Divine Apostasy Book 11 - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

“Just a couple of small hiccups,” Deryssa hissed, anger dripping from the words. “How is that Class even possible? The Eld’rion family made it impossible for anyone outside their lineage to become Emperor.” She shook her head. “And only one Emperor can exist at a time.”

“There were a lot of conditions, but I met them all.”

Deryssa, still in disbelief, shook her head. “The Eld’rion control the Spire of Blessing and altered the Destruction Emperor Class to require one of their blessings to qualify. That’s how they’ve maintained their control for eons.”

Ruin rubbed his chin. “When the shift happened, I had an active blessing from my girlfriend. She’s kind of a big-shot priestess.”

“Your priestess can bless others with attributes of fate?” Deryssa asked in disbelief.

Ruin considered the question. Hamma had used the priceless potion of luck he’d given her as the catalyst for her magic, but she’d crafted the spell herself. The original blessing hadn’t been as powerful as the resulting Gem of Fate, but it was the obvious source of the ability.

“Yes,” Ruin answered simply.

“Are all your friends so powerful?”

An avalanche of memories struck Ruin: Sift fighting the Aspects on Savage Island all alone as Ruin desperately tried to reach him—Lylan controlling a massive hydra, her blood making her nearly unkillable—Xavier in the center of a massive star ignoring pressures only the most powerful deities could survive—Rami projecting the memories of a goddess for fifty thousand people—Hamma chanting a prayer, sacrificing personal levels to shield tens of thousands of souls from divine attacks—Overlord controlling hundreds of thousands of Minions while fighting at the level of a Step Grandmaster—Miranda coiled around an ancient wall, the ancient wyrm surrounded by a Universe of Spirit—Blapy managing a planet sized dungeon, maintaining millions of different dimensional inventories all while suppressing an apocalyptic explosion. Fractal, Tarot, Uruziel, Sivart, Tremine, Kysandra, Dusk, Thorn, Mist, Shelly, Bliz, Big D, Madda, Padda, Chip, Stump, the list went on and on.

“Yes, my friends are powerful,” Ruin replied. “I’m very lucky.”

For just a moment Deryssa’s face brightened, but then it crashed again. “It doesn’t matter. This Universe is tiny, its inhabitants ignorant of the most basic building blocks of power. I’m not sure what Aeonrial’s true purpose was, but even if he wanted to protect this universe, he isn’t powerful enough to face the might of the Destruction Realm. Even if the Harmonic faction supported Aeonrial, they wouldn’t suffice. The power of a Destruction Emperor is unfathomable.”

Ruin shrugged. “I don’t plan on leaving. The Outerverse doesn’t concern me.”

“That’s naive thinking. It’s possible the assassin that murdered me and any agents the other factions placed here snuck in using the Destruction or Creation Realms. It’s also possible they came later, and if they did, they might have a route back. At minimum, there’s a bridge here created by a Void Wyrm.”

Ruin recalled Varthon’s response to someone crossing his bridge without notice. The Void Wyrm had considered that impossible.

“I know you want me to help you reclaim your power in the Outerverse and my Class makes that impossible. I will do what I can to help you. Is there a way for you to get your body back? You can have the band back, too.”

That seemed to shock Deryssa. “You’re serious?”

“I have no use for it here.”

Deryssa slowly shook her head, her mouth hanging open. “I actually believe you. Have you no ambition?”

“Of course I do,” Ruin responded, failing to hide his irritation. “But my goals don’t overlap with yours or the Outerverse. I have plenty of my own problems.”

“Fair enough. Here’s what you don’t understand, though: the Outerverse will come to you.”

Ruwen picked up the pink gem on the table and rotated it slowly as he considered. “I’m not helpless.”

“Pardon me, but you were just defeated by one of your own kind.”

Deryssa realized her mistake a moment too late.

Ruin glared at the woman, and he stood. “And who’s fault was that?”

“I already apologized for that, and it’s not fair to call that Aspect me. It contained raw power and the primal essence of my core beliefs. My duty kept you here. The same duty I now feel to the Val’dor heir.”

Ruin calmed himself. His emotions, especially the destructive ones, came so easily to this body. “If you didn’t notice I destroyed five full towers and hundreds of demons. Lalquinrial only survived by moving out of the area of effect. I didn’t have my most powerful weapon. Once I get Harmony working here like it does in the Material Realm, none will stand against me.”

“Harmony? Wait? Are you a Harmonic?”

