I ranked the alchemical ingredients I obtained from least to most significant, and by the time I got halfway through the bag, Elana had recovered from her shock and started grabbing jars greedily.
“Where did you get these?” she demanded.
“Well, I was just frolicking through the forest, completely not caring about alchemy, and just so happened to have these ultra-advanced preservation chamb—”
“You made your point. I retract my doubt. Now tell me. Where’d you get these?”
“The Fifth Ring,” I said with a satisfied smile. “I also have these…” I pulled out a series of elixirs that made her eyes flicker.
“Who made these?” she asked, eyes swimming.
“I did,” I said proudly. “Now that I’ve proven myself, the Drokai have been teaching me their alchemical secrets. Of course, it comes with some deals and trades, but I have a few things that I’ve negotiated on your behalf.”
“Negotiated for me…?” Elana’s eyes sharpened. “What do they want?”
“Nothing. I just wouldn’t feel right keeping techniques from my teacher.”
She smiled strangely. “I appreciate the sentiment.”
“Don’t reject it outright just because you’re a god. You might be surprised.”
Elana laughed. “If you found something that benefits me, I’ll adopt you.”
“I love my parents, but I’ll let you be my godmother.”
She raised her eyebrows, then smiled again. “I thought it’d take decades for you to lighten up again. For a while there, I thought that you’d become a depressed alcoholic for a few centuries at least.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I opened the jars. “Now let’s get started. I want to show you a few things before I bring in the girls.”
Elana and I started swapping different techniques, and at the end of it, I sighed in defeat. Elana not only knew the techniques I showed her, but she also hinted at the hidden techniques I didn’t. I gave in since she knew them, and asked for the means to improve them, as she could do everything the Drokai did incomparably better than they could. She was so moved by my trying to teach her, she taught me readily. It was all in my favor.
Despite that, the sentiment seemed to mean a lot to her, and she started to stare at me warmly.
“What?” I asked. “You’re creeping me out.”
“It’s just… I’m proud of you. I always knew you had it in you to be beautiful, but I didn’t think it would come so soon.”
“You’re super off-putting sometimes.”
Elana smiled strangely. “I have much to do. Send all of these during the harvest. I’ve switched your tribute to contributing to the Forbidden Auction, so you can give as much or as little as you want. But I trust you’ll contribute the right amount.”
“That’s an ominous assumption. But don’t worry. I’m sending you twenty Fourth Ring hypotheticals along with these elixirs. I also have less valuable ingredients from my hunts that I gave Felio. We’ll be sending you crates of them during the remaining harvests.”
“Is that so?” She smirked. “I look forward to it. I also look forward to the announcement. I’d pay a diamond just to see Alendrias’ reaction when the news comes out.” She flicked her hair and disappeared, making me feel proud. I wasn’t a lost girl anymore. Somehow, I had found my place in this world and earned the respect of my patron god.
I hoped one day, Brindle would feel the same.
I called in Felio and shook my new elixir, saying, “Wanna make this better?”
Felio’s eyes lit up, and she hugged me and said, “I’d love to!”
Those months passed by in a blur, and soon, I was sitting on a log in the heat, staring at wilting flowers that marked the start of summer. It always passes so fast, I thought. I sighed and stood up, making Kline hop off in annoyance. I looked down at his grumpy face and said, “You wanna piss off some gods?”
Kline’s grumpy face disappeared, and he developed a creepy smile.
“You scare me,” I said, laughing and petting him. “Well, let’s do it.” I led him and the lurvine into my house, and called in Karigo and Trigan, and Ferna, our diplomat. I made us tea, just for spite, and we sat around with slight smiles.
“You ready?” I mused.
Karigo shrugged as if the result was guaranteed. Trigan and Ferna were a bit more animated. They exchanged smiles and said, “Cut the rope.”
I turned to the last person at the table, Lithco, who was already sipping his tea. He smirked and said, “As you wish.”
2.
Hadrian ran through a clearing in Darkan Mountain in the Second Domain, fighting against five third evolution humans from Fort Regal. This wasn’t training. He had stapled the wrong man’s hand down to a table with a frost spike, so the victim sent out their family’s third evolution heavies to take him down.
