I stepped off my Lived-Line in an outer section of the Amazon Jungle, in the foothills of the Andes near one of the sourcewaters of the mighty mystical river that wound through the jungle.
I didn’t know if another Human had ever set foot here. The thunder of the waterfall descending hundreds of meters into the clear pool below carried, and cool mist pervaded the lower area of the jungle, yet somehow everything was illuminated with shining clarity.
I could see the difference from my previous visits in the surrounding plants. There were veins of gold and silver amidst the green and riotous colors of the blooms that were everywhere, Plants in season here constantly, responding to The Light and the Water Magic that was being drawn to this area by the Pyramid I’d put in place here.
I glided through the jungle, the Tokens and a touch of my Sage Aura being enough to keep any of the local Beasts at bay. I wasn’t afraid of any Dark Beasts being in the area, as the mist in the air would eat at them like acid and chase them away, probably with a whole lot of incensed local Beasts chasing them for trying to despoil this place.
I moved a kaleidoscopic tailing of lotuses out of my way, and beheld my Sacred Waters Pyramid.
The Pyramid was purest white, and not a plant had dared to grow upon it, nor any Beast to settle there, despite the top being level and flat and an ideal place for a nest. The tip rose only ten levels above the lake framed by the horseshoe falls that formed the valley here, the confluence of four minor rivers adding to the waterfall that descended from over half a mile above at the western edge of the lake.
The oceans might hold endless amounts of Water Mana, but that was not what I wanted here. What I wanted was purity.
Sure, the waters picked up some salts as they came down the mountain, but they were so incidental it did not matter here, and The Light radiating out of the just-submerged eleventh level was purifying them out of the waters that ran though the Pyramid.
I was drifting out over the waters of the lake when the self-elected guardian of the lake slowly rose from the waters.
She was a Dawnwater Boa, with golden-rose and turquoise scales that glittered like gemstones. Her head was as tall as I was, meaning she was at least hundreds of feet long. She rose up in front of me, proud and elegant and definitely protective of her new home here, as she most definitely had not been here when I put the place up.
I just glanced at her, and she froze as she instantly sensed just whose magic had set up this wonderful spot of all the Water and Light Mana coming in from the area for her to enjoy... and I most certainly was not impressed by her whatsoever.
Also, them Tokens there on Noble weren’t for show.
“I wondered who might stumble across my little experiment here,” I told her calmly, gliding right past her nose. She didn’t even tongue-flicker for fear of starting something. “I don’t mind as long as you don’t interfere with the Seed I’m growing in there.”
Her head definitely drooped a foot. So, she’d felt the Seed, and was very eager to consume it. Her disconsolate hiss followed me towards the Pyramid, and after a moment, she glided powerfully through the water after me.
“Yes, the whole purpose of this building is to make a Holy Water Heaven-Tier Seed. You know that’s not normal Light, right?” I gestured to The Light coming from under the water, and she hissed in confirmation. “Yes, this is a new type of Seed that has never occurred before, and I’ve made it for myself. However, after I claim mine, the Pyramid will continue to make others.”
I stopped near the edge of the Pyramid, where Water, The Light, and stone came together, and reached out to assess the Heaven Seed within. The magic of the Pyramid meant it couldn’t be detected without getting at least this close, and the mist made sure it couldn’t be seen from a distance or overhead, even if this place wasn’t crazily remote.
Getting all that energy of such pure nature focused together here was working wonders. It was already up to low Heaven Tier status, but definitely had more growing to do.
“This Seed has at least another year of growth to it before it can be removed.” I turned back on the Dawnwater Boa, who was clearly yearning for the Seed. “If you try to take that Seed without my approval, I will hunt you down and kill you.” I met her sparkling blue-slitted eyes easily, and she quickly lowered her head in the universal manner of submission. “On the other hand, I also know you’re getting plenty of love just occupying this lake as a personal cultivation ground, so don’t think I don’t know you’re profiting just by sleeping here.”
For a largely emotionless species, she suddenly looked vaguely guilty, as if abruptly realizing she was intruding on the territory of a vastly more powerful being... who knew multiple Emperors!
“If you wish to stay in the area and continue to cultivate here, I will not stop you. I will also allow you to take the next Holy Water Seed when it matures, after this one... but the ones after that will go to those I choose.
“If this is not amenable to you, I suggest you find another place to lair.”
The Dawnwater Boa was quite energetic in hissing her willingness to stay here. A Heaven Seed to consume in only a few more years? That was utterly incredible! She was more than willing to laze about in an ideal cultivation lake for that opportunity!
“Very well. If something should decide to bother you, know that Ice and Fire Luan Emperors are associates of mine, and this IS part of their territory. I am fully capable of both defending against and hunting down anything that should choose to damage this Pyramid, but I will leave this here as dissuasion if anything should seek to take this place from you.”
I wrought the Glyph across the ten tiers of the Pyramids upper levels, attuning it to the Dawnwater Boa so she wouldn’t trigger it. Still, anything strong enough to threaten her was going to feel the power within it when they looked upon it.
A liquid chirping suddenly announced itself behind me, and the Boa hissed in dislike. I turned around as a sapphire, emerald, and white blur of motion flitted towards me, pulling up in midair and fluttering rather energetically with streams of gold about its wings.
I flicked up a Disk for the Ripplesong Kingfisher, the Avian bearing a noble Bloodline and also a Great Commander-level creature, as opposed to a low-Baron like the Dawnwater Boa. He regarded the concave force circle in astonishment for a moment, but then settled down warily while glancing at the Boa, who just drew back her head aloofly.
“Yes, I am the creator and owner of this Pyramid. I am Healer Fae.” I tilted my head slightly as he warbled eagerly at me, hopping from foot to foot excitedly with his seven-foot body, his plumage like iridescent metal that caught the light wonderfully. “You want to build a nest at the apex?” I was amused at the idea. “I am not opposed to that, but I have already accepted this Dawnwater Boa as the guardian of the Pyramid until such time as she chooses to give up the position.” The Boa absolutely preened at my words, her glittering scales catching the light like gemstones. “I can see there is some animosity between you, which is something I will not allow, as it endangers my Pyramid. If you wish to build a nest there, there will be two requirements.”
He cast a wary eye at the Boa, who had leaned back in close, also interested in this, then chirpled the question he had to me.
“First, the Dawnwater Boa and you must come to terms. If you cannot, then the answer is no.” The Dawnwater Boa hissed contentedly as I turned to her. “Give honest terms to him and his kin for the right. His services might be useful to you.” The Boa nodded slowly, and if the Ripplesong Kingfisher was literally a bit crestfallen, that was fine.
“Second term: the Nest must contribute either Light or Water to the Pyramid, so as not to interfere with its function. I imagine making it out of crystalline plants would work best, but I am sure you will have some other clever idea that is suitable.” I turned back to the Boa after the Kingfisher chirped agreement. “If there are other inquiries about this, perhaps from some Plants, I leave this in your hands. As long as they contribute to the atmosphere and do not compete with one another, it is fine, but I leave that to your judgement.”
The Dawnwater Boa puffed right up, hissing in satisfaction at the recognition of her position and authority.
“If you trigger that Glyph, I will know it, and I will come. If a more powerful Ruler wishes to take your position, it is my Will, not yours, that is important here, and make sure they know that. They do not want to irritate me.”
Both Avian and Serpent bowed their heads to me deeply at that. I inclined mine slightly to each of them in turn. “Come to terms, or do not. The Boa acts on my authority, and will not be unreasonable. This is a fine place for both of you, you are both followers of Light and Water. Make this an even better place with both of you here.”
Water flowed up like light, receded, and I was swept away. Avian and Serpent blinked in astonishment at the fact I was simply no longer there after somehow using Water and Light Magic in tandem!
-------
Inhuman focus. Superhuman endurance and fortitude. Eternal-class spellcasting aptitude, High Sage-level power.
The Human species under siege from the seas. Outsiders of Law and others of Evil quietly attempting to invade and claim the world and its souls for their own, with the natives having nothing to gain and everything to lose if they did. High Emperors who cared nothing for lesser species, aloof in their supremacy, save for these Realm Lords ready to invade, and their servants were running around creating havoc and prepping the world for their bosses ruthlessly and energetically.
Powerful Human Families undercutting one another ruthlessly, instead of working together to save their world.
Getting a final redoubt ready to maybe save some people, even if I might have to cut it off from this world entirely in the future.
I didn’t know how long it would take Aelryinth to get here and find me, but I knew he’d be coming back. He’d said he was, and so he’d come, if he could.
Unlike me, he wasn’t a ‘native’. There’d be limits on him, as he wouldn’t have been ‘born’ here like I was, and so wouldn’t have any Stars.
On the other hand, he’d have ALL the Theurgies, and I couldn’t imagine what effect that aspect was going to have on the magic here, which responded so energetically to layered effects like it did.
What was more important was that he had a way OUT of here. He could track his Lived-Line back across universes, across Creation, and he could get us out of here if we needed to go.
If I didn’t bring Heaven back here in time.
The idea that I could fail instantly and totally at any time was an immense weight over my head, a Sword of Damocles I had absolutely no control over. If the Realm Lords came, it was over for this Earth. That was the beginning and end of it. We had no Realm Lord to fend off even one of them, let alone the minimum of four that was needed.
It was their sheer power which was giving us time, however. Perhaps it was the influence of the Great Beasts and the High Emperors, who were so used to acting across years, centuries, or millennia, and our erstwhile invaders had set the same pace for some reason.
I didn’t know. I only knew that we were utterly fucked if they moved on us before Heaven got here, because there was nothing we could do that would oppose them.
The Great Beasts knew it, too. They also knew they were absolutely expendable if not sworn to the invaders, and they’d be slaughtered without exception. It meant they’d go wild and try to kill Humanity, the only ‘valuable’ here, before they all died, and whatever invading force was losing the fight would help them do so, to spite the other side.
No pressure, no pressure, Fae...
I sighed as Sama and Briggs slid in next to me, Sama bumping me over shamelessly. She kept her Null wrapped in tight so I wouldn’t fall asleep, which didn’t stop me from leaning on her shoulder.
Father Joseph was just finishing up his reading.