RE: Deity - The Breath of Creation

If I was being honest, I wasn't quite sure what to make of The Rival. But if I was similarly being honest, for the first eight years I didn't pay too much mind to him. There was a small part of my being that was wholly focused on the one the Mad Scientist had warned me about, but it was only dedicated to keeping an eye on him, and ensuring that he didn't cause any problems. Which he didn't, for now.

He started off as a young boy, a Fae, born with a twin sister on a small planet in what was considered the "middle class" of the first region. The planet was neither overly important, nor unimportant. Not to mention, the little village he'd been born into was weak in cultivation and in power, but they lived peacefully. I hadn't put him there on purpose; in fact, The Rival's soul had gone through much of the reincarnation process on his own. I took it as a chance to see what he would do, while, at least, adhering to his request of being a twin.

And also to watch how Monkey Wrenches moved through the cycle of reincarnation. It was actually fascinating. Karmic threads and power that they had accumulated from other universes colored the life they chose; in the Rival's case that was mostly null and void, because their will and desire was strong enough to override certain limiting aspects of karma. They still allowed for some karmic aspects to be in place – no one could escape karma completely, not even me, though I could cut off large portions of the multiversal force if I focused, as I had been – which colored where and how they were placed in the Four Realms, but otherwise it appeared mostly random. I knew better than to judge it based on appearances, though.

The reincarnation process followed the Rival's wishes and inner desires than most mortals. It would be like if a god actually decided to reincarnate. The Four Realms would go out of its way to bend to the god's inner wishes, simply because the weight of their soul was that much more. The Rival had apparently wished for something of a quiet life, and in those first eight years, he'd mostly lived peacefully.

He ran and played with his sister. He listened to his parents, acting out a role he was expected to perform. He sometimes guided his tribe away from powerful spirit beasts, and occasionally found cultivation resourced that he freely gave to others; solely because he didn't need it. I had watched him readjust his dantian and cultivation pathways to make things easier on him; something that no one in the entire Four Realms besides myself and the other gods were capable of doing. This adjustment would make the process of cultivation extremely easy for him, at least in the lower stages. Most interestingly, to me at least, was how the Rival investigated the Realms.

He could touch and feel energy, and was constantly checking it out. Occasionally he would cast a little spell – usually a modified version of something that already existed within his home village – or try something new, but he had to build himself back up from the basics, from essentially nothing, to actually start tapping into the higher-tier stuff.

That was what I assumed to be the curse of the Monkey Wrenches. They had to start over from scratch every time; they had their memories and knowledge, but the massive amount of power that covered their soul? That remained untouched. Even the Mad Scientist hadn't really utilized that energy until she merged it with the Four Realms.

Now, the Rival I assumed could tap into the higher powers of the Four Realms if he wished, but I guessed that he didn't for one reason or another. Perhaps to keep a low profile. Perhaps because he was excited to be here in the Four Realms, and wanted to take things slow and enjoy it. I wasn't actually sure. Which was entirely novel to the being I was now.

It was a simple technique that the Rival employed, but no less effective for it; likely it was a countermeasure developed specifically for someone with my kind of sight. He wrapped karma and a thousand past events around himself like a shield – it wasn't that I couldn't see anything when I looked at him, it was that there was just so much going on that I couldn't parse through it all to get what I wanted.

Hence, why I hadn't been able to figure out who he was to me yet.

Still, I turned my attention away from his for the moment, going back to watching Morgan as it cut a few holes in its Hidden Realm to let its People through. The Aracheons were a reclusive people, kept away from all the others not by choice, but by Morgan's design.

It would take some time for them to naturally leave the Hidden Realm, but – Ah, there we go.

Morgan appeared in one village of Aracheon, snarling and tapping its spidery limbs on the rock walls of the cave the spider-like people called home. Black miasma spilled from its mangy fur, its deep growl echoing through the chamber and the Arachaeon, wisely, fled…right through the new rifts in the Hidden Realm Morgan had created. I chuckled and shook my head as Morgan repeated the process a dozen times, with various groups of Arachaeon. One even tried to fight back, jumping at Morgan with scythe-like claws bared, only to be devoured whole by the wolf.

That I did not chuckle at, frowning at my child, but ultimately leaving it to its own devices. The soul of that brave spider-person was already rejoining the reincarnation cycle, and I would personally see to it that it got something out of the whole mess. Jumping at Morgan had been unnecessary, of course, as Morgan wasn't actually going to hurt them, but Morgan's methods were similarly unnecessary.

It was just a jerk at the best of times.

With a sigh I rubbed my forehead and stepped away from my spot on the veranda of my palace, where I could look down upon the entire Four Realms and observe all that was happening. I'd need to start moving the new regions into position soon. That would actually take a while – move them too fast, and they might rupture the fabric of reality. So slow and steady it was.

I glanced one last time at the Rival, giving the little part of my mind that was set to observe a bit more power, so it could start picking through the shield he had made for what I really wanted to know. Soon enough I might go down and introduce myself, but if he was content to sit around and do nothing, then I was content to let him.