Just like everyone else in the last two years, they treated him like a second evolution—
And found out the profound difference purity makes the harsh way.
A towering wall of lava summoned by an enemy crashed toward him. It was fifty feet tall and twenty feet across, a catastrophic usage of a fire spell that attracted dirt from the ground to give it body.
Despite the power, Hadrian put up his hand, and a tidal wave of frost clashed with the fire.
To everyone’s shock, the wall of magma abruptly stopped and cracked. Steam billowed off it as the two forces fought back, constantly breaking and reforming.
“That’s not possible…” Hadrian heard someone say. He sneered as he put up his other hand and clenched his fists. The colossal wall suddenly exploded, sending massive rock shrapnel flying into his enemies.
The shrapnel flew at him, too, but it hit a barrier.
Suddenly, there was a slight pause when a notification flashed in his eyes, but he moved it aside as he lifted his hands. Thousands of ice spears formed in the sky, shimmering like rainbow prisms through the trees’ canopies.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“What are you?” someone screamed.
Then spears that were fifteen feet tall and six inches thick crashed into the mountain in a downpour of thunderous hail—and the area fell still.
Hadrian spat on one of the skewered bodies as he walked down the mountain, annoyed that he would waste the next weeks working through the aftermath. It used to make for good training, but now it was just a chore. He had reached the pinnacle of what he could achieve in this domain. Meanwhile, Mira and her soldiers had limitless opportunities for growth. He needed to move up and practice, or he was going to fall behind.
As he reached the base of the mountain, he was met by forty neophytes of considerable power.
He stopped in front of them with a cold expression. “Even if I killed all of you, I wouldn’t get a gold request. So if you waste my time, I’m going to eliminate this entire city.”
“I was here to offer you a position—but it’s clear you’re too big of a liability,” the enemy leader said, taking a battle position.
“I think that’s unwise.” A cold voice penetrated the area behind the group, and everyone turned to find a true titan, a Dante head from the Third Domain.
“Coren!” The enemy group fell like dominoes, kneeling in front of the man.
“If you’re coming to chastise me, I’d rethink your approach,” Hadrian said. “I’ve been telling you my reputation is unsustainable for training. We need to go up.”
“I made those arrangements, but things have changed,” Coren said.
Hadrian’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“It’s clear you haven’t seen the announcement.”
“The…” Hadrian opened up the guide, and the notification forced itself onto the screen. It read:
Multiversal Event: A Glorious History
Description: Mira Hill is welcoming renowned neophytes to join her army in Areswood Forest, one of the most famous and captivating locations in the multiverse. She is also auctioning original Jacksmore artifacts from Rall Fort to investors, and leasing property to live there. The Oracle will facilitate all auctions, and the transportation of all artifacts, investors, soldiers, and resources.
Qualifications: Those who enter must be of the third evolution or lower. The currency for Jacksmore auctions will be announced on an auction-by-auction basis. All talent must be released from soul pacts and come of their own volition.
Warning: This is an Oracle-sponsored epic event. Attempts to sabotage or impede the transportation of resources to Mira Hill will result in Oracle sanctions. You can file accommodation requests with their guides.
For more information, you can take the virtual reality tour or watch the promotionals.
Hadrian’s face curled into a cruel mask. Alendrias is going to be furious.
Alendrias was. She had summoned all of her demigods to the Starlight Meadow to make her
announcement. “I want your teams to think of fifty accommodation strategies and execute them by tomorrow!” she yelled. “Do not let foreigners have free access to my planet!”
As the group scurried off, she summoned her guide, a handsome man in armor. “Recall Hadrian to the First Domain immediately. And make sure he watches the promotionals.
Hadrian got the notification not five minutes later, while he was still standing on the mountainside with Coren Dante. He looked at the man and said, “Make the arrangements. I’ll be at the inn.”
Hadrian approached the group that had attempted to kill him. His eyes were cold as he spoke.
“My name is Hadrian Marcutia Lore Dante, Scion of Alendrias and the ruler of the first domain.”
Their faces paled, and they groveled.
