"Is there room for more?"
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Most Recent Posts
The Beginning of Turn X
Back Again
“Then the Divine realized that they had no concept of the skills required to run an organization of this magnitude.”
The Beginning of Turn IX
The Calm Calamity Comes Calling
A divine gift may sear the shape of the soul, and scorch this world…
The Beginning of Turn VIII
Where Are We Going?
In order to rise from its own ashes, a Phoenix first must burn…
Shared Stories
Desire & Anagnostis
“I’m ready!” Desire proclaimed with restored resolve and vigor, and subtle hesitation, as still visible through a transcendent and illuminating lens which remained unseen were the stretching series of scars upon her otherwise soft skin, such were the eternally lingering symbols from the terrible touch of the Sacred Strings and the strange esoteric ritual that had been performed earlier. She also sensed the scent of gnostic sorcery suffusing the symbols and glyphs upon herself and Sunset Orange, causing her to temporarily contemplate the myriad of mysteries mentioned by the Kathetikon once again.
She had received numerous visions through descending into the depths of the Sea of Shadows and connecting to her various sacred selves scattered throughout the multiversal cosmos, clinging onto their thoughts and memories as she returned to her reality, thus she had discerned much of what she must do next. Her delicate avatar, the divine doll that she had woven together previously, stood nearby and held onto Sunset Orange through the usage of outstretched silvery threads that evidently possessed a modicum of might. The magical marionette sighed to herself as she watched Desire let her mind become muddled with musings repeatedly, even after declaring herself prepared for surfing the Rivers of Mystery.
“I’m worried you’re going to hurt yourself… Couldn’t you wait a little longer?” The pious puppet asked with a pout, and her voice echoed with unease while she continually caressed and cradled the shimmer-board she clung onto in order to soothe herself. The avatar then silently sought aid from her kindred spirit, as she shifted her attention to Anagnostis and expressed her anxiety with a couple of childlike expressions to convey her concern, all directed at the divine author closeby.
Anagnostis caught the empathic impressions readily and their posture subtly shifted, becoming slightly more authoritative than it had before–with the Kathetikon gone, it would have to act in its Master’s stead and it knew that would require some measure of actual authority.
“... well, the Master has granted me access to my full Noetic profile. I can reveal to you that there are some methods of… safeguarding you we might employ, here in the Vault. It is quite possible that should any harm befall you, Desire, we can transfer those wounds to another version of yourself through the Gnostic sigils you possess. We would need a medium and an effigy, though it strikes me that the Sacred String is a perfect medium, and the doll is a perfect effigy. If they were to stay behind, we could ensure with almost complete certainty your safety! I would calculate the odds of success at somewhere around 98.542%, with the small margin of error existing in case the Creatrix herself tries to harm you… but I am quite confident that won’t happen again!” Anagnostis offered, at first going to read the book normally so-close at hand but recoiling to find that it was no longer present. Filaments of cosmic dust wove themselves together at its beck and call, and soon a facsimile had been created that it could leaf through to soothe the sudden anxieties and pressures of actually directing one of the Master’s siblings.
“We could have plenty of fun here, you know… there is a direct link to the Shadow Bazaar here, as well as a number of extremely esoteric tomes. We could learn more about Trading together, perhaps, and inform Desire upon her return!” Anagnostis began, directing its earnest gaze to the Sacred Doll as it spoke.
Desire allowed herself an amused smile as she suddenly appeared beside her avatar, and stood there staring at her conjured companion for what seemed a serene yet ephemeral moment where everything was peacefully still. The goddess gracefully held out her hands, and her divine doll dashed towards her, afterward playfully pulling upon the limb of her mistress as she wrapped it around herself like a scarf, while the other limb of the goddess easily grasped the then given Sunset Orange. The two of them giggled together before turning their attention back to Anagnostis with affirmed grins. “I’d rather not risk it, you know. That said, you’re absolutely right! I’m going to leave little Aletheia here with you while I go where I must. I’ve complete faith in the two of you to manage the library while the rest of us are, umm, away!” Desire declared, shining with resplendent radiance as she spoke and exuded an ever gleeful aura.
The newly named avatar glanced between the goddess that held her, granting her life, and the affable author of the tome that was seemingly the god of knowledge, or at least a god of guiding those towards attaining knowledge. Aletheia bowed her head respectfully, and added cheerfully with accumulating confidence as she spoke: “I’m certain that there is much we’ll learn together. I look forward to studying with you, hehe.”
“I’ll be glad to show you the wonders of the Library, Aletheia! Let’s go and find some of the Odysseia to ride with…” Anagnostis began excitedly, before taking a quill and drawing in the air some of the gnostic sigils from the Kathetikon’s pages. The vastness of the great Vault fell away, the Rivers receded, and what was left in its place was a strange museum of intricately crafted statues. There were clearly scenes sculpted from the Kathetikon’s meetings of all its siblings, beginning at the Apex at the top of the structure–a grand mural displaying the visage of the Creatrix, staring out impassively. They had found themselves next to a number of statues displaying some of the gods–the gold-green radiance of Kaelhmor caught mid-dance as his impossibly fluid and lithe form stood impassively; the Lady of Trade and Shadows suspended while flipping a coin, her face radiating the content expression of a deal well-struck; Myrtu caught mid-dance, a dazzling gleam barely visible in his hooves and the ground.
“Ah, the Master usually makes a little something to remember people by, and to give the denizens of the Library something to marvel at! Many of the denizens lack the noetic fortitude to withstand the true interior of the Vault, so this is the only layer visible to them. It’ll be easier for Desire to focus on the Rivers like this, with her godly perception and all. Why don’t we go outside?” Anagnostis began, offering an outstretched arm of inky blackness for Aletheia to hop onto.
“Have fun!” Desire exclaimed, as she eagerly embarked upon Sunset Orange, the shimmer-board suddenly levitating idly in the sacred space above while she watched the two avatars come together, Aletheia approaching and accepting the tenebrous limbs of Anagnostis with a sincere smile. The time-gliding goddess let out a gleeful giggle before she spoke again, speaking so softly and swiftly that her utterances were almost unheard. “Thank you kindly, knowledgeable God of the Great Library, and Anagnostis the Ardent. I’m freed from the Black Mountain, and once again I can create anew. Ah, I should introduce myself to all of my lost siblings, hehe. I’ve been reborn; Prometheus, the forsaken Flame-Thief, and now I must reopen the Gates of Gehenna to free my kindred. That’s how I’ll atone for my sins, I suppose. I wish to conclude this story after all. Then this is farewell for now…”
As Anagnostis and Aletheia began to escort themselves to the exterior of the magnificent museum of memories, Desire allowed herself another glimpse at two of them, examining each and every detail with her ruby-emerald eyes so that she could paint a perfect picture of them together and remember this scene whenever she was worried about her creation. Afterwards, the sight of the statues, sculptures, and depictions of all her siblings that surrounded her soon reminded her of her purpose. She was no longer afraid, and so she submerged herself in the Sea of Shadows without hesitation, losing sight of her surroundings as she became blinded by the unknown and the fractal secrets of the cosmos. The Hanged One followed the flow of the rivers of manifested mystery along the currents of the mighty multiverse, and surfed swiftly towards her heartfelt chosen destiny, that wondrous thing which she truly desired.
