Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“It’s good to see you smile,” Clarysa said.

“You carry a heavy burden for someone so young,” Colyn added.

Ruwen nodded, staring at the table. “Sometimes it feels like too much. My friends—being here with you—it makes things easier. Honestly things are usually so crazy I’m only worried about the present.”

Clarysa fetched a jug and three cups from her dimensional bag. She poured water into them and handed one to Ruwen. “You look like you’ve been running on fumes.”

Ruwen took the cup, the coolness seeping into his palms. As he sipped, he studied his parents. Clarysa’s movements were still precise, her Ranger reflexes sharp despite their time in hiding. Colyn’s posture remained steady, his Knight Defender training evident in the way he squared his shoulders. They hadn’t changed much, yet they seemed different somehow—or maybe Ruwen had just grown.

“What about you?” Ruwen asked, setting the cup down. “What’s it been like, guarding Pine and Ash?”

“I guess it makes sense that you know about them since you’re here,” Clarysa said. “It seems like everyone knows about that pair now with all the activity the past couple of months.”

Colyn rubbed his chin, his calloused fingers rasping against stubble. “It’s kept us busy. Ash is a great kid, but he’s tied to something big. Uru wouldn’t tell us everything, just that he’s critical to you.”

“To me?” Ruwen asked.

“That’s what she said,” Colyn said. He looked at Clarysa and their gazes locked.

Ruwen was tempted to activate Harmonic Sight and see if they were speaking over an internal Chat, but didn’t bother. His parents had been married long enough that they rarely needed to talk to communicate with each other.

Clarysa gave a tiny nod and Colyn returned his focus to Ruwen.

“Ash is one of your Hands,” Colyn said.

Ruwen leaned forward. If that was true, Ash would make his fifth and final Hand. They were the people Uru picked to help teach and guide him as Uru’s Champion.

“Uru gave us a coin to give to the boy,” Clarysa said. “Your father and I both saw her mark on the boy’s palm.”

“It must be the chakras,” Ruwen said as his thoughts raced.

“Is that the magic they use?” Colyn asked. “The old man has seen your mom and I multiple times even though that should’ve been impossible for someone without magic. Ash is much faster than normal and has significant Health regeneration as well. We thought maybe someone had gifted them some magic items. A ring or necklace or something.”

“That’s one of the reasons I risked coming here actually,” Ruwen said. “My understanding of magic has expanded but chakras remain a mystery to me. Pine has agreed to start teaching me tomorrow. He already told me I’ll need to find Ash when I advance enough to manipulate my aura.”

“Auras and Chakras are related?” Clarysa asked.

The Outerverse quest descriptions had confirmed that. “Yes, and this pair might be my only chance at learning long held secrets.”

They all remained quiet for a few seconds before Ruwen shook his head. He could think about all this later.

“Enough about me,” Ruwen said. “Tell me more about what you’ve been doing.”

Clarysa folded her hands on the table. “There isn’t much to tell. We’ve stayed hidden here, keeping those two safe from prying eyes. Just over two months ago things changed. With the addition of Spirit, this planet became more dangerous. There has always been a segment of locals who wanted to kill the old man and his grandson, but that changed as larger powers arrived to control Ash.”

Colyn laughed. “Good luck to them. Rebellion fills that boy to the brim.”

Ruwen frowned, tracing a scratch on the table with his fingertip. “Who’s after him?”

“Planetary factions we don’t fully understand,” Colyn said. “The Black Pyramid Avatar has made a few appearances, and the Infernal Realm is involved somehow.”

Blapy’s involvement didn’t surprise Ruwen. “I can explain the Infernal Realm connection. Echodriel is half Plague Siren and a Bamboo Viper Clan sister. She was assigned by our Founders to train Ash and get him ready for the Master’s Trial.”

“Is she friendly?” Clarysa asked.

