Amdirlain's PoV - Culerzic

Amdirlain considered the nearby trio of Eleftherios, Laodice, and Naamah as the flames from the corruption's incineration died, and she shrank to her typical height. The pendant of the Redemption's Path, having survived her various transformations, sat coldly beneath the green silk of her robes. She could feel her evolved Mana Font churning away, its energies directed to feeding the prayers of mortals on three planets. Three notifications claimed her attention before she could consider exploring how those connections came about.

[Evolution Accomplished

Details: Progressive Primordial breakthrough. Various natures and aligned secondaries related to gained classes, powers, and skills are accessible.

Nature List:

- Adaptation

- Balance

- Creation

- Chaos

- Dance

- Destruction

- Fire

- Freedom

- Fortitude

- Life

- Mana

- Mental

- Music

- Pain

- Resilience

- Retribution

- Sensuality

- Souls

- Spatial

- Transformation

- Water

- Yin Yang

1) The achievement and aura effects of Angel Killer and Lady of Butchery are gone, and obsolete achievements are now purged.

2) Your Primordial energies have consumed the mantles you gained while in an animalistic state.

3) Your cultist classes have received an upgrade to the Priest equivalent.]

I made it.

[Achievement: Glutton for Punishment

Details: Used Tier 7 achievements for every Prestige Class while breaking through into your progressive Primordial state.

Reward:

1) More work.

2) Oh, and even more work. Try not to get too excited about that situation.

Note: This is just for old times' sake. I'm glad you've restored yourself. You lost various powers and skills when your spiritual net split, yet your accumulated knowledge was already in your Soul.]

You're hilarious, Gideon.

"I'm glad you realise it. Chrona advised you about Laodice's situation, but it has been resolved in the centuries the plinth took to share its assessment. Though it had an impact, I'm glad Lethe's actions set aside most of the memories the plinth inflicted." Gideon's chiming words projected directly to her awareness.

Centuries? Priests? I don't know where to start. Wrong, work the list, highest priority person first.

As she cast the Spell directed to Sarah, the another notification showed

[Natures gained:

- Transformation

- Creation

Note: You transformed significant volumes of corruption into the energy of creation.]

That Xuan Wu's faceted natures all aligned towards qualities inside yin niggled at Amdirlain, but she put it off for now.

"Sarah, sorry for keeping you waiting so long. I've regained self-control, made it through to a progressing Primordial, and gained two natures. I need to talk to Eleftherios and some others, then I'll meet you in your Demi-Plane." The translucent orb jumped away.

Sarah responded immediately, her tone jubilant. "I've missed you, sweetie, and can't wait to see you again. Take care of what you must so you don't have to run off again soon."

Despite the trio waiting, she rapidly sent other messages, advising Rachel, Livia, Gail, Lerina, Master Cyrus, Kadaklan, Klipyl, Jinfeng, and others. Others she held back on contacting, uncertain if she should after so long an absence.

I'm so glad Jinfeng already had Immortal Spirit when we first met.

As the first celebratory responses came, she hopped beside Eleftherios.

At three metres, Laodice loomed next to the forms the others wore, yet the Aspect took a long step back, and her sword and shield vanished.

"Your theme is different, Laodice."

Her featureless helm jerked towards Eleftherios. "Once you had committed to the plinth, Gideon set others on me to resolve the effects of Leviathan's curse."

Leviathan's curse outlived Laodice's captivity. Knowing that still doesn't remove all my anger. Is that wrong of me?

"That's fortunate for you."

"Do I want to know what you had planned?"

If she crosses me again, she'll find out.

"I had a few creative ideas in mind." Amdirlain turned her attention to Naamah. "You're one of the last I expected to find guarding me. Did you end up with enough of your enemies dead?"

Naamah laughed. "These are your enemies. It was amusing until you roasted everything on the battlefield. Poor Moloch, so many of his pawns are now dead, and the demonic spawning sites near his Domain are cleansed of corruption."

Eleftherios's and Laodice's themes easily smothered the beacon of Moloch's name before it rippled outwards.

"Too bad, so sad," Amdirlain drawled. "Would you tell me what happened after the plinth, Eleftherios?"