Ruin had decided earlier to reveal some of his abilities and choices so Deryssa could help him make good choices.

“Yes. The modified System in this universe thinks I’m a Builder and a Maker and demanded I immediately travel to the Spire for assessment.”

Deryssa didn’t speak. She studied Ruin, her gaze intense. Fifteen seconds passed in silence. Finally, Deryssa forced a question out. “Is that a joke?”

Ruin displayed the quest between them.

Name: Maker

Description: The System has triggered this quest on behalf of the Prime. You have crossed a critical mental threshold which requires your immediate presence at the Spire. Your Harbinger, if applicable, has been notified of this summons as required by decree. A Spire representative has been dispatched to your location.

Step: 1 of 1

Step Description: You are hereby restricted to the first six dimensions of your current Universe. Failure to comply will result in catastrophic consequences.

Origin: Prime

Allocation: Mythical

Difficulty: Egregious

Risk: Deadly

Duration: Short

Reward: Testing at the Spire. Additional Prime and Faction rewards if assessment confirms the status of Maker.

Ruin studied Deryssa as she read the projected quest three times.

Deryssa turned and paced along the wall, mumbling to herself. She rubbed her temples as if she had a painful headache. Could ghost beings get headaches? Identify didn’t work on her so he guessed she wasn’t real enough for pain.

Deryssa stopped suddenly and locked gazes with Ruin. “Do you comprehend how much danger you’re in?”

“Probably not. Things haven’t been great the last few years so I was hoping things would get better.”

Deryssa spoke, holding up fingers as she detailed Ruin’s catastrophic problems. “The ultimate power in the Destruction Realm will stop at nothing to destroy you. The rest of the Destruction Realm wants you dead so they can claim the Band of Authority for the Remembrance Spire. Prime, who either is the System that runs the Material Realm, or controls it, has demanded your presence and sent agents to locate you. After entering the Spire the Prime will either make you its puppet or destroy you. The Harmonics will try and protect you, but if you don’t ally with the Luminara or the Radiant factions, they will also strive to destroy you. The power of a Maker can too easily upset the delicate balance in the Material Realm. It is safer to just kill you. The Creation Realm is an automatic enemy, as you are pure Destruction Essence, something they have vowed to annihilate. The only entities that don’t want you dead immediately are the Primal and Nexus factions.”

Ruin raised his eyebrows.

“What? Did you do something to them as well?

The Void Heritage in Ruin’s fourth Array provided a powerful clue. Whatever was happening to Rami, it was bleeding into Ruin as well. He had a bad feeling that a human running around with the power only Void Wyrms possessed would not earn him many friends.

And if the Nexus found out Ruin had taken and completed their Affinity Wheel, something they’d worked on for eons, they’d stop at nothing to retrieve it.

“Now that I think about it, with all the enemies you’ve made, the Harmonic faction will likely want you dead as well. Even the supremacy of a Maker is not enough to justify protecting a person who single handedly united every single power in three Realms. An alliance with the single goal of your destruction.”

Ruin waved a hand dismissively. “Even if I’ve somehow upset, worried, or imbalanced every faction and Realm in the Outerverse it doesn’t matter. I never planned on leaving here. I’m going to take this new Outerverse knowledge and strengthen my friends, and then maybe everyone. This body is a setback, but I understand my path to ultimate power and will do everything I can to defend my universe against any who find us.”

Deryssa sighed sadly. “Noble but pointless. You can’t comprehend the power organizing against you.”

“That just means I need to get stronger.”

All the hope evaporated from Deryssa. She didn’t bother hiding her despair, and her wings trembled. “How do you measure Core strength? What is the most powerful core you can comprehend?

That question had an easy answer. The planet Ruin called home, Grave, had once been the Core of Pen. “Planet-sized,” he responded.

Deryssa raised her eyes slightly and Ruin felt satisfaction that he’d surprised her. Of course he’d never have thought to think so large had he not learned the circumstances of Pen’s death and Grave’s creation.

“Power condensed into the size of a planet,” Deryssa summarized. She laughed and it sounded a bit hysterical. She mumbled to herself as she paced for another ten seconds, and her words had the cadence and tone of curses.

Deryssa stopped suddenly and locked eyes with Ruin. “Those who will come for you have Cores the size of a fist,” she said, raising her own clenched hand. The next sentence was delivered in a hiss. “Cores that contain power measured not in planets, but in universes.”