Dragons & Druids

Minutes after school ends I find myself a good distance from the buildings where I first opened my eyes. Trees surround me, and to my left is a well-maintained if seldom used road for cars. Every step takes me further and further from the school and I delight in this. 

This world is an entire planet filled with life, with settlements, with ideas, and conflicts. Every step I take away from my school allows me to experience new sensations as my powers acclimate to my surroundings and fill the back of my mind with wholly new sensations, including an awareness of new instances of the sins and domains I am attuned too. This is in addition to the potent knowledge which now fills my mind. 

The result of my escapades in the library is that my mind is now filled with historical and cultural knowledge regarding the humans of the "United States of America" as well as other regions on this planet. There are almost two hundred such regions, named "Countries" or, alternatively "States", spread throughout this planet. Some of them are inhabited by over one hundred million people, and over eight billion humans inhabit this world, a number that is staggering to think about. 

I'm a little over a mile away from the highschool at this point, and though I appear to be alone on a physical level I'm not actually alone at all. I have a pair of rings and a necklace on, all of which I wasn't wearing before my time in the library. Each of them subtly vibrates, pulsing with life and intentionality. Each of them is the color of the hair of one of my brides, and I casually sense the love they feel for me. 

At the same time my multifaceted mind allows me to peer at multiple places at the same time. At the moment the number of bodies I possess is unchanged, but my senses are feeding me valuable information from three other places simultaneously, thanks to the fact that the core bodies of my brides are wearing nifty artifacts of their own. 

Each of my brides possesses the same equipment I do, though in slightly different color schemes. Their versions of our artifacts connect them to each other and myself, and with a thought any of us could effortlessly teleport to whoever needs us. 

As I wander further and further from the school I allow my mind to wander as excitedly as my body does. One of the first things my mind turns to as I allow knowledge of new instances of my domains to fill and empower me is a curious thing about this world. 

As far as I can tell there is nothing supernatural about this planet. In the dozens of books I read earlier today there were mentions of beliefs in the supernatural, and how those beliefs motivated both tremendous heroes and horrifying villains but no actual suggestion that the beings that humans believed in were real. It was fascinating, if perhaps a bit dark given that as many heroes believed in gods and monsters as villains did. 

Religions still exist and in some parts of the world are even widely practiced! Given the apparent lack of supernatural phenomena in this world I wonder why this is, and a part of me is determined to eventually investigate this world's religions. 

While I am pondering the nature and causes of this world's beliefs systems I suddenly begin to sense instances of one of the sins I am attuned to. I can feel the bitter, potent "taste" of despair in the woods not far from my current location, and the instant that I begin to gain demonic power as a result of the despair someone is in I snap my head in the direction of the sin. 

Unlike the last time I sensed genuine despair, the moment that one of the humans inside of my true form was revived, this is not one massive burst of despair but something perhaps a bit more uncomfortable given the context. What I am feeling is a rather steady amount of despair that is almost passive in nature despite the usually active nature of despair itself. It isn't something that increases or decreases in potency, which intuitively feels a bit odd for something like despair. 

I walk a few steps in the direction of the place from which the sin is originating before I stop myself. I am facing away from the road and am looking into a deceptively dense den of trees. If I want to advance further I'll be heading headlong into the forest and in a very literal sense off the beaten path. I take a beat to reactivate shadowblank, and then begin to venture in the direction of the instance. 

My ability to sense instances of things, be they domains or sins, is a peculiar thing. At the moment even though none of my bodies remain in the school I can still effortlessly sense instances of my power sources… At the same time, even as my other human-like body invisibly slinks off in the direction of the town, the sheer number of potent instances of the things and concepts I am attuned to that I can sense ever so slowly increases. Every nanometer I gain the ability to perceive with my conceptual senses contains within it at least one instance of something like air, or earth, and oftentimes contains microbial life which counts as instances of the life domain. 

I walk for perhaps a mere two minutes, my walking speed increasing with every step I take now that I have a destination in mind. In the time it takes for me to take a handful of steps I find myself entirely surrounded by vast, dark trees and my sharply honed senses allow.

The forest is powerfully alive, and every animal, every tree, every fungus, subtly empowers me. Their very presence activates my potent tethers to life and allows me to sense them and note their health as well. As I travel deeper into the forest I subtly emanate potent life-restoring and life-strengthening energies through faint usages of the "Giver of life" megapower and with each step I take my surroundings become a touch more vibrant. 

The trees that surround me become larger and a touch more intimidating looking as I delve deeper and deeper into the forest. The sounds that once filled the air subtly lower in volume, though not subtly enough that I don't notice. I am keen to the auspicious nature of the way that the world itself seems to be watching, waiting for whatever is about to happen next. 

