Bro, I'm not an Undead!-Chapter 1638: Liches, Gods and Deviants! (9)

Many Consternals ago...

Breaking Chasm #117, Aspire to Divine Headquarters.

The four were seated in the public canteen where benches imbued with nurturing Exotic Parlous Natures optimal for Deities were sprawling. Behind their bench, several dozen others could be seen all the way up to a gargantuan building in the distance, made almost entirely out of a substance akin to glass. There were hundreds of products on sale, and the passing Deities – most of them wading through the canteen on their way to the other sections of the realm – eyed them greedily.

The floating, blinking bright signs that appeared spontaneously around the giant building tempted that greed. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

New Vessels in stock: Realm and Void rank equivalents available at 25% off!

Rorsetta saw the message for the sixteenth time since she, Kaella, Parrhaya and Ciumin had sat down for lunch – at Kaella’s insistence. At the moment, she wasn’t interested in buying a Vessel. She hadn’t created a world yet, and had no reason to seek one. Goodness knew how much she would have loved to leave the bench and go window shopping for a new, hot body, though.

But that wasn’t possible.

She turned to Kaella, who was looking between the incensed Ciumin and the furious Parrhaya. This was the second time the two of them had been forced to interact and once again, they had managed to find something to argue about. Kaella made to jump between them, but Rorsetta was prepared. She grabbed her by the shoulder and vehemently shook her head.

It was more prudent to let the two men go at it. For all the insurmountable hot-headedness between Parrhaya and Ciumin, they wouldn’t result to violence. Especially not here.

Their bickering felt physical, though.

<Yes! That’s what I’m saying!> Parrhaya hissed, stabbing a finger at the table. <If there’s anything domestic power systems – the one from my home world especially – has taught me, it’s that natural progression trumps everything else! There’s a grace to weathering through the process, discovering your limits and finding unique ways to express what’s already there – your own potential!>

<Oh, get serious! You think it’s as cut and dry as that? Where did you spawn from, a fairytale? If everyone was so rich with potential, there’d be more than nine Primeval Deities in this Reality! But there isn’t. Ambition isn’t what you think it is. It’s not some idyllic vision where you progress linearly, passing goal after goal as though you’re tipping a stack of evenly-spaced fucking dominos. For some of us, the end of the rope has always been in sight. I had to supplement my missing potential with something else.> Ciumin crinkled his nose.

<I never said growth has to be even—>

<It’s not even about just physical growth – physical strength, whatever – Parrhaya!> Ciumin cut him off and clicked his tongue. <See, this is the thing that baffles me about someone like you. You have such a broad, vivid imagination – I want to create this and that, make it this strong and have it be this resilient – but you completely disregard one of the obvious natural Rules of Reality. Even gods like us aren’t exempt from Direction. If Direction decides to darken your fate, nothing can save you. Why do you think that creating things – so many damn creatures – and giving them a so-called good life and good progression is even possible? Why bother?>

Parrhaya shook his head and clutched the bridge of his nose. <You’re contradicting yourself, idiot. Creation is a Rule of Reality too. It’s part of Direction for Deities. It’s not something the Primeval Deities forced onto anyone.> A fire lit inside him. <That’s the whole point! Amras, Exotic Parlous Natures, Broader Existences... all these are a natural mutation brought about by reaching Divinity. It’s the original way this Reality designed for living beings to flourish. We don’t need any more than that.>

Ciumin scowled.

<And CONTRACTS, the Voice of Worlds, Fundamental Barter, Treasures? You think their inception was a mistake? That’s rich. Say that to the Deities that stand above everything else – everyone else. The way I see it, the real definition of Reality is a free for all. It’s fools like you that limit yourselves to the natural order that get left behind. I for one, have had enough of that. It was only a small lifetime that I treaded that sour path of relying more on brains than brawn, but I got the message. I got it good.>

Parrhaya folded his arms. His expression softened. Rorsetta read him at once. It was as though he (Parrhaya) had finally read Ciumin for who he truly was.

<If you really believe that...> said Parrhaya. <...why did you join the Aspire to Divine? Everything about us opposes what those Primeval bastards stand for. Yet you seem to glorify them.>

Ciumin never did answer. He saw how other Deities were beginning to gather around them, listening and gawking at him in particular. No. This wouldn’t be the best time to speak out.

However...

***

Present time...

Boron had almost fallen to his knees when he cried out:

<I wanted someone greater than me to challenge me and change my mind!> He held the haft of his halberd with both hands and poured Amras into it. <In the end, I saw no opposition! This is the only way!>

...And thus, the Deity employed Fundamental Barter. Higher Fundamental Barter.

...!!!

Quintess noticed, but it was too late,

As long as the user knew what they wanted to derive from Fundamental Barter, it would happen in an instant.

Boron was very familiar with all three conditions necessary for Higher Fundamental Barter – applying basic Fundamental Barter to any entity outside the Common Reality Leagues; giving up that basic Fundamental Barter, along with surrendering 30% of your soul to COLMUUN; and of course, that insidious final condition. He applied his Higher Fundamental Barter successfully on an aspect no one would have guessed easily.

Suddenly, half of the pressure from Quintess’ Zu’sse faltered when it met him. He was stronger. Many times stronger.

As Quintess frowned, Boron grinned.

He meant to say something right then – something triumphant – but someone beat him to the punch. Someone who had been completely disregarded over the last minute.

Someone who had been considered done for.