《Mistakes Lead To Success》


 An Important Letter to My Readers (Also Updates)

    Hello Readers,


    Currently a lot is going on and I am trying to take hold of my life. I do not know what I am doing when it comes to writing stories but I am trying. When I started writing stories it was relief for me and a way for me a to unleash my imagination onto the world. Now it¡¯s more of a goal for me to create something for others and myself to enjoy.


    I realize I cannot promise consistent updates and the perfect story. I am trying to understand how people react so I can create more fulfilling characters. I am trying to improve my usually poor understanding of English so I can make something easier to read yet entertaining.


    I think I am going to limit myself to working on two stories at a time if I plan to publish them on Royalroad. I not going to drop a story without an ending through. Rather I will find a place that brings some closure then place it on a temporary hiatus. If I am truly unable to continue the story then I would like to find someone to continue the story in my steed. I maybe writing these stories to satisfy my imagination but it dont want to disappoint any readers, even if it is one.


    I¡¯m writing this because the next five years may be rough ones for myself and any reader than in interested in my stories. I may end up writing dozens of half hearted stories that will never be posted while trying to stay present for the ones I¡¯m working on.


    Some stories I may not post a chapter but drawings that represent the chapter. They may be bad drawings but it will show my determination to try something to keep my writing spirit alive while working through writer''s block. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    For those who don¡¯t enjoy an author like this, I understand and I hope you find a great story or author that can bring you joy.


    For those who are staying with me for any reason, thank you. I¡¯ll try my best.


    Thank you wholeheartedly,


    KitzuneSly


    <hr>


    Update Section


    July 24, 2020


    I hoped it wouldn''t require another half a year  year and a half for me to post one more chapter for all my stories (MTTS, CoA, and SR=BW) but life decided otherwise.


    For some months I was negotiating future college courses with an advisor (surprisingly harder than I expected after I transfer universities). Right when there was some calm in my life, I lost my housing.


    The next few months were a whirlwind of staying afloat by borrowing from friends, sleeping in different locations, and trying to scrape up something to fix that situation. All while covid more or less stopped all aid. Additionally, there were other things I legally can not discuss for an undetermined amount of time, otherwise, I would tell everyone about it.


    Although struggling a bit, I am back on my feet and happy I can sleep in my dwellings again. Thankful for all the help I was given.


    During that time I also lost my flash drive. I fixed some of the glaring issues in MTTS, added new chapters to pad out character development and relationships, prepared new polls for me to drop as soon as I had a stable internet connection again, fleshed out my poorly made character portfolio, and was eager to show you the new MTTS. I have to start from scratch now but I am glad I still have my trusty laptop and slowly dying phone with me.


    Can''t wait to continue this story adventure with you!


    KitzuneSly

 Artwork for Mistakes Turn to Success

    I don''t quite know how my characters will look in drawing form so I''m always changing their looks.


    <hr>


    Based off of ''Hers'' chapter. She is holding the unnamed child in her arms and is somewhat questioning how to raise him/her. Of course, there are a few inaccuracies to the book but I think it''s good enough to get the point across.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    I drew it. I''m just lazy with backgrounds, they are hard and I''m working on it.

 Idea Log with Polls

    March 27, 2019


    I downloaded grammerly and saw all the grammer mistakes I made. There was over 200. How do people read this story without cringing? I am fixing as many mistakes I can and updating the chapters with proper grammer.


    <hr>


    February 27, 2019


    Writing a original story is much easier than writing a fanfic I learned over this break. I also learned that drawing original characters is harder too. =v=; Basically, the drawings will rare.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    <hr>


    December 3, 2018


    So... Some of you seen the chapter 6 early.... I gone goofed.


    As for those who haven''t... don''t worry about it.


    <hr>


    You can skip this chapter.


    I wanted to know if I should make a discord chat to communicate you guys easier? I know I have a poll system up but I feel that making a platform for me to talk to you and you guys to talk to each other would be good idea.


    Tell me what you think.


    Update: I am posting a chapter every month for a consistent schedule.


    <hr>


    You can skip this chapter.


    I also accept any corrections with my spelling and grammer. Please tell me if I made a mistake.


    Thank you.


    <hr>


    You can skip this chapter.

 Chapter 1 .v2: A mistake was made and deal was done.

    I may have made mistakes in life. Minor ones I would like to believe.


    But none should have led me to this point. Dying in a sewer. The horrid smell of human waste, rat fur, and regrets. I couldn¡¯t scream as my mouth was full of blood. I could only look up at the soft blue sky from the only source of light here. I couldn¡¯t feel my limbs anymore and the painful struggling breaths I am taking reminds me of how screwed I am.


    I should have continued walking my usual route regardless of the foot traffic and the fact some annoying slob was eating his sandwich so loudly he drowned out the sympathy of horns honking. I could have stood still and let the endless shuffle of bodies drag me towards my work sight for today. I would have eventually arrived there, a bit late, however. I know I was tired of walking through dreary industrial buildings only to be yelled at by my supervisor because his boss yelled at him for something he didn¡¯t do.


    I just wanted to see the park before I am forced to keep a happy straight face for over eight hours a day then return to a home where I am not welcomed. Too many people crammed into a one-bedroom apartment my family can barely afford. A single old TV from the days my mother was a child and eager to see America. Now she only sees America through that clouded glass and demands for her children to keep up with tradition. The same tradition that snuffed the life out of her body.


    I try to laugh but it only came but as a gurgle. Of course, the trash of the family, the one accused of hating our traditions, dies in a sewer. I guess this is my ancestors'' form of punishment.


    I swear if I have another chance at life I will live it my way. For better or for worst...


    Time passes and I can still see the blue sky above me. I know that more than a few hours have passed based on the fact I have seen plenty of clouds float by. That leaves the question...


    Why I am not dead yet?


    I sit up, absentmindedly noticing my chest does not hurt. I spit up old coagulated blood and a small piece of my tongue. It was a disgusting sight, especially when my tongue bounced on the clean, reflective blue floors. Blue floors? I rub my eyes then look around me. I was no longer in the sewers but a luxury bar. The walls were some sort of shiny black material, probably obsidian and the floors looked like soft ocean waves. In the distance, there was a lone table with three chairs before it.


    I try to stand up but I fall down in a flump. I chuckle, ¡°Of course. Despite all the weirdness my brain tells my legs not to move...I either survived with severe brain damage or died. Get moving, Natalie.¡±


    I manage to stand up and unsteadily walk to one of the bar stools. It was a nice and definite upgrade from the hard concrete of the sewers. I run my hand against the mahogany table and appreciate its craftsmanship. It reminded me of my great-grandfather¡¯s table. He was always a man of great showmanship, too bad his personal relationships were a mess. This table was different. It feels warm and connected with me in a way I don¡¯t know how to describe. Perhaps the tree it came from was an outcast.


    My hand clink against a crystal glass of whiskey. I stare at the glass, fully knowing that it was not there a minute ago. My eyes wander up and I see a slender hand resting near mine. My eyes continue to trail up and I see a wide smile on a beautiful face. The woman has an unnaturally perfect face; almost as if someone copied and pasted half a face together. Her eyes are the same comforting blue as the floor yet her gaze was twisted. I squirm as her eyes take in every movement. I feel as though I trespassed on a wild animal territory and it¡¯s going to kill me.


    She leans closer, her smile widening. ¡°Hello. I do adore attention but if you plan to stare at me all day, I suggest taking a drink.¡± Her voice was akin to the chime of bells; neither male nor female.


    I sit up straighter then stutter, ¡°I-I am sorry. I do not accept drinks from strangers.¡±


    Their eyes shimmer amusingly as they slide the cup closer to me. ¡°Ah, but you are the stranger to my lands. Although, I am fully aware of you and who you are. You are a soul from a godless plain of existence. Luckily, one of the souls I have taken an interest in.¡±


    I stare at them for a moment then blurted, ¡°You are god?!¡±


    They bark from laughter then take a swig of their own cup, causing their long silver hair to hypnotically sway. ¡°Ha! I am a young god. Millenniums younger than those old crones that landed claim on your home-realm and bicker among themselves and engage in petty wars. They mishandle their realms so badly that they slowed time to watch all the major events! However, I do have a scheme to be stronger than those decrepit stacks of stolen power.¡± Their fingers tighten on the cup. ¡°I managed to lay minor claim on your realm during one of their wars. Alas, I am the only young to do so.¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    My mind reels from the information and I try to compartmentalize all the times I spoke blasphemies and how many days it took for something to go wrong. All I could do to reset my mind is grab the cup of whiskey and down it in one go. It was surprisingly smooth considering I was not a drinker and I am used to hearing complaints about the burn of cheap whiskey from my coworkers.


    I jump when the god places a hand on top of mine. They pour another glass for me while rubbing circles on my hand in an effort to help calm me. I tense and they notice.


