Amdirlain's PoV - Outer reaches of the Material Plane

The latest of the string of stars she'd left behind had only barren planets orbiting them. While ready for life to be created, she focused on pushing True Song. By not yet increasing her classes further, she was better able to judge what changes came from improvements in her capabilities over level increases. She'd made steady progress through True Song-King and Phoenix's Symphony-Prince over the months, along with Protean from the pressure she put on it to aid her recovery.

As she cycled and waited for Mana Font to refill her reserves, the injuries she sustained from her latest temporal excursion healed.

How different the passage of time feels already. Yet I can't keep dragging my heels. I'm out of excuses. I've created enough worlds to allow growth towards getting my classes up to an even three hundred.

Oialëa was still the strongest Prestige Class on offer despite her powers' growth, so with Precognition silent, she crossed her fingers and accepted it. A notification advised her of Angelic Inspiration's consummation. Choosing between Elenwë and Fëanturi was difficult, but the steady, greater growth Fëanturi offered tipped the choice in its favour, despite Amdirlain's preference for creating planets over souls. Five planets seeded with biomes in rapid succession swelled the levels of the new classes. As she continued, her latest three classes drew close together, but didn't quite sync. She moved along her lines of created stars towards new clouds of hydrogen, when someone else shifted the gates from the demi-planes to new locations. Before she could consider what action to take, the stars they'd been feeding bloomed to life, and she caught Gilorn's merry notes in their ignition.

A protective barrier sang into existence around Amdirlain and rapidly filled with atmosphere.

"I expected you to be at the plinth by now, not still creating stars." Gilorn offered as she appeared in her harp form.

Amdirlain sighed sadly. "I'm worried about being strong enough. I hoped to get my classes levelled to three hundred, but it takes more biomes than constructs to get the experience growth I need."

"Then why didn't you create more armies?"

"I wanted to create places for life, not more tools for battle."

"Is it alright that I ignited the stars for you?"

"You did more than that," Amdirlain motioned towards the distant stars. "They weren't ready to light up."

"Just a dash of extra materials."

Gilorn transformed into a crystalline Elf and clasped Amdirlain's hand. "Spend some of those stockpiled Skill points on Floor Harp and let's create the foundations of a galaxy together. Then you can go through and seed hundreds of worlds. With all your levels, how many Skill points do you have?"

Do I want to spend them all on that? It feels like too much of a shortcut.

"I've thousands of points," Amdirlain advised sheepishly.

"Oh my! You could force the Skill's evolution several times." Gilorn's body glowed with a starburst of brilliance. "Please! I know you're trying to do it yourself, but I'd like to help."

"I still don't have the same strength for you to amplify," cautioned Amdirlain.

"Even with how you played before, you've enough power to create a full system from scratch in hours instead of weeks. Or do you intend to be out here for centuries?"

"Creating a star with the demi-planes contributing hydrogen doesn't take me that long."

"I can tell. I didn't expect forty-five new star systems in a year. Rachel has returned to teaching, so I'm not needed for lessons."

A year? I've broken my sense of time. Rachel's babies would have been born. When was the last time I sent a Message to anyone?

"My True Song has evolved." Amdirlain absently offered.

Way to avoid the topic.

"How did singing so few systems stretch it?"

Amdirlain cleared her throat. "I've been suspending myself outside the time stream. It's a complicated melody, and keeping the distortion from disrupting it has forced my True Song along."

"Yet you will need hundreds of worlds with biomes to accomplish your goal. Have you gotten fixated on creating because you're worried you'll break?"

"Time slipped away on me. Maybe I broke my sense of time with how I spent time with the Enyalië."

Gilorn tapped Amdirlain's sternum above her glowing sigil. "Or you needed time by yourself to recharge. You lived nearly seventeen hundred years in those three-day slices you gave the Enyalië. Is your cycling helping you?"

"Yes."

"An update in brief, then. Sarah, Livia, and Kadaklan are growing and fulfilling their divine duties. Rachel and Ilya are doing fine, and so are their boys. Klipyl and Jinfeng are busy protecting and teaching."

