A Solitary God In A Dark Multiverse 127 Angels And Ambitions

The chamber in which dozens of silver, alteration-energy powered portals began to appear was a large one. It was a mostly empty, dozens of meters long s.p.a.ce. The floor was made from polished stone, and ma.s.sive white pillars jutted from the floor to the ceiling in specific areas chosen, by the power that constructed the tower, to most easily support the upper floors.

This particular chamber was a chamber that existed to give those who were in it a scenic view. If one walked to the northernmost or southernmost sections of it they could see beyond the tower and visually explore parts of the island. Right now seeing outside would give someone a view of the other, surface-level, sections of the island.

The portals were only open for a few seconds before angels began to step through them and enter the strange tower. As they stepped fully through the portals, the G.o.d laid eyes on them for the first time and conversely they laid eyes on the G.o.d for the first time. The two parties curiously examined each other, smiles on their faces as they did so.

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Hundreds of angels began to step through my portals all at once. I was delighted to see every angel on Torus accept my offer and I was quite happy to be able to lay my eyes on them for the first time.

Each of the angels before me possessed a uniformly beautiful or handsome form. They all appeared to resemble idealized humanoids. They lacked wrinkles, scars, blemishes, or even the loose skin that was normal on Torunian humans. They had eyes that were the colors of precious gems, muscles across their bodies, and they were clothed in the finest, softest, silks, and robes.

As they stepped through the portals that surrounded me, they walked until they were in front of me and then prostrated themselves. Each of them radiated an intense joy as if they could imagine that nothing would bring them more joy than to be here, now. I was studying them when I received a message from the system that gave me needed knowledge that helped me understand their current circ.u.mstances.

[Althos, I sense your observations about your newest servants. It makes sense for you to be confused. Angels are unlike any other extraplanar beings in existence. Angels are constructed differently than other outsiders are and literally require G.o.ds to be able to survive. Between the end of the mythic age and yesterday these angels were dying because they didn't have a G.o.d who could renew their energy.] The system explained, causing my eyes to widen in shock.

"If that's the case why didn't they come yesterday?" I asked the system, even as I processed the fact that I was literally necessary for angels as a species to be able to survive.

[They searched for you yesterday, Althos. But they couldn't find you. Even I didn't have the necessary permissions to let them know where you were located.] The system told me, causing me to mentally gasp in shock and confusion.

The angels didn't hear me, or notice that I was reacting to shocking news. My mind immediately processed the implications of all of this, and did a few things at once.

"From now on you have permission to tell any non-hostile angel of my existence and my location. In fact... I'll go ahead and help." I replied to the system while preparing a new handwritten notification.

My "stellar awareness" power was a handy one that allowed me to detect all life on every planet in the solar system. That knowledge revealed a lot to me, including that angels lived on every planet throughout the solar system.

Until now the limited information I possessed on angels hadn't spurred me to action. Knowing that angels would die without my intervention and that I could lose out on valuable servants and wors.h.i.+pers changed that. The system still had things to say though.

[I... should tell you that angels have a long lifespan. Even though they lose their immortality and begin to age slowly without a G.o.d's aid, they would still live for millions of years. There's no rush here.] The system told me, causing me to mentally huff in annoyance.

"That doesn't matter! And besides... It's not like you to not give me reasons to pursue power." I told the system, giving it an argument that made it chuckle.

[Fair enough. We, as in the domains and I, are unsure if every planet has angels but we suspect that not all of them do. That said... The ability of an angel of lies to deceive us has left unsure, so you should rely on your own sensory abilities to sense angels and mix that with something like 'Stellar awareness' to track down angels.] The system told me, reminding itself of the odd ability possessed by angels of lies to hide even from the domains and the system.

Though I appreciated the wise advice, it was unnecessary. I momentarily closed my eyes and allowed my not-so-mini-map to flare to life for a moment.

