by Alston Sleet
The tapping had been constant for almost two days.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound was a regular beat that had been ringing out within the Hall of the Gods without stop.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The other gods had long fled the sound. They didn't flee in fear. They didn't flee in anger, nor in frustration.
They fled the sound since it signaled once again that their sister had made another step on a journey they couldn’t help her with.
Goddess Coldona, Mother of Monsters, Birther of Dungeons, was sitting in the Hall of the Gods and tapping her thirteenth foot.
When she had taken a nap, something she liked to do every few months, she had twelve feet. When she awoke, she had thirteen. The worst part was that she hadn’t even noticed until she felt that her movements had changed. They had been slightly different, the odd smooth gait of her stride changed in an unfamiliar way. When she discovered the issue, a familiar pattern had developed. She had cried, she had yelled, she had thrown pillows and knocked over columns in the Hall of Gods.
“I’m sorry. If I could help, I would.”
Coldona froze and stopped her tapping. Without turning her massive chitinous body, she held out her two large bladed arms topped with two dainty hands. Within a moment the small body of the Goddess Denda slammed into the hard black chitin which was Coldona’s chest, then somehow moved her body around into her big sister's arms without ever stopping her hug.
Coldona sighed, her voice oddly echoing with dissonant notes underlying her speech.
“I don’t mean to cause so much pain for everyone. But…I don’t know how long I will last like this. My domains could change at any time and then…then I will be an Evil God. It’s only a small step from Evil God to my domain forcing me against you guys. I don’t want that, I won’t let it happen.”
Denda hugged tighter and struggled to find some solution that they hadn’t tried before.
“I know squirt, I love you too. I’m sorry I’ve been causing so many problems, I just…” Coldona then fell silent as she went over every option she had tried before.
Her first attempt to fix things had been to try and induce sapience in a monster species. She hoped that she could become the personal Goddess of a species. This had been the way her Sister, Melda, the Goddess of Grain and Humans had been raised up further. Her two domains were slowly combining and shifting, and it looked like she may become the Human Goddess of the Harvest and Beer. It wasn’t for certain yet, but the trend was going that way.
It wasn’t even the power of improved domains or levels that Coldona wanted. She wasn’t even upset over changing in ways that were less appealing to her family, she knew that even while monstrous, she had a strange beauty like all the Gods and Goddesses. She just refused to fight her family. Even if her domains forced her into opposition, she would never harm them, and that could lead to her slowly fading away.
Her attempts to raise up Orcs had worked, she had raised them into sapience and with a little effort had shifted them into an admittedly crude culture, but a culture none the less. The party in the Hall of the Gods had lasted for months. Said party had also ground to a screeching halt when the Orc tribes had been systematically forced into bondage by the local human empire. Their captivity hadn’t been right, but the real issue had been that the Orcs had switched to worshipping Hamndel the God of Orphans, Whores, and Slaves in only days.
Hamndel still had a look of guilt about the gain even as she never blamed him. She couldn’t really blame her Orcs either. Her [High Priest] had been the Chieftain and had been slain in the first days of the fighting. She had never wanted her [High Priest] to be the [Chief], but there had been little choice. Monster tribes did not allow for complex societies, the idea of separation of powers or even sharing of powers was just beyond such primitive cultures. The moment her [High Priest] had her blessing was the moment he moved against the old [Chief]. Her plans long-term had been to poke and push at the Orcs and shift their society, and she hoped she could become the Goddess of Barbarians, or Goddess of the Strong, or roughly anything else. Since she was so low level as a [Goddess], she was forced to work at a step removed with mostly just inducements and dream sendings and working through her priests, which she had none of now. With a burst of power, she might be able to appear to someone below, but that would leave her mostly powerless to affect The Great Game for years after.
Pulling herself out of her sisters hug Denda pouted as she tried to find a solution. Her three and a half foot height, her form roughly modeled after a young halfling, padded back and forth as she considered. The sight of the short Goddess padding back and forth in her little dress her face scrunched up in contemplation brought a smile to Coldona’s face, her fangs showing slightly over her lips.
