Chapter 930 Three Measly Wishes! (1)
Sire?
Serenity had to admit that even with her greater understanding of what was at play, she hadn't expected to hear Skullius talk about bearing spawn at all.
If she had a face, she would have donned an expression befitting of how ludicrous she thought the idea was, however, what shocked her more was still the fact that the Hybrid Luman, regardless of his circumstances, understood the nature of Deities so well.
Deities were indeed bound by something grand, a binding authority, to create something phenomenal when they amassed enough energy – a world.
It was just as Aurolio had told Skullius that day, after the Fledgling Null Badubs attacked.
However, even the pale man, with all his knowledge from his Book of Alignment, didn't know why Deities were driven to do this.
It would have seemed, to a normal man, that reaching Divinity and surpassing it meant a greater degree of free will, but that wasn't the case at all. At least not entirely.
To put things into a clearer perspective, taking into account what Skullius already knew before this point, the Deities of Aigas – Listafelle, Quintess and Suzamete – not only created a vast world, but they became that world, binding themselves to it by forging their bodies into its oceans, its crust and its skies.
It was bizarre.
Even if two of them went on to leave Aigas with their soul forms, they left a vast chunk of themselves in Aigas.
Why?
That was quite the profound question.
However, that tangent was irrelevant.
What mattered was the fact that, as Skullius said, Deities did indeed stand to gain a lot from creating living organisms in the worlds they formed, and to forge strong connections with them. Doing this didn't sustain the Deities directly, but it served a great function.
Growth.
Indeed, growth.
While normal mortal experts grew by using whatever power system was established within the world they inhabited, past Divinity, no such thing bound that same expert.
Past Divinity, it was one's ACTIONS that spurned an increase in strength. Their deeds.
Everything was loose outside the boundaries where Rules applied – worlds.
Creating your own pocket of consistency, was the greatest way to ensure that you grew, especially if, for instance, you were not quite as strong or as driven.
A great example, was Luserus.
He had been seen through thoroughly by Skullius and couldn't say a word against anything the Hybrid Luman had said.
He was indeed right.
Back then, when a certain Immoral razed his world and nabbed his creations, he had been left without enough energy to create everything from scratch. The time it took to do it the first time was beyond what a mortal could ever imagine.
It was infuriating.
It was unfair.
And much like how the Deities of Aigas couldn't interfere directly in the Grand Wars because of the Rules they set in their own world, Luserus had been the same.
He could only watch as his children lost.
He had yet to recover from it.
Right now, he was astounded by how Skullius knew any of this. Few in any world would even know that there existed an expanse farther than their skies, yet this little mortal before him, who had a scent eerily similar to that Immoral whom he hated so much, knew.
He knew too much.
...
What was Luserus to do?
Cling to his pride and wait for another annoyingly endless sequence of eons to replenish his strength while bearing the RISKS involved with remaining so passive through that time?
Or, should he swallow his pride and accept the proposal before him?
What did it offer again?
A chance at restoring the beautiful creatures he made without using any of his own energy?
How long would the wait be?
A couple of decades at worst for thousands of new born Luminants?
And what, a couple of centuries to start harvesting meaning volumes of energy from their devotions?
Furthermore, as long as he had a tether imbedded in this world, he would be able to connect to the new Luminants and receive their devotion as strength.
lightsΝοvεl ?οm What had he to lose?
Well...
After a while, the Deity named Luserus spoke to Skullius with hints of suspicion.
<Assure me. I have some concerns with this proposal of yours.>
"What would those be?" Skullius asked with a annoyingly confident smile.
<Your body. It is strange. I know a thing or two about mortal physiques. Yours seems incomplete. Abysmally lacking, even.>
Skullius tilted his head and scratched his chin.
"It's been a while since I've heard that criticism. I had been called fake or strange in the past, I suppose," he muttered to himself before addressing Luserus. "You don't need to worry. My body used to be worse than this. It has improved. And thankfully, by tapping into the memories of thousands of other humans, I managed to figure out what some other... upgrades, on my body were for. I didn't see a need for them back then, but it's different now. I can reproduce just fine."
There was a pause.
Luserus and Serenity shared the same sentiments and they both hid them behind unseen visages.
<Very well. Then assure me all the more. How will you sire me pure Luminants if you are the only Luminant who remains?>
"Do you need pure Luminants for this to work?" Skullius asked. "As I said before, you have quite the attitude for someone so desperate. You should accept what you stand to gain for now. There are several El Sif, half Luminants, on this continent. I'm quite confident that at worst, perhaps half of the offspring I sire will be El Sif, and the rest will be the next best thing – worthy of the title of Luminant."
<How can you be so sure? You yourself are diluted!>
Skullius chuckled.
"That's true. But not for much longer. If you grant my first wish, it will be in both our interests."
There was a short pause.
<And what wish is that?>
Skullius pointed at his back in this hypothetical world and his body before the shrine did the same, gesturing towards the long, singular wing protruding from behind him.
"My primary goal for wanting to see you was to get the key to unlocking an ability that I assume all other Luminants in the past had. For some reason, it does nothing when I use it. [Son of Luserus]."
A strong wind rolled from all around the vast world to pester Skullius' skin and clothing. It was a sigh, apparently.
<Of course that skill would do you no good. As I said, you are diluted. You exist outside my influence. I would need to acknowledge you for that power to awaken. It's an ability that brings out the best in a Luminant. A masterful blessing I gave them to defend themselves>
Luserus paused.
<That flimsy wing of yours is a cheap imitation of the real thing. I assume these El Sif did gain a bit of the strength of my Luminants. I've glimpsed my children mating with those long-eared folk.>
Skullius folded his arms.
"So? Will you accept my terms? If you allow me to use [Son of Luserus], I'm quite certain you won't even need a shrine to remain tethered to this place."
Luserus seemed surprised, shown by the trembling skies.
"Just trust me on that," Skullius grinned. "You'll even get to keep a watchful eye on me if you doubt I will meet my end of the bargain too. All without needing a physical conduit."
Unnerved to see a mortal who seemed more mysterious than a divine, Luserus turned silent to ponder.
The moments ticked by, each one that came more chillingly suspenseful than the last.
The Hybrid Luman knew he had cast sufficient bait though.
There was no way Luserus could resist.
Knowing deep secrets that most wouldn't, came with quite the hefty advantages.
<Very well.>
There it was.
Right then, Skullius felt the skill [Son of Luserus[ inscribed in his body churn and became engulfed in a ferocious torrent of energy!
It was happening!
The skill that had been stagnantly frozen in his body, was coming alive!
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m