Crimson energy descended in the center of the plaza, swirling like a vortex of scarlet dust. The air grew heavy as Aurelion materialized from within the storm.
His massive wings unfurled, displacing the air with a strong flap. He scanned the crowd, his scarlet gaze drifting from Velmoryn to Velmoryn. The crowd stumbled back instinctively, eyes wide with fear, putting distance between themselves and the tall entity.
Only Tekla held her ground.
She had seen Aurelion before. She knew he was not a harbinger of destruction, but a guardian.
“Do not fear!” she called out, her voice cutting through the rising panic. “He is High Father's messenger.”
She rushed toward the Angel with a warm, welcoming smile and bowed low, awaiting his instructions.
Aurelion’s wings shifted, twitching slightly. He couldn't quite hide his excitement. He turned his attention toward Mel, who stood frozen near the temple steps. To her, Aurelion was a titan, standing a full head taller than even the largest warrior of the tribe.
“Our Lord rewards those who seek and strive,” Aurelion announced, voice low. He extended a hand toward the child.
Mel hesitated. She took a trembling step back, overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the being before her.
“Mel, do not be afraid,” Tekla instructed. Her voice was firm, leaving no room for hesitation.
But Aurelion didn't wait.
He realized the child was terrified. Instead of forcing her to come closer, he opened his palm. The cyan amulet, suspended on its gold chain, floated gently into the air, drifting toward her. Ironically, this telekinesis was nearly the limit of his ability to manipulate divinity, but to the mortals, it looked like a miracle.
Mel reached out tentatively.
As her fingers brushed the cold metal of the artifact, the crystal flared with a blinding crimson light. A pulse of energy washed over her, establishing an instant, soul-bound connection.
I had designed it so that the moment she touched the relic, she would instinctively understand its function. It was a test to see if I could passively transfer knowledge without words.
Mel blinked, her fear dissolving into pure wonder. The light faded, and the amulet grew heavy in her palm, humming against her skin. She clutched it to her chest, her gaze darting from the pulsing stone to the towering figure of the Angel.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
The words barely escaped her lips. For a child known for her brashness and bold spirit, it was a struggle to find her voice at all.
The crowd watched in awe, their gaze lingered on Mel as she studied the amulet. Then, a low voice broke the silence.
“What is that?”
A Velmoryn pointed a finger at Aurelion.
Nested in the crook of the Angel’s massive elbow, completely dwarfed by his bicep, lay a ball of snow-white fur and feathers. The tiny creature was sound asleep, curled into a tight circle, its tail draped over its eyes to shield them from the light.
“For the daughter who never ceases to make Father proud,” Aurelion said softly, lowering his arm to place the griffin on the ground.
Tekla’s eyes lit up, a radiant smile breaking across her face.
“For me?”
She didn’t wait for an answer. She crouched next to the griffin cub as it yawned, a high-pitched squeak escaping its beak. It stretched its body, white fur standing on end.
It slowly opened its eyes, blinking to clear its vision, revealing vertical slits of piercing cyan. It fixed its gaze on Tekla and crept toward her, belly low to the ground as if cautious.
It took a sniff, tasted the air around her, and immediately relaxed. A deep, vibrating rumble started in its chest as it rubbed its head against her, making warm, chirping sounds.
Tekla scooped the tiny cub into her arms and hugged it close, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Thank you, Father…” I heard her whisper.
“Take good care of him,” I responded, casting my voice into her mind.
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I wanted to keep watching. I wanted to know what name she would choose for the beast. But I had much more important matters to attend to.
I shifted the Window.
Karla had finished training Ninali and was waiting for me.
Divine Kingdom.
Without wasting time, I pulled the Elf into my dominion. I assumed that since she was my believer now, I could still use my skill on her. If not, it meant I had lost one of my most valuable abilities after ranking up.
I was right.
Karla manifested amidst a swirl of crimson energy, already kneeling.
“I’m relieved to see the ascension was successful,” she said the moment her eyes landed on me, seated on the throne.
Her words caught me off guard, so much so that I struggled to respond.
How does she know? Even Tekla didn’t know I was in slumber, and her bond with me is by far the strongest.
I was certain the System hadn't revealed my condition. No Velmoryn could see those blue windows, and while I wasn't entirely sure, I doubted Elves could either.
Only one possibility remained. Either she had somehow witnessed me in my slumbering state, or it was Aurelion. Perhaps, in his naivety, my overly honest Angel had revealed my condition to her.
But Karla’s next words proved me wrong.
“Once, Mother was gone for decades. Her Angels told us she was in the process of growing her strength…”
The Goddess was too open with the Elves. Or perhaps it is I who am overly cautious.
Either way, Aurelion was innocent. And Karla’s words forced me to view things from a different angle. I had already assumed the Goddess had an Angel - if I had Aurelion, why wouldn’t she? She was considered one of the strongest deities, after all.
But if she truly had not just an Angel, but Angels... then why were none of them in the memory I saw of her last battle? Had they died before the fight even began, or perhaps they were still alive, hidden in the same place as the rest of the Elves?
I immediately activated Guidance.
[Knowledge about other deities cannot be obtained using Guidance.]
I had expected as much. Even after a year of existence as a god, I still failed to understand the world I lived in. There were simply too many unknowns. And obtaining answers repeatedly proved to be the hardest task of all.
“I have a quest for you,” I said, breaking the silence before it stretched too long.
Karla didn’t respond; she simply bowed her head.
“I have an egg of a beast I wish to entrust to you.” I willed one of the eggs forward, floating it until it hovered before Karla. “The species inside is extinct in your world. I wish to grant it a second chance at life.”
Karla gently grasped the egg, her hands shimmering with silver light.
She can use her mana within my dominion.
“High Father, I fear it might take me decades to awaken this child,” she admitted after a brief inspection. “Sadly, I am not on the level my sisters were. The amount of pure mana I can channel is limited. I apologize if I have failed you.”
“I never gave you a time limit,” I replied, masking my disappointment. Guidance hadn't provided an estimate, leaving me unaware of the massive amount of time required.
“I am relieved, Lord.” She began to trace the sign of a half-moon over her chest but caught herself, quickly changing the gesture to the outline of an oak tree. “High Father, unless you wish to delay the hatching, may I offer an alternative?”
“Speak,” I commanded, barely containing my curiosity.
“I intended to make this request later, but I believe the timing is now ideal. I wish to take a select few to hunt the guardian of the forest, the beast the Velmoryns call Kurraghal.”
Disappointment washed over me again. I had considered this method the moment I learned that channeling life force into eggs was possible, but the Kurraghal was unique. Killing it to revive another species felt like a waste - especially since the hatchlings would be too young to aid in the war against the Night God.
“Lord, I realize you do not wish to harm the creature my Mother created. And I am grateful for it.” Karla continued, sensing my hesitation. “But I have sensed Mother’s power fading from the forest… her spell will soon cease to work… I wish to use the last of her gifts to strengthen Your Children... my new brothers and sisters. Please, allow us to hunt the beast while it is still possible for it to be reborn.”
Reborn?
I immediately activated Guidance.
[Goddess’s Seal]
When designing the barrier surrounding the forest, the previous God of Elves ensured that all creatures within would be bound to the cycle of life through her sacrificed divinity. No matter their strength, the beasts of this domain are destined to return.
Kurraghal shall be reborn one month following its death. The creature will lose all memories and accumulated power, remaining in a vulnerable state until it matures into its adult form.