Chapter 320 - Five Years

Vasariametz

Even with his Power, it took a long time to reach Desmodius's Kingdom from the land of the Dwarves. Vasaria hesitated to call it a Kingdom as it wasn't really in the natural sense. Demons had their own sense and hierarchy that didn't match the normal standard.

Still, he reached it eventually, even if it took him over a year to get there.

He shifted his attention over the newly integrated Planets every once in a while, but nothing exciting was happening currently. There were a few that recently underwent their Assessment, but that excitement had passed. There were a few oddities that stuck out and were enough to draw his gaze, but there was nothing to write home about.

After reaching the land of Demons, Vasaria didn't make himself known immediately. He lingered around, watching and catching up on things he had missed while he was along the front.

It was always a hassle talking to her for that exact reason. He always had to spend time catching back up.

The more he learned, the wider the grin on his face became. The Demonic Pantheon was one of the larger Pantheons, and Vasaria would have checked in on them anyway, but it was in their interactions with other Pantheons that the true joy was to be found.

Their constant Wars were always a source of good entertainment, and it seemed that times had been heating up as of late.

Learning what he could, he finally made himself known and dispatched with his hiding. Vasaria was certain that Desmodius hadn't known he was there, but he showed no reaction to having another God appear inside his Domain.

The Demon had gotten used to it at this point.

"I was wondering when I would see you, Vasaria. You are later than I thought." He turned to face Vasaria with no surprise at his appearance. His dark skin showed none of the signs of age and only bore a scant few scars. Vasaria remembered when the Demon got them during the Fracturing War. There were only certain things that could force a God to scar.

The heavy Demonic taint in the air wasn't the most pleasant, but it was a spring breeze compared to the taint of the void he had just come from.

"I arrived, did I not? That is the important thing. I've also come to see the excitement!" Vasaria declared and smiled at the friend he hadn't seen in too long. "It's good to see you, old friend."

Vasaria wasn't fond of most of the Demonic Pantheon, but there were a few he liked. Fewer still he would call a friend, but Desmodius was one of them.

"And you as well, even if you usually bring headaches," Desmodius said with a laugh.

Now that stealth wasn't required and Vasaria openly appeared, he could split his power and send off a few Projections to the other places he wished to visit. His full power was needed to stay hidden in any large Pantheon, but his Projections were enough to go visit the others. He wouldn't sneak on everyone. Not yet, at least.

Desmodius saw the shift in power and shook his head, "To the other two, I presume? You were always good at playing both sides."

Vasaria smirked, "It's not playing both sides if I only watch. You know that."

The Demon was right in his assessment. Vasaria sent one of his Projections off to the Holy Pantheon and another off to the Faction of Light. All three had Warred in the past and it looked like they were gearing up for it again.

Integrations livened things up like that.

Now that he was here, he didn't need to use his own power to peer at the New Planets, as Desmodius had a Scrying Pool open and already watching. He reached out with his power to take a peek and the Demon let him.

"How do your ilk fair?" Vasaria asked, looking over the new Demon Planets.

"They're not my ilk, they're barely infants, but you know that." Desmodius dismissed. There was no love lost between their own Race. "I admit, though, they make it exciting. They've already started expanding."

"I've noticed," Vasaria said, "Over a dozen tries on a few different Worlds."

"It's not our fault if they invite us in. You'd think they would learn to stop, but they never do."

Desmodius smirked, but Vasaria poked around a bit more through the Scrying Pool. It was much easier to see than his previous quick peeks while on the move.

There were a few current Demon footholds on Worlds they were attempting to expand to, but those didn't really draw the eye. Demonic expansion was as common as Elves in a Forest.

It was when they butted up against opposition that made it fun. Specific opposition, too.

"How fairs this Planet, Desmodius?" Vasaria centered the Pool on a Planet he had come to watch more often. It was one of the few worthy of attention.

"Of course you choose that one. Don't even get me started," The Demon huffed, "The Holier-than-thou assholes are already contesting us there. Even the Lightbringer," He spat the word, "Has dipped a toe into the waters. The Bastard Blessed an ant!"

It brought a smile to his face. Vasaria's predictions proved true, as all three Pantheons were making a bid for the same planet. The Angels and Demons got in through their usual manner of being Summoned, but the Lightbringer did so deliberately.

A God giving Blessings to people so... weak, didn't usually happen, but the Faction of Light did so more than any other. It seemed that now that the denizens were D-rank, the Lightbringer was going to try his hand.

Co-opting a previous Religion and twisting it to his whims was something Vasaria should have seen coming.

The best part of the whole thing was the Planet was the same one the Human was on! He'd even had a run-in with the Demons already! Oh, how it was going to be fun to watch.

His other Projections were waiting at the other two Pantheons and with his third here, Vasaria would have a front-row seat for the action.