"It might be best if you ventured to Ijmti and examined the landscape near the cloister yourself."

"Did I destroy the cloister?"

"No, it's mostly intact. But there are some changes, there and elsewhere. Since you had done enough to remove the Hidden condition, the rules permitted us to help guard you during your transition, but you must accomplish the rest independently."

"Thank you, Eleftherios."

"What about me?" Naamah protested, folding her arms beneath her breasts.

Amdirlain stared at her knowingly. "What reward did you haggle for, Naamah?"

"I want to grow through the Primordial tiers. Eleftherios said he would speak to you about it on my behalf."

Eleftherios shrugged. "She got you to this Plane, but I can speak to others."

If I help her, it might show me practical lessons without risking others whom I value.

"You tried to manipulate me and grabbed me when I was weaker, Naamah. The debt between you is not mine. Why should I help you with anything?"

"My lineage will help you wage war against your enemies in the Abyss. We can serve as your huntresses, mauling those beneath your attention and preventing their masters from gaining footholds."

An image of a proud woman, blood-stained from childbirth, peeked out from Orhêthurin's vault. Her dark bedroom eyes promised pleasures and infinite wellsprings of knowledge. Aeons of mundane and unspeakable desires had soaked deep into a body formed from a Primordial Will and her decisions. "Promise me you'll help my child walk her path freely, Orhêthurin. For the sake of her father and my own broken enslavement."

Amdirlain mentally seized the statue of the sultry woman, and years of interaction with the first woman rushed out. The song of one who had consumed the fruits of Eden and elevated herself to a Primordial tier rang across Amdirlain's awareness.

"I'll consider it, but I don't know how to or even if I can at my present strength."

Naamah smiled. "I'll wait. You treated my granddaughter well, so it's better to deal with someone like you than those closer to my nature. They might decide to hunt me instead."

"You weren't hunting here?"

She snorted dismissively. "I don't count enemies charging in to get slaughtered as worthy prey."

"I'll be in touch." Amdirlain turned to regard Laodice.

Taking the hint, Naamah waved farewell to Eleftherios and vanished.

"Mother," Laodice offered.

A wildfire of rage burned in the back of her mind, but Amdirlain clamped it down.

"Don't start. While I can hear the difference in your theme and won't hold your actions against you, I'm also not inclined to work with you. I'm sure your combined presence kept various foes from me while I wasn't myself, so I'll simply thank you. You've things to take care of, as do I. I'm sure I'll see you from time to time."

"You won't ask us how to attune a nature, or advance it?" asked Laodice.

My journey around the courts taught me some of that process. I'll speak to Gideon about what else I need to know.

"I will never ask you for anything, but one day I will tell you what your actions against me cost you." Laodice flinched as Amdirlain turned to Eleftherios. "I remember you trying to lure me away, and hearing frustrated exchanges. There was no failure on your part; it was just that my instinctive disgust for the corruption held a greater attraction."

"I appreciate the explanation. Gideon could probably have told me."

"Gideon only shares knowledge when it might change the outcome. Maybe they predicted staying on Ijmti under your guardianship was the safest course, Eleftherios."

Eleftherios smiled cheerfully. "I'm glad I could help."

"Until next we meet." Amdirlain focused on the music of the Outlands and, rather than utilise a song or Spell, willed herself to shift to a familiar valley in the Outlands.

She appeared among the thinning woods, the expected cliff's edge in sight. Far beneath her feet was the location that had once housed Torm's prison. The scents of sap and wildflowers tickled the back of her nostrils, raw and unfiltered rather than the translation of songs she'd endured under the headband's pressure.

[Primordial Will [B] (13->14)

Note: Be careful. Planar travel relates to a subset of the Spatial natures.]

Torm's team leader will have been free from Planar Lock for centuries now. I'll see about creating something suitable for them after I've gained my other two natures.

A Spell opened a Gate to her Foundry, and Amdirlain secured Sun Wunkong's headband as she looked over the valley and considered her next steps. With the sunlight washing across her face, Amdirlain's melody severed her connections to the assorted planes of the Abyss and set a link to the Outlands.

Atonement and the Outlands are enough home planes for now. I want to move the plinth, but if I tackle it before I gain my other natures, I might attune to something I don't want to focus on.

