The deepest room of the tombs were strewn with cobwebs, skulls, and an atmosphere installed by experts of their field. It was home, it was home to 'him'. To honor the great Echo, he turned to the foolish adventurers that had dared enter his catacombs. The struggling warmth of life disgusted him and he, the great necromancer of Duval (ranked 41st out of 100 local necromancers), would usher in the forgone conclusion of these intruders.
They were arranged before him in an upside down star sigil on the ground with two of the star's points cross hatched with repeating dark lines. The Great symbol of Absolute-Satin bubbled with power and despite the events to come, the necromancer had moments to fondly recall the many debates in his magic lessons at school. Most of the students were dead which did dampen the mood; the natural life expectancy of an apprentice wizard was between 2 and 200 years after leaving their place of education.
Something about unleashing overconfident hormonally-charged teens able to throw fireballs into the world seemed to invite disaster.
Still, despite the fact that many of his fellow practitioners died via pulling a small furry mammal out of the wrong location, he never did figure out why this particular symbol made every ritual it was a part of turn dramatically malevolent. Lights turned red, winds picked up, candles burned black, eerie music sung by an unseen choir drifted through random closets, and the average wizard's orb signal dropped to two bars.
The symbol was just that evil without any known reason.
Still, it did make doing actual unlawful deeds easier. He paused as he looked around suspiciously at dark corners of his lair.
"Note, mentally add 'hypothetically' to all future thoughts about evil deeds in case of mind lawyers," the Necromancer announced to himself and turned to the panicked adventurers who surely could use the power of friendship and love to escape cast-iron chains.
Surely.
"This is where you all hypothetically perish," the man declared as he raised his mana to focus this sacrifice to his patron. The dreaded Echo of utter malice and consumption. Shefu-dood rewarded all his followers for inhaling and indulging in disgusting meals that would turn a good person's stomach.
Rotten fish head and mashed green egg. The crunchy knuckles of a deadman and guacamole. Thricely reheated cheese pizza slices.
The Necromancer held his stomach as even he, a favored amongst the Echo, could only endure so much foulness.
The leader of the group struggled, cursing him as they struggled. The leader was typical, some dashingly good looking person that the Necromancer had to admit... he hadn't the foggiest what they might be. He hadn't seen fresh skin in years.
It made him feel naked for a moment.
"Cry out in terror, young sack of flesh with anxiety!" he cackled.
That should cover most people.
"As soon as I read forth this passage of my lord, you shall all eat until you die. Jam-covered fish fingers, Cold chicken chunks in watermelon sauce, bananas dipped in ketchup, and pickles covered in ice-cream!" the Necromancer said as the ominous chanting coming from under a nearby bench picked up pace.
Ignoring the panicked screams, he reached for his tome of darkness, the book that he had spent nearly all his life compiling. The book held sordid details on how to communicate with Echoes and some hidden magic to even bind them...
It also listed everything the Necromancer needed to live day to day since his memory was a little spotty at times. The book sat on a stand nearby, covered in so much protective magic that any mortal man would rot from the inside from simply spying its cover. No mortal or god-touched mortal could touch the book, no beast under the command of a mortal could harm it either, and no elements brought forth by demons, mortals, and even gods could scratch the book.
He opened the book and paused as three rats tore his pages up to make a nest, eating through nearly seventy years of work to have three little pink children.
It took all of five seconds to confirm a few things.
One, the rats were connected to divinity but none that directly controlled them. Two, the rats' eyes glowed a dull orange, and the third he noticed was his tomb was filled with staring orange eyes.
"I curse you with the uh... the spell of Demogor..." he trailed off as his mind came up blank as he only ever memorized the same four or five spells and they were all designed to single-target beefy people to explode them from the inside.
The rats in his grimoire arranged torn paper shreds into a passage.
'You're. Boned. Bone. Man.'
He didn't even have a chance to scream.
---
The adventurers slowly walked into bright sunshine in wary confusion. The leader turned back to the cloaked figure that looked lopsided under his black robe.
"So you're letting us go?" he asked, just to be sure and the Necromancer nodded, flopping his head dramatically to the point it almost fell off one side.
The leader was pretty sure this wasn't the same necromancer as before but they had no reason to doubt the new one. Skulls, limb bones, and rib cages all danced at his command.
"Thank you?" someone said and the necromancer waved them off before the arm just fell off in a heap and they hastily rushed to reattach it with a hiss to themselves.