He'd send off a fourth to make the rounds, but he knew where the action would be.

___

Earth

Five Years After the Change

The Essence thickened as the Planet's Core grew and the Mana in the air continued to rise. The Core was beginning to reach the end of D-grade and would soon break through into C-grade. Maybe in a decade, it would make the jump.

Its final designation was set to reach B-grade, but it would be some time until it accomplished that. The growth would be slow, for anything other than gradual would be Catastrophic.

Something so delicate required time.

The denizens upon its surface took that time to grow as well, just as the Planet itself.

D-ranks grew more and more Common. It started with the Rare beast that made its home in a suitable location. After the powerful few, D-ranks began to appear elsewhere upon the Land.

Beast and Human alike reached the new Rank of power.

The last of the Denizens to break into this new Rank were the Spirits. Only recently born, but quick to rise in power. Especially in certain places where their growth was most favorable.

The First Earth Sprites making the transition to Earth Spirit and Elemental. Then the other elements rising to match.

A Tree towering over the others that birthed from it a powerful Dryad. The young Spirit even had the aid of a City at its roots, and a Druid to help it grow.

Nymphs and Naiads spread throughout the forests and rivers while Earth and Wind Spirits spread through the Land and Sky.

Five Years of Mana had Changed the Planet in such a way that it was nearly unrecognizable from Before.

Some of the People spent their time trying to bring back what was lost, while others forged ahead with what they were given. Some grasped both the Old and the New and tried to hold on tight to both.

Pylons began to spread for the first time since the People first returned.

It began with a new Village here, or Outpost there, but they soon began to spread everywhere land was available. Cities expanded, Villages grew, and Towns were born in places they weren't before.

From a constant decline of Pylons on the Planet, they began to rise in number once more.

Roads were reestablished, linking City to City. Trade moved through the Land as it was once more opened up. Some Walls were still insurmountable, but with time, they too would be broken down.

One such obstacle was about to be thwarted now.

___

Jayla

Five Years. Five Long years of digging.

There were times when Jayla thought they would never reach the other side. That they would remain forever cut off from the West, but that was set to be proven false today.

Reaching D-rank was what finally did it. She along with a decent portion of Mountainside had made the jump after the test. It felt like so long ago now, when it had only been three years since.

The fight with the Orcs was hard to forget.

Her Class and Profession both pushed the work forward and even the deep Earth had to give way to her power.

Her new Class doubled the speed of the tunneling, and that only increased when more and more reached the new threshold.

It took five years, but they finally punched through the other side. The Mountain had tried to hinder them. Beasts slowed the work whenever they were encountered and not long ago, they started seeing actual Elementals hinder their path.

That had been something to see. Stone and Rock moving together of their own accord.

Still, even with the dangers they encountered, they pushed on. Through miles of dirt and stone, they broke through the other side.

Jayla was the first through, as it was her mace that busted the wall down. The explosion of rock out into the open air was as much a surprise as suddenly getting blinded by sunlight.

It had been weeks since she'd seen it last and the searing brightness was felt by everyone behind her.

After her eyes adjusted and she could finally see the other side they'd spent so long trying to reach, a massive forest met her gaze. Trees taller than any she'd ever seen, even after the Change. There was nothing like them in the East.

Giants of unimaginable height towered over the Land. Tall enough that clouds obscured their canopies. Jayla had seen Redwoods Before, but the sight was nothing like what the trees used to be like.

"We did it!"

"We finished!"

Cheers tore her away from the trees as the workers realized that their work was done. That the tunnel was finished.

A smile blossomed on her face.

"Harold, bring the Scouts through! I want to know everything on this side of the Mountain!" She called to the foreman. It would be a while before they made it through the tunnel, but that was nothing compared to before.

She could literally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

It took a few weeks to get a picture of what was on the other side, but that didn't stop her perpetual grin. Vancouver was closer now than ever before. Her family was closer now than ever before.

As soon as her Scouts came back they were sent before her. They looked haggard, and their gear was in need of repair, but that wasn't what was on her mind now.

"Report!" She all but demanded.

The Leader weathered her gaze the best and was the first to voice what they had found, "The Forest is dangerous. We lost many to the Beasts in the area, but we found what we were looking for. We located two Cities in the trees and made contact with one of them.

"The Sequoia Forest Faction owns most of the land West of the Mountain, including what used to be Vancouver." The Scout explained.

"It still stands?" Jayla pointedly asked, letting her hopes finally rise.

"It does," The Scout confirmed.

Walter was quick to stop her from jumping from her chair. "Miss, now isn't the best time for your absence."

Jayla knew that, but she didn't care. With hope finally rekindled, there would be nothing stopping her from finding her Sister.

Not even the Wars in the East were enough to keep her here.