36 The One World

POV: Statera Luotian

Yueya's world was massive. Truly, utterly enormous, dwarfing my universe by a matter of thousands. It was...jaw dropping. My divine sense couldn't cover the world by half, and Yueya's expression said she knew it. The scary thing was that I was almost positive that Yueya could cover her world with her divine sense without even breaking a sweat. I mean, I knew that my Realms are small even in comparison to Reilly's and Shin's universes, but...this is ridiculous.

Another interesting thing was that Yueya's world was just that - a single, massive landmass circled by a two suns and four moons. Mountains taller than my Holy Mountain scraped the skies, valleys deeper than the Karmic Valley seemed to stretch down into the core of the planet, rivers wider than the River of Souls snaked all throughout the lands, there were lakes that dwarfed the Karmic Sea, and ponds that could drown the Life-Giving Tree...though I was pleased to see that there weren't any trees that could rival said Tree in size. At least, within the range of my divine senses there weren't.

"Lady Oshun, you have returned," a minor deity said, appearing in greeting. The poor man looked incredibly haggard, and I recalled that Yueya had the lowest density of "ascended" beings in comparison to the size of her universe. "There are numerous things you need to...may I ask who these beings are?" The deity asked, turning towards us.

"They are Lady Oshun's guests, on equal standing with her. You shall treat them with respect." Hajime, Yueya's "plus one," said coldly. Hajime and the other elvish deity glared at each other for a few brief moments before the other one relented, looking towards us with resignation and bowing slightly.

"It is an honor to meet you. Now, Lady Oshun, if you would please..." The other deity relented, revealing a wry expression. Yueya nodded, splitting off an incarnation of herself to follow after the deity.

"As I'm sure you can tell, we're a bit understaffed." Yueya said, chuckling at her own joke. "Which is a big reason as to why I agreed to this excursion in the first place. Hopefully after all this is over we can sit down, discuss what we saw, and propose ideas to one another in regards to our problems. I've already got a few good ideas as to how to increase my population of gods and guiding spirits, but I'd also like to hear your thoughts. Shall we begin the tour?" I nodded, still a bit in awe of the size of her world.

The populations of mortals was so spread out that I was having troubles sensing how the reincarnation cycle worked, even. There were stretches of millions of miles between villages at times...it was almost ludicrous for a single planet to be like that. I shook my head and focused my attention on Yueya, who appeared to be messing with something in the air...

"I have acknowledged the new instructions. Greetings, Deities Shin, Reilly, and Statera Luotian." A voice said out of nowhere, almost startling me. I had been getting a vague impression that there was something more to the world itself, but this was surprising. "I am the Voice of the World Mark 7, an automated guidance system installed to aid in advancing the peoples of the One World." I raised my eyebrows and looked at Yueya, who promptly began to give an explanation.

"Since I've been having so much trouble raising others up to godhood, I decided to create a system that would aid in guiding the people of the world. And for the most part, it's done its job. There's still a few kinks I'm working out of its system, hence why its mark 7, but I've seen a noticeable rise in deities since its implementation." Yueya explained.

"Is it the consciousness of your world?" I inquired. Yueya shook her head.

"Not quite. The two are very similar, but the consciousness of the world is still too underdeveloped to sustain something of this scale. The Voice of the World, is more like...I copied the template, improved it, and pasted it over the consciousness. Does that make sense?" She asked. I nodded.

"Mm. I've got something vaguely similar in my realm, but it's on a much smaller scale and utilizes the consciousness of the realms to a much larger degree." I said. It was, of course, the automated punishment system, which was nowhere near as complex as what Yueya was describing. "This is certainly interesting...what does the Voice of the World do, exactly?" I inquired.

"It guides people and allows them to grow. It's like...well, it uses the same kind of system that the Great One, or Mr. Blue Boxes as you know it, Statera, does. The Voice of the World provides status screens that allow the mortals to view their own progress throughout the world via an actual, tangible reference system. They even gain achievements, skills, and more power based on their deeds. It's like...self-guidance." Yueya said with a nod of her head. "At least, that's the plan until we get enough gods and deities and guiding spirits to really support the One World's size." Yueya explained. I blinked, and Reilly started laughing.

"It's like a game world!" Reilly laughed, and Yueya flushed. I just frowned. Of course, I remember video games from my time on Earth, but how did those two understand what video games are?

"You know...about games?" Yueya asked. Reilly nodded, reigning in his laughter.

"Yes. Many societies have the concept of 'games' and 'video games' across the cosmos...at least, that was the case back in my old universe. Now you've just given me proof that some concepts stretch across the multiverse." Reilly explained with a smile. I nodded in understanding. There were countless universes in the multiverse, each with countless lifeforms and societies. Of course video games would be replicated in other worlds and universes.

The surprising part was that Reilly, Yueya, and myself all knew about video games and status screens. Well, maybe not status screens. Mr. Blue Boxes had been using them for the past two million years to explain things to us, after all. Actually...now that I think about it, maybe it's not so surprising. Status screens in games were probably derived from Mr. Blue Boxes' tendency to use said screens...and the mortals applied it to their entertainment. Huh. Learn something new every day, I suppose.

