Author Notes:
First of all, apologies for the 24 hours delay. Honestly, I was both too focus on cooking the new OBOM chapter and taking a break according to the advice of the boys, and girl, in my Discord server. Whether the rest help or not though... Hard to say lol. I still feel quite the same as always, brain still very much active.
That said, I do hope I manage to cook a good OBOM chapter, though. Here's hoping you all can give me a comment or two on anything you find interesting, or worth talking about.
Moving on, shoutout to Captain Raymond for once again sponsoring my Patreon! Do enjoy the Early Access contents, and I hope to see you around in the comment section!
Lastly, don't forget to check out the Monthly Discount for newcomers on my Patreon page (join now to read multiple chapters ahead for all three stories!), and to join my Discord server if you wanna hangout! Can't wait to see you there!
https://www.patreon.com/Heartbreak117
https://discord.gg/cVZxJ29ruh
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"Puha~! I'm alive at last!" Says the uninvited guest who has just finished downing a steaming mug of coffee. "Honestly, humanity never ceases to amaze me with the number of things they can cook up."
The way the newcomer said it further reinforces the image that she is by no means a normal person in Reizen's and my eyes. Reizen and I share a look; neither of us really knows what to make of this guest of ours, despite my pushing past the initial suspicion and playing the part of a good host, inviting her to a coffee break.
The strange female, a lady considering her slightly more mature appearance, smiles slyly upon seeing our unsure looks.
"Aww, don't be so tense~! I assure you, I come bearing no ill intention." Though her smile is visible and seemingly sincere enough, it's quite hard for Reizen and me to ascertain the authenticity of her words when her eyes, emerald green as they are, look unfocused as if she's suffering from cecity.
Honestly, Reizen and I both thought she was blind until the strange girl made a comment about how pretty Reizen's hair color was. That's when we understood that she could see just fine, somehow.
Seeing that Reizen is ceding the hosting part for me, with her sitting next to me with the Angel Break lying across her thighs, I put on my best diplomatic smile before replying with.
"Sorry, but you must understand our wariness. We didn't expect to host a personage like you today. As for what you declared..." I make a jest. "That's what they all said before leading people down a rabbit hole that can't be climbed back up."
"Heh..." The lady with unfocused green eyes smirks before putting her empty mug on the folding table we prepared. "Well, can't say such caution isn't unwarranted. After all, you lot have been operating in the middle of nowhere for quite some time. For me to suddenly appear, right when you're just about wrapping up this whole thing here... Should I count my lucky stars that that deadly little thing, on dear Reizen's lap, didn't blast me?"
Both Reizen and I tense up, with my partner asking with a frown.
"... You know my name?"
Coincidentally, Alpha is sitting to the side on its hind legs, as stiff as a statue despite its eyes darting back and forth cautiously between the unknown lady and us.
The lady shrugs before stretching her back with arms raised and legs straight on her chair. "I also know that there's an Aurea and there's an Umbra. The knowledge comes naturally when I have been the caretaker for this little landmass for years."
"Right..." I drawl out the words, getting a bit of a sinking feeling in my stomach. Considering how she suddenly appeared without prior warning, I am inclined to believe what the lady's job title is.
But to know of Aurea... This lady is a complex one to see that, at the very least, this body of ours houses two distinct personalities, if not two souls altogether.
"Fine, I'll bite. If you're the caretaker of this island, then what brings you here, unknown lady? Are you here to ask us to vacate your premises?" Understandably, I have to steer the subject away from Aurea. Even I know how some people would die to uncover the secrets of our shared body and souls.
I also make an effort to soothe Aurea's disturbed mental state by giving her constant pats on the head. There's no need to press the panic button yet, and hopefully, this lady won't give us a reason to.
The strange lady smiles mysteriously, playing along with my attempt at distracting her.
"Something along that line, yes. But where are my manners? I know your names, but you don't know mine yet..." The lady stands up before performing a curtsy, her fingers gently raising the simple, if finely-made tunic in black with green and gold accents. Her long gray hair drapes over her shoulders as the lady introduces herself. "I am one of many names and titles, but most referred to me as the Ember Goddess, Sapientia. I am pleased to make the acquaintance of you two lovely young ladies~!"
At the end of her introduction, the lady, Sapientia, gives Reizen and me a flirtatious wink. Reizen doesn't react much, if at all, to the gesture, but the introduction is what temporarily halts Aurea's and my processors.
[Wait... Is she...?]
"Pardon me if this offends you, but I just have to make sure I heard it correctly, you see... But are you really the Ember Goddess, the one representing wisdom and the spiritual leader of the Fortskritt Theocracy?" The gravity Reizen feels in the way I put it, and how my smile turns a bit strained, are enough to clue in the fact that we are in the presence of a potential big shot.
To this, Reizen surprisingly still maintains her vigilance, which is quite understandable, considering where she hailed from and her pledge to me.
Hearing my query, Sapientia sits back down with a smile.