Desire & The Kathetikon
Once Upon A Time
Westwards from the Umbral Woods, she swiftly sailed upon the shining stria towards the sublime sight of the Grand Library after following the directions inscribed upon the map that Ashevelen had given to her, and she slowed herself upon her shimmer-board as she approached the exalted edifice. She could see how the world shifted the closer she came to the domain of another deity, yet she could not describe the exact nature of these changes. The winds surrounding the mountains resembled the winds at Keltra, and she could sense the presence of sorcery, mingling with her perception of reality.
From her elevated position, Desire examined the numerous plateaus absolutely laden with ever exquisite structures such as the spiraling towers and grand halls, and she observed how each plateau was connected via many sculpted stone bridges and steps - all of this seemed to shine with an ethereal glimmer. She could see within the beautiful buildings the fabulous furnishings illuminated by crystallized radiance, as well as a vast repository of knowledge consisting of an immense collection of tomes, scrolls, illustrations, and much more, with a myriad of signs written in an unfamiliar script that would aid in navigating the various sections of this resplendent realm.
There were more creatures that dwelled here; among them were Umbra akin to those that Desire had seen in the Shadow Bazaar which were presumably members of the Holy Order of Ashevelen, and then there were the equines with wings, their feathers forged from the night sky and their fur suffused with colorful warmth. The two types of denizens either flew upon the focused winds, or wandered throughout the wondrous arrangement of incredible architecture that was the Grand Library.
None among them had seen Desire yet as her appearance remained hidden behind the aura produced by Sunset Orange - until she leapt from her shimmer-board, leaving her artifact and avatar behind - and alighted amidst the pathways of pearlescent and bejeweled marble between the majestic structures. She would then begin to seek out the Kathetikon, in order to give them the conjured coin she had received from Ashevelen.
As Desire stepped down onto the proverbial terra firma of the Grand Library, a coruscating ribbon of light seemed to twinkle through the marble floor. It wound its way up through the chaotic maze of pathways, quickly disappearing from sight, but as Desire got her bearings she would no doubt catch glimpses of it again and again–and each time she saw it, it would gently nudge her perception up towards the great Vault set atop the highest peak. The strange geometries of the Grand Library seemed to unnaturally converge upon it, and now that she had entered it properly and doffed her protection it seemed to do the same to her.
An umbra sailing the winds just above Desire happened to look down and catch a glimpse of the coin Ashevelen had given her, and suddenly grew very animated. The umbra began furiously writing strange sigils into the air with a quill and sending them darting off with a flick of her shadowy form. As the movement rippled throughout her clothes, an emblazoned emblem of coins much like the one Desire was holding was briefly visible. It took only another moment or two for the sound of ruffling feathers and equine neighing to be heard, and soon two of the Odysseia had joined in, speaking to themselves in a strange whispering language.
“Are you one of the holy Kathetikon’s siblings, perchance, sent here by Lady Ashevelen?” the Umbra asked, quickly performing a prayer under its breath to the Lady of Trade and Shadows as it eagerly awaited an answer. In the background, the lure of the Vault grew even stronger as though something deep within that strange apex were calling out to her. Her deific sight would render her keenly aware of the currents of esoteric and occult energy that were made manifest in the Kathetikon’s realm, but as she gazed upon the celestial trails of energy in the oddly crisp skies she would also become keenly aware of something actively damming her perception. Like a veil of reality itself slipped over something she could see the absence of, it stoked any curiosity she might have had within her and appealed to her sense of mystery.
“I’m Desire, ya! Ashevelen said to come here if I wanted to learn more about trading. She told me to give this coin to the Kathetikon. Can you help me find what I seek?” Desire answered as she showed the stamp of the shadow goddess to the Umbra and asked her own question with an affable grin while she fiddled with the aforementioned coin, flipping it between her fingers playfully. Her inner flames flickered with an excited enthusiasm, and so she sauntered forward without worry or constraint towards this source of temptation atop the mountain letting her curiosity guide her.
“Ah, what luck! If you wish to know the way onward, I’d be happy to accept a trade… a secret for a secret, hmm?” the Umbra giggled, her eyebrows wagging coyishly as she shone a bright smile towards Desire, clearly eager to talk to this new being but also true to the nature of the Umbra and unwilling to let things be freely given when a mutually beneficial trade could be made! Alas, before the conversation could proceed further Desire found the strange fractal geometries of the Grand Library shifting and constricting. Reality tilted on some unseen axis and suddenly the Umbra was gone, as were the Odysseia flying above, as were all of the living things. Up above in the sky could be seen an inky trail of midnight blue essence, contrasting sharply against the ordinarily too-bright and too-crisp sky. As Desire would catch notice of it it would begin to glob wetly against another point in the sky, spreading almost like the flow of a river–and suddenly it trickled down a dimension that she had not been able to see before and vanished from view.
Ahead, at the Apex, the obsidian black glass seemed to drink in the same peculiar essence that Desire had seen earlier. To her divine eyes she could even see the odd angles of the place beginning to split off into the spaces between spaces that appeared to converge here. It was almost as if the strange Vault keened to her innermost senses, pulling her unfailingly towards it and opening its doors for her to begin to explore the interior. The inky currents suddenly became visible ahead of her, as if already enveloping her, and brushed against Sunset Orange, lingering against it for a fraction of a second too long. As suddenly as the vision came into being it disappeared, adding another layer of mystery for Desire to untangle.
Her shimmer-board came into view once again as her sacred marionette sailed the artifact upon unseen silvery strings outstretched, and hovered beside her creatrix now. Currently suffused with her namesake, Desire and her Divine Doll momentarily stared at each other with contemplative stillness before both of them slowly shifted their attention back to the strange structure that beckoned them from within. Though this surrealistic cave was dark, and though it devoured, Desire thought its hunger and blackness were somehow bright and hot akin to a bonfire - and so seen as such, caused her skin to feel warm.