Denda was the Goddess of Fate, Thieves, and Cunning. An odd combination of domains no doubt, but it had been reinforced over centuries of effort. None of her family worked against her even in part since she always turned things to her own success. It was just easier to ask the sneaky genius how to create success for both, the results were better in the long run. Recent rumors in the Hall of the Gods had that Denda was planning something big across the land and had laid the groundwork for generations in the future. No one could find out what was going on except her boyfriend Beld the God of Secrets and Shadows, and no one had a chance of finding out from him what the plan was.
“We…um…I could…uh,” and that was as far as Denda got before she started to cry softly and ran to her sister for hugs again.
“I know squirt, I know,” Coldona said as she patted her little sister.
“We will just…,” Coldona began before she trailed off as she felt a new bright shining possibility growing in her mind. A new sapient variant monster. But this was more, this was a possibility which grew and grew, the potential of this possible worshipper eclipsed entire species.
Even as Coldona was engrossed in the growing possibility in her mind, Denda was also starting to stare off into the distance. Glowing strands of Fate, lifting off from the small Goddess.
“Wait!” Denda called out before Coldona could do anything.
When the Goddess of Fate while reading the possibilities of the future calls for you to wait and not act, you halt, calm yourself, and wait.
“We need…we need…” squinting her eyes in concentration Denda kept muttering to herself as she tried to find the right balance of possibilities, the Lines of Fate which would help the most. The difficulty always came not in trying to read the Lines of Fate but instead knowing the nature of the people and Gods involved.
“Oooh! Welden! We need Welden! Ooooh and Telden!”
While Coldona sent a message to Welden and Telden, Denda started to bounce around the room in joy as she considered all the possibilities of the Lines she had read. If this worked, it would destroy every last plan she had laid, and she would be glad for it.
Welden faded into the Hall of the Gods with a slight sparkle of magic. It really wasn’t something Welden could help, his domains were Wealth, Fame, and Magic. Magic was his weakest domain, his primary domains of Wealth and Fame formed together from the interaction of [Nobles] and [Minstrels]. Mostly the [Nobles] worshipped him because of the wealth that magic could bring and the [Minstrels] adored him because they wanted to suck up to their best-paying customers. It was possible his domains could fracture or shift in the future, and it had been primary his concern. The overlap of his three domains offered many options, especially Magic, but Magic was the domain he had the weakest grasp on. Few [Mages] worshipped, seeing research as a far more useful effort.
His twin brother’s domains of Travel, Merchants, and Trade were dangerously close to his own. Any other pair of Gods would have broken down into fighting over the coming conflict, but so far the pair had managed to maintain the current status.
“What can I do,” Welden asked as a golden chair formed beneath him as he sat.
For a God that mostly the nobility and music maker
s worshipped, he had always been oddly direct. Lately, he had focused on his domain of Magic, and this trait of his had only become stronger.
Smiling slyly at Welden and Coldona, Denda started her bouncing again, waiting for the other twin to arrive. Her wait was short as Telden shimmered into existence. He was last to arrive at almost any gathering, the source of more than one joke at this point since Telden had Travel as a domain. Leaning on his brother he just raised an eyebrow and waited for the mini Goddess to explain whatever scheme she was brewing. Considering the called together Gods, it had to be a solution to the long-standing problem of Coldona’s.
Pausing her bounces, Denda started to explain, at least the part of the plan she would let them know about anyways. Her boyfriend was right, secrets were always fun. Her domains also never really let her pass up a prank.
“Down below, there is a sapient Dungeon Core, it’s also picked up some amazing spatial magic, and it could do some amazing things! Coldona should make it her new [High Priest], and Welden, you should bless it with Magic and Wealth!”
The hyperactive Goddess could barely contain her self. The possibilities bounced around her mind even as she hopped about in happiness.