"The one and only~! But you can call me by my name. I ain't a sticker for formality if I can help it." Directing her unfocused emerald eyes at us both, Sapientia adds in a mischievous tone. "And you girls should feel lucky that it's me that you're hosting. Were it my other brothers and sisters being here, well, it's a coin toss whether or not you two would make it out of this meeting alive."
Again, I can feel Reizen getting increasingly wary of this whole coffee break idea, and I can hear Aurea gulping audibly in our shared mental space, her previous surprise and reverent being replaced with uncertainty about our future.
Sapientia, once more, chuckles while waving her hands disarmingly. "Now, now... Haven't I said that I come bearing no ill-will? Really, you girls are a bit too jumpy."
"Then, what exactly do you want with us, Sapientia?" I finally ask.
Hearing the question, Sapientia puts on a calm smile before gazing at the Angel Break still in Reizen's lap.
"For context, this landmass is named Eden and is considered a holy land even by us, the Gods and Goddesses. And I, as the Goddess with the most proliferated influence on Arcadia, am the acting caretaker of Eden on top of my duty as the Patron Goddess of the Fortskritt Theocracy. So, imagine my surprise when you," Sapientia turns to look at me a bit unnervingly due to her unfocused gaze, as if seeing something beyond. "A body housing two same-same, but different souls, being washed up on the shoreline of Eden. Curious, I have been watching over you ever since, and I paid close attention when you woke up the sleeping beauty, Reizen."
Stopping for a bit, Sapientia suddenly displays a wry, if saddened look. "For what it's worth, the suffering you all have endured in the past... It's our failing as Divines to have let it all happen, yet unable to direct or change the outcomes to something better."
However, both Reizen and I don't react much to the apology other than sharing a meaningful glance. Seeing this, Sapientia laughs wryly, knowing her apologies amount to next to none, and much too sudden for what Aurea and Reizen experienced at the hands of mortals and fate's trickeries. In other words, it lacks sustenance.
Moving on from that awkward gap in the conversation, Sapientia continues.
"Eden is a curated holy land, where peace is well maintained by me as tribute to the planet that gave birth to us all. This is why there are no natural predators on this land. The Horned Wolves you saw are a product of circumstances, of shifting environments, however. Their existence is permitted, but confined to a small segment of Eden because the Will of Arcadia took pity on them, having been washed up a long, long time ago on the very shore you came to Aurea, Umbra. Much like the Horned Wolves, I would have left you and even Reizen alone, according to Mother's Will, but then you just have to test fire that Tactical Artefact in all seriousness..."
"Oh..." Both Reizen and I glance at the weapon in the former's hand. "So we upset Mother Nature."
"You don't say." Sapientia rolls her eyes after hearing my comment. "That thing came from a different universe, a foreign element much like your soul, Umbra, much like Reizen, her crew, and the very train that nearly brought Arcadia down low in its youngest era. Believe me when I say that Mother Arcadia dearest is still traumatized by the events of the past, much less me, who was forced to participate when I was a wee, young kid."
Suddenly, Reizen interjects with steel in her voice.
"You... You were there!?"
Sapientia halts before sighing, speaking softly.
"That's why I gave my apologies... I was there, albeit I wasn't an active frontline combatant. But I did support the three-way battle against invaders that beset Arcadia. However, it was only after the sacrifice made by the crew of your strange craft and my predecessors that we, and Mother Arcadia, learned that the only true enemy had been the ones you called Gray Tempest. But by then, it was all too late to regret. Only Reizen was left in that pod, and Mother Arcadia and I feared that waking you up would do more harm than it's worth. That is, until Aurea and Umbra enter the canvas."
"Things were too chaotic back then," Sapientia adds. "The Will of the Planet and us Divines never had time to question reality when the battle damage between your Eternal Reich faction and the Gray Tempest threatened to consume Eden and beyond... We had no choice."
"And my Mother, my family, perished because of it..." Reizen shakes with a low, chilling tone. Yet, she makes no further attempt at displaying the anguish and fury that she is ignited when she suddenly hears this explosive news.
I have to put my hand on her own, taking her fingers into mine, for fear her emotions will tear her recently patched up mental state down. For the record, Reizen clutches my hand tight, as if seeking its warmth to soothe the burning rage beneath her strained composure.
"... But such is war." Reizen ultimately forces herself to say that. "War is chaos, unpredictability, and suffering."
Sapientia looks, her brows relaxing in sadness. "Yes, war is like that..."
Sighing, Sapientia continues.
"In the final stretch of that unsung war, the elder Divines and the crew of the ERS Voyager apparently reached a tentative alliance of sorts. Fighting together till the very end to vanquish what the crew of the Voyager called a Hub Mothership of the Gray Tempest. Were it left alone, a single Hub Mothership would have consumed this whole solar system, much less a lone planet like Arcadia. The sacrifices... Were immense on us all. Only the young Gods and Goddesses like me survive to then prop up Arcadia's civilizations into what they are today. But perhaps it will be a story for us to continue on another day?"
