The Seventy-Third God

 A slightly blue-haired girl was in a meditative position in her bedroom. She was concentrating on strengthening her magic to prepare for the upcoming difficulties the tower will bring but she was facing a weird dilemma.

 An annoying woman crossed her mind constantly. Somebody who was crazy yet calculating, appeared weak but was strong, childlike yet old, and absolutely determined to complete her goal. What did Celine want the most? To claim Aria's heart and that made it impossible for Aria to think clearly.

 "Sigh," Aria heaved and laid down on her bed in frustration as she couldn't focus for magic training. "I'll just have to think of her as another one of those annoying suitors that come after me. Most of those men are after my status or body but I can see how Celine truly wants me, not anything else. She isn't the first but I've pushed away those who dream of being with me like her because our futures could never align. But Celine…"

 "Whatever,." Aria had decided to treat Celine like any other suitor and slowly push her away. She would just have to be more careful lest she make bad blood with a god. Without further thought, Aria pushed herself up from her bed and to begin to train her magics again. She had cleared her head of annoying thought and easily focused in a meditative position while strengthening her magic.

 Every person alive specializes in one magic that is created by the world. Valerians are made with the ability to manipulate magic like many other species but humans had to have outside assistance in the form of sigils to access magic. Strengthening magic meant for a person to understand their magic more. This was usually caused by research or being around the source a lot but there were many ways.

 For example, the easiest way for Aria, a lightning mage, to strengthen her magic was on a mountain during a stormy night. The lightning would make her understand her magic more, strengthening it. However, Aria was not privy to this luxury every day so her improvement was slower than others but that was made up by her proficiency.

 "The strongest lightning mage alive," a wordy title but it was Aria's alone. Well, it was a future title Aria would obtain but her prowess still shone. Not counting the hidden powers or lurking threats within her kingdom, Aria was the third strongest individual in the Valerian Kingdom. This was what the commoners knew but Aria herself couldn't become conceited because she knew stronger people roamed in this place, like an annoying woman who had recently crossed her mind.

 As if responding to a summon, the lock on Aria's door began to turn and her mouth twitched in anger because she only knew one idiot who would do something like this. Aria had decided, she was going to torture Celine alive when she had the chance.

 "That's the face I love to see!" Celine grinned and walked casually towards her. "Different timeline, same expression when I disrupt your training," Celine remarked.

 Aria deathly stared at her. Bruises and small cuts could be seen on Celine, causing a slight brow raise from Aria. But she coldly looked to the side boorishly in displeasure at the sight in front of her.

 "I know you're curious but you're not gonna ask, so I'll just tell you anyways. Your father forced me to fight him without divine powers to see who would win." Celine brazenly stated and a stalemate formed between the two. One wanted to tell her story while the other wanted to get rid of this nuisance.

 "Out of my room. Now," Aria demanded and pushed Celine out without remorse. She slammed the door and walked away without hesitation.

 "Don't you want to hear who won at least!" Celine cried out solemnly.

 Aria briefly stopped her steps to the bed. "You cannot beat my father. You are a new god and he has probably lived at least a dozen lifetimes. Even without divine powers the experience is not the same."

"You ruined the fun," Celine moped and put her head down while still standing by the closed door.

Aria snorted angrily at that persistence so she thought of a way to make Celine go away. "Focus on yourself first," she said. "There are better things for you to do than pester me all day. Remember, your enemies are no longer mortals like me but are instead gods that have lived for centuries. Just because you have entered a higher battlefield doesn't mean it's any less dangerous."

Celine had a defeated gaze. She knew gods would come after her to evaluate her strength. Celine wasn't like Arthur who became a god and had a massive kingdom in his hands. She was just a random girl who happened upon godhood and that made her weak. People like the Dragon King or the Elven Queen were gods that would see Celine's weakness and crush her in a display of their mighty power.

Celine knew she had to be prepared for the inevitable battles the tower would bring. So, with a somber gaze and defeated expression, Celine left the door and decided to focus on herself to stay alive. "One of the conditions Alina gave me was to gain power and have strong political backing. I guess I have to do that now."

Celine left to train with one final thought. "I am probably being to forceful of this relationship and it is pushing Aria away," she calculated. It was hard for her to break this habit because she had known Aria for so long but it had to be done for a healthy relationship.

"Forget the past, live the present, build the future," an endless mantra appeared in her mind.