《One who created!》 Prologue: The first day In many cultures of Earth and worlds scattered throughout the multiverses stories are told about a being. A simple being that brought order to the meandering chaos that was the infinte expanse of space. It is depicted as a creature of all encompassing might, emotion and thought, a being which shares a connection to the tinniest of pebbles and the most fierest of stars, the most treacherous of men and the most valiant of knights. Simplified, this being is in everything, in the fiber of existence itself. Those tales, legends, myths, or however you want to call them, are in most instances... wrong. What they fail to see is that this one single creature has long cut the figurative cord with the multiverses. It didn''t create sentient life, far from it, it just gave the empty yet stuffed chaos a slight nudge in the right direction. It set the laws, but that''s about it -an astonishing feat nevertheless-. In a sense no one was this creature''s child, they were born by ripe reality which in turn was somewhat created/influenced by... uhm... let''s call ''it'' God, for simplicity''s sake. Although God didn''t partake in the creation of being it still had the sufficient power to do so, in truth it had power that could overthrow, restructure and erase reality infinite times over and over again. God was after all... God. A peak existence without rival. And how all good creators of multiple universes and the one that directs the flow of life and death itself God stayed low-key, hidden behind a veil of dimensional and spatial restructuration. From all-mighty God he turned into an hermit, a lone oberserver with his eyes perpetually scanning the vestiges of his creation. Eons, hundreds of them, passed by. Creature of might surfaced from the mire of inhospitable worlds or even the void between the stars, arrogant creatures naming themselves Gods. They knew barely anything apart from their shallow ponds of existence they inhabited. God on the other hand, unlike this furious author who really despises arrogant characters, only smiled wryly, smiled warmly, at those creatures who proclaimed themselves as the center of all. At long last God could enjoy more than just the view of countless, lifeless universes. He was overjoyed about the sudden resurgence of life, which he was the only testament off at this point. After the Gods came lesser creatures, lesser in might or intellect, but living and breathing beings nonetheless. Some were still being born throughout the universes but most were slaugthered by the same first Gods that now felt threatened by the following batches; though only those that were born in their close proximity, meaning many galaxies apart. Another indefinite amount of eons passed before the universes became calm enough to be inhabited by mortal creatures, ones whose power did not rival planets or even stars or galaxies. God was the most fondest of these creatures, of their everday struggles on worlds that wanted naught but their deaths. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! They prevailed, survived under the rule of angry Gods, be it inbetween the most narrow of gulfs, in the deepest parts of freezing oceans or hidden atop plains stricken by drought and searing heat. Those seemingly weak creatures survived it all, evolved and errected their own kingdoms. As long as they didn''t entice the full on fury of the Gods they spread across their worlds, as an unstoppable force they claimed those worlds as their... as their... homes. Go watched on, unwavering in his decision to stay impartial in this world, bestow them with nothing but his attention, until a certain moment, a moment not of carelessness, not of unalertness but simple infatuation. God''s desire to observe, the growing affection for the mortal world strained the barrier that seperated him from the living and the dead. As his attention grew stronger, his gaze more feverish and desires of company and camaraderie like those the mortals felt sprouted inside him he noticed to late the bolt of blue thunder that errupted inside his domain. It wasn''t a malignant force, it wasn''t a hostlie force that wished his destruction, it was a call for help. A literal call for help. God knew instinctively what it was: Summoning magic. A ritual to summon otherworldy forces to do ones bidding; or in most cases like this one here, to plead for help. Astonished and taken aback God pondered. A desire so strong that it could reach him, although his barrier was weakened, was an incredible if not impossible feat that shock God greatly. Naturally, if he truly had willed it that nothing would ever reach him then nothing would ever reach him, as easy as that. But somewhere deep inside the corners of his mind God wished since long for another being at his side, maybe this was just another way of his wish to take form. God gazed into the light, saw the sleek face of a woman despairing over a pool of blood. He didn''t wish to interfere with the mortals and immortals, he truly wanted to stay as far away as possible from them so that they could live their own lives, but how could he deny the plea born of grief and despair? Torn between his principle of not interfering and the desire to help this poor creature God hesitated, cleared his mind and calmed himself down. He realized, he was God, he was what nothing could ever become. He was the ruler, the one who created! If he wanted to do he simply did. What repurcussions could befall him? What being could punish him for his insolence, for his idiocy, his mistakes? Nothing! He could do whatever he wanted! And in that moment God realized what it meant to be a true God and so he answered the call, the weak cry stemming from a bleeding throat: "Help me, help my sister!" And God answered: "Of course....", and his response echoed throughout the multiverse. Chapter 001: Unleashed What was I doing? My mind was a mess, my thoughts entangled with each other whilst a thick haze clouded my judgement. Not once have I stepped into the realm of existence, for eternity I kept myself hidden, but now? I was about to do something that could and would most likely overthrow the order in this universe, for naught but a selfish wish of mine. Could I bear the weight, the guilt that would inevitably press down onto me when I finished rejiging this whole world? No, that''s not right at all. Those thoughts are exclusive to the weak, I don''t have to fear. I was the creator of all! I will the universe to remain stable, make my descension as insconpicuous as it gets, no one shall ever think of locating me, and help those that need my help. To long have I lurked in the shadows as an impotent bystander, watched countless lives wilting from once lush blossoms into thorny scrubs, observed the demise of empires and kingdoms caused by the avarice of just one. Master of all, Progenitor of existence and reality, I was all of it and now I will show it. Let them flock to me, those that wish me harm, and they shall find their end by my hands. But you can''t protect them all! What a foolish thought. I CAN! My protection is absolute, my doing is perfect, my being is truth! I am only with fault as long as I permit it. And here I am, back at my old habits. This perfection is what kept me apart from the worlds, I saw myself as to grand of a being, as limitless and without mistake. That I am pondering on this thought alone proves otherwise. For the sake of myself, for the sake of the beings I will encounter I shall be with fault. I vow that I would not be perfect, that I am but a creature of nigh limitless might, that I should not forget about the concept that maybe, just maybe, something bigger looms above me. Lest I wish to fall to my own grave I will not forget like those ''Gods'' did. Renewed in my courage and vigor I took clangorous steps, reveberating through reality, approaching the blue light with steady gait. The image of two sisters, one dead and one dying, one ''good'' and one ''evil'', seared itself into my mind. It was a dismal display of what war, what strive born by hunger for power, could cause to those enmeshed within. Through the magic of summoning I heard the cries of my caller, her shouts and curses towards the heavens, the gods that watched their vassals fall with callous eyes, the kings that commanded her hand, her sword, and fate that made her slay her own kin. I stopped halfway through the magical