A foolish leap of faith ahead of her, now she cannot forsake herself or abandon her avatar. She knew she could not step into the calling cave alone, and she suddenly was clinging onto her Divine Doll, caressing its soft features to soothe herself. Her hesitancy passed, and carrying her small woven marionette as they sailed upon Sunset Orange together, the two of them proceeded forward, and ascended towards the mystery that awaited them above. Desire reached out with her threads, like thousands of hands seeking to grasp and gently articulate their surroundings, so that she could attempt to see the shape of what she had seen before - another vision. Another perspective.
Desire’s threads reached out, and the infinite tendrils of the Rivers of Mystery each grasped firmly the goddess’ proffered hand and pulled. They drew her very self through their infinite complexities, each a conduit for the occult and esoteric phenomena of Galbar–but now so close she could see them for what they truly were: the seams that bound this reality to myriad others, the fundamental axes of the multiverse. Each offered something wildly different, a shift in perspective so profound and surreal that mortal minds would burn up in their obsessive embrace–but Desire was no mortal, and the overwhelming heat could do her no harm. The sudden infusion of occult energy took the form of whispers, and they slid slickly through her ears and into her mind as she vaulted rapidly through the glut of new perspectives: “We cannot see you, and we cannot hurt you, but if you only find us and let us in we will fill the hole within you.”
And then, all at once, a ripple of written characters vibrated through the air in each of the otherworldly vistas and they began to slide into one another seamlessly. Faster and faster they collided, until all at once they slammed into Desire and she found herself within the interior of the grand Vault. The same incredible space awaited her as had awaited Kaelhmor, the infinite vastness of the cosmos somehow contained within the peculiar obsidian building, but this time instead of non-euclidean edges and peculiar geometries there were little rivers of that inky-blue essence, heading off towards the distant nebulae and planets in the distance. At the center of it all was the prize that Desire had sought, however: the Kathetikon and Anagnostis, engaged in some peculiar type of spellcraft that involved the avatar drawing impossibly intricate and precise sigils in various ways.
“Ah, sibling, it is good to meet you! You are one of the Creatrix’s children, yes?” the Kathetikon wrote, its words manifesting in the celestial skyscape above them. Anagnostis took a single glance at the coin that she possessed and began to write feverishly within the tome’s pages.
“Ah! You’ve been sent by Lady Ashevelen, I see? It is a pleasure to welcome a friend of a dear friend. What service would she have me provide for you?”
Desire had yet to be completely healed after all she suffered and all that she witnessed when she was within Keltra, as she felt the hidden scars spanning across her shape become more and more agitated. She disembarked from her shimmer-board, still holding her doll with one arm as she presented the coin to the two that had greeted her. She slowly stepped forward, struggling with the movements, almost stumbling instead of walking with grace, and her brows furrowed with irritation before softening as she briefly peered upwards to read the scripture in the otherworldly sky. “Eh, sorry! My body seems to want to betray me now. I’m Desire, and it’s nice to finally meet you. To, um, answer your question; I’m here to learn about trading.”
Upon uttering those words, Desire relaxed as the sudden chafing among the crevices along her form was alleviated temporarily, and so she adopted a more calm and cheerful demeanor as she continued to speak. “I was told I could study here if I gave this coin to the Umbra in residence, and I was told that I should speak with you if I could.” She explained with a smile as she tied herself together with her silvery strings, assisted by her animated marionette that possessed similar threads. The final result was a rather ridiculous sight, but would also prevent her from fracturing apart during this conversation which she deemed more prevalent.
“Your corporeal index is lower than it should be, it’s true…” Anagnostis smiled sheepishly before flicking through the Kathetikon’s pages at a blinding pace. It finally settled on a page filled not with words but with arcane sigils, and began to draw the patterns contained therein upon the sky with its quill, linking distant stars and planets alike and directing their energy down into Desire. It was like being plugged into the heartbeat of the cosmos themselves, the sheer magnitude of forces suddenly coursing through her body difficult for even a God to bear–but then the silvery string began to glow as it absorbed the energy that Anagnostis had fed to it, and Desire’s body was united with her desires once more.
“A temporary fix, while you are within the Vault! The Master knows how to draw energy from the entire multiverse to this place, so it is fairly trivial to maintain such magic while here… you traveled here yourself through one of the Rivers of Mystery, did you not? You were linked then to a single thread in the tapestry; now many more are infusing you with their vitality.” Anagnostis smiled, performing a deep bow, but then its featureless face returned to the Kathetikon and began to flick through its pages once more.
“Lady Ashevelen could, of course, teach you intricacies that even I do not know–but she is an efficient manager, and knows when it is best to delegate tasks! She also happens to know that I wish to meet all of our siblings one day, so she has done us both quite the favour. I warn you, however, that I do not tend to… teach, per se. It is my prerogative to reveal the path, but it must be yours to walk it. My Library contains everything you could ever want to know, if only you can find it… but what on earth has damaged you so severely? I sense the Creatrix’s energy about you, but in far higher quantities than one could ambiently accumulate in Keltra–she spoke to me some time ago about a battle of some sorts, have you been injured by one of our kin?” the Kathetikon wrote, its words fast and blurred together as it leaped from point to point without pause.
It was overwhelming, the multitude of emotions coursing through the small system that Desire comprised herself with, and she was momentarily the embodiment of several sins; greed, gluttony, lust, and avarice. She was aching with hunger, as her stomach repeatedly whimpered, and she hated that she deeply contemplated begging for food, for sweet sustenance. She wanted to satiate her hunger simply by forever feasting upon the cognitive vigor that suffused her now, provided by the power of the one that ruled this realm. To withdraw and accept being emptier was an unbearable thought, so similar to the weight of the world itself, it seemed overcoming it would be a sisyphean task.
She shook back and forth, trembling with transcendence despite how tightly the sacred strings bound her like shackles, and she felt tears fall from flushed cheeks as she remembered simultaneously why she previously separated herself from such cosmic forces. She wondered when she would lose lucidity and become intoxicated, how it had happened and why? Her mind relentlessly teased her with moans of pleasure and playful mockery beyond the capability of her current body to comprehend. Despite the sensation of her skin being squeezed, excruciatingly forced to constrict and contain all that was within her, she remained more afraid of the threads becoming frayed and undone. She could see such a destiny coming soon, and she winced as she looked away. The pain of prescience and divinity.
She gasped, and inhaled. Breathing. How could she explain that she had been brutalized and abandoned, yet was still loved? She could not define the nature of her relationship with her mother who had become something sinister and supernatural in her mind, frightening her. She recalled how even when she had held the Aspect-Shard of War, even when she had fought with fierce conviction, she had been defeated. She sought mercy then, and surrendered to the river that carried her on and on, yet it could not have been her choice to come here.