His presence alone was beneficial; the energy he had accumulated through his travels naturally seeped out of him, gently spreading into the energetic flows of the Four Realms like little seeds on the wind. But there's so much up there that, if he decided to stay, it might actually make the Realms explode. I mused, glancing up at the sky to the Rival's soul.

"But that's a moot point. If he hasn't decided to stay anywhere, he won't decide to stay here." And with that, I re-centered myself on tinkering with the new regions, tugging on energetic strings to clear the path for the Trees, Mountains, Rivers, and Valleys to move through the void of space.

I'd seek out the Rival eventually. Maybe once I was certain Solana was doing alright; she'd grown awfully attached to that old man that had rescued her.

I didn't expect him to find me, not but a few years later.

***

The Rival whistled as he walked through the city, taking in the sights and sounds. It was a simple thing, with red-painted wooden walls ringed with archer towers and lined with formations. None of them were overly powerful, in his professional opinion, but neither did they need to be. The level of spirit beasts on this planet were woefully low – or, at least, this part of the world. Nor were they outright hostile like many Xianxia settings he'd been too…

This struck him much more like an actual world than a Xianxia world, just with people that lived a long time and had horns. With a bit of cultivation mixed in.

Even the oppression of the Heavens felt…soft. Not that he'd gone through any Heavenly Trials or whatever they were called here.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"Ri, where are we going?" his twin sister asked. He turned and smiled at the girl, walking backwards down the cobblestone street, skillfully avoiding anyone coming at him without even looking. She was very similar to him, appearance wise. Delicate features, soft, pale skin, and hair as dark as midnight with the tiniest flecks of red dotting it; a residual effect of they being descended of some very powerful fire cultivator so many years ago. The fire element apparently stained the bodies of the Fae, coloring them…which was how he could tell when one person was more attuned to lightning, or earth, or wood, or what-have-you at a glance.

"To the future, dear sister! The FUUUUTURE!" He cackled as he pointed skyward, earning an eye-roll from her.

"You're being stupid again. Sometimes I wonder if you're actually my twin." She said, absently reaching up to touch the fur decorations that hung around her horns – a habit of hers, whenever she was nervous. The Rival slumped over and pouted dramatically, arms hanging limply toward the ground.

"You wound me." He whined, and she rolled her eyes again, pulling a little slip of parchment out of her pocket. "C'mon, sis, it's a new planet! Dad got that contract and all, and it's a brand new world! We should explore a little, live a little!"

"Mom and Dad asked us to get a few things. I'll go get the Lin berries from the market. You go get the tea supplies Dad wants." She said, narrowing her eyes at him. He straightened up and saluted her, smiling beatifically. "And don't get distracted this time!"

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, eyes following a butterfly with a curious mix of elements coursing through the wings. With the right push, it'd make an excellent familiar…especially for when the First got here and he inevitably had to challenge whatever foolish plans his eternal rival had. But no! He was here to have fun for now, and annoying his sister was icing on the cake. "Meet back at the front gates at sundown? I can do that!"

"Just do what I said. I'll get the rest." She groused, stomping off through the crowds. The Rival's smile softened a little bit.

"Sorry, sis." And he genuinely was sorry, for making her be the responsible one. Not that she wasn't naturally that way, but…he was here to have a good time and explore something new. As refreshing as another lifetime of relaxation was after his few previous ones – travelling through Yggdrasil, destroyed as it had been, had worn down his sense of adventure quite a bit. Legends speak of apocalypse, but never what comes after. – he wanted to start to see what this universe was all about.

So he'd get the tea, like he'd been asked. All he needed was another few years before he was considered an adult and could wander on his own – the age of adulthood being twenty amongst Fae, so that made two more years – but curiosity was getting the better of him. What harm would a little bit of exploring do?

With a spring in his step he turned back around and practically skipped down the streets, grabbing the coin pouch that hung at his side and swinging it around one finger. Let's see…what to do with the time he had?

One hand reached down and touched a stone in his pant's pocket, the thick fur that made up his clothes almost completely obscuring the wind talisman. It had two uses; one, to take him somewhere new, and two; to bring him back. But he never got the chance to activate it, as he felt something happen before that.

It was a subtle shift in reality, the kind that happened when Immortals came to visit, and the entire planet reacted to their presence. But this was…stronger, yet subtler. The sun shone brighter, the wind softened, the fire burning in the paper lanterns hung above the street ceased their flickering. It felt like…a breath of air, blowing through the entire city, cleansing the pollution and driving away the chaotic spirits that sought to muddle the mind.

The Rival sucked in a deep breath, air hissing through his teeth. No one else seemed to have noticed.

Clearly, someone important had arrived. Someone powerful. Did he risk it all to contact them?

…yes. Yes he did. This xianxia world was disturbingly peaceful, and he had to know why. Especially because Heaven was still oppressing things, forcefully stilling the flow of energy.

