Malediction of the Depth – Silence in Judgement

In the dead of night, where only the firekeepers of the temple stay awake.

When all have gone to sleep, the melodious hum of The Faceless Twilight can be heard. Walking silently through the temple, knocking on every door, checking if the monks are being good, sleeping in their bed. Checking if the disciples were following the scripture lightly, giving them sleep as she passes by them.

For those who resist the gift of sleep, The Faceless Twilight - the Boogeyman would give them nightmares and terrors. Watching them squirm and afraid...

This was Lea's plan, while being known as the Executor of Justice and Hunter of Evil, she would usurp the identity of the Boogeyman. Kraki Lendi is only the beginning; she will become all Boogeyman.

Silently, with a hum in her throat, Lea made her way to the fire pit in the center of the temple.

The Plague Garden hopped off her embrace and rolled toward the pit... Lea had no idea what to make of this. But she followed, watching if—

The Plague Garden jumped into the pit!!

It was so purposeful Lea didn't think much of it. She quickly got over to the pit, looking down into the burning hole in the ground. It was admittedly warm and quite comfortable for a burning pit of fire, but that is not the problem here.

She was given the task of taking care of the Mother of Life, a very adorable Star God. Making an enemy of half the universe is generally a very bad idea.

She might hate this world, but that doesn't mean she hates the people.

"Mm....!!"

The noise from the pit was definitely The Plague Garden. It was positive, meaning that this is safe.

"Here goes nothing...", she murmured, stepping over the edge and dropping straight into the pit.

Into the warm fire, like the first rays of sunlight...

Click.

She landed on stone. Before her eyes was a man in armor, with yellow fiery hair like the sun itself, kneeling before a little green girl made of slime.

She pieced together quickly that the man was The Sacred Flame and the girl was The Plague Garden. As for why he is bowing to her...

He then turned to Lea with a smile, "Thank you for taking care of Mother."

Mother...?

Wait, what?

"I can see the confusion on your face.", he chuckled, "My name is Novala, a Giant of Light under the watchful gaze of Mard Awalan the Plague Garden. To us and many worlds under her light, we are her children; she is our Lord and Light."

Lea just gave them a silent stare, not really understanding how a ball of slime can create giants of literal light.

He sat down on the floor, and The Plague Garden hopped onto his lap with a smile. Those pale golden and pure eyes showed how much innocence is in them.

"Sit... down...", The Plague Garden spoke, surprisingly Lea, "Y...ou... can make... your...self... comf...fortable..."

It was a childlike, wet and sticky voice. But a welcoming one, like a gentle and fragile mother.

"Excuse me...", she sat down, facing the God of Justice and his Mother.

Novala began, "Why do you seek me out—"

He was cut off by The Plague Garden, who spoke slowly, "Hu...hug..."

He complied with a smile, hugging the Mother of Life. That looked really comfortable...

"Apologies for the interruption, Miss..."

"Lea Darkwill.", she replied calmly.

"Miss Darkwill, if I may so be bold, what is it that you seek in my abode?", Novala asked.

For what reason she went here... The last time she came was New Year's Eve, but she did not enter and just sat on top to stargaze and give her New Year's resolution. Now she wanted permission to use the title as a 'fellow' God of Justice.

"When I become a god, I want to share your title as a God of Justice.", she laid her request bare.

Novala rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment. Then he headpatted The Plague Garden, who enjoyed it very much.

"It's fine, you can use it freely.", he happily accepted.

Lea peeled back her armor, showing a vulnerable smile, "I am truly grateful to you..."

"You can freely call my name.", Novala requested, "Under the gaze of the stars, we are equals."

Then Mad Awalan spoke up with a gentle smile, "You... both are... pre...cious... children..."

This is merely a point of view from a Star God. But it was comforting enough to know that, out there, there are those who cared about mortals.

"Thank you, my Lord and Light.", he gave her a tight hug.

This place here is extremely gentle; the warmth is more genuine than anything Lea had felt. And these two Outsiders, they are even warmer...

She wished she could stay here, but the murky, ugly fire inside her refused... it reminded her of the injustice this world had done to her. How could she refuse in front of such cruelty?

Lea was about to get up and leave. But Novala motioned for her to stay for a bit more.

"When my work here is done, I will leave this world.", he revealed, "For that to happen, I have one request for you, Miss Darkwill."

"What is it, Novala?", was it taking care of The Plague Garden?

"Kahelzar, you may know her as the Goddess of Fortune; she had gotten your ill-fated friend's Divine Domain, finding out one thing about these imitations of the Cosmic Laws.", he explained, holding The Plague Garden forward to Lea.

She quickly got the memo, picking her up from Novala's hands and putting the Star God on her lap. Lea hugged The Plague Garden, experiencing the squishiness in its full glory.