I walk until I find myself able to see a clearing in the distance. The sunlight illuminates what I immediately clock as a beautiful meadow, and in it there is a single young man and a worried looking young woman basking in the sunlight and laying in the grass. I attentively study the pair as I curiously close the distance that currently separates us. 

The man is lying in the grass, and he is gazing absentmindedly at the sky but thanks to my ability to passively read minds I can intuitively sense that he is in tremendous pain but is simply choosing not to acknowledge it. Nonetheless, despite the brave face he is putting on I can easily see through the ruse he is projecting, evidently in an effort to fool even himself. The pale man is wearing a green t-shirt and dark jeans, and I note the crutches that are laying on the grassy floor of the meadow. 

The woman with him is a pretty, Arabic woman, and her head is resting against his. She has a decidedly less relaxed look on her face. I can sense her fear wafting off of her in waves even as she attempts to lie to herself and stay calm. She is dressed in a way that suggests to me that she is a self-proclaimed "Witch". 

I invisibly stalk over to them only stopping when I am close enough to reach out and touch them. As I do I perform a rather forceful miracle in which I freeze time for everyone in the world but the three of us, through the exertion of the power that accompanies being a master of the sin of sloth.

_________________________________________________________

Jaden and Mariel are peacefully gazing at the sky. The sickly male human relaxedly smiles even as he mentally winces thanks to the pain coursing through his body. His girlfriend, a slender woman in dark makeup is wearing a gothic corset, frowns as she senses the subtle trembling of her boyfriend. 

Both of the mind's of the two figures are so distracted that it actually takes them a moment to pick up on the subtle and not-so-subtle indications that something has changed. They sit in silence so absolute that they can actually hear each other's heartbeats while the figure responsible for this strange turn of events begins to initiate the next step in its plans. 

The almighty being watching them silently utilizes one of its more potent abilities: the existential inducer, and mixes the potent transystem with the mighty knowledge it now possess. The knowledgable being wracks its mind for suitable creations in this moment, attempting to consider the perfect lifeform to create as its herald. 

As it does the different knowledge it has accrued while in the library of its high school comes to the forefront of its mind. During the time the being spent in the high school, expanding its wisdom, it learned of everything from dragons to patasolas; Hispanic vampires supposedly native to South America. Its mind processes thousands of different and distinctive species it could create instances of right now, before eventually settling on a classic: angels. 

The very instant that it makes up its mind about what exactly it is going to create a new textbox appears in its mind's eye.This time it is asking it to create an angel, and like other times the dark being has designed life he is able to customize what he is about to create in various ways. The deity explores the table and is shocked to see that he cannot customize certain aspects of the angel he is about to supernaturally create.

The things he cannot customize are strange, with one notable example being that he cannot give the angel a face. When he attempts to give the thing a face he is told that because he has not encountered any angels before and only knows of them through books their facial features are beyond his understanding. For a moment he wonders if this means he shouldn't create an angel before he realizes that the appearance of what he is about to create will inspire fear, which is one of his power sources. He smirks as he accepts this and focuses on other things he needs to customize. 

He glances at significant sections of the angel customization menu such as what "Angelic focus" to give his celestial host. The different "Angelic foci" on display are simple and total four in number: "Offensive", for angels that are belligerent and intended as weapons, "Defensive", for strategic and cautious angels, "Mobility", for angelic messengers, and "Support", for angels that have a range of tasks on their plate. Angels can have more than one focus but creating ones that have more than one focus is a tiny bit more energy intensive than creating more specialized angels. The figure elects to create a "Support"-centered angel this time. 

As this is the first time he's creating a member of his "Angelic host" when he feels he is done creating the angel another, shorter, textbox takes up mental real estate in his mind's eye. This one asks him to select a base power level for members of his host, what level of free will they possess, and what tier they are meant to have of the greater mega powers he personally possesses. He elects to give them the most impressive options he can in every case, whether it is giving them an "Ultra-human" or continent-busting level of basic power, to give them a facsimile of free will, and to give them the highest tiers of greater mega powers they can possibly wield. 

Gregory recognizes that this is an investment in himself. Creating angels as powerful as he possibly can that are as loyal to him as they can be means he will be creating viable lieutenants whenever he creates a new member of his angelic host, ones he can turn into vampires for the sake of essence gathering and who will inevitably sway those they lord over to worship of him. 

As he is about to bring the angel to life he is asked to give it knowledge of him, his methods, and his goals. It is during this time that Jaden and Mariel realize something odd is happening. They notice the eerie silence and begin to sit up, just as Gregory instantly fills the being he is on the verge of creating with intrinsic knowledge of its creator, including a falsified biography to utilize when attempting to convert people to his worship, and then he wills the being to life. 