Welden frowned before he responded, “That…well, I’m willing, but this doesn’t seem like it will really help me much. I want to, but you know we can’t really exert our powers if things are only tangentially connected to our domains. If it doesn’t help me, I can’t really put my all into it, no matter how much I want to help.”
Denda’s smile just grew brighter as she turned to Telden.
“Aaaand you should bless the Dungeon Core with Travel,” continued Denda.
Nodding Telden just waited for the other shoe to drop.
“Finally, Welden, you should then announced to the world that a traveling dungeon exists and that,” and at this point the pint-sized Goddess put on a serious face as she tried to create a deep voice, “The Goddess Coldona has created this Dungeon in order to spread magic, treasure, fame, and challenge to all the land! Blessed by Welden with Magic and Wealth it shall provide the greatest Treasures! Blessed by Telden to Travel the lands, spreading rare commodities to all the lands! The Dungeon will be the greatest challenge any of the races have ever seen!”
Finishing (mostly) laying out her plan to her family she raised her hands in the air, her manic hopping coming to a sudden stop.
Telden straightened from his slouch and nodded as he walked around considering.
“A traveling dungeon will help my domain since your announcement will make it clear I have blessed it with Travel. Welden helps with Magic and the Fame from this project will help him, this could even shift him solidly to Magic and Fame. This might give me Wealth and Merchants, but if you have solid control of Magic, I doubt you will care. Not to mention it solves our conflict, and our sister gains a worshiper who can grow in power for millennia, and this might even shift her into a domain of Challenge or Adventure.”
With simultaneous nods, the twins agreed with the plan and turned to Denda.
Denda returned to her bouncing at the look from her family, “Nope! Not telling the rest, it’s a secret!”
Coldona just smiled her frighteningly beautiful smile. This was a chance, an excellent chance, and she would make it count.
CHAPTER FIVE
Crackers
Ding!
Class Selected: [Spatial Hedge-Mage]
Ding!
Class Selected: [Spatial Traveler]
Ding!
New Trait: [Focus of the Divine]
You have been the talk and focus of multiple Gods and Goddesses. This trait indicates the recipient has had their soul marked by multiple gods in a way which allows the Gods or Goddesses to track them. This trait increases the chance of Divine intervention around the holder of this trait, for good or ill.
Ohhh…Crackers.
A god just low-jacked my soul?
“What. The. Crackers?!”
“Oooh, crackers, yes please,” came a young female voice near me.
“Meep!” Yes, I mentally called out ‘meep!’, no, I have no idea why I did that. I was just surprised out of my wits (what little remained). There had been no one around me, my three-hundred and sixty-degree vision had shown me free from anyone being near, then suddenly, poof! A little girl is right there talking about my crackers comment! I could be excused in my sudden surprise.
“Hi! I’m Denda,” leaning forward the young woman in a yellow sundress, the color matching her eyes (as freaky as that was), placed her hands on her knees and continued with, “I was asked to come to take a look at you and make you an offer, and let me say, you have a very pretty soul.”
Uhh...She thinks have a very pretty soul? Focusing on the mental announcement of my new trait, I had a sinking feeling that I knew who, or at least what, this young lady was.
Snickering she said, “Err, oh, um…I mean you have a very handsome soul, very manly indeed. Yes,” the young goddess continued with an overly exaggerated nod. The condescension was so thick it was practically dripping but I was hesitant to respond to it. I remembered the stories of Greek and Roman myth, the totally dickish behavior of the gods and how it always ended up for the mortals involved.
Clearing my mental throat I asked, “Hello, Miss Denda. It’s nice to meet you, can I ask what you may need?”
Polite, slightly servile, makes no promises, asks ‘what the F’ while also making it clear she can just decide not to answer if she wants? Check, check, check, and check. Hopefully, none of that results in fire, pain, or explosions. Or being tossed through space, that hurt and I have no urge to try it again.