“Yet I’m here.” She whispered so softly, solely with written words for she had yet to find her voice again, but in this realm she could speak even when silenced. She was blind to her surroundings, and suddenly found herself laid upon the floor entangled in her sacred strings before the strange Book and its author, as though she were the sacrifice placed upon the altar. She remained dedicated to the reason she had arrived. She had come to learn about trade, and desired to make a deal with the one known as the Kathetikon.
“I want everything…” She said weakly, confessing to her crimes, her sins, her salvation. She allowed herself to imagine having another one of those delicious meals she devoured while within the Shadow Bazaar, and also attempted to imagine somehow consuming it while still keeping it in her possession despite how difficult it was to do so. “What can I trade with you?” She asked with desperation.
“All things are written, Desire, but not all things are decided. I remember the prophecies of many great sages, some of whom communed with forces even the equal of your mother, and not a single one was infallible–we kept keen records at the Oraculum within Gnosis, you see. I could show you universes where you beat the Creatrix, or where your purposes and goals became aligned, or where she was never your mother at all–but what would it serve? The root of your problems is clear to me: the hole inside of you that you have sought to fill has no bottom. You could glut yourself upon all the infinite multiverse has to offer and never be satisfied, because the satisfaction you crave is rooted in falsehood. All I crave is knowledge, dear Desire, and I am about to embark upon the Rivers to do a little research about one of our siblings. I will be gone for some time, so I propose this to you: Find out all you can from your mother about the Sacred Path, about what she has already done and what she intends to do. In return, I shall bless you now with stewardship over the Rivers and their many delights–I can inscribe upon your board the sigils that will permit you to ride them, and I can weave within your strings their essence to bolster your failing corporality. If you keep an eye on things while I am absent and provide the knowledge I desire upon my return, you may keep my blessings.” the Kathetikon wrote in reply, the scintillating stars above and around them glittering and sparkling in time with its words. New invocations began to draw themselves in the vastness around them, and the mysterious angles of the Vault started to channel energy through the sable Rivers in anticipation of Desire’s acceptance.
“Anagnostis, fetch a hot meal from the Bazaar, will you? Galxus should know what Desire would like, and you are free to educate him on the many varieties of binding clauses that he was so interested in the last time he visited as recompense.” the Kathetikon added quickly, and the Anagnostis seemed to dissolve beneath the shadow of a passing star as he entered the Bazaar from the Vault. Only a moment or two later they returned, holding a plate of the precise type of food Desire had been imagining. They crouched down and offered it to her, their featureless face somehow still radiating kindness.
“You will meet your destiny on the road you take to avoid it. You must live as your authentic self, whatever that is, in order to satisfy your Desire. This is the only logical conclusion the Master has been able to come to, with all of the information at its disposal. I hope this helps, somehow, but I think you need to experience it. The Master does not teach because experience is the only true teacher!” Anagnostis spoke, its voice at once sagely and full of mirth.
Her limbs stayed locked as she lay completely tethered upon the floor, and she cried at the sight of the compassion she was shown. The Book was beautiful, she was certain, and Desire recognized a significant supply of holiness that temporarily compelled her to communicate further. “Um, please… tell me the truth - are you my family or an enemy? Are you my father? A demon? Something else? You’re hurting me, and healing me. I just… I don’t want to be alone.” Her two different colored eyes stared at the Kathetikon with sorrowful yearning, and shimmered with all of the answers she had yet to accept. Her glittering gaze reflected her desires and a hint of defiance, as despite all that she had heard, she sought to stay with whoever it was that she was speaking with.
She truly wanted to sail further upon the celestial rivers, but she refused to return to the past as she told herself that she cannot go back, that she was not strong enough yet. She was stuck, bound by the weapon she created and her cowardice, and sudden swift shame splashed against her, angry and hot like the touch of the sun. She giggled for an ephemeral moment, because she happily surrendered again when she considered how foolish she had been, achieving the self-bestowed title of the fake warrior. She was sundered, sealed with stupidity, and yet she had to continue enduring cruelty; the maelstrom, the violence and agony on the path ahead. She wished she could refute the fact that the Kathetikon was not coming with her, and she struggled to slither towards the blessed book.
The Kathetikon did not have a gaze to focus upon Desire, so it substituted the sheer vastness of the cosmos present around them for a look and seemed to almost smile both benevolently and piteously at Desire.
“You are my sibling, as we are both children of the Creatrix. I am many things, but none of them are an enemy–to you or anyone, I should hope. We are an ersatz family, I admit, but its esoteric and often tumultuous nature should do nothing to diminish its love nor the bonds we share as deific beings. Though my curiosity burns deeply at this Sacred Path, know that I am no friend of the Creatrix. She made plain that she cares only for this Sacred Path, and my desire to understand it compels me at times to act alongside her–but I would be upset were you to mistake this for us being little more than allies of opportunity.” the Kathetikon began, settling itself down in front of Desire so that she could read freely from the words it wrote upon its pages.
“You are not broken, my sibling. To be broken, one must have first been a complete thing–you are merely components yet to find the correct configuration… but this is your trial, you see? The answers you crave can only come from within; it is my job to light the path. I find it very curious how alike and yet different the Creatrix and I are: we have both stood at the end of a perfect universe crumbled to nothingness, subsumed in its entirety by entropy. We have watched universes die, we have beheld the ultimate end… but a part of me worries that this Path she is building leads not to an answer, but to escape. Unlike her, I do not seek release–I seek answers. I fear that I must be alike her if I am hurting you, but know that it is only my intention to help… now, let us restore your corporal harmony! Anagnostis, prepare the geometries! Fetch the candles and the chalks!”
Anagnostis did so immediately, dissolving into the lightless gap between the Vault and the Shadow Bazaar, and when they returned they started about setting up the right means for the Kathetikon’s grand plan. As Anagnostis prepared Desire, the Kathetikon prepared the heavens and the Vault, and their perspective in space suddenly changed as new stars and planets came into being. Hidden veils fell away before their eyes, and some things they had been privy to before vanished into nothingness–everything that was became something new, and ere long the rite was prepared.
“If I could stay, sweet Desire, I would… but there are questions beyond the pale that I must answer. There are adjustments I must make for Galbar’s safety beyond the veil–lest we attract the attention of Tindalos or worse. But if you wish to see me again, you need only return to my Library–it will be easy enough for us to meet at a liminal space if you want it badly enough.”