The boyfriend and girlfriend whose moment of contemplative intimacy he is intruding upon are both looking away from the spot where the angel is born but sense the being's presence thanks to the warm light it emanates as it comes into existence. Both humans turn and find themselves facing the grand being, a creature over seven feet tall clad in glowing armor. 

The tall being has a head that lacks any identifying features, be it hair or eyes, and six enormous wings protrude out of its back. It turns its featureless head in the direction of the humans and both mortals are surprised to hear a voice come out of its mouthless face. 

"Greetings, humans. My master sensed your pain and despair and desires to help." The creature tells the pair, its voice a soft thing but one filled with a strange power and an otherworldly sense of nobility. Neither human speaks as they take in the bizarreness of this situation. 

"The being who created me refers to himself as the Dark Shepherd. He is willing to cure your ailments and soothe your heart." The angel reveals, speaking first to the young man and then turning to the young woman. This set of remarks causes the hearts of the two lovers to pound in their chests. Mariel is the first to speak, speaking nearly the same instant that the angel ceases speaking. 

"It can… do that?" She asks, breathlessly. The angel nods silently at her, and she turns to look at Jaden with a smile on her face. Jaden, however, is remarkably calm and he thoughtfully studies the angel. 

"What does the creature want in exchange for this act?" He asks, having learned that healthcare is never free. The man is impressively cynical, a skepticism which is an impressive trait. The creature replies to the young man within nanoseconds, knowing exactly what to say. 

"The Dark Shepherd  is a mighty being who desires to know lifeforms throughout the world. Even now he is helping people throughout the world. What he wishes for from you is to be his faithful servants and to help people in the same way that he has empowered me to help you." The angel tells the pair of humans. 

"I have been blessed with numerous powers by my maker, but I am also not suitable to help any but the most desperate. In the two of you my creator sees followers who could more easily walk in the light and help those who are less desperate but still in need." The being reveals, even as it subtly gestures towards its face. Both humans nod when they see this gesture, and internally admit that the reasoning here makes sense. 

"My master can tell you more, if you let him into your hearts. In exchange he will be a source of peace and purpose for you, as well as provide you with immortal life and with mystical abilities of your very own. I am but an instrument through which his will is enacted, and if you let him into your hearts you can help people and also bring about his divine will." The creature continues, before abruptly falling silent and waiting for either human to speak. 

The pair of humans turn to look at each other, curiously. Neither is sure what to do, but at this point both have noticed the absolute silence of their surroundings barring either their voices or the voice of the angel. They are not sure precisely how their surroundings have been frozen, but both humans know that they are the grip of something vastly greater than themselves in terms of power. They silently communicate, having been together long enough to be able to express at least basic thoughts without words, and the dark sanguinarch ready to convert them opts to perform a subtle demonstration of his power. 

The invisible being decides to perform an act of kindness even as he observes the non-verbal communication occurring in front of him. Some of his major sanguine powers are curious things that he can use on other people, even connecting them in some cases. 

He activates mindlink and rather than connecting his mind to the minds of the lovers, he instead tethers their minds together and they instantly begin to read each other's minds which causes both of them to reel back in surprise. As they recover from the surprising display of subtle power, the angel begins to speak again. 

"My master has seen your desire to speak and has blessed you with the ability to mentally converse with each other. This is a casual display of his power." The angel explains, and both humans sense a tiny flicker of pride in its voice. The sanguinarch, smirking at this, places a single hand on the shoulder of the angel and with a flex of its immense will transforms his servant into a vampire.

The transformation is a subtle thing, at least on a physical level. The skin of the angel lightens just a touch, and the creature gains an aura which increases both the uncanniness of its appearance and the awe its appearance can inspire. On an internal level, however, the power boost the angel has just received is remarkable. Every one of its muscles fills with dark power, and even its abilities are massively bolstered in power. 

As this is occurring Jaden begins to recall all the pain he has endured. He vividly remembers the agony he has been in due to the rare and incurable condition that ails him. The young man sagely recounts the effects of every attempted treatment and the inevitable anger he felt every time a doctor sat him down and had a talk with him. 

He also begins to think about his family. He is not an only child, he has a younger sister and an older brother, both of whom have watched him deal with this his whole life. He thinks about Mariel, and his parents, all of whom have been by his side as he has become surprisingly stoic in the face of this supposedly life-long condition. And then Jaden looks up at the sky. 

The clouds overhead are frozen in place, and the sun hovers, unmovingly. He glances downward and notes that the leaves he can distantly see were caught mid-motion. They are not moving but they hover in awkward places and Jaden wonders if this is the real deal. 

Even now the man in his early twenties is in pain. He has mastered the art of shunting the pain away, keeping it confined in a tiny part of his mind and appearing unbothered by it but it's everpresent. Mariel, now more aware of it than ever, looks at Jaden with tears in her eyes as she realizes how hard he is fighting even now. She is willing to do whatever it takes to free him from this pain, and she begs him to take the deal they are being offered. 

