UL1 - Book 10 - Chapter 17

Max sat in a room surrounded by coral, sand, stone, and sea life. Chairs had life teaming around them. The entire room was a testament to the different creatures of the ocean.

Eyorakoa was on her wide couch, a small, bone finger tickled a jellyfish somehow.

This one is very different than what I had expected. Dangerous and yet not.

Like a sea that can be both calm and a raging storm?

Yes… and I can sense that sarcasm when you say that.

Max tried not to smile as he focused on Eyorakoa.

“What we are facing is a beast of the waters, a leviathan of some kind. They are a creature that is just as deadly here as I am. What first caught me off guard was your pants. That metal… it has a distinct taste.”

“Taste?”

“You cannot smell the water like I can, nor can you taste it like one of my kind. My old friend… the god you now rule over, his nose could detect things miles away in the sea. All from a single breath of the water.”

She said nothing, her finger frozen, the jellyfish moving away after no more love was given.  Minutes passed, no change in her at all.

Is she still there?

“Eyorakoa?”

“Forgive me, I was remembering a time when we swam the seas of our old world together.  Those were special moments. But forgive me for wasting time. In three days the challenger will arrive. When he does I am certain there will be great destruction of the waters and the life within them.

“He is called Yukoreek. It translates to…

“Death Serpent,” Max said.

“Correct,” Eyorakoa replied. “I know of them from a few encounters in the Archon world. You have not been there except for the one time you were transformed into a World Champion. You’ll need to reach the 6th tier before you can go there again.”

Max nodded as she started talking, her social skills obviously having suffered as she continued to discuss things that didn’t seem to matter.

“And this, Yukoreek, what is he like and how did he come to choose this world to attack?”

“Forgive me, I… don’t spend a lot of time talking with others like myself. My children and those of my old friend are not able to converse about such things. Still, I…”

She paused as he winced.

“Did it again. Forgive me. Yukoreek is one of the many water gods in our realm. You do know about the realms right?”

“Just what’s in the guide I was given upon becoming a world champion,” Max replied.

“It’s a good primer but not really enough knowledge about what is out there. There are nine primordial gods as you know. They work in groups of three and each has a unique realm that is easily crossed between those within that network. With nine realms total, three different clusters are isolated and yet not. Fighting within those clusters does happen but usually the real fights take place outside of our cluster.”

“And you and I are within the same cluster?”

Her coral head moved up and down slowly.

“Force or Change is one of our gods.”

“Wekime?” Max asked.

“You know his name? It's remarkable for one so young to know this.”

Well she doesn’t know that you are bound to a dragon or that you paid attention to the telling of the origin story of the gods and the system.

Max ignored Bob and motioned for her to continue.

“The god of the Void, or often called Entropy and Unmaking as well as the goddess of Form and Law, or Matter, are the other two in our cluster. Each of them has a connection in some way, though I’m not certain what. The god of Life, Binding, and the goddess of Thought are in a different cluster. Which leaves the goddess of Death, the goddess of Matter, and the God of Time for the last cluster.

“They do not… battle, but those of us in their clusters can petition them for guidance, wisdom, or aid. It comes at a price but one can speak to them and ask for worlds that might be worth attacking.”

“So the nine don’t wage wars on other gods or each other?” Max asked.

“I believe it’s both of those. Still if I wanted I could seek knowledge from any of those three. It might take time before they saw me but I could be given what I seek. To know that someone has given up the name of this world is… alarming but I cannot help and wonder why now. There have been no attacks on this world before and yet so soon after you took ownership of a section of it, the world is now at war.”

“And how am I supposed to help against a god who is far above me in tiers? I doubt we’ll share each other's stats, but you do have a domain ability. Surely that must be beneficial against an invader.”

“It is helpful but I am also unsure what I’ll be facing. There is no doubt that when Yukoreek attacks, it will not be alone. He will most likely bring beings from his world with him.”

“And those wouldn’t be difficult for you to fight against?” Max asked.

“You’ve never fought a battle before between two gods have you? Outside of the arena that is?”

“I have not.”

I would not consider what you did to Ezreal a battle either. Simply an execution.

“When that time comes, you would be wise to ensure your people and cities are well protected,”  Eyorakoa replied. “A battle between two gods is bad enough. The conflict and danger present can destroy worlds outside the domain. It is why we are given domains I believe even if it has never been explicitly said.

“Have you ever attempted to see just how strong you really are?”

A memory played back in his mind as Max thought about the mountain he had cut a third off of when testing it back on his home world.

“I did once. I attacked a mountain.”

“A mountain. I have heard of those. Things like the great crevices underwater but so far above land that reach into the clouds above. How did it go?”

“I removed about a third of the area I attacked in a single blow.”