“Friendly?” Ruwen repeated. “I’m not sure we can call her that yet, but I can say with one hundred percent certainty that she won’t harm Ash. Well, she will harm him, but only for training. He;’s probably safer now then he’s ever been not only because of the extra training she’s providing but because another powerful person is looking out for him.”

“That is a relief,” Colyn replied. “Demon activity on this planet has surged since that explosion.”

Clarysa continued. “The majority of that has missed us thankfully. It’s mostly quiet here.” She paused before speaking in a softer voice. “But we’ve missed you. Every day.”

Ruwen’s chest tightened, and he looked between them. “I’ve missed you too. I kept wondering if you were okay—if I’d ever get back to you. We’ve all made so many sacrifices.”

Clarysa and Colyn nodded in agreement with that painful truth.

“You mentioned the Black Pyramid avatar earlier,” Ruwen said. “We call her Blapy. Anyway, did she give you a book?”

They both nodded.

“It seems fantastical,” Clarysa said. “It claims to outline various ways of becoming a deity. We didn’t want to get our hopes up, even though a goddess gave us the book and said it came from you.”

“Is it true?” Colyn asked.

Ruwen nodded. “It is. And I’ve found a shortcut for both the Refining and Fortification although I need to find a solution for the time baggage. Anyway, the point is, don’t stress to much about the methods described there. I have a faster way you can try soon. My friends are all in the process of doing it right now.”

Clarysa and Colyn both sat back, clearly shocked and overwhelmed by the revelation.

Finally, Colyn spoke. “We’re Ascended though. How will this work?”

“There’s more,” Ruwen said. “That dungeon I’m part of back home, the Shattered Sun, my Keeper Fractal and Blapy are close to figuring out how to revive the non-Ascended. Soon, death will hold as much risk as it does now. Maybe less since you won’t be tied to a geographical area.”

“That will change everything,” Clarysa said. “The current balance of power will get annihilated.”

“I know,” Ruwen replied. “That’s why we’re going slow and taking care. There are smarter people than me thinking things through.”

“I doubt they’re smarter,” Clarysa said.

“Almost certainly more cautious though,” Colyn said with a grin.

Everyone laughed at the truth in that.

They fell into a comfortable silence. Ruwen leaned back, letting the warmth of the room seep into him. The scent of herbs mingled with the bread’s yeasty aroma, wrapping him in a sense of peace he hadn’t felt in years.

As the evening stretched on, Ruwen’s parents extracted more and more details from him. The battles that had hardened him—the responsibility that shaped him—the losses that had almost destroyed him. Yet here, surrounded by their unconditional love, he wasn’t Uru’s Champion or a Demigod capable of destroying this planet or a savior from prophecy. Here he was just their son, and he’d never felt more valued.

“I’m thrilled to hear you’ll be sticking around a bit,” Clarysa said. “We can finish catching up later. You should rest now.” She pointed at one of the doors. “That your room.”

Ruwen stood, stretching his arms. Sleep had long ago escaped him, but deep meditation did the same thing and helped to clear his thoughts.

They all hugged again and Ruwen felt like he might burst from happiness.

Ruwen entered his room and an orb near the ceiling detected his presence and glowed softly. He stripped down to his underclothes and placed everything in Inventory. The stone floor felt cool against his bare feet, and the blanket smelled faintly of cedar as he lay atop it. His parents lingered at the table, speaking in low tones about what he’d revealed. He altered his hearing, making the words unintelligible. Their voices blended into a soothing murmur and he closed his eyes.

Lying there, Ruwen reflected on the reunion. The nervousness had faded, replaced by a quiet joy. His parents’ pride in him, their unwavering support, bolstered his resolve. Challenges loomed ahead—enemies to face, realms to protect—but with them behind him, he felt stronger.

 Tomorrow, they’d talk more—about Ash, about Ruwen’s plans, about the battles to come. For now, though, he rested, anchored by the love that had waited for him here, hidden in a stone.