“This… is disturbing. Seven moons, one body part inside, it’s quite gruesome.”
The old soul stared at him for a bit.
“You can see far more than most Beyonders despite not even being an Ancestor? It’s impressive. Most would only see a starry night sky, ancestors would see a moon, Beyonders would see seven moons, and we Thrones see the body parts floating in each moon.”
“We believe we would need to become an Authority to see the real Core of our Lady in The Moons.”
“I understand the “s” at the end of moons, now. It’s quite a literal title, a lady whose body is cut in seven pieces, in seven moons. I wonder what her true shape looks like. Is it the same for all the gods?”
The old soul nodded.
“The shape a god wears is nothing but that, a shape. A doll they have sometimes finely crafted hair by hair and sometimes something they have created in a few minutes. Their true selves are their core. Any non transcended mortal seeing a god’s core would perish instantly.”
David remembered the Color he had seen, what had finished him off before he could bleed to death. He knew the Color came from beyond this universe, but why was this being walking around without a shape then?
“Do you know what happens when one enters her Divine Core? Is it an instant death? Or did they die because they allowed themselves to die?”
“If you truly wish to go through, know the portal itself will turn your soul into Essence to feed the goddess’s core.”
He would never ever dare to put himself so dangerously close to this place if not for one single thing. A feeling. A feeling from… far away. His mind, his eyes, they were throbbing, making him feel… No… making him know he had to get in the Divine Core to escape.
Taking a deep breath, his soul not truly breathing but even just having the ability to imitate such an action felt great to David who had stayed in a robot’s body for so long.
“I’m going then. If I die in there and you and Saphyra miraculously survive, you’ll tell her to go fuck herself.”
David didn’t like cursing, however sometimes he had to admit it felt good. He allowed his body to descend into Saphyra’s core, the portal above him disappearing once he stepped inside the realm.
Stepping through he felt the portal's runes flare and try to disassemble his energy as the Old Soul had warned him. He used his Tri-Astromath Manipulation to summon numerous blue cubes around himself, encasing himself into the blue holographic crystal.
The limitation stated that his living body couldn’t enter, but he was dead so the limitation had no more effect. The portals tried to disable the cube as it couldn’t reach David’s soul, and while ready to defend him, the cubes got smashed one after the others, but for one going down two more would take its place.
Going through the portal had taken no more than five seconds, but to David it had felt like five minutes. He looked around, he was now inside Saphyra’s Core.
[WARNING! Be careful you’re at 1/1240 HP]
“What? I… I didn’t even feel a thing! Though that makes sense, the priests would not want their flock to suffer during their last moment. Just being scratched by that spell was enough to almost kill me.”
“I really will never allow myself to underestimate even a single ancestor. Even if that old soul seemed to have been someone important and powerful. No portals in sight.”
It made sense it was a one way trip, if Old Soul and his fellow priests wished to keep this a secret they couldn’t just have a portal’s exit visible inside her Core, she would notice.
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While he didn’t know if everything the Old Soul had said, his quest updating seemed to imply it was, but no way he would believe so easily that Saphyra was just a “poor victim” of her circumstances.
If the cultivation stories he had read when he was young taught him anything it was that someone’s domain was theirs completely. Nothing could happen inside without them knowing.
“You’re correct.”
David almost screamed in surprise as Saphyra’s voice spread around him. As he turned around he saw the head inside the moon had her eyes open and staring at him.
The moon was also far closer now, allowing him to realise Saphyra’s head was beyond anything he had seen in size, it seemed as big as a planet, however unlike the ones she had shown in her soul form, this one looked… thin, famished, her cheeks sunken, her eyes showing none of the previous snark or amusement she held. Just… tiredness, fear and guilt.
“So you were very much aware of your children's plan then?”
“Of course, you said it yourself, nothing happens here without me knowing.”
“Had fun snacking on them then? What kind of parents would allow their own children to sacrifice themselves for their fate?!”
However David swiftly realised that his thought process was limited to the one of a mortal still. Yes Saphyra ate those souls, but what choice did she have? Starving herself was just gonna doom ALL of her children, not just the ones inside her realm. The sacrifice of the few to save them all.
David had done so a few times whenever his vegetables or flowers ended up getting a parasite. A few would have to be cut down to save the whole bunch. Still… it just felt wrong to devour your own children's souls.
“I’m sorry for my outburst. I can understand your actions but it is still hard as a father to know that a mother would eat her children. And that you’re also dooming me to never see my family again.”
