Divine Apostasy Book 9 - Chapter 4

[Author's Note: I never had a chance to read this chapter back over. It is my raw text so I expect it to have spelling mistakes and awkward sentences. I assumed you would rather read this then wait for me to revise it and delay its posting.]

Chapter 4

Ruwen rubbed his forehead and then met Uru’s gaze. “To give everyone the proper context for what I’m asking for, I’d like to speak freely about the last two years.”

“I think they already suspect, and the time for secrets has passed.”

“Great,” Ruwen replied and looked at each of the Champions before continuing. “Just after the war eighteen months ago, I made some changes to how Classes are chosen in what I now know was a misguided effort.”

“We wondered how that happened,” Mica said.

Ruwen nodded. “Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of good advice, and while I still plan on making many changes, I’ll do so in a more methodical and intentional way. That is, for everyone else. I have something else in mind for you three, but I need to know if it’s possible and what the ramifications will be. If it turns out to be viable, I’ll move on to the why of it.”

“Now you’ve got my full attention,” Una said with a smile.

“Ugh, everything is so complicated, it feels impossible to convey. Rami says I need to work on being concise, and that people don’t need all the details. So, I’m going to try that. Interrupt me if I lose any of you.”

Ruwen closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, gathering his thoughts. “There was an accident, and two critical things happened. First, a part of my mind splintered off, and second, entities formed in my head seeded from the books I’d read.”

Kaylin pointed to Ruwen’s head. “It sounds like you have a lot going on up there.”

“Yes, thank you. I keep telling people that but everyone seems doubtful. Anyway, I’ve read a lot of books, and Rami placed even more in my mind to help Overlord develop.”

“Overlord?” Una asked.

“Sorry,” Ruwen said, shaking his head. “Overlord was the construct I’d created in my head to help me deal with the fear that threatened to overwhelm me during the battle for New Eiru. It is the section of my mind that splintered. Basically me, except fearless. Fearless at the beginning anyway.”

“Got it,” Una responded.

“Currently I can’t control the creation of these entities, and one in particular formed that is the reason for this discussion. It developed from a book on destructive nihilism, and at first we used him as a weapon, but he developed—”

Kaylin interrupted. “Wait, you’re talking about him like a person.”

“Yes, I would call many of them that,” Ruwen said. “During the Master’s trial—” he stopped himself. “Wait, that’s too much detail.” He organized his thoughts for a moment. “In an effort to solve one issue, I created another, and that problem led to this entity leaving my mind to be with Lalquinrial.”

Uru leaned forward shocked. “That I didn’t know. I felt the six enter this Realm, but I don’t know any details.”

“I can summarize,” Ruwen said. “Two of the gods are,” he paused, “I guess you’d call them semi-dead.”

“What!” Uru exclaimed leaning forward. “Who? How?”

Ruwen’s mind went blank for a moment at seeing the goddess so agitated. “Izac, Naktos, Haffa, Quintyn, Wenquian, and Lalquinrial showed up. The nihilist entity I told you about immediately demanded to leave, and because of some promises I made, I had to let him. You know how Lalquinrial would be drawn to such a creature, and he accepted, before immediately disappearing.”

Uru slouched with grief. “Izac,” she whispered.

Ruwen cleared his throat, not knowing how Uru would take his next bit of news. “I destroyed Izac’s Light Meridian but escaped with his life.”

Uru’s eyes widened but she didn’t respond.

Ruwen continued. “Naktos and Wenquian fled after that.”

“I am shocked you survived, honestly,” Uru said.

“My Divinity surprised them. They countered with a coordinated energy attack that I’d likely have survived, but those around me would’ve died. I retaliated with Harmony, surprising them again, which allowed me to cause all the damage.”

“Haffa and Quintyn will regenerate if taken from this Realm,” Uru said.

“I know. They’re locked in the dungeon and Blapy is overseeing them with the Dungeon Keeper.”

“Izac will be livid,” Uru said to no one in particular. “His identity is wrapped up in his power.”

Ruwen nodded. “I know I’ll face the problem eventually, but what I want to talk about is Lalquinrial. Do you know much about him? With your recent experience holding Uruziel do you think he could survive a connection with the nihilist creature?”

Uru considered for ten seconds before responding. “If Lalquinrial resonated with the construct, it might be possible.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Ruwen replied. He looked at each of the three champions. “It’s why I want you three to sneak into the Infernal Realm and determine Lalquinrial’s state.”

Ruwen expected an immediate dismissal of his idea as he hadn’t told them the second part yet, but they all remained focused on him, their faces neutral.

Uru stated the obvious. “They are underpowered for such a task.”

This reaction didn’t surprise Ruwen at all. Uru would of course worry about her people’s wellbeing over leaving herself unguarded.

“I agree,” Ruwen said. “You just told me the Pact is gone, but I’d already decided to ignore it. All three temples are hovering hundreds of feet in the air, and now that I understand these are the ships you arrived on, like metal versions of Shelly, I’ve activated all their weapons.”

“They will not survive a concentrated attack from a group of deities,” Uru responded.

“Lir told me, in great detail, but that is not their purpose. They will protect the populace from mundane attacks. I’ll handle any Divine assaults.”

Ruwen said the last with no boastfulness. He had grown powerful, and it had surprised the gods who’d attacked him. They would expect the same when they returned, but, once again, he would surprise them.

