Ch56: Tiptoe into the Dark, Part Three

"Humans have come into being for the sake of each other, so either teach them, or learn to bear them."

― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Ven swam onward, part of his focus still within his inner world. He'd agreed to accompany Huan in a grand tour of the Empire, but the vast numbers of worshipers at every stop was enough to let him slip most of his mind out of the realm. He left enough behind to interact with stimuli, but it changed the perspective to a game-like event.

"I wish people would stop fawning over me," His goal had never been to become worshipped. Now, wherever he went in his realm, most beings fell into a religious fury in his presence. "We should have gone incognito, instead of an official tour…"

A tremble in the blackened waters drew Ven from his thoughts, a steady hum that resonated with his bones. The way ahead was blocked, a dam or iridescent colour that stretched across his path. It pulsed, an expansion of size that created the vibration around him.

"It's one of those massive slimes…" The invaders that seemed to feed, or at least target, the Multiverses in this ocean of death. Ven slowed his advance. His power was far greater than before, but a much smaller member of this species had ruined a multiverse on its own. "I'm not sure how strong I am anymore."

His defeat of the Titan was only possible because the fellow was weakened beyond imagining. Even the Concepts and other True Gods within his realm were shadows of their counterparts in his home universe. This was likely due to the Titan's system star. The Gods of the Relic Worlds multiverse had grown fat on its power.

"Can't go over it, or under it…" Ven snorted and resumed his high speed advance against the current. "Then I'll go through it!"

He had a system star of his own, and abilities that even the Concepts didn't understand. In the whole lot of them, not a single one represented the concept of truth. The closest was Lady Fate and the rest like her, who touched on the laws of destiny.

Multiversal planetoids streaked past as his speed built, until his surroundings became a blur. A shift of his powers brought his aura into play, the absorption of resistance ensured his speed stayed at its peak. The trickle of power it provided was negligible, but the energy generated by his realm was more than enough… at least for now.

"My body has such a high operation cost," Ven sighed as the wall of green-pink slime swelled in his vision. If he ever outpaced his system's growth, he might run into trouble. A trickle of faith, channelled into his eyes, and Ven's runes of truth flickered to life. "What the hell is this thing…"

The liquid being, or beings as his eyes revealed, were filled with nothing but chaos. Every inch of fluid was an overlay of an infinite number of minds, all trapped as they experienced the lives of their neighbours. This fragmented insanity compounded, over and over, into an animalistic overmind.

"If hell was also an animal…" Ven blanched. The fate of the beings within the slime's body were beyond his idea of suffering. "I'll need to be careful, or everyone in my realm could join them."

Ven drifted to a halt and sunk into his realm. His avatar and Huan stood on the welcome platform of one of the infinite Earths. The dragon-kin turned true-dragon was near the end of her speech, some fanatical nonsense that inspired yet more faith from those in attendance.

"Lord Vendak has once again reinforced the defences of the realm!" Huan waved her arms to take in the skies, devotion in her eyes. "A whole new pantheon of lesser deities has been created, to better represent the faith of all!" 

Her finger halted on a rainbow coloured star, newly born just outside the solar system. A dwarf compared to the system's bulk, it still occupied more space than a small galaxy. Ven had allowed it to be built, so the other gods wouldn't starve from lack of faith.

"The guardian star has constructed a holy temple, where all the new gods are represented!" Huan raised her fists, the flame of zealotry in her eyes. "When our tour of the realm is completed, Lord Vendak and I shall make the first pilgrimage to the pantheon star…" the dragon-kin paused for effect and swept her gaze over the audience. "We hope that all believers can join us at that time!"

A wave of cheers, so powerful they moved the clouds aside, erupted from the crowd. Ven extended his aura and captured the sound, lest the weaker in attendance suffered injury. Huan turned to face him, face lit with the brightest smile. She moved aside and motioned for him to step forward.

"Greetings All!" Ven opened his arms and floated above the stadium. Vast projections of his form, captured by magitech cameras, were displayed on all planets with a connection. "Soon the realm may encounter yet another outside threat," Ven waved his hand and the image of the cosmic slime appeared beside him. "I ask of you all, pray to whatever god you hold closest to your heart, support the realm and protect your home!"

The emotional gears of the crowd clicked and turned as Ven's words washed over them. Excitement turned to worry, then transformed into the fires of determination. Ven dispelled the projected enemy and drove energy into the runes on his skin. 

"We will face all challenges as one, a united realm against the darkness!" Ven sent a feedback of energy down the lines of faith in his heart, a steady trickle that enriched all who had ever prayed in his name. "Today, all who are willing shall begin to prepare, the first of the true wars approaches, the start of the long road ahead!"

-   -  -  -

"Big idiot…" Kalina hovered in the skies of Eden, just below the projection of Ven. "He probably just wants some extra faith as insurance, but he's whipped the whole realm into a war frenzy…"

"Master Kalina- Master Kalina!" Aubrey raced up from the academy below. "The realm is going to war!"

"I heard, you little nymph," Kalina snorted as she reached out to ruffle her apprentice's hair. "Ven is pulling out all the stops for something…"