    They clutch my hand with both hands. ¡°I am in need of your help, my dear.¡±


    I tense more as those predatory eyes seem to have sharpened. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you need me for.¡±


    They gesture to themselves. ¡°I am a newborn god with no realms to call my own. Those old creatures guard their plains like a hawk and would never allow me to siphon any of their precious power. If I don¡¯t do something dramatic,¡± They hesitated for a moment. ¡°desperate, in the next two hundred years... I will cease to exist. Or at least in this form. I would be lower than a minor god. A spirit with the power to complain and nothing else. Eventually, I won¡¯t even have that.¡±


    They clinch their fists. ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like this! There was a time where those primordial dirt clouds use to leave planets for Gods to struggle over. They had a chance to gain power and prove themselves to the universe. Now it¡¯s gone! All gone!¡± Their eyes manically search the room for an outlet. ¡°Now you have to pander to some pretentious god who stuck their nose so far up the ancients black hole they could taste neurons to be gifted their own world! Now all other gods fight and scramble for scraps!¡±


    They hiss in disdain, ¡°Do you know how disgraceful begging for leftovers is? How it makes lesser and new gods feel?!¡±


    They take a moment to calm down and recenter themself. I notice how asymmetrical their face, was odd considering how unnaturally perfect their face was a few moments ago. Their eyes are no longer blue but a reptilian shade of yellow. Crooked fangs pierce through their bottom lip and curl towards their upper lip. Earlier their hair was a shimmering shade of silver, now it is the color of silk and just as thin. Rather than looking like a transcendent being, they look like a defeated non-human. Mortal, rather than otherworldly.


    They look at my curious expression then run their hands through their hair; their immaculate hands and nails turned into bony claws. ¡°You owe me. At least something. I used some of my power, or at least some of my pitiful emergency power, to bring you here, If I let you roam the Rivers of End you would have been consumed, one way or another. Some minor gods use souls as an energy source. Slowly the core foundations that made you would be chipped away, dissolve into essence slop. Your soul would be unrecognizable and mostly corrupted.¡±


    They let out a small sigh. ¡°I saved you and not because I am feeling generous.¡±


    They lean over the table and look directly into my eyes. I suppose their charm ability is active again as their eyes are blue with gold flakes. They place a soft hand on my cheek and give me their best charming smile. I want to move away but I don¡¯t think it would be a good idea. This god is too unstable.


    ¡°I fell in love with you, Natalie. Your ancestors called me to watch their blood on accident but none of their descendants charmed me like the way you did.¡± That threw me into a loop. ¡°Can you imagine being stuck here, in this tiny corner of infinite realms with nothing to do? Every second of my existence was used to watch your blood. Then... you were born. You are quirky, smart, and cute. Your silly attempts to please your family amused me and your imperfections brought a twinkle to my eye. I would love to spend the rest of my tortured existence with you.¡±


    Yep, they lost it. I was just unlucky it lost its last marble when I was born. I am probably the least interesting member of my family simply by happenstance. I hate drama, being in public spaces, and rather sleep my life away. How that interested this freak, I will never know. But I need to be very, very careful with my response.


    I force my face to flush by thinking about my most embarrassing moments then shyly slip out of their grasp. ¡°A-ah, thank you,¡± I mumble, making sure I keep my expression full of adoration. ¡°I-I¡¯m glad you find me so interesting but how can I be with you? You are a god and I am a mortal soul. Additionally, I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s your interests, your name, your...¡± I glance at the glass. ¡°your drinking preferences! I am so glad you saved me but I need time to think about this. Possibly alone?¡±


    They stare at me for a moment then laughed. It was an earnest laugh, considering their charm twink out. ¡°I have no form, to be honest. I took on what if found amusing and shaped it to your liking.¡± That explains their uncharmed form, I guess. ¡° I never thought about a name though. You can call me, Silas; I know you have a fondness for nature and whatnot. I think I¡¯ll be a male for this era. I took many on many female monikers over the millenniums.¡±


    They-He completely ignored my request for privacy and I have a feeling if I ask directly he would not take it kindly. I rack my brain for a second to find a new angle when a brilliant idea struck me.


    I secretly suck in a breath then hold his hand. ¡°I... I don¡¯t think I can completely be okay with taking your kindness for granted. I think I have an idea that would benefit you while I take all the risk.¡±


    He look at my hand then hummed as a response.


    ¡°I am going to need your trust for this.¡± I rub little circles on his hand and his face melts into one of contentment. ¡°And I am going to be transparent with you, after all, we are going to be friends, right?¡±


    He purrs with his eyes closed, ¡°Partners, Natalie, Partners.¡±


    I cringe inside but nod at him. ¡°Right, partners. I am not perfect as you know.¡± His head bobbed in agreement. ¡°And you know I tend to manipulate people to achieve my goals. It comes with the territory of being the assistant manager of a large business. So I might keep some things from you.¡±


    He leans completely over the bar and rests his head on my shoulder. ¡°Itsh fine.¡±


    What a sucker. ¡°I need you to send me to a god world as your follower and allow me to secretly store their energy in my soul so I can safely and secretly deliver it to you.¡±


    He wraps his arms around my waist. ¡°Hmm, no.¡±


    Well, frick, I quickly come up with another pitch. ¡°You need energy to live and you just said you don''t want to beg for scraps. And you talked about other gods begging to be allowed to take small amounts of power. I don¡¯t want you -us- to perish when I have the ability to help.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°If you go, you still can¡¯t send me energy, and the only way you can collect it is making people have faith in you.¡±


    ¡°Ah-ha! I thought of a way around that. A purchasing system like how some games at home do. You make extremely low-cost items and trade them for double or triple the energy. Since you control how much an item costs, you can scale it with how much I earn. That way it seems like a trade and not you stealing their power. And we can improve our standing with them. After all, you have some claim over Earth. Maybe something we have will interest them and you guys can strike a deal. If not, I still can charm people with Earth knowledge and make a shrine for you.¡±


    He hums in discontent but I think I am making progress.


    ¡°We can make a pact on my soul so I come back to you! I can never leave you but I think I should... explore other romantic opportunities.¡± A cold sweat forms on the back of my neck when I feel his claws dig into my sides. ¡°Listen! It¡¯s a good method to quickly gain a follower and allow me to gain experience to be a better partner for you! We will be together forever and they are only pawns for our end goal!¡± His claws are still in my sides but he does not harm me.


    He grumbles under his breath then kisses my neck, making my skin crawl. ¡°Okay, my partner. What shall we do first?¡±


    ¡°Uh. Well. I need a smidgen of your power.¡±

 Chapter 2: Corrupted

    Chapter 2: Borrowing Ideas


    (Third Person, ???, Past)


    Silas stared at his new wife with a dubious expression. His shoulders were slumped and his beautiful silver eyebrows were raised almost passed his hairline, surprising considering he usually kept a cool calm face.


    He gave her a weak smile. ¡°Natalie, I love you but I will never give you my power. This will spark the doom of us both or you would leave me forever.¡±


    Natalie scoffed at him. ¡°We already made a deal but it isn''t as one-sided as you think. Allow me to explain the finer details.¡±


    Silas'' hands haven''t left her sides and now with her arrangement of freedom completed she decided to drop the loving act. She grabbed his hands and slid out of his range of grasp. Immediately after she left his reach, her guard against him risen and she looked at him with untrusting eyes. He swore he felt a piece of his heart chip and fall.


    She glanced at the young god, taking a small glimpse of his hurt face. She sighed, ¡°I don''t hate you and I¡¯m not going to use you...much. You know how I am yet you dare to intrude on my personal space, attempt to coerce me to be with you, a stalker, for eternity. I believe this is worth me distrusting you and slightly wishing for you to suffer.¡±


    Tears started to fall from his eyes. She wasn''t finished, ¡°However, we are partners. I¡¯m not going to abandon you and force you to be the scapegoat. I''m not going to condemn you a horrible existence. We can work this out and maybe become friends. I¡¯m not a monster after all.¡±


    He rubbed his eyes then asked with enthusiasm, ¡°What to do now?¡±


    Natalie chuckled and patted his shoulder. She thought, ¡®He is like a small dog. A bit of praise or love and his tail wags. I wonder why he was different earlier?¡¯


    ¡°First thing is we need to create a system that overwrites the control of the gods. This has to use a little power and my progress is determined by how much power I can steal from the other gods; basically leveling up with more stole power.¡± She gestured to herself.