He continued, "A god can control Divine Thrones with relations to each other, like the Fundamental Forces (Gravity, Connection, Transformation, Stagnation), the Engines of Fate (Motion, Causality), or Doom Vortex (Destruction, Entropy, Spiral). When you become a god, I will give my Divine Domain of Conscious."

Giving up divinity to someone else... Lea could not ever imagine doing that. Maybe she is just selfish; maybe that is just her nature as someone who was robbed of everything.

And...

"Why would you leave it to me?", she hugged the Star God tighter.

Novala was willing to abandon his agency and identity on this world. Yet Lea sensed why he would want that. He is not someone from this world; he was here on a duty to save this world. And when a protector is no longer needed, he simply returns home...

But why her of all people?

"Because you are the right choice out of all people in this world. Your determination to do good even though you cover yourself in the guise of darkness, even after everything.", he spoke in a gentle tone, "And you, who hate this world more than anyone..."

He sees through her hatred...

"Only one who has experienced all of its ugliness, its tragedies, can find how beautiful it truly is."

Her hatred is a seed for love.

"So never stop hating this world, but also never stop finding a reason to love it.", Novala's golden eyes stare into her, "And live your life appreciating everything around you."

"As you are the rightful holder of the Pillars of Life (Sentience, Action, Idea). Even more than Sularao, the Goddess of Madness."

What makes her deserving of three Divine Thrones more than an ancient goddess?

"Why am I more worthy than the Goddess of Madness?", Lea asked, finding this revelation uncomfortable.

After a pause, Novala answered, "Sularao loves the world more than anyone, but she is more delusional than anyone. This world needs someone who can find faults and take care of it. You know all too well mercy and gentleness are the things the world despises the most."

Better than someone who loves the world unconditionally is someone who hates and loves it at the same time. And someone who understands the insanity of her world more than that goddess. But Lea has one more question for Novala, for the Giant of Light beyond the sky.

"But what will you get out of this? You have been here for so long; is it truly alright to leave everything behind?"

Is it worth it to leave everything behind to someone like her?

"I cannot take things away from the place; I only came to help uplift this world that had fallen into the hands of a Fragment. After all, helping others is just the right thing to do.", that was his genuine answer.

The Plague Garden spoke defensively, "Don't... mistreat... my... Child..."

"I never wish to, my Lady...", Lea patted Mard Awalan's head, pleasing the Star God.

"Then... I guess I'll head to Empire's Edge now.", she bowed to Novala, "Thank you for this chance..."

Novala smiled as she helped her up, "I will also help spread your name on my end, to make you my legitimate successor."

Two Gods of Justice can co-exist at the same time. One is the justice in the eyes of morality and law; the other is justice in personal emotions.

To wield both malice and righteousness, that is what she needs to do.

"Do you want to follow me, or stay with Novala?", Lea asked the Plague Garden, who was standing between the two.

"My... Child... is okay...", her golden eyes full of innocence stare into Lea, a depth she could not hope to understand, "I will... go... with you..."

"Thank you.", Lea smiled, "I will be sure to keep you safe—"

"No.", The Plague Garden shook her head, "I... will protect... you..."

She turned her head around, staring at the wall... but her gaze reached some place further.

"Tainted... tainted... violation... not allowed...", there was clear hostility in her voice.

This was the first time Lea had seen the Mother of Life "angry".

"Equinox... Roller... defiler... of Life...", then turned to Lea, "Your... natural... enemy..."

My natural enemy...

"I am grateful for your protection.", she bowed deeply.

For this warning, and for that immense hatred in this little body...

With a chuckle, Novala spoke, "Then let us work things out then, tonight will be a long one."

They still need to work out how to incorporate Lea into his lore, after all.

=0=0=

"Alrighty, let's increase the means of production.", Charlotte stated, wearing a hard hat while holding a tablet.

Construction was happening just on the outskirts of Aipotu's capital, Anle. Where facing the cold winter is not a problem for its citizens. This country is thoroughly under the control of the former Cult of Technology, now the Church of Progress.

Many workers don't know Charlotte's identity, only that the higher-ups vouched for her. Because letting the knowledge that this is the most dangerous person in history will cause panic. And most don't care. All Charlotte did was give a book full of blueprints. The full design of circuits, their main components, and how to make it. Fabricator designs, factory layout. And most importantly, nuclear plants to power all of it.

But that was not all; alongside the workers, there are giant mechanical robots, helping with lifting heavy materials into designated spots. To the Church of Progress, these titans are divine servants of the Chalk Princess. And in a way, they are.

With several Creation Pathstriders standing around, they performed their magic and began to move the materials with their mind and willpower. This is the power of awakened Attributes, making works that would take days into hours or minutes.

And soon, in just a few hours, a factory for textile work and a generator were formed. The main fuel? Because none have found uranium or other radioactive resources, the nuclear reactor was replaced with another resource.

Seastones that had absorbed Fire Attribute work well with a modified reactor, though they only generate half of the energy compared to nuclear reactors.

The industrial revolution is over—

Now, it is time for modernization.