by Andur
“~Nya!~” Lidith jumps for it from her kneeling position, but isn't in time.
The crystal disappears over the edge of the platform and is gone! “Noooo!” I get to my feet and run to where the crystal disappeared. A look over the edge of the platform confirms it.
Under us is nothing but lava! It's gone!
“What was that creepy thing!” Jazira pouts.
Lidith snorts. “I don't care. Luckily it's gone!”
Celestial pulls me to my feet. “You could have told us that you have something like that up your sleeve. Why are you looking like that?”
I snap back to reality. “Like what?”
“Like the end of the world was near!” Celestial shakes me. “What was that crystal?”
I clear my throat and take a dignified posture. “I don't know what you are talking about! A... anyway! Take that and let's go home.” I point at Wynne, who is still peering over the edge of the platform, hoping to find the crystal.
Then I turn and attempt to teleport, but a sudden jerk on my collar holds me back. I turn and find Celestial looking at me with half closed eyes and a deadly serious expression. “You are sweating!”
I try to smile. “It's hot.”
She doesn't back off and steps closer. “Not hot enough to justify this!”
I bend backwards because she is a little too close. “I just had a hard time...”
She follows my movement and sniffs at me. “I smell it!”
What!
The!
Fuck?
I try to keep my mask. “So now you smell... ?”
Celestial sneers like an animal who found its prey. “It's Fear! Tell me, husband. What was that crystal?”
I start fiddling with my hands. When I realize that this looks very suspicious, I place them in my pockets. “Ehm. I need to go to my laboratory.”
Celestial lunges at me and takes me into a headlock. “WHAT FELL INTO THE LAVA!?”
I feel my windpipe being compressed and my blood pressure rising. I am not against being pressed to her chest, but this becomes more and more uncomfortable with each second. “A SEED!”
Celestial loosens her grip a bit. “Seed?”
That's not good. I have to escape somehow! “I love you!”
“You lov...” The pressure increases again! “No distractions!”
“It's a failed seed for creating bigger mana crystals! Sugar cat. You'll crush my windpipe!”
Jazira steps closer and pinches my cheek to the point that it hurts. “And what's the issue with the failure?”
“It won't stop growing and absorbing mana unless you encase it in a special barrier! We have to get out of here! There is no time!” I scream at the top of my lungs.
As if on command, a long crystalline spike penetrates the surface of the lava sea and rises. It stabs through one of the bridges which are connecting the platforms and continues to grow.
“Shit!” I feel Celestial pulling me onto a pathway and we appear in the sky above the volcano. Though she still doesn't let go of me.
Jazira and Lidith appear at our side. They are carrying Wynne, who is dangling between them without resisting. Apparently she has given up.
Under us the volcano shudders and stops smoking. Crystals break through its surface and create a scene which resembles a forest.
“It's even converting normal matter into crystals!” Lidith gasps.
We watch in awe as the volcanic island is turned almost completely into crystal. But then the process slows down and comes to a creeping stop.
I let out a sigh. “So lucky! I thought it would transmute the entire planet. But it seems like the growth rate is slowing down. It can only grow as much as there is mana in the vicinity.”
Celestial's grip tightens again. “Honey bear?”
“Yes, sugar cat?”
“~Tomorrow we'll make a tour through your laboratory and talk about your toys.~”
I try to nod.
“~All of them!~”
107 - Epilogue.
Norfolk, Sarn
Sera
“And you are really sure that you can't do anything to save this world?” I pull at my father's hand while he watches a three dimensional representation of our world.
The projection is floating above the table of our kitchen. It shows veins of crystal reaching down into the planet. They spread out like roots and encase the planet's core like a parasite.
Ascathon sighs. “The process is already beyond control. But it sounds worse than it is.”
Celestial, Jazira and Lidith give Ascathon a scornful look. They are visibly unhappy with the situation. Then they speak in unison.
“What's worse...” “... than an entire planet ...” “... turning into crystal?”
A few pearls of sweat form on father's forehead. “It's a slow process! According to these figures, it'll take more than a hundred thousand years.” He points at some columns of numbers at the side of his projection.
He crosses his arms and nods while he smiles. “The available environment to live in will slowly decrease. That results in a slow decrease of the overall population of this world. We can simply evacuate the people when the situation becomes too bad to bear with it. There won't be too many at that point.”
They are still looking unhappily at him.
He waves his hands, trying to calm them down. “And who knows what the future will bring? A hundred thousand years is a long time. Maybe they'll build some space ships and find a better planet. The multiverse is big.”
Lidith scowls at him. “You mean that you'll teach them how to build a space ship?”
Ascathon nods eagerly. “Sure. Sure, that's no problem! In fact, I have already plans for the time after they are gone!” A stack of papers appears in his hands.
He hands them around. “You see. I am a little unsatisfied with the way we gods treat each other. There is no institution which enforces law and order. So I thought about creating a government for gods.”
Jazira raises an eyebrow and flips through the pages. “How's that related to the planet?”
Ascathon smiles. “Ha! You see, a government needs a society! And a society of gods needs a place to live in! We'll build a huuuge city out of crystal, which makes all gods look at it in awe! And what better place would there be than a world made out of crystal!”
He produces another set of pages. “Then we move this entire planet to a strategically important point. Something like a cross-junction between the pathways! I have to do some research on that.”
“Actually I think we should call the city Asheim! The home of the Ascended. What do you think of that?” He continues to talk to himself.
Jazira scratches her head. “Actually I have some important things to do. I should spend a little more time with my empire while it still exists. Aaah... a hundred thousand years seem extremely short from the perspective of a god.” She vanishes.
“Hey guys... I am not done yet!” Ascathon gasps.
Lidith nods. “She is right. Now that we have taken care of the idiot trio I think I'll take a vacation... a long one.” Lidith fades away.
Ascathon grasps his stack of papers tighter. “How rude!” His eyes turn towards Celestial who knits her eyebrows together.
Then she stands up and walks away while she yawns. “Actually I think I'll take a nap first. A hundred thousand years is a long time. There is no need to be overly hasty.” The door closes behind her.
I watch the door for several moments until I feel a pair of eyes resting on me and I turn towards my father.
He grasps my hand. “Sera! You are my cute little daughter whom I taught so much! You'll help me to realize my dreams won't you? I know that it'll take a long time and a lot of diplomatic persuasion. You are up for the task aren't you?”
“Do... Don't look at me like that! I am just a demigod!” It's not like Lidith managed to teach me how to use pathways. Not at all. I want to explore the multiverse before I waste my time with such a heavy task. I have
to make sure that he doesn't find out!
So I pull my hand away. “~Actually.~” I purse my lips and think for a moment. “I promised Arran to play some games with him. So let's talk about that when I am an adult and have some kids of my own.”
Ascathon blinks.
I turn and run out of the room, slamming the door shut behind me.
Credits
Author — Andur
Publication platfom — RoyalRoadDl.com
Book designer — Armaell