Without warning, their upper torso spun 180 degrees and the legs began walking backwards without any concern as they slammed down an 'under new management' sign nearby before clicking their fingers at confused but obedient skeletons to start picking up weeds and cleaning tombstones.
This was the tale they told everyone back in town.
"Rats and Necromancer-mimes rising up? This could be dangerous, mistress," a fashionably dressed maid warned her patron who sipped warmed goat blood with some crackers nearby. The red eyes shot up once, showing some disinterest.
"Of course I wouldn't bring it up because I wish to see the magic rats. I would never. I am your loyal maid, Snug," the woman bowed, her joints clicking as she curtsied. The young looking vampire pointed her finger on the table in the inn, indicating a solid intention to head west with no detours.
"But miss... I didn't get to see the magic rat lawyers who ate that judge who was burning people for all crimes, nor did we get to see the rats running for mayor in the last town because the mayor tried to become a god by turning into a giant snake. I heard some rats are even becoming maids!" Snug said with excitement as she held her face.
Sarah ran her finger around in disgust.
"Yes, I know full well that turning into a giant snake never helped anyone, but I can't help but want to meet these rats," Snug admitted. Their waitress came over in a full robe and hood combo, their lower body moving like a swarm of tiny legs while their upper side seemed to be at war to stop their own hands eating the food they were bringing out.
"Best waitress I ever done seen around these parts," a grouchy old man said, sipping from his beer.
"But it's no rats," Snug sighed.
Sarah looked between her maid and the waitress with disbelief and then simply exhaled, tapping the table three times to indicate it was time to leave.
"Yes, mistress. You've been really eager since yesterday to reach this location. Was it to do with all the mages suffering mild heart attacks? Was the Archmage in trouble?" Snug pestered as she got the carriage ready with such efficiency, the horses didn't dare argue with the maid.
Sarah turned and made several hand gestures that indicated a lot of concepts in as few motions as possible.
"Yes, well the Arch-Fragment being corrupted in any form would likely allow the god in question to reform and since he perished before the accords were in place by the Sister... he would be exempt from them and be able to bring untold catastrophe to the lands," Snug said and Sarah frowned, then looked at her own hands as if surprised what she managed to convey.
"I was around when your father was alive. I recall such topics," Snug reminded as she ushered her mistress into the back of a carriage.
Sarah was still for a moment before making a few more gestures.
"I shall awaken you when we near Durence. I suspect it shan't take us long," Snug promised with a smile.
In the wheel of the carriage and on the roof, little shapes settled in for a long ride.
---
Delta felt great! She stretched and stood, getting her bearings after what felt like a much needed power nap. Nu and Prim seemed busy so she took the time to go through a few notifications, mostly interested in the new window under 'goddess' that appeared.
'You have unlocked Goddess goals 1-30. Would you like to review these goals and rewards?'
"Oh, I must have done a 'bless ten times' or got an avatar achievement," Delta said as she opened the list.
You have achieved the following goddess goals
- Achieve 100 followers. Improved bless.
- Achieve 1000 followers. Improved bless.
- Achieve 10,000 followers. Bless maximized.
- Achieve 100,000 followers: Avatar slots increased from 1>3
- Achieve 1,000,000 followers: Concept domain acquired. Choice time run out. Mushrooms selected.
- Achieve 10,000,000 followers: Godly form useable- Error. Dungeon. Sister fix: Able to manifest in the Dungeon to a select group of people.
"Stop," Delta said, smile becoming fixed.
- Achieve 100,000,000 followers. Celestial Beast: 'Rat Emperor' can be summoned with immense cost.
"Oh free pet, no wait, stop, go back!" Delta shook her head.
"Error, Rat King in secret garden is superior. Merging blueprints. Rat God-King usable as a future boss.
- Have followers in every land: double your divine territory
- Have over 1 million followers without ever having a sermon or peace rituals: Gained Goddess of War passive that makes all blessed stronger.
- Have over 1 million followers without ever conquering or forcing your faith on a land: Gained Goddess of Peace passive that makes all blessed healthy.
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"I don't think I can be a goddess of war and peace... feels kind of incompatible," Delta said slowly, her eyes blinking as she tried to process this all.
Passives merged and renamed: Goddess Delta: Blessings are just better.
Delta began to scroll as some of the achievements just felt impossible unless you knew what you were doing.
