AN: There is a chapter but also some news that things in my life have taken a turn for the worse and some serious reconsidering of what I do next are in order. There are multiple options I have, none of which really appeal to me. I hope your week went better than mine.
Aperio looked at her disciple for a few moments longer as the pleasant warmth that spread through her body was joined by a tingle that ran down her spine. What was that? She had not really felt any...
2020-06-26 18:23:21 +0000 UTC
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AN: Sorry for the delay
Caethya directed her eyes at the ceiling as she felt the aura of her Goddess settle over her. It had changed yet again, the strength of it no longer in a realm the Elf could even properly perceive. Only a sense of overwhelming power remained. Was she holding back before?
After Aperio had told them that she had at one point been a slave, her Goddess had not left her mind. She was worried for her well being, something she might have pr...
2020-06-23 11:53:44 +0000 UTC
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AN: Writing on pain medication is a weird experience.
Aperio took a deep breath, the fires in the braziers flaring higher as she did. The world itself then appeared just a little brighter to her, the few colours present in the abyss somehow more vivid. Only after she took another breath did the All-Mother notice that she was breathing air and not the nothing that had filled the white space before.
The change in her surroundings was quickly dismissed from her m...
2020-06-18 17:10:37 +0000 UTC
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AN: Time to add some seasoning to the Plot.
Aperio creased her brows at the flow of the System's magic. What does it want with this soul? All the message said was that he had died and his sacrifice had been accepted. The only problem was that Aperio could not figure out what the sacrifice was for. And who was sacrificed.
Her question was quickly and unpleasantly answered. The lifeless bodies, the ones whose souls she had not directly taken out, beg...
2020-06-14 14:56:48 +0000 UTC
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AN: Please read the Terms and Conditions of any ritual you take part in!
A sharp pain in her head jolted Neria awake. Before she could open her eyes, she could already see the System notification hang in front of her. Her mind, however, was not drawn to the words but the warmth coursing through her veins.
Her grasp on the arcane had never been strong. Now, though, she could feel the mana flowing through her, could sense the world around her through her vastly change...
2020-06-13 15:47:28 +0000 UTC
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AN: POV intensifies
Aperio let herself fall through the white nothing. While she was not certain what this place was, she knew it was just as much hers as her Void, its warm touch just as calming to her mind as her Void's cold, black emptiness. And my weapon came from here. And armour, too, now, I suppose.
There was one very important distinction between the two spaces, however. Her void, in its usual state, was cut off from the world. It was isola...
2020-06-10 12:52:46 +0000 UTC
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AN: A treat for you
Aperio looked at the pastry Maria had pointed out. The small, golden squares looked fairly unassuming; just another treat. If she would have been her old self, she would have stuffed herself with the food present, everything in front of her a delicacy reserved for her former masters. Now, though, it was just a thing, her body nor her mind yearning for the food.
A touch of her magic brought two of the pastries to her hand, one of which she quickly passe...
2020-06-06 14:32:27 +0000 UTC
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AN: Exploration soon™.
Aperio stepped through her portal right behind her Scion, the room they found themselves in not Maria's but the dining hall in which they had first met the Lord of the house. Even the same servants were present again.
Food had once more been prepared and served, the smells of dishes Aperio did not know tickling her vastly enhanced nose. Despite the presence of the meals, she still felt no need or true desire to eat any of it. It was simply c...
2020-06-02 13:33:24 +0000 UTC
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AN: Yep, they still exist!
Arden awoke with a start as something cold splashed against his face. Quickly he left his bedding, raised weapon in hand, only to lower it a moment later as he saw Enrya with an empty bucket in hand giggling madly.
"I told you countless times that you should secure your tent," Enrya said, vanishing a moment later. The bucket was left hanging in the air for a moment before falling with a clatter to the ground.
"Why do you always do th...
2020-05-30 15:12:40 +0000 UTC
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AN: Apologies for the delay.
"I guess it is official now?" Laelia asked, staring at what Aperio knew was the System notification. "I did not expect it to sound so… aggressive."
"Neither did I," Aperio said with a sigh. "No matter. What is done is done."
"It reads like some of your old announcements, mother. Really old ones."
Did I go on a conquering spree in the past? Aperio thought to herself she tilted her head slightly to ...
2020-05-29 10:46:29 +0000 UTC
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Someone sneaked into Maria's vault and stole a painting of Aperio! (Not actually though, it was made by kojinai.)