Though she craved Sarah's company, the empty options for natures niggled at her. The past problems with her Charisma fed her fears that she might end up with an unwanted addition if she didn't button them down first.

"Hello, Gideon. Can you speak to me about Primordial natures?"

A projection of a crystalline orb spun into existence before her, the radiant sunlight refracting into rainbows from their facets. "Hello, Amdirlain. You had us worried."

Amdirlain shrugged helplessly. "Sorry about that. Things didn't exactly go according to my plans either. How are Nicholaus and Ourania?"

"They are doing well. Nicholaus made Ourania a cottage when she first arrived, and the boys are all grown up now. Drakon and Philon hope one day to meet their big sister, who saved them."

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A stab of nostalgia caught her hard, and the remembered feel of their silvery souls had tears burning at the back of her eyes. She awkwardly cleared her throat and blinked them back. "I'll have to get stronger at Transformation to change the Spire's seal. Did Nicholaus change them?"

Gideon's facets brightened. "No, they've still got only divine energies. He'll provide the energy to sustain them while the Spire remains sealed."

Amdirlain squared her shoulders, and her nails dug into the palms of her hands. "What did the Greek gods do to them?"

I wonder if Kronos set all this in motion for whatever he wants to achieve.

"Your mḗtēr hasn't been forthcoming about that to Nicholaus. I guess the question is, does it matter to you since those responsible are dead and you can't speak to her about it at present?"

So Gideon knows the information but hasn't shared the details with Nicholaus. Kronos has yet to pay my price.

"I'll leave it for now, yet there is at least one Primordial involved who isn't dead." Amdirlain cleared her throat. "Getting off track. I've still not finished integrating all my lives, so I need some advice about natures. Your notes have been helpful, so I hope you could tell me more."

"I can provide information now without gaslighting, but you'll have to do the work yourself."

"No gaslighting, but you still enjoy winding me up."

Gideon chimed with dry laughter.

"Though we don't understand things the same way, can you advise me on regaining my old strength?"

"I can indeed, since you're no longer Hidden, and you asked. There are no rules against it since most primordials either can't contact me or are determined to do it independently. What would you have me tell you first?"

Amdirlain sat on the cliff's lip and let her feet dangle. "I've picked up some information on primordials, but I want to ensure I missed nothing essential. What are the key things I should know?"

"At a high level, a particular nature is only as broad as a being's intrinsic understanding, and the flexibility of their viewpoint. One with a narrow focus makes accomplishing actions within their scope easier, but lessens the growth potential. Regardless of the breadth, some get caught in recurring patterns and cease to advance until pushed from their rut. You've let powers loiter in the past and advanced levels with repetitive activity, so be careful about this. Any activity related to your nature can help you gain insights."

"Is that why creators in various pantheons are associated with crafts?"

"All the ones you met on your travels, though some crafts were very esoteric. Focusing on the fundamentals required by a task and perfecting one's abilities is an important trait that true master crafters learn."

A memory rose of Nicholaus with rows of knives lined up on a bench. His focus touched the atoms in a length of heated iron, observing their reaction to his hammer strikes.

He was taking in all the nuances of the creation, not worrying about how many he made.

"I take it that if I gain the wrong nature now, it will impact my ability to fix the realm's boundary."

"Your foundations are important. Consider how you see the realm to determine what you need to achieve the ability to repair its boundary. Also, repairing it isn't possible at your current Tier, so you need short and long-term plans. Nicholaus's strength was the equivalent of a Tier 7 when he started crafting the micro-realms used for travelling."

My growth through the next three tiers must set me in the right place.

"Can I transform the rubble into a seamless piece of the realm's boundary? It's not creating something from scratch that way."

"Not at your current Tier, even after advancing your Primordial Will higher."

"How many levels do I need in my natures to advance to the next Tier?"

"It depends if you want to grab the next Tier or set a foundation for greater strength. You need an approach that will properly refine the strength you've regained. The other challenge is that it isn't automatic."

Amdirlain clicked her tongue. "So the right insights are required to combine natures."