"Thank you." Amdirlain kissed Gilorn's cheek.

She shook her head in amusement. "I hardly need such gestures of affection. Let me help you create thousands of stars out here, and then I'll leave you to populate their planets."

"I won't need to go that far."

"Maybe not, but won't it be fun? Plus, you'll have places to help you refine whatever nature you gain afterwards. Or they'll be here for the Enyalië, Anar and Lómë if you want to do other things."

"I'll spend a thousand points on Floor Harp. I also need to push a couple of other skills," Amdirlain advised. "It might be best if I get Lethe to help."

"Yes, go optimise things. Hopefully, she can help you get through to Legend Tier." Gilorn rubbed her hands excitedly.

With a wry smile, Amdirlain injected some points into Perception and Enfolding Harmony, aware she'd been neglecting her practice. With those skills forced to evolve, she entered her soulscape. As Lethe manifested beside her, Amdirlain allowed Lethe to perceive recent events and the conversation with Gilorn.

Lethe started, regarding Amdirlain with open surprise. "You shared recent memories with me."

"Is that so unexpected?"

"I'm someone you are most vulnerable to, and I can tell you loathe vulnerability," Lethe smiled. "Spend the points, and I'll guide you to those memories that align with your goals."

Amdirlain did, and memories of her fingers dancing across Gilorn's strings surged to the forefront. Within the timeless eternity of millions of stars bursting to life, the True Song Crystal magnified and supported her Power, and lessened the strain as it coursed through her flesh. Each note lingered in Orhêthurin's consciousness, drawing her along as it danced through the void. Their liquid motions tempted her to dance rather than play. Still, she focused on Gilorn's strings, drawing energy from the realm's reserves and expressing its power into the Material Plane through True Song rather than her Primordial Will. The memories of more stars mingled together, the effortless dance of music as the golden ichor flowed from split fingertips. The Power in it blended with Gilorn, turning her into something more, true consciousness exploding into a shining brilliance that eclipsed thousands of stars. That initial playing session became a frantic blur of effort, Gilorn's voice adding to her own, as the Skill points sank through her, bringing more memories to the fore.

When the memories stopped flowing, Amdirlain shuddered free of their grasp. "Ori's Nature was music?"

Lethe's lips pursed. "Music and balance. It's why powerful beings being held accountable was so important to her. Why are you so surprised by that? Everything to her had a musical representation. Everything she saw and created was a song; the realm was her greatest composition, with its pieces needing balance. She wanted it to endure in the Far Chaos for Eternity."

The Anar's King deafened her.

The memory of the vines muffling the surroundings twisted knots in Amdirlain's stomach. "They took what she loved."

"Repeatedly." Lethe breathed. "Then gave her spite and contempt in return. Does it really surprise you that jealous fools act out?"

"Not really." Amdirlain paced about, hands scrubbing through her hair. "I thought her nature was focused on creation."

"Why?"

"This realm."

"That's how you see it, not Orhêthurin. Consider your current senses, how they see past the concept of the physical to the ongoing melody."

Bahamut said he wouldn't tell me because it would distort my perspective. I am where I am because of her, yet I'll proceed onwards through my choices.

With the pressure of notification waiting in her thoughts, Amdirlain released the connection and dismissed everything but the last.

[Floor Harp-Saint [G] (213->217)

True Song Architecture-King [G] (238->239)]

I could track what the songs were doing. Gilorn said her awakening was unintentional. I wonder if she understands exactly how much of an accident it was for Ori.

Amdirlain hugged Gilorn. "Shall we work together?"

"How much progress did you make?"

"You'll have to see," Amdirlain laughed, and stepped back, creating a footstool floating at the same level as Gilorn's feet.

Gilorn became a floor harp without further prompting, and they settled into position together. Butterfly touches slid across Gilorn's strings, as Amdirlain lifted her voice and physically sang to complement the themes of power that rang forth from them. Dozens of new systems formed from their efforts, spinning through the void to keep each other company within the realm's song. Amdirlain focused on the efficiency of Orhêthurin's creation as she played and sought inspirational lessons.