In the second that it was on display in front of me, I zoomed the map out as far as I could and activated a filter that let me detect and target angels. I was able to target around one thousand and five hundred angels throughout the solar system, including angels of lies, spores, and divination. I reopened my eyes and smiled at the angels in front of me. The last of them had finished walking in front of me and began to prostrate themselves before me.

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"h.e.l.lo! I am Althos. I appear to be the last G.o.d in all of existence. I am... more than that, but the part that is relevant to you as angels is what I came to life as. Which is a G.o.d." I told the angels, speaking to them mere moments after they finished prostrating themselves in front of me. My cryptic words confused them, which made me chuckle.

"I am more than what an old G.o.d could ever have been. Within me I can call upon the powers of the other types of higher-beings." I explained, causing the angels to audibly gasp in shock. I sensed the sincerity of their surprise, and grinned.

"Angels... Allow me to tell you the truth. When I tell you I seek omnipotence, I mean it." I told them, speaking candidly about the extent of my ambitions.

"I am working to acquire infinite power. To master every single domain and subdomain and to acquire every power the old G.o.ds possessed, and more." I told them, speaking with pride about my ambitions. I was quiet for a moment while selecting and activating a power of mine.

My pride began to radiate out of me in the form of an aurlike silvery mist. The power I had just activated was one of my funnier ones, my "Autocratic authoritarian" power. It gave me a lawful aura that forced lesser creatures to obey me.

I was using it to express my inherent superiority over them, allowing my powers to wash over and seep into them. I spoke more after activating my power.

"I will become the G.o.d that is acknowledged by all of existence. And you, and other angels, will help me. I can sense the joy you feel. It is radiating off of you. With your help... Who knows what we can do?" I asked, grinning as I spoke.

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As I spoke to the angels my mind was elsewhere. The truth was that the potency of the evocative emotions the angels felt made me want more. The emotions of my angelic wors.h.i.+pers, creatures who in most if not all cases remembered the old G.o.ds, were powerful and I wanted more.

There was a part of me that wanted to take this momentum and build on it. I could envision numerous ways to do so, thanks to the staggeringly diverse array of powers I possessed. As I was mulling this over internally, a soft voice interrupted my musings.

"Althos, I'm very excited to see that you've used one of my powers for the first time." A soft, neutral-sounding, even-keeled voice told me. It was the voice of the domain of law, a voice I had occasionally heard in the discussions and debates the domains and subdomains had had in my mind.

"If you're seeking to expand your influence, I recommend you use my people, the leyes. Those of us who are alignment domains possess incredible influence over the extraplanars who align with us. And leyes would happily serve and wors.h.i.+p you in your capacity as a G.o.d of law and order." The law domain told me. I began to consider its words, intrigued by the idea of stepping into the powers of a G.o.d of order, law, and hierarchies.

"Hmm... I do want to build an empire. And to do so I'll definitely need the help of the leyes." I muttered, mentally. I was aware of the things with which I struggled, and I knew where I'd need help. Without at least some creatures who were devoted to laws, order, and governance, I'd only ever possess an empire made up of thoroughly enthralled or undead beings and I wanted more than that.

The sensations of countless creatures beginning to wors.h.i.+p me didn't leave me unchanged. Within me, my powers were growing and synergizing with each other, and I was beginning to feel my ambitions expanding more and more rapidly. And this awareness of the growth of my powers was warping my mind.

"What to do... What to do..." I wondered, thinking "aloud" within my mind. I began to feel the faintest bits and pieces of plots come into being within the back of my mind. And that made me smile, inwardly.

I knew at least some of what I want do. I knew I wanted to go ahead and extend my influence. And as the angels introduced themselves to me, I began to move as only G.o.ds could, and extend my empire across the solar system.

As I did so, I kept my mind's eye locked on my domain-sense. All over the world and across the universe my domain-sense was alerting me to the going-ons of distant empires, foreign lives, and alien races I had never heard of. I was thankful for the constant stream of knowledge and I chuckled knowing that there would come a day when my influence would reach across the cosmos.