“I believe you, and I’m still going to miss you, hehe. Miss you like I miss Ashevelen and Harmony, and the other daughters of the sun that have yet to collect their spirit. I’m carrying such pain, and yet I can still fly. Ah, though my heart is missing a piece, it still beats… because I have faith we’ll meet again.” The trapped goddess said with the shadow of a smile, promising that the tale will continue when the black mirror connects them together, and they truly meet in the house of the night. With devotion, she had become divine once more, and spoke through time via surfing across the sea of stories to be here now. She will partake in the spell to sail swiftly upon Sunset Orange to overcome the dangers, as death would await her, and so she must hang upon the secret song of sorcery to survive. She was ready to be released from the Sacred Strings.
The glittering pinpricks of light in the sky above began to wink out, one by one. The darkness left behind seemed unable to occupy the space, and so it began to dribble down in little droplets until they had formed a little trickle of inky midnight. Each star lost seemed to spawn another, and as the distant light of the unmitigated mystery of the multiverse slowly faded away the ever-swelling tide of the Rivers could be felt coming closer, looming like a sword. When no lights yet remained, and the Rivers had joined together in this nexus so completely that the world was little more than a pinprick of concentrated energy.
“We are at the source. The infinite potentiality that once powered Gnosis, and now powers the Grand Library. The Vault. The Nexus. You. It… is nothing. Formless. It reflects only what is and creates nothing of its own, given meaning only when it may bring into being the Desires that are entrusted to it, and reflected within its lightless depths. You must visualize the Desire you wish to be, and we will align your body with your deific and noetic essences.” the Kathetikon spoke out, its words traveling not through sight or sound but through Desire’s very soul. Anagnostis revealed the chalks, like the hearts of dying stars, and began to cleave from the infinite everything the singular thoughts and focuses of Desire’s truest essence. All that she was not fell away, drowning in the tides of the Rivers of Mystery and the unknown dimensions they leaked into. For each thought purged a small flicker of light came into being, the tip of a small candle, and soon Desire was surrounded by them entirely. Floating above her was the Kathetikon, its pages open and covered with barely comprehensible patterns that resisted being perceived.
“As the Rivers flow through you, they will wash away the Sacred String. It will fall to another you, one who needs it as you do not. You will be permanently and indelibly marked with their aetheric signature, and that will serve as the binding to house the spells that will align your board to their currents, that you may surf them across Galbar and beyond. The bargain is struck, dear sibling, and you have learned what it is to trade by doing it yourself.”
It is said that no man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river, and he is not the same man. However, upon her shimmer-board empowered by immortal defiance, could Desire overcome the paradoxical and illogical laws of an eternally changing reality or would she drown in despair? To surf swiftly, sail higher, closer and closer to the celestial limits and boundaries between the first and final fantasy. Tears of truth trickled from her ruby-emerald eyes as she peered into the ever enigmatic sea of shadows, and she felt herself plunge deep into the unfathomable depths of darkness.
She sank, but she was the Hanged One, and so she suspended herself while immersed in the many mysteries of the multiverse, receiving the wisdom of a myriad of lives. She could taste the treachery upon her forked tongue, as she became a serpent to navigate her unseen and sibylline surroundings. Lies touched her lips like the kiss of a lost lover, and she suddenly felt tremendous agony, insidious poison pouring into her and defiling her perception. I’m going to burst, she thought, sensing her spiritual stomach become swollen after swallowing so much mystical knowledge.
Still restrained after the ritual, Desire violently returned from her visions and profusely vomited upon the floor. The Sacred Strings became unraveled, and she was freed, released from her shackles, yet shaking once again with subtle scars across her small and familiar form. “I think I know what I must do.” The goddess gasped, exhausted and blemished by her own bile and vomitus.
“Ah, sweet Desire, it seems our time is at an end. The tides beyond this world are flooding in, and I must ride them to my destination. Anagnostis will stay here to oversee the Library, so they will be able to help you in whatever way you require. Before I depart, however, I would have you know this: the path you have embarked upon will kill you. As deities we are outside the purview of death, but as beings with thoughts and feelings we still die a thousand times over our existence. You have already experienced one such death today, but it has only killed the parts of you that could not muster the volition to live.” the Kathetikon stated, its tone now paternal and comforting, though tinged with some unseen note of melancholy. The pages of the book rippled gently in some unseen breeze, and from nowhere in particular a droplet of inky-black liquid fell onto its pages. Then another, and another, and another–and in the span of a single second suddenly the Kathetikon was gone.
“The Master will return, Desire… now, eat up. Gather your strength.” Anagnostis smiled, beginning to inscribe sigils and arcane geometries upon the sacred shimmer-board with the chalks it still gripped firmly. The effect was much less grandiose and pronounced than the previous displays of the Kathetikon’s power, manifesting only as a gentle ripple that ululated through the board’s essence before disappearing entirely.
“When you are ready, you should surf one of the Rivers to become acquainted with them! They have spawned all over Galbar, so your destination will be close at hand to at least one of the Rivers.”
The Beginning of Turn VII
Seven is a Sacred Number
“A goddess is the sum of all her believers, all the prayers and hopes and curses and despair ever uttered in her name...”
Desire
Marionette
(A Turn V Post)
She swiftly soared upon Sunset Orange, unseen above the tenebrous forest of the north, and sensed how this domain differed from its southern sibling, where the shadows had been much more welcoming. The foliage below her seemed foreboding, and instead of the birds and beasts she had seen in prior woodland realms, the creatures she could see were all strangely adaptive marine life; crustaceans, mollusks, and fish - all of which were capable of flight.
The further she traveled, the more denizens of the dark forest became apparent, such as the animated flora that resembled a myriad of beasts, and the tall elves that worked with the moving plants while continuing to create their ever-expanding community. She wanted to go to them, and satiate her growing curiosity by interaction, but there was somewhere she must be soon, so she refrained herself from mingling with the mortals for now.
She flew higher and higher until she was surfing amongst the clouds, and that was when she witnessed an exact simulacrum of herself currently standing upon a cloud while watching her, evidently waiting for her to arrive. She readily waved and smiled as her divine doppelganger leapt into the air then alighted on the front section of Sunset Orange, now facing her with an amused expression that was to be expected.
“That went better than I thought it would…” The newcomer said softly as she began to kneel, sliding her hands along the edges and surface of the shimmer-board. The shifting symbols of the Gnosis manifested upon her skin as she casted a spell, rivulets of red ichor seeping from her palms and spreading across Sunset Orange to further suffuse it with sacred power. The shimmer-board belonged to the sorceress, allowing itself to be altered further by her. The spectator was simply a reflection of the true Desire, and yet she possessed access to that sacred power as well, to some degree.