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I wouldn't have been able to do this at my current strength without Orhêthurin and Gilorn showing me how.

When they'd created far more planets than she needed, Amdirlain stopped and rested her forehead against Gilorn's body, bringing forth a hum of amusement.

"This is like old times," Gilorn remarked.

Amdirlain set her upright. "You could have done this far faster."

"Then I would have denied you the inspiration you found. Your singing improved throughout these months."

"Three months to create fifty times the systems I managed in a year."

Gilorn tinged reprovingly. "We always did more together; you don't have to do everything alone."

"I'll try remembering that, but I must create the biomes alone."

"Maybe don't add any civilised species to these," said Gilorn. "How long do you think it will take you?"

"A month. If you can let the others know."

"You didn't send them any messages."

Amdirlain bit the inside of her cheek. "It was hard enough saying 'see you soon' when I set off to do this. In a month, I'll be heading to the plinth. You can bring the Enyalië and Lómë out at that point, and they can add life to them as they wish."

"See you soon, Amdirlain." Gilorn offered softly and vanished.

A note shattered the protective dome, and Amdirlain returned to the void to bring life to barren worlds.

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Guided by the songs used in Orhêthurin's memories, insights had progressed her to True Song Genesis-Emperor. That change in strength had cut the time to add biomes to the five hundred and thirty-nine worlds to only three weeks. As the injuries from the last wounds healed, she pushed the points into her attributes, leaving her intelligence ahead, but her Willpower had risen past eighty thousand.

A small Gate opened to her storage room where the pendant for the cloister rested, and Amdirlain froze as broadcast messages resonated within it. Beyond what the crystal should have provided to her, she caught battle reports and orders intended for other members of the cloister. While some seemed to reference tunnels, other orders made no sense for underground defenders. Among them was a notice being frequently issued by the Eldest. As she settled the necklace into place, she considered his words.

"The cloister is under siege. Don't approach. Outer defences compromised by traitors. Fourth level breached. Central shaft remains sealed."

Are they regularly sending that out in case there is someone following the trial stones leading to the cloister? Unless they get escorted here and receive it from the plinth like I did the last marker stone awards a pendant for most Fallen I can't imagine what it would be like to endure all those trials following a breadcrumb of hope, only to get greeted with that news.

"The Eldest is lying to you. The Fallen called Am is Orhêthurin. Aspects have told us the truth. She plans to destroy the cloister. Hand the Eldest back to their master and work together to keep the blight that is Orhêthurin at bay. She's already destroyed others who knew the truth."

She listened to the chatter for a while longer before she pushed a song into the pendant and broadcast to everyone. "They're not dead. Those 'destroyed' Fallen are on Mechanus receiving consoling from Diamond dragons to deal with their rage."

"Finally, the liar reveals herself. You've already got your next lies ready!"

Amdirlain overrode the communications in the pendants so that only her word got transmitted. "Right now, you have one chance. Stop trying to force your way further into the cloister. The rules of the realm determined you're Fallen. Your choices brought you to that state and the cloister. Your choice now will determine if you'll continue to enjoy the opportunity it represents. Anyone wanting a peaceful resolution needs to fall back to the level above the defenders."

That said, she released the communication block and let their arguments explode.

How do I get into the Cloister? The wards will stop someone from jumping straight into it for this reason.

A Planar Shift took her to Ijmti in one hop, though she ensured she appeared far from the cloister. She started at the entrance to the deeper planes and flew closer until she could sense the cloister's valley millions of kilometres away. The outer fortification was a broken mess, overrun by demons whose forms were a dark mirror of the Eldest and the Mortal Formithian species.

Like the Eldest, the front half of their bodies arched upward, featuring three types of limbs spaced along them. Four sets of reptilian clawed limbs supported the lower half of their body. The limbs that jutted from the middle of their ribcage were scythe-like hooks with a jagged inner edge. Meanwhile, the final limbs extending from their shoulders were thick lobster claws that lashed out, crushing whatever objects they passed. The three fanged maws positioned in a line across their chest appeared similar to the Eldest's mouths.