    Silas ran a hand through his hair and sighed. ¡°It is possible but that creates a weakness. If they realize their power is being stored and not converted then they can manipulate the system through the energy.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Yes but there is a way around that. Me.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you forget you are a mortal? A mortal soul is still a mortal.¡±


    Her smile grew. ¡°I¡¯m a mortal for now but if you infuse me with your power won¡¯t I mutate into a demigod? Think about, your power would melt within my soul and become a different signature.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    He pondered it for a moment then shook his head. ¡°That won''t work as well as you think. When I declared you as my wife I imprinted my signature on to you, making you mine regardless of what you do. The other, bigger issue is a god can¡¯t change another god¡¯s power.¡±


    She could feel rage boil in her stomach but she kept it down with a smile. ¡°That means I have my own signature. Why would you imprint on something that already has your signature? I¡¯ll just turn the energy into my own and slowly become a demigod. Afterall I''m not a god.¡±


    He stared at her for a moment then giggled. ¡°Ah, my wife is super smart.¡±


    She felt a chill go down her back and she suppressed her disgust towards him. ¡°Thank you. After the base of the system is created, we could add extra features when we collect more energy.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I can easily make a cultivation system for you but what should it be based on? I remember you reading Chinese novels and they had a solid system for the most part.¡±


    She turned away from him and sat at the lonely bar in the back. She made sure he couldn''t see her face fill with hatred. She used to read Chinese novels when relaxing at home, typically with less clothing than she normally would. It was a guilty pleasure of hers because her family taught her she should only appreciate entertainment from their culture. She used to read Chinese novels when her family would go out of town and enjoy the fruits of other cultures, including their more adult products.


    The young god cocked his head in confusion. He could feel from the imprint that his love was currently feeling strong emotions but he couldn''t understand why. He knew that she disliked him despite her efforts of hiding it but he doesn''t know why his statement made her like this. He shrugged his shoulders and thought it was nothing.


    He strutted towards her and poured her a cup of ambrosia. He watched as she sluggishly picked up the cup and down it in one gulp. He could feel her emotions grow stronger and more volatile but he ignored it, thinking it has nothing with him. He poured her another cup, drinking in her figure with his eyes.


    She could feel his gaze and greeted it with a glare. ¡°Just give me power.¡±


    He looked surprised at her behavior. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it right now.¡±


    He ducked under the bar then gave her a new cup. The cup was seemingly made from a heart, it even pulsed slightly. Then he poured a strange grey liquid in it. He spat in the cup and swirled it around. It started shimmering a strange green color and the liquid itself was a vibrate pink. It smelt of lilies and bleach.


    Natalie pointed at the drink. ¡°Is that safe?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I don''t know. My knowledge tells me this is the first time a young god have given their powers to a mortal. Normally it is a drop, just enough to make a connection and turn them into champions of our names. You will be the first demigod that came from a true god.¡±


    She lifted the drink and shivered, feeling the warm heart pulse in her hand. She closed her eyes and swallowed the drink, hoping it didn''t taste horrible. The smooth cold liquid tasted as if all the fruits on earth was blended into a drink, surpassing the taste of ambrosia. When it pooled in her stomach a warm feeling enveloped her body, filling her with warmth and comfort.


    She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being light. She felt she was flying.


    Silas watched as Natalie fell off the stool and lay on the ice floor. Her body was steaming and sweating profusely. Her clothes instantly turned to ash and the floor started to melt; the water underneath boiling from her heat. She sunk into the dark watery abyss, a universe that even he had not explored.


    He vaulted onto the bar and sat there, watching his realm of reality destroy itself. The obsidian walls crumbled and splintered; the pieces fell onto the ice creating large holes. The ceiling flickered in and out of existence while the lights ceased to exist. He watched the destruction of own existence.


    Only the lonely bar stayed the same, perfectly still in all the chaos. Incorruptible in a corrupted space.

 Chapter 3: Not a God Yet

    Chapter 3: Not A God Yet


    An eternity has seemed to pass since Natalie sunk into the deep abyss that laid underneath Silas realm. His home no longer existed and only a black sky illuminated by the countless bright universes reflected his figure.


    He was as thin as stick with sunken cheeks. His eyes were glazed over and did not hold a shine, only an emptiness comparable with the vast space around him. His legs were crossed and seemed to have not moved in a long time; the bones of his knees were ridge and deformed from not being used. His once luxurious robes have been dirted and faded from existing longer than it should; if the gentlest wind brush against his robes they might crumble into nothing.


    The only thing that hasn''t been worn from time was the lonely bar. Its sat while his world was crumbling and supported the young god in his darkest times. His blue eyes stared at the spot his wife disappeared at with gaze of indifference. Those waters stayed the same ever since she disappeared, still and cold like his prison.


    Then something happened.


    It was a bubble, a tiny inconceivable bubble that floated at the surface then more appear until the water looked as if it was boiling. The bubbles grew in size until they were the size of his head and when they burst, hot burning steam came from them. They spread rapidly, like a disease spreading throughout the body. Shortly the endless plain was covered in bubbles; the steam made a thick fog where he couldn''t even see two inches before him.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    He wasn''t bothered with the steam as he was staring down at the same spot Natalie disappeared. His eyes were frantically searching the barely visible surface of the abyss, looking for any sign that his love was alive. He saw a strand of curly red hair floating at the surface and reached out to pick it. His joints cracked and ached after years of nonuse but he didn''t care. He scooped the strand, gently like touching a snowflake and brought it to his heart.


    A hand flew out of the water and gripped the bar; then with a splash, a young woman appeared. She managed to pull her body onto the bar and rested on it. Her long red hair spilled over the bar and her face was relaxed, almost as if she hasn¡¯t spent years fighting to survive.


    She looked at Silas and asked. ¡°I¡¯m a god now?¡±


    He gave a weaken chuckle. ¡°Not yet my love. You have to gain the power to be one.¡±


    She sat up and watched the universe orbit about them. ¡°How long have I been gone?¡±


    He glanced at her. ¡°Long enough for your family too long disappeared and for you to have many grandnephews. Humanity has gone through four wars, one resetting the world back to its primitive state.¡±


    She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. ¡°I have to leave soon, don¡¯t I?¡±


    He nodded, the bones in his neck cracking loudly. ¡°Indeed, Natalie. I didn''t leave to serve the minor gods for crumbs of energy and instead waited for you. I don''t have much time to live as I spent most of what I had maintaining the leftovers of this world and myself.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°I haven''t heard my name in so long¡­¡±


    ¡°You can always change it.¡± He muttered.


    She patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s worry about you first.¡±


    ¡°Where do I need to go?¡±

 Chapter 4: You Are Alone

    Chapter 4: You Are Alone


    Silas looked at Natalie with a sad expression and said. ¡°You will go to Siena. It is a solar system ran by three Greek Gods. I don''t know them personally but they do respect me. I¡¯m sure if I tell them to let you visit your powers and play with their believers they will.¡±


    She nodded then turned her attention to a passing moon. ¡°Is it safe?¡±


    He shrugged, his bones groaning. ¡°I don''t know. I have a limited amount of information. I can tell you that visitors hate going there and consider it the most annoying planet to be at instead of a dangerous one. They say people are hard to trust and are very conniving. The only other god owned universe similar to that is Viren. Everyone hates Viren. I guess the only thing I can say that may help is, make those skeptics believe in you.¡±


    She wearily smiled at her bad luck. ¡°I guess I¡¯m going to have a hard time. I would like to be sent there as soon as possible though.¡±


    Silas nodded then said. ¡°As you wish, I¡¯m too weak to fight for you to stay by me. I only hope you do come back though.¡± He touched her shoulder and a beautiful gray swan tattoo appeared on her skin. ¡°This a temporary way for you to talk to me and send me energy if needed.¡±


    She touched the tattoo and felt slightly raised skin. ¡°Alright. Any warnings before I go?¡±


    She turned and saw Silas point a magic-enhanced finger at her. A blaze of white and blue lights burned her eyes, blinding her with its intensity. The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was, ¡°Head North. Don¡¯t die too soon. I do not have the energy to save you again.¡±


    Pain. It enveloped her senses. She didn''t want to open her eyes but she had a feeling she needed to. She laid wherever she was for a while, letting the cool breeze wafted over her inflamed skin. She stayed there until she could hear someone walking her direction.


    She opened her eyes and sat up slowly. She could see an endless plain of grass with white mountain peaks in the horizon. The wind fluttered through her red hair and she could smell the fresh dewdrops on the grass. She turned to the person standing next to her. She was surprised to see a young female wearing traditional Bhikkhu robes and braided hair considering the world was created by Greek Gods.


    The female stared at Natalie and looked mildly amused. ¡°I assume you are a foreigner. No one would sleep in these forests even if they had an army with them yet here you are. Alone and naked.¡±


    The redhead chuckled and stood up, not bothering to cover herself. ¡°For you to say that I must assume you are wearing armor and have someone with you.¡±


    The woman stared at the demi-god then gestured to herself. ¡°I am Rehna. I am from the planet of Gaea and I have the power of plants. While my power is not as strong as most of my tribemates it is enough to roam the plains and forests of Athen alone.¡±


    The foreigner smiled then began walking in a random direction. ¡°My original name is Natalie but I feel it be more suiting to change it.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Rehna follow the red-head, curious to know where she is going. ¡°Oh? What are you going to change it to?¡±


    She smiled at the tribal woman. ¡°Probably Akuji, it means death and awake. It¡¯s very fitting for my current lifestyle. It also has the first three letters for Akuma which mean demon. Aku also means to begin. I feel this name should be sufficient as it describes my beginning, middle and possible end of life.¡±


    The robed woman stopped in her tracks. She wondered why would anyone name themselves such a bleak yet hopeful name. She stared at the Akuji walking away, watching her hair flow and shine like fire. Her back was straight and her steps were even, almost as if she walking her path to success. Her curiosity was at her peak and she wanted to see what is her future.