"I'm glad you remember it. The evolution of powers took much of their design from that process." Gideon moved into the trees' shadows, the light beams refracted by their facets vanishing.

"What first steps do you advise?"

"Start with planetary endeavours this Tier and leave planar ones until your next Tier. You're in the reverse situation to what you had during your lifetime as Orhêthurin; your True Song is far stronger than your Primordial Will. Primordial Will has more strength than any Power you've previously evolved, and so will be more challenging."

Snippets of memories niggled at Amdirlain, and she rubbed a thumb across her forearm as a phantom pain stung along her left arm. "There is also a difference in the energy sources."

Whose pain was that? I'm no longer limited to experiencing the translation of music.

"Correct. You are channelling the realms' energy with True Song, but with Primordial Will, you are directing your energy to accomplish something. It might help to remember that the star and planet creators are those in the greater divine tiers."

"The list of Primordial tiers you sent me had them at Tier 8 and beyond." Amdirlain paused, and Gideon bobbed in acknowledgement. "The upside of Primordial Will is that once I get it to that strength, it works in every realm."

"There is a fine distinction to make. While it isn't subject to a realm's energy, the realm's rules still influence its manifestations. Some creators get very jealous about others entering their realms. You and Nicholaus trapped only those fixated on breaking this realm's rules; other creators don't make that distinction."

"Alright, so what attunement should I seek then?" Amdirlain checked creation with Analysis and found it listed hundreds of sub-natures. "The realm needs more planets for beings to live on. It'll start to cool without the souls refining the Chaos energy that fuels the expansion. Planetary endeavours aren't a hardship. I enjoyed creating worlds and biomes."

"You've got a general creation nature already, and with your flexible mindset and experience, that should eventually allow you to do a lot. However, since you want to create life-supporting planets, start with a life creation nature that allows a breadth of biomes. Once you have that, get one for crafting landscapes. Conduct your initial work on planets with minimal biome presence to avoid restrictive conditions. If you create an island with True Song, you might end up with a creation sub-nature focused on islands, which would cause problems advancing and combining."

Amdirlain frowned. "Can I decline a nature I don't want?"

"If you attune to a nature you don't want, you still have Profile Mastery and can trim it away. Though it will be difficult to do so, to gain it, a nature must fit with the foundations of your strength. The longer you leave it, the more it will bond with you."

Right, remove it immediately to avoid wasted effort.

"Do you have a place you'd recommend to settle my last two natures?"

Gideon projected a string of True Song notation between them. "Go to this planet. It's a barren rock with enough fluids to support the early stages of life, but nothing further has been done to it yet."

They normally set them up with all the conceptual life in place.

"Did the folks in the forge room set it up for me?"

"Nicholaus made the solar system and some base planets for you to experiment with if you requested a place."

Is there something about that, he can't give unrequested aid?

Fragments of a memory tugged at the back of her thoughts, incomplete sentences in ancient Greek.

"You needed a blank canvas to practise with, whether it's creating chemical chains or altering the landscape. You've got a decent capacity for Mana, Psi, and Ki, Primordial Will draws off those and your essence reservoir, so don't push too far until you get a feel for your strength. Another thing to know is it's more efficient if you refine them all into a single reservoir."

"What's the downside to doing that?"

"You'd need to use Primordial Will instead of spellcasting, or psionic techniques since you wouldn't have the energy for them. Primordial essence can empower Ki techniques."

Amdirlain grimaced. "That would stop me from teaching anyone, and make both my Psychic Power and Mana Manipulation obsolete."

"Primordial Will would absorb Psychic-Prince. Your new Power can duplicate anything they can do anyway, and more efficiently if it's within your nature."

I've taught people magic and Ki powers, but never psionics.

"Some primordials in the courts still held their Mana and Ki separately. Can you combine part of the reservoirs?"

"No, once you start the process with a type of energy, it draws it all in and future accumulations are automatically refined. You experienced how much Mana it took to create a single Soul. Even considering the conversion ratio, a Primordial's essence can fuel Soul Seed a thousandfold more efficiently. Increases in nature and enough essence are the keys to promoting others into the Primordial tiers."

That answers part of what I'd need for Naamah. If I help her, it won't be while I'm still at the same tier.

"What would happen with Mana Font?"