The Avatar of a Formithian Deity stood at the valley's mouth, black scales oozing foul ichor, focused on an exposed tunnel into the cliff face. Its aura pressured the cloisters' wards, but not only did the wards continue to hum steadily, there was no sign of strain; they merely slid the pressure aside. She could sense a stalemated battle between the Fallen beneath the outer wards, a minority of forces on the fourth level falling back from the conflict. Amdirlain changed two demi-planes, one of which was just a black void, while the other had once been the first trial for Qil Tris.

"Eldest, does that Avatar in the valley belong to your former Deity?"

"Yes. They now represent slaughter, violence, and obsession. They've already stated their intention to wage war with the cloister until they destroy this false nest. I understand they've slipped far in strength from what they once possessed."

"Alright. The outer wards seem comfortable in keeping them and their demons out. Is there any sign of changes within the inner wards?"

"The statue in the library started glowing white when the Avatar arrived a few years ago, but it hasn't shifted in hue."

"Your message didn't say when this siege started."

"Merely five years. We've kept the traitors from breaking past the fourth level, but there are ongoing conflicts at other sites."

"I thought this was the cloister's only location?"

"You've spent little time with us. There are many places of interest that the traitors are trying to bait us to protect. They forget that without the plinth, there is no order. Silpar and other members who were away when they struck have been holding them."

Yet Silpar didn't reach out.

"Last chance for the attackers, stop and fall back."

Amdirlain sensed a surge of individuals trying to force their way past a killing jar, the far side of which was held by defenders. As their spells and powers lashed out, they ended up in the empty demi-plane bereft of pendants as their bodies exploded. Instead of being drawn back to their Home Plane, they discovered the Demi-Plane's rules allowed nothing to exit. Each received the same words pressed into their awareness. "You're here until the realm ends. Unless I change my mind, your essence will forever roam bodiless within this space."

The front lines lost momentum without the force of their numbers, and spells from the defenders shoved the attackers back through breached barricades. Amdirlain continued to cast attackers into the void Demi-Plane until only defenders remained. Once that was done, she sent the Fallen from the upper levels to the other Demi-Plane, and they received a single Message. "I'll discuss your release after I've been to the plinth. Until then, relax and enjoy the sunshine. You can keep your pendant unless you cause trouble."

With the interior of the cloister secured, she turned her attention back to the Avatar and could tell its senses encompassed a larger region than the wards.

I can't just dig out a spot on the far side of the wards and walk through the stone. It'll certainly have time to react and attack me based on what Týr and Bahamut told me about divine senses. Can I make enough noise and slip in among the chaos?

"I'm too used to working alone." Amdirlain snickered to herself before sending out orders.

Vast gates opened, and her crystal constructs strode through. Their weaponry flattened the rotting forest and nearby demons alike. Amdirlain shifted into a crystalline form and positioned herself as a patch across a Colossus's foot. Millions of songs lashed out, attuning the demons outside the cloister to this Plane. She fed locations to the decision matrices within the constructs, and the assembled units teleported simultaneously. The teleports placed them in mid-air. Demons that had flooded the valley were pierced by weapons or stomped into pulp beneath the feet of descending colossi. The energy within the True Song Crystal was far from mundane, and demonic flesh provided no protection. Trillions of constructs appeared in formations that covered the vast mountainside high above the valley. They cut loose with strikes across the valley, launching artillery barrages and direct fire along the course towards its distant mouth.

Explosions rocked the valley as constructs blasted demons off ridgelines, before saturating the valley with Primordial flame, churning blasts of purple-black Chaos, and light-drinking Destruction. As demonic forces fell, segments of the army teleported forward. The Avatar lashed out with thousands of spells that smashed smaller figures and staggered the closest colossi. Among those that appeared on the ward's far side was the Colossus which Amdirlain rode. There, it had shelter from the Avatar's immediate attacks.

