What Is This Liquid

Within the Divine Realm, hopping over cracks in the pavement, Nama ran across the broken cobbles.

Through the deserted streets, Nama took one turn after another. Out of breath, she kept running.

Turning a corner, A large building came into view, unlike the damaged buildings around it. This building was pristine as if it was cared for daily.

Outside this building, a single man sat on a single bench. Tapping his foot, he stopped as he heard Nama approaching.

As Nama stopped short of the bench, the man grunted, opening his left eye. A large scar in place of his right eye.

"You're late."

Taking a deep breath, Nama put her hands together as she bowed.

"I'm so sorry, Var, I don't know where the time went."

Sighing, God of the Hunt, Var stood up from the bench. "I know there's no reason to get mad, you'll only be late the next time you suddenly summon me. So, now that you are here. Mind telling me why you discreetly summoned me to the Library? You remember books aren't really my thing, right?"

Regaining her breath, Nama stretched her arms. "I believe we help out our Champions, have you been paying Iseul any attention? You've never been on to frequently interact with your Champions."

Var rolled his eye. "I'll have you know I was watching over mine, when I opened the stream I saw he was fighting a Splitjaw alpha."

Smirking, Nama walked up to the front door of the library. "You gave him something really cryptic, didn't you."

"I told him to go for the lower jaw, not that it's any of your concern. I will go home if you don't tell me why we are here."

"Ok, ok, for being God of the Hunt, you sure are impatient."

Pushing the doors open, Nama stepped inside. Following her, Var stopped as steps lead downwards. Looking out over the library, steps led down into rows upon rows of moving shelves. "I forget it's bigger on the inside."

"Come on, slowpoke!" Nama called. "I'll need you if we're going to find the book I want."

Following Nama down the staircase, the two gods descended past towering bookshelves as the staircase spiralled downwards reaching the library floor. As Nama hopped off the final step, she looked both ways before attempting to walk away.

Var grabbed her arm as she was about to wander off. "So we're here for a book?"

"Mhm."

About to walk off again, Var pulled her back. "Nama."

Putting her hands up, Nama gave in. "Whilst I was watching over Savina, she met up with the Elf Queen."

"And this is our problem, how exactly?"

"Oh, that's because of the Quilpoth cutting that the Demon King planted during the Demons' arrival on Olozia."

"I remember, my last Champion… gave her life to silence it. What of it?"

Looking away for a moment, "Um… How do I say this? Var, believe her sacrifice was in vain."

"What? Fern gave her life to stop it from growing and causing an incursion. What do you mean she died in vain?"

"I know how you feel, Var, losing the Champion you were so close with. It's why you haven't summoned another Champion in almost three thousand years, but there's something we don't actually know. How she stopped it."

Nama motioned down the shelves. "Come on, let's walk and talk."

Taking a moment to calm himself, Var followed after her. "Nama what kind of book are we looking for that you can't find by yourself?"

"Oh no, don't get me wrong, I can find it. I just can't quite reach it."

"The Goddess of Wisdom can't reach a book, there's some irony there. It must be quite high off the ground if you can't reach it."

Stopping, Nama grabbed Var's collar pulling him back.

"Ay! What's the problem-"

Where Var was about to walk, the bookcases began moving, smashing into place as they began rearranging themselves.

"Damn this place," Var swore. "It's like a labyrinth." While waiting for the bookcases to finish moving. Var noticed books flying high above their head. "Remind me Nama. Why does this place move?"

Looking back to him, Nama smiled. "Knowledge is constantly in motion. What was once believed to be false can become true, and what was once true can be found out as false."

"And you call me cryptic." Var sighed.

As the shelves came to a stop, a passage opened to the group's left.

"Come on." Nama quickly scurried off down the new path. "Every second is a second lost."

Huffing, Var followed close behind.

~~

Having moved from the throne room. The six people were now situations in the drawing-room. Savina, Rio, Iseul, Coraline, Faylea and Filiea were now sat in the drawing-room.