portal, the pathway that would lead me to a real life, a life worth living. My trans-dimensional body, ethereal and intangible, had no access to this lower plane of existence lest I wanted to risk its destruction. In instants I went through diverse ideas, like the creation of a proxy that would be vested with the ability to harness the power from my real body while having its limitations so that the strain on the world is kept at a minimum. It was the idea I went with. As I said before I could just will the world to remain stable but I was not conceited and ignorant enough to think that there wasn''t even a single chance for something to go horribly awry. The body was created in moments, the fraction of an instant, from scratch. I opted for something light, an embodiment of empathy and caring not ''good'' or ''evil''. It was a quick process to let my consciousness slip into this new body of mine and even quicker to accomodate myself inside my new host. The connection between this mortal while immortal body to my original being was swiftly errected and soon enough I felt immense power cursing through my now existing veins. I gave the cullmination of stars, galaxies, chaos and destruction, life and death, image of harmony yet disorder, a last glance. Since the dawn of time I had yet to leave this body, this force of creation, but now was the time to say ''Farewell!'' and enjoy my new life. Quickly before leaving for good I let a slim cane materialize in front of me. Made from grey wood with waving veins and a soft knob as a tip I gripped it strongly, felt the rough grain and heat from the timber and took the final step through the fluctuating gate. My weapon at the ready, my stride determined and my goal clear I set foot into this new world. POV: ??? Why... Why had fate to be so cruel? Why did she betray me? I... I tried to be a good sister, a person she could look up to, but all I get is treachery from the person I trusted the most! Inflame were our hearts by the holy scriptures of Saint Jourinas, his golden words that echoed throughout ones soul. Not once has he lied to us, not once was our order victim of infighting, backstabbing, disorder. In mind we were man but in our hearts we were one unit, fighting for what is right and just. So why? Why did Elena, why did she fight not the tides of the black moon, the army of the demon king, but us? Why has she raised her sword not to undo the reign of terror established by Melchior''s ascension but to fight her brothers and sisters in arms and blood. I knew why. It was her heart. She didn''t share my fervor, my zeal for battle, the urge to purge our lands from the filth that were the demonfolk. She was pure, innocent, by heart a being that could not harm another. And it was this weakness that made her hesitate, that made her doubt the doctrines and turn her blade against us. "A demon''s life has the same value as ours.", she shouted whilst golden prominence exuded from her back. "I will bring this war to an end!", and her sword held true to her words. Albeit she wished not for death to any of us, for the prospect of a serene and peaceful future she still did. Tongues of white fire shot down from the skies, her power breaching into the level of divinity, and each touch made us sinners feel the wrath of the heavens. Around me, friend or foe, all burned to the same ashes, the same cinder, unrecognizable and a short lived memorial for the fallen. Wind would catch the grey ash, carry it into unknown lands, all the same, we were all the same. Yet... yet my sister had to pay for her sins, the sins of killing our brothers, sisters, our family! She had to atone! I, as the general of Lazaru''s Legion, could not let her leave unpunished. Shining argent while feeling ardent I rushed into battle, sword unsheathed and shield raised up like a mighty battering ram. Fire rained down from the cloudless sky, my sister as the embodiment of a blazing star standing at its center. Gallant I, no, me and my kin evaded the waves upon waves of gilden fire, with each tide that shattered atop of us our numbers lessened. The demons as cowardly as they are had since long taken flight, let their sole protector fend for herself. I couldn''t understand how my sister could empathize with such creatures. I felt the sting of heat all over my body, sweat dripped through the gaps of my plated armament where the metal had yet to be molten shut by the flames. Around me people succumbed to the deadly inferno that was unleashed onto this vast plain. "Do not falter!", I shouted atop of my lungs, biting through the pain that shot into my lungs with that single breath. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. We stormed onward, unstoppable in our march for righteousness, while the flames wheeled over us. Those with the capacity to invoke the rare magic took it to themselves to create protective barriers, alas they couldn''t withstand the constant barrage of divine energy and withered until their casters too were turned to dust. All the while I asked myself constantly. How could this happen? Why did this happen? My younger sister would have a limitless future, a fruitful one. Her magical might was out of this world. Although her skill with the sword was lacking she made up for it with her otherwordly prowess in the tenets of magic. But I had no idea her powers were bordering at the realm of the divine. But now it mattered not, all it needed was a swift strike and this nightmare would end. Yes, I just needed.... to kill.... my own sister... I felt the breaking of bones and soil alike beneath my armored steps, a lampooning cackle over my incompetence quarrying from below. ''I am not far anymore.'' I whispered my fatigued mind. ''The end is near.'' and it was truly. With my sight solely fixated on my sister, floating upwards with arched back and agape mouth as if possessed, I didn''t notice the lack of comrades, or rather, the death of my comrades. I was the sole, the lone survivor, trudging forward and into the white pyre that stretched heavenwards. My gauntlets fused with my sword, my shield corroded into an unrecognizable mess, but I was now in reach. In reach to strike her down, my own sister! I took no stance, I did not prepare myself mentally nor physically, I just wanted this to be over with. And so I latched onto one of her legs dragging her down, the boiling metal causing me and my sister intense pain resulting in a single harmonious scream. The fires around me turned calm as her gaze swept downwards, a tear slipped from her cheeks only to evaporate from the incredible heat. She gave me a genuine smile before all the heat, all the pain, extinguished. We stood now face to face, the golden light from her back longst formed into two silken wings of angelic beauty. Her heart made her truly ascend. "Do it now.", she whispered into my ears equally with sorrow as with elation. And I obeyed her with an ear-splitting cry that ruptured from my sore throat. I took the silver iron -how it pained in my weakening hands- and rammed it through her chest with a feverish tremble. I let the metal slide through her skin, flesh and bones before I retracted this rod of death only to plunge it forward again. The shiv pierced holes, wider and more voracious with each stab, until my sister was turned into a cold, unmoving heap of flesh. Shuddering I stood up, skimmed the blood and grime from my sword and took a step back. A silent breeze of wind collected the burned corpses of those around me, left me alone in my grief, before I broke down in tears. My armor of gold and silver, with marbled fringes and platinum ornaments was nothing more than torn and molten metal now. It slipped from my burned skin, leaving behind patches of blood and raw flesh but the pain did never come. I was empty, devoid of any emotion or feeling as I sat there... and contemplated my life and decisions. It was not long before my mind plunged into chaos and madness, the pangs of guilt sunk deep into my heart and each second left a taste of blood in my mouth. I killed her. I killed my sister in cold blood. She wanted nothing but peace, to create a haven for all of us to live in, in harmony. For that same goal she was branded heretic by none other than myself, and then slain by my very hands. I let a stiffled sob escape my lips, the tears continued to drip down on the razed earth like nourishing rain. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!", I shouted, screamed, bawled, for all to hear and see this pitiful excuse of a human being, of those that called themselves ''just'', ''righteous'' and ''heroic''. For the written and spoken words of a single person I have killed my sister. The realisation hit me quick and hit me hard. Saint Jourinas was as much of a person as I, as everyone else, was and yet I took his words for absolute, as guidelines for my life. How pathetic! Since birth I was living a false life, following the words of a person which amounted to as much as the drunken spiel of a waif. I am disgusting, utterly disgusting! The only words I should have respected were those of my sister, my real family, but I HAD to kill her, I HAD to stop her. Stop her from what exactly? Peace, harmony and equality? "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I just want my sister back!", I cried out but my words fell on deaf ears. The Gods, they didn''t care, neither about this world nor about its people. It''s ages, millenia since the gods have secluded themselves, forsaken this world. And if so, then they shouldn''t have any qualms about THIS, right? It was a short chant, a simple chant that needed hardly any magical proficiency to complete. It was a forbidden and forgotten spell, although it was less a spell and more a simple call for help. The outcome was random, sometimes fatal for the caster or the whole town or country they lived in, only old lore told about the disasters this magic could bring. By using parts of my own life force I called out into the vast plane of creation, the hundreds of worlds that floated out there in void space. What a shame that most people live ignorant of this fact. The connection was quickly established, for though I had never used summoning magic in comparison to different kinds it was swift and fast indeed. Without hiding my emotions, without shunning the loss of face, I cried into the translucent mirror of blue that floated besides me. I cried and screamed for help, cursed the gods and pledged loyality to whatever force and whoever was going to assist me. I wanted my baby sister back, I wanted my dear little Elena back! I waited whilst crying my eyes out, screaming until my voice gave in, but no answer came. I was in desperate need of help and so I banged onto the slab of cerulean with my bleeding fists, emptied all the energy I had left onto the azure mirror. It rippled with each hit, each punch fueled by anger and self-loathing but I was still awaiting an answer. Seconds passed until I felt a presence beyond the unwavering blue. My heart exulted in joy, my eyes welled up in tears and I cried out once again for a final time. "Help me! Help my sister!". and a deep and sonorous voice answered back. "OF COURSE...." Squired by the might of the vast cosmos a man drapped in plain robes stepped out. With a cane in his left and a smile on his lips he approached me. Thereafter I lost consciousness. Chapter 002: First impressions Here is the latest chappy. I do hope you guys comment down below so that I know what I need to improve and if you guys like the names. (I am really bad with names btw.) Since I am right now brimming with ideas the next chapter will come tomorrow as well. I hope you guys enjoy this and don''t forget: Please comment down below! :D ''Eh.... Uhm...... No, that... I didn''t do that right?'' I mused and looked at the the two worn and torn bodies. Both were undoubtly female, with delicate features if not for all the dirt, ash and blood splattered over them. They were surely beautiful women before their life went downhill. The first thing I noticed, the first difference between the two, was the lack of life in one while the other was just badly injured. It made me wonder what caused the damage, not really since I could just look it up if I wanted to but for fairness sake I would keep my time and space warping abilities to a minimum for now. What I needed to do to get the information I wanted without ''cheating'' was to reincarnate and heal those two. Reincarnation was not that hard, you just had to restore the body, the vessel, and then collect the wandering soul from the nether and stuff it back inside. To avoid trauma it would be for the best to wipe the memories of their death clean or else they might just lose it then and there. There was no fancy ritual, no special hand movements, no alit sigils and runes covering my skin, nothing at all. It was a simple *snap* and her body returned to normal as if everything that had transpired was all just a lie. As quick as the body was restored the soul hurriedly came back as well with a bit of my support and guidance. From an outsider''s point of view a miracle just took place. The bloody cavity on the woman''s chest disappeared without a trace, her palid complexion turned hale with a tinge of pink as the first breath of air filled her newly constructed lungs. Her eyelids fluttered though exhaustion and fatigue kept them shut, carefully I moved both sisters away from the battlefield, one with yet to be tended wounds. I avoided the encampements of humans and demons alike and settled for a place far away of all the fighting and dying, a secluded forest hundreds of miles apart. For others it might take a while but for me the distance was crossed in a single step. With outmost grace I placed both women down on the damp and deciduous moss. The ever green canopy openned up for the slightest slivers of sunlight to pass through undisturbed, illuminating the glade in a warm light. Another *snap* later and then second woman was freed from her injuries. The burnmarks, the serrated scars, but not her memories, her thoughts as she killed her sister and regretted what she had done; a lesson better not to be forgotten. -Of course to do that I allowed myself a quick peek at her memories.- I needed a rough summary of the situation, but for now I let them sleep. Their bodies might have been restored but the mental fatigue still remains, the sadness, the pain, the sorrow, those emotions stemmed from their hearts, I couldn''t simply erase them. With nothing better to do I raised a small hut from the ground, made purely from nature it had a herbal and slightly earthen scent to it. The ground bemoaned as part of it was torn to the surface, I would make sure to restore the land once I am gone. To accomodate my two temporary companions I created soft beds from the finest materials that were at my infinite and versatile disposal. They would have tons of questions but those had to be answered at another day. I lumbered out of the strait hut, making my way towards a small stream crossing through the forest. The crystaline brooklet gargled and dabbled, tiny fish swam through the clear water, diving through small turbulences created by stout stones. At my beck the stream shot upwards, defying gravity and its natural flow. I leaned onto my cane and sipped from the cold spring water that domed up. It was anew and refreshing feeling to actually taste, to feel, something that was not created by my will but has already existed before. The feeling invigorated me not with strength but with a content warmth. I stocked up on wild berries growing at raspy and maybe even poisonous brushes. I let one of those dark purple fruits pop in my mouth, savour the sweetness and delicate tang of acerbity. With gusto I let the juices flow down my throat and exhasperated by the experience I followed it up with a few more. The texture, the taste, the smell, it all formed an inexplicable sensation that I had never experienced prior to this date. Weaved flesh moved behind me whilst I enjoyed the assortment of sour to spicy berries. The wind coiled around me, the air turned cold as whatever that observed me got to close for comfort. It was a large hirsute animal, sprinting forward with jagged fangs and obsidian claws. Its dark brown fur swayed with the momentum, standing up as the beast came to a tumbling stop. All it needed for this ebast to die was a mere thought of mine and as it got closer it realised this terrifying fact. I do not exude bloodlust, I do not excrete any kind of tangible or intangible sense of impending doom. It was more of a command saying: ''Stop.'', nothing more and nothing less. Any creature that is not inebriated on its own arrogance or strength would sense and obey to this simple order. I smiled softly, the bear wheezed in response. A life of struggle and perpetually being on edge honed its instincts but made it also leery to any and every approach. But in my case it was somewhat different. As I approached the at least 18 feet tall predator it flinched but remained otherwise unmoving, its hazel coloured eyes kept warry and cautious from me. My hand reached out for the beast, evoking a bitter and defeated growl in response. It was truly affraid of the simple man that I was. I scratched its sloppy snout, caressed its soft neck fur and gave it a pat on the side. I didn''t want to kill this creature, I would never want to. Although it would reincarnate through me into another life I would not rip it away from this one here, not yet, not now. Relieved the bear was freed from its paralysis, it gave a quick glance back before it howled into the forest. Two high pitched squeals answered back and from the brushes I was picking the berries from two young cubs crouched to their mother. I wasn''t on alert -why should I?