Blasts from the surviving demons reflected off barriers that the constructs focused towards the Avatar, adding to the confusion. As deflected fire and the constructs' own attacks swamped the Avatar's focus, Amdirlain rolled from the Colossus across the ward line. Behind its protection, she lashed out with songs to obliterate millions of demons, allowing the constructs to focus all their firepower on the Avatar. As constructs shattered beneath the force of its attacks, Amdirlain sped inside the tunnels.

She encountered other Fallen ascending from below when she reached the third level.

A Fallen whose vaguely humanoid body seemed composed of grey sludge gazed at her with unsoiled white orbs for eyes. "Orhêthurin?"

"Once. I've died and been reborn over a hundred times since I carried that name in this realm. Do you think it was a friend or an enemy of the cloister that revealed my previous life? The foes you have outside right now might make it clear."

They hesitated and then waved a collection of dozens of pendants. "What did you do with them?"

"I sent those who continued to attack to a Demi-Plane prison that is an empty void. While those who weren't actively attacking are somewhere more pleasant, yet neither group can leave those locations until I allow them."

"Isn't that for us to judge?"

It seems you don't count me among you.

"I was told members of the cloister don't judge each other, so I'll consider their circumstances afterwards. You can contact those who weren't fighting. They still have their pendants."

For now.

"And the others?"

"My mercy has limits, but I didn't destroy them." Amdirlain smiled as distant explosions echoed through the tunnels. "Unlike many of the demonic forces outside. Now, are you going to let me through? I've got an appointment with the Eldest and I'm looking to be assessed by the path."

"We would not block another from being weighed." The Fallen stepped aside, as did those who stood behind them.

Amdirlain walked past them and others, giving each cloister member a respectful nod. Once she reached a level where the central shaft wasn't sealed, she descended directly to where the Eldest waited.

Before emerging into the chamber, she took in the battle-scarred stone within the area and the destroyed murals that had decorated the walls for aeons.

Healed wounds covered the Eldest's scaled torso and limbs, a line of broken scales descending from his left mouth to mid-abdomen. The injury passed the tubular limb that jutted from the middle of his ribs, once heavily muscled, it now looked shrunken and desiccated. Though his ancient alien theme sounded much the same, it felt less alien than before, a theme filled with life, regrets, and loneliness. The crest of tendrils that ran down the middle of their reptilian head waved to taste the shifting air.

As her feet settled on the floor, she stopped and bowed respectfully. "My condolences for all you've endured."

"I wondered if you had given up on the path."

Amdirlain shook her head ruefully. "No, but this assessment has me worried. I don't know what will happen with removing my Fallen status."

"I'll do my best to ensure your Soul gets somewhere safe."

"I appreciate that, Eldest. Might I heal you?"

"That isn't necessary. I'll fully recover in time, or I won't." Their hind leg dragged slightly as they stepped aside, though no physical injury remained.

"But I can restore your body."

The barbed pincers extending from the Eldest's shoulders clacked in time to the words hissed from their central maw. "I failed them."

"They choose their path."

The Eldest's tubular arms dipped. "I'm not talking about the traitors, but those members that supported me, and who fell to the traitors' ambushes."

"I'll see what I can do to get them to release the Planar Lock on them once I'm through," declared Amdirlain. "I know the outcome of unnecessary suffering, and I recommend you avoid that end. Do you think they'd desire that for you?"

Their mouths snapped shut, and their teeth ground together briefly. "You are correct. I will accept your healing."

Amdirlain's song dipped through the Eldest's resistance. The limb filled out into the solid cables of muscle it had once been, before she carried on and washed the other injuries and phantom pains away. More songs ran through the surroundings, restoring the damaged murals to their former appearance.

The tendrils at the end of the limb flexed and waved before the Eldest crossed them beneath their ribcage. "You have our thanks."

"I don't know how long my assessment will take."

With the remnants of dead deities churning beneath her feet, Amdirlain strode to the plinth through the darkness. Squaring her shoulder, she placed her hand on it.

The plinth pulsed with a firm note, and Amdirlain grunted as she sensed the mass of billions of lives gathered by the plinth.

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