only been darkness now the rose a crimson sun rose in the distance heat bearing down on the little goblin. It's light illuminating a world beyond the dark cave, a figure backlight by the sun, stood at the caves entrance.
She moved quickly toward the interloper, teeth bared.
She was old, her once vibrant tanned fur long since faded. The beautiful painted colors of her royal regalia faded by time. In her hands she wielded two Khopesh. Still she stood twice as tall as the goblin whom was now her follower. None would take what was hers! With brutal ferocity she lashed out at the hand that reached for Bobby. Her blades found purchase upon the hand nearly as large as herself, drawing two small lines upon the foreign god's palm. She wound up to attack further but the hand began to retreat. She smiled, surprise how easy it had been to chase off this interloper.
She turned to Bobby, teeth bared in a wicked smile. But time had dulled even her feral instincts. The hand that had been retreating advanced in a moment, she spun and leapt but dying had slowed her too much. The hand backhanded her into the cave wall, one could hear both the shattering of stone and the breaking of bones as she made impact. The crimson sun behind them began dimming, its heat fading.
"Please..." Bobby wept, he didn't want to die, he didn't want her to die. Sekhmet tried to rise but her arms and legs had broken spilling yellow ichor once so vibrant and golden. She took ragged breaths.
He turned to the god and stood, legs shacking, he raised his arm commanding, "Stop!" the effect only partially ruined by the incontrollable shaking of his arms.
"No, but thank you little goblin. You have brought me a light meal! A bit stringy and tough but I'm not too picky." The foreign god spoke dismissingly to Bobby as he slowly reached for the downed god.
An arrow struck his hand, then two, then ten. The devourer stopped a second as his eyes tracked the new arrivals. Gods by the tens, by the hundreds, by the thousands.
He grinned a wicked smile and laughed malevolently, "Not a light meal but a feast! Come little gods and face your doom! I am Nibbles, God of Hunger! Devourer of Pantheons!" He declared his challenge to the gods who had come to face him.
"This is not your world interloper! The moment the goblin spoke to her, prayed to her, he became one of our people. And the one thing we hate more than each other is Foreign gods thinking they can take what is ours!" Zeus proclaimed as he threw lightning at the god of hunger. Said god laughed as the bolts hit, "That tickles."
A hundred hands rose and so too did the sun. Growing brighter, and brighter. "Step away from my Daughter you monster!" Exclaimed Ra, Egyptian god of the sun.
The gods of the sun spoke as one, "[Luminous Beam]." The sun poured forth a brilliant beam, all the power of the sun focused to a singular point, the Devourer's face.
The hand pulled back from the downed goddess to block the gods futile attack. The darkness that had once hidden his bloated bulbous body was torn away revealing the grotesque thing that proclaimed itself a god.
Nibbles bared his crooked blackened teeth annoyed by the bright light. He would have to remember to eat one of those guys later.
Anubis, swift as death, appeared from the shadows sweeping away Sekhmet back towards the others of her pantheon.
Bobby looked to the terror of the goblin race revealed in all his terrible glory and then towards the many gods that had chosen to stand and fight.
He fled from Nibbles towards the gathered pantheons of gods.
A blue skinned woman with many arms each wielding a sword raced by him advancing upon Nibbles.
"I am Kali the Destroyer! Slayer of Demons! You will not have this soul or any other of our world!" She spoke as she lashed out with a dozen arms and a dozen blades.
The world was growing brighter around Bobby the all consuming dark falling behind him as he raced towards the many gods that had come to fight Nibbles.
Bobby saw a strange old man with white hair in a strange red, white, and blue stripped clothes and hat moving towards him and then past him sparing a glance and a smile.
"Kali, back up! You don't want to be in the blast radius!" Samuel spoke as he reached back behind himself and grasped the sun.
Nibbles sensed danger as the blue skinned goddess who had been giving him a rather excessive amount of paper cuts retreated at the words of the other divine. Looking up he saw the sun moving towards him. He had under estimated them, and so he would retreat, for now.
"You have shown me much little goblin. Grow strong that you may better satisfy my hunger." Spoke Nibbles as he waved his hand and retreated into the dark, Bobby found himself somewhere else.
The world was dark once more but not an impenetrable darkness. He stood in a small cavern hardly bigger than the room he and Dante had gone to sleep in. Upon the walls he saw faintly glowing moss that gave dim light to the small room. In the middle of the room he saw something unexpected.
In the middle of the room stood a statue of Sekhmet, no taller than himself. In each hand it held a weapon with its arms positioned across its chest. Wearily he approached the statue before gingerly reaching out to touch it before pulling back his hand. When nothing happened he did so again until he was sure it would not move or attack.
Carefully he placed a hand upon the statue's arm and spoke, "Sekhmet..." He jumped back as the stone of the statue creaked and groaned. The statue once shrouded in the dim light of the cave moss now gave off a faint light all its own. Moving back several feet he watched as one of the statue's arms slowly extended out. Once extended the hand that held the blade opened palm up as if offering him the blade.
Slowly Bobby moved back towards the statue, gingerly reaching out before quickly snatching the sword from the statue's hand. No sooner had he touched the blade than did he hear her voice again.
I have granted you basic swordsmanship...
He glowed for a second as he heard her words, felt her power building something in his mind that opened to something greater than him, greater than her.
Goddess Sekhmet, invokes Divine privilege to establish system connection...
Connecting to new entity...
You are not recognized as a player...
You are recognized as Bobby, named soul bound goblin of Dante A. Stone...
Limited system connection approved...
And basic knowledge of swordsmanship appeared in his mind.
Bobby held the sword close to his chest and wept as he spoke, "Thank you..."
----------------------------
Morning came and Dante was the first to awaken, his body well rested but his mind a little tired.
"Good morning Bobby...Did you piss in the bed!?" Dante exclaimed as he went to work trying to clean up after Bobby.