Chapter 32: Sacrifice – Chapter 30: Epiphany

GamingWolf

Returning to her senses, Aperio pried the other woman off of herself and kept her an arm's length away. There was a brief struggle, but the other woman was either significantly weaker than Aperio had assumed or unwilling to fight. Probably the latter. She had a suspicion that there was a lot more to the person in front of her than her initial action implied.

Before either of the women could speak, a deep voice that reverberated through the hall. Somehow, it reminded Aperio of a knife scraping over the bark of a tree. “Her return was never in question; only a matter of time before she blooms again. Her highness is beyond the whims of wither and rot.”

"Her highness?" Aperio tilted her head at the words, mumbling them herself. The fact that a tree had just spoken was quickly brushed aside by what it had said. The [Grandmaster] did say Roots revered me, but...why? The thought ran through her head, quickly followed by That is Roots, right? Shaking her head, she focused on the woman that looked so eerily similar to herself.

"Who are you?"

The woman seemed lost for words at her question, her expression shifting from disbelief to something Aperio would describe as crestfallen. Should I know her? She did look a lot like herself, but Aperio was very sure she had no siblings, especially not ones of another species. Or are Gods and Goddesses their own race? But, if this woman was a sister or someone else related to her, where had she been when Aperio had to live the life of a slave? Had this woman joined her masters in their lavish banquets and nights of pleasure while she had to scrub the distasteful leftovers of failed experiments from the walls?

With a shake of her head, Aperio banished those thoughts. The woman in front of her was something more, not just a mere mortal. But that just brought her back to her first question. Who is she? It was obvious that she thought Aperio should recognise her, and that they had to be at least somewhat close, otherwise Aperio could not explain why she would go for a hug that would have probably killed a normal person.

"You… don't remember?" Her voice was shaky and quiet, nothing more than a faint whisper. "You don't remember your own daughter?"

"Daughter?" The words came unbidden from her mouth, unable to keep the last of her calm. Aperio knew she had never had a child, as those who had taken her for their pleasure had made sure that would not happen. "How? When?"

"Does her highness truly not remember?" The rumbling bark-scraping voice of Roots echoed through the halls, not quite managing to mask the shaky breathing of Aperio's supposed daughter. "The joy you felt after her creation? Watching her blossom into her Domain?"

Upon hearing his words, the other woman sagged, and Apero let go of her. She sank to her knees, staring at the floor and mumbling something Aperio did not hear as her mind was occupied with trying to parse what the tree had just said. There was not a single memory in her possession that was able to shed light on what the woman or Roots had said. Every word they uttered just caused more confusion. How could she have a daughter, and how could the woman be a Goddess?

What am I?

It was obvious that what Aperio thought she knew was wrong. Lacking. She had assumed to be a Goddess, new to the world and trying to find her place in it. Her reason to be. But there had always been a tiny speck of doubt that existed, endlessly brushed aside but now coming to the forefront with the irrefutable knowledge that what she knew was wrong. The moments when she had lost control, and the things she should not know that came readily to her mind; they were not merely the byproducts of her Divine being trying to keep her on the right track.

No. There had to be more.

Why else would it hurt when she tried to recall that same knowledge on her own? Something had to be there that she was missing, and the only thing Aperio could think of, unsettling as it was, was that her sacrifice was not the first time she had died.

"Who am I?"

Her mumbling caused the tree to lower its branches, almost as if her words had caused sadness. Aperio did not know how a tree could appear to be sad, but neither did she know how it talked. A fact that carried with it a familiar feeling that told her that she should know, but did not tell her why that would be the case.

"You are Aperio, the Sacred Goddess, Arbiter of the Beginning and the End; creator of Ferio and myself."

The words were true, Aperio knew them to be. A simple fact. "But why can't I remember?"

"They couldn't bear the thought of someone being above, able to interfere in their petty games." It was not the tree, but the person that claimed to be her daughter – Creation? – that spoke. "We don't know how, but they”– she paused, looking for the right words –”sealed parts of you. Used your essence to bring monsters to the realms."

"The Dungeons, as the mortals call them, sprout new and unseen beasts. Stronger, more durable than what should exist on a world of this level," Roots helpfully supplied.

Aperio could only stare at them, unable to make sense of what they had just said. "They? How?"

"Vigil and Inanis," Ferio spat. "They could not be content with what they had."

While now she had knowledge of who had done it, she still did not know why. Nor did this new revelation explain why a follower of Natio had tried to kill her. Or even why the two had not come to end her themselves. Something did spring to mind, however.