“You’re forgiven. I am once again sorry, for all I did to you and for what happened to your family, David. Gods know better than anyone the pain of losing a child. The link we have with our children is deep, every one of them has been made by us.”
“They ARE us as much as we are them. Their death… it is like losing a part of myself.”
“What you’re describing is called parenthood.”
Saphyra let out a small laugh, her voice surprisingly more… calm, as she continued.
“I’m dying David. It is over, even if I had won that fight I wouldn’t have the energy to reach my sister.”
“Against whom did you fight?”
“The one who has seen you, you are marked. After you gave me your name, he was able to come down and fight me. According to the Cosmic Rules, it is unfair for a god to fight another higher being’s champion, the rules allow the patron to defend the champion.”
“It’s a rare event for such beings to lawfully enter our universe. Yet today it happened.”
“The Color…? I didn’t expect it to defend me.”
“And I didn’t expect to see an Outsider today either.”
“So that’s their name?”
“One among many they carry.”
Saphyra’s eyes seemed to stare at David for a few seconds, silence surrounding both beings.
“There is no point in me keeping you there. But I have a request.”
Before David could say much of anything, a huge moon appeared above them, much much bigger than the one which Saphyra’s head inhabited. Inside this moon, David saw them, the millions of “sacrificed” Felinids souls, seemingly sleeping.
“So that’s why you look starved and you have depleted so much of your power. You were using it to keep them intact and safe, sleeping so they did not have to wait thousands and thousands of years alone. You never consumed a single soul.”
“How could a mother eat her own children?”
Saphyra’s eyes regained a bit of their playfulness, happy to throw back David’s words in his face.
“What is your request then?”
“When I die, my body will dissolve, it will leave behind my sapphyre, one of the Felinid’s greatest treasures, with the last of my powers, that gem will house my children's soul. It should last a year.”
Sapphyra’s eyes seemed to house infinite sadness, yet amidst this sadness was a spark of hope. Hope that this simple Cygilite with a human soul could save her children.
“I ask simply that you bring this crystal to my sister’s main temple in Selinad, mine and my sister’s place of birth. Where our children have created their own nation. Nothing more, my sister will know what to do with them.”
A small part of her was so scared. Death.. she believed she had so many things to accomplish, yet here she was. A dying Goddess relying on such a young mortal to save her dearest children.
“I truly hope I could be granted a second chance like you, David.”
David saw a hint of jealousy and desire, shine in her eyes before some of her previous mischievousness started to come back. Like a young kitten wanting to play one last time.
“And if my sister comes to see you directly, tell her this : “I won the bet, wet fur.”.”
Saphyra’s eyes sparkled with what seemed like youthful innocence, this wasn't Saphyra, The Moon, Goddess of Knowledge, which was talking. Just a sister playing one last joke to her family.
He recognised those eyes, most likely the same him and many others had when looking at their loved ones in the hospital. Remembering the good times, while knowing they should have enjoyed them more.
“So I ask you again, Akhenamen Nimearos Harkhenna, will you grant this last request?”
David was surprised she didn’t use his name. But he noded.
“I will Saphyra. But my real na-”
“Thank you. And no, remember? When I asked if you would give me your name, you agreed. Your name is now mine. Now there is just Akhenamen Nimearos Harkhenna, the Unseen Truth, Herald of the Color.”
David felt profound changes within him, he had no idea what was currently happening, he even heard the System’s notification ring in his mind, yet he didn’t look, he simply watched and listened to Saphyra’s words.
“So as a grieving mother who has seen so many of her children die, I tell you this, forgive yourself David. It was not your fault. It never was. Allow yourself to move on. Or you will become like me, a dried-up husk who cling to a past long gone.”
“Let go and rest David, allow Akhenamen to be born. Give him a chance to live.”
Then David understood, as the moons started to dissolve, six of them becoming streams of energy feeding the millions of Felinids souls, one last time, the last stream flowed into David, once again notification started to ring in his mind but he paid them no attention.
He was thinking about Saphyra’s words. “She’s right.” He whispered.
David had been clinging on to his past so hard he had never realised the first step to heal and accomplish his wish was to let go. To forgive himself and start anew, show his family that while he would forever love them, he had to move on, for them. He had forgotten that if his greatest wish was to see them happy and in peace, theirs would be no different. For David to be happy.
I hope everyone is enjoying this chapter. If you spot any mistake do not hesitate to tell me in the comments. My main language isn't english so I'm more than eager to increase my level and better myself. Same for the System's current "appearance" do not hesitate if you dislike it and want something more simple and maybe easier to read!
Have a great day!