Chapter 7 The Ritual

I moved through the land with ease but I know time is of the essence. After the whole Custodes thing… Situation… I hope that's just a joke from the one above all…. I hope…. Papa Nurgle loves everyone but I am not into that. I quickly shake the thought from my head and continue on my rush home. When I slow down the sun is setting and I move towards the edge of a clearing to possibly my camp for the night and try to collect my thoughts. I start to clear an area 10 meters from the tree line and the clearing so I can have some protection. The wind shifts and a smell of burning wood and some cooking smells are wafting in my direction. I move towards that direction to see what was going on and move directly into the trees to break my shape while using disillusionment charm. I come across a large encampment about 2 km away with at least 10 to 15 thousand soldiers with war equipment.

We are within a 5 day forced march form Thilmtalos but it would be at least 2 weeks before if they wanted to fight strength. Taking a moment to see if there are mages within their ranks I send out a weak magical pulse and wait. Within a few seconds 4 men are approaching my position with a rather leisurely pace to look around. I retreat and use the ability Calidan taught me was shadow melding and presence erasure. The 4 get to within a 1 ½ meters from me but I hear them speaking. " Allan, I told you it was far away and not a threat to us." "You don't know that. We must be cautious Lord Enlil will have our hides if we have any delays in the eradication of the elves." A woman clothed in golden robes with intricate looking embroidery and jewelry approaches. "Enough Abgal we all know what is at stake but there is no need to worry." They immediately kneel before this woman which was surprising. " Lady Ereshkigal we are just making sure that no unexpected delay stops us." She smiled and nodded and look in my direction and then turned around and began to walk away. " Return to your posts." The 4 nodded and began moving at speed to comply.

Now I am not an expert in Summerian mythos but Ereshkigal is the goddess of the underworld right? If that is true she is a powerful sorceress enough to be considered a goddess of death and the afterlife so more into soul magic. The realization that she knew I was here the whole time makes me shiver. 'I must flee and report home to father and brother' but my body didn't want to move due to fear. Knowing death could have been so close really puts everything into perspective. After a few minutes I finally regained my composure to move, running full speed home. 5 Hours later I arrive at the hidden gate of Thilmtalos ragged panting and am not fully lucid due to both exhaustion and dehydration.

The Guards Immediately see me and quickly collect me and bring me to the Palace. As soon as the guards grab me I lose consciousness. Within the void I become aware but realize it like when I meet the One above All. Soon the old man I remember appeared before me with a stern look. My only thought ' oh shit what have I done to anger him he looks very unhappy' The old man say " You nearly died boy" while shaking his head. Looking back at him I respond " You know why I have to warn them" He just starts laughing "You're so defensive, relax Usum the creation of your inner world is at hand so be happy. The book will help you with my hands to guide you and do some of the heavy lifting." I look at him incredulously " Really that wasn't a funny joke but ok how do i start." " the book will have a runic array along with the setup of the ritual platform following it once it starts you can't stop. Just so you know no mortal has ever created an inner universe that is soul bound most burn out their soul long before that.

The saving grace is the divine spark from Akatosh." " What can i make?" " It will be like your universe with the ability to integrate powers like magic and later if you can reach a certain level of apotheosis I can send you to other worlds." my eyes nearly fell out of my head after he said that. "So I will have a full Universe within my soul?" He giggles " No boy it is soul bound to you but don't worry about the specifics it's far too complicated and such a conversation and explanation would take till long after the heat death of this universe. Maybe later" I just nod but I remember " You said you have a proposition for me what is it." The old man leans forward and pats my head " Latter little Dragon reaches apotheosis and we will speak about that." "How do I do that? " I say ''The book will Guide you. Now you must return now the time for ritual has come." leaving the void the old man smiles " I have made a good choice hahaha."

Waking on a push bed I see mother there waiting for me. I sit up and am immediately attacked with a very heavy smack to the head by mother. " What happened to you?" my mind is screaming. She is pissed and I could die if I don't answer properly. " Sorry for this but is father around. I need to tell him something. '' Father steps into the room. It seems mother called him with her magic, god she is scary when angry. I jump at the opportunity to tell " Father an army of between 10 to 15 thousand are about a 2 week march from here they have mages and one woman named Ereshkigal who i think is a necromancer or a soul mage." Father looks forlorn " I know Usum the war is coming to our door" in a moment of excitement I respond.