He tilted his head up, and took a deep breath, then began to run. Qi pumped through his legs, building up into a movement technique he should not have been able to pull of at this level of cultivation even if he were a prodigal genius. But, alas, he was far more than a genius or a prodigy and did so anyway, his muscles straining as he shot through the city, only disturbing a few higher-level cultivators. One man shouted at him but he ignored him, coming to stop above on one of the roofs of an archer tower on the Eastern wall.

The scent led away from the city…quite a distance away.

"Alright, wind, take me to where I want to go, not just random." He muttered, pulling the talisman out of his pocket and pleading with the damnable thing. Predictably, as it was just a stone with a few runes inscribed upon it, it did not answer.

But nonetheless, it still listened. For when he pushed a touch of qi into it – instantly draining nearly all of his qi in a split second – he was transformed into the wind and shot across the land, practically teleporting to a small village way outside of the city.

And there, sitting in a little tea shop enjoying a fresh brew, was perhaps one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen in his entire life; or, at least, in the past few lifetimes. She wasn't drop-dead gorgeous, with tons of makeup on. But her complexion was flawless, her hair a glossy black that gleamed in the sun, her purple robes immaculate and fine. And, more importantly, she was the source of the disturbance.

"Even the wind wants to lead to you." His eyebrows raised at the realization, glancing down at the talisman. "How powerful are you?" He paused for a moment, unsure of how to proceed…then deciding fuck it, he might as well ask her himself.

"Hello there, beautiful, is this seat taken?" he used his movement technique to appear before her in a flash, certain it would impress her to see one so young use such a technique, and winking.

Her head snapped up from a book she'd been reading, piercing green eyes locking onto him in a mixture of surprise and bafflement. And what eyes they were. He was momentarily stunned, locked into place by the sheer clarity held within their emerald depths. There was nothing mysterious about them; they showed her emotion as clearly as a neon sign, yet felt like they could pierce through his own shell with but a glance.

"Um," she said eloquently, eyes darting about the shop. There were very few other patrons, and none seemed to notice either of them. "I didn't – how are you here?"

"Are you talking about the perception filter you put up? I admit, it was so subtle that I didn't even notice you had it up until you said something, but such things are trivial to one such as I." The Rival boasted, assuming she was giving permission and taking a seat across from her. She watched him carefully, curiously, eyes darting about him like she was trying to pick him apart. He smirked and crossed his arms. Let her try.

"I didn't put up a filter." She said slowly, taking a sip of her tea. The Rival wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I did not wish to be seen by anyone, and the world adhered to my wish. This is meant to be a bit of a relaxing moment for me."

"Casual reality manipulation? You must be powerful. What stage of cultivation are you at? Obviously you're beyond mere Immortality." He said, and she seemed to actually pause and consider the question.

"Stage? I suppose you could say I'm at the very top." She mused. "How did you find me? Wait – I see it now. You rode the wind, and because of my presence it naturally descend toward me – even from two planets away. Fascinating that your desire to get to where you wanted to go overrode my desire to be left alone." This time it was the Rival's turn to pause.

"Two planets away?" He parroted.

"You didn't notice? Yes. The wind touches all, so why wouldn't it be capable of interstellar travel? It helps that you were pushed along someone playing games." The woman said, setting down her teacup and folding her hands on the table, shooting a quick, playful glare at the ceiling.

"I – "

"I'm sorry, but I swear I know you from somewhere." She interrupted suddenly, bringing him up short.

"I get that a lot." The Rival said, though internally his mind was racing. She knew him? Wait, was she like him? Was that the weird flavors of energy he'd been noticing every once in a while? Had she settled down here, deciding to call this place home? That was kind of disappointing, but also exciting. He'd never imagined he wouldn't be first to a universe this new!

"Have you ever been to a planet called Earth?" She asked. "Human-dominated."

"You're going to have to be more specific. There are like, a billion Earths, and humans are not as uncommon as you think." He deadpanned. "So you're like me, then?"

"In a way. Wait, hold on, I think I got it…" she frowned a little, eyes narrowing as she began to mutter to herself. And the Rival let her, smile growing as he watched a true genius in action. He knew the kind of barrier he set up around himself, to block truesight; she was picking it apart bit by bit. "Earth…you were...singer…yeah, there was…yeah I do know you! We used to work together! Holy shit, I never expected to run into anyone from my old universe again!" she cried, slapping the table and standing up, a fire of excitement igniting in her eyes. "But wait, you followed me into the afterlife – I thought Monkey Wrenches left the universe when they died?"

"Weak ones do, ones that have been around for a while can stick around a bit after death. Now, this is more exciting than I first thought even, but you have me on the back foot! I don't know who you are." He said, leaning forward.

"You knew me in life as Sylvia MacCleod. I was your psychiatrist." She said, and he sat bolt upright. He did remember that name, even if it was a little fuzzy…it was so long ago, and he had so many memories to sort through, but he did remember her. She'd been a blonde woman then, and an absolute hoot of a conversationist - too bad she'd been married when he'd met her. Realization dawned upon his face, and she grinned happily. "I think we have much to talk about, no?"