"Is that why a paladin of Vigil attacked me, once she had confirmation that I was a Goddess?"

A vine extended towards Aperio from the tree. Once it was almost within arm's reach a familiar blue-tinted window came into existence above it.

Laelia Whytegaard has been ordered to attack ʌ̸̸̧͟ņ͞ˈ͞͏̴͟é͢ɪ͘͏̴͠b͝ĺ͠ ̢͢͜͠t̷̡̀͢͝ų̷͝ː͘͠ ҉̀͝ˈ̛͟͝͠͝k̡̀ļ̧æ̴͜͝͡ś̡͡ɪ̶̢͝͡f̷̶a̷͜ɪ̛͟͡͡ ̵̸͢͡͠ˈ̷͘͞ɛ͘͢҉̨n̴͟͞t̸̶ɪ̷͢͠t̴̢̀͠i̸̛̕ by Vigil, the Righteous

Laelia Whytegaard has lost the Blessing of Vigil

Laelia Whytegaard has gained the Blessing of A̛̕̕͟p̨͟e҉̴̀̀͝r̶͜͝í͠͝o̴̢͏̸,̛͞ ̷̡͏ ҉̀̕s̷̷̴͢͞ˈ̧̡̧́̕a͏k̶̡̢̨͟ɹ̛í̷͞ː̵̷̡̢͝ ҉̢̕͟n͘͢͠j̷̸̸̧͘ˈ̧̨u̴͏̨ː̛͜͠m̀̕҉̷ɛ̶̴̢̛n̸̷҉̡ ͏͘͜d̛͟ˈ͜i̧̕ː̢̡͘͢ ̵̧͟ ̧͡͝

Aperio tilted her head upon reading the System notification; she had never seen one outside of the ones the [Appraiser's Stone] made. "Why is that also broken?"

The vine that seemingly held the projection lowered a bit at her words. "I am truly sorry, but I am still unable to process the full extent of your power. The artefacts will remain until you sprout a new system; one that does not depend on yourself."

...Sprout a System? "Did I… make this one? And it needs me to function?"

"Yes."

"Is that why it doesn't work for me?"

"Yes."

"Why do the others Gods and Goddesses use it then?" It did not make a whole lot of sense to her. Why would they use something that they could not control? Or can they?

"Because they can't make one themselves," Ferio replied. "Which is why I don't understand how they managed to win against you."

Aperio cocked her head at the words, for though they made sense they brought with them a question. If she really, truly was what the two believed her to be, how could she have lost against the two Gods? "Maybe I did not fight?"

It was the only logical conclusion she could draw at the moment. But why? Why would I do that? Am I even who they think I am? She possessed the same name as the Goddess they believed her to be, and Ferio could easily pass as her daughter. She knew, though, that the words Roots had used implied certain things, among them the fact that Ferio seemingly did not come into existence by traditional means. I can’t make a person, can I?

Her mind jumped back to the encounter with Maria, the little girl who, despite having been touched by Aperio but once, could easily recognize her from what she saw in her dreams. Maybe I can. The thought was not one she appreciated. The ability to decide someone’s fate with a simple whim was something she felt nobody should have the power of doing.

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She was taken from her thoughts by red and silver eyes that stared into her own. Aperio had not noticed Ferio getting up, lost in her own thoughts yet again.

“You? Not fight?” A sad smile accompanied her words. “You never said no to a fight; always trying to find someone who could actually keep up.”

Is that why I want to fight? Because it’s fun? She had certainly enjoyed even the smaller skirmishes she had had with the fanatic and Laelia, but that could not be the only reason, could it? “What did I do, then? How can you even be sure that I am the one you think I am?”

Her words seemed to hurt the other Goddess, as she directed her gaze to the floor and mumbled her words. “I just do.”

Roots had more conclusive evidence for their claim, simply producing a new screen that showed more garbled mess Aperio assumed to be information about herself. “I do not know anyone else who would break the System like this.”

Aperio needed no more proof to convince her of the validity of their claims. Even if she did not have the innate knowledge of the truth of their words, the tinge of sadness and guilt whenever she looked at Ferio's face was proof enough. She wasn’t completely sure, but it felt like what she thought a mother should feel when their child was sad.

“If they wanted me dead, why did they not try to kill me again?” Aperio asked, tilting her head. “Seriously, at least. I know I am not as strong as I could be.” It was a simple fact. If she could still get stronger by simply existing, she could not be at the peak of her strength. Unless there is no limit? Her previous belief that the other Gods and Goddesses or the world itself would somehow limit her did not seem quite as plausible now.