    Akuji stopped and turned to Rehna. ¡°Are you coming?¡±


    She laughed then caught up with her. ¡°I was thinking, let''s go.¡±


    The two women continued their leisure walk through the plains, taking their uncertainty with stride. They walked for hours, enjoying each other company. During their trip, they only encountered small animals but they would run the moment they saw Akuji. She would give a wry smile every time they would run away. Rehna couldn''t tell if she was disappointed or annoyed the animals would escape her range of sight. Honestly, she was very surprised, she had been living on Athen for 5 years and this is the first time she traveled three feet without being attacked.


    The demi-god turned to her. ¡°Is this normal? I heard this solar system is dangerous.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°It is! Usually, I have to kill one monster every three minutes and the humans are even worse. I guess naming yourself a demon is fitting considering those creatures love attacking things weaker or stronger than them.¡±


    Her walking partner hummed in disapproval. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. I think I need to kill a few of those furry animals. I need to make me an outfit.¡±


    Rehna jabbed her hand into her robe then pulled out a long piece of blue fabric. ¡°I''m sure you can find a way to wear this.¡±


    Akuji stared at the cloth then sent the brunette devil eyes. ¡°You had this on you the whole time?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°You never asked me for clothing nor did you indicate you wanted clothes. I thought you were a nudist.¡±


    She growled at the nomad and snatched the fabric from her hands. In short work, she turned the fabric into a thinly wrapped dress. It was loose and covered her private bits while providing a bit of style to the woman.


    Rehna whistled and felt her dress. ¡°You look nice. Someday I have to ask you to make me an outfit.¡±


    The redhead scoffed, still annoyed with the tribal woman. ¡°Can you tell me more about this solar system and this planet?¡±


    The robed woman gave her a dubious stare then yelled. ¡°Are you serious?! I thought you knew where you are going! Why didn''t you ask me during this walk? I have been following you for four hours now!¡±


    She waved her off. ¡°I may not know where exactly we are but I do know our destination.¡± She pointed her scarred finger north, aiming at the base of two mountains. ¡°I can feel a large amount of potential that way.¡±


    Rehna rubbed her temple and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to have an argument with you, mostly because you are the perfect monster repellent.¡± She looked up and pointed at the sky. ¡°Do you see that?¡±


    Akuji looked up and saw a large metal structure with three pipes stretching through the sky. She followed the chrome structure and could barely see it connected to a distant planet; the pipe seemed to be in the middle of the planet. She turned her attention back to the largest metal structure at the center of the pipes. It reminded her of the international space station but five hundred times larger. (178000 ft by 120000 ft) (54500 m by 36500 m)


    The nomad patted her shoulder. ¡°That is what we call Gatho. It connects the sun, moon and all three planets in this solar system together. It was created by our saviors Athena, Gaea, and Prometheus, they gave our dying planets life and the ability to live.¡±


    Akuji could feel the admiration and respect radiate from Rehna eyes. She turned towards the structure and could feel the flames of passion start in her heart. She wants to be reverend like the gods that saved them, if not more loved.


    All she had to do is figure it out.

 Chapter 4.2

    ¡°So about this Patheon stuff. What can you tell me about them?¡± Akuji inquired while watching a wolf the size of a horse run away from her.


    Her brown-haired travel companion didn¡¯t respond for a moment as she gaped at the wolf fleeing. She stared at the tree line for a moment then snapped her jaw shut. ¡°You must get that often.¡±


    The redhead shook her head and muttered, ¡°I never experienced any of...this.¡±


    She didn¡¯t acknowledge the statement other than a glance at Akuji. ¡°Life and death come hand in hand. So does ignorance and enlightenment. Gaea, our foremother, gives us life through surrendering her body. Her body gives us form and gives us purpose. We are born to seek enlightenment. A personal quest that the gods give to us. Although, I do think Prometheus was one, the one to give us such yearning. She gave us Patriam, Illuminatio, and Terra, the planet we are on.¡±


    Rehan looked out into the tree line with a look of reverence, although it felt a bit manic to Akuji. Her eyes were unfocused and she clinched her walking staff until the wood softly creaked. Her mouth was half-open as if she was talking to something beyond their sight and it completely stole her attention.


    As if she didn¡¯t enter a fanfare haze, she turned her attention to Gatho. ¡°Some live for Athena and seek the wisdom she holds. They travel to the Pallas¡¯ Haven on Terra, a beautiful refuge used to train Athena¡¯s hunters, sometimes referred to as Valkyries by foreigners. One can travel there and study in her great library, examine great craftworks, and analyze fantastic texts of legendary battles. However, only a woman can receive her personal teachings and care. She can bless a man with the role of a guardian but that is the extent of her goodwill.¡±


    The monk gestured to herself. ¡°I am a child of Gaea, not Athena. My tribe, Ch¨®rto,


    fight for the will of Gaea. We were born to maintain the balance of these lands. We fight corrupted beasts that hunger for lost travelers. We protect her children the best as we try to be close to Mother. But we aid those searching for Athena¡¯s will.¡±


    Rehna turned and stared at Akuji¡¯s hair. ¡°Lastly is Prometheus... Our guide on heavy nights and leader in faith. He gave us, humans and others, fire. Heat. Warmth. Knowledge... Suffering. For all the good that his enlightenment has given us, we also had to accept his pain. The pain of never finding true enlightenment and the pain of being aware. His gift was beautiful, yet so deadly. Some believe our pain is a minor reflection of the pain the King of Sin, Zeus, inflicted on him.¡±


    The godling gave Rehna a slightly baffled look. ¡°King of Sin?¡±


    The brown-skinned woman crossed her arms. ¡°Of course, he is the King of Sin! A lustful, egotistical, horrifically twisted man who forces his will on others. Be it their position in life, obstructing their journey to enlightenment, and stripping all of the free wills, if he wishes. Many gods were cast out of their homes and forced to be a god of something they hate. Half if not more of which was his children. My people and any other who lives under the Gods'' light will not fall for Zeus'' temptations. Pleasure is only to be appreciated after a day of work.¡±


    Akuji slowly nodded her head then turned heel. ¡°I got it, let keep going.¡± She half jogged into the forest.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The huntress followed closely and watched her with curious eyes. ¡°Whose child are you?¡±


    She acted like she did not hear her and continued to tear leaves out of her face. How could she answer that? Hey, I am not related to any god. I am a normal, bland office worker who dunked herself in god-juice after selling her soul. She could imagine all the ways the gods could dissect her and the torture Silas would go through.


    ¡°I am not going to stop asking which god-¡± ¡°I am a foreign god¡¯s child. Well, assigned wife to be honest.¡±


    ¡°YOU ARE WHAT?!¡± Rehan screamed in shock then tripped on a large root. Her arms flung forward, throwing her staff at Akuji then fell onto the glowing moss-covered floor with a flump.


    ¡°Wha- Wait don¡¯t move!¡± Rehan didn¡¯t heed the warning in time as the moss shivered and bled a slimy liquid. Despite her fran<u>t</u>ic grasps at the rocks, the slime removed all friction and she slid down the hill they were hiking. The huntress managed to snatch a nearby branch only for it to break immediately and tumble down the hill.


    ¡°Haaa...¡± Akuji observed the moss beneath her feet. It was damp and a bit slimy but not glowing or oozing slime. She gently stepped off the moss onto a patch of rock and scrapped any residue off, losing a layer of skin on her foot in the process. ¡°I guess I should stay here?¡±


    She used the staff to steady her descent down the hill and onto a large rock. It was one of the few spots around the deeply forested area that were not covered in suspicious growth. She noticed that the ride down the hill and out the forest was mighty far. Odd considering they only entered the forest a few minutes ago. She looked up and tried to get a glimpse of the sun from her position but saw an orange-purple sky.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it wasn¡¯t turning dark...¡± She mumbled, confused.


    The godling turned her attention to the staff and was surprised to see a set of glowing green eyes stare back at her. They shifted and turned to stare at her at an equal level yet they were emitting malicious intent. She gently set the living wood staff an arm''s length away from her and watched as the eyes closed.


    ¡®Are all things traps in this world?¡¯ She pondered; idly twisting the thin fabric that makes her clothing. She has only been in the world for a few hours and have to worry about melting gods, sentient weapons, and one strange woman who is determined to follow her


    Akuji groaned as the full reality of her situation hit her. Her fumes of fake confidence and new status of a god fading. Every god is treated as such, a symbol and status all must respect and obey. Except for her.