I also have some sadder news, chapter 81 might be delayed by one or two days as I am drowning in work this week. Sorry. (You do get to look at art now, though!)
2020-05-27 16:45:48 +0000 UTC
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AN: I hope your Sunday is nice.
Aperio tilted her head at the scene in front of her. The grassy hill had been replaced by a sea of flowers, spreading farther than it had any right to.
Amidst the colourful ocean of blossoms were Caethya, Laelia, and the newly-arrived Human. Her two followers immediately noticed her return, the conversation ceasing as both turned their heads to look at their Goddess.
A single step was all Aperio needed to close the distance betw...
2020-05-24 18:07:36 +0000 UTC
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AN: Emotions are hard the trilogy
Aperio sat in silence next to her daughter. An idle thought spurred her to check on how Maria was doing. Despite being in Ferio's domain, she could still feel the connection to the girl. Even when she had not focused on it, the healing of Maria's soul had never once been interrupted.
She hadn't forgotten it, but neither had she given the act of soul healing any additional thought. After she had set the process in motion, it continue...
2020-05-20 11:57:27 +0000 UTC
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AN: Emotions are still hard.
Ferio glanced down at her mother as the two of them arrived in her Dominion. Aperio's skin was cold to the touch, like it had always been, the only perceptible warmth coming from the mind-boggling amount of mana flowing through the All-Mother. Not that a mortal would be able to tell the difference.
That was something that had changed. Aperio had always been beyond other deities, including herself. But, what she was doin...
2020-05-17 14:44:22 +0000 UTC
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AN: This is definitely not just thinly veiled exposition.
Neria looked at the weapon in her hands. The [Keeper of Voices] had said her induction would be expedited, but she had not expected to undergo the first ritual only a few days later. While she hadn't been idle in those days — managing to raise her level to one hundred fifty-three with the help of one of the Guardsmen — she was still far from what she should be to undergo the ritual.
She swallowed slightly...
2020-05-15 17:01:34 +0000 UTC
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AN: I don't even know, dude.
Aperio let herself fall down onto the grass, spreading her wings slightly to allow herself to sit. Lying down now would be unbecoming of her stature, even if she had already ignored the gentle voice of Laelia as she started to talk to Adam; removed their voices from her mind so she could better focus on herself.
I'm starting to think the old me just gave up on trying to fix all of this. The All-Mother could not quite believe tha...
2020-05-13 08:45:40 +0000 UTC
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AN: I bet you did not see this one coming.
Aperio appeared in the air above the anomaly she had sensed, her wings spreading behind her and keeping her aloft with lazy beats. She wanted to be alone for a moment. Her breakdown and Ferio's continued overzealousness were things that put a burden on her mind she did not quite know how to deal with.
She did inform Caethya, Laelia, and her daughter what she was doing and why she did not join them, but Aperio did not tell t...
2020-05-10 13:43:24 +0000 UTC
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AN: Can someone slow down time please? It's going too fast.
Lord Ternyk lowered his hands at his daughter's words, the mist that had shrouded his form slowly dissipating. Aperio averted her eyes; the mist had not impaired her vision much, but now that it was fading away just looking at the man caused some of the memories in her mind to stir again.
Calm, she thought to herself as she took an unneeded breath, tensing slightly as Ferio's hand pushed past her w...
2020-05-07 15:15:16 +0000 UTC
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AN: Reader discretion is advised.
"You were careless?!" Lord Terenyk barked, a small trail of mist following his balled fists as he took what Aperio would consider a fighting stance. "What did you do?!"
Aperio did not reply immediately, instead telling her daughter to let the man be with a small mental nudge. Lord Terenyk had every right to be angry, after all. Throwing Maria's soul orb undoubtedly damaged what lay within, the blessing she received from that unthink...
2020-05-04 10:03:09 +0000 UTC
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AN: This contains words!
Neria sighed as she stepped off of the ship and onto the plank leading to solid ground. Finally, she thought. I hate boats. She had spent the last few weeks on one as she returned to Solito, the continent she usually called home. The sight of the city caused her tail to wag just a little faster, the prospect of being able to live in her own home again bringing her more joy than she had thought it would.
A few of the people ...
2020-04-30 19:19:08 +0000 UTC
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AN: It's almost May already. Where did the time go? Did not feel like 4 months already.