There was an achievement for spending less than a total of 24 hours inside an avatar before reaching so many followers so now all her avatars were stronger.
There was an achievement for being so popular without a temple (her dungeon didn't count yet) which let her turn 'natural' things like trees or trenches into divine homes or temples.
There was an achievement buried down in the list that said Delta was one of the most popular goddesses without making enemies of other gods which didn't seem right as Delta found a new screen with what looked like 'relationships'
Angor the God of Fishing and Freshwater has declared you an enemy.
Hy'lora the Goddess of Squirrels has declared you a heretic god.
Rynath the God of Money has declared you not fit for a bank card.
Wyin-Error: Yggdrassil: has declared you a thief.
There were a few more pages of 'dislike' and 'war' but there were a few names in green.
The Goddess of Truth had 'admire', and Sister along with Brother had her as 'rooting for'.
Another Goddess called Seignante had 'deep respect' and was the goddess of education.
The God of Rats left her a note that said 'please, I need a nap' and looked like someone signed off a messenger app.
It also listed a 'King of the Abyss' who was 'supporting Ruli's little friend'.
"Where did this all come from?" Delta asked as she teleported to the first floor and stared as she emerged out a ring of mushrooms that heralded her arrival.
"What."
She brought her menu as she felt Nu and Prim were much closer now.
'Domain: Mushrooms: All your blessed and creations have affinity with mushrooms and will often shape themselves in this divine shape to represent your will. Your ability to control mushrooms is absolute in the realm.'
Delta huffed.
"What else is new? Mushrooms when I sleep, mushrooms when I wake, mushrooms when I-" Delta complained before she finally turned to see the entrance to her dungeon and words died in her throat.
A large hole was torn into the ground, ripping open her entrance like someone took a shovel to an anthill. Her mana poured out, being scattered uselessly out like a wound that was bleeding as that building from before sat in the sky, sucking it all up like a torrent.
There was a lot of noise near the top of the stairs.
"And that looks like trouble," Delta said as she climbed the stairs and she crossed some invisible line, her avatar turned into that glowing orange form. It was a lot more concrete now, improved from last time in nearly every way.
A near-billion follower improvement.
At the top, Ruli, Quiss, and a lot of Durence folks seemed to be forming a barrier of glares against a sea of white and silver as in between, Yattina, her little understudy, and Serma from earlier were yelling orders. Delta looked between them and then to the floating Fairplay hotel/office building. It was amazing how they turned something as amazing as a floating island into something so... boring.
"What's going on?" she asked Ruli who didn't look back as she answered.
"Some people are queuing up for some character building," she said as her hands gripped her sword. Delta noticed Ruli and a few others felt exhausted as if they had jumped fromEcho fighting straight to defending Delta.
"All this for the dungeon?" Delta blinked at the literal swarm of Fairplay.
"Delta isn't just a 'dungeon'-" Ruli snapped and finally turned to look at Delta, her words freezing as she took Delta in.
"You're okay... but oh, I have the urge to bite you," Ruli said with a frown.
"I'm all goddess-y now. You might be picking up on it. I power-leveled the class, apparently," Delta said casually. Ruli reached out and her weight landed on Delta's shoulder. The ability to feel actual human contact nearly brought Delta to tears. It felt like she could maybe retain this physical form within ten or so feet of the dungeon.
"Good to see you," she said, voice quiet and Delta gave her a smile.
"Good to ocean you too," she finger-gunned and Ruli visibly grimaced and recoiled.
"The Abomination rises," someone called and Delta looked across the field, using a mix of mana and a strange 'faith' vision to see someone with a broken Seed holding the majority of command.
"Caline..." Ruli hissed.
"I'm an Abomination?" Delta asked aloud and a few people hissed at her voice, as if the mere sound could be considered heresy.
"No, there are criteria to be met and judgements to be passed," Yattina called, looking upset at the fact that she was half-field away from Delta and not up close with a sample taker.
"She is outside her own Dungeon! The facts show themselves," Caline warned and pointed at Yattina.
"And you, blessed with this foul evil, are also tainted," he said, pointing to Yattina's eye.
"Enough," someone called and the voice carried such weight and trembled through Delta like sound waves inside a bell. The source was a normal looking man walking determinedly through the field with Amenstar trailing behind him along with Alpha.
"Alpha!" Delta said, so relieved, she ignored Caline and his squawking.
"I am Wollom, Saint of Durence and the Two-Eyed Pathfinder. No one's judgment from this point on will carry final authority until I agree. This is the power instilled in me by all kingdoms after the Diseased Right nightmares," Wollom declared and he blazed with enough holy power that it was clear he was an avatar or what he called 'Saint' in public.
It was bizarre that the man working actively with faith in his god was worth nearly the same power as a billion rats just doing vague chaotic good things.
"Hello!" Delta greeted as nearby Isanella walked around like an impatient cat and Delta could finally see the woman in a new light, how her Shape, her 'being' was focused in her throat, a once burning sun that deafened all up close but now looked partially bound.
The Shape would surge out, it was prideful and unabashed, but it clashed with what Isanella thought of herself as. Isanella also had... other things that most people didn't.
There was a round hole in her sternum as if something like an orb had been placed there to cap her Shape once upon a time, but it was gone now. She also carried some Silence damage, but it was long healed with the curse it carried moved on, likely to Deo.
Delta found the teen nearby and that orb that was missing out of Isanella glowed white hot in his chest, just where his lungs were. Deo shouted out that Delta was the best and the orb pulsed with his passion and light.
To Delta's surprise, Grim also had an orb, a dull green one that looked to be located in his stomach. She looked around for others and found that Yattina's eye looked to be forced into the socket long ago rather than implanted and it was only now beginning to react to Yattina's emotions.
It was almost strange how she could reach out and connect to the orbs in a manner that felt alien yet familiar.
Deo's orb spoke of noise, pressure, and a mix of cold that was naturally heated by the boy's own kind soul.
Grim felt different, like his orb came out of a sun-filled garden, the orb nurturing and supplying the boy with unnatural resilience. It was able to warm some of Grim's less pleasant moods.
Yattina's eye burned hot. It was heat, passion, and justice with fire as its tool.
"Isanella?" Delta called and it felt so alien, so strange, so wonderful when the woman actually turned to Delta, reacting to her voice.
"Oh my... oh my," Isanella whispered at the sight of Delta, her eyes brimming with tears and her voice made Delta want to weep in return, it was that passive, yet all-consuming.
"Random question," Delta asked as Wollom made his way to the center of the field and declared some fancy ritual name which seemed to be "daytime TV court case" without the cameras.
"Who's Grim's mother?" she asked, choking back a sob of gratitude.
"Grim's mother? She is a dear friend, she was one of the first settlers after my husband and I," Isanella explained as she came closer and took Delta's hands. Her skin was warm and thrummed with kindness. It was funny what a dungeon noticed and what a goddess noticed.
Isanella was just kind and warm, in her mana and soul.
"Grim, I just noticed he's more complex than I first imagined," Delta admitted as she gripped the woman's hands back, so grateful to have this moment.
"Grim is special. His mother is wonderful, she's a normal woman, but we almost lost her when Grim was born. She was so sickly without mana and her husband was beside himself. Grim's aunt, his mother's sister, came into town without warning and they both improved. It took so much and I don't think Grim even knew her," Isanella admitted as they watched a table being brought out and Wollom ordering Fairplay to retreat for now, which Caline looked furious at.
"Grim's aunt was never a person I liked, but she did this and my respect for her can never fade. She runs the inn now," Isanella recalled as if it was a fact she forgot.
Inn?
"Madam Ghu?" Delta blinked, recalling the ancient looking elf woman.
"That's her. Her and her sister are half-elves with Grim's mother getting the human side of the appearances," Isanella said, touching her cheeks as if she was imagining Grim with elf ears and found the image cute.
"Quarter elf, wonder how that affects him?" Delta said, enjoying the normal conversation as others gave them a wide berth.
"Elves are snotty and do everything better because elves. They also can use ambient mana like its their own, and of course, they age slower cause why not?" Ruli interrupted.
"Grim only has some... pride," Isanella tried to be diplomatic and they all looked over at Grim who was hollering about how Fairplay was causing him emotional distress and he would sue everyone for the damages they were doing to Deo's fragile mind.
As Deo and Grim shouted nonsense, Delta saw their orbs pulse in time, producing mana between them that bled into the air and something clicked into place.
They had been producing mana all this time, mostly around their families, but also in school and around the other children. The mana they produced was nothing for the adults, all being scary powerful, but the kids? They'd take what they could get.
The kids had saved Durence.