"What?"
Ignotus wasn’t seeing things.
His mind wasn’t playing tricks on him.
There, above the mural, he saw it... felt it... Her.
A Goddess, Her presence leaning down on him.
She was watching HIM, smiling at HIM.
The clerks at the far end of the hall went about their work, and the Hierophants stood all relaxed, acting as if nothing was wrong. As if a GODDESS wasn’t in their very fortress.
WHAT WAS SHE DOING HERE—A RANDOM LOCAL PARISH?
In the bottommost stratum, no less...
Ignotus couldn’t understand, his brain combusting.
To the others, though, nothing had changed.
Nobody other than him reacted.
Only he could see her.
And to further heighten his surprise, the mont She noticed that he saw Her, She...
She flinched, Her smile instantly disappearing.
Calamity awkwardly stared at him, seemingly as shocked as he was.
And so, God and mortal stayed locked on each other, as if daring the other to blink first.
Neither did, and nothing moved until finally, Ignotus snapped out of it and stepped close.
"You..."
His voice was uncharacteristically quiet.
"Are you truly here, Goddess of Calamity?"
Slowly, She floated down and stood before him.
Her entire body was revealed to him, covered by the finest black dress he’d ever seen.
She opened and closed Her mouth a few tis, yet didn’t find Herself the ability to speak.
Instead, She found Herself nodding Her head, answering Ignotus’s slow question.
That had him look down and close his eyes, attempting to compose himself.
A flood of thoughts filled his brain, drowning out his surprise.
When a Runebearer kneeled before a Divine Mural, a Blessed would see them, a Third Class being, one that bore the insignia of their God. Through this being, the God’s Blessing would be given, passed down to the Runebearer.
The Goddess Herself being here ant one of two things.
One, She currently had no Blessed in Her Rune Path, which was for good reason, as Her Blessing would only ensure Calamity.
Two, She was bored and wanted to entertain Herself by gawking at the Followers of other Rune Paths, perhaps brewing in her self-pity, drinking, and eating away.
Because yes, the Goddess he knew, at least from what he heard from rumors in his past life, was such a character.
Apparently, She was sothing of a neglected Goddess, with Runebearers who wanted to monopolize Her, Followers who had betrayed Her and left Her to rot without any support until She...
’Hm.’
Usually, fanatics would be Blessed the most, as the Gods no doubt found them easier to control, but the Goddess didn’t seem to have gotten the mo, accidentally recruiting one cheating bastard after another.
Perhaps that was Her Calamity at play, but in any case...
This was good.
Yes, at first glance, She was pitiful, but She was truly a monster in strength.
A Goddess would forever be a Goddess.
’I can use Her...’
Ignotus’s grin returned.
’A Luck Calamity Path would be incredible.’
It was sothing he was dying to try.
What Ignotus was planning to do was foreign in this realm. No one in their right mind would ever mix and match Runes, Traits, and Soul Glyphs from other Rune Paths, never mind their almost literal OPPOSITE.
But that didn’t seem to register in his brain.
"I am Ignotus, once of House Plant, son of Genus."
He kneeled.
"Would you grace with your voice?"
The Goddess looked at him for a few more monts before replying, Her similarly soft and beautiful voice directly reaching his mind:
’Call Eris. How... how do you see , young man?’
Ignotus trembled from that alone and took a few monts to adjust.
"I..."
He breathed out, calming himself back down.
"Not to worry, Goddess Eris. My eyes can behold nearly all there is to behold."
Her red eyes brightened for a fraction, and Her brows raised.
’You have two Soul Glyphs when you are no more than a Seeker?’
His grin turned into a smile, liking how easily She was caught in his trap of curiosity.
"I dare not share this with you, Goddess. We are to initiate a Rune Oath, binding our Runes together before death, for that to ever happen. Do excuse for this insolence."
Eris frowned.
’Stop talking like that, Seeker Ignotus. I’ve already been caught in your trap; there’s no need to bait further.’
He chuckled.
"I understand."
She nodded at that and continued:
’If you do, then, instead of a Rune Oath... how about you beco mine?’