    ¡®My backer is literally an obsessive megalomaniac out of magic juice and every other god hates him. And I am the equivalent of a Pomeranian with red fur.¡¯ She combed her hair with her hand and eyed the fiery strands. In hindsight, she should have convinced Silas to let her leave as a normal soul but the lure of power was sweet.


    ¡®Possibly toxic too.¡¯ The ex-human darkly thought.


    ...crink


    Akuij jumped to her feet and turned towards the noise. The forest -more like a miniature jungle- was heavily covered in flora and fauna, including the rocks. She snatched the staff, ignoring the glaring eyes, and braced herself for combat.


    She immediately abandoned that idea.


    Thousands upon thousands of shadows with glowing eyes observed her with curiosity and hunger. As the shadows swallowed the surrounding fauna it absorbed the little light that pierced the canopy. With every ray of light eaten, a hundred more creatures form. Her only protection from the dark depths was the angry glowing green eyes on the staff.


    ¡°Uh...¡± Akuji looked at the long drop then back at the shadows. ¡°Nice meeting ya, bye!¡±


    She jumps off her rock and lands on a patch of slimy moss. It immediately secreted the greasy substance and she slid down the hillside, using the staff to knock nearby branches. She smacked into a tree root and yelped when the staff was nearly tugged out her hands.


    Akuji stared at the amalgamation of limbs that gripped the wood. Those damnable eyes stared deep into her soul and its hunger was endless. She swears that it''s enjoying her struggle as the eyes turn up in glee. With the staff stuck, she could not slide down the hill and the monster knew this. Slowly she was losing the battle of light.


    She clenched her teeth then focused on her connection to Silas. His twisted yet warm power flowed from her chest into her limbs. The godling flinched when her hair caught on fire and cast a powerful golden glow on everything near it, causing the shadow limbs to disintegrate and free the staff.


    ¡°The shadows can not get me. The shadows can not get me.¡± She chanted while closing her eyes and focusing on the power Silas had given her. She tried her best not to focus on the ride or the horrifying creature chasing her.


    ¡°The shadows can not- Aaargh!¡± She screamed when something touched her.


    ¡°Hey! What happened? Why are you here? You didn¡¯t give me a chance to hike back.¡± Rehna asked while taking her staff back.


    Akuji reluctantly opened her eyes and was startled to see a bright blue sky with shining yellow sun overhead.


    ¡°Let¡¯s avoid the forest...¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±

 Chapter 5: Child of the Forest

    Chapter 5: Child of the Forest


    Akuji couldn''t help but think Rehna was strange. The brunette found her lying in a field and decided to follow her despite not know if she would attack her. Why would she help a naked stranger? She could honestly say she would leave the stranger lying there unless it was a child. She has been following the redhead for the last few days and to this evening.


    Rehna turned to her with curious eyes. ¡°I could feel you staring at me. Is there something you would like to say?¡±


    She shrugged and gestured to the endless plains before them. ¡°Show me your powers.¡±


    The native looked at the grass before she then raised an eyebrow. The grass shimmered then grew taller than the women; it kept growing until it couldn''t hold it weight and fell like a wave of green. When she looked away the excessive grass died and turned a dark grey, emitting a slight odor.


    She gestured to her handy work while smirking at the demigod. ¡°What do you think? They don¡¯t work as well on Athen than it does on Gaea but it should be interesting.¡±


    The redhead held her hands and looked into her eyes then said, ¡°Channel your power into me.¡±


    Rehna recoiled in horror. ¡°Gods no! I might kill you or make you into an abomination.¡±


    Akuji chuckled then pulled the woman into a bear hug. She sucked in a deep breath and focused her absorption powers at the frighten native. Her swan tattoo started to glow a dim grey and the void appeared over her shoulder. The nomad screamed when she felt her magic being stolen from her body. She tried to will the plants around them to attack but it caused her power to be stolen faster. She struggled in the demigod¡¯s arms only to be dropped on the floor.


    Akuji stretched her arms and waited for a response from Silas while Rehna was crawling back onto her feet. She tripped Rehna and stepped on her back, adding extra pressure to make sure she doesn¡¯t leave.


    She heard a buzz in her ear then a familiar sweet voice. ¡°Hello Natalie, I¡¯m surprised you managed to collect a decent amount of magic within a short period. Did you steal an artifact or capture a creature? It¡¯s enough for me to heal a few bones and grant you an upgrade.¡±


    She laughed while pulling Rehna up into a chokehold, close enough for Silas to hear the brunette¡¯s quicken breath and gasping. ¡°I stole magic from a native called Rehna. She could control grass and plants.¡±


    Silas sighed and she could hear him shift a bit. ¡°You should apologize to the child of the forest. I will send you a drop of the void. I would increase her magic pool slightly and fix any damage you have done to her. You should not steal magic from others unless they are your enemies. It damages their connection to the universe and thus their connect to Gods and mana. Hold your hand out.¡±


    Akuji held her hand out and was amused to see a raven made of void appear from nowhere. The wispy raven dropped a clear purple crystal into her hand and cawed at her. She studied the fluid yet solid bird before feeding Rehna the crystal. Due to her having Rehna in a chokehold for too long, she had to pry the native¡¯s mouth open and slip it down her throat.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I have to go Natalie but the crow is your gift until I can make a better system for us. The crow does not need to eat and likes the shadows. It can speak to you and can create more crows if you feed it anything, really. It is great for recon and can protect you depending on the situation. Goodbye, Love.¡±


    She sighed then carried the unconscious woman over her shoulders and continued their long walk towards the mountains. Every step she took was a driving force, guiding them into an uncertain future. She continued the track until the moon shined at its peak and the stars twinkled in dance.


    Akuji laid Rehna on a soft patch of grass and asked the crow to find large leaves. The crow called and disappeared into the night, a specter in the darkness. She stared at the shimmering grass plains and wondered if her family would have enjoyed seeing the beauty of nature or would be too caught up in life to notice. She heard shifting and turned her attention to the awaking nomad.


    The younger person shook her head and tried to lift herself into a sitting position but her arms were too weak. She gritted her teeth and pushed against the weak dirt but did not move an inch. She felt a slender hand slide around her waist and lift her into their lap, leaning her against their body. She looked up and felt disdain enter her heart when her eyes caught sight of the redhead.


    Akuji ran a hand through her hair and gave her a weak smile. ¡°My apologies for stealing your powers and causing you pain through my actions. I greatly needed your mana at the time. My¡­ beneficiary life is dependent on magic but he was dying due to a lack of mana. I was my job to collect a large amount of mana within a short period of time and the idea of stealing your mana came into my head today. I am not asking for forgiveness but I have given you an item that healed you of any damage I may have done and expanded your mana reserves.¡±


    The crow swooped down from the sky and delivered dozens of large palm tree leaves. She patted the bird then laid the leaves into a makeshift bed. She lifted the weaken woman and placed her on the bed with a few extra leaves to cover her like a blanket. She stood up, walked a few paces away and laid down, slightly out of sight. She understands how Rehna feels considering she has felt the same hurt and know she should stay a considerable distance away.


    The demigod foiled her arms under her head and beckoned the small bird towards her. It flew onto her shoulder and curled in the crook her neck. She smiled at the scene but her smile quickly faded into a blank, cold expression. She felt a sliver of guilt stir in her stomach. She could have asked the nomad for mana instead of stealing from her and potentially crippling her forever. She was an ally and she used her, much like a certain god. She pulled herself into a tighter curl and hoped she would not be hated by the younger woman.


    She gasped in pain and bolted into a sitting position, the pain radiating from her back. Sooner than she could react, another explosion of pain came from the side of her head. She choked on her breath and was knocked a few feet away. She hit the grass and rolled into a stop. The demigod managed to bring herself into an unsteady fighting stance. She immediately dropped it when her eye met angry brown ones.


    Rehna dropped the mana enhanced root from her hands and back up a few steps. She muttered, barely above a whisper. ¡°I think this makes us even.¡±


    Akuji walked over, although staggering, and handed her the root. ¡°It¡¯s not enough. I hurt you emotionally too.¡±


    The nomad landed a swift hook in her nose, ignoring the feeling of her own hand breaking. ¡°Even though it¡¯s not possible, I wish I could cause the same amount of pain you have done to me with fists. I know I do not know much about you but you could have explained the situation.¡± She fixed her robe sleeve, ignoring the blood dripping from her hand. ¡°I still will follow you. I feel Gaea is leading me to my future, even if I have to bear with a monster like you.¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡± The redhead kept her head down and walked away briskly.


    The path of the mountain base seemed much farther now.

 Chapter 6: This Village is Like Home

    Chapter 6: This Village Is Like Home


    The pilgrimage to the base of the mountain seemed to have lasted three lifetimes instead of a fraction. The tension around the two females was thick yet they managed to avoid conflict, even when in close proximity. It wasn''t that they didn''t talk about the issue; they made sure to discuss the matter every night. They wanted a better understanding of each other because they believed they would be around each more than a few months and they felt it would prevent them from creating rational thoughts. Even though they found such a common ground does not mean they are in good graces with each other. Rehan does not participate in anything does Akuji except what is required of her and only talks to her during their nightly chats to understand the demigod more.