Slowly walking around me with her arms behind her back, Denda started to talk, even as she kicked her legs out in a silly exaggerated way. She acted like she was ten or twelve, but I wasn’t going to be fooled. She was a goddess, who knew what they could do or look like.
“Ooh, I like you. Any ways…My big sis is looking for a [High Priest] and she asked me to make the offer to you while I was down here, since I was so interested in you.”
And…Gulp. Now I’m low-jacked and one of them is interested in employing me. To make it worse, miss blue-box decided to let me know how bad this situation was.
Ding!
The Goddess Coldona, Mother of Monsters, Birther of Dungeons, has offered you the [High-Priest] Class.
Mother of Monsters? Birther of Dungeons? Again, Oh. Crackers.
“But where are my manners! I should fully introduce myself. I am the Goddess Denda. The one. The only. The Magnificent Goddess of Fate, [Thieves], and Cunning!”
With each word, her voice started to doppler into weird echoes and undertones even as her voice still remained that of a cute young woman. By the end, she threw her arms in the air and started hopping around as she cheered for herself and then started waving to an imaginary crowd!
Oh! Crackers and Cheese! These gods are nuttier than the ones from Greece!
“Now, I know you are concerned, I fully get it. But, you mister, are the perfect solution to the problems of at least five gods that I deeply care for. I obviously can’t force you into things…well…I can, but I won’t.”
Stepping towards the pile of rocks that surrounded me, Denda faded through the stone and then sat down cross-legged, demurely tucking her dress between her legs, directly in front of my gem.
“It’ll be better for everyone if you just let things happen as I want them to, for us and you. But I know you are new and don’t know what’s going on, so you have little reason to trust me, so let’s talk about why you should accept that class and let me and my family help you, and how that will help us.”
“Um, what plans do you have? I’m not opposed to becoming a [High Priest], I just don’t know what it entails and what kind of trouble it’s going to bring me,” I said.
Nodding vigorously, the goddess leaned back on her hands even as her body continued to be phased through the solid stone.
“I’m going to tell you
something important about the Gods, but I can’t have you blabbing it, so I’m going to place a seal on you to never reveal this under penalty of death and many years of direct soul torment. Sorry, but I, and you, would be punished otherwise. So Boop!”
Before I could do anything, what I would do I don’t know, she reached forward and tapped me gently on the facet facing closer to her. I felt the gentlest of touch, somehow directly within my gem instead of on the outside, and then something tightened inside me.
Ding!
New Trait: [Soul Seal - Divine]
A Soul Seal restricts the soul of the recipient according to the seal’s design. A Soul Seal is often used for slavery, recruitment, marriages, or promises. This Soul Seal has been created by the Goddess Denda of Fate, [Thieves], and Cunning. This seal restricts the information the recipient may convey through any means and is invisible to all others. This [Soul Seal - Divine] may only be removed through divine intervention.
Smiling Denda leaned back again, “Yeah, not fun. But it’s hidden, protects you from others trying to scry your secrets, and now you get to know divine mysteries, so yay!”
It’s not possible for a gem to shudder, but I felt like I needed too anyways. It was then that I realized that all of my instincts were silent, no blaring traffic siren of fear telling me to kill, eat, and or hide from this lady. As far as my instincts were concerned, I should be deep below the earth, but this lady? No worries.
Weird.
“My sister doesn’t mind monsters, but the problem is that Gods and Goddesses, we are controlled by our domains. These determine who we are and what we can do. I’m Cunning, I understand Fate, and I’m the patron goddess of [Thieves]. In turn, my domains make me more cunning, allow me to experience and manipulate fate, and well…there isn’t a lock I can’t get through. Not that I would you understand, nope, totally upstanding!”
The innocent look I was getting was entirely convincing, the big yellow-rimmed eyes, the cute pout, all of it said ‘this lady is innocent!’. All while her fingers flipped a set of lock picks which had suddenly appeared in her hands.