- so the two innocent younglings went completely lost on me. As if thanking me for my mercy the bear mother bowed its head down before it urged its children to leave for another spot to eat and drink. Now it was time for me to leave as well but before I had to collect some of the fresh water. And so, in one hand a basket made from culms filled with berries and herbage and in the other a small bucket filled to the brim with water, I made my way back to the single hut. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. There was no need for a door or a spell to keep it safe, the mere whiff of my aura would make any creature stay away from our humble abode. I walked inside and placed the snacks and water on a table I created right then and there, the two knights were sound asleep in their beds. I wondered if I should strip them off their burned armor or just let them sleep like that; as they did not wake up from any pain or discomfort I let the be as they were. A chair was summoned in which I promptly slumped into. I created three small cups, filled them with water, spread a few leaves and herbs into them and let them heat up. The tea was ready to be served in just a few minutes. Leisurely I took a nip from the hot drink, let the taste settle on my tongue before I gulped it down. I sighed and leaned back into my self-made chair. Neither mind nor body were fatigued but with nothing else to do other than staring at the ceiling I too embraced sleep, an endeavor harder than I had ever imagined but with some tenacity and willpower I took my godly body into the scape of dreams. Elena''s POV: Darkness, pain, a numbing cold. My first impressions of the afterlife were rather scary. An all-encompassing darkness surrounded me, weighed down on my frail body, crushing me the longer I stayed in this realm. I felt pain cursing through my veins, crawling and clawing through my flesh with rapacity. The pain was hot, a searing inferno of crimson spreading through my chest, but my body, my mind, were assaulted by gelid coldness. But the cold was not a simple feeling of numbness, of arctic gales whipping at my skin, it was more so betrayal, a feeling of loss and emotional numbness. It was a cold that pained me greater than any curse, any sword, any spell could ever hope to achieve. It was a pain that made my eyes tear up, my lips quiver and my throat howl until I couldn''t move no more. It was a crips clear testament of what my sister had done to me. She betrayed me, she sided with the lunatics that wanted naught but slaughter. Laughable! Utterly disgusting! She called them family but couldn''t perceive the darkness all of them hid, even she. They wanted the bloodshed, the carnage and ecstasy of domination. They were deaf to the pleas of the dying demons and humans alike, those which they marked as ''heretics'', they didn''t care at all! Only I, only I saw the truth. That all mattered, that we were all equals and that this realisation was needed, direly, to achieve peace. And now, after being betrayed by my sister, I lingered as a damned ghost of the past inside of pure oblivion. I wondered how long the pain will last, when it will subside and when I can find my own ''peace'' and before I knew it light wraped itself around me, pulled me into a swirling spiral of dazzling light. Coldness was exchanged by warmth, a warmth that soothed my temper, the pain and sadness, and instead of pain I felt... secure, comfortable... relaxed. My eyelids, as if I spent a whole fortnight awake, were to heavy to open up so I kept them shut and let -what I could tell- sleep take over me. ------ I couldn''t tell the time but when I woke up, from the ludicrously smooth bed, all the fatigue and exhaustion I had bottled up were gone, vanished and replaced by... a certain feeling of loss. I could clearly remember what happened on the battlefield, those that I killed and my sister, how she approached me with clear determination in her eyes. From then on my memory went blank. ''That''s right!'', I exclaimed and bolted up from beneath the covers. The war! I had to put an end to this folly! Renewed in my resolve I stood up on wobbly legs, literally jumped from the bed and onto the rough parquet. The wooden planks groaned under the strain of a human in whole-body armor. Before continuing in my steps I halted, and began thinking, thinking hard. ''Where the hell am I?'', I asked myself an turned around, peered into any corner of the otherwise simple hut. My gaze wandered through the room, seperated by a wall into two halves. From behind the wall I heard faint snoring, peaceful as this whole arrangement but what really gripped my attention was the second bed right next to mine. I was dreaming, I was surely just dreaming. Reality was allowing itself a little jest with my sanity, right? Drooling and a bed full of auburn hair my sister laid spread out on the bed. Her face convulsed from time to time into a mask of sheer abhorrence and regret before it regained its calmness. I couldn''t hate her, I never could. Not the person that cared for me for the past 20 or so years. Yes, I couldn''t agree with her frenetic fanatism but I still loved her. And... and I thought I killed her, that I murdered her for my own greedy desire for peace. Spellbound I just stood there, watched my elder sister sleep. The tears ran down uncontrollably, my legs tensed, my hands cramped and before I knew it I pounced head first into a back-breaking hug. My emotions laid bare I shouted from the top of my lungs. "ERIKAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "AHHH! WH-WHAT?! Attack?! Where?" My dear sister screamed in confusion while I dug my face deep into her plated chest. I didn''t care about the discomfort nor the pain of metal against flesh, I just wanted to stay close to her at this fateful moment. I sniffled and sobbed, the snot and drivel spread onto the stout chestpiece. My sister flailed with her arms but soon enough regained her calm and a warm hand was placed on my head, caressing my long hair lovingly. "Elena? E-Ele- ELENA?!", her hand stopped, she screamed and returned the hug, nearly breaking my spine in the process. "I-I thought I had k-k-killed you... Uwaaaaahhhh!", she cried, and I cried, we both cried to our heart''s content. She rambled in her soft voice about me being dead and altough her words didn''t make sense I listened to her and embraced her and enjoyed her warmth, as did she. "I see, you both are doing well.", a soft chuckled resounded from behind. I tilted my head, tried to writhe it backwards in an attempt to not let myself be strangled and find the source of the voice. "It''s you.", my dear sister gasped and the hug softened, enough so that I could turn around. From behind the wall a lean man came forth. Grey robes were slovenly thrown over the undoubtly masculine body, a hand gripped onto a long wooden cane on which the man supported himself. My eyes followed the natural flow upwards where I found a chisled face with stubbly chin, high cheekbones and two mesmerizing eyes of otherworldly nature. They were less eyes than gateways to another dimensions. "My name is Nilen.", he bowed and his expression turned solemn, "Nice to meet you two.", before it changed into another laid-back smile. ''Who the hell is this man?'', was my first thought. Chapter 003: Goodbye, for now (Those that wonder. I always asked myself why the SC''s and other people told the MC everything they would do whenever the Mc asked them for it. I