    Three months have passed without that fragile balance being disturbed but it changed the moment they crossed a hill and caught sight of a barely intact village a day journey from their place. It was at the base of the mountain and seemed to be the changed they need. They reached the village within twelve hours and was surprised to be greeted with spears towards their face.


    A guard from the tattered village strutted up to them with a beautiful spear and a stern face. However, the image of a veteran warrior was broken due to him wearing faded overalls that have seen better days and partially chest armor that was kept together with horse glue. His scarred and wrinkled face, however, revealed years of struggle.


    He gestured to them with the end of his spear, keeping particularly pointed to the barely clothed demigod. ¡°State your purpose for entering the Sacrifice Village. We might keep you alive if you can do something productive.¡± Rehna was about to talk when he held his hand up. ¡°I suggest you speak for yourselves rather than together.¡±


    Rehan closed her mouth, regained her thoughts then said, ¡°I am Rehan of the Grass tribe from Gea. I am following my Mother¡¯s will to find my future.¡± She pointed at Akuji. ¡°Gaea have chosen this woman and shall follow her to death. However, I will not hurt an innocent village for her. I have my own morals that even Gaea must understand.¡±


    He nodded at her. ¡°You are allowed in. I hope you can find your path even without her. She might say something that warrants death.¡±


    The tribal woman bowed to him then moved to behind him, a few steps away. She wanted to see how Akuji would enter the village despite her dislike towards her.


    Akuji sighed then scratched the back of her head, pondering how to describe her situation. ¡°It makes no sense to lie or to hide much.¡± She crossed her arms and stared straight in his eyes, startling him with her intensity. ¡°I was originally Natalie Freeman, from the primordial planet Earth. I am acting on the will of the Young God Silas. He wanted me to travel the multiverse, earn mana and prove myself as worthy. As for why this village, I have a feeling Athena would like to have a chat with me but I didn¡¯t know where. I believe she led me to this village.¡±


    He flinched at the sound of Athena¡¯s name then pointed his spear at her throat. ¡°That sounds more impossible than you know. I dislike that Athena would call a foreigner here, even if she is the creator of this planet. Tell me, are you evil?¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    She looked into the sky and questioned that possibility. Even though she went through a god¡¯s lifetime of tempering her soul, she never learned more about herself. She believed her morals were not the best and she could be considered devious. She shifted her vision to Rehna who looked at her with bright green eyes filled with distrust yet curiosity. A pang of regret and longing attacked her heart, she ruined a relationship with someone she could have been a friend within a short period of time. She did something Silas did to her, she never gave her a chose.


    She gave him a weary smile, one filled with malice and hatred. He could tell it wasn¡¯t projected at him or the village but it gave him chills.


    She ran a hand through her long hair and chuckled. ¡° Yes. I am a villain but not to you.¡± Her eyes strayed and stared into Rehna brown eyes. ¡° I don¡¯t need what you have. I need Athena, after all, we need to lay ground rules for my stay in your universe. Not every God is good at being kind.¡±


    He inched closer to her and stared into her green eyes falling to a trance as he could see the universe in her eyes. He closed his head and staggered back, stunned from the power her eyes held. Once he reverted back to his usual self he turned to Rehna. ¡°How do you ignore the power in her eyes? I can''t use my ability on her.¡±


    Rehna frowned and stated, ¡°I don¡¯t see anything strange about her eyes. What do you mean?¡± She looked back at Akuji eyes, not finding anything different.


    He stared at the nomad for a moment then turned back to the sly looking woman. ¡°You can enter. The only other being with those eyes are the sacred statues located at the top of the mountain. However, if you are to attack us, I will fight you will all I am.¡±


    Akuji waved her hand and waltzed into the village. ¡°You are not my enemies. I''m sure a part of our arrangement is for me to protect you guys or to stay very far away.¡±


    When she turned her attention to the citizens of the village, they all gave weary, skeptical eyes. Mothers pulled their children closer to them and spoke in hushed tones. The atmosphere was dreadful but for her, it was familiar. She smiled at their behavior, it reminded her of home.


    It reminded her of lifelong rejection.


    She gave a wry smile the schooled her expressions. She was the cursed once again, the child not like the others. Her siblings were always golden, they did not enjoy things outside their culture despite being born in America. They only reached for greatness and had amazing careers. Her mother never noticed how one of her sons were gay and hated his career. She never noticed her daughter give birth to a child out of wedlock and eloping with what she called a ¡°commoner¡±. She never noticed because she was hyperfocused on the child who was not like the others, the strange one who anime and American cartoons. The one who snuck out of the house to hide out at a friend¡¯s to binge all of Phantom Hero.


    She was always the ultimate freak and the perfect scapegoat.


    Her eyes met a small, dirty child. They were hiding under a collapsed house. She could tell that raiders have rippled through the town despite their courage and arrogance. The smell of smoke, soot, and old blood was lingering but still powerful to someone not used to it.


    She looked around then approached the child. Rehna gave her a dirty look that grew in venom with each step she took. Without warning, she dragged the child out from the house and held them close, much like a mother protecting her child. This startled everyone. No one expected her to treat someone gently after the events at the gate and her stoic expression.


    She continued walking through the village with the child in hand. Inwardly, she smirked. She found the perfect believer and possible adopted child. A child who understands hardship and be molded for her plans. She could turn him into a symbol of her kindness and preach to other children to join her. With this in mind, she can grow power through the pain of others.


    She looked at the youth in her arms. She was surprised to see them asleep in her arms, a symbol of trust she hasn¡¯t received before. Looking at him, she made a decision that will change her future path, rejecting the name she chose upon herself.


    She promised not hurt those her follow her anymore.

 Chapter 7: Hers

    Chapter 7: Hers


    Akuji was perplexed. It has been a few hours since the child her arms have woken up but they have not spoken a word. They allowed her to carry them further away from their home, the village. She asked them what they wanted to eat but they did not speak; they only looked at her innocently. She can see a hint of confusion but a large amount of admiration filled their beautiful purple eyes. Even when she had her crow deliver an apple to those tiny hands, they did not speak. They gave the crow happy nods then nibbled on the apple.


    They are a few hills away from the village, too far for a child to run back before nightfall but close enough for her to bring them back. Even though she expected to turn the child into her follower but she didn''t expect it to be so easy.


    Rehna stared into her back then said, ¡°You should take the child back to the village. You are far from parent material.¡±


    ¡°I did not ask for your opinion.¡± She responded, smoothly. She looked at the child her arms. ¡°Are you girl?¡± The child shrugged, confused. ¡°Okay, you don¡¯t know. Do you want to stay with me?¡± They nodded their head. ¡°Alright.¡±


    The nomad looked appalled at the lack of respect given to her. Akuji could see grass growing in front of her, ready to strike then receded back to their normal height.


    She sighed then muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to treat you badly but this decision it between me, the village and the child. The village does not care if they stay or leave and I want them with me but I won¡¯t force them. Considering they haven¡¯t jumped out of my arms hours ago tells you what they think.¡±


    The child stared at her then pointed at the ground. She bent down to let them go, prepared for them to run away, only for them to stretch then grab her hand.


    She stood up and stared at the tiny appendage. She shifted her attention to the night sky then back to the child. ¡°I know you recently awoke but we should rest.¡± Then she withdrew herself from the child, troubled minded.


    She whistled at her crow, a sound that tells him to find food. He cawed proudly flew into a nearby forest. The child froze as all their attention went to watch the beautiful black blur, allowing Akuji to expand the distance between them until she disappeared into the forest.


    The demigod watched from some underbrush as her child looked for her for a moment then sat down, facing the forest. She stayed there for a moment then snuck off to find her own prey. She strode through the forest, daring anything to attack her. She huffed when she noticed a black wolf bowing to her presents rather than attack her.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    She glanced at an ancient tree then observed their majesty. Even in the cover of darkness, she sees the trees were far into the sky. She couldn¡¯t see the trees¡¯ top as they were hidden by other trees; trees that can never reach untold height. Those trees were covered in a million branches and each branch has thousands of leaves. The vitality on these trees must be unprecedented.


    She hesitated before placing her hand on one of the ancient trees. Her tattoo glowed, providing the only light in the darkness as she looked up and said, ¡°I am Akuji. Please give me your strength Gaea and Athena. I know I have hurt one of you people and I will not hurt them again. I need your energy.¡±


    The trees shook and hummed a deep song. The song vibrated through the wind until every tree joined the powerful yet haunting song. The tree she was touching started to vibrate to the song, creaking and moaning to its power. She backed away, startled by the tree come alive. The bark where her hand laid peeled back and revealed a beautiful smooth wood.