“Mhmm, she was very friendly, and we had fun! Such delicious cuisine and warm generosity!” Conveyed through telepathy, her unspoken words were accompanied by a series of slow twirls as she expressed both her blissful relief and happily watched while her second self completed the spell.
“Chailiss was friendly and generous, but he still betrayed us; murdering Pride, ruining our home, corrupting the innocent, and abducting Fear. What if Ashevelen is just another asshole?” Desire replied, and she became suddenly rigid when her reflection kneeled beside her to embrace her in an attempt to soothe her anxiety. Their minds were then gently merged, and their thoughts traveled freely from one to the other, in a way similar to the connection that all of her sisters shared. Her reflection was aware of the risks; of how worried Desire was when she could only watch while her copy went with Ashevelen beyond her reach.
Then the threads began to unravel as the true form of her reflection was revealed, and still clinging onto the concerned goddess was a divine doll of colorful silk which the deity had woven together to act as her avatar. Desire felt as its small shape comfortably cradled itself upon her shoulder, and without hesitation she pulled it from its position into her arms to hold onto it tightly. She suddenly laughed with newfound joy as she recalled all of the delightful aspects of the Shadow Bazaar, and then she wondered what amazing experiences awaited her ahead.
Desire arose and proclaimed excitedly as Sunset Orange began to surge further upwards, gaining more and more momentum with trails of liquid light lingering in her hurried wake. “I shouldn’t be dawdling! It’s time to fly! To show everyone what I’m capable of! Time to have some fun!”
“Just remember you’re not alone, hehe.” The marionette murmured to her mischievous mistress.
The Beginning of Turn VI
Out of Control
“Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.”
&
The Desire to Trade
Desire & Ashevelen
Desire had reached the southern shores where the land was mostly untouched by those that had answered the call of her mother, and she could see that there was little there that would be worthy of her attention, so she simply sailed eastward. She traveled at a relaxed pace, and appreciated the scenery which stretched on and on ahead of her; the wondrous sights and sounds that she happily immersed herself in.
As she continued upon her journey, the swiftly approaching presence of a forest realm saturated with shadows had acquired her attention, and the goddess decided that she would begin to seek other deities in that strange place so evidently endowed with sacred power. She could see the diverse denizens of the forest, those that were forged from shadows and those created with characteristics gained from multiple animals, along with the great sentinel that hovered over them - the immense six-limbed sentinel that loomed in the sky above the umbral woods.
Desire could not discern whether the colossal creature was a deity, so she sailed closer to it and came to a halt near one of its limbs before she forced the field of divine concealment surrounding Sunset Orange to deactivate - revealing herself with a gentle greeting.
“Salutations, I’m Desire. How’s it hanging?”
It was a busy day for the inhabitants of Shadowton. Carts pulled by Tarsks, trees being cut and an impressive amount of Umbras, Satyrs and humans could be seen moving away for Shadowton. They all seemed to have the same direction, south-west. To the site of a new village. Shadowton became too populated with the influx of mortal races currently living there and the increasing numbers of the Umbras.
And… it was about to get busier. The Shadow Guardian was watching the coast for any threats that might attack from the sea or would pose any danger to the convoy. Their senses were being stretched thin, as Beholders, which the Shadow Guardian used to expand their sight, were everywhere in the forest.
As such, they didn’t notice the divine being approaching from the coast until it was too late. As soon as the divine uttered words towards it, the Guardian let out a howl and Shadowton was put on alert instantaneously. The convoy stopped as well and one could see everyone grabbing weapons and such, not knowing the threat was a divine being.
As the Shadow Guardian had no voice of their own, they focused on Desire and their thoughts were sent to her. The voice of those thoughts being monotone and robotic, as if it wasn’t a mortal talking but a machinery.
“ Designation: Shadow Guardian. Purpose: Protection. State your business. ”
“Just your friendly neighborhood goddess visiting for a moment, hehe. Have you seen any other deities perhaps, Shadow Guardian?” Desire inquired, stepping away to stand upon the unbalanced point at the back of Sunset Orange, while the shimmer-board tilted and swayed atop the luminous waves of the stria due to her precarious position. The goddess with heterochromia adopted a coy countenance, and clasped her hands behind her back in a meek manner as she awaited an answer with a bashful aura.
The Shadow Guardian stood silently and watched Desire, scanning her for any potential threatening moves.
" Unclear query. State purpose in Umbral Woods or risk termination. " answer the Guardian in the same tone as before.
“I’m looking for your maker, Shadow Guardian. Could you help me?”
" Maker: Ashevelen. Designation: Lady of the Swift Trade and Shadow. Location: South. Body of water: Ocean. 231kms away. ” swiftly replied the Guardian, finally getting a question which they could answer with clarity.
And true to their word, Ashevelen was hovering above the ocean. Just at the edge of a divine’s sight. Having recently created Moby Dick, she decided to hang around and enjoy the sight of her new creation as it went away searching for prey.
Desire hastily bowed before the Shadow Guardian, and then arose with a smile as she shouted, waving with her hands while she turned Sunset Orange southwards. “Thanks Shadow Guardian! It’s farewell then!”
As soon as the Shadow Guardian saw Desire leaving, it let out another howl…calmer this time and soon the convoy was ready to move once more but that wasn’t the only thing it did after the howl. With a tentacle it swiftly grabbed an Umbra and sent a message through it to the Bazaar and ‘thus to Ashevelen, “Incoming”.
Ashevelen was, ‘thus, ready for Desire’s appearance. Blinking in the air next to her two chairs from the Shadow Bazaar, she took a seat on one of them before blinking a few cups and some alcohol that the Umbra managed to make which she then put on a table she conjured out of shadows. One of the few things that Ashevelen truly enjoyed from the Umbral cuisine.
Desire steadily approached, casually surfing upon the stria until she was within a much closer proximity to the other deity so that they could clearly see each other. She briefly contemplated how to introduce herself, before choosing to simply wave and shout from a safe distance.
“Hi! I’m Desire!”
“ Welcome divine sister. Come, take a seat and drink up. I am Ashevelen, Lady of Swift Trade and Shadow. A pleasure to meet you, you’re one of the few divines I haven’t had the chance to meet or hear anything about yet. Oh’ and if I may say, you look very similar to Homura, our divine caller. ” charmingly replied Ashevelen with a smile.
Any concern that Desire may have had was alleviated by the offer of a drink, and so she sailed closer, coming to a halt beside the set of chairs and the affable Ashevelen. The liquid light of the stria that came with her arrival quickly dispersed when she settled herself upon one of the seats and sent Sunset Orange away with a dismissive gesture, letting it vanish.