“I’m getting off topic,” Ruwen said. “I brought up the irrelevance of the Pact because I plan on many changes.” He looked around at the Champions. “Some more drastic than others. We called the nihilist construct Nameless, and I’m not sure what secrets it took with it. If Lalquinrial survived, he has certainly gained knowledge to make himself more powerful, and I can’t allow that. The problem is I have critical items here that I need to focus on, which is why I need the help of you three.”

“Out with it,” Kaylin said.

Ruwen smiled. “Sorry, I really am trying. I changed things too fast before, and I won’t do that again, but I don’t think those same rules apply to you three. Uru handpicked the four of us and we’ve proven our loyalty and character many times over. Sudden power won’t change that in my opinion. In addition, we all have experience with multiple Classes, and balancing our different roles is second nature.”

“My curiosity is killing me,” Una said, “and if you don’t just tell us I’m going to stab you.”

Mica laughed and even Uru smiled.

“Ugh, I’m trying to keep it short. Fine. Lir confirmed there are exactly three people who are eligible for what I’m about to tell you. For complicated reasons, I no longer qualify.”

Una gritted her teeth and Mica laughed harder, seeming to enjoy Una’s, and now Kaylin’s, frustration.

Ruwen sighed. “I plan on approving the following changes for each of you. Level advancement to one hundred. Removal of death penalty. Eight attributes points per level. Four ability points and four spell points per level. All Regeneration increased tenfold, and all Resistances increased to a base of two hundred percent. Finally, to keep you viable while not in range of Health and Mana Regeneration, each of those pools will be fifty thousand.”

Everyone stared at Ruwen.

“Those changes will make the three of you roughly equivalent to Diamond Fortified Cultivators. It’s as close to making you deities as I can get and should keep you safe in most encounters. I’m hoping Uru can either create, show Uruziel, or explain to Fractal how to create an instant teleport home in case of emergency. Oh, and Lir says you’ll all have to die for him to make the changes.”

No one spoke, and after five seconds, Ruwen began to fidget.

“The constant Spirit requirements for such a thing are astronomical,” Uru said.

“I know. Lir already calculated it all. You haven’t asked about yourself, but I need your help as well.”

Uru nodded at Ruwen to continue.

“We have a surplus of terium because Crazors make mining vastly more efficient. In addition, I’ve just learned of an even larger horde of terium the Shattered Sun has accumulated from its expansion. The problem isn’t terium, it’s converting it back into Spirit.”

“You can’t Melt it fast enough,” Uru said.

“Exactly. We would need thousands of Workers with maxed out Melt which becomes an organizational nightmare.”

Uru cocked her head. “Thousands? The changes to the Champions are expensive, but not that costly.”

“They are one piece, the other would be you. Uruziel showed us all the final moments of that attack ten thousand years ago. The effectiveness of the shield you kept around the city gave me an idea. What if we had something like that, but over the entire country.”

Uru’s mouth opened in shock. Then she seemed to consider it. “You really think big, child. It seemed absurd to me at first, but really, it is just a function of Spirit throughput. Ridiculous amounts of Spirit.”

“If all this works out, when the Champions leave on their mission, we will move you to the Third Temple for safety. There, you can convert the necessary terium to power the Champions and the shield.”

“Sounds fun,” Uru said dryly.

Ruwen grinned. “Don’t worry, I have a project for you to keep your mind busy, and I’m putting our favorite librarian with you as well.”

“Homework, too,” Uru said. “You really know how to sell an idea.”

“I wasn’t kidding about how busy I am or about the dangers reading poses for me,” Ruwen said. He ran a hand slowly across the table in front of Uru, journals dropping out of the Apocalypse Hoop with steady thumps. “Rami has already absorbed all these, so I can loan them out temporarily for you and Tremine to study. Assuming you and the Champions are on board with all this.”

Uru picked up the first journal and opened it. Her hands trembled as she gently replaced it and picked up another. The trembling turned to shaking as she continued through the journals Pen had left in the ring. The goddess gasped when she opened Kholy’s twenty-third journal.

With great care, Uru placed the journal on the table. “I will not speak for anyone else, but I agree to at a minimum generate the shield and create the teleports.”

“Why aren’t you making all these changes to yourself?” Mica asked.

“While helping Big D load a humbled mob into wagons, I had a long discussion with Lir. He told me the capability for a second Class exists for every Ascendant as a failsafe in case of an unintended Class assignment. Having access to all the Classes, though, is something only Champions get on Ascendancy. Technically we could make all the Ascendants moving forward Champions, but that would turn into chaos greater than I already caused. So that means, it’s just you three. I’m out because so much has happened to me, the temples can’t back me up anymore.”

Una gasped. “You aren’t being synched?”

Ruwen shook his head. “No. For the time being, I’m one and done.”

“I’m not following everything you’ve spoken about,” Kaylin said, “and it’s not my place to ask for details, but it sounds like for a person on their last life, you are taking extreme risks.”

“I’m only doing what needs to be done, just like the three of you are, which is why I trust you with these changes.”

“I’m in,” Una said.

Kaylin and Mica exchanged a long look.

“Us too,” Kaylin responded.

Ruwen nodded at the journals. “You should put those somewhere safe, goddess.”

Uru locked eyes with Ruwen. “Thank you for trusting me.”

Ruwen briefly lowered his head in a bow and spoke to Lir. They agreed. Please open a portal to the area you prepared for Uru and another one for Tremine.

With pleasure.

A portal opened, and Ruwen stood.

“I’ve never been more excited to die,” Mica said.

The three Champions grinned at each other and hurried through.

Ruwen waited for Uru to enter and a moment later followed. He would get everyone settled and then take his quick trip before returning to Sift and Hamma.

Quick, of course, was a matter of perspective.