    The trees around her hummed louder as the wood twisted into her face, reflecting her fear and every fault. It was her tree at that moment; a tree that shown every possibility in her life. It called to her, It was her. A flash of memory entered her mind.


    A bar with the thumping heart.


    She collapsed before the tree in a gaze. The bar she laid on and understood before her journey started was this tree. It wasn''t a part of it. All of the trees was that bar and her heart laid in it...


    She looked up at the tree; her flaming red hair flowed in the breeze contrasting with the blue hue of the moonlight and her fear ran through her blood. What happened to the tree? What will happen to her?


    The song quieted to a buzz and the forest went into slumber. The bark on the tree grew back, leaving a permanent image of her face warped and trapped. Trapped in the unknown. Her tattoo glow faded and she was left staring at herself. Not the face in the tree but the tree itself.


    ¡°Am I the only one? Will others be plagued to this lifelike am?¡± She asked the tree. She eyes searched for signs but there was nothing for her to see. ¡°Will there be other demigods?¡±


    She stayed in the forest, not moving from her place near her tree. The moonlight stayed on her form,


    Beckoning her to move but she couldn¡¯t. There were too many thoughts and emotions running through her mind. She was startled out her thoughts by a soft touch. She looked at her side and recognized those beautiful purple eyes. She pulled the child in her arms and nuzzled their clumped hair, trying to hide her.


    ¡°A-aku-k-k-j-i¡­¡± The child tried to say her name but lost courage and whispered strange sounds. They buried their head in her shoulder and wrapped their arms around her neck.


    She smiled at the child then looked grimly at the trees. ¡°Crow, eat some matter and magic I stored to multiply. Three of your children will watch this one.¡±


    The spirit crow looked at her then cawed softly. It hopped to her swan tattoo and tapped its beak against. It broke her skin and it drank her blood, softly cawing in pleasure. She felt a horrible burn in her heart and shoulder but kept quiet to not startle her child. The pain lasted a brief moment then it disappeared as if it never existed.


    The crow shimmer out of existence for a moment, its smoke like body was flowing like raging waters. The smoke combined then imploded into a purple mist with a symbol of a heart in the middle. Seeing that symbol only led to one thought.


    She already hates her future.

 Chapter 8: Mothers

    Chapter 8: Mothers


    She woke up to the sound gentle cawing and a very warm hug. Her eyes fluttered opened and she looked for the source of warmth. Her eyes fell upon a mop of black hair and felt a small fist gripping on her shirt. It seems the child fell asleep on her and clung to her for warmth. She slowly sat up, causing large palm leaves to fall off their forms. She looked at them in surprised then noticed a clump of darkness at their feet.


    It was her crow and her new flock laying together. The baby crows were small fluff balls covered in a beautiful layer of down. The tiny smoke feathers flickered out of existence like their mother but two of them were different. One was a shining aqua color and when the sunlight touched its figure it shimmered as if water was stored inside it. The other was a deep purple and looked as if it was made of poison or a magical elixir that swirls inside itself.


    They chirped at their mother and nuzzled their small heads against her. The larger crow nudged her children towards their new owner but their bright eyes were focused on their mother. She turned her head towards Akuji and gave a soft cry. The redhead nodded then picked up the small crying fluffs of feathers and laid them near her child. The child only sneezed then shuffled closer to their pets, unknowingly comforting the chicks with their smell.


    They watched the two sleep for a few moments before the crow stood up and walked away from her other children. They shivered then grew into large adult crows; a noticeable change from their small chick raven siblings. They turned to Akuji and gave a deep bow, showing their loyalties to her, then took to the air.


    The demigod stared into the sky for a few more moments; secretly amusing herself with the fact she can finally see the difference between a crow and a raven, before collecting her child and their pets. She began her trek through the forest while questioning what she had seen the night before. It didn''t last long when a string of chirps awoken the person in her arms.


    She ruffled their hair with her chin and muttered, ¡°I have to find out you are you soon enough or name you myself.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    She felt tiny hands grasping her shoulders and jumped when the child sat up in her arms, staring at her with bright purple eyes.


    She adjusted the child in her arms then asked, ¡°Do you wish for me to name you?¡±


    The child nodded their head furiously, their jet black hair was flapping in the wind.


    She tilted her head while staring at the child, ignoring Rehna¡¯s annoyed grunt for being woken up. ¡°How about Violet?¡±


    The child lowered their head then nodded, begrudgingly accepting that name. Akuji could see the disappointment in their eyes and it tugged her heartstrings. She may not be fully invested into children or this one but she hates making cute tiny humans sad and those sadden eyes hurt.


    Without thinking she blurted out, ¡°Aegeus. You are Aegeus.¡±


    Rehna and the now named Aegeus gave Akuji a confused face. Rehna looked at the child then Akuji and asked, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The demigod coughed then scratched her head. ¡°Uh... Protector? Its an ancient name from an old legend of a king. He was the founder of a kingdom that lasted thousands of years, although it became a large city which is comparable to your top kingdoms. He died from a mistake and after his death, a sea was named after him.¡±


    Aegeus eyes glowed with childish glee and they jumped in excitement.


    Rehna raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms while stating, ¡°You don''t know if they are a male or female yet you named them after a king. I bet the soul of that king will haunt you for not respecting his name.¡±


    She waved her off. ¡°I¡¯ll find out when they grow up some more. Eventually, something will be signed, for now I need them to be accustomed to my strange life, not how others live. However,¡± She shifted Aegeus so they looked into her eyes. ¡°I am scared that they become a little heartbreaker and I have to fight off suitors. After all, you are to be my little protector.¡± ¡®My walking faith points.¡¯ she thought darkly.


    The child slipped through her arms and landed on the ground with a thump. This didn¡¯t stop them as they did a little dance and weakly laugh. She could feel a small amount of power flowing into from them into her; a portion of the faith she has been struggling to collect these last months.


    It tastes similar to the addicting warmth the ambrosia filled her with when she first meet Silas. She shook her head and suppressed the amazing feeling. She knew that being addicted and blinded by power now while she is weak will hinder her. She smiled at the dancing child and focused on her goal of freedom through power.


    However, she does have a craving for more.

 Chapter 9: A Journey Unseen

    Chapter 9: A Journey Unseen


    Fire was the symbol of power to beasts back in simpler times. Now fire is a symbol of progress and destruction. That''s why Silas added the fire of life in his domain. It was only a portion of the fire that he brought to his ever-expanding room. It was tied to his life force and the energy Natalie brings him every day.


    He tilted his head, ¡°I guess she is Akuji now. How disappointing, Natalie was such a pretty name.¡±


    He had partially recovered from spending all his power to make Natalie a demigod and could move from his spot on the wooden bar. He refused to do that though because he thought that waiting years on end in the same spot for her to come back was romantic. He imagined her coming back home to him with the flames of life flying high. Then he would use some of that power to make sure their romantic reunion would produce a child.


    He sighed, wishing his love would finish her mission sooner when someone entered his domain. He looked up and could only see a ball of blue light.


    The light floated around his partially formed domain then floated before him. ¡°I am greatly ashamed of you Silas.¡±


    The young god tucked his arms into his shirt and said, ¡°No one asked you to visit me, brother. Go back and pretend to be a real god.¡±


    The blue light screeched in rage, causing more of Silas world to crumbled and fade into infinite space. ¡°I am your superior. All minor gods listen to me and I can make them destroy the little existence you have!¡±


    Silas created chains of stardust to wrap about the light, destroying it. Once all the light faded away it reviled a sickly looking man with hair as dark as the universe around them, blending into the foreground. The young god smiled at him then opened his mouth. Slowly a stream of blue light seeped out of the man into his throat. As Silas consumed the light the damages done to his realm disappeared. This lasted for a long time and when the last bit of light left the wither man, so did all the damages. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Silas then ejected the man from his world and continue to smile. ¡°Ah. I guess I have enough energy to last a few eras.¡± He paused. ¡°I should use this to make a gift for Akuji! Ah, she would be so happy to get another present from me. I bet she might even kiss me when she sees me again.¡±


    He gathered half of the energy he absorbed and began molding it into a tablet. The tablet was made of silver and the screen was a smooth crystal. He looked into the past to retrieve a video game guide. It was for one of the most popular games in the 22nd century and he chose it for its extensive crafting and shop system. It was a virtual reality game called EdgeRealm XL. It was an expansion of its 21st-century predecessor called EdgeRealm. It was PC colony survival game that Natalie loved to play back when she lived on Earth.


    He loaded the catalog of items into the tablet then added every item mentioned in mythology. It was simple to add those items because the humans described most of them in depth. Then he threw in a few magical animals that can be soulbound in an instance and really pretty clothes. He stared at the tablet for a while then threw in a few magic spells and training skills. Afterwards, he created a value system that measured how much energy an item was worth and gave her 500 free credits for items.


    He smiled at his creation then reached out to Natalie. He waited a moment then smiled when she appeared through his rip in space.