would never tell my saviour, or some kind of hero, my plans for the future and what I would do now that he had saved me. Ffs even if that was my saviour he has no right to now jack shit about what I will do. I won''t write it out in the form of thoughts or speech but that''s what Eirika thinks when Nilen asks what they will be doing. Sorry for the rant, I hope you guys enjoy this rather short chapter and leave a comment down below. I will appreaciate it! Oh yeah, dont let the title fool you guys :P) Nilen welcomed the two knights with a childish and carefree smile. Elena and Eirika on the other hand watched on with cautious eyes, even more so Eirika, the one who summoned Nilen into this world. "I suppose some explaining is needed, right?", Nilen asked while he scratched his scraggly chin. He went behind the wood partition and pulled the chair into the provisional bedroom, at the same time he was carrying three cups of freshly brewed tea. The aroma wafted through the air and calmed to a certain degree the turmoil in the hearts of Nilen''s two guests. The sisters eyed the tea in Nilen''s hands. What fool would drink from something a stranger offered them? Nilen noticed the inner struggle about the question whether the tea was poisoned or not and he decided to go with the most typical of statements in such a situation. "Don''t worry the tea is not poisoned. If I wanted to kill you I had done so already.", Nilen said with a cracked smile and urged the two to take the tea from his hands. "You are certainly right.", Eirika whispered and received with careful hands the porcelain cup, followed by her younger sister doing the same. A quiet minute or two passed, the three of them sipped from their tea in silence while the rays of the afternoon sun shone through a handful of randomly scattered windows in the hut. "How is it?", Nilen lifted his head and inquired his guests. "Mhm... It''s good. Fresh and bracing.", Eirika nodded her head and let out a low sigh. Elena nodded as well but kept her eyes on the cup and her emotions to herself. "I am very pleased to hear that. The herbs and spices for the tea were freshly picked from the forest.", Nilen smiled warmly and began explaining. "If you want to refresh yourself there is a small stream not to far from here, but beware the wild animals.", he added with a finger raised in a threatening manner. "Forest?", both Eirika and Elena tilted their heads. "U-Uhu! There is a forest right here.", Nilen responded with wonder in his voice. "Th-that can''t be. The next patch of green is at least hundreds of miles apart from the Iron Plains.", Elena stated. "The only forest I can think of would be the Biram Peak Forest west of the Biram mountain range. You!", Eirika pointed at Nilen. "How- How did you get us here? Who and what are you?", her finger trembled but she kept staring Nilen down. Nilen held his hands up into the air and shock his head to the side with a foolish expression of: ''Who? Me?!'', he stopped the act as a vein popped on Eirika''s brow. Exhaling a defeated sigh Nilen let his arms rest on the chair. "I am but a simple wanderer, a healer and philanthropist. Nothing you two have to be wary about." "Tch! Wanderer? Stop jesting. Don''t even think I can''t remember your face from the summoning spell!", the knight sister bellowed, her fury fueled by bewilderment of the current situation and her own impuissance. "Summoning spell?", Elena chimed in and gave her sister a scrutinizing look. Nilen harrumphed before he began to tell his side of the story. "Yes, Elena, your dear sister has summoned me from another world, I won''t gloss over it. Let''s just say I am a wanderer of worlds, someone that came to help those in need and heal the scars in history. Is that enough for you?", he sported a conciliating smile. "Hmph! I don''t trust you. But... You got my gratitude for helping me.", Eirika swallowed down her pride and kowtowed on the ground. "I am truly thankful for what you have done. I-I *sob* I am truly grateful.", the memories of loss came back to her and whilst apologizing tears washed down her cheeks. All the while Elena was more confused than ever. She had never seen her sister bow down to somebody else unless it was some kind of king, saint or prophet of ''God''. Eirika herself would not allow it to bow and even less kneel down to some average person, it was a humilation she would not be able to endure. Which in turn reasoned inside of Elena''s head into the conclusion that Nilen was something special, something that even her older sister acknowledged. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "So, what is that you want to do now?", Nilen leaned forward and asked with a serious face. He would stop the war, no matter what, and in times of peace there was hardly a need for knights, warlords and combat magicians. "I- ,no, we will have to talk with the Church of the White Jourinas.", Eirika gripped the hand of her little sister. "For that... nevermind. We will be on our way now.", the two sisters stood up from the soft beds and made their way past Nilen, he in turn was still sitting in his crude chair. "Are you sure you will be able to leave the forest?", Nilen asked with honest curiosity and concern. He didn''t want to use the forest''s bad reputation, which he didn''t know about, as a means to compel them into staying with him nor did he himself want to accompany them any further. His business would certainly be dangerous for mortals of this world and Nilen''s biggest fear was to entangle those people in his actions. The two sisters stood still in front of the doorless exit. Sheepish Eirika glanced down at the ground while Elena began fidgeting. They shared a stare before coming to the same result. They had absolutely no idea how to leave the Briam Peak Forest; and if its humongous surface area wouldn''t be enough the forest was also inhabited by beasts that only a whole contingent of trained knights could handle. Even with an experienced general and magician they would be hard pressed to survive and much less leave the forest. "Oh... I think that means you DO need my help. Hahahaha!", Nilen stood up from the chair, it keeled over as the pressure from above was lifted, and nimbly he walked between the two sisters. "And here we are.", there was no pause in his actions, no sign of something happening. The moment Eirika and Elena blinked they literally ''blinked'' to the forests outer edge. It was less than an instant, it was a shift in the landscape, a simple moment of unawarness and they were gone. "I think my deed here us done. May we see each other again in the future.", Nilen chuckled and turned his back towards the two sisters, both slack-jawed and staggered by what had transpired a second ago. "W-Wait How did yo-", Elena tried to call out but Nilen was already gone from sight. "Haaaaaahhhh... Sis, what have you summoned?", Eirika began to wonder out loud as she too began to trod away. Eirika shock her head free of the pure astonishment that stirred her insides and followed up to her sister. "I have no idea...", she mumbled. And with the forest in their backs, the sun at the horizon and a new dawn awaiting they made their way towards the human capital, Jouians. But as fate would have it those three would eventually meet again. Nilen, *cough* I mean fate, naturally, would make sure of that. But for now it was a goodbye. ------------ Far, far away a dying star was fighting a lost battle against chains of black that wrapped around it. Once fierce and filled with divine providence the star was now a mere husk of its former self, a source of food for the demon that was channeling its power. The chains rattled and cackled with visceral growls that left space tremble in its wake. Those tendrils of death moved into each other, forked around the star but all grew from the same black spot that was circling the star. In comparison this dot, this blotch of void, of nothingness, was minuscle and seemed powerless in face of the destructive power of a star. But right now this small pinhead sized orb of black was harnessing, no, harvesting the star of its cosmic power, with greed and lust. Unwinding like petals of a flower the orb of black shattered as though it was glass. A hand reached out into empty space, followed by a current of jetblack hair and a face of crystal. A slim body lifted itself into the vast emptiness of space but instead of fending of the laws that