"That is...both ingenious and pure stupidity." Shin mentioned. "I love it, but hate it at the same time." Yueya flushed a deeper shade of embarrassed red.

"Do they grow from killing others?" I inquired, drawing upon my old knowledge.

"Yes? Depends on the circumstance. Murderers don't, but soldiers and various other jobs do." Yueya said absently.

"You do realize that that's just encouraging them to sin, right?" Reilly asked. "I mean, I assume killing is the local equivalent of a sin? It normally is? It was something punishable in both my and Shin's worlds."

"I can't stop mortals from killing." Yueya said bluntly. "Neither can any of us, for that matter. I'm not saying I like it, nor do their souls go unpunished for it, but it's not nearly as severe as in your universes. I accept that there will be wars and fighting...and killing in cold blood does give them an immediate, tangible punishment. It still doesn't stop everyone from killing or having malintents, for that matter. There are a few projects I'm working on that will give the mortals another focus rather than just fighting amongst themselves, just so you know. I mean - here, this is the list of...guidelines, for lack of a better term, in the One World along with the solutions I've proposed that should provide the mortals an outlet for their frustrations." Yueya explained quickly.

"Mm. But that doesn't mean you should reward them for killing their brethren. Sure, I find killing in self-defense to be...acceptable, but it shouldn't be rewarded." I countered, looking at the green screen that appeared before me and reading its contents.

Oooh, dungeons. She was trying to create dungeons to give soldiers and mercenaries and those with a propensity towards violence mindless beings to fight. That's an interesting solution right there. There were a few others...and surprisingly, Yueya's guidelines (basically karmic rules) were much more specific than my own. They still focused on the same basic principle of "intentionally causing harm unto others is a bad thing," but it went into more depth than my own, and looser in some areas.

"I see your point, but I also disagree. The ultimate goal for mortals is to become powerful enough to become something akin to a god or lesser deity, which we are supposed to use as an army against whatever lays in the Void. Hence why I left a path open for there to be War Gods and Goddesses. You yourself should understand this concept, Statera, having fought against the Void before." Yueya challenged, making me pause slightly.

"Oh shit, she's got a point." Reilly muttered. I just frowned and looked at her with a sad little smile, fully aware of Shin watching me closely. My realms did not need gods of war and strife to protect it. Even without me, it has defenders. Guardians of power in the forms of all my children who, if the need arises, would stand tall and defend against hostilities.

But no war gods. I understand that conflict, in all its shapes and forms, is unavoidable and is something that gives existence excitement but. But. No war. No, I do not see the need to promote the usage of true war, as it was known on Earth. Perhaps that is my narrow-mindedness, but I tend to, in all my enlightenment, not think so.

However, there is something there that I am missing. Perhaps I should meditated upon it a bit...

"Where do your dark spirits go?" Shin asked suddenly.

"Good question. Have you looked at the list of sentient races yet?" Yueya asked. Shin nodded and I scanned the list just to double check. There were elves, humans, dwarves, beast-kin, fairies, centaurs...a whole slew of what I would call fantasy beings. However, there were also orcs, goblins, ogres, trolls...just as many races that were, stereotypically speaking, considered evil and vile. They were even highlighted in a reddish color on the screen, as if to point out those 'evil' races. "The ones that are highlighted red are races created by my dark spirits and evil souls."

"What?" I said, looking up sharply. Yueya chuckled wryly at my reaction.

"Well...look at it this way. There's nowhere to go when the entire universe is one massive world. Generically speaking, dark spirits don't like being in places and cultures that don't support their style of existence...it's downright painful and uncomfortable for them to be in a place with a very positive culture and very positive energy, right?" Yueya asked rhetorically. This was something all deities understood. "Well, unlike in Reilly's world or Shin's world, there's nowhere for my dark spirits to go to really avoid that. Most dark spirits congregate in the first Heaven or on those tiny, lifeless asteroids in Reilly's universe, whereas there are dead planets and 'dead zones' for Shin's dark spirits to congregate.

"It just so happens that in my world, they decided to congregate and essentially 'create' their own races, since my world is one big, habitable planet. I mean, there are dead zones, but...why live there when you can be born as an orc and make everyone's lives miserable?" Yueya said with a chuckle. "Of course, there are exceptions...those races are not beyond redemption. There are a few tribes that overcame their setbacks via the aid of many good people, just as there are societies of 'good' races that have fallen, but that's the general idea."

"I see." Shin said, nodding to himself. "That is an interesting development. I assume most wars are fought between the dark spirit races and the others?" Shin asked. Yueya nodded, and Shin hummed once more.

"Are the suns and moons related to the cycle of souls?" Reilly asked abruptly, having been staring at the objects. Yueya shook her head.

"No. The cycle of souls flows down into the center of the world. That's where they're judged and sent to be reborn next." Yueya explained. Shin's eyes flickered slightly, and his mouth opened just a bit in excitement.

"There's a solution to the dark spirits. It won't solve everything because what's here is already in place, but you could create a second 'world,' for lack of a better term, in the center of the planet - a world for the dead." Shin offered. I winced at that title. World for the dead sounds so...gruesome.