    ¡°Hello, wife~! I have a gift for you.¡± He exclaimed with a grin.


    Akuji sighed then adjusted the child in her arms. ¡°Hello, Silas. How have you been? I need some more time to earn more energy.¡±


    He waved her off and said, ¡°Ah, I found a spare battery of energy for my use. It has bought you a few more months before you have to pay for me.¡± He slides the tablet through the rip and watched as Aegeus dropped down to pick it up for her.  ¡®That child would be the most favorable step-child.¡¯ He thought with glee.


    She looked at the tablet and her surprised pleased him. He could see the joy and longing in her eyes as she scrolled through the available for purchase. He knew he did something right and was on the track of making amends with her.


    She turned her attention to him and shown the brightest smile. ¡°You added the armors and weapons from my favorite game! How did you do that? I mean, thank you so much.¡±


    The young god gave her a gentle smile and said, ¡°You are welcomed, love. I actually added every item in the game and more things from your home. There is a stockpiling feature so you can save up small amounts of energy here and there. Also I gave you 500 credits for you to enjoy it instantly.¡±


    Her face lit up even more and nodded her head. ¡°Thank you. I will remember this for a long time, Silas.¡± She reached down to ruffle Aegeus hair. ¡°I can buy this little one better wear too.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye Na-Akuji.¡± He closed the connection and leaned back. His calm yet pleased face twisted into pure excitement. ¡°She said she liked it! I will always remember that smile and it was aimed at me! Me! Oh, all the sweetest nectars could not compare to those bright eyes.¡±


    ¡°I wait for the moment where I can see her before me, smiling.¡±

 Chapter 10: Innocent Smile

    Chapter 10: Innocent Smile


    Akuji was stunned Silas left without begging her to say goodbye after giving her a gift. Normally she would be disheartened if she had to deal with his antics but he was actually charming and calm for most of their chat.


    She looked at the sleek silver tablet in her hands with great interest. She briefly browsed the list of items she could buy from him through the trading energy and was stunned. For two hundred credits she could buy a basic, non suppressed sniper rifle without bullets and for a thousand credits she could buy a technologically advance sword that can cause a pressurized wave of sound to attack enemies twenty meters away before dispersing.


    She looked at the child standing by her side and patted their head. She knew Silas was being very irresponsible for giving her five hundred credits and it warmed her heart. While she still don''t forgive him for what he has done, she will repay his generosity.


    Rehna stared at her then looked at the space were the rip in space appeared. ¡°Is that the god you are gathering energy for? I must admit they are very pretty but a bit¡­ strange, no?¡±


    Akuji chuckled. ¡°He is horrible and twisted but very loyal. He was obsessed with me before I died and reached the other life. He took my soul and bounded it to his without my consent then threatened my freedom. I had to make a deal with him to be able to live without being locked in his cage. I have to earn a large amount of mana though or else I will die.¡±


    The nomad looked repulsed then bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have a horrible sponsor god. I will help you on your quest for mana while I am by your side.¡±


    She shook her head and said, ¡°You don''t need to do that. I¡¯m surprised you are being kind to me at all after what I did to you.¡±


    Rehna glanced at Aegeus then looked into Akuji¡¯s green eyes. ¡°I must admit. Your protectiveness over a child that you picked from a war torn street shocked me. You have kept your distance from me and respected my wishes. From our nightly talks I can tell that you have a different set of morals than mine but you try to respect my background. That shows me you''re not as horrible as I thought you were.¡±


    The demi-god smiled at her then patted her shoulder in appreciation. She turned her attention to her child then looked at the tall mountain before them. ¡°We have a long way to go.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Aegeus gestured at the tablet in her hands and jumped up to explain their excitement towards the new item.


    Akuji rubbed their head and said, ¡°Close your eyes, the both of you.¡±


    The child quickly closed their eyes and was shaking in excitement while Rehna looked away. The redhead sighed at the nomad¡¯s actions. She opened the catalog and quickly scrolled through the clothing. She pulled out a beautiful poncho and slid it on her child. They couldn¡¯t hold their curiosity and opened their eyes. When they saw the colorful beaded poncho adorned on their shoulders, tears streamed down their cheeks.


    She scratched her neck and muttered shyly, ¡°I believe the first items go to the youngest. This is something my family, despite all their flaws, taught me.¡±


    Then she pulled out a thick fur jacket, three pairs of pants, leather boots, a scarf, and four shirts in Aegeus size. In her heart she thanked the system for making children¡¯s clothes cheaper so the assemble costed about 30 credits.


    The child held the clothes closed heart and wept in happiness. Despite knowing Akuji for a few months the woman only showed her kindness. She even used the points from a god on them. They could feel her warmth through the clothing and swore to always be her knight, even if she turns on them. Akuji could feel Aegerus faith in her grow, shifting from a small trickle to a steady river of power into her.


    She tried to ignore the pleasant feeling over washing her body and turned her focus to search for Rehna¡¯s gift. She purchased a bronze spear with a bloody cross at the base. From the description, it said the spear was a magical replication of the spear Longinus used to check if Jesus was dead on the cross. It had the ability to turn any blood split by the spear into a small, 10 cm wide shield that grows with more blood.


    Rehna studied the spear then strapped it to her back. She smiles at Akuji and said, ¡°The craftsmanship of this spear is amazing. I will remember this favor.¡±


    The reborn female waved her hand and said sarcastically , ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t say I have more favors to pay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t buy yourself new cloths. You still wearing that faded, torn cloth I given to you when we first met.¡± She shot back, caressing her new spear.


    Akuji sneered at the brunnett¡¯s snark then purchased a new outfit for herself. She quickly threw the ragged cloth a Rehna then slipped on a tank top and new pair of shorts. She didn¡¯t bother with buying undergarments and changed freely because Aegeus attention was focused on their new outfit.


    She bought a satchel, placed the tablet inside then scooped the child in her arms. ¡°Come on, fool.¡± She looked at the mountain before them. ¡°If we hurry we could reach the top in a week or two.¡±


    Rehna snorted, ¡°If you can fly and carry us we could reach it in weeks. That mountain surpassed the clouds.¡±


    ¡°I feel you are underestimating my stubbornness.¡±

 Chapter 11: Storms

    Akuji fiercely underestimated the destructive storms that hover halfway up the mountain. Her group managed to see the top of the mountain through a tunnel Aegeus found during the beginning of their trip. It completely passed the narrow and dangerous ledges they would have to track early in their quest. Unfortunately, the moment they reached the exit, Aegeus became ill and a strong storm prevented them from pushing forward.


    Rehna checked to see if the storm subsided slightly. The harsh winds battered the side of the mountain and a chunk of hail stuck her head. The nomad stumbled back, nursing her bleeding open wound. She looked at Akuji who was cradling Aegeus in her arms; the child''s face was covered in sweat and their skin was pale.


    Rehna patted the demi-god¡¯s shoulder then said. ¡°I believe this is a good time to retreat. Your little guardian won''t last through the storm and we have been hiding here for days. Consider your child, Akuji.¡±


    Akuji ignored her, staring into the angry swirling clouds covering the only way up the mountain. Their angry roars filled her mind and the endless whirling gray hues made her tremble. The endless storm reminded her of the everlasting suffocating darkness she laid after the drinking that potion.


    Rehna dodged another hurling rock by ducking behind a chip in the walls. She screamed at Akuji, ¡°Leave for Aegeus, please!¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Her words didn''t reach her as the demi-god caught a stone close to harming her child. She stared at the rock, her green eyes examining the offending stone as if it were an insignificant insect. Her irises bled into the whites of her eyes and slowly they turned into the void she resigned in for thousands of years. The swirling void began to spread from her eyes to the rest of the body, consuming any light reaching her.


    She stood up with Aegeus in arms and walked out into the storm. The raging story was appalled a mortal strolled into its domain and sent a bolt of lighting to strike her down. It reached her head, brightening the surrounding area then disappeared. She paused for a moment then continued walking up the narrow path. Rehna stared at the demi-god for a second, feeling more like a lifetime, then scrambled to follow her.


    The storm was infuriated and began to rain lighting, hail and harsh winds on the trio but was all absorbed by the void. She was ever-present and ever-changing but no outside influence could touch her or her wards. Each step was sturdy as the mountains and he seemed to fade in and out of existence. For Rehna, the constant stress and fear made her feel like she was in a storm for days.


    They stood up the road, the storm tried its best to remove them but nothing could shake them from the road. Once they reached the summit, the void waved her hand and the storm dissipated, seeming to never exist. She laid Argues on a patch of soft, bright green grass and poured a strange purple aura into the child. She gave them a kiss on the forehead and laid next to them and fell asleep.


    Rehan looked around for a resting area but could only find an endless field of green grass with a few trees. She scratched her neck raw then sit next to the sleeping mother-child duo, confused and worried.


    She patted Akuji¡¯s head, ¡°I guess I owe you.¡±