Mariel is no fool, she is not eager to worship and serve a strange being who dubs itself "The Dark Shepherd" but she loves her boyfriend. The arabic goth girl is ready to do what it takes to heal the man she loves. Her voice resounds throughout Jaden's head as he thinks about what it might mean to serve the creature who supposedly created what he instinctively recognizes as an angel. Jaden notes Mariel's willingness to do what it takes to get him better and he quietly sighs. The sanguinarch watching the two of them begins to smirk as he senses his victory. 

He raises his hand in the direction of both humans and he telepathically instructs his angelic servant in what to say. At the same time both humans suddenly fall to their knees as their new master begins to feed on them, sucking a portion of their souls out of their bodies. 

"My master is delighted that you have elected to serve him. He is currently breaking you down for the purpose of making you stronger than ever." The angel explains, even as both of the humans exhaustedly exhale. They feel parts of themselves flowing out of them and they watch as streams of their energy flow into the air in front of them and then suddenly vanish. 

Their new master is not doing this malevolently, even though it is an unnecessary act. As he feeds on the two of them he expends the tiniest fragments of the essence he would have otherwise gained to ensure that one of his favorite major sanguine powers, absorption, doesn't deprive the humans of their knowledge or their utility. By expending a tiny portion of the essence he'd otherwise gain he merely copies their knowledge, skills, and memories as opposed to stealing them.

This continues for a few seconds, before suddenly stopping. When it does both humans begin to breathe loudly, curious and afraid, even as the angel they can see approaches them. He outstretches his hands and he instructs them to relax as he places fingers on their heads. 

The ascendant observing all of this silently chuckles as he activates one of his draconic powers for the very first time. The angel he has created serves as the focus through which he channels a power associated with water-attuned dragon lords: "Draconic Healing". The angel begins to radiate faint blue light as the power his creator is channeling enters his body and begins to course through him, surging through every cell inside of him and racing towards his hands. 

When the power hits his hands it races outward and fills the bodies of the two humans. As it does potent ascendant reality-warping begins to modify and heal the slowly breaking body of Jaden and heals Mariel of aches and pains she had forgotten she sometimes feels. The collection of maladies that have long plagued Jaden are potently and powerfully healed, undone by the whims of the mighty dragon lord who is watching the two humans. 

A lifetime of illnesses, of defeated and decaying body parts, of aches and pains so constant that Jaden had forgotten what it feels like to not be in pain are swept away by the tide of power now coursing through him. At first the pain is just soothed, lessened in intensity for a few fractions of a second, but then it begins to vanish. For the first time in over a decade Jaden feels good, a smile appearing on his face, and then he begins to feel great as he feels the pain he has long learned to ignore completely dissipate. 

"I… I'm healed." He says, softly, a smile appearing on his face as he realizes this. Tears form in his eyes, and they slowly begin to trickle down his face. 

"I, I don't feel any pain anymore." He utters, awe seeping into his voice. Mariel gasps as she hears him say this. A joyful smile appears on her face, and she respectfully removes the angel's hand from her face before going and hugging her boyfriend. 

"Really?!" She asks, almost squealing in joy. He looks at her and nods, a range of emotions visible in his gaze as he confirms that he is pain free. At the same time, Gregory partially undoes shadowblank and reveals himself to the humans. Both of them turn when they suddenly hear the sounds of the figure on the grass behind the angel. Gregory smiles at them and nods in their direction.

"Hello. I am The Dark Shepherd." He says, even as he allows time to begin to flow again and the two suddenly here a range of sounds. 

"I have appeared in person to bestow upon you the powers my druids will require." He explains, causing their eyes to widen in surprise. 

"Your… 'Druids'?" Mariel asks, and Gregory nods at her with a serene smile on his face. 

"Yes, little one. My druids. I intend to give you the powers to lead your kind, and to be spiritual guides to your people. To that end I shall make you my druids." The figure reveals, even as his chest begins to inflate as he sucks in air. 

"Now please relax and receive my 'Breath of blessing'." He says, quietly but authoritatively. Both humans gently nod and become still as they wait to feel his breath blow over them. 

He begins to exhale and both humans feel a soft breeze flow out of him and onto them, and they feel wisdom and power enter themselves as they become the first humans to receive the blessings of their new god without becoming vampires. Their facial expressions melt into ones of contentment and inner joy, even as their minds are touched by their draconic god, and they sense their bodies attuning to the eight draconic elements; fire, water, air, earth, poison, storm, light, and dark. 

The dragon exhales for several moments before stopping and smiling at the two. They silently bask in the presence of their overlord, even as his other bodies busily work elsewhere and achieve other important goals on their own.