Ignotus mimicked surprise, sohow widening his eyes.
"Beco yours?... But..."
’I understand your hesitation; it’s one I’ve seen on many...’
She looked down, Her red rubies downcast.
’But maybe you can help ...’
’Help regain my position and status.’
’Retain my Higher seat in the Pantheon of Gods.’
’And if you do so, I can help you beco the strongest Saint.’
’My Saint.’
...Huh.
Eris just did everything for him.
She reached the exact conclusion he wanted.
Was this his Luck or Her Calamity? Was it both? Or had She picked up on his act?
Ignotus didn’t know, and well...
’It doesn’t matter.’
He didn’t care.
"Sure, but I’ve got a condition."
She tilted her head.
’Which is?’
"I will be yours, but you can’t expect to follow your Rune Path. That’d be the death of . I’ll create my own, and you must accept that. You must accept that I’ll be a Player and not a Follower like the rest of this lot."
Eris nodded slowly.
’I see that you perceive the world differently than most... fine. I need soone like you.’
Her soft smile returned to grace Her face.
’I accept.’
The mont She agreed—
Ding!
A stupid, cheerful little noise rang in his head.
—
╔════════════════╗
║NEW QUEST RECEIVED!║
╚════════════════╝
[Subquest: Rise of House Calamity]
[Objectives]
[• Establish House Calamity as an official, recognized Noble House.]
[• Spread Her na throughout the realm, from the Third to the First Stratum.]
[• Restore Goddess Eris to Her rightful throne as a Higher God.]
[Sub-Objectives]
[- Secure recognition and legitimacy for House Calamity.]
[- Recruit followers and ensure their loyalty.]
[- Defend against rival Houses seeking to suppress Her return.]
[- Reach the First Stratum and proclaim Her dominion.]
[Rewards]
[★ Divine Favor: Eris’s Blessing]
[★ Divine Favor: Eris’s Protection]
[★ New Soul Glyph: Father Of Calamity]
[Failure Penalty]
[✖ Divine Wrath: Loss of Eris’s Favor]
[✖ Goddess Eris will further crumble into obscurity.]
──────
[Yes/No]
──────
—
Ignotus’s grin widened to an extre degree.
No, it was beyond that, making even Eris flinch.
What he was missing was now completely fulfilled.
This gave him sothing beyond re benefits.
A ho.
Yes, he had an actual ho now.
No longer would he just be House Plant’s leftovers.
Sure, he hijacked it from soone else, but the mont he’d think, ’Yes,’ it would be his.
House Calamity would be his House; he would be what stood for its Lord.
Ignotus was glad he ca here today... really glad.
’Yes.’
But the second he agreed—
Ding!
That annoying sound echoed again.
With it ca a new screen, this ti flashing red.
—
{HERETIC DETECTED!}
{The laws of the Divine are weeping.}
{You have stolen a life that was ant to be void, and those closest to the Heavens demand their tribute.}
[Nex, of House Death, son of Mors, Lord of the Third Stratum, has sensed the Soul that escaped his scythe.]
[Hora, of House Ti, daughter of Tempus, Lady of the Second Stratum, has seen the stain left on her clock.]
[???, of House Light, son of Aurora, Lord of the First Stratum, has witnessed the birth of a Twisted Light.]
{WARNING, WARNING, WARNING!}
{PRAY TO WHATEVER GODS STILL FAVOR YOU, REGRESSOR. FOR THE ONES ABOVE HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN YOUR ENDING.}
{YOUR HUNT HAS RESUD.}
—
Ignotus’s grin froze on his face once more.
He knew those nas well, of course he did; they were the sa ones that drove him to death’s embrace, and he knew exactly how... damned he was.
The three rulers of this realm’s Three Stratums... none of them were the kind of people you wanted knowing you even existed, let alone marking you as a target.
His revenge had just gotten a lot harder.
"Well..."
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and opened them again.
"I guess I got what I asked for."
A small smile returned to grace his face.
Everything had gotten a lot more interesting.
"Let’s see who survives."
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