Dismissing my courier basilisk, I channeled my divinity into the orb. The scarlet sphere shimmered, and then the red surface peeled away like the skin of an onion, revealing a tiny memory stone inside.
Were those demons deceived into thinking they had delivered an artifact that would convert more velmoryns?
Even though Guidance had not shown me anything that confirmed it, I still couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that touching the sphere might have affected a velmoryn. I was certain it could not change their race, but harm? That it could certainly do.
However, when it came to me, I wasn’t worried in the slightest. Within my own realm my power was absolute, and besides, even though I had once failed to understand why my divinity overwhelmed the Night God’s so easily, I was now certain that my Radiance was far superior.
As the scarlet shell fully dissolved, I moved the memory stone closer to me. The glow within it was faint and very small, which meant the vision it carried would be short.
The moment I activated it, my sight blurred and the memory flooded my mind.
I saw him.
The Night God stood in a vast dark expanse, draped in a long leather robe of gothic design. A full silvery-green moon hung above him, casting a faint light where he stood, though the surrounding space remained veiled in absolute darkness.
A woman knelt before him. A human. Her eyes were closed, and she was completely naked.
The Night God held a needle threaded with red string. As the vision drew closer, he raised the needle to the woman’s eyelid and began stitching it.
She made no sound.
“Greetings, God of Velmoryn,” he said calmly, without turning his head. “There is no need to be alarmed. This is merely a vision. Gods can communicate in this way.”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“I have attempted to resolve our meaningless conflict many times in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Considering my status and your… well, let us admit that you can barely be called a deity, you stand no chance against my army, or against me should we truly clash. The outcome of our conflict is already decided… But that is not my point.”
The woman trembled violently, flinching each time the needle pierced her eyelid but the Night God continued without pause.
“Do not mistake my words for a threat. Actually, do so if you wish,” he said, his voice beginning to carry a trace of irritation. “But this is the last chance I will offer you. Give up the elf, and in return I will release those useless fools who believe I am their savior. Refuse my proposal and…”
His voice darkened as the stitches on his eyes began to glow, swallowing the surrounding light. The darkness swelled until neither the woman nor the Night God could be seen.
“You have yet to experience the world of gods,” his voice echoed as the light gradually returned. “I hope I will not be the one forced to teach you that lesson.”
The last thing I saw was the woman lying at his feet, unmoving, her body withered as though she had aged centuries in a single moment.
Then the vision ended, and I returned to my realm.
He underestimates me far too much.
His remarks about the vision, his army, and a possible divine duel… none of it felt particularly imposing. I had experienced fear before. I still remembered that woman - the one who erased the Netherworld Marquess without the slightest effort. That had been truly terrifying.
But the Night God? If anything, this message had eased my mind.
The only thing that unsettled me was how casually he had killed that poor and foolish woman. He clearly had no regard for his believers.
Wasn’t I the same when I first became a god?
A memory surfaced in my mind - the very first hunt of my believers. Back then I had not cared if some of the weaker velmoryns died. In fact, part of me had hoped the monsters would slay someone so I could confirm whether their souls would reach me.
But I was no longer the same.
Now I cared deeply for my believers, even if that concern had developed almost involuntarily.
Perhaps it was the nature of divinity itself. Or perhaps gods whose Authority centered around a specific race or group of mortals inevitably developed a stronger attachment to them, just like the Goddess or Lilith…
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Either way, I was nothing like Noah.
No, I shouldn’t become overconfident. Even if he underestimates me, he is still more powerful, with who knows how many followers and those grotesque creatures. And I cannot even be certain that he truly underestimates me.
Sophia had warned me not to believe a single word that sleazebag said. For all I knew, his ignorance was nothing but an act meant to lower my guard.
As I made a mental note to remain cautious, Tekla’s soft and pleasant voice passed through my mind.
“Father, please show me the right path. Please show me if I am making a mistake…”
What is she talking about?
I had not been observing her. My attention had been focused entirely on the vision, with only a small portion of it directed toward Amon, who was currently pestering Karla with questions.
As I shifted the Window, I saw Tekla inside the recently completed council hall. She sat with the other vaels around a round table carved from the deep red roots of Orrvyn. Only Lyle and the Crimson Tribe vael were missing.
“I’m relieved our nation has grown strong enough to deal with such powerful creatures with ease,” Othrien said, shifting uncomfortably as the wooden chair pressed against his stiff back. “Are we certain they were from the Blue Tribe? Perhaps those monsters h…”
I didn’t wait for Othrien to finish speaking, nor for the council to continue their speculation.