"It won't go to waste. Its produced energy would recharge your essence reservoir. Even if you only refine your Psi reserves, it would jump your base essence reservoir by a decent amount. It is currently at double your magic rating, yet refining your Psi pool into it would add over half a million points to your reservoir capacity."

"A point of essence equates to what spell-wise?"

"There is no direct correlation because of all the conversion ratios and efficiency factors. At present, your Mana Font is churning away to supply your followers. A High Priest can draw hundreds of thousands of Mana in a day, or a point of essence. Yet your Psi would convert into your reservoir to increase the maximum by a 1,200:1 ratio. You should set up a Domain Wellspring again at some point, so your followers' prayers feed through it instead."

Amdirlain nodded in understanding. "And so they're not drawing strength from me in the middle of a big project. A Domain, that's something else to add to my to-do list. Is that approach going to give me anything to help refresh the souls of the damned in Atonement?"

"You know the downside to cleaning the damned is eventually fewer forces of evil for good people to rally against."

"It's reclaiming wasted potential, and the Abyss doesn't need souls to manifest demons with all the corruption available." Amdirlain grimaced in frustration, the foul memories she'd seen in the damned burbled in her thoughts.

"Use Soul Seed with essence if you want to see the difference in effect."

Creating a single Soul required my whole Mana multiple times over.

"What will happen if I feed it my essence?"

"If you don't want to create more gold souls, get the Power to create a few hundred at once. Do it right and you might attune one or more natures."

Amdirlain considered the melodies from the elven world she'd seeded for Danu, the life and the multitude of souls that had settled it. Gently seeking her new energy reservoir, she found it past the frothing feel of the Mana Font. She claimed a droplet from the deep well and fed it to Soul Seed. As she did, she pondered the lives they would find among the forests—the beautiful melodies of the forest and the souls entwined as the first bubbled up from her hand.

As a stream of silvery souls sped towards the distant spire, she felt Gideon's attention weighing on her, and the new twin themes ringing inside herself.

"Do you want the notification?"

"What, you're not making it official?!" Amdirlain huffed indignantly.

"With all the socialising you managed on Qil Tris, I can't even legitimately call you a geek. Why do you want a shiny sticker?"

"Just because I can do something doesn't mean I prefer to spend my time that way. Give this woman her prize already."

"You'd already done the work in making the natures available, and creating a Soul isn't easy for most."

[Natures gained:

- Creation, Life

- Creation, Soul]

"I can still be socially awkward when it's not a set performance."

"At least your followers can't change you now that you're a Primordial."

Amdirlain smiled serenely. "Can you give me the details of how to refine the energies? I'll weigh up the pros and cons."

"Fine, change the topic."

"Gosh! A change of topic?! How could this be?"

She caught a rush of knowledge from Gideon and smiled appreciatively.

"Thanks for the help, Gideon. Thank patér for the world. Since I've attuned to four natures, I'll use it to test my Primordial Will after I move the plinth."

"One last thing. It's impossible to summon an unwilling Primordial, and anyone using your name to scry for you would make you aware of the attempt." Gideon chimed happily and promptly vanished.

Amdirlain shifted her location to Ijmti, high on the valley's upper slope away from the cloister's entryway. Enduring decay once contaminated the forest and its inhabitants, but recent growth showed no sickness or filth within them. The outer defences of the tunnels were back in place, with extensive sections of the repaired interior sitting over shredded stone that carried her energy signature. The absence of the dome above the plinth and the success of the modification drew a smile as Amdirlain considered her relocation options.

I've got to go down there if I'm going to enact the move. I'm glad I made things easier on them. Hopefully, Eldest doesn't see this move as going too far.

"Eldest , would you have someone on the fortification give me approach instructions?"

"Am?"

"I can understand your surprise. Might I come see you?"

"Silpar is presently at the cloister. I'll ask him to direct you."

A shift in her filtering allowed Amdirlain to pick out the Fallen who had once offered to mentor her in the ways of the cloister and accompany her to the deeper planes of the Abyss at Bahamut's request.

