Chapter 153: Chapter 136 – What it Means to Champion the Deities

"As most Champion of the Gods kept their identity as such a secret, the few who publicly admitted to it - most often champions of the Wind Deity Aistrofuri - were often scrutinized with critical eyes.

 

In more than a few occasions throughout history, people had even detained these champions, and tried to use their title to further their own desires and agendas, always without said champion's agreement or cooperation.

 

And yet, for some reason, everyone who attempted this throughout history soon found themselves beset by horrible luck the likes of which sounded utterly implausible, the sort people would balk if told about in a story.

 

Take the Sons of Theodinaz for example, who tried to force the recently discovered Champion of Wind to herald their cause against his will. What sort of bad luck is it even to have the Blood Demon of Al-Shan suddenly drop by their compound and slaughter everyone there one night?" - Hieronymus Verzil, High Priest to Pesca in Levain and a theological scholar of renown.

That night, Cal awoke from her sleep, to find herself not in the lavish bedroom in the imperial palace Xain reserved for her use despite all her protestations, but somewhere else entirely instead.

 

With a start, she watched around her surroundings, and recalled it from a previous situation, similar to the one she found herself in. She was floating, atop the clouds, with clean blue skies above her, and nothing but a white fluffy layer of clouds beneath.

 

Her own body felt different, ethereal almost, and it bothered her that she couldn't sense the blood that flowed within her like she usually could. Unlike the last time she had this sort of experience however, she realized that she could move freely, not just a spectator to what she had back then assumed to be a strange dream.

 

Once she got a measure of her surroundings, again she felt the similar feeling, that of twenty one blurry, unidentifiable figures watching her, taking her measure, and rendering judgement. This time, she could more vaguely sense what elements they represented, and had guessed that these were likely the champions of the gods.

 

There were no voices exchanged, at least none that Cal could hear, and more of a general feeling of emotion that passed between them instead. Some seemed to be in discussion, whereas a few others radiated a feeling of approval for some reason.

 

One of those feelings of approval was from a figure she had pegged as likely to be wind, and if these are the current champions… That would probably be Ergan there. A suspicion that just strengthened itself immediately when she felt a feeling of sheepishness from the figure just as she thought that.

 

What felt like amusement echoed from many of the other figures, and soon after she felt more feelings of approval. Cal kept note of the elements associated with the figures from which she felt the approval, and counted fire, water, wind, metal, light, sand, void… and mortality as the ones that gave it, while the others felt like they wanted to observe more.

 

Cal tried to project a questioning thought to the meaning and intention of whatever was happening, when two figures, indistinct and unidentifiable to her eyes - or whatever passed for eyes in whatever form she was now -, one obscured by a bright white glow, while the other hidden behind a flowing, serene blue light, appeared from above.

 

The glowing figures descended before her, and from them she felt a feeling of awe, of power far beyond her wildest imaginations, yet it was a gentle and kind power, one meant for nurture and creation, instead of destruction. Where their power merged together, it also gave her an extremely familiar feeling, one she had known all her life. The feeling of Blood magic.

 

"Child of man," echoed an otherworldly, ethereal voice in her mind, of indistinguishable gender or source, yet for some unfathomable reason she was certain that it originated from the white figure. "You must have questions, about where you are, and why you are here. Ask them, and receive your answers."

 

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"I was told this is supposedly the conclave of champions," Cal said, less in a voiced manner and more that she thought of saying the phrase. The feeling of affirmation she received in return emboldened her to go on. "And I would assume… that before me are the Deities of Life, and Water."

 

"That is correct, child of man. And you are brought here, because you have caught the eyes of many of our current champions," replied the voice in the same genderless "voice" to her. "Eight of twenty one has approved of you, and the rest has no objections, which means we would ask you, whether you would be willing to become one of our champions."

 

"What does it actually mean, to be a champion to the Deities?" Cal asked with genuine curiosity. The offer presented to her baffles her, but her lack of understanding of the so-called champions themselves, prompted her to ask further first.

 

"To be a champion… is to serve as the embodiment of an affinity. You are considered for the task, because who you are already embodied it as is," replied the Deity patiently to her question. "You would not be required to do anything against your will, as what we wanted… is just for you to remain being yourself, for your existence to serve as an anchor to the affinity itself."

 

"This… is a lot to suddenly decide on," Cal stammered somewhat in reply.

 

"Have no fear, child of man, for we require no answer at this very moment. Take your time to consider, and should you feel that you would like to take on the task, we will summon you again," replied the Deity with a kind, understanding tone. "Maybe even discuss it with a few of our champions as well. You should have a good inkling on where to find some by now."

 

"May I ask one last question?" Cal asked as she pondered the Deity's words. She had indeed known one champion for certain - Ergan still resided in Paradise at the moment -, and had very strong suspicions on the identity of another. "Why the difference in treatment? The champion I know mentioned that he was just suddenly appointed champion out of nowhere one night."

 

What felt like a raucous wave of laughter swept over the conclave, and Cal felt amusement from even the Deities themselves as she voiced her question.

 

"Each of us chooses our champion in a different way… Wind is whimsical, and they chose their champion on a whim as well, that is all there is to it," came the reply, still entirely tinged with amusement. Now that your questions are answered, go and rest, child of man, and ponder upon the offer given to you."

 

Celeysria Ambervale woke up in her bed at the Imperial Palace with a start, and saw that it was already dawn outside. The dream - if it was a dream at all - she had was beyond vivid in her mind, and considering that it was their last day of stay in Al-Shan, she couldn't help but feel that the timing was deliberate.

 

One thing she knew for sure, was that there were questions she would have to ask once she got back to Paradise.

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