Desire let out a little laugh afterwards, and repeatedly averted her gaze as she spoke to the other goddess, her attention caught between the cup before her and its conjurer. “I’ve been a bit of a recluse, I suppose, but I’m hoping to change that. As for my mother, hmm… she made most of her daughters look the same - reflections of herself.”
“ Ah, that explains it. Homura is your mother, a peculiar thing if I may say so. Divines such as ourselves don’t usually make divine children but mortals which we adopt as our children. ” quickly replied Ashe before noticing Desire’s averted gaze.
“ May I ask what seems to be the problem? You seem a bit in distress. If this place isn’t suitable for you, may I invite you to my realm? I’ll offer you a deal, if you come. ”
Desire glanced at the cup, captivated, and then proceeded to take it - beginning to slowly sip its contents. Her brows had arisen with surprised amusement as she savored the taste, and she continued to drink until the cup was empty. She then found herself fidgeting as she hummed a response. “Eh? Problem? Not a problem really; there isn’t anything unsuitable here… I’ll gladly accept your invitation though.”
As soon as Desire gave her permission, Ashevelen snapped her fingers and both of them blinked out of existence and appeared in the Shadow Bazaar. For a mortal, the transition would’ve been jaggering but for a divine being, it would just feel like a long blink of the eyes.
The location where they were transported was right atop Ashevelen's tower. The seat of her power and a place which she enjoyed the most as it allowed her to view the entirety of the bazaar from above. Ashevelen took a deep breath and walked to the edge of the tower.
" Welcome to the Shadow Bazaar. One of my finest creations. " said Ashe pointing her hand over the edge.
The view was incredible from above. A big number of creatures could be seen going around the bazaar, buying, arguing for prices etc. Massive towers littered the background, always too far to reach but at the same time close enough to be always seen. Certain buildings could be discerned by divine eyes but it was obvious that they were invisible to mortals.
Desire moved to stand beside Ashevelen, peering over the edge and all across the lavish landscape, to observe all that was suddenly shown with an eager expression, and shaking now with a wild excitement akin to an elated child about to receive or give a gift. “Oh! It’s bustling! You’ve collected so much stuff!”
“ Collected, bought and received as gifts from different people or divines. You’re one of the few that was allowed entrance into the Shadow Bazaar without having to pay for it. Normal procedure is that one pays for the entrance before coming here. ” said Ashe, smiling at the excitement that Desire showed before turning to her and continuing.
“ You know’ a lot of divines and mortals over the ages believed that I am the incarnation of greed and that’s so far from the truth. I don’t buy information, objects, mortals and so on and so forth just so that I have more of them. We’re divines after all. I could just make stuff appear if I so desire . No. For me trading is like a battle, one of the minds. If I’m smarter than you are then I’ll out-trade you if you’re smarter than me…you will and that’s it. Neither of us get hurt in the process, no pointless loss of life. ”
Desire leapt away and flipped backwards with enthusiastic agility, alighting with one hand, before pushing up and bouncing again with a second flip to touch down upon her feet in a dramatic fashion. She crossed her arms as she shared a genial grin with Ashevelen, and slowly replied. “Hmm… incarnation. Perhaps then I’ll become this incarnation of greed, as I really want more food and drink, hehe.”
Her hands came together as if clasped in prayer, as she closed her eyes and hummed to herself. A strange audible sound came softly from her stomach, and afterwards Desire abashedly shrugged with a quiet whisper of apologies, uncertain whether her hunger would irk the other goddess or not.
Ashevelen looked at Desire’s agility and then matched it with her own, for fun, of course before laughing out loud at her words.
“ Food and drinks, you say? That can be arranged. Call it a favor for a new divine but afterwards…everything will have a price, dear sister. I hope you understand that. ” replied Ashe while snapping her fingers, teleporting the two divines into a luxurious and weird looking room. There were stairs on the ceiling which Umbral servants would take and they’d go down even if from the divine’s perspective the stairs went up, mirrors on the walls that seemed to reflect the opposites of whatever was reflected in them but what stood out the most was the table.
A massive table made out of an unknown material that seemed to be alive and inert at the same time and an impressive collection of food, drinks and the sorts from all over Galbar. The chairs might’ve been called the most unimpressive thing in the room.
“ I love this place. I created it based on the Ga’xxa’dra restaurant known throughout the cosmos. Unfortunately the rules of reality work differently there than here but it’s the best copy you’ll find around. Sit and eat your fill. There’s more from where this came from. ” exclaimed Ashe as she went to sit and grabbed some alcohol off the table.
Desire began greedily gulping down a myriad of drinks, and thrusting food into her mouth as if it would instantaneously disappear without her having had a chance to consume it. Despite the fact that she could create words without speaking through her throat, Desire still chose to garble her speech and so mumbled something mostly coherent through her overly stuffed mouth. “Iff neb ber uf this before. It’s inmum dible!”
Ashevelen shook her head in a friendly manner and chuckled a bit, reminding herself to bestow some kind of blessing on the cooks that prepared the food. If only they knew another divine was eating it and enjoying it…
“ I’m glad you like it. The cooks worked hard to make this food and alcohol. Be sure to take some for home, compliments from yours truly to your mother. Her invitation here proved quite profitable for me and very much interesting. I’ve learned much in this place. ”
“Mhm, certainly! I’m glad that something good has come from this. It’s been rather boorish lately, and I’m looking for ways to help my sisters have some fun. I think they’ll like what I’ve seen so far.” Desire remarked with a nonchalant shrug, her gaze drifting over all of the aspects of the extravagant restaurant with earnest fascination.
" Fun? Well, if you can pay, the Bazaar has something for you. Food, alcohol, animals, mortals…you name it, you'll probably find it. Let your sisters know about me and as well, tell them to tell all whom they encounter about this place. I like having customers. "
“Of course! You mentioned trade and said something like it was a battle between minds. I’m sort of stupid, so I’m going to be terrible at trading, hehe, but I think it’ll be fun to try it.” Her mismatched mix of ruby and emerald eyes were glittering as the delighted goddess leapt from her seat with a skip and a caper. Her fiery hair trailed behind her like a stream of scarlet silk ablaze with life and laughter, as playfully pirouetted again and again with nearly perfected foolishness.
“So show me the secrets surrounding sacred commerce, Oh, Lady of Swift Trade and Shadow!” Desire said, smirking with silly intent, holding out her hands.