Hearing Sapientia's suggestion, I look at Reizen, who remains impassive, before nodding at the Ember Goddess.
"Alright, if we made your mother upset by wielding too much firepower in what's supposed to be a peaceful land, then what should we do to soothe her?"
"It's simple, you just need to leave." Sapientia says it outright. "Your so-called System, Umbra, Aurea, will introduce too much complexity into this traumatized holy land. It will be best for you all to relocate elsewhere, just so that Mother dearest, or I, won't have to do something drastic. Of course, we won't ask you to do so without providing the appropriate compensation. You can consider this as a personal effort from our side, the Divines, to make amends for the mistakes of the past and to build rapport for the future. That is, if Reizen doesn't mind."
To this, I gently squeeze Reizen's hand, making it clear that it's her call to make now.
"... A part of me is angered by you Divines. Back then, had it not been for your so-called guardians suddenly attacking our crumbling frontline on top of the Tempest, my Mom wouldn't have suffered so many losses to her unit that would then force her to make that final, desperate push while being severely undergunned. She could have survived that had she gotten more firepower with her unit." Reizen says harshly, which causes Sapientia to sigh forlornly but still nod in understanding. "I should continue blaming you, and should never associate myself with you."
"But... It's not like I am blinded." Reizen continues. "I was taught to see things clearly from multiple angles, and not judge everything through one set of biased lenses. I... I can sympathize with your position back then, and the fact that you are here right now, offering both your condolences and an olive branch... I know that this is not the moment to let my emotions get ahead of me. For Aurea, for Umbra, I will accept the arrangement from your side, Sapientia. But please know this..."
Reizen caresses the barrels of the Angel Break Custom, smiling softly now, but with a tinge of danger to it. "My wounds will take time to heal. If you make any untoward attempt at Aurea and Umbra..."
Sapientia nods, surprisingly taking Reizen's warning seriously. "I assure you, at the very least, Mother Arcadia and I would like to be on your good side. We can even form a magical contract, if you want. Though I obviously can't give my guarantee for other assorted elements on this planet."
"I will take what I can get then." Reizen nods simply enough.
"Right~!" Sapientia smiles in relief, seeing she has just passed the hurdle that is Reizen. "Now, to the elephant in the room... Since you have been making an effort to clean up the old battlefield, to lay the dead to rest, and to map out Eden to the best of your capability... I will be giving you a map, first and foremost, to use when you venture from Eden and explore the wider world that is Arcadia! As an additional bonus, I will even mark some Points of Interest on this map for ya. These will help you get a head start in whatever you will do in the future."
"Additionally, to build a lasting relationship with you all, though this is more of my idea than Mother dearest..." Sapientia leans in with a calculating smile on her lips. "Say, are you perhaps interested in taking a long-standing quest from the Ember Goddess? The rewards are negotiable, depending on the degree of quest completion. And if possible, Mother Arcadia or I will pitch in to help you along on the journey."
Reizen and I share a curious look before I reply. "Depend on what you want us to do."
Sapientia smirks.
"It's simple, really..." She points a finger at Reizen. "I need you all to bring the teaching of the Eternal Reich: spiritual, technological, and everything, and spread it across the corners of Arcadia. I need you all to be an impetus that kick-starts the development of our civilizations once more. I need you all to reintroduce progress to an otherwise increasingly stagnant society!"
To this sudden quest content, all of us let out a simple "Huh?".
"That doesn't sound simple at all!" I quip back with an exasperated sigh.
On her part, the Ember Goddess has the audacity to giggle and say.
"Don't worry, it won't take a lifetime with the System on your side."
"Easy for you, who has the strongest nation around, to say." I roll my eyes. "You're the Ember Goddess, a symbol of wisdom and progress yourself. Why do you need us?"
Sapientia shrugs, explaining. "I may be a patron of wisdom and all that, I may know a lot, but it doesn't mean I can keep holding the hands of my civilization. Godly laws don't take too kindly to someone who oversteps, and I don't want a Shoggoth to suddenly visit Mother Arcadia and perform an audit. That will be a nightmarish experience for everyone involved."
Sapientia then looks around, wary of something that isn't there, before leaning in schemingly. She speaks in a small voice.
"Mother Arcadia doesn't want to be the first in her class to be hit with a disciplinary act from the Enforcer Shoggoths, you know. The whole mess in the past has nearly earned her spot on the Shoggoths' watch list."
"Right..." Both Reizen and I really know how to react to that information.
But someone seemingly does know... Somehow, an ice cube falls right out of the sky and lands squarely on Sapientia's head, causing the Ember Goddess to yelp and nearly stumble out of her chair in pain.
"S-Sorry, Mom!" Sapientia exclaims with tears in her eyes as she clutches the bump on her gray hair.
At this point, Aurea, Reizen, Alpha, and I are completely at a loss on how to react.
"Ok... This is not how I expected this day to go." I mutter, fingers still interlocked with Reizen's.