The water surrounding Eyorakoa was flooded with the tiny black and purple fish, each of them swirling around the coral armor that covered her.

“You are not joking. I can sense it in the water. Tell me, have you ever fought in a domain before?”

Max took a deep breath and nodded.

“Once… I almost died. To say it was unexpected and far more dangerous than I had believed would be like saying my pants are nothing special.”

“And this was a god or one of their chosen?”

“It was a king. Thuyja—”

“Wait! You are that one!”

A black bone finger pointed at him from under the coral and the swarm of fish now stayed a good foot or more away from the god who sat before him, an aura of fish all facing him as they swam in place.

It would appear we are well-known.

“Which one is that?” Max asked.

“You… are a black skill holder!” she replied, her voice a hiss that carried a threat of something he could feel in the water. “How?! How can you sit here and talk like this? Why have you not tried to kill me yet? Is this–”

“I’m not like what you think,” Max said. “Phaius and Ockrim both know I’m not blood-crazed like all the others who have a black skill have been. Mine and I… we’re friends. Allies. Trust me, I only fight when I have to and don’t seek to kill people or creatures just to get stronger.”

A good minute passed before Eyorakoa lowered her finger and the swarm of fish moved behind her, almost as if she was protecting them.

“That is… difficult to believe and yet the rumors appear to be true. A black skill holder who is not bent upon the destruction of all of us. Is that how you defeated a domain user?”

“Partially,” Max replied. “Still, I’m not planning on sharing everything about me. Just know I’m not here to end your life or those of the beings on this world. I have others I care about. Now, if they are threatened, I’ll burn down the world or god who is foolish enough to make that mistake.”

Slowly, the water returned to normal and Max finally realized what his sonar had been telling him.

She was thickening the water around us. I wasn’t sure at first, but I’m guessing a small part of her domain?

Perhaps. If she could slow down the movements of anyone in water, her speed wouldn't be less of an issue and I would wager she becomes far stronger. Those fish, you and I both know they’re poisonous or worse.

Similar to the gorgon’s hair is what I was assuming.

“You were saying though. You’ll be fighting Yukoreek and will need someone to help defend your capital against whatever he brings to this world?”

“Correct. Forgive me I am still trying to work through the truth that I am connected to you through this planet. I… I am not certain if I would have stayed and fought or fled, forsaking this world to you.”

“But you’re many tiers above me.”

“And you have just told me you defeated a domain holder and I watched the match between you and Kherbann. That knowledge is enough to make even the foolish gods be careful. You didn’t even flinch as I changed the area around us.”

“So was that part of your domain?” Max asked. “Can you tell me more about it or what it will be like when I get mine?”

“I cannot. You’ll notice that there is no information in the system shop for you yet, because it doesn’t unlock until then. All I can tell you is to choose carefully what you pick as your domain. Every world you own will be under that same thing and having one that is water-based on a world filled with fire or ice or no water will be less effective.”

You two are terrible. Between the two of you, this conversation has gone in ten different directions.

And yet we’ve learned far more in this moment than we might have if it hadn’t.

I’m not arguing, but it makes sense why Tanila and Batrire sometimes get frustrated with you and Fowl. The whole chasing rabbits is a good analogy for it.

“So how long till Yukoreek arrives?”

“I wish I could give you a specific answer, but soon,” Eyorakoa replied. “It could be tonight, tomorrow or in three days. All I know is that when he does the very water will boil and destruction will come for this city. My children are skilled in close combat. The problem is that they are slow. In tight corridors or against enemies that get close, they are dangerous. Your children are fast and could be dangerous if they were trained to be so, but without a god pushing them in that direction… they are aimless and carefree, much like their creator had wanted them to be.”

“I’m assuming there isn’t time to get enough of them ready?” Max asked.

“No. Some are warriors or mages but most are not. The few who do protect are weaker, having been forced to cull what comes near and can evade my children.  They have not ventured into the dungeons and I do not believe there is a single one of them who has been in a tower in two thousand years.”

Frowning, Max nodded.

“I guess I can see what they can do and figure out the defenses for the city. Does the system send me a notification if Yukoreek attacks and I’m not on this world?”

“No. You are not yet at a high enough tier for that. The only way you knew of this impending attack is because I sent the request. If you were to wait for me to send that notification again, it might be too late.”

So… stay here and wait for three days or return home.

Perhaps Tanila won’t think you’ve left her with a child and moved to a new world with another goddess.

Max laughed, unable to keep himself from smiling.

“I need to send a message back to my people and let them know I’ll be here a few days.”

Eyorakoa rose from the couch and moved to a wall where a doorway was beginning to appear.

“Come, I will take you to the system room of this world.”