Carefully choosing what to show them, I sent down two visions. One revealed that the attackers were indeed velmoryns transformed into demons, and the other showed that the red sphere was nothing more than a message intended for me.
At first I had considered hiding that information, worrying that the velmoryns would not appreciate learning they were pawns in a war between gods. In the end I decided otherwise, mostly because I chose to trust my believers. I knew for a fact they were loyal and devoted followers of mine, and I also wanted them to see the difference between how I treated them and how the Night God had sacrificed five demons simply to deliver a message.
Please work…
Though I had decided to show them the vision, I wasn’t even certain it would work with my new limitation. However, their eyes soon dilated and bodies slumped in the chairs as their minds processed the images.
The quiet didn’t last long. A moment later, they recovered.
“Did you all see it?” Freya asked, though the expressions around the table already gave her the answer.
“The gods… our Lord is at war? Is that why…” Nelya murmured as she put down the cup of water, now empty. She studied other vaels carefully, trying to read their true reactions.
Silence settled over the room. Some were lost in thought, while others simply did not dare speak, afraid they might offend a deity.
“Father stood against another god to protect us,” Tekla finally said, her voice low. “Instead of abandoning a weak race like ours, He chose to fight for us.”
Othrien and Freya nodded slowly. The Silver Tribe’s vael, however, shook her head. She hesitated for a while, opening her mouth several times before closing it again without speaking. Eventually she gathered the courage.
“Or perhaps it is because of our Lord that we are being targeted,” Nelya said carefully, the traces of age on her face deepening as her eyes narrowed. “Maybe that is why the Goddess locked us in the forest. To shield us from the other gods. To spare us the price of freedom.”
In a way she was not entirely wrong, which was why I did not feel anger toward her. But that did not mean Tekla would be equally patient.
“And what would have happened if Father had not sent our warriors to save you from Vael Akrion? What would have happened if High Father hadn’t saved us all from those vile spiders?” Tekla shot back, her gaze sharp enough to make Nelya lower hers. “Trying to blame our misfortunes on our Lord? Do I need to remind you what you and the Blue Tribe did to our people? How you took our children and stole our food? Have you forgotten why you sit here now, and what your predecessor did? Do not mistake Father’s benevolence for weakness, because I…”
As Tekla’s voice rose, it became clear she was losing control of her anger. I briefly considered intervening, although I was reluctant to create a precedent of showing mercy to those mortals who insulted me.
Fortunately Othrien spoke first.
“Nelya,” he said loudly enough to interrupt Tekla. When she fell silent, he continued smoothly, “What would have happened to the Silver Tribe if those five demons had come to you instead?”
Nelya did not answer.
“After joining Eriavel,” Othrien continued, “I realized the Crimson Tribe is far stronger than the rest of us. Perhaps stronger than all of us combined. And it took them less than a year to obtain such strength. Have you ever seen a settlement like Eriavel? Look at the buildings, the order, the way the tribe lives. Have you noticed that our Lord forbids duels among our kin? Have you noticed that newborns are stronger than before? We are healthier, stronger, and united now. Your tribe was ready to die for the Goddess who abandoned us, yet you hesitate to stand for our own future? For the Lord who protects us like a true father?”
Nelya remained silent for a moment before bowing her head toward Tekla.
“I apologize, Priestess,” she said quietly. “I will accept my punishment.”
Tekla sat in silence, her gaze lowered.
“Father… what should I do?” she asked.
But I chose not to respond. Only by relying on herself would she grow.
“True remorse is already punishment enough. I am certain Father would not approve if I were to punish you harshly,” she said after a pause, her eyes still fixed on the table. “Besides, I myself failed our Lord today.”
“Priestess,” Freya gasped. She considered standing up to comfort Tekla but quickly remembered where she was and remained seated.
“It is true. I hesitated and showed my inability to pass judgment quickly on those… demons.”
Tekla raised her head and glanced toward Othrien.
“We need to change the structure of our nation. I will gladly shepherd our kin, but when it comes to warfare, experienced warriors should be the ones making decisions.”
“Perhaps Mirion and Dariel would agree…” Othrien suggested, thinking Tekla had finished speaking, but she cut him off.
“And I have another proposal. We should elect one leader. Someone above the council. Someone able to make difficult decisions and bear the responsibility. And I already have the perfect person in mind.”