Eliza

Veron had returned home to the library and continued his study. Having initialized the build up of the combat force for his world, he now focused on how to grow within the eternal kingdoms as well. He had an enormous leg up in that regard, being a domain god, but his domain wasn't even fully rank 1 yet so the benefits weren't all that great yet.

He needed to earn an income for himself, while his mortal creations would be more or less okay his immortal ones would require a vast amount of resources to grow. 

One of the biggest perks of exaltation is you retain the power to procreate naturally. You birth into existence spirit children who then grow and are capable of the same kind of progression that you are. To become exalted beings. And the benefit of having one of your own children become exalted beings is that they will be automatically joined to your domain. Of course you will have to provide them their own domain to do with as they will, but the benefits still far outweighed that cost. Besides, who wants to go through eternity without their family?

This being the case the next order of business for Veron was choosing a new companion. And in spite of the fact that he could choose almost any number of companions, he had zero desire for more than one. He had given his whole heart to his former wife, and he had never felt happier or more fulfilled than when they were together. He wanted that feeling again, that feeling of loving someone and being loved in return. That no matter what happens there will always be someone there for you. His former companion had broken his heart, but he was ready and willing to love another. Just ONE other.

"Richard." Veron spoke softly as the weight of his impending decision bore heavily upon him.

"Yes my Lord?"

"Please gather the names of all the applicants to be my bride. I will meet with each one and make my choice afterwards."

"Very good my Lord but if I may, Jenny has already compiled and sorted those names. You will find within this folder a curated list that matches your preferences."

Taking the folder in hand Veron found only 4 names inside. Attached to each name was a brief description of their lives during mortality, their looks and general dispositions, as well as any outstanding accomplishments. It was basically four resumes of the most perfect women Veron could imagine. He had a feeling that any one of them could make him happy, yet as he came to the last name he froze.

"Eliza..." So softly was this name spoken that even Richard, who stood just 3 feet away couldn't hear. Veron couldn't believe it, here in his hand was the application of the one woman he never got over. He had met her during his mortal life while serving as a missionary for his church. She was also serving at the time and therefore no kind of romantic feelings were allowed to be fostered. But he fell for her instantly, like a bolt of lightning had struck him. The moment he laid eyes on her he loved her, and he always regretted that he had never tried to pursue her after their missions had ended.

Eventually he found the woman who became his wife and he loved her dearly. He was a faithful, devoted husband and father to her and the 6 children she bore him. And yet the memory of Eliza haunted him from time to time, forcing him to wonder about the what could have been's. 

But now here she was, offering to be his companion for eternity. There was no need to think or meet anyone else, he had messed this up once before and would be damned if he did so again.

"Richard."

"Yes lord?"

"Bring her to me." Veron handed Eliza's picture over to Richard as he said this. His intentions were clear and Richard didn't bother to ask any further questions.

"Right away my Lord." Richard than practically ran out of the room to fulfill his lords will.

Sitting in the library before the fire place Veron could hardly believe it. The woman who had literally haunted his dreams was coming to him. "I wonder Eliza," Veron mused to himself. "Do my dreams do thee justice? Or do you escape me even then?"

Meanwhile back in Veron's domain, Aaron was receiving instruction from his father Icarus.

"Within this tower you will find small creatures I have called goblins. They have been birthed by the world core as a challenge for all those who enter this tower. If you are able to prevail against them then the tower will reward you with what you so desperately need."

Aaron nodded as he understood most of what Icarus had just told him. But he did have one concern that he didn't hesitate to address.

"Father what is it that I so desperately need? I have food, clothing, a companion and soon enough a child of my own. What more could I want or need than this?"

Icarus smiled at this genuine show of humility. It was one of the first laws written, 'Love God before all things, and take no thought for what ye shall eat. For if God feeds the sparrows how much more shall the lord your God feed you?' Icarus could only smile at the genuine affection Aaron and his wife Bethany showed for one another. They were truly devout disciples of the law and Icarus could not be happier.

The problem was that despite this genuine faith it wouldn't be enough to help them when the invasion inevitably arrived.

"The only thing more to want my son, is a way to keep them from harm. For behold not many years hence a fearsome beast will descend upon this world. And the minions who serve this beast will go forth upon the face of this earth in wrath and violence. They shall put to the sword all those who refuse to serve the beast, and plunge this world into darkness."

The news was sobering to say the least. Aaron had only been alive for a short time and yet now he was being told that the entire world was at risk? He also stole a brief glance at his wife and felt his heart clench. He couldn't imagine allowing any kind of harm befall his beloved, and felt a consuming desire to save her from such things. Fortunately for him Icarus was not done yet.

"But fear not my son, for God hath not altogether withdrawn from thee. And he hath blessed both me and thee to be able to resist this beast and its minions. Within these towers you will find the means which God hath ordained to slaughter evil wherever it is found. And that, my son, is what you need so desperately."

Aaron could feel his determination growing stronger, he could still feel that anxiety in the back of his mind, but a far more powerful desire was drowning it out. 

Every single man who becomes a father goes through an immediate change once they look upon the face of their child for the first time. The same is true for any man who marries the woman he truly loves. That man will destroy the earth itself and anything else that gets in his way, before he allows harm to befall those he loves so dearly. Aaron was the same kind of man, he would slaughter anything and anyone who tried to harm his wife and unborn child. He would climb this tower, he would climb this tower 1000 times if he had to. He would NEVER allow those evil beings to do as they wished, and Icarus knew it. 

Icarus may have made up this prophecy to motivate Aaron to do his best, but he didn't yet know exactly how right he was. A beast was coming, and they would need all the help they could get to survive it.

Back in Veron's library the god himself was pacing back and forth nervously Infront of the fire place. His heart was pounding nearly out of his chest while wild thoughts ran rampantly through his mind.

The butterflies that had started out so gentle in his stomach, had turned into raging dragons which seemed to want escape from the fleshy prison of his stomach. So nervous was he about meeting Eliza that he had nearly vomited several times, only his strong dislike for the activity kept his cookies where they were.

Several more tense minutes passed before a gentle voice was heard behind him. Spinning in place his eyes fixed themselves upon the face of a woman he had never dared hoped to see again.

Her gentle green eyes were framed by locks of curly crimson hair. Her angular nose and high cheek bones dotted by a number of freckles that stood out against her ivory skin, and a playful yet sincere smile graced her ruby lips. 

'Perfection.'

That was the only thought that managed to make sense in Veron's mind. She filled his entire being, no one and nothing could take his attention away from her. She was the world and itself to him in this moment of dreams, and if it was a dream he never wanted to wake. 

"Hello...Veron."

She spoke only two words, in the softest and most melodic voice Veron had ever heard. And yet those two words nearly sent him to tears as they confirmed that this, in fact, was not a dream at all.