Faylea sat behind a large desk filled with papers, her sister Filiea stood next to her.

Rio and Iseul were sat on a couch, Coraline stood at the back of the room, leant next to the door.

Crossing her arms, Savina was the first to speak. "So, you mentioned you have a plan on how to deal with the Qliphoth?"

Pushing a stack of papers to the side, Filiea brought a vial of a clear liquid. Placing it on her desk, she pushed it forward. "Can you tell me what this is?"

Eyeing the vile, Savina picked it up. Shaking it, she looked at Filiea. "It's water."

"Not quite."

Holding the vial up, Savina had a thought. "Speaker, what is this liquid?"

Savina could hear Speaker's voice within her mind. "Certainly, this will only take one moment."

A little confused, Filiea glanced at Faylea. "Savina, who are you talking to?"

"Just give me a second."

A noise sounded as a screen appeared before Savina

Item Analysis: Vial of distilled Holy Water

The liquid contained within the glass vial contains properties divine in origin. These properties are not natural and seem to have been applied to the water through artificial means. Due to its divine properties, this liquid would be an effective weapon against Demonic energies.

Closing the screen, Savina placed the vial back down. "When'd you come across Holy water?"

"I see, being the Champion of Wisdom has its perks. Yes, this is the concoction I mentioned."

"Felesyn made this? His alchemy really has improved if he's able to make holy water."

"I told you he threw himself into his studies after your apparent death." Faylea made a remark.

Rio put his hand up upon hearing that name again. "Hi, sorry, who is Felesyn? I keep hearing this guy's name, but I can never get an answer to who he actually is."

Glancing at Savina, Faylea smiled. "You haven't told them?"

Sitting on the edge of the desk, Savina faintly shrugged. "I haven't had the time."

"I'm sure you haven't." Faylea tutted. "To answer your question, Rio, was it? Felesyn is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Oaks, my only son and Savina's sister."

"Half-sister," Savina interjected.

"So he's your half-sister, does that mean Mons and Swen also are half… siblings?"

Sighing, Savina turned to Faylea.

"Don't look at me, this one is all yours."

"To put it simply Rio, I have six siblings, Mons and Luxy… are dead, Fennic went missing a long time ago. Swen took my throne, Felesyn's been here and Noxy my youngest sibling has been our ambassador to the Eastern Kingdoms." Watching Rio open his mouth, Savina put her hand up. "And yes, we all have different mothers."

Shutting up, Rio sat back down.

"Our family troubles aside." Picking the holy water up, Savina eyed it. "This holy water, is it for what I think it is?"

"Mhm, the holy water Felesyn made is strong enough to weaken the bark of the Qliphoth. We tried entering the Qliphoth dungeon, but our passage kept being blocked by its roots, nothing we tried could even damage them. Not even my magic, but with all the holy water Felesyn is creating for us, we will be able to actually make progress."

"Hi, sorry, me again." Standing up, Rio joined the conversation. "Qliphoth dungeon? I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume it's nothing like the last dungeon we went into."

"Your assumption is correct." Faylea put her hands together as she leaned back in her chair. "Tell me, what do you know of the role the realm trees play in our worlds?"

"The what?"

"The Realm trees, Yggdrasil and Qliphoth. One divine, one demonic. They regulate the three Realms, Divine, Mortal and of course, Demonic. They keep the Realms from falling into ruin. Not only do they maintain our reality, but they are also some of the strongest tools for their respective owners. Weapons and armour made from the bark of a Realm tree have properties that trump anything lesser than that of the strongest artefacts that can be found in the Mortal Realm."

"As I told Savina earlier. The trees themselves can also be weaponized, cuttings taken from the Realm trees can be planted, used to take land or hold land. In order to destroy the tree, you must first fight your way to its base. Once there, you can enter the trunk and destroy whatever it has prepared in order to defend its core."