“They can't descend. They know I would kill them as soon as they do,” Ferio replied. “Not that it means much; they could just try again after a while. But they have deemed the mana expense too high. They are also afraid of you.”

Aperio scrunched her face in confusion at the statement. She could see how they would be afraid, the more she learned about herself the more frightening her very existence became. The other part made less sense to her. Up until this point, nothing magic-related that she had tried had used more than tiny infinitesimal fractions of her vast supply of mana. “Descend? How much mana does that use?”

Her question caused Ferio – and Roots, if she read it right – to look confused. “How did you leave your Dominion if you did not descend?”

“Oh.” With a simple thought Aperio opened a portal to the Void, big enough for her to walk through. “Do you mean this?”

Her daughter carefully approached the rift in space, inspecting it from all sides. Just before she stuck her head inside, Ferio paused, looking at her mother instead. “May I?”

Aperio just raised an eyebrow at her question. Do the others not let people visit their Dominion? “Sure.”

As soon as the other Goddess had crossed the threshold of the rift, Aperio felt something change. It did not feel wrong or disgusting, but there was a distinct feeling that something was off. Maybe that is why?

A motion from Ferio caused Aperio to flare her wings and lower herself, ready to charge at the woman. The reaction was instinctual; the other Goddess had used magic to manipulate something inside her Dominion and before she could even think about the action a more primal part of her had reacted.

“What are you doing?”

Her voice carried with it enough power to startle the other Goddess for a brief moment before she turned around. She looked sorry, but Aperio was never quite sure she read other people right.

“I found a body in there, I just wanted to take a closer look. I am sorry, mother.” She looked at her feet. “I forgot how much you hate that.”

Being addressed in such a manner was not what Aperio had expected, but was probably something she would have to get used to. Just because she forgot who she had been did not mean Ferio had, and it was clear she did not want to treat Aperio as someone else. Even if she was no longer the same person.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Aperio straightened herself. “Do not do that again.”

A wave of her hand caused the body of the fanatic to appear before herself and the rift to close. “This one also tried to kill me. She said that Natio has decreed it.” With those words Aperio directed her gaze onto the tree. “Who is Natio?”

Roots’ branches shook at the mention of the God. “A sapling, unaware of what it means to be a God. He lays claim to the Domain of Birth and the Souls of the Dead.”

“But the Void is mine?” Aperio asked.

“Yes, but he does not know who or what you are. The roots of every God and Goddess reach back to you, sharing in a bit of your Domain. Most of them do nothing against your perceived intrusion into their Domains,” Roots replied. “Some as a thanks for providing the System, others believing that you would smite them if they did.”

“What is my Domain, then?”

“You never blessed me with that knowledge, your highness.” Its voice was subdued, almost sad. “I have always guessed Creation, but you yourself have said that that is only a part.”

“I remember the day I figured out mine, you were so happy, “ Ferio chimed in, the talk about Domains bringing out a fondness in her voice Aperio could not quite place. “Life and Light were fitting for my sunny disposition, you said.

“But I also remember that despite the happiness you felt for my achievement, you were still sad. I never asked because I knew you did not like to share what burdened you, but now I think what it was.”

Aperio focused on the woman. If she truly was her daughter, she might know. The question that had plagued her ever since she had accepted what she might finally be answered.

“I think you never had one.”

“Never had one?” Aperio could not quite believe her ears. Every God or Goddess had a Domain, otherwise they would not be any different from a mortal. “But the Void is part of my Domain. I know it.”

“Your daughter might be right, your highness,” Roots said. “If you do not truly know everything your Domain encompasses, you technically do not have one.”

“Then how am I a Goddess?”

“The term was invented by mortals to describe beings like Ferio and yourself. Whatever rules and stipulations they attached to it are things they have come up with,” Roots explained with a rustling of its leaves. “Nobody, not even those mortals like Natio and Mayeia who ascended to Godhood themselves, deemed it necessary to correct their assumptions.”

“How do I figure out what my Domain is then? I know parts of it already, but any one of them feels so restrictive.”

"A good place to start would be to find out why – and how – Vigil and Inanis managed to seal parts of you away." Ferio's voice held barely restrained hatred at the mention of the two Gods who had dared to do the unthinkable. "One of the crystals that houses a part of what used to be you lies below this city. Why not start there?"

GamingWolf

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