Silpar appeared on the walkway behind the arsenal of siege weaponry that the cloister had once again set along the wall. His Lizardfolk form still possessed the same black dust appearance as when they'd first met, while the pendant around his neck was now transparent. He gave her directions clearly and concisely, offering no observations while she followed his directions down the valley.

As she settled down next to the closest weaponry, she caught his mental cataloguing of the years since they'd first met.

I've been back in this realm for over a thousand years now.

"Silpar." Amdirlain nodded to him politely.

"Am, you look very different, especially your eyes." He motioned towards the cliff wall. "Entry is via the corridor at the end today."

"After you."

Silpar set off, his claws clacking rhythmically on the stonework. "Those who leave never return to see us."

"I take my responsibilities more seriously."

They took a route down a set of open, spiralling stairs with defensive positions behind fortifications along one wall. Among those standing watch in the overlook, she felt a range of emotions, from confusion to reverence to incredulous disbelief at her return. Three levels down the pathway connected them to the central shaft, and they descended without interruption.

As they touched down at the point of the teardrop-shaped chamber, Eldest lowered from a spot where they'd been carving a new motif across the ceiling. The imagery showed a shockwave rippling out from a Phoenix's wings, shattering crystal yet leaving the chamber's walls undamaged. The Eldest was included in the motif, an elven figure tossing them towards a rift split in the air.

Though the dome had constrained the darkness, the chamber felt lighter, and its absence removed a weight from the air.

Eldest fiddled with the chisel before he tucked it into the toolbag. "I didn't expect you to return, Am."

"Very understandable. I'm glad your history is undamaged."

"The aura from your wings shattered the dome, but left my carvings untouched. What brings you back?"

"I'm here to move the plinth somewhere more suitable and outside the Abyss."

Eldest and Silpar stiffened.

"Where would you move it to?" Silpar asked, his claws pressing nervously against the floor.

"A Plane that is suitable for those looking to make amends. I'll tell you its name once we're no longer in the Abyss."

"What of those involved in the conflict?" Eldest asked.

Amdirlain raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to give them another chance?"

"Yes, both groups. They acted out of fear, an emotion that steals the wit." Eldest's tubular arms motioned tightly.

"You're more generous than I am, Eldest."

Eldest's crest dipped, and low notes filled with heart-wrenching grief rang through their theme. "We are not here to judge but to support each other along Redemption's Path."

"I changed the plinth's assessment process." Amdirlain offered, unsure about the trapped Fallen.

"The first Fallen to use it after we returned discovered it credited their good deeds after their fall."

"That's not the only change I made. If someone regresses on the path during an assessment, it won't kick them off completely. Those previously cast from the path can retry."

Eldest's legs trembled as they reared back. "And those who slip in the future won't get cast away?"

"They'll have their work cut out for them if they've turned vicious after leaving it, but even those who lost their way from the path before can retry. The only condition is that they must still be Fallen; if they've transformed into a Demon Lord or Lady, this path is closed. They'll have to take other routes to break free of the Abyss."

"Yes, it would require them to become a god, and steer their followers to seek more than chaos and self-interest." Eldest sighed. "If they have walked that way long enough, returning is unlikely to interest them. Please allow those you imprisoned another chance."

"I'll release the group that withdrew from the fighting first, and see how they do. I'll also give you a means to converse with the other group, but I only regained my self-control a few hours ago, so I won't set terms for anything yet. We can discuss it later, but the first step is to place the plinth outside the reach of the Abyss's corruption. Then I'll adjust the trials so they don't send someone through multiple layers of this foul place."

"Why move it at all?" One of Eldest's shoulder claws pointed to the plinth.

"Sometimes, when someone makes mistakes, it is only when you hit rock bottom that you realise how badly you have screwed up. A Fallen is already at rock bottom, and I don't see the need to keep kicking them while they're down. The plinth is an opportunity to pick yourselves back up again. Though they'll still need to work for redemption, I wanted to remove the unnecessary components that I put in place because of my own past pain."

"You seek to be better than you were?" Silpar asked.

"Don't all members of the cloister?"

He nodded slowly, approval clear in his melody.

"You tell the others we're moving homes, and I'll get to work."

As Eldest issued a warning, melodies set enchantments in place, and soon everything within the outer wards shifted to Atonement.

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