tried to kill it the figure only smiled a wonderful crimson crescent. "Faaaaatheeeeer.", it moaned and the chains of doom began to crush the star into oblivion. Chapter 004: Decisions PLEASE READ AS IT MAY CONCERN YOU Straight to the point, don''t expect much action in the coming chapters, it will mostly be sight-seeing and stuff. And another thing that always bothered me and which I try to do my own way atm. For me Gods can also be imperfect beings, in truth I think nothing will ever be perfect and even something that could be considered the TRUE God has its faults. Is Nilen strong? Yes. Perfect? No. Don''t expect some all knowing and all powerful characters, that just isn''t my type, or how the germans like to say: That just isn''t my beer. :P (Please comment down below and tell me what you would like to see and where you wold want to see the story going.) I was back inside my small and lonely hut. It was lovely inside this tiny house, it exuded warmth and a feeling of security. Lovely as I said. I poured myself another cup of tea, it was seriously addicting, the feeling of taste I mean. I just couldn''t get enough of the slight bitterness, the mellow sweetness and the heat of the boiling water. ''But for today that shall be my last cup'', I watched the tea stir inside the cup as I placed it back on the table. The war had to be put to a stop and although I hated it the simplest way was in a display of unsurmountable might. Picking up my simple cane I knocked it once on the ground before leaving. I turned around and watched as the lodge was swallowed by the hungry earth. Waves of dirt and stoned washed over the wooden walls and ceiling, made it cave under its force until there was nothing left. Now it was time to leave this forest. Not wishing to bother with any of the various predators lurking in the shadows I blinked once again to the outskirts of the forest. Although time was of essence I had no qualms in traveling in a more... leisure manner. I took a seat on the ground laid the cane onto my lap and began concentrating, not about a spell or anything but how my magic should look like. It should be said that there were virtually no restraints on my magic, I could do whatever I wanted to do but that didn''t mean that I''d pass on on making it look cool at the very least. I thought and wrecked my head for an answer. There were so many awe inspiring things that I could do now, in fact they were too many. What does one do with all the power of the cosmos at their fingertips? There was no one to give me an adequate answer, they didn''t know how it felt to be allpowerful but without idea on what to do with it. To put a stop to the war was simple enough, but in which way should I do it? Let it look like a prophecy of the Gods with halos of sunfire floating in the wind? Should I rupture the earth and summon a colossal titan, a messenger of Gaia, the God of earth itself? What if I tried a diplomatic approach instead of forcing those many races into reconciliation? That way they would be better equipped for a future where I already left this world. I do not wish for my legacy to be a short lived one after all. Soooo... many things I had to worry about, problems that might arise, different ways to solve the ongoing conflict, and so on and so forth. ''I guess I should first see for myself the current state of affairs.'', I mused, dusted of my robes and stood up. There was no point in endlessly debating and weighing my choices against each other if I hadn''t even been to the human kingdom yet. Though I wondered as I stood up and let the a wave of earth carry me forward. They talked about a war and yet in the moment I warped onto the battlefield the body count was barely in the thousands, humans and demons alike. Either this was just a scout force, a little skirmish between two sides, or there was something else to this ''war'' entirely. To find out I had to reach the capital first. And before any rash decision a detour for the demon lands would be profitable as well. After all there was no risk to my life regardless where I went, there simply wasn''t anybody strong enough to threaten me. With a goal, albeit vague, in mind I let myself ride my earthen steed into the horizon; bracing the wind. Halfway through my travel I noticed a peculiar detail; I had no idea where I have to go. Being intoxicated with the feeling of absolute came with its detriments, well... never mind, back to square one. So, after using my divine powers I located the human kingdom, it was pretty easy if you consider that I am essentially scattered throughout reality, or my powers that is. To keep things interesting I only took a short glance at the capital and its overall direction, I was not one to kill my own joy. Back again on my hill of living earth I rode northwest and this time I made sure to keep the direction in mind. Though I didn''t come far before I bumped into an odd sight. If it hadn''t been for my augmented eyes I would have missed the flickering light of red at the horizon. I had a quirky feeling in my guts, that what I was about to see would be an undesirable sight. Hastened by this urging feeling in my heart I sped into the direction of the red amber until the illusion unmade itself as a burning village. Be it my for my eyes or the thin crescent of silver in the firmament the illumination that was gifted to me and the sights that it uncovered were to much for my comfort. I had guessed so already but most of the people were dead, or dying for that matter, and what I was about to do might have been the cruelest thing I did so far. Instead of hunting down the trite bandits that lingered and slumbered not to far from here I ressurected the villagers, I rebuild and restructured the village in its entirety, wiped their memories clean and gave them a little something. Weapons and armor, molded to fit the hundreds of villagers perfectly, ordered by name and placed in the large market square. With another flick of my wrist I unwinded time in this place so much that the bandits stood now once again at the village''s gates, banging and spitting on the splintering wood. I woke up the sleeping villagers, implanted a single thought in their heads: Survive! and left as fast as I could. It was not my place to erradicate the bandits, I had no right to do so. Whatever it was that happened to them, the bandits turned into money- and pleasure-grubbing humans for a reason. Unwilling or willing it was a decision made by THIS world, a choice I DID NOT WANT to interfere with. And neither could I simply ressurect those villagers and let it be over with. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. They were presented with another chance and now they had to prove themselves to this world. With austere face I left. ''Bummer.'' ---------- A whole week passed by since the village incident, I gazed for a final time over them and saw that the bandit forces were pushed back with a few sacrifices here and there, a satisfying result. I was somewhat disgruntled by the whole situation and my own indecisiveness on how to handle the situation correctly. Retrospective I am unsure if I hadn''t interfered to much with the reality of this world, but now I just had to let it be, it was in the past. And all of that after I had decided for myself that I didn''t care since I was the All-powerful, what a shame. I shock my head, slapped my cheeks and pinched my arm, I would have none of that. What I did was what I had decided to be the best, so be it then! ''Much better.'' In the future I would further contemplate on such and similiar situations but for now I managed to calm my emotions. Steadfast I continued on for two more days until the next signs of civilization glimmered on the horizon. The most eyecatching feature of the capital, I made sure that it was the capital, was the single cyclopean spire that grasped for the heavens. It was a ginormous sentinel of marble, gold-veined and splitting the sunlight atwain, casting a sharp shadow on the shallow wrinkles called city. I marveled for a good minute or two, absorbed the sheer magnificience of the structure aptly called ''White Sword of Jourinas'', who this Jourinas persona is I had yet to find out. A few miles apart from the bustling capital I stepped down onto the ground, let the bump of earth withdraw to its brethren and took the last half hour or so by foot. The weather was mild and the breeze light when I reached