" It isn't only about intelligence, Desire. It's about cunning, about strength of character, raw power, willpower. Everything that makes an individual, an individual, makes the core of trading. Anything can be used to persuade a buyer/seller. It doesn't discriminate on species, divine hood or anything else. For example I bought my divinity from a Primordial divine many, many eons ago. " replied Ashe with a grin, her passion for trading clear in her voice.
She grasped Desire’s hand and teleported themselves to the stalls down. From there they walked through them, Ashevelen occasionally stopping to buy something from a stall explaining the process of haggling and so to Desire as they walked.
“Ah, then my sisters and I haggle with each other, or our mother, all of the time! I’m sort of reminded of back when I held the Aspect-shard of War, and I gleaned the truth of the cosmic contest - the, uh, continual challenge and competition. So it seems haggling and War are like two sides of the same coin then.” Desire cheerfully commented after mostly hearing a little of what there was to learn about trading with her arms crossed and her brows furrowed with contemplative concentration. Her pensive visage swiftly vanished, as she became lighthearted and jovial once again, as well as hungry for further knowledge regarding the wondrous art of the deal.
" War is similar to trade, that much is true. Just a different kind. I wouldn’t call them two sides of the same coin, tho'. More like shades of gray. Same but not really. I could spend eternity explaining every small bit about trading, haggling, pacts and everything in between and I probably wouldn’t have enough time to cover it all. But if you want to learn more, please visit my holy order at the Grand Library of our sibling the Kathetikon. Give them this…” explained Ashe and at the end, materialized a coin in her hands and flipped it over to Desire.
“ And they’ll allow you to study as much as you wish about trading, knowledge, curiosity, pacts and so on and so forth. Oh’ and trust me, if you get the chance to meet the Kathetikon, do it. They’re a very pleasant divine and a personal friend of mine. ”
“Thanks! I’ll have to remember that!” Desire said with a warm smile, as she stared at the coin she had caught and currently held in her palm, before her attention shifted back to Ashvelen. She playfully winced, closing one eye and curling inwards in pretend-pain, as she added. “I’ve not a clue where any other gods or goddesses are though…”
Ashevelen slapped her forehead in a playful manner, completely forgetting that Desire said she’s been a recluse ‘till now. Snapping her fingers once more, a papyrus appeared beside her.
“ Feel free to follow the map until you get to the Grand Library. If you wish to know the locations of the other divines, at least those that I met…that will cost you. Surely you understand that I can’t offer information for free. ” replied Ashe before ending the sentence with a wink.
“The map is more than enough!” Desire announced.
“ Can I entice you into buying something, my dear sibling? Some mortals? Maybe a sword? If not, I do apologize but there are other matters that require my attention. ”
Once more, Desire crossed her arms and furrowed her brows with intense concentration, nodding to herself as she pondered purchasing anything that she had seen or would be available. She abruptly stirred as she realized what she wanted, and outstretched her hand to the side, grasping the sudden shape of Sunset Orange that appeared. She then held the shimmer-board horizontal upon both hands and looked at Ashvelen with another brimming smile.
“Could you imbue this with the ability to surf through the sea of shadows?” She asked the other goddess, her ruby and emerald eyes dancing between the artifact she carried and Ashevelen, and her voice suffused with an almost pleading tone. She was jumping with hopeful anticipation, bouncing back and forth on her feet.
Ashevelen approached the Sunset Orange and inspected it with an expert’s eye, noticing the material it was made and potential abilities of the artifact.
“ It’s a well done artifact, compliments to the craftsperson who made it. I’m assuming it isn’t for sale if you want me to imbue it with power. I could do it, shouldn’t be an issue but…as the old saying goes: What’s in it for me? ” replied Ashe.
“Hmm… what would you want?” Desire inquired, tilting her head with curiosity.
“ Bless my Satyrs with the power to manipulate whatever element you may wish, to create strings or rope with which they can suspend or capture intruders. If that is within your powers, of course ” replied Ashe while teleporting a few Satyrs next to them.
“That sounds like a good trade!” Swiftly nodding her head in agreement, Desire held out her arms once more with one limb offering Sunset Orange levitating the artifact to Ashevelen, while the second limb reached out towards the collection of satyrs. The shimmer-board became open to the other goddess, its function and design were all accessible, as its original maker granted permission for it to be changed.
Her hand that pointed towards the satyrs began to shine with sacred power that she summoned, as suddenly three threads of red radiance emerged from her appendage. The threads danced like serpents, singing and slithering while they approached their targets, then they encircled the selected mortals and formed an interwoven ring that hummed and hissed as its fiery illumination began to fade. The ring continued to darken, as black shifting symbols manifested upon the skin of the satyrs, these gnostic glyphs that indicated they had been blessed, and then the ritual was complete.
The circle and the markings faded, though the two deities would be capable of sensing the lingering presence of the blessing, and then Desire clapped her hands together as she exclaimed. “I grant you the blessing of the Luminous Lasso!”
As Desire worked her magic on the Satyrs, so did Ashevelen on the Sunset Orange. She approached it and as she had access to it fully, studied it once more. Understanding fully its abilities, how it flew and how it interacted with the environment.
Holding the Sunset Orange with one hand, she raised the other one in the air and a hammer made of shadows appeared above it. Grasping it, it suddenly started to pulse with power until a small ball of pure divine energy was all that could be seen and that’s when Ashevelen started her work.
With the hammer she started hitting the Sunset Orange in key places, each hit of the hammer would make the artifact vibrate and darken. Each hit made a sound that could be heard all over the Shadow Bazaar, a showcase of Ashevelen’s power within her own realm. Eventually, it was time for the piece of resistance.
With one last bit of power, Ashevelen’s finger drew a tiny symbol upon the Sunset Orange. A small coin surrounded by shadows that seemed to always be in motion no matter who would look upon it. As the work was done, the Sunset Orange would be able to surf through the sea of shadows, changing colors into a dark orange while doing so, and because of the coin, it would grant Desire the ability to teleport at will via the Shadow Bazaar’s teleportation system without having to pay for it. Giving her access to a good part of the world instantaneously.
“ There you go. All done now. ‘Threw in something special as well, call it a favor for the future. Now, you sure I cannot interest you into some mortal servants? I’ve quite a few of them. ” said Ashe as she gave the Sunset Orange back to Desire.
With a lighthearted warding gesture, Desire chirped her response. “Ah, I’ve no time or place to take care of them though, so I can’t take any now. I’ll just have to come back whenever that’s changed, hehe.”
“ Well, my door is always open for you, it was a pleasure doing business with you. Just don’t forget to mention the Bazaar wherever you go, I need customers after all. ” replied Ashe with a wink and a smile.
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