A thought crossed Savina's mind. "This tree, you said that it was planted when the Demons first came here and attacked the Elves, how did the Elves stop it the first time?"

Faylea and Filiea exchanged glances. "The Elves did not, our ancestors were brought to the brink of being wiped out until a hero arrived in their darkest hour. Champion of the Hunt."

Hearing this, Iseul perked up in his seat.

"From what the elders have told me, during that era, the Champion of the Hunt spent most of her time keeping the Wilds under control, ensuring that the Lineage kept in line, but upon hearing that the Elves were in danger, she dropped everything. Bringing her party, she set on the Qliphoth with unbridled force."

"Did she manage to kill it?" Savina asked.

Frowning, Faylea shook her head. "Nobody knows. After the Champion and her party entered the Qliphoth, the entrance sealed itself. The only thing we can say for certain is that the Qliphoth fell silent. Still there, but inactive. Sadly, there hasn't been a Champion of the Hunt since her. I wonder why."

"Actuallyyyy, as fate would have it." Faintly smiling, Savina stepped back from the desk, motioning to Iseul. "Allow me to reintroduce one of my new friends. This is Iseul, Champion of the Hunt."

Hearing this, both Faylea and Filiea were shocked.

"Champion of the Hunt!" Faylea couldn't help but laugh. "Well isn't that something, it's nice to meet you, Iseul."

A moment of silence passed, then a second, then a third.

"That's awkward." Breathing in, Savina rubbed her head. "I forgot to mention, Iseul's mute and blind, but he uses a form of advanced echolocation to see."

Nodding, Faylea put her hands up. "No matter, you've come this far, so I'm sure you have the talent that comes with being a Champion."

Iseul smiled, grateful that someone like the Elven Queen thought so highly of him, even if they had just met.

"Oh, sister." Touching Faylea's shoulder, Filiea motioned to Coraline. "I believe it's time we introduce our new friend as well."

"Certainly." Putting her hand up, Filiea gestured for Coraline to come closer.

Letting out a light sigh, Coraline came closer to the group. "I'm Coraline. I died on Earth and was brought here, I've no clue what I'm doing here, the only thing I know for certain. Is that I woke up holding this spear, and it gives me magical powers. That's pretty cool."

Savina's eyes almost glistened as she eyed Coraline and her spear. "That makes you-"

"A Hero." Faylea finished.

"Hero? Like that Vesh person?" Rio questioned.

"Yes and no." Savina sighed. "Vesh is a Hero and a Champion, an anomaly in the system, just like me. Champions and Heroes are very similar, but at the same time they have their differences. Champions are personally selected by their God from those who have recently died. Reborn in this world the moment they die in their own. As they are originally from a world no magic, the Gods gift them their magic through the Champion System."

"What makes Heroes any different?"

"Heroes aren't exactly chosen by the Gods, they are randomly chosen by a Divine Relic. Before you ask, a long time ago. Many of the Gods willingly left the Divine Realm and came to the Mortal Realm in order to assist its occupancy in their time of great need. When Those Locked Outside joined forces and attempted to breach the Laws of Causality and take the Mortal Realm for themselves. All the Gods that attempted to aid this world died during the final confrontation on Aladri, a separate landmass to the east of Ruoroa. In their sacrifice, the destruction of our world was prevented."

"So that means… All the Gods that still remain in the Divine Realm… Chose to leave this world to die?"

Quiet for a moment, Faylea nodded.

Downcast, Rio frowned. "Well, that's depressing. What was that about a Divine Relic?"

Filiea spoke up. "All Gods have the ability to manifest a weapon that is the pinnacle of their powers, this weapon is similar to an artefact, but with the power of a God. When a God dies, all of their power pours into their Divine Relics. Divine Relics use to be fairly uncommon, but after the God's sacrifices, Divine Relics and their Heroes are far more common than they were two thousand years ago. When a Hero is summoned to this world, they, and only they are capable of wielding this weapon of Godly origin. Coraline has the spear of Pura, Goddess of Water."