Geshton quickened his pace yet again as his eyes flew over the most recent note his daughter's Goddess had written. First she had told him that she would visit Maria and that he was welcome to join them in her room. He was fine with that; a Goddess was not really beholden to the same rules as they were. Making a high ranking priest wait would often already result in unpleasant scenario...
2020-04-29 18:02:41 +0000 UTC
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AN: Sorry for the delay.
Maria pouted at her unmoving maid, letting herself fall to the floor in manner definitely not befitting of the lady she would one day be. She could feel her Goddess; knew that she was close. Why won't she let me see her?
The girl could see no reason why she shouldn't meet her Goddess. It made no sense. Aperio had removed both Vigil and Inanis, solving the problem of their existence. She had solved their problem. Perhaps it was because som...
2020-04-25 13:50:10 +0000 UTC
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AN: No witty note today. I just hope you are all safe and healthy.
While Caethya and Ferio had no qualms of stepping through her portal, Aperio still had to wait on Laelia and her family. Brenia looked quite eager to step into the portal, but the same could not be said of the twins.
Neither of them looked particularly happy at the prospect of leaving their home, saying something that caused Laelia to lower herself in front of the two to better talk to them.
"<...
2020-04-20 17:45:12 +0000 UTC
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AN: Dialogue still scares me.
As soon as the barrier Aperio had previously created had fully dissipated, Caethya stepped closer, the concern clear on her face. "Is everything alright?" she asked.
Before she could continue, Laelia took a step forward and spoke herself. "We could feel your anger; your grief. It was not as pronounced as before, but your emotions are still quite strong."
That's my theme, is it not? Aperio thought. Too much stren...
2020-04-17 17:10:01 +0000 UTC
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AN: Get yourself a cuppa.
"Are you sure it's okay?" Jerien asked as she looked at the rather unassuming door that had appeared in the middle of Kiro's room.
"I told you a million times already," he replied. "She specifically said I am free to bring you along."
"But, she is a Goddess and I am not one of her followers."
"If you don't want to go, you don't have to," Kiro said after a slight sigh. "But I have to. Mayeia said it is important."
"What cou...
2020-04-15 16:08:20 +0000 UTC
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AN: Nice.
Aperio cautiously appeared above Ebenlowe, her wings holding her aloft. She did not want to appear in front of her daughter and succumb to the anger the same way she had before. No, first she had to actually know how the world affected her. And after that, I have to apologise.
Now that she was back in the reach of the planet and its inhabitants, she could already feel the anger rising within her. Since she now knew that the emotion wasn't her own,...
2020-04-13 14:21:07 +0000 UTC
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AN: Naming is hard.
"Two visits so shortly after millennia of silence," the ever-shifting cloud of shadows said. Its voices overlapped one another, never staying in the same cadence or pace. "Have I upset you, Mistress? Are you here to punish me?"
"Punish?" Aperio did not even know what the being really was, nor why it spoke to her now when it did not do so before. "I came here to think; to clear my head."
The darkness seemed to be happy at h...
2020-04-09 15:30:22 +0000 UTC
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AN: Oh look, a chapter. Now, wash your hands and then read.
Aperio noted with mild annoyance how everyone seemed to stand just a little bit straighter as she drew closer; as if they somehow expected her to perform an inspection. Or is it because of the weapon? Holding it felt natural to her, making it easy to forget that she was currently grasping something out of the ordinary in the eyes of the mortals in front of her. But then, Laelia also has ...
2020-04-06 15:23:19 +0000 UTC
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AN: Tactically avoiding posting on April 1st, definitely not because I got stuck multiple times while writing.
Aperio raised an eyebrow at the empty street in front of her. The only sign that she had returned to the right place was the house of healing. It was still there, and Aperio could sense the people inside — including Laelia and Ferio — but the large crowd outside had disappeared. How long was I gone?
Time might not truly matter for her, but the ...
2020-04-02 16:15:48 +0000 UTC
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AN: This chapter comes out later than I wanted it to, but stuff happened and I had to spend a day in bed with soup and tea.
Aperio watched with interest as Laelia rose to her feet, testing the weight of the bow in her hand. As her Scion didn't seem quite able to carry it with the same ease, it seemed that the weapon was heavier than expected. Or does she think it could break?
She knew that the weapon could take a bit of punishment from herself, and...
2020-03-30 17:35:51 +0000 UTC
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