the outer space of the grand capital. Acres and acres of farmland stretched as wide as the eye could see, a fierce river pierced the city in half and the populace laughed and smiled. Whereas most towns and whole countries struggle to maintain order, the slums, the capital of Jouians made a decently good job. If my eyes didn''t deceive me I could swear the houses for the poor were provided by the capital itself, as well as a few scraps of food and safe to drink water. It was rare to see such a thing in times of war, if those times even existed and were not just idiotic pretense to reinforce one''s reign. I pushed the thoughts aside for now and ordered myself into a steadily growing line of people. Carriages, big and small, rode over the somewhat paved roads. Drivers and passengers alike shouted and talked, laughed and cursed, some were drunk others sober but they all shared the same satisfaction, the same feeling of belonging, I wonder when I would feel the same. The guards stationed at the convexing gates checked the oncoming waves of people with scrutinizing eyes. Beneath their visors shined with zeal whenever a drunk or rowdy agitator made itself noticeable and with drawn swords they paced forward and the masses made way. It was a wondrous spectacle how those guards put their all in maintaining the order, any kind of embezzlement or bribery was denied with a grunt and fist to the guts. They shut down the troublemakers as if their life was on the line. It made me think about this whole capital. As it was my turn I tried to smile the most compliant smile I could muster, sadly to say it was quickly admonished by a doubtful glare of a guard. "Papers.", a husky voice demanded from the side. It was a guard with unshaven face, hammer nose and caustic mien. The dark brown eyes hawked down on me with spite, I was unsure on what to do in this situation. In that moment the village a few weeks prior came to mind. "I must deeply apologize but I have no such documents. I hail from a certain backwater village around the Biram Peak Forest and as a simple farmer with a bit of insight in the works of the holy I thought about trying my luck here.", I tell taled with the most honest voice I had in store. The guard gulped and part of his front crumbled down. "The Biram forest.... Unbelievable.", the guard mumbled and maybe it was just imagination but I swear I could see the man tremble for a second before he returned to his stoic demeanor. "I don''t believe you, prove your abilities!", the man pulled me to the side so that other people could pass through. "With pleasure.", I complied, gripped onto my thumb and ripped with a powerful tug. I heard the bones popping from their sockets and tendons screeching and snapping, the pain didn''t even register as I was too amused by the twitch in the man''s face. Don''t see everyday a man simply break his thumb like that. I whispered incoherent words that I made up on the spot, added a radiance of golden light around my hand and let the thumb snap back from itself. I moved my fully restored finger in front of the guard before he sighed and we went back to the gate. "Ok, I believe you... I will accompany you to the registration building now.", the man spoke up and turned back. "OY CARL! I have to accompany some villager here. You take on my post for the time being!". "Sure will do!", another equally deep voice rang out from the hordes of guards around the gate. "You. With me!", slowly I got accustomed to the man''s brash attitude. "Name?", he asked once again and all I could answer back was a simple. "Nilen.". "My name is Born.", he didn''t waste time to give me a handshake or some sort of greeting but I was fine with it. We marched on in silence, mostly it was Born that kept to himself and me sighing in awe and astonishment from the myriad of sights, until we reached a wide building with various of people storming in and out. The red roof was accentuated by the midday sun and the words Registration Office glimmered on a low hanging sign. "Follow me.", Born said in his adorably emotionless tone. Don''t understand me wrong, I find every being just simply adorable and funny, even the most ''vile'' or ''divine'' of creatures. When you can be considered the father of all creation you would surely understand. Had I only known the surprise that awaited inside the building I would have made a sharp turn for the exit... Chapter 005: Magic (Guys I am so sorry. I wanted to post this sooner but I got hooked on a simple text based RPG game that is called ''a dark room''. It is just so addicting and even more so to somebody with an avid imagination like me. I can only tell you guys to try it out, its for free after all. Surely some of you will find it boring but I can''t get enough of it.... GAAAWWWD! I still hope you enjoy this chapter and maybe I will add another extra chapter to go in-depth in how magic works. I already got it all figured out, with ki, magic and soul force and stuff. Just don''t know where I should start with the explanations. Anyway, enjoy! :D ) "Ehm... So... What am I supposed to do now?", I asked innocently as a blazing explosion of light drowned the room in the colours of the rainbow. Let''s skip back a bit, shall we? The whole situation escalated shortly after I entered the building with the oh so loquacious Born. --------- Born ushered me over a flight of stairs, leading into the dantesque building made of cobblestone and brick. The whole complex was supported by massive wooden pillars stationed inside, those massive rods were likewise supported by crossbars and anchored onto the ground via crude and simple bolts and various metal plates. For some it might have looked plain, maybe laughable but all I could see was the great effort the architect put into building this structure; it oozed with the alacrity of hundreds to build, to create with their own hands. What a wonderful air it had to it. Alas beauty and all aside I had to give my trusty cane away as a security measure, I hated to admit it but it ached my heart to see my good ''ol friend being taken away so roughly. I am just jesting of course. I liked the sobriety with which the guards executed their job and although they could use a smile from time to time their job was done excellently. Applause for the mentor of these lads, he taught them good. Born guided me through winding paths and oblong halls until I reached a certain room with a hint of magic to it. Before even entering, standing in front of the menacious ebonwood door, I caught onto the scent of the supernatural, the mystical, the outlandish. It was a faint layer of magical runes atop the doorknob, pulsing with invisible sheen. Born stepped aside and waved me into the room. "You enter first.", he grunted in his same old voice, his tessitura was confined only to the lowest of notes it seemed. As if I hadn''t seen through the ploy already?! It was a test on whether I had any magical properties or not, the runes would react on the signals every magician radiates and then unlock the door. This was all done just because I said I was somewhat proficient in healing magic? I am flattered. We didn''t even get to the main reason of my stay here, to register me as a citizen. I somehow felt they had their priorities all wrong. Whatever. I unlocked the door without the slightest pause or change in my facial expression and stepped inside. I was greeted by a frugally clothed man in his seventies at the very least, and I am being generous here. The man teetered back and forth inside his rocker, a pipe stuck between his creased lips and milky spectacles set on his hooknose he emanated age and wisdom. Grey hairs peeked from his nostrils with each sleepy breath he took and I had to fight the urge to smack him down on the table and pluck them out one by one. Born closed the door behind me, a click and surge of mana notifying that the test was once again remade for the next person to enter. "Ehem!", Born coughed to get the attention of the soundly sleeping crock. The dodderer moved in his seat, the robes, drenched in a pungent smell, swayed from side to side, but to our dismay the man didn''t wake up. Born grunted, approached the table the manw as seated behind and smacked his thick hand onto the wood. *BOOM! CRACK!