I got through the temple and gave me a staff and a book. It has the key to make an untouched virgin world for us to live free of this and can be expanded." Fathers and mothers eye widen " what needs to be done." A few hours later the ritual platform has been replace and is unblemished and so begins the grueling process of carving the runes and diagrams to what the book stated a hyper complex array of symbols of constellations, summerian runes diagrams of what I think are locations of neutron stars and a mess of channel ley lines that need to be ingrained. 3 days of nonstop work. The book also stated that the staff would be needed as well. The process was to initiate with me being in the center sitting in a lotus position and the staff laying across my legs that the moment of begging I was to use the staff and transform it into a dagger to cut both hands.

Blood would flow and drop onto the constellation for draco for dragon which would flow towards Apus meaning paradise. The other would be into Boötes which has meaning for leading the flock like sheep and for sum unknown reason Corvus The crow because the cornbrigger knows all and give unto his murder of crows. Swear to god…. Well he is the one above all so technically…. Ughhhh. Well the preparation is done and i'd like to do this and get it done with.

The day of reckoning has come. Father has mobilized everything for this and all of our forces are in the city within its walls. I am standing on the platform wondering why every ritual needs blood. My hands will hurt because of this. Father approaches " Is everything ready?" I nod " then let it being" I walk to the center of the platform and get into position. The staff appears in my lap and I begin channeling the magic from the ley lines and the surrounding air towards me. The transfiguring the staff into a dagger and process with the blood letting. The blood flows and the array lights up, a tower of light rises hunderds of kilometers into the sky and is visible in the midday sun. After a moment I feel someone behind me and I hear a voice "I've got it from here" I back out. Back into the void again I see the oldman sitting there smiling " now imagine the world you wish for your people to have and I will fix any flaws and make it real."

I nod and imagine an Eden world with lush forest grasslands and oceans and different climate zones (unlike some universes) with multiple continents and islands that all fit as if a jigsaw puzzle. Looking at it I'm fairly happy and then look up and imagine 2 moons and a beautiful star in a solar system that makes at least some sense and then I think it should be in a galaxy within a universe and I'm tired. That's where I will leave it for now coming back to the void the old man looks both impressed and proud " Very good at least it avoids the Mono climate of star wars and seems to have a season. Very good that was above my expectations for you. Now I'm going to drop off the city and all of your people and that is it." A sigh of reliefs leaves me and I look at the old man and ask " what now do I get to go there and be with then?" He looks at me and shakes his head " No you have over-extended your limits and destroyed your body but i will make a new one no worries. Also I'm going to give you a gift. Two elfs and two Castodes to watch over what will be your tomb in the location of the ruins of your city." " Ruins what do you mean?!!" "Don't worry their city was copied and pasted into the new world but the old one i ruined so people won't look for you and will think it was a failed ritual." Sigh that nearly gave me a heart attack so now I have helpers thats cool wait. Tomb . " what do you mean Tomb?" The old man laughs and says kind of a ways to rebuild your body and also this lets me teach you magic on a fundamental level so when you wake up you can start working on your next goal, apotheosis." "ok but what year is it and how long will I be in said tomb? I think it was 4000 bce if I was correct." He laughs again and says " ok one call me stan and not old man and two that was 14,000 bce. A comet is coming and will change the course of pre history so don't worry." I just stare at him with a blank expression for a few minutes. Stan look at me and pokes my forehead " you ready to start your learning? ENKI GET YOUR ASS IN HERE NOW."

The whole realm shaked and I thank reality would split open at that moment and then a portal opens with a middle aged man with a beard comes in " Don't have to be a dick Grandpa sheesh" Stan rolled his eye and smacked him on the head " I told you to be here the moment the ritual started but nooooooooo you wanted to be off doing other things. Don't make me tell your mother you know how angry she gets when you misbehave " Enki stiffened at the mention of his mother " fine i'm here now what do i need to do" stan points to me and says teach the boy magic and its flow that's all." " Grandpa you could have done that yourself you are the one above all unlike granduncle." Stan glares at Enki and he immediately bows and replies " fine fine I will do it not like i have much to do." Enki turns to me me and just waves " Come on let's get this over with"