Necessary Conflict

It became abundantly clear that these domain invasions were far more troublesome than Veron had thought. The fact of the matter was that even with the advanced potential of his world, there was no guarantee that they would survive even the opening phases.

The knowledge that he had just gained filled him with dread, he quickly thanked Richard for his help and immediately returned to his domain.

Jenny just so happened to enter the library moments after Veron had left. She placed a tray of peanut butter cookies and a mug of fresh milk on the table before turning to Richard.

"One thing to be said for him is he is at the very least rather decisive."

"Indeed." Was all Richard said. He knew that once his lord was done he would return, so he decided to be a bit proactive with what he thought would be his lord's next steps. "Jenny, please compile a list of all those whom have expressed their willingness to wed the lord. Filter the list based on his preferences, it would not do for us to present him with anyone other than his ideal."

"As you say."

Jenny then set off to another part of the house to begin the long process of sorting through thousands of women. She could only lament her own fate that she had not qualified for exaltation. If she had, she herself would have been first in line to apply for the position.

Meanwhile back in Veron's domain he had gathered the 7 for an emergency meeting to discuss the impending invasion. 

"Children, I have learned much in my brief period away from you. And yet those things which I have learned cause me much anxiety. I fear for the survival of my world, and have come to try and prevent its destruction."

The seven were paying rapt attention to every word spoken by their father. They had initially been a little nervous, thinking that he had come back so soon due to an error of theirs. But now hearing that it had to do with future events they were both relieved, and yet immensely more anxious.

"One of the first things that will happen when the grace period ends is our world will be matched against one of similar strength. Connections will be established between our worlds, and towers will begin to spontaneously appear. It is within those towers that our two worlds will fight, should the battle within the tower be lost that tower will become a launching point for the winner. Capable of sending troops directly through it to invade the world on the other side."

This was dire news indeed, and the seven could immediately tell that their current world had a major flaw. There was no natural predators for any of the mortal races. Peace reigned on the surface of the world, there was no conflict internally or externally between the species. And while this was good for sustainable growth, it was woefully shortsighted when the fate of the world would rest on the combat prowess of its inhabitants.

The 7 were monstrously powerful, but they were bound by eternal law not to interfere with the conflict. That is unless someone of equal power was also involved. That being the case they would be unable to intercede on behalf of their children, meaning that they would be on their own when the conflict began.

Before their minds could wander too far Veron brought them back with some hopeful news.

"I did discover in my reading a possible solution to the problem." Instantly the 7 were refocused on him. "Since the conflict will take place within towers we will simply build them before hand. We will fill those towers with creatures of all kinds, and place rewards for their successful clearing. The system of power will not change for this world, but we will introduce some techniques of your own devising. This is to ensure that our children are not wandering in the dark, but have a clear path toward power."

The 7 broke out into beaming smiles, the could tell already that this idea would guarantee at least a basic level of combat effectiveness. It would also allow for a basic economic structure to be generated that relied on the towers themselves, thus practically forcing all who live in their vicinity to delve into them for their daily living.

"We will not shift any currently available natural resources from their current locations, but we will introduce new and specific resources as rewards for the towers. They will be available no where else, and we will divide the towers into grades that will drop resources useful for the corresponding core rank."

The more Veron spoke, the more excited the 7 became. They could already envision the rocket like pace at which their children would progress, but a brief moment also caused them a great amount of sorrow.

It was inevitable that some would die within these towers, it was also a certainty that with enough time some would try and control the towers. Hording all the resources for themselves, and denying what should have been a free gift to those who need it but cant afford it.

Therefore they put it into their own hearts to instruct their children in unity, and a larger world view to foster belonging to the world as a whole. There was nothing inherently wrong with nationalism, but it could be taken too far. And the 7 were all to aware of the potential problems that would bring.

"Finally my children, you must all work together to build these things and fill them with both challenges and blessings. You have my permission to do as you will with these towers, but remember always their purpose is growth and protection."

The 7 bowed and expressed their determination to fulfill all that they had been commanded to do. After which Veron once again returned to his celestial home.

Once he was gone the 7 stood together to counsel, the commands had been given and now they needed to make them a reality.

"So how do you all suggest we go about this?" Icarus was first to speak as usual. It wasn't that Veron had placed him in charge, but the others deferred to him as he was the first of fathers children.

"I think we should do exactly as he said, build towers of various ranks and fill them with corresponding challenges and rewards." Isobel was the first to speak, she had a proclivity for just doing the first thing that came to her mind. Simplicity was the name of the game when it came to her. Fortunately she was beyond intelligent and powerful, so the things she came up with were usually the right answer.

"I agree." Ardis chimed in. "I don't see a point in reinventing the wheel when father gave us a perfectly good plan already. I think the only thing we really need to come up with are the initial techniques we grant to the first timers."

"While I agree with the premise I do wonder exactly how we expect our new children to even be capable of climbing these things. Not a single one of them has even a rank 1 core, so how do you all plan to make these things survivable?" Loriann's point was well made, and threw a bucket of cold water on the council's enthusiasm. It was several moments before Thanatos spoke up, quieting the others instantly.

"I seem to recall that father placed no limits on the grades of towers that we build. Only instructed that each of the existing ranks in the power system must be represented. Therefore, is it not allowable for us to also construct a 0 rank tower for initiation?"

The remaining 6 Paragons stood dumbfounded for several moments. That idea had completely escaped them as they were too focused on the exact wording used by their father. Meanwhile Thanatos was able to see the deeper meaning in the instructions and prevent catastrophe. Had he not been present it was likely that not a single being would ever be able to climb a tower at all.

It hadn't been explicitly stated but having even a rank 1 core in the gaseous stage put you far above those who didn't. The energy that continually runs through the core and the secondary vascular system, continually refine and strengthen the body until it breaks the limits of normal mortality. It doesn't matter how trained an individual is, if the one they are fighting can move before the individual can react.

The council continued for several days as the gathered paragons hashed out the details of their new endeavor. Once they had settled on all of the details they wove the new structure into the world core. Doing so would cause the core itself to generate the required structures and fill them. The first ones to sprout up would the the 0 rank towers, and then others of ascending ranks would be continually produced until the entirety of the world was saturated with them. That is to say there were enough of all required ranks to sustain the worlds population.

It took only a few years for the first rank 0 towers to spring up, one in each of the 7 continents. Once they did the paragons gathered their children to the towers to explain what they were and how to use them. Icarus was the first as his children were rather slow to procreate. It was still just the first man and woman that he had made, although the woman was pregnant at the time.

"Children," He began, smiling warmly at the two of them as they knelt before him. "Standing before you is the future of this world and all who live in it. They are a gift from the 7 and the Father to enable you to grow beyond your mortal limits, and to prepare for the horrors that are to come."

He paused for a brief moment to allow them to absorb what was said. Then turning towards the man whose name was Aaron he said. "You shall be the first, come that I may teach you."