* One could hear wood slightly splinter from this guard''s massive amount of strength he put behind that smack. "W-What? Huh! Who?!", the old coot exxclaimed and nearly fell dwon from his chair. Still somewhat tipsy from the deep slumber and rough awakening the man welcomed us with half opened eyes and droll rolling down his ajar mouth. "Oh. Oh! Born who is this lad?", the old man asked whilst under the murderous glare of my guard guide. Born crossed his arms over his broad chest pointed with his stout chin at me and grunted one of his rare full sentences. "That guy is called Nilen. Wants to start off as a healer. I came to check on his affinity. Prepare that for me, will ya Mirer?", Born told and the old man nodded in response. "Sure, sure, wait a moment.", Mirer complied and stood up from the dark brown chair. His body lurched back and forth and I feared he would just topple over from decrepitude but in the last moments he managed his posture to stand upright and move towards a single shelf behind him. Inside of the grained rack, behind sheets of glass, stood many kinds of magical devices and instruments, the most prominent though was a sheer plethora of sparkling white orbs, all meticulously ordered and cleaned from dust and other filth. Mirer''s old and wrinkled hands reached for a pouch in his robe and with a bit of fiddling he pulled out an assortment of keys. Trembling he reached for the keyhole, inserted one of the many aerose keys and opened one of the compartements. He grabbed inside and turned back with one of those white orbs. He placed it on the table, shut the cabinet and sat down. "Placed your hand here.", he illustrated with his own hand. "And then wait for me to activate the mechanism inside.", his raspy voice instructed. I did as I was told and cupped my hand atop the smooth surface of the ball. I waited a few seconds before Mirer whispered some odd incantation whereupon the ball began to glow in a faint gold. The mechanism behind it was extremely simple. One infused the globe with runes that reacted upon the presence of mana. Then to hinder the orbs from self-activating all the time and eroding the quality of the runes one had to cast a spell on them so that they may only activate once this certain spell is cast. As long as one programmed the runes to react with the display of certain colours to certain affinities one had created a device that was essentail for any magician. Stolen novel; please report. Now for those that wonder, how does the device pick up the mana without even anyone doing anything. For that I should explain firstly how magic works. ****** Magic is a product created by an energy called ''mana'', it is spread out through whole dimensions and universes but not all are born with what is known as a ''Manalytix''. The Manalytix is an organ, or rather a kind of tissue, composed of two parts. The first part is a thin membrane of two kinds wrapped around the otherwise ordinary nerves and the second part is a central knot directly inside the brain. Much like ordinary nerves the ''Primary mana nerves'' send pulses of mana from the outside towards the ''Mana core'' where it can be stored, refined and once again transmitted to the outside by the ''Secondary mana nerves''. The affinity one has depends on the genetic makeup and cannot be acquired through training. ****** Back to the question at hand. The Manalytix is unable to store all the mana inside without bits and pieces of it leaking, meaning that those traces of mana can be picked up. The construct though was flawled since it only determined which affinity you had but not how high it was since that in itself was an impossibility. Whatever affinity you have is already mastered, it only depends on your talent and how you use it. The light only shows how much mana you got in store since the more you have the more you radiate it to the outside. Now I could talk all day about mana and one''s mana pool but let''s leave that for later. "Truly, you have affinity. But it doesn''t seem to be much.", he concluded and was about to pull the orb away with slight dissatisfaction visible on his old face. My pride was, let''s say, a bit scratched by this old man''s bold statement. I willed the mana I kept bottled up inside of me to leave, undid the self-imposed bindings that kept it all in check. At a crawling pace I controlled the leakage of mana and ever so slowly I allowed my true potential to show. "Strange... Your affinity keeps growing.", Mirer muttered and began to re-inspect the orb. The golden sheen turned into a small light and then into a blinding radiance. "Impossible!", Mirer shouted and even Born''s interest was peaked by the light that was ever growing in intensity. I stopped the smirk that was about to form on my lips. But I was not finished yet. I added to the mix all affinities and colours I could came up with at the moment until a swirling spiral of glistening lights enveloped the whole room. "Fire! Water! Earth! Wind! Lightning! Ice! D-Darkness?! Wh- What? I can''t- What are those affinities?", Mirer began shouting as to the burning light a shrill peep was added. From a low screech it turned into an ominous howl accompanied by the sound of breaking glass. I myself was astounded by the sudden development and forced the orb in my hands to calm down. As the light settled my hand was fuming and my palm was burned red. The ball was now grey and a spiderweb of cracks ran down its once smooth surface. In the far off right corner was a huddling Mirer and sometime I hadn''t paid attention Born followed suit and was now seated on his behind, on the ground of course. Seems I overdid it. I summoned a gust of wind, picking up from the ground it rose upwards and the draft pulled the two grown men onto their legs. Cheekily I scratched my head. "Welp. That was surprising.", I added, emphasizing my overall sloppy and careless attitude. "That was surprising my ass! Boy, how did ya do that?", Mirer was the first of the two to begin a symbolical bombardment of questions. Born only stood to the far side with a look that said: "You are just a healer, huh?! Healer my ass!", it was an enjoyable experience in sum but I saw no point in taking this any further. "I will tell you how we will proceed now, and you two will listen carefully.", I grinned a menacing smile. "None of this has happened, you have seen nothing. I am but a simple healer that looks for work in the capital. After all humanity is currently at war with the demons, a healer should find some work with all the wounded, right? Secondly, you will give me any information you have concerning Saint Jourinas, books and all. You will tell me everything about the government and the ''war'' that is under way. And no, this is not a simple request, this is an order.", for once I let myself loose, coupled my aura of domination with lingering bloodlust and the result was just as expected. Even Born was scared to the core. My true colours ain''t all that nice, right fellas? "W-what are you really?", the old man Mirer managed to stutter. What would be an appropriate answer to this generic question? I questioned how to handle the situation but in the end reached the conclusion that whatever I did now I would have messed up anyway. So as to train my future role as a great menace looming above this world and forcing it to unite under one banner I tried to let loose the throttle that assuaged my varying spectrum of emotions I could freely display. I picked out, naturally, bloodlust. A roaring bloodlust that tampered even with the physical world. "It doesn''t matter who or what I am, but if you want to delve deeper into the matter let me give you a bit of advice. The abyss shows no remorse and the void doesn''t let you scream, you and nor your family. Let it settle for now. Born, I think my registration is not yet finished, right?", my wonderfully charming smile seemed to send shivers down their spines. Ok, enough of the bad guy act. I can''t stand to mentally torture what could be considered my children. I gestured for the trembling Born to leave and so he did. While we were at it I added: "Oh yes, the walk will be long and boring, right? How about you tell me all about this world. I just need a quick refresher of knowledge." Born shuddered as I addressed him and, after a while of what I perceived to be some kind of inner struggle, he reluctantly openned his mouth and revealed to me all he knew. Behind me I felt Mirer relax, his mind rejoicing that he was able to shirk whatever I was about to do with Born. "Hehe... Interesting.", I muttered for only me to hear.