"Hm. That is a good idea, though I think I'll have to find a new name for it." Yueya said thoughtfully. I smiled to myself as the three began to debate and talk amongst themselves, sometimes drawing in the opinions of their "plus one's," and generally just analyzing the systems Yueya was explaining to us. In the Nine Heavens Reilly had shown us his universe, in the Wheel Realm Shin had let us observe and lectured, and now, in the One World, Yueya was sparking a debate. Quite funny how we all went about things differently. "How would you set up that new world?" Yueya countered Reilly's scoff at her initial ideas.

"Well, this is what I would do..." I started with a small smile.

POV CHANGE: Eldest Dragon

Smoke puffed out of my nostrils in surprise when the seven beings suddenly appeared before me, near the entrance to my cave. At first I was annoyed at them for disrupting my slumber, but then I noticed that the All-Mother Yueya Oshun was amongst their number.

"...and this is the Eldest Dragon, the very first among the dragons that inhabit my world. She's essentially immortal, being the first, just as Hajime is immortal due to him being the first among elves." Yueya explained, waving to me. "Her name is...well, she doesn't like her name much, so most beings just call her Sehuyun or Eldest Dragon."

"Long time no see, Mother. Who are these beings?" I inquired, yawning and stretching my great form. My jet black scales glittered despite the lack of light in the cave, gold and other treasures banging together as I moved atop my horde.

"Be more respectful, dragon." The annoying elf, Hajime, barked at me.

"Why? What are you going to do about it, godling?" I sniped back, baring my fangs in a grin. The god had attempted to fight me before, for some mundane reason, and I had easily trumped him. The disparity between our power had only grown since that fight, and if he was so eager to have a repeat I would most certainly oblige.

"Quite aggressive, isn't she?" One of the beings, a very foreign-smelling, purple-robed, horned being noted, appearing before me and meeting my eyes with his soul-piercing green. His entire body was no larger than my eye, and I growled at the foreign man. He just hummed and smiled back, attention turning to my wings. My growl deepened as he moved to touch my wings, my muscles tensing in preparation to attack. "Use your words. If you don't want me touching you, just say so." He said, as if admonishing a child.

I snapped, fire billowing from my maw as I moved to swallow him whole.

"Yes, she is very aggressive. She doesn't even listen to me all that much." Yueya said as my jaws clamped shut, snapping at my own fires and missing the purple-robed man entirely.

"Huh. Neat," the purple-robed man said stroking his chin as he stood, completely relaxed next to the All-Mother. I growled again, magic circles appearing on my command as I invoked ancient magic to smite the being with heavenly thunder. Golden lightning shot out of the magic circles, cracking and booming with power, slamming into the purple-robed being in an attempt to obliterate it...an attempt that failed. "That's a powerful technique. That's magic, right?" The being asked, casually waving his hand and collecting all the lightning. I shuddered in shock and another growl rumbled out from the back of my throat.

"That's enough, you," the All-Mother said with a frown. I glared at the purple-robed man for a moment longer before settling down a bit, never taking my eyes off of him. "Mm, sorry about that, I didn't expect her to act so foolishly." I narrowed my eyes at them.

"It's quite alright," the purple-robed man said with a small smile.

"Well, this is the last thing I really wanted to show you all. Sehuyun here is one of the most powerful beings in my One World after all, it would be a shame to not show her off a bit." The All-Mother said with a wink. "Hajime, have you decided whether or not to come to Statera's universe?" The All-Mother asked.

"I will not," the annoying elf said with a slight bow. "I feel that I would be of more use here."

"Why don't you bring the Eldest Dragon along, then? She seems like a brilliant choice. Foreign realm, lots of strange beings...what could possible go wrong?" A beggar-looking man said, tossing a pair of dice in the air.

"Bring me where?" I inquired, shrinking back a bit on my pile of gold.

"To Statera's realm...he created his own world, just like I created this one. You should come. It'd be a nice break from terrorizing the local mortals." Yueya, the All-Mother, said casually. I blinked in surprise, looking at the purple-robed man in a different, albeit no less hostile, light.

"Hmm...sounds interesting." I said, bearing my teeth in a grin. "I've gotten tired of dominating the beings on this planet, another realm full of beings to dominate sounds refreshing."

"I bet you and Alexander will get along swimmingly." The purple-robed man drawled, as if to drive it into my skull that we would not, in fact, get along. "Oh you're going to love it. Reilly, let's make a bet. If, in the first twenty minutes of her being in my realm, she isn't cowed and hasn't had some of that arrogance beat out of her, then I'll give you the recipe for my divine tree-whiskey."

"That's a bad bet. I haven't even been to your realm yet." The beggar, who was identified as Reilly, replied. "And no, I don't want to take the bet even if you don't want anything if I win. That's not a bet." I snarled and extended my neck so I was eye-level with the beings.

"Now I have to come." I ground out. It had been far too long since I'd been looked down upon, as these beings were so obviously doing. They might be creator gods like the All-Mother, but I am no weakling. The purple-robed man clapped his hands together and smiled a devious smile, his green eyes twinkling with amusement as he looked at me. I growled at him.

"Let's get this show on the road then, shall we?"