“I did not announce my presence, so I will not cast judgment upon you for your behavior toward me, but for your general lust for violence and transgression, you will earn my forgiveness. Now come. I will be at the Scorla Inn. Until I leave there, you will guard the building with your lives.”
“Y-Yes!” the leader said. “Thank you for your magnanimity.”
Hadrian and the group went to the inn. As the guards posted up and kicked everyone out of the building, he opened up the guide. He wanted to take the virtual reality tour of Rall’s Fort, but his eyes were guided to the video for soldiers.
Propaganda first, Hadrian thought. He opened the promotion, and a screen popped up.
“Would you like the virtual promotion or the video?”
He chose the virtual platform.
The showcase was a work of art that was simplistic but well-executed through its imagery, sound, and words. It started with someone walking through Rall’s Fort, expertly guiding them through a section of the fort that seemed to encapsulate it all, despite revealing nothing about its layout or defenses. The individual walked as the voice began.
“Over a hundred thousand years ago, the Jacksmore empire had everything—sprawling empires across numerous galaxies, unfathomable wealth, and prestige…”
Videos showed bountiful planets with ghost cities that captured the imagination.
“And then they sacrificed everything in a pursuit to uncover Areswood Forest’s secrets. At first, it was because they thought that a secret within the forest could help them conquer the multiverse, so they braved the forest and set up bastions…”
The video showcased breathtaking views within the fort.
“But long after it became unprofitable, long after the resources were affecting the empire, the Jacksmore continued to send their leaders and heirs to Areswood. Why?”
There was a pause.
“Glory.”
Hadrian felt chills crawl down his arms.
“To do what thousands of empires had tried and failed to do; to stand tall to the greatest challenge in the multiverse, the one thing they hadn’t accomplished yet. A hundred thousand years later, that fascination and pursuit remain, but for the first time in history—someone has established themselves in Areswood.
“That person is Mira Hill, and she is offering the most talented warriors in the universe to join her in protecting the secrets that the ancient leaders who planted Areswood aimed to hide. Those who join her will obtain challenges, power, and glory beyond their wildest imaginations.”
The video showed rapid clips of armies riding Aiden’s beast army, third evolution beasts as guards, and Halten the Vraxle flying. Then, it went through images of Wraithwood and the alchemy efforts.
“They will make their mark on the multiverse, and their names will captivate the generations for hundreds of thousands of years, just as the Jacksmore have done. And when the time comes to protect Areswood Forest, they will test their strength against the most talented in the multiverse.”
Training footage of Kai came onto the screen. The kid had been a swordsman of little renowned a few years ago, but he was now fighting Malo with strikes that obliterated the landscape. He was a blinding flash of afterimages, and then Malo released an attack that recreated a colossal fissure in the earth.
“If you want to feast on the most powerful of beasts, taste the nectar of untested elixirs, and live in nature as a free human, apply to join Areswood. If you’re chosen, we will negotiate to release you and your family from any soul pacts you have and give you freedom, power, and glory. Just apply, and we’ll take the rest.
“We welcome the most talented in the multiverse to stand amongst the Jacksmore in putting their permanent mark on multiversal history.”
The video ended with a tasteful Wraithwood crest that singlehandedly made Mira’s people into a legitimate army.
Hadrian grinned after the video. Mira had brutally taken away the shock value of Brexton’s grand auction, and taken the power out of the gods' hands, placing the ball in the court of weak, ambitious neophytes across the multiverse. He should’ve been furious that Mira had struck the Dante a vicious blow, but that video had ignited an unquenchable desire to conquer the forest in him.
Mira’s declaration was a double-edged sword. It inspired guardians, but it also sparked a desire to conquer the forest in the entire multiverse. Yet Hadrian knew it wouldn’t be so simple. Mira was obtaining overwhelming power, and if she, Aiden, and this army worked together with the beasts and poison, they would have vastly more power than Areswood had ever had. She was planning to massacre anyone who even tried to come into her domain—
And that was thrilling.
Hadrian had an overwhelming desire to fight her. He felt as though she was his ultimate enemy, the individual he had to overcome to obtain glory